Syllabus: HSTY2034

NOTE:

THE TAKE HOME EXAM IS NOT ON THIS WEBSITE. GO TO THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE TAKE-HOME EXAM LINK

UNIT OF STUDY DESCRIPTION

This unit of study surveys almost four centuries of U.S. history, from early white settlement to the Civil War. We begin by looking at the European competition for supremacy in North America, concentrating on the reasons why England eventually became the dominant colonial power. Following the establishment of diverse white settlements and the introduction of slavery, we trace the way a distinct national identity developed, leading eventually to revolutionary upheaval and state re-formation. After exploring the subsequent period of geographic expansion, early industrialization and dramatic changes in gender, race and class relations, we conclude with the sectional debates that preceded the largest war in American history.

The readings for this unit of study have been selected with a view to examining the past from the point of view of ordinary people, women and slaves as well as elites.   Hopefully, this shifting perspective will help students think about the way that all histories are necessarily written from a particular standpoint. In addition, there are two core themes around which this unit of study is organized:  

• Shifting relations of power: what forms of power did conflicting groups hold and how and why did relative positions of power change over time?  
• Shifting understandings of liberty and equality: how have different groups in American society variously interpreted the nation's founding ideals of liberty and equality? How well have their understandings matched reality and how and why did the meanings attached to these ideals change over time?

UNIT OF STUDY GOALS

SKILLS

Students will develop skills in critical analysis, verbal and written communication, and organization:

1. Skills in Critical Analysis

You will read a variety of primary sources, that is, documents or artefacts produced by people living in the period we are studying, such as diaries, memoirs, paintings, newspaper articles, and legal documents.  

Through a close reading of these sources you will learn to consider what they tell us about the past and what they do not tell us, focusing on the form and content as well as the strengths and weaknesses of particular types of evidence.

You will also read a number of secondary sources, or historians' interpretations of the past.   You will learn to discern the main argument or thesis of these sources and critically assess the evidence used in support.

2. Skills in Verbal and Written Communication

The written assignments will challenge you to organize your notes in a logical way, to formulate your ideas into coherent arguments, and to support your arguments with appropriate evidence.

• The tutorial paper: asks you to compare and contrast two works of history.   This assignment is designed to help you assess the way historians use evidence, to engage you in a scholarly debate, and to enhance your ability to develop and communicate your own ideas about history.
  
• The document portfolio: involves locating appropriate digital sources that will be used to construct a research paper. In addition to developing your research skills, this assignment is intended to strengthen your ability to closely read primary sources and to sustain an argument at length.  
  
• Take home examination: emphasises the ability to consolidate what you have learned throughout the semester and to express this knowledge more rapidly.

In tutorials you will learn to listen, absorb, and respond to classmates' comments, as well as developing the ability to formulate and express your own ideas in a public setting.  

3. Skills in Organization

This unit of study requires you to manage your time.   To perform effectively, you must:

• Attend all lectures and tutorials - and arrive on time.
• Keep up with the reading.
• Meet your deadlines.
• If you meet all these demands, you will have developed good working habits that you can transfer to other studies and occupations.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

In terms of the university's generic attributes, students will:

• have developed a body of knowledge relating to the history of the United States to 1865;
• be able to identify, access, organize, and communicate that knowledge in both written and oral English;
• have an appreciation of the requirements and characteristics of scholarship and research;
• be able to exercise critical judgement;
• be capable of rigorous and independent thinking;
• have enhanced their ability to use information technology for professional and personal development.