History 329
The American Woman
Fall semester, 2004, MWF 10-10:50 a.m.
Professor Jeanette Keith
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 11-12.
Office OSH 133; phone 4167; best way to reach me: keith@bloomu.edu
During this semester we will study the history of women in the United States from the early 17th century to the late 20th century, a time span of almost 400 years. During that time conditions for American women have changed repeatedly and dramatically. We will discuss what has changed and what remains the same, focusing on social expectations, law, religion, the family, education, ethnicity, race, and work. Whenever possible, we will base our explorations of the past upon the record left for us by previous generations of American women. We will read what they read and what they wrote.
Books:
Kerber and DeHart, Women’s America.
Class Requirements:
Midterm: 25%
Final: 30%
Term Paper: 25%
Class Participation: 20%
You will find term paper requirements attached to this syllabus. Your class participation grade is based upon attendance and participation in class discussion. Should you have to miss a class, please contact me in advance. In general, I will follow the Student Pilot’s criteria for excused absences. Unexcused absences will result in 5 points being taken from your participation grade for each day missed.
In this class, we will also follow university policy concerning matters of academic integrity. You can find this policy on the University’s web site, under "Academics." Look for "Academic Policies," and then "Academic Integrity." University policy PRP 3512 will explain the seriousness of cheating, plagiarism and other issues of academic honesty. Please take some time and read this page! Should I catch you cheating on an assignment (copying, plagiarizing, etc.) I will give you a zero for that assignment, and turn your name over to University authorities for disciplinary action, which might include expulsion.
Class Schedule
Aug. 30. Introduction to Class
Sept. 1. Gender and Women’s History. Read intro to textbook, pp. 1-23.
Sept. 3. Lecture: Colonial America. Documents, 55-58.
Sept. 8. Colonial America: Women’s Work. Essay by Ulrich, p. 45-54.
Sept. 10. Colonial America: Women’s Work. Essay by Berkin, p. 59-66.
Sept. 13. Colonial America: Rebels and Witches. Document, p. 79-82; essay by Karlsen, p. 83-96.
Sept. 15. The American Revolution. Documents, 114-118; essay by Kerber, 119-127.
Sept. 17. Workshop, term paper. TERM PAPER TOPIC DUE, GUIDELINES FOR PAPERS HANDED OUT. BRING PORTFOLIO FOLDER TO THIS CLASS.
Sept. 20. Slavery. Documents, 132-134; essay by Block, 135-145.
Sept. 22. Rural white women. Essay by McCurry, 145-152.
Sept. 24. Woman’s Sphere. Essay by Boydston, 153-164.
Sept. 27. Woman’s Sphere. Essay by Rosenberg, 168-183.
Sept. 29. Abortion. Essay by Dayton, 97-113.
Oct. 1. Abortion. Mohr, 183-192.
Oct. 4. Women’s Rights. Documents, 193-200; 218-219.
Oct. 6. Women’s Rights. Essay by Wellman, 200-213. Documents 214-217.
Oct. 8. Film: One Woman, One Vote (Part 1) PAPER BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE
Oct. 11. Civil War. Essay by Faust, 220-232. Excerpts, film, A House Divided.
Oct. 13. Civil War. Essay by Hunter, 235-246; Documents, 247.
Oct. 18. Continuing Struggle. Document, 265-268; Essay by Schechter, 268-270.
Oct. 20. Film, Ida B. Wells
Oct. 22. Midterm exam.
Oct. 25. Immigration. Essay by Yung, 302-310.
Oct. 27. Immigration. Essay by Orleck, 310-327.
Oct. 29. Activism. Essay by Sklar, 327-339; Documents 340-344.
Nov. 1. Divisions. Essay by Gordon, 345-357.
Nov. 3. Activism. Essay by DuBois, 358-364; Documents 365-370.
Nov. 5. Film: One Woman, One Vote.
Nov. 8. Film: One Woman, One Vote.
Nov. 10. Modern Revolutions. Essay by Cowan, 399-410.
Nov. 12. Women’s Work. Essay by Hall, 410-422.
Nov. 15. Workshop, Term Paper. WORKSHOP ON PAPER DRAFTS
Nov. 17. Women and the New Deal. Essay by Harris, 435-447; Essay by Cook, 447-454.
Nov. 19. WWII. Film: Rosie the Riveter.
Nov. 22. Film: The Pill
Nov. 29. The Civil Rights Movement. Essay by Payne, 532-536.FIRST FORMAL DRAFT OF TERM PAPER DUE.
Dec. 1. Modern Revolutions. Essay by Bailey, 560-568; Douglas, 569-572.
Dec. 3. Second Wave Feminism. DeHart, 598-623.
Dec. 6. Second Wave Feminism. Documents, 573-597.
Dec. 8. Modern Revolutions. Documents 624-647; 665-669.
Dec. 10. FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE.
Term Paper
Your term paper will count for twenty-five percent of your grade. For your term paper, you will write a history of three generations of American women, based on primary sources (interviews, letters, diaries, family histories) and secondary sources (books, magazines, journal articles.) Most students chose to write about the women in their families, but that is not required. The purpose of this paper is to relate the "small history" of women in your family to the "large history" of American women in general. Does your "small history" confirm or contradict the large themes of American women’s history you learned in class? If you do not want to write a family history, let me know as soon as possible. I will assign you another research topic, which will not be more difficult than the family history paper.
This term paper assignment will be completed in stages. To keep all material together, you will need a folder. This can be either the typical folder with pockets, or a file folder: it doesn’t matter. Whichever you choose, it must be clearly labeled with your name on the front. Bring this folder to class on Sept. 17.
September 17: Term paper topic due. Guidelines for paper will be handed out. Checklist for parts of the paper will be stapled into your folder. Class will include discussion on how to research and write a family history paper.
October 8: Bibliography and brief description of paper due. You should bring to class a list of your primary and secondary sources. On secondary sources, you should have at least five books and five journal articles. See Dr. Keith for help on using library databases to locate these. Failure to locate five primary and five secondary sources by this date will result in 10 points subtracted from the final grade.
Nov. 15: Workshop on term paper. You will bring a rough draft to class, and exchange it with other class members. At this class you will receive a rubric by which you can evaluate each others’ papers. Be prepared for much discussion. Failure to bring in your rough draft and participate in this exercise will result in 20 points subtracted from your final grade.
November 24: First draft of paper due. We will schedule appointments to talk about your term paper, and what you will need to do to improve it. NOTE: Failure to have this draft in on time will result in 50 points off the final paper grade.
December 10: Paper portfolio due. If the paper is not turned in at the beginning of the class on this date, the student will receive a zero for this assignment.