HIST 365A: ISSUES IN NINETEENTH

ISSUES IN NINETEENTH CENTURY AMERICAN HISTORY

History 365
Fall 1999

I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
Abraham Lincoln, 1858

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will.
Frederick Douglass, 1857

Whose voice was first sounded on this land? The voice of the red people who had but bows and arrows...When the white man comes to my country he leaves a trail of blood behind him.
Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux, 1865

The only good Indians I ever saw were dead.
General Phillip Sheridan, 1868

This course focuses on what are arguably the central events of American history: the Civil War and Reconstruction. We will examine why war came, why and how war was waged, and how the South was restored to the Union. We will also examine the War in the West between Euro-Americans and Native Americans.

There are several things required of every student. The first is adherence to the Roanoke College code of academic integrity. The second is attendance. You will be allowed three absences; every additional absence will result in the loss of one point off of your total grade. Students will be considered absent if they miss any portion of the class period. Of equal importance is preparation and intelligent participation. The goal of the course is to improve your ability to read, think, and write clearly and critically. These skills will be developed through class discussion, papers, and tests.

Four papers are required. Each will be a critical book review. Papers will be at least 3 pages long, following standard scholarly book review length. Papers must be typed. Penalties will be assessed for late papers.

Class discussion is a crucial component of the course. Students are expected to have read the assigned material and be fully prepared to discuss the reading.

There will be two tests: a mid-term and a final. About one third of the final will be comprehensive. The weight of the final can be reduced by an optional, additional book report. The particulars of this option will be outlined in class.

The weight assigned to each requirement is:

Papers 40%
First Test 15%
Final Exam 25%
Class Discussion 20%

Students should purchase the following books: Stephen E. Ambrose, Crazy Horse and Custer; Bruce Catton, The Civil War; Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; Eric Foner, A Short History of Reconstruction. Optional text: Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Sept 1	Introduction	Oct 18-22	FALL BREAK!!
Sept 3-13	Slavery Read Narrative: Preface & Letter for Sept 6 ch. 1-5 for Sept 8 ch. 6-9 for Sept 10 *Review of Narrative* due Sept 13**	Oct 25-29	Reconstruction—Part I: Devastation and Hope, 1863-65 Read in Reconstruction Preface-ch. 2 for Oct 27 ch. 3-4 for Oct 29
Sept 15-22	The Coming of the War	Nov 1-10	Reconstruction—Part II: The President v. Congress Read in Reconstruction ch. 5-6 for Nov 1 ch. 7-8 for Nov 3 *Review of Reconstruction* due on Nov 8** Film on Reconstruction on Nov. 10
Sept 24-29	The Civil War, Part I - The War Begins, 1861-62 Read in The Civil War: ch. 1-2 for Sept 24 ch. 3-4 for Sept 27 ch. 5-6 for Sept 29	Nov 4-18	War in the West Read in Crazy Horse ch. 1-3 for Nov 12 ch. 4-6 for Nov 15 ch. 7-9 for Nov 17 ch. 10-12 for Nov 19 ch. 13-14 for Nov 22 ch. 15 for Nov 29 ch. 16-17 for Dec 1 Film: Dances with Wolves on Dec 3 & 6 *Review of Crazy Horse* due on Dec 6**
Oct 1-6	The Civil War, Part II - The Tide Turns, 1863 Read in The Civil War: ch. 7-8 for Oct 1 ch. 9-10 for Oct 4 ch. 11-12 for Oct 6	Dec 8	Discussion: Cold Mountain (first half)
Oct 8-11	The Civil War, Part III - The Bitter End, 1864-65 *Review of The Civil War* due on Oct 8** Film on the Civil War—Oct 11	Dec 10	Conclusion
Oct 13	Mid-term	Dec 13	Review of Cold Mountain due
Oct 15	Film on the Civil War	Dec 15 2-5 pm	Final

Narrative. = Frederick Douglas: Narrative and Selected Writings
Crazy Horse = Crazy Horse and Custer
Reconstruction = A Short History of Reconstruction

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