AND AMERICAN LITERATURE
Instructor:Heather Chandler Class Meeting Time:Fridays, 1:00-3:30
Phone:254-247-9472; I teach full-time, so please text, and I will respond as soon as I am available.
Office Hours: I am available to meet after class each Friday to talk with parents or students about projects, assignments, progress, or questions.
Grading: I am a progress-based teacher, which means my focus is on the student’s improvement. That said, I do keep a gradebook for assignments. Weekly assignments are worth ten points. Essays are worth 100 points. Weekly quizzes are progress-based. I do not grade these; however, students who score 100 will earn one free homework pass on the weekly writing (not essays). Students who fail the weekly quizzes will either receive extra work for reinforcement or a parent phone call to make sure the outside work is being completed. These quizzes will generally cover main lecture points and our weekly readings for comprehension.
Required Texts:
· America: A Narrative History by David Shi, vols. 1 and 2. (Either the 9thor 10theditions) Approximately 30-40 each on Amazon, although new could be nearly $60. We will use volume one the first semester and volume 2 the second semester.
· Each week, students will research an element of American History during the era studied and either prepare a short written summary (2 paragraphs) or prepare for a class debate (these will be often as I believe students benefit from digging into both sides of an issue and learning to defend or critique it)
· Literature texts we will study:
· The Oxford Book of American Poetry April 3, 2006, by David Lehman(Editor), John Brehm(Editor) $26.00 Amazon, although some used copies are available for less than $10
· The Oxford Book of American Short Stories --August 28, 2012
· The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts --March 25, 2003
· The Great Gatsby Paperback– September 30, 2004
· To Kill a Mockingbird Mass Market Paperback– October 11, 1988
· The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, free on Kindle, most libraries, and can be picked up for a few dollars at any major book distributor.
· The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain. Any edition is fine, but I highly recommend the Audible version ready by Elijah Wood. Dialect can be tricky to read, but this Audible version is one of the best I have ever listened to! The text version is free on Kindle.
· In addition to the texts above, each student will need two notebooks. One for recording history notes and writings and one for literature. They will also need a small binder with loose-leaf paper for in-class writings, pens, and highlighters. A binder with slots for holding handouts is most helpful, otherwise, a folder will be necessary.
There will be short writing assignments (2-3 paragraphs) each week covering our readings. Some will be completed at home; others will be completed in class. I will also cover major grammar rules each week in class.
COURSE SCHEDULE_____________________________________________
UNIT 1-- FORMING A UNION: COLONIAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS (1607-1800)
RESEARCH QUESTION: WHAT ARE AMERICAN FOUNDATIONS FOR LIBERTY AND FREEDOM?
· August 9—Colonial Foundations(1607-1763): European colonization in North America prompted cultural contact and exchange among diverse peoples; cultural differences and misunderstandings at times led to conflict. A variety of factors contributed to the development of regional differences, including social and racial hierarchies, in colonial America. Roanoke, Jamestown; Primary and secondary sources in history
Academic Paragraph: How to write an academic paragraph.
Debates: How do we argue? What’s the difference between a debate and a fight? Aristotle’s Rhetorical Appeals (Logos, Pathos, Ethos); Assertions, Evidence, Reasoning, Assumptions, Values
LiteratureInclass: John Smith “Pocahontas,” John Winthrop “A Model of Christian Charity,” Roger Williams “The Bloody Tenet of Persecution for Cause of Conscience” (Preface); John Smith primary documents: Consider—Did Pocahontas Really Rescue Captain John Smith?
Literature Assigned for next week: Mary Rowlandson’s “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration,” William Bradford “Of Plymouth Plantation”
History Assigned for Next Week: Chapters 1 and 2: Please read the following sections:
The Collision of Cultures: pgs 5-6; Please choose one of the Native American groups from the subsequent pages in your text; European Visions of America, pgs. 13-17; Religious Conflict in Europe: pgs.17-20; The Spanish Empire-Clash of Cultures, pgs. 20-top of 21; The Columbian Exchange, pgs. 26-27; Challenges to the Spanish Empire, pgs 33-37; Religious Conflict and War, pgs 41-43; American Colonies: Read sections on Indentured Servants, pg 47; Pocahontas, 48; Bacon’s Rebellion, 49, Maryland 50-51; pg 55-56; and Rhode Island pgs 57-58.
Writing Assignment: Your job is to figure out what might have happened to Roanoke. Begin by listing reasons that a colony in America in the 1500s might fail and disappear. Second, find at least three theories explaining the colony’s disappearance. Which one do you think is most plausible? Using good reasoning, explain your opinion and provide relevant information to support your opinion in an academic paragraph.
