Recent U. S.: 1929 to the Present

Fall 2003

MW 2-3:15

Dr. Leslie Heaphy

Room 217

 

Office: 310D

Office Hours:  MW 9-10 a.m., W 1-2 p.m. and 3:30-4:30, TR 12:30-1:30 or by appointment

Contacts:  244-3304 or e-mail at Lheaphy@stark.kent.edu

 

Course Description

This course will cover the main events, people, issues and themes from the beginning of the Great Depression through the 20th century.  These topics will be explored through lectures, discussion, multi-media, group projects and individual readings and research.  The focus will be both chronological and thematic as the class moves through the century.

 

Course Objectives

1.      To give students a greater understanding of the modern history of the United States

2.      To help students improve their knowledge of the role of the U. S. in the world

3.      To encourage students to look for connections between the past and present

4.      To introduce students to the methodology of history through a research project

5.      To develop students ability to communicate in written and spoken formats through discussions and various writing assignments

6.      To help students gain a greater appreciation for different views

7.      To help students develop their critical thinking skills

8.      To encourage students to pay more attention to the news of the day

 

Required Texts

Thirteen Days

The Things They Carried

The Unfinished Journey

The Sixties Counterculture

V was for Victory

Class Handouts

 

Course Assignments

Thirteen Days—Film and Book Assignment…………….30 points

2 Exams (Take Home)……………………………………100 points each (200 total)

Oral History Project

            Topic……………………………………………….5 points

            Questions and annotations…………………………10 points

            Tape………………………………………………...10 points

            Outline and Thesis………………………………….15 points

            Final Project……………………………………….100 points

            Poster Presentation………………………………….30 points

Topical Assignment…………………………………………20 points

Reading Questions………………………………………….20 points total

Class Participation and attendance………………………….40 points

Web Assignment…………………………………………….20 points

                                                                                                                        500 total

 

Grading Scale

A                     90-100             (excellent scholarship)   450-500

B                      80-89               (above avg. scholarship)           400-449

C                     70-79               (avg. scholarship)                      350-399

D                     60-69               (below avg. scholarship)           300-349

F                      Below 60         (failing)                         Below 300

 

Attendance

Students are expected to attend class each week.  Having more than three unexcused absences will result in a failing grade for this class.  Students are responsible for the material covered on the days they are not there and for getting assignments turned in on time.

 

Students with Disabilities

In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course; please contact Kelly Kulick in Student Services to submit documentation.  Then you must contact the instructor so they are aware of any required accommodations.

 

Academic Honesty

All work that students hand in is expected to be their own.  Failure to do so is plagiarism and students could be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the "Cheating and Plagiarism" section of the University's Digest of Rules and Regulations.  Your instructor may use software to identify portions of papers which have been copied from websites.

 

Writing Center

Located in Main Hall, Room 202, the Writing Center offers students help and instruction on any writing assignments in this class or any other.  They offer tutorials, handouts and brochures, and information on their website:  www.stark.kent.edu/writing.  There is no cost to use this service.

           

Testing Center

The Testing Center is located in the lower level of the Stark Campus library.  Call ext. 53332 for hours and other information.

 

Library Services

For help with research related questions students can call the library (ext. 53330) or email us at refdesk@stark.kent.edu to set up an individualized instructional

session with one of our four librarians.  Students are not required

to schedule an appointment, they can just come in at any time. 

However, if we have advance notice we can prepare for the student's

visit and more efficiently address their needs.

 

Finally, for students unable to come into the library, OhioLINK now

offers online, real-time assistance in the form of a Chat Reference

service.  Students can connect with an OhioLINK librarian (not always

a KSU librarian) from off-campus (http://chat.ohiolink.edu) and

engage in a chat session to assist them with the use of the many

online services available to them from home.

 

Campus Theme

This Year’s Campus Theme is Globalization.  The purpose behind the campus theme is to help students see connections in their education from course to course as well as seeing how different disciplines can examine the same ideas.  A common text called Globalization: A Very Short Introduction is available for those interested in reading more about this idea and what it means for our daily lives in the twenty-first century.

 

Course Outline

            All reading assignments should be done by the beginning of the week they are assigned.  Failure to keep up with the reading assignments could result in occasional pop quizzes assigned by the instructor.  This outline is tentative and the reading assignments are subject to change—students will be kept informed of what they are expected to be reading as the semester progresses.

 

Week 1                        Background and the 1920s

 

Week 2                        Great Depression and New Deal

                                                Start reading V for Victory

Week 3                        Isolationism and Coming of War

                                                Continue reading V for Victory

                                                Topics approved for Projects by 9/10

Week 4                        World War II at home and Abroad

                                                Finish V for Victory and p. 1-30 in Unfinished Journey

Week 5                        End of the War

                                                Handouts, p. 76-139 in Unfinished Journey

                                                Questions and Annotations due on 9/24

Week 6                        Cold War Begins

Read p. 31-75 in Unfinished Journey and start Thirteen Days

Week 7                        Korea and other Hot spots

                                                Finish Thirteen Days

                                                Thirteen Days assignment due on 10/8

Week 8                        The Dawning of Civil Rights

Begin Reading The Things They Carried and p. 140-173, 294-311 in Unfinished Journey

1st Take Home Exam Due on 10/15

Week 9                        Vietnam Era and the 1960s

Finish The Things They Carried and p. 174-216 and p. 241-265 in Unfinished Journey

Tapes due on 10/22

Week 10                      The 1960s continued

Begin the Sixties Counterculture and p. 266-293, 311-319 in Unfinished Journey

Week 11                      The Great Society

Finish the Sixties Counterculture and p. 216-240 in Unfinished Journey

Outlines and Thesis due on 11/5

Week 12                      The new Women’s Movement

                                                Read p. 319-332 in Unfinished Journey

Week 13                      Watergate and Beyond

                                                Read p. 333-415 in Unfinished Journey

                                                Web Assignment due on 11/19

Week 14                      The Continuing Cold War

                                                Read p. 416-480 in Unfinished Journey

Week 15                      Down with the Berlin Wall

                                                Read p. 481-553 in Unfinished Journey

                                                Final Projects due on 12/3

Week 16                      Final Exam-Monday, Dec. 8th at 3:30 p.m.

                                                Poster Presentations and Finals Due

 

Reading Questions (20 points)

Students will be expected to turn in two sets of discussion questions during the course of the semester.  Each set will consist of two questions for a total of four to be turned in by the end of the course.  The questions are to be based on the readings for the class and students can choose which ones they wish to submit questions for.  Questions must be submitted to the instructor either in class or by e-mail by 5 p.m. on the Sunday before the readings will be discussed.  Questions are to be written with the idea that they will be used for discussion purposes and therefore should not be yes/no type questions.  They should also not be questions that ask for a simple straight fact or two but instead need to generate discussion and analysis of the readings.  If submitted by e-mail send questions to Lheaphy@stark.kent.edu. 

 

Topical Assignment (20 points)

  1. Each student will choose one topic covered in class and/or in the readings that they will use as their focus to find an object that they might bring to a class they are teaching to help students learn more.  For example, if you are interested in the use of propaganda in World War II one thing you might bring in would be examples of different propaganda for the class to look at.  Students will turn in the object they would use along with a written explanation (1-2 p.) of how they would incorporate that material into a class lesson.  All materials will be returned to the student after the instructor has viewed them.   The object and typed explanation must be handed in within one week after the topic is dealt with in class.  In writing their explanation students need to consider what it is they want their class to learn and how this material can help accomplish that goal(s).

 

  1. A second choice for this assignment is that students can attend the Featured Speaker on Wed. September 10th at 7:30 p.m. in the Conference Center and write a 1-2 page paper analyzing what is presented by General Wayne Downing of the Combating Terrorism Center.  This event is free and open to the public.  If this option is chosen students must hand in the paper within two weeks after the talk (by 9/24).  The paper should identify the main thesis of the talk and what support is used as well as any contradictions or points left unsupported.

 

Web Assignment

Students will complete a review of a web site of their choosing.  The website must fit within the parameters of this course.  A form for the review will be handed out separately.  All web reviews will be due on November 19th and late forms will lose 2 points each day they are late.

 

Thirteen Days Assignment

Students will complete a 4-6 page paper, typed and double-spaced, due on October 8th.  Late papers will be accepted but lose three points for each day they are late.  Students will be writing their papers based on reading the book Thirteen Days and watching the movie.  After reading and watching the film students should discuss the main similarities and differences found in the two accounts and what might explain the differences.  If there are differences how do you as the reader/viewer try to resolve those differences? This is not a research paper but should be based on the book and film when determining the similarities and differences.  How a reader can explain and resolve those differences will rely on one’s understanding of the role of the historian.  Be sure to properly cite all quote, paraphrases and ideas to avoid plagiarism.  Plagiarizing can result in a failing grade for the assignment.

 

Students will be graded on:

  • Thesis
  • Support Used from film and book
  • Proper Grammatical style
  • Conclusion
  • Proper Citations of sources
  • Understanding of the role of the historian