African American History 1619-1877
HIST 250
CRN 22392
Winter 2008
Professor R. Sullivan
This course surveys the history of African Americans from 1619 to the end of Reconstruction in 1877. It begins with an exploration of the African and global context for the enslavement and transport of people to North America. It then traces the complex involvement between Africans, Europeans and the native people of this continent during the colonial period and explores how Africans achieved a variety of lifestyles and statuses. The evolution of “slave” status and how this became attached to “race” is explored as well as the gradual emergence of an African American culture in North America. The participation of African Americans in the Revolutionary War, the spread of freedom in the North, and the spread of slavery in the South in post-revolutionary period are also covered. The course also addresses the growth of free black communities in the North and the evolution of a distinctive African American culture in the slave South during the antebellum period. The course ends with discussion of the African American impulse to move West, African American participation in the Civil War, and the rise and fall of Reconstruction.
Graduate Teaching Fellows: Torrie Hester & Clinton Sandvick
Lectures : Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:00-3:15 pm, 240A McKenzie
Discussion Sections: Thursdays @ 12:00 pm or Thursdays @ 1:00 pm
Information on Contacting Dr. Sullivan:
Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10:30-12:00, and by appointment.
Office: 362 McKenzie
Office phone: (541) 346-5907
Email: reginas@uoregon.edu
Information on Discussion Sections (record the information for your GTF and section below):
Day & Time: 12:00-12:50 or 1:00-1:50 Thursdays
Place: 373 McKenzie or 471 McKenzie
GTF: T. Hester or C. Sandvick
Office Location & Phone: T. Hester: 340U McKenzie, (541) 346-4827
C. Sandvick: 340T McKenzie, ( 541) 346-4821
Office Hours:
Required Readings:
The main textbook for this class is Clayborne Carson et al., The Struggle For Freedom: A History of African Americans , Volume 1, To 1877 (concise version). Packaged with this textbook is a set of primary documents, compiled by Roy E. Finkenbine, Sources of the African American Past, 2 nd Ed. These textbooks are available for purchase at the bookstore and copies have been placed on reserve in the library. (If you choose to buy these texts from another outlet, please note that they are more expensive when not packaged together.)
In addition to these required texts, I also recommend that you purchase A Pocket Guide to Writing In History, 5 th Ed., by Mary Rampolla. It is also available at the bookstore and is on reserve in the library.
We will also occasionally have readings that I will post on Blackboard as well as place on library reserve. These are noted in the syllabus.
Please note : If students choose not to purchase the textbooks, they are still responsible for bringing copies of the readings to discussion sections when assigned. Copies of all the textbooks are on reserve in the library. We will be working with these readings in sections and it is important for each student to have her or his own copy.
Student Responsibilities:
For most of the term, you can expect to attend two lectures (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) and a discussion section (which will meet on Thursdays before lecture).
The textbook provides the basic background reading—the facts that are the foundation of history. I chose this particular text because it is well-written and concise. I find it to be an engaging text, and I think you will as well. Reading a textbook, however, is always hard work. If you find reading and remembering material challenging, you may want to visit the Academic Learning Center (see p. 8). They provide workshops and one-on-one tutoring on how to read textbooks effectively. Assignments are listed below. In lecture and discussions and on quizzes and exams, you will be held responsible for the basic knowledge that you can derive only from reading Carson's text. Please do not fall behind in textbook reading.
Course lectures underscore the main themes of this class— the interpretations that build on the facts of history. You are expected to attend lectures. Please arrive on time as I will begin promptly. You may not tape lectures or use computers in class. If you complete the assigned readings before class, you will be able to follow the lectures more easily. Students are expected to take notes during lecture and participate in all activities during class meetings.
Discussion sections are scheduled before our Thursday lecture meetings. Before each section you are required to complete a reading assignment, usually from the Finkenbine textbook, Rampolla textbook or from materials posted on Blackboard. You will be asked to respond to the primary source readings with a short writing assignment. Students will have the opportunity to write eight Response Papers but are required to write only five. Students may drop their three lowest grades or skip writing three papers. (Please note that if you choose not to purchase the Rampolla text, you are still responsible for completing these reading assignments.)
Honorable and Courteous Behavior:
In a large lecture class, such as this, good manners are especially important.
• Courtesy during class: It is disruptive to arrive late or to leave early. If you know that you must leave early, explain the situation in advance to me or to your GTF. If you must leave early, please do so quietly. If you happen to arrive late, be respectful and quietly take the nearest seat. Excessive talking or other disruptive behavior in lecture cannot be tolerated as it impacts my ability to teach and students' ability to learn. If you are disruptive, you may be asked to leave. All electronic devices must be turned off for the duration of class. You may not use cell phones, computers or any other electronic device during class meetings.
• Courtesy in dealing with your instructors: The GTFs and I are eager to help you succeed in this course. Each week you will have opportunities in class and during our office hours to consult us. We are also available by appointment if you cannot make our office hours. The quickest way to reach us is via email. If you have an emergency, leave a message on my office phone or send an email.
• Courtesy in debate: Disagreement is an important part of intellectual discussion and debating issues is critical to a university education. Therefore, you should expect to disagree with the ideas or opinions of your fellow students when you meet in discussion sections. Please always disagree in a respectful manner and treat others as you would expect to be treated.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty of any type—plagiarism, fabrication or cheating—will not be tolerated in this course. The university's policy on academic dishonesty, taken from the Student Handbook, is as follows:
“Policy on Academic Dishonesty
Members of the university community are expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors. To falsify the results of one's research, to present the words, ideas, data, or work of another as one's own, or to cheat on an examination corrupts the essential process by which knowledge is advanced.
It is the official policy of the University of Oregon that all acts of alleged academic dishonesty by students be reported to the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards in the Office of Student Life (346-1141). It is contrary to university policy for an instructor to assign a disciplinary grade such as an "F" or zero to an assignment, test, examination, or other course work as a sanction for suspected academic dishonesty in lieu of following the procedures on academic dishonesty under the university's Student Conduct Code (OAR 571-21-068). Such an independent action violates the student's guaranteed legal right to due process and leaves the instructor vulnerable to a student grievance, an off-campus civil suit, and possible disciplinary action by the university.
Similarly, students are prohibited from proposing or entering into an arrangement with an instructor to receive a grade of "F" or any reduced grade in a course or on an academic exercise in lieu of being charged with academic dishonesty under the code.
It is also a violation of Oregon state law to create and offer to sell part or all of an education assignment to another person (ORS 165.114) or to falsify the authorship of a work product (ORS 165.037)”
Students with questions about this policy should consult the student handbook online at http://studentlife.uoregon.edu/programs/student_judi_affairs/index.htm. For specific information regarding plagiarism, see http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/plagiarism/students/.
Course Requirements:
• Attendance & Class Participation: 10% of final grade
Students may miss three classes without impacting their course grade. If you miss more than three meetings, your grade will be affected. If you miss more than six classes, you will not pass this course. Attendance will be taken during lecture and at section meetings. In class meetings you will be expected to participate in all activities, including in-class writing assignments, small group work, and discussions. While this in-class work will not receive a grade, it will reveal if students have been keeping up with reading assignments and listening actively in lecture. Thus these in-class assignments will impact your final course participation grade. Students who disrupt classroom activities or refuse to participate may be asked to leave and will not receive credit for attendance or participation.
• Response Papers: 30% of final grade
Each week, before attending discussion section, you will complete a reading assignment and respond to a question about the readings provided in the syllabus. You may write only five Response Papers or you may write eight and drop your three lowest grades. These papers are short, 300 words minimum to 500 words maximum, and will be graded on a twenty-point scale. They should be typed, double-spaced and handed in at the beginning of section . If you do not attend section, you may not submit a paper unless you have a documented excuse for the absence . In other words, you may not turn in paper unless you attend your section meeting. Five papers are required.
• Exams: 60% (Midterm Exam, 30%; Final Exam, 30%) of final grade
You will take a Midterm and a Final Exam. The exams will cover all assigned course materials. The exams will contain identification questions and an essay. Three possible essay questions will be distributed before the exam, and the exam essay question will be chosen from these three on the day of the exam. The Final Exam will not be cumulative.
• Course Credit:
Credit for this course will be earned only as stated above. No provisions for extra credit will be offered.
On occasion, circumstances may arise which cause you to need to take a make-up exam or turn in a late assignment. To be eligible for special consideration, you must contact me or your Graduate Teaching Fellow before the day of the exam or due date of the assignment and explain your circumstances. The reasons should be limited to personal illness or family crises, both of which must be documented. Do not expect that you will be given the opportunity to make-up an exam or an assignment if you do not discuss your circumstances with me or your GTF well before an assignment is due.
Course Schedule
Week One: January 8 th -11 th
1. Tuesday Course Introduction
2. Thursday No section meetings.
3. Thursday Background: The World in 1500 CE: Africa, Europe, & North America
Assignment: Carson, ch. 1, pp. 1-24 [24 pgs.]
Week Two: January 15 th -18 th
1. Tuesday The African Diaspora & the Atlantic World
Assignment: Carson, ch. 2, pp. 25-top of 41, 45 [17 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: Finkenbine, introduction, and excerpts from Smith & Equiano , pp. 1-9; 11-13 [12 pgs.]
Rampolla, pp. 6-13, on evaluating primary sources [9 pgs.]
Rampolla, pp. 25-8, on reading actively and critically [3 pgs.]
• Response Paper #1: (300-500 words)
How do the experiences of Equiano and Smith compare? Write a paper in which you describe the similarities and differences and see if you can draw any conclusions about their general experience. Use specific examples from the readings to support your conclusions.
3. Thursday Flexible Beginnings: Africans in British North America
Assignment: Carson, ch. 3, pp. 46-56 [10 pgs.]
Week Three: January 22 nd -25 th
1. Tuesday Defining Slavery & “Race”
Assignment: Carson, ch. 3, pp. 57-68 [11 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: On Blackboard: Primary sources from the early colonial period :
Overview of Virginia Laws, 1660-1705, pp. 43-45; “Anthony Johnson … 1655,” p. 85; “An Act to Discriminate …, 1664, “Francis Payne …, 1673,” and “Distinguishing Slaves …, 1705,” pp. 89-91 [7 pgs.]
Rampolla, pp. 88-95, on plagiarism [7 pgs.]
Rampolla, pp. 61-8, the conventions of historical writing [7pgs.]
Rampolla, pp. 96-100, on using quotations [4 pgs.]
• Response Paper #2: (300-500 words)
What did you learn from today's reading assignment about the relationship between “race” and slave status in British North America? What do these changes reveal about society in British North America?
3. Thursday The African Experience in the Late Colonial Period
Assignment: Carson, ch. 4, pp. 69-top of 84, bottom of 86-top of 94 [22 pgs.]
Week Four: January 29 th -February 1 st
1. Tuesday African Americans & the American Revolution
Assignment: Carson, ch. 4, pp. 94-96; ch. 5, pp. 97-107 [12 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: Finkenbine, introduction, pp. 19-20, excerpts from Grant and King , pp. 22-25; and on natural rights philosophy, excerpt from Banneker , pp. 26-8. Posted on Blackboard, there is an excerpt of a letter written by Thomas Jefferson in which he writes of his attitudes toward Africans and Native Americans in 1787, pp. 122-6. You may also review the Declaration of Independence , in Carson, Appendix, A-3. [12 pgs.]
• Response Paper #3: (300-500 words) two choices, (pick only one) :
Jehu Grant and Boston King fought on differing sides in the Revolutionary War. Why? Did they share similar motivations or concerns? Give examples from the reading to support your conclusions.
OR
After reading the selections from Jefferson and Banneker, give your assessment of Banneker's critique of Jefferson. What strategies does he use to counter Jefferson's ideas about “race” and natural rights. Is it an effective argument? Why or why not?
3. Thursday Post-Revolutionary America: Freedom Spreads in the North
Assignment: Carson, ch. 5, pp. 108-16; conclusion, 119-20; ch. 6, pp. 124-33
[18 pgs.]
Week Five: February 5 th -7 th
1. Tuesday Post-Revolutionary to the Antebellum Era: Slavery Spreads in the South
Assignment: Carson, ch. 6, pp. 137-middle of 41; conclusion, 146; ch. 7, pp. bottom of 152- bottom of 156 [10 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: Finkenbine, ch. 5, pp. 42-60 [18 pgs.]
Rampolla, pp. 38-42, on taking history exams [5 pgs.]
• Response Paper #4: (300-500 words)
What did you learn about slavery and resistance from these documents? Draw at least two general conclusions about the experience of enslaved people after reading these primary sources? Give examples from the readings and refer to more than one or two documents to support your ideas and conclusions.
3. Thursday The Antebellum Period: Entrenchment & Resistance in the South
Assignment: Carson, ch. 7, pp. bottom of 156-73 [17 pgs.]
Week Six February 12 th -15 th
1. Tuesday Midterm Exam
2. Thursday Discussion sections will not meet this week.
3. Thursday A midterm break: No class meeting.
Week Seven February 19 th -22 nd
1. Tuesday African Americans in the Reform Era, 1831-1850
Assignment: Carson, ch. 8, pp. 174-middle of 194 [20 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: On Blackboard, “The ‘Free-State Letter' of Judge George H.
Williams,” Oregon Historical Quarterly 9.3, (September 1908):
254-73. [19 pgs.]
• Response Paper #5: (300-500 words)
In this editorial, published in “The Oregonian Statesman,” July 28, 1857, Judge George H. Williams is trying to convince others that Oregon should become a free state. What is the main argument that he uses to make his case? What do you make of Williams' argument against slavery in Oregon? Does it have particular strengths or weaknesses, in your opinion? Judge Williams is against Oregon becoming a slave state but is he against enslavement as a matter of principle? Is it an effective editorial? In other words, do you think his argument would have persuaded his readers in 1857?
3. Thursday African Americans in the North and West
Assignment: Carson, ch. 8, pp. middle of 194-99; and on Blackboard, Q. Taylor, “Slaves and Free Men: Blacks in the Oregon Country, 1840-1860,” Oregon Historical Quarterly 83.2, (Summer 1982): 153-70. [22 pgs.]
Week Eight February 26 th -29 th
1. Tuesday African Americans in the 1850s
Assignment: Carson, ch. 9, pp. 200-middle of 217 [17 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: On Blackboard, Fugitive Slave Ads
• Response Paper #6: (300-500 words)
Imagine that you were the first historian to study these ads. What do you learn about American society and the experience of the enslaved in the 1850s simply from reading these advertisements? Draw one or two general conclusions after reading the evidence closely. Be sure to support your ideas and conclusions with specific examples from the primary sources.
3. Thursday The Crisis: Region, Expansion and the Politics of Slavery
Assignment: Carson, ch. 9, pp. middle of 217-24 [7 pgs.]
Week Nine March 4 th -7 th
1. Tuesday The Civil War
Assignment: Carson, ch. 10, pp. 225-middle of 246 [21 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: Finkenbine, ch. 7, pp. 72-82 [10 pgs.]
• Response Paper #7: (300-500 words)
Draw at least two conclusion based on the readings about the experience of African Americans during the war. Use examples from the primary sources to support your conclusions.
3. Thursday Emancipation & the Aftermath
Assignment: Carson, ch. 10, pp. 246-52 [6 pgs.]
Week Ten March 11 th -14 th
1. Tuesday Reconstruction
Assignment: Carson, ch. 11, pp. 253-71 [18 pgs.]
2. Thursday Discussion Sections
Assignment: Finkenbine, ch. 8, pp. 84-94 [10 pgs.]
• Response Paper #8: (300-500 words)
These primary sources reflect the experience of African American during Reconstruction. How would you characterize this period for African Americans? Refer to the primary sources to support your conclusion or conclusions.
3. Thursday The End of Reconstruction; Movement West
Assignment: Carson, ch. 11, pp. middle of 275-80 [5 pgs.]
Final Exam
Thursday, March 20, 2008
1:00 pm
Addendum to Syllabus
• Response Papers
Each week you will read primary sources, either from the Finkenbine textbook or posted on Blackboard. Materials posted on Blackboard are also available on reserve in the library. Before beginning the readings, be sure to review the paper assignment in the syllabus. These questions should guide your thinking as you read.
After you have completed the reading, you will write a short paper in which you address the questions provided in the syllabus. These papers should be between 300 and 500 words in length. Do not write significantly more or less than this range. The papers should be typed, doubled-spaced and written with attention to the general rules of style, grammar, and spelling. Papers with significant spelling, grammar or stylistic errors will be returned for rewriting. The return of a paper due to too many errors will result in a five-point reduction from the paper's ultimate grade. These assignments should be handed in at the beginning of each discussion section. Overall, students are required to write five of the eight assigned papers. Students may skip writing three papers or drop their three lowest scores at the end of the term. Each paper will be graded on a twenty-point scale. If you do not attend a discussion section, you lose the opportunity to turn in a paper. Late papers will not be accepted unless you have a legitimate excuse as per the course policy. See p. 3 of the syllabus.
When writing Response Papers, please take care to answer the questions that are asked. Do not simply summarize the readings or give us your unfocused thoughts. Instead, specifically address the questions provided in the syllabus. If your paper does not address the assigned questions, it will be returned for rewriting or receive a “zero” grade. The purpose of writing Response Papers is to practice the skills of analysis and assessment that historians use in their craft. So you should read the documents closely and come to your own conclusions based on the evidence. (Your work should not be shared with classmates as this often leads to plagiarism.) Explain, by referencing the documents, how the primary source evidence supports the conclusion or conclusions that you have drawn. If you ever have questions about the readings or the assigned questions, contact your GTF or Dr. Sullivan. We will be happy to assist you in any way.
• Examinations
There will two exams in this course, a Midterm and a Final. The exams will contain identification questions and an essay. Three possible essay questions will be distributed to students the week before the exam. The day of the exam, I will select one essay question (from the three possible) for students to address. Students should bring examination booklets to class on the exam days. The Final Exam will not be cumulative.
• Advice
I have provided a great deal of information in this syllabus. Please read it carefully and keep it with you throughout the term. All of the assignments are included in this syllabus and you should refer to it often. Do not email me or your GTF for assignments. We will refer you to the syllabus. If you lose your syllabus, you can download a copy from the “course documents” section on Blackboard.
• Academic Learning Center
Many students find college-level courses to be challenging. As a result, the university provides significant resources to assist students. The Academic Learning Center provides many wonderful resources to help students succeed. They hold courses and workshops as well as provide one-on-one tutoring on grammar skills, paper writing, test taking, and time management—among others. Have a look at their website for more information: http://www.uoregon.edu/~als/services/services.html. Additional services are also available for students who are first generation college students or for those eligible for certain types of federal aid. Visit the Academic Learning Center, 68 Prince Lucien Campbell, or call (541) 346-3226 .
• Plagiarism and Its Costs
Plagiarism is stealing the words, ideas, or thoughts of another person and treating them as your own. Students often plagiarize from books (by using an author's words without quotation or attribution), but students can also plagiarize from each other. Plagiarism is a serious offense and, as a result, will bring serious consequences. (See the Student Handbook for the policy on academic dishonesty at http://studentlife.uoregon.edu/programs/student_judi_affairs/index.htm.) If you have any questions about plagiarism, please refer to the Rampolla textbook or speak with me or your GTF. You may also consult the university's website on plagiarism: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/plagiarism/students.
Changing a word or two in a sentence does not suffice to avoid plagiarism . For example, if you wrote that "It is important to note that changing a word or two in a sentence does not suffice to avoid plagiarism ," you would be guilty of that very crime. Don't do this! If you do happen to fall into this error of "petty plagiarism" only a few times, you will be penalized. I will take two points off for each occurrence. After three such occurrences, I will take administrative action.
Here are some more examples of petty plagiarism:
On page 108, Spielvogel writes: "Alexander is one of the most puzzling great figures in history."
Petty Plagiarism: "Alexander is seen by historians as a puzzling great figure ."
Petty Plagiarism: " Alexander is one of the most peculiar great figures in history ."
Legitimate rephrasing in your own words: "Alexander is an enigmatic figure."
Legitimate rephrasing in your own words: "Alexander is hard for historians to understand."
To protect your own work from plagiarism by classmates, do not provide your written work to any student in this course. I had to discipline five students in one term for plagiarism between friends. I also had to discipline four students for plagiarizing from course textbooks. To protect your grade and to ensure that you are not referred for university discipline, DO NOT PLAGIARIZE.
• Writing Clearly
You can have the best ideas in the world, but if you cannot present them effectively, you won't get far. This is true in history classes, and it is true in life. If your reader is confused by your writing or distracted by petty errors of spelling or grammar, then you won't get your point across. In other words, to present your ideas effectively, you must write clearly and avoid errors. Learning to write well is a fundamental part of your university education. Remember this as you write papers for this course. Pay attention to grammar. Pay attention to spelling. Pay attention to the structure and rhetoric of your writing. Here is some quick advice:
- Rampolla explains the general conventions of historical writing in chapter four. If you need addition guidance, read this section, especially pp. 61-8. Do not capitalize words randomly or forget basic punctuation.
- Always, always use the past tense when discussing past events. See Rampolla, p. 65, 4g-2.
- If you aren't comfortable with the rules regarding comma usage, you may review them here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html.
- Try to avoid run-on sentences, incomplete sentences and awkward sentences. These detract from your work. Short clear sentences are always better than long awkward ones.
- Don't overuse direct quotations. Use quotations only to illustrate your point. Otherwise, use your words to explain your ideas. This strengthens your argument and allows your voice to come through in your writing. Never string together a series of direct quotations. This is not an acceptable substitute for your own writing. See Rampolla for additional discussion on how to use quotations correctly, pp. 96-100.
• Citations
In this class you will not need to use full citations in your written work. In your Response Papers and exams, you may use parenthetical citations. For example, if you want to cite a textbook, you would do so in this way: (Carson, p. 18). If you wanted to cite a lecture: (Sullivan, lecture, 1/9/08). This course requires no reading or research outside the assignments listed in this syllabus. Thus, no other texts should be consulted or cited. Students who use outside sources will be penalized.
• Grading Scale
93-100 A 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 59 and below F
90-92 A- 83-86 B 73-76 C 63-66 D
80-82 B- 70-72 C- 60-62 D-
After reading this syllabus, please sign below to confirm that you understand the rules and requirements of this course.
I, _______________________________________________________________, have read the above syllabus, and I understand the rules and the requirements of this course.
Detach this page and return to instructor.
After reading this syllabus, please sign below to confirm that you understand the rules and requirements of this course.
I, _______________________________________________________________, have read the above syllabus, and I understand the rules and the requirements of this course.