Bates webpage

History 106 – United States History Since 1877
Spring 2008 - Dr. Toby Bates
Bishop 311 - Office Hours M, W 1p-2p or by appointment or accident
tgbates@olemiss.edu

The last 140 years of America’s history, from the period of Reconstruction up to the present day, produced examples and practices still relevant today. Questions regarding the issues of identity, power, and freedom have beset this nation since 1776. The end of the Civil War offered no clear answers and only amplified the questions.

Who are we as a people? Who possesses the true power of the nation? How do the answers to the first two questions influence our definition of freedom? While we as students of history may know, in most instances, the who and when of past events, the why is often open for argument and interpretation. As a result, the whys of the time period from 1877 to the present demand that we take a close look and try to answer these questions together.

We in this class will examine historical events in different ways and will consider the evidence, arguments, and interpretations historians utilized to reach their conclusions. Most individuals are wary of accepting information at face value; history students should not be any different. The careful inspection of evidence, argument, and interpretation will be accomplished in a number of ways. As the discipline of History has often been described as an exercise in evidence, argument, and interpretation, your time in this class will aid greatly in taking yet another look at your nation’s history, and formulating your own ideas and methods of analysis.

Course Requirements:
I. Required Readings for the Discussion Course
Alan Brinkley, American History: A Survey, vol. 2, 12th Edition
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues, Volume 2, 12th Edition
Students are required to bring 3 blue books (large) to class by Fri. Feb. 1

II. Grading:
The class will be graded on the following scale:
Attendance & Participation: 10%
Exam One, Two, & Final 30% each, 90% total

As you can clearly determine all parts of this class are important to the final grade. You must make an effort to do as well as possible within each section of the class.

Attendance & Participation: No long-winded declarations, contribution is a must in my class. Students must be prepared to discuss readings and any subsequent assigned projects. The class will not be an ‘instructor only’ endeavor as each student will be expected to contribute greatly to the daily deliberations.

Exams: The class will have three (3) examinations consisting of mostly essay questions. Again, taking good lecture notes, joining in on class discussions, and your occasional assignments will aid you in preparation for the exams. Try not to worry, as we approach the exams you will be well prepared.

IV. Cheating
Simply do not do it. I hate cheating almost as much as failing. Consequences are harsh and final. Consult your M Book for additional information.

V. Important Information for Undergraduate History Majors
No grade lower than “C” may be counted toward the 33-hour requirement for history majors.

VI. Final Thoughts
The class will be fun and insightful to the student who participates and does their work. Read your assigned chapters, listen to your instructor’s comments, as well as your fellow classmates observations. Also listen closely to yourself. The class is your opportunity to get your mind around the various historical topics of American history and discover your own process of accumulating evidence, the preparation of your argument, and the supporting of your conclusions. These are important skills that you will not only need in a history class, but in everyday life as well.

HIS306 - United States History Since 1945
Spring 2008 - Dr. Toby Bates tgbates@olemiss.edu
Office Hours – M, W 1p-2p or by appointment or accident

Many scholars have declared 1900 to 2000 “the American century.” Of these historians, however, most point to the post-1945 years as when the United States actually asserted itself onto the world stage. During these years, the country, for the most part, enjoyed great economic success, but not everyone shared in the bounty. America made great gains in the promise of civil rights, but at century’s end many were still haunted by racism and sexism. Politically, old ideologies faded, the nation moved towards the right, then settled somewhere in the middle. Militarily, the United States remained the most powerful nation on the planet, but had to learn to adapt to limited victories, defeat in Southeast Asia, and by 2001 a new and maddening type of warfare. The post-1945 events in American history demand that we closely examine debates surrounding race, class, gender, economics, politics, and foreign policy.

The class will consists of lectures supported by required readings, the use and analysis of primary sources, recently released audio evidence, film, television, and music. Students will be graded based on classroom discussion and participation, a midterm exam, a group project or an individual research paper chosen after consultation with the professor, and a final exam.

I: Required Text
William H. Chafe’s The Unfinished Journey: America Since World War II, Sixth Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007)
Major Problems in American History Since 1945, Third Edition, ed. by Robert Griffith and Paula Baker (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007).

Other materials will be supplied by the professor

II: Grading Evaluation
Mid-Term Exam – 30%
Paper/Project – 30%
Final Exam – 30%
Attendance/Participation – 10%
Students are required to bring 3 blue books (large) to class by Friday, Feb. 1

III: Attendance & Participation: Contribution is a must in my class. Students must be prepared to discuss readings and any subsequent assigned projects. I personally will take part in the discussions; failure to fully prepare and participate in class discussions will result in a loss of one letter grade.

IV: Exams: The class will have two (2) examinations consisting of mostly essay questions. Pay close attention to lecture in class as well as assigned readings. You will see questions on the exam very similar to discussion questions covered in class.

Any student that misses an exam, with a professor-approved excuse, will be permitted to make-up the missed test during the last week of the course. Students missing an exam without an accepted explanation will receive an automatic "F" on the missed exam.

Students who are discovered or suspected of cheating in this class will fail, period. Avoid even the appearance of dishonesty. Please see the M-Book’s section regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism to ascertain the university’s policy towards cheating.

V: Paper/Project:
A group project or an individual research paper, chosen after consultation with the professor, a list of possible project ideas will be supplied during the first week.

VI: Important Information for Undergraduate History Majors
No grade lower than “C” may be counted toward the 33-hour requirement for history majors.

VII: Final Thoughts
The class will be fun and insightful to the student who participates and does their work. No two history students, as any two historians, are alike in thought process, interpretation of evidence, and how they reach their conclusions. Read your assigned chapters, your instructor’s comments, as well as your fellow classmates observations. Also listen closely to yourself. The class is your opportunity to get your mind around the various historical topics of late twentieth-century American history and discover your own process of accumulating evidence, the preparation of your argument, and the supporting of your conclusions. These are important skills that you will not only need in a history class, but in everyday life as well.