History 1400 Colonial America
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DR. PAUL DOUGLAS NEWMAN |
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Quizzes * Book Review * Essays * Writing |
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Thanksgiving |
What's in a name?
In
its infinite wisdom, the University of Pittsburgh has titled this class in the
course scheduling materials as "Colonial U.S." I assure you
that I did not agree to this title and that we will not be discussing the
American occupation of the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands as this title would suggest. Instead, we will be exploring mainly the
history of the British colonies in North America and the Caribbean from the
sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, and on occasion we will discuss
some Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch, Spanish, and French American Colonies as well.
Therefore, I have redefined this class as "Colonial America," and we
will refer to it as such. Kapeche?
What's in this course?
In
this three credit, upper division class, we will broadly explore a wide array
of topics integral to Colonial America, including but not limited to subjects
political, social, anti-social, diplomatic, familial, religious, medical,
sexual, and so on. The class will be structured as an upper level reading
seminar. A number of historical essays will be assigned for every meeting which
will serve as the basis for class discussion. Given the primary
importance of discussion verbal participation will be mandatory in each class
meeting. There will also be a series of required writing assignments: in-class
essay quizzes on the readings, analytical essays, a book review, and a final
essay. This class is not for the feint of heart--the reading load will be
heavy and the writing will be constant. As a result, however, you will
emerge from the course not only with a greater understanding of Colonial
America from the standpoints of race, religion, gender, economics, politics,
and class, but also with fine-tuned reading, analytical, and writing skills.
On Saturday, November 18, you are invited to my home for a Thanksgiving Feast at 2 pm. You all will be assigned a recipe from a Colonial American cookbook, and you will bring your covered dish to my humble abode for a Holiday Hootinanny. This is something of a tradition and is always a good time. Clear your calendar for that day NOW!
Required Reading
Taylor, American
Colonies; LaPlante, American Jezebel; Pagan, Anne Orthwood’s
Bastard
Reading
As
mentioned above, there will be an extremely heavy reading load in this course,
and each class will be a discussion revolving around that reading. Therefore,
you must read the assignments in order for this class to work. If you
fail to read an assignment there is no reason for you to come to class that
day--you will only be risking humiliation when you are called upon.
Participation
Since
this class will live or die with your level of participation, I am requiring
you to contribute to our conversations by according 20% of your grade (100
points) to participation. I will make a seating chart and I will record
each relevant contribution you make to our class discussion. At term's
end, the highest 10% will receive an A, the second 20% will receive a B, the
middle 40% a C, the next 20% a D, and the lowest 10% an F for the participation
grade. If the class as a whole does well, then the scale will slide from
A to D, or A to C, but that depends on all of you.
Quizzes
There
will be periodic quizzes on your reading material that will account for 20% of
your grade (100 points). Only persons with excused absences will be
permitted to take "make-up" quizzes–no exceptions. You
will have one week to make up a quiz. Excused absences will only be
granted prior to the class you intend to miss. You are
responsible for making up your quizzes. I will make no attempt to remind
you or track you down. Any quizzes that you fail to make-up will be
recorded as a zero at term's end.
Book Review
You will a 3-5 page typed
book review of either Pagan or LaPlante, I will make the assignment. The book
review will be graded on writing as well as content for a total of 75 points
(15%). Due dates tba. Students who receive a D or F will be
REQUIRED to re-write their paper. Through the rewrite, they will be able
to increase their score by one letter grade. This is NOT a punishment, but a
way for you to improve both your grade and your writing skills. Students
receiving a B or C will have the OPTION of rewriting their paper under the same
terms as listed above. For instructions on writing an effective book
review, click on the "Book Review How To" link below.
Book Review Exercise
In
order to prepare yourself to write this review you must do two things.
First, read the "Book Review How To" document linked above.
Second, you must use the Owen Library's web-site to access the William &
Mary Quarterly, choose and read any 5 reviews from the most recent issue on
J-Stor and submit a two-page typed summary of those reviews. The
summaries must include brief summaries of the books themselves as well as the
reviewers' positive and negative criticism of the books. You will bring
this assignment, and be prepared to discuss the project, to class on September
14. You will not be graded on this assignment, but if you fail to produce
a reasonable report on time, you will have up to 25 points removed from your
final grade.
To get to J-Stor, go to the Owen Library Web-site, click on Resources, then Databases A-Z, then J-Stor, then Browse, then History, then William & Mary Quarterly. You can then browse by date and volume.
Analytical Journal Article Review Essay
You will read five journal
articles from the William & Mary Quarterly relating to one of the following
topics: Non-English American Colonization and Settlement, Native
American-European contact, Gender Relations in Colonial America, Slavery,
Colonial Economies, or choose a topic of your own. Those articles must be
in issues printed since 1973. The essay will be documented with
endnotes in the form determined by the Chicago Manual of Style, I will provide
a handout on this. The essay will be 5-8 pages in length, will be worth
125 points (25%) and will follow the "Analytical Journal Article Review
Essay Guidelines" linked below:
The analytical essay will have a peer review process. I will subdivide you into groups of four. In these small groups, you will meet outside of class to read and critique each other's Analytical Article Review. You should have a completed draft turned in to your teammates before November 9. You will read and critique each others work before November 16. You will write a one page, single-spaced critique of each of your peers' essays, judging their thematic analysis, summary, analytical comparison, organization, writing style, and grammar, and present it to them at your group meeting (at a time and place chosen by you all outside of class time before November 16). You will not be graded on this assignment, but if you fail to produce a reasonable report on time, you will have up to 25 points removed from your final grade. You may use the plastic box labeled "Colonial America" outside of my office door as a drop-off/pick-up bin. You will turn in your final draft to me on November 24.
Writing All Papers
All
written assignments--book reviews and analytical essays--will be graded on the
"Total Package," that is grammar, organization, style and composition
in addition to content– summary, thematic analysis, and analytic
comparison (for the analytical essays). Please refer to "The Bare
Basics of Writing" form linked below:
Final Essay
You
will be required to write a final essay to be turned in at the appointed hour
for the final exam for this class time. It will be a take home final, the
questions for which will be distributed on the last day of class. It will be
typed and must conform to the standards outlined above. The Final will
comprise 100 points (20%).
This class will operate on a points system composed of 500 points. At term's end, 450=A, 400-449=B, 350-399=C, 300-349=D, and 299 and below=F. The points will be accorded as follows:
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Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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100 |
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Rules, Regulations, and Disclaimers
Attendance
You
will be permitted only three un-excused absences. You will lose one letter
grade for each un-excused absence after the third. No one will pass this
course who has missed more than six classes, excused or unexcused, unless the
excuses amount to a "severe case of personal hardship." Jon
Gonder, he Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and I will determine
what constitutes a "sever case of personal hardship."
Late Work
Late
work is absolutely unacceptable and will merit a zero. Period. However, all assignments must
be turned in, no matter how late, in order to pass the course. Anyone
with uncompleted assignments at term's end will fail the course. This
happens almost every term. Don't try it.
Incompletes
Only
students with "severe cases of personal hardship" will be permitted a
grade of "I" or "G" at term's end with the permission to
finish the coursework at a later date.
Cheating
Any attempt to offer anyone else's
work as your own at any time will
merit a zero for that assignment, a G grade for the course, and will
automatically begin the proceedings for an F in the course and for your
expulsion from this university in accordance with the Academic Integrity
Guidelines found in your student handbook.
Disabilities
Students with disabilities
who may be requesting academic accommodations for this course should notify the
course instructor and Disability Services Coordinator, as early as possible in
the term. The Disability Services Coordinator will verify the disability and
determine reasonable accommodations for the course. To schedule an appointment
or to learn more about disability services at UPJ, please call ext. 7109 or
stop by the Learning Resource Center in Owen Library.
Cell Phones
Please turn your cell phone
to vibrate or silent while in class. If you receive a call, please step
outside of the classroom before anwswering.
Returning Papers and
Grades
According
to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, each student of the
age of majority (18) has the right to absolute privacy concerning their
academic grades. If that privacy is breeched, the instructor and the
institution are liable and may be sued by the injured student. Therefore,
I will only return graded papers to their owners, face to face, and I will only
discuss scores and grades with students face to face. I will not discuss scores
or grades over the telephone, e-mail, fax, conventional mail, hologram, or
through a spiritual medium. The only totally secure method to maintain
your right to privacy is to handle all grade reporting in person. THERE WILL BE
NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.
Finding Out About Your Final
Grade
I
will not report your final exam grade to you until the grades have been turned
in and sent to you in the mail by the Registrar's Office. DO NOT PESTER
ME with the question, "Do you have our finals graded
yet?"
Professorial Prerogative
I
reserve the right to make any reasonable changes to this syllabus
that I deem necessary at any time for any reason of
my choosing. Failure to comply with any revisions to the syllabus will not
be excusable due to absence on the day the changes were announced. You
are responsible for everything that transpires in the classroom every class
meeting.
1. Hello!
2. Read Taylor: Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2
3. Read Taylor: Chapter 3 & 4
4. Read Taylor: Chapter 5
5. Read Taylor: Chapters 6 & 7
6. Read Pagan: Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2
7. Read Pagan: Chapters 3, 4, & 5
8. Read Pagan: Chapters 6, 7, & 8
9. Read Pagan: Chapters 9, 10, and Conclusion
10. Read Taylor: Chapters 8 & 9
11. Read LaPlante: Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, & 3
12. Read LaPlante: Chapters 4, 5, 6, & 7
13. Read LaPlante: Chapters 8, 9, & 10
14. Read LaPlante: Chapters 11, 12, & 13
15. Read LaPlante: Chapters 14, 15, & 16
16. Read Taylor: Chapters 10 & 11
17. Read Taylor: Chapter 12
18. Read Taylor: Chapter 13
19. Read Taylor: Chapter 14
20. Read Taylor: Chapter 15
21. Read Taylor: Chapter 16
22. Read Taylor: Chapter 17
23. Read Taylor: Chapter 18
24. Read Taylor: Chapter 19
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