· August 16—Colonial Economic Development, Social Structures, and Labor Systems: Geographical influences, major zones/areas (climate, vegetation, agriculture, natural resources), geographic factors that shaped the identity of America, Native American Conflicts, King Phillip’s War; Logical Fallacies
Geography: New England, Middle, Southern, and Chesapeake Colonies (map) and their major cities (in-class assignment, but unfinished work to be completed at home and placed in binder)
Literature: In class: Anne Bradstreet “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” p.3 OBAP and “To My Dear and Loving Husband” p.4 OBAP and “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne (We will listen to Audio version as we read along in class)
Assigned Literature reading for next week: Please read Acts 1 and 2 of The Crucible for next week’s class discussion, and gather the information required for your literature circle.
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: King Philip’s War pgs 73-74; Slavery in the Colonies, pgs 75-79; Chapter 3: Colonial Ways of Life, pgs 84-88; The Devil in New England, pgs 93-95; Race-Based Slavery, pgs 98-102
· August 23—Slavery in the colonies, indentured servitude, colonial political and economic experiences, contradiction between slavery and emerging ideas of freedom/liberty, immigration to the colonies, escape from religious persecution, political freedom, freedom of speech, freedom to own land, economic reasons, Salem Witch Trials, Cotton Mather
Literature: In class: Testimonies from the Salem Witch Trials, and “What Caused the Salem Witch Hysteria?”
Assigned for next week: Finish The Crucible and prepare for our first Mock Trial/debate on the Salem Witch Trials. Some questions to consider: Was there enough evidence to convict these people? Could such a trial take place today? Were these trials unique to Salem, Massachusetts?
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: The Enlightenment in America, pgs 105-107; The Great Awakening, pgs. 107-113. Article “It’s been 327 Years Since the Salem Witch Trials, but Fear is Ruling America Again.”
Writing Assignment: Please write a one-page response (1-2 paragraphs) to the article, “It’s been 327…” Do you agree with the writer or is he using hyperbole and history to persuade his readers?
· August 30—Salem Witch Trials class debate/Mock Trial
Political Developments (British, Political Traditions, Great Awakening, Enlightenment Ideas, and the Colonial Experience)Key events: Magna Carta, habeas corpus, English Bill of Rights, Glorious Revolution), John Peter Zenger, MLA formatting
Literature: The Great Awakening: Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: Regulating the Colonies and The Crisis Grows, pgs 133-145;
Short essay assignment on one of the following prompts (2-3 paragraphs for beginners) (4-5 paragraphs for advanced writers)-Due September 6.
1. Why was the separation of church and state considered such a radical idea, even a century and a half after Roger Williams established his colony?
2. How has the principle of religious toleration contributed to the uniqueness of American society?
3. How has the freedom of the press influenced American Society?
4. Are freedoms of press and religion essential to the preservation of liberty?
· September 6—Constitutional Foundations (1763-1824): Growing political and economic tensions led the American colonists to declare their independence from Great Britain. Once independent, the new nation confronted the challenge of creating a stable federal republic. Britain and the Colonies following the French and Indian War. Key Events: Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Townsend Acts, Boston Massacre, Tea Act, Boston Tea Party, Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts
Writing Assignment: Write an academic paragraph for next week on the following prompt:
Just how much “British tyranny” did the colonies experience before the Boston Tea Party?
Literature: The Enlightenment: Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (excerpt), “Letter to Ezra Stiles” Phyllis Wheatley “On Being Brought from Africa” OBAP p. 13; In literature circles, answer the questions on the handout.
Literature Writing Assignment: Considering Ben Franklin’s “13 Virtues”, write your own list of 13 Virtues that might change your own life for the better.
American Propaganda: “Join or Die”
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: Independence: pgs 147-153
· September 13—The Declaration of Independence: Purpose, Grievances against the King, Absence of African Americans, women, and Native Americans; long term impact; slavery; African American’s role and growth of free black population; impact on foreign nations
Literature: Declaration of Independence
Music:“Ballad of the Green Mountain Boys”
Writing Assignment: Write a response to the following prompt: Why did the Americans bother with writing a declaration? Why did they deem it so essential?
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: The American Revolution, pgs. 161-170; American Society at War, pgs 171-172; Alliance with France, pgs 175-176; Valley Forge and Stalemate, pgs 176-77, The Treaty of Paris, pgs 185-186; War as an Engine of Change, pgs 186-189.
· September 20—Revolution in America (1775-1783) Revolutionary beliefs (republican principles and natural rights), Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Abigail Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Betsy Ross, Molly Pitcher, Martha Washington; General Benedict Arnold, Loyalists and Tories, Revolutionary Battles (Lexington and Concord, Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Brooklyn, Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Yorktown); Women’s struggles to maintain soldier’s home and family, Native Americans form alliances with both sides, Treaty of Paris (1783)
Literature: In Class: Letters from John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” Francis Scott Key “Defence of Fort McHenry” OBAP, p. 18, How to Write an Outline
Assigned:The Scarlet Letter, First Half.
Writing Assignment: You are assigned a 1-2 page essay on one of the prompts given out on The Scarlet Letter, due October 11th. You will need to bring in your outline to class next week.
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: The Social Revolution; pgs 189-194; The Emergence of an American Culture, pg. 195; Strengthening the New Nation, pgs 199-201; The Gathering Crisis, pgs 205-207
· September 27—The Constitutional Convention:Strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, Framers of the Constitution, Plans of Government (Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Connecticut Plan); Great Compromise; Election of President; Protection from abuses of power (popular sovereignty, limited government; power separated and balanced; Slavery and the Constitution (3/5thCompromise, Commerce Compromise (abolition of slave importation in 1808), Fugitive Slave Law, Reasons for omitting slavery in the Constitution; Federalists, Anti-Federalists; Bill of Rights; Development of Political Parties; philosophies of Hamilton and Jefferson; Suppressing dissent (Whiskey Rebellion, Alien and Sedition Acts)
Literature: The Scarlet Letter, Second Half
Written Assignment: Bring in your outline for your essay on The Scarlet Letter for approval.
History Reading Assigned: Creating the Constitution, pgs 207-209; The Three Branches of Government, pgs. 210-212. The Limits of the Constitution, pgs 212-215; The Federalist Era, pgs 219-222; Hamilton’s Vision of a Capitalist America, pgs 222-229.
· October 4—The United States Constitution:Branches of Government (Congress, President, Judicial); Separation of powers; creation of a system of checks and balances; limits of Federalism; Civil liberties; criminal procedures; Washington’s administration, domestic politics; Executive cabinet; Washington’s advice to avoid political parties; John Adams, Thomas Jefferson; Marshall Court (1801-1835)
Literature: The Romantic Era (1800-1850)Washington Irving “Rip Van Winkle” pp. 16-30 in American Short Stories; Prepare for your literary circle position.
Written Assignment: Bring in your rough draft for The Scarlet Letter for workshop in class today.
History Reading Assigned for Next Week: Jeffersonian Republicanism, pgs 249-251; The Louisiana Purchase, pgs 254-257, Lewis and Clark, pgs 257-258
Unit 2: EXPANSION, NATIONALISM, AND SECTIONALISM (1800-1865)
RESEARCH QUESTION: WAS THE CIVIL WAR INEVITABLE?
· October 11—American Nationalism, expansion, and economic growth: The Louisiana Purchase, Exploring and settling West, Expanding the American Frontier, Lewis and Clark Expedition, The Mormon Church, Missouri Compromise
ESSAY DUE TODAY
Debate topic: How did Edgar Allan Poe die?
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: The War of 1812, pgs 264-275
Literature: Edgar Allen Poe “The Raven,” OBAP p. 67 “Annabelle Lee,” OBAP p. 72-73, and “The Tell-Tale Heart” pp. 67-72 in American Short Stories
Art: John James Audubon
· October 18—The Virginia Presidential Dynasty: Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, The Embargo Act of 1807, Factors leading to War of 1812 (British Impressment of Americans, British Alliance with Native Americans, British refusal to give up forts, competition over North American fur trade); Monroe Doctrine, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson’s political rivalry
Debate topic: Did the Founding Fathers have a point when they argued that political parties are harmful to the health of a republic?
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: The Market Revolution, pgs 288-298; Industrial Development, pgs 298-301; The Expansion of slavery, pg 301, Popular culture, pgs 307-309; Immigration, pgs 309-313. Chapter 11, The South, Slavery, and King Cotton, pgs. 383-415
· October 25—The Growing economy: Cotton gin, patterns of southern development, rise of Northern industry, Samuel Colt-gun manufacturing; middle-class and working-class life in the pre-Civil War North; Immigration and Nativist reactions (Jews, Irish mass starvation, German refugees, Know Nothings); Oliver Evans-steam engine; working conditions in the North and South; developing sectional differences and philosophies of government-states’ rights
Literature: Transcendentalism—Emerson “Blight” OBAP p.30, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
Prepare for literary circle position on “Sleepy Hollow.”
History Readings: Chapter 12, Religion, Romanticism, and Reform
· November 1—The birth of the American reform and the Second Great Awakening: religious and secular roots, religious revival; public schools and Horace Mann, Walt Whitman, Charles Reason; poverty and crime; temperance movement, religious leaders, women; Abolition and resistance (Nat Turner’s Rebellion, Sojourner Truth, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe) Underground Railroad; emergence of women’s rights movement and connections to abolitionist movement (Susan B. Anthony, Grimke sisters, Elizabeth Cady Stanton)
Assignment: Please choose one of the following topics for further research and prepare 2 academic paragraphs for class discussion.
Consider:
1. What was it about the message of the Second Great Awakening that inspired so many social reform movements?
2. How does religion continue to shape American society in the 21st century?
3. How did abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass manage to convince a growing number of Northerners that slavery was incompatible with American ideals of liberty and equality? What was their most effective tactic?
Literature: Realism Emily Dickinson “Success is counted sweetest” OBAP p. 163: “Faith’ is a fine invention” p. 163-164, “I’m Nobody! Who Are you?” p. 167, Walt Whitman “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” OBAP p. 145, “Reconciliation” p. 145, “A Noiseless Patient Spider” p. 151; Frederick Douglass “I am your fellow man, but not your slave”
History Readings: Chapter 13, Western Expansion
· November 8—Jackson and Native Americans, Manifest Destiny, and Sectionalism: The Indian Removal Act, Mexican War, Expansions into Oregon, Dissent (Abraham Lincoln, Spot Resolutions, Thoreau, Ulysses S. Grant); A society divided; The Great Constitutional Debates—states’ rights vs. federal supremacy; “Do-Nothing Presidents” (Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan); Dred Scott vs. Sanford; Lincoln-Douglas Debates; Abraham Lincoln Election of 1860, secession, compromise plans.
Literature: Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn; Prepare for your literary circle position.
Art: Washington Crosses the Delaware
Essay: FREE CHOICE. You may choose to analyze any historical, literary, artistic movement, contributor, event, poem, story, or author up to this point in history. Please prepare a 2-3-page essay OR you may create a project that displays a minimum of three hours of work. These can be artist renditions, dioramas, costume design, or any other APPROVED project idea relating to American History or Literature. Due November 22nd. More details will be given in class.
History Readings Assigned for Next Week: Chapter 14, The Gathering Storm
· November 15—The American Civil War: Military Strategy (Union and Confederacy); Major Battles (Bull Run, Antietam, Shiloh, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Fall of Atlanta, Sherman’s March), Human toll, death toll, and casualties due to combat and disease; Homefront: Expansion of executive and federal power, Women of the Civil War (Clara Barton, Lucretia Mott, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, Mary Chestnut); Emancipation Proclamation; Gettysburg Address; African American participation in the war; Reasons the North prevailed
Assignment: Please choose one of the above topics for further research and prepare 2 academic paragraphs for class discussion.
Debate topic: Was the Civil War fought because of slavery or states’ rights?
Literature: Huckleberry Finn; Prepare for your literary circle
Art: Civil War photography: Brady
History Readings for Next Week: Chapter 15, The War of the Union
Unit 3: POST-CIVIL WAR AMERICA: INDUSTRIALIZATION, URBANIZATION AND THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT (1865-1900)
HOW WAS AMERICA’S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES OF GROWTH AND PROGRESS ALIGNED TO ITS IDEALS OF DEMOCRACY?
· November 22—The Civil War Amendments and the Southern Response (Lincoln’s Plan, Johnson’s Plan, Congressional Reconstruction, Civil Rights Act (1866), Freedmen’s Bureau) Reconstruction and Resistance (13thAmendment, 14thAmendment, 15thAmendment, Black Codes, Restrictions on voting rights, Rise of the Klu Klux Klan, Radical Republicans vs. Johnson; The North develops as an industrial power; The New South (carpetbaggers); Women and Equality (Seneca Falls Convention 1848, Exclusion of women from 14thand 15thamendments, struggle for voting and increased property rights, the suffrage movement, fight for birth control (Sanger), Women’s Peace Movement; California Gold Rush; Westward expansion; Indian Wars Treatment of Mexicans, Role of Chinese immigrants, Impact on African Americans, and Nativist reactions, stereotyping and prejudice (urban poverty, low wages, harassment over religious beliefs)
Assignment: Please choose one of the above topics for further research and prepare 1 academic paragraph for class discussion.
ESSAY DUE TODAY
Literature: Finish Huckleberry Finn before class today; Prepare for your literary circle
Art: Mary Cassatt
Music: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
Midterm Exam
NOTE: WE WILL NOT MEET THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING. ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK!
December- Winter Break. While class does not meet this month, please read Jack London’s Call of the Wild and be prepared to discuss the novel the first class in January. J
God is good, Histories great, and people are crazy.
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