Social and Cultural History of the United States in the 19th century 4219-AW227
Class 1 Welcome and intruductions, Requirements and overview of the course. Literature, grading methods, etc.
Class 2 The world events in the 19th century. The United Sates and Europe and Asia.
Class 3 Business and Economy. Slavery as a an economic problem.
Class 4. Governement and Politics before and after the Civil War. Jacksonian United States vs Post Civil War United States.
Class 5. The Arts in the US in the 19th Century. The high and low culture.
Class 6. American Reform Movments in the ante and postbellum United States
Class 7. Religion and its social meaning and role.
Class 8. The city in American culture
Class 9. Economy – agruculture and the industrial revolution.
Class 10. Reconstruction and its meaning
Class 11. Territorial development and the Frontier
Class 12. The World Colambian Exposition, 1893
Class 13. America Reaches Abroad – Japan, China and Cuba. American Imperialism.
Class 14. Progressivism, its successes and failures.
Class 15. In-class essay
Type of course
elective monographs
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
in the field of knowledge:
1. will have knowledge about the period discussed
2. will be able to explain the relationships between the socio-economic and political phenomena of the period discussed
3. will notice the international conditions of the phenomena and changes taking place in the USA
4. will know the directions of development and evolution of the United States in the national and international dimension.
in the area of skills:
1. will be able to explain the causes and dynamics of phenomena occurring in the United States
2. analyze cultural processes and phenomena occurring in the United States correctly using normative systems
3. identify, describe social phenomena and manifestations of social culture in the United States using basic theoretical and methodological tools from the field of sociological sciences, as well as formulate and solve research problems in this area
4. communicate on American studies topics related to the United States using specialized terminology in English and using advanced information and communication techniques in the area of competences:
1. use acquired, interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of American studies on the United States to formulate their own opinions, and recognize its importance in solving cognitive and practical problems
2. critically receive content about the United States transmitted by the media and other environments
3. will be aware of the role of events from the period discussed for the contemporary United States.
Assessment criteria
The following elements will make your final grade
1. Participation - 35 %
2. Paper 1 - 25 %
3. Paper 2 - 25 %
4. Presentation 15 %
Your grade will depend upon the above.
Letter grade equivalencies:
5= 95- 100;
A- = 90 - 94;
4+ =85- 89;
4 = 88- 83;
4- = 72 - 78
3+= 77 - 73;
3 = 72 - 68;
3- = 67 - 63;
Fail = below 62.
Your papers are due in mid-Novemeber and mid-December. The exact dates will be specified later. Please do not be late. I am willing to discuss your paper grade if necessary.
Paper:
1. Your paper must be related to the class. It should cover various aspects of American social history of the 19th century. Topics will be assigned.
2. The paper should be structured. Please include the title of your paper. This will help you in writing and giving it a proper structure and it will help me in better evaluating and grading your paper.
3. The paper should contain an opening paragraph with clearly stated point (thesis) that you present and „defend”. It should also contain a clear conclusion.
4. The simplest structure of the paper is below:
a. opening paragraph with your main point
b. The body of the paper - this part should contain your arguments for your main point. Preferably three or four arguments should be included. Each argument should be in the form of paragraphs.
Paragraphs should be documented (supported with notes).
c. Conclusion should support your main point.
This structure represents a typical descriptive paper.
If you would like to write a more advanced paper, discussing the problem, it is advised to add counterarguments to your arguments. In this situation your paper may look like this:
a. opening paragraph with your main point
b. the body - arguments supporting your point and arguments against. Each argument is in the form of paragraphs, but in this case the paragraphs should contain points for and against a given
point.
EXAMPLE:
title: Street photography as a form of artistic expression
Your point: street photography is one of the most interesting form of artistic expression because it is built on the observation of the everyday and requires a strong sense of observation.
Structure:
1. argument:
paragraph 1 - you just go to the streets, observe situations and take pictures. It is so easy, everyone can do that.
Paragraph 2 - Oh, not really. You must be observant, pay attention and find something really interesting even if it looks boring.
2. argument
paragraph 1 - street photo has nothing to do with art, it is just taking pictures of anything
paragraph 2 - on the contrary, you have to pay attention to the light, colours, coincidences, you must be observant
3. argument
paragraph 1 - the everyday is boring. How one can document such a meaningless thing?
paragraph 2 - The everyday is more interesting than you think. This art shows a recognition of ordinary dignity or a meditation on what happens when nothing happens. It requires more skills
than one can imagine.
4. Conclusion (closing paragraph) - For the above reasons I think that street photography
is great.
Bibliography
Literature (will be provided by the instructor in the pdf format; link to the folder on my Google drive
will be provided during the class)
W. Susman, Culture as History. The Trasformation of American Society in the 20th Century,
chapter 3, Uses of the Puritan Past; chapter 12, City in American Culture
J. E. Findling, F. W. Thackeray, What Happened. An Encyclopaedia of Events That Changed
American Forever, Interpretative Essays to Chapters 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 12.
G. J. Prokopowicz, The Reform Era and Eastern U.S. Development 1815 – 1850, Chapters 1,
2, 3, 6, 8, 9.
WHITE_The Republic for Which It Stands The United States during Reconstruction and the
Gilded Age, 1865-1896
BOYER_The Enduring Vision a History of the American People by Paul S. Boyer, Clifford E.
Clark, Karen Halttunen, Joseph F. Kett, Neal Salisbury,
Chapter 8, subchapter The Awakening of Ameriacn Nationalism,
Chapter 9, subchapter The Sweep West, Western Society and Customs, The Far West, The Removal of Indians; The Growth of Market Economy, Transportation Revolution, Industrial
Beginnings, Equality and Inequality, The Revolution in Social Relations
Chapter 10, The Rise of Popular Religion, The Age of Reform
Chapter 11, The Railroad Boom, The quality of Life, Democratic Pastimes
Chapter 12, The Old Sount and Slavery
Chapter 13, Migration, Expansion and Sectinal Conflict – Newcomers and Natives, The
Politics of Expansion,
Chapter 16, The Crisis of Reconstruction
Chapter 18, The Rise of Industrial America, Technology and Culture
Chapter 19, Immigration, Urbanisation, and Everyday Life, 1860 – 1900
Chapter 21, The Progressive Era
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: