American 19th Century: People, Culture, Society 4219-SA046
Topics will include:
1. What and when (and why) is the 19th century in the US and Europe? What makes the 19th century?
2. Social consequences of the territorial growth of the US
3. Nature of American Slavery and debates over savery.
4. Society of the South – values and beliefs
5. Society of the North – values and beliefs
6. Utopian communities and their leaders
7. Evolution of the American Hero: soldier, pioneer, politician, businessman.
8. Social aspects of Reconstruction
9. Immigration
10. Religion
11. Women
12. High brow and low brow culture
13. The Progressives
14. Fundamentalism
15. Test and zaliczenie
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
After completing this course student
in the field of knowledge
1. has a knowledge of basic social phenomena in the 19th century United States
2. understands the role of domestic and international factors influencing the cultural transition
3. explains dependencies between those factors
4. is able to present directions of transition, evolution and character of social developments in the United States, domestically and in historical and social perspective.
in the field of skills
1. is able to serach for and analyse information in order to create a comprehensive picture of social transition in the United States in the 19th century
2. Is able to compare and justify the character of change, phenomena and processes in the United States
3. formulates critical judgements concering social transition in the USA
4. has advanced skills of interdisciplinary analysis and is able to use them to evaluate the change in a specific period
5. is able to interdisciplinary analyse phenomena and processes in the USA between 1815 - 1914
in the field of competence
1. is open for new phenomena and ideas in the 19th century United States
2.understands and appreciates the role of domestic factors to present developments connected with the US society
3. is aware of the role social factors for the contemporary Americans
4. understands the importance of cultural differences to understand the scocial developments in the 19th century USA
Assessment criteria
Course Methods and Expectations:
Students are expected to come to each class. Register will be checked each time. One absence is acceptable but if you miss the class twice without a serious reason you will asked to come to make it up during my office hours. Students are expected to read the assignments, participate in class discussions and if asked,prepare a presentation on a given topic. Therefore methods will include a little bitof lecture, a little bit of discussion and a little of presentation. Final exam (written) will conclude the course. If you would like to miss class for a reasonable reason let me know.
Four elements will considered: a. your presence and activness (25%); b.
your presentation (25%); c. final exam (25%), d. 5-page end of semester
essay - 25%
Bibliography
Edward Pessen, Jacksonian America. Society, Personality and Polictics, Dorsey Press: Homewood, Illinois 1969.
Thomas Schlereth, Vixtorian America. Trasfomations of Everyday Life 1876 - 1915, Harper Perennial 1992.
Boyer, Clark, Kett, Salisbury, Sitkoff, Woloch, The Enduring Vision. A History of the American People, Houghton Mifflin: Boston, New York 2008.
W. Susman. Culture as History. The Transformations of American society in the 20th century.
C. Fischer, Made in America. A Social History af American Culture and Character
E. Cobbs - Hoffman, et al. Major Problems in American History, Vol 1 and 2 (sected spources and readings)
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: