Azusa Pacific University

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

History 342: The American West

3 Units, Fall 2007

University Mission and Purpose Statement

Azusa Pacific University is an evangelical Christian community of disciples and scholars who seek to advance the work of God in the world through academic excellence in liberal arts and professional programs of higher education that encourage students to develop a Christian perspective of truth and life.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course offers coverage of the exploration and development of the West, mining and stock-raising frontiers, railroads and agriculture; and the effects of the frontier on American institutions. (university catalog)

Prerequisites: none

Fulfills elective requirement for the following majors: History, Social Science

Howdy partners!  Welcome to the history of the American West.  Over the next fifteen weeks we will explore “what” the American West was and is—a debate that continues to engage historians and the public.  Some contend that the West was/is a process: that the sparsely populated frontier had been the element that defined American life.  As Americans moved westward they continued to experiment with, refine, and advance American democracy and civilization, and to exemplify ideals like rugged individualism and nationalism.  Others have argued the West is a unique place, distinctive from others like New England or the South.  These individuals tell of the ethnic and racial diversity in the West, and stress especially the conflict that has been part of its history, well into the twentieth century.

So, by the end of the semester, we will examine the social, cultural, political, and economic development of the American West, as well as the myths of the West that have influenced literature, film, and other aspects of popular culture.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

An ongoing, overall goal for my courses is to develop our critical thinking abilities. Now, more than ever, we need Christ-centered men and women who can respond to the challenges and complexities of the world in which we live with insight and hope.

More specifically, by the end of the semester each student will be able to:

1. Evaluate and describe major historical issues in the development of the American West, including:

·       Major interpretations of the significance of the West in U.S. history

·       How Indian culture was impacted by westward expansion

·       The role of women, ethnic, and racial groups in shaping the West

·       The ideal of Manifest Destiny and its impact

·       Economic development and occupational realities in the West, including railroads, mining, farming, and ranching

·       Twentieth-century developments in the American West

·       Myths and realities of the West that have influenced literature, film, and other aspects of popular culture

2. Evaluate the compatibility of a Christian worldview with major historical developments in the history of the American West
3. Evaluate and argue a position on key historical issues connected to the American West.
4. Summarize and evaluate primary source materials in the history of the American West, keeping in mind the particular historical context of a given era/event.
5. Develop a lesson plan on a specified topic in the history of the American West, and team-teach that lesson plan.

COURSE FORMAT

Participation

This course is extremely dependent upon you, as a student, for its success.  I expect a great deal of participation from each of you and very little passive “soaking”.  Though I will present contextual mini-lectures on many days, the goal is to involve ourselves in the subjects at hand as much as possible, and to keep me from talking, as much as possible (Do I hear an amen?!).  Other approaches in the course might include small group work, debates, and interactions with media clips.  Thus, attendance and advance reading is crucial for your success in the course.  I expect each of you to be well prepared and to participate, but you will not be ridiculed or made to appear foolish because of your contributions (or lack of).

Book Discussion Days

Two days are set apart for formal book discussions, listed below in the Semester Schedule, and you will be partially responsible to lead the discussion.  You will need to have several inquiry-points ready to present to the class—things about the book that struck you, challenged you, angered you, etc.  I expect thoughtful reading of the texts that will produce a thoughtful discussion, rather than “I really liked this book,” or “this book stinks.”  I consider the participation on book discussion days strongly when formulating the attendance/participation portion of your course grade.  Please note—if you are absent on a formal discussion day, you must arrange a separate, individual meeting time with me to discuss the book.

COURSE POLICIES

Class Etiquette

Please arrive on time and do not leave before the end of class unless you inform me prior to class. Please turn cell phones to off or silent mode (not vibrate!); if your cell phone interrupts the class, you may be asked to leave for the day, and will receive an unexcused absence.

Attendance

The university catalogue states, “Class attendance is of paramount importance, and excessive absences will affect the final grade.”  Students are expected to participate actively in class and small group activities, therefore behaviors such as sleeping, talking, reading unrelated materials, and studying for other classes are not acceptable.  Students who are not actively involved in class (e.g. who are sleeping) will be asked to leave class, counted absent, and will not be allowed to make-up work missed during that class.

You are allowed 2 unexcused absences in the semester.  If you miss 4 consecutive classes without notifying me, you will be dropped from the course.  Attendance is determined by a roll sheet passed around at the beginning of each class.  Be on time—if you are late to class you will not be able to sign the roll sheet and you will be considered absent for the day.

The following constitute excused absences: (1) illness (2) death in the immediate family (3) required appearance in a court of law (4) representing the university in an extracurricular activity.  Please note that some university extracurricular activities do not justify an excused absence, so prior approval of the absence by the professor is required. Unexcused absences include work, job interviews, job fairs, weddings, vacations, and completing work for other courses.

It is the student’s responsibility to make the instructor aware of the situation prior to the absence and to provide appropriate written documentation.  If absent, contact a classmate who can fill you in on what you missed, since you will be responsible for all material covered during class.

The following guidelines will be used in determining your attendance/participation grade (three or less unexcused absences is “regular attendance”):

Academic Integrity and Dishonesty

The mission of Azusa Pacific University includes cultivating in each student not only the academic skills that are required for a university degree, but also the characteristics of academic integrity that are integral to a sound Christian education.  It is therefore part of the mission of the university to nurture in each student a sense of moral responsibility consistent with the biblical teachings of honesty and accountability.  Furthermore, a breach of academic integrity is viewed not merely as a private matter between the student and an instructor but rather as an act which is fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose and mission of the entire university.  A complete copy of the Academic Integrity Policy is available in the Office of Student Life, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs, and online.

Expectations for this course regarding academic integrity in this class  

Academic dishonesty is a serious offense which diminishes the quality of scholarship and defrauds those who depend on the integrity of the educational system. Academic dishonesty includes:

Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.

·       Students completing any examination should assume that external assistance (e.g., books, notes, calculators, and conversations with others) is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the instructor.

·       Students may not allow others to conduct research or prepare work for them without advance authorization from the instructor.

·       Substantial portions of the same academic work may not be submitted for credit in more than one course without authorization.

Fabrication: Intentional falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

Facilitating academic dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another commit an act of academic dishonesty.

Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own in any academic exercise. (from university catalog)

Students often misuse their sources unintentionally.  Others do so intentionally.  Both are unacceptable.  Fundamentally, plagiarism is when you offer the words and ideas of another author as your own.  The work of another person, their ideas, interpretations, distinctive phrasing, and exact words, constitute that author’s intellectual property.  Use of that property without proper citation is, simply, theft.  If you have any questions about plagiarism, please ask me to clarify.  Plagiarism is a serious matter; as a Christian community we need to hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards–to do only those things that please our Lord and Savior. 

Consequences for violations of academic integrity in this class

Academic dishonesty, including intentional plagiarism, will result in a failing grade for this course.

Available Support Services

·       Students in this course who have a disability that might prevent them from fully demonstrating their abilities should meet with an advisor in the Learning Enrichment Center as soon as possible to initiate disability verification and discuss accommodations that may be necessary to ensure full participation in the successful completion of course requirements.

·       A variety of support services are available in the Learning Enrichment Center for persons desiring additional assistance in the course.

·       Students needing help with writing skills should contact The Writing Center

REQUIRED READING (available at University Bookstore):

Hine, Robert V., and John Mack Faragher. The American West: A New Interpretive History. New Haven , CT and London : Yale University Press, 2000. ISBN: 0300078358

Peavy, Linda, and Ursula Smith. Pioneer Women: The Lives of Women on the Frontier. Norman , OK : University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. ISBN: 0-8061-3054-7

 Utley, Robert M. High Noon in Lincoln : Violence on the Western Frontier. Albuquerque :  University of New Mexico Press, 1987. ISBN: 0826312012

Supplemental Readings :

I will frequently provide you with or indicate where to locate supplemental primary sources for critical evaluation.

Please have the assigned readings completed by their corresponding lecture dates. Doing so will enable you to understand the lectures more fully, provide you the chance to ask more informed questions, and allow you to participate in any relevant discussions.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

Reading Reactions

As an added incentive to increase the level of critical inquiry in this course, for each class for which there is assigned reading each of you must hand to me at the beginning of class a written question, problem, observation, or assertion arising from that class’ assigned reading that is significant enough for substantive discussion by the class as a whole.  Points will be subtracted for a weak written item (badly conceived, confusing, or trivial), or evidence that little to none of the reading assigned and under discussion has been read.  No reactions are due on the days when one of your major essays is due or when doing your own lesson plan.  No late reading reactions will be accepted.  If completed satisfactorily, the grade for the reading reactions is as follows:

*Missing 0-2 reactions: A

  *Missing 3-4 reactions: B

*Missing 5-6 reactions: C

  *Missing 7-8 reactions: D

Examinations

There will be a mid-term and a final examination.  Both will be take-home exams composed of major essays on central course themes.  I will give you the mid-term and final exam questions approximately two weeks before their respective due dates.  You are expected to interact with the sources provided in the course in responding to the examination questions and I want to see at least informal citations to those sources.  See the “Semester Schedule” for the due dates.

The Lesson Plan

Each of you will be responsible for team teaching a particular topic at some point during the semester.  The responsibilities include leading the discussion on the readings for the day and guiding us through what you believe are important elements that need to be covered for that topic.  Innovation is good as long as it helps us to think critically about your topic.  I would encourage you to avoid too much “lecturing” and I would also encourage you to include a film clip or clips that illustrate particular themes in your topic area.  Though you can use the course readings as a guideline, you may also adapt the lesson to your preferences.  The duration of your lesson should be about 45 minutes, and the acceptable time range is 35-50 minutes.  Your grade will be based on six elements:

1)     A written lesson plan draft, due two weeks before your lesson [5%]

The lesson plan must include the following elements:

·       Student Learning Outcomes: state clear student outcomes in terms that are specific, observable, and measurable (e.g., students will be able to synthesize, interpret, identify, demonstrate, write, etc.); avoid outcomes that utilize passive verbs (e.g., students will understand or students will know)

·       Materials required: be as specific as possible

·       The actual teaching methods to be used: step-by-step instructions for the various activities

·       Criteria for learning assessment: even if this does not include a grading rubric, you must be able to identify the degree to which the learning outcomes have been met

*Note: a good self-evaluation for a written lesson plan is asking yourself the question, would a substitute teacher be able to read my instructions and know exactly what to do?

2)    A final written lesson plan, due the day of your lesson [25%]

·       I expect significant revisions based on the written feedback given to your draft

3) A self-evaluation of the lesson taught [5%]

4) A class evaluation of the lesson taught [15%]

5) My evaluation of the lesson taught [50%]

6) Five appropriate and thoughtful quiz questions on your lesson (short answer, multiple guess, true/false) [5%]

I will have sample lesson plans available and will pass around a sign-up sheet for topics within the next week.  The order of choosing topics will be based on random selection.

I will give several quizzes during the semester based on the questions submitted in 6), above.

Primary Source Paper

You will access source material at the Library of Congress web site entitled “California As I Saw It”: First-Person Narratives of California’s Early Years, 1849-1900 (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cbhtml/cbhome.html), or Prairie Settlement: Nebraska Photographs and Family Letters, 1862-1912 (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/nbhihtml/pshome.html).  I would like you to choose accounts (diaries, letters, travelogues) from two different individuals who were living in the American West before 1890.  You should draw upon at least three to four entries from each individual.  Your task is three-fold:

1.      Give the historical context of their lives in the West.  You might consider questions such as:

·       Where were they living and how did that geographic location affect their situation?

·       What were the socio-economic and political realities of their region at the time?

·       What kind of occupational/professional/personal backgrounds did they have that might have affected their lives in the West?

2.     What were their everyday lives like and how they were similar and different from our own?

3.     In a shorter section, perhaps a paragraph or two, address the basic problems in usin g p rimary documents.  In this regard, you may find the National Archive’s Digital Classroom helpful (http://www.archives.gov/education/), especially the article “History in the Raw.”

The requirements for this paper include:

¨     4-5 pages in length, typed and double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.  Use conventional, 11-13 point fonts.

This paper does not require end- or footnotes, but you must include informal citations. When you cite from texts, give the author and page number in parentheses immediately after the citation. Example: "See Spot run" (Hawthorne, p. 103).

¨     Good grammar, spelling, and punctuation are a must—errors will weaken your overall presentation.  In addition, these essays should follow traditional patterns: an introduction that presents your main argument or question, a body of the paper where you present logically the evidence to support your position, and a conclusion that summarizes your findings and your critical analysis of those findings.

¨     Due Tuesday, December 4.

Film Reviews

Because a major theme of the course is the role of the West in American popular culture, students are required to view five of the following films during the semester, at least two from each of the categories—”classic” and “modern”.  We will watch some of these in class and those are listed in the Semester Schedule. The films are listed in chronological order to allow us to trace the development of the genre of western film.

You are required to write a two-page critical response paper on two of the films, one from each category; your first review must be on one of the “classic” westerns. In these reviews you must interact with at least two scholarly sources—sources written for a learned audience rather than a popular audience.  Avoid works like American Heritage, Time Magazine, and Encyclopedia Britannica.  Though often interesting, such sources do not merit great respect in historical circles.  Journals like The Pacific Historical Review, The Western Historical Quarterly, and The Journal of American History, are often good startin g p oints.  You may write about more than one film in your review, but your essay should emphasize a particular film. For example, if you wish to write on The Searchers, you are welcome to refer to earlier films—perhaps John Wayne’s earlier performance in Stagecoach, or the role of women compared to My Darling Clementine.  For all five films you watch, you must turn in a completed film review sheet that I will distribute to you.

Films:

Please note: those films with an asterisk (*) are rated R and may contain offensive content.  Bracketed numbers are the Marshburn Library call numbers; in DVD format unless otherwise indicated.

GRADING

Improvement is a crucial part of this course.  If there is significant improvement in quality of work over the course of the semester, emphasis will be given to the higher grade rather than maintaining the strict mathematical averages listed above.

Late Policy:

Late papers will be penalized with a one-third grade-deduction per class session, to a maximum of 2 full letter grades.  For example, a B paper would become a B- if one session late, a C+ if two sessions, and so forth.

Extra‑credit work will not be accepted for this course.

I will use the following abbreviations in grading your written work:

Please note: I follow the 24-hour rule when handing back any graded assignments—you must wait 24 hours before discussing with me your grade on an exam or essay.  However, please don’t wait until the end of the semester to talk with me about specific issues related to your grade.  The earlier you make an appointment with me, the better your chances for improvement and success.

I use the following guidelines to grade your written assignments:

SEMESTER SCHEDULE & READING ASSIGNMENTS

Week One

Thursday, September 6: Introduction to the Course

Week Two

Tuesday, September 11: Where/What is the West?

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 1-2, 9-11; Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” (http://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper/TURNER/chapter1.html)

Thursday, September 13: The Pre-contact Native American West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 3-9

Week Three

Tuesday, September 18: Early Western Explorations & Settlement

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 12-38, 133-58; Read any two days from any three different years (i.e. a total of 6 entries) in The Journals of Lewis and Clark (http://lewisandclark.state.mt.us/Journals/toc.shtm);

Thursday, September 20: Manifest Destiny & Its Implications

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 159-98

Week Four

Tuesday, September 25: Manifest Destiny & Its Implications

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 199-233

Thursday, September 27: Getting to the West— Overland Trails

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 276-80, 185-92; Mark Twain, Roughing It, Chapter 4 (http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=TwaRoug.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=4&division=div1)

Week Five

Tuesday, October 2: Movie—“Stagecoach”

Thursday, October 4: Getting to the West—The Railroads

  * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 274-300

  *First Film Review Due

Week Six

Tuesday, October 9: Farming in the West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 330-49, 362-67, 387-90

Thursday, October 11: Mining in the West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 234-73; Twain, Roughing It, Chapter 28 (http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=TwaRoug.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=28&division=div1)

Week Seven

Tuesday, October 16: Ethnicity and Race in the West

 *Reading: Hine & Faragher, 245-47, 286-87, 358-61, 370-73, 383-87, 390-400, 422-24 (**no reading reaction due)

 *Mid-term Due

Thursday, October 18: Religion in the West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 34-38, 95-99, 184-86, 192-94, 367-70; Twain, Roughing It, Chapter 15 (http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=TwaRoug.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=15&division=div1)

Week Eight

Tuesday, October 23: Women in the West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 262-66, 314-17, 345-47, 363-64, 418-21

Thursday, October 25: Discussion

 *Reading: Peavy and Smith, Pioneer Women (**no reading reaction due)

Week Nine

Tuesday, October 30: The Western Ranchers

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 301-04, 314-329

Thursday, November 1: Cowboys and Cattle Drives

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 304-314

Week Ten

Tuesday, November 6: Movie—“The Searchers”

 *2^nd Film Review Due

Thursday, November 8: Discussion

Week Eleven

Tuesday, November 13: The Encounter with Native Americans (pre-1860)

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 317-20

Thursday, November 15: The Encounter with Native Americans (post-1860)

* Reading : Hine & Faragher, 373-83

Week Twelve

Tuesday, November 20: Media and the Mythic West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 472-98

Thursday, November 22: Thanksgiving Holiday—No Class (Happy Turkey Day!)

Week Thirteen

Tuesday, November 27: Media and the Mythic West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 498-511, 531-36

Thursday, November 29: Discussion

 *Reading: Utley, High Noon in Lincoln (**no reading reaction due)

Week Fourteen

Tuesday, December 4: The American West and the Great Depression

 *Reading: Hine & Faragher, 457-71 (**no reading reaction due)

 *Primary Source Papers Due

Thursday, December 6: The Post-War American West

 * Reading : Hine & Faragher, 512-61

Week Fifteen

Thursday, December 13: Final Examination Due, 2:00 p.m.

The following instructors’ syllabi were consulted and used in designing this course.  In some cases the language from their syllabi was incorporated into this one.

Kevin J. Fernlund. Valley City State University , History 320. http://www.vcsu.edu/asp/programsofstudy/coursedescriptview.asp?course=HIST_320 (course description and primary source paper)

Douglas Firth Anderson , History 358, Northwestern College.  http://home.nwciowa.edu/~firth/awsyllab.htm (reading reactions)

Maria E. Montoya, History 373, University of Michigan . http://www.lsa.umich.edu/ac/online_courses/previous_terms/fall96/ac373/ (primary source paper)

Kathryn Morse, HI 374, Middlebury Community College . http://community.middlebury.edu/~kmorse/HI374-S00/HI374-S00-syllabus.html (film reviews)

John Putman, History 445, San Diego State University . http://balrog.sdsu.edu/~putman/445/sylf03.htm (class etiquette)

Ralph Wilmoth, Iowa State University , Health Studies 255. http://www.lib.iastate.edu/commons/hs255/01spr/syllabus.html (attendance)

Harold D. Tallant, History 470, Georgetown College , http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/htallant/courses/his470/syllabus.htm (attendance)

Jo Miller, History 100, Cornell University . http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/hist100.81/syl.html (attendance)

Carol Ann Tomlinson, University of Virginia

http://principalsoffice.osu.edu/grants6.php (lesson plan checklist)

Dorit Sasson, Upper Galilee , Israel .

http://lesson-plan-help.suite101.com/article.cfm/checklist_for_a_lesson_plan (lesson plan checklist)

Honolulu Community College

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/lesspln3.htm (lesson plan checklist)

SUPPLEMENTAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

General

Etulain, Richard W., ed. Does the Frontier Experience Make America Exceptional? Boston : Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999.

Lamar, Howard R., ed. The New Encyclopedia of the American West. New Haven : Yale University Press, 1998.

Limerick , Patricia Nelson. “Turnerians All: The Dream of a Helpful History in an Intelligible world.” American Historical Review. 100 (1995): 697-717.

Milner, Clyde , Anne M. Butler, and David R. Lewis, eds. Major Problems in the History of the American West. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

Milner, Clyde A., Carol A. O’Connor, and Martha A. Sandweiss, eds. The Oxford History of the American West. New York : Oxford University Press, 1994.

Phillips, Charles, and Alan Axelrod, eds. Encyclopedia of the American West. 4 vols. New York : Macmillan Reference USA , 1996.

White, Richard. “It’s Your Misfortune and None of My Own”: A History of the American West. Norman , OK : University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.

Worster, Donald. “New West, True West: Interpreting the Region’s History.” Western Historical Quarterly 18 (1987): 140-58.

Race/Gender/Ethnicity

Armitage, Susan. “Women and Men in Western History: A Stereoptical Vision.” Western Historical Quarterly 16 (1985): 380-395.

Calloway, Colin, ed. Our Hearts Fell to the Ground: Plains Indian Views of How the West Was Lost. New York : Saint Martin 's Press, 1997.

Crow Dog, Mary, and Richard Erdoes. Lakota Woman. New York : HarperCollins, 1991.