SYLLABUS:
History 250A
THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Jacqueline
M. Moore
Spring
2005
Office
Hours: MF 12-12:50; W 11-11:50am; TTh
4:30-5:30pm, and by appt.
121
Sherman Hall
Telephone
Numbers, Office: 813-2262, (voice
mail)
Home:(972)
547-6812 (not between 11pm and
8am)
E-Mail:
jmoore@austincollege.edu
Required Texts
The
African American Experience,
Complete edition. Joe W. Trotter, Jr., 2001
Black
Majority, Peter Wood,
1974
Born
in Bondage:Growing Up Enslaved in the Antebellum South,
Marie Jenkins Schwartz, 2001
Light
In the Darkness, Nina
Mjagkij, 1994
Course Contents
This course will examine the African
American experience from the beginnings of slavery in the New World to
post-Civil Rights America. We will
explore African origins, slavery, Civil War and Reconstruction, the rise of Jim
Crow and alternate methods of racial uplift, the experiences of black soldiers,
the Civil Rights Movement, and race relations in a post Civil Rights
context. Students will be expected to
participate actively in class discussions.
Students will take two midterm exams and one final exam that
concentrates on the last third of the course but will include one comprehensive
essay. Each student will also complete
two 3-5 page critical book analyses.
Failure to complete any major assignment may result in your being
dropped from the course. If you miss
more than one third of the course you will automatically fail.
Grade Distribution
Participation 20%
Midterm
1 15%
Midterm
2 15%
2
Critical Analyses 15% each
Final
Exam 20%
If you do not attend you cannot
participate and therefore will not receive credit toward your grade.
Participation means more than just attendance, however. If you attend every
class and pay attention the whole time (without falling asleep) but never say a
word, take a quiz or do a homework assignment, you will receive a grade of C-
for your participation. If you are absent more than three times this grade will
drop to a D+ or lower. In general, more than three absences may affect your
grade. It is important, therefore, that you make an attempt to say something in
class discussion, preferably something to do with the class. For that reason
you might want to keep up with the reading assignments which will help you
think of something to contribute. There are no dumb questions or answers, I'm
not going to laugh at you if you get your facts wrong, and I will listen to
every point of view with an open mind. I expect the same from all the members
of the class.
I give letter grades for all parts
of the course with A being for excellent, B for above average, C for average, D
for below average, and F for failure to complete the required work. To get an A you will have to perform at a
consistently excellent level on all the major assignments and tests as well as
participate actively in class discussions.
To get a B you will have to perform consistently at an above average
level etc. etc. I weight all grades according to the grade distribution chart
and average your grade for the semester.
Late Assignments and
Make-up Exams
I will not accept late homework assignments
without prior arrangement. The same applies to book analyses. I will lower the
analysis one grade for each day it is late unless you have a legitimate excuse.
I will gladly accept early homework or book reviews and would be happy to
discuss them with you.
I only give makeup exams by prior
arrangement except for extreme emergencies. If you miss an exam due to an
emergency, it is YOUR responsibility to get in touch with me IMMEDIATELY, to
discuss the possibility of making up the exam. I am more likely to agree to a
makeup exam if you have been in touch with me since the day of the original
exam. I have voice mail, e-mail, and an answering machine, so there's no excuse
for saying that you couldn't reach me.
Academic Integrity
This
course will operate under Austin College Academic Integrity Policies. Academic
honesty is absolutely essential. This means I will not tolerate cheating of any
kind. I find it personally insulting, because it implies that you think I am so
stupid that I will never catch you. WRONG. Be warned: I take immense pleasure
in tracking down dishonest students. We will follow strictly the guidelines
printed in the student handbook. Please read these carefully. If you do not
understand these rules I would be happy to discuss them with you so that you do
not accidentally break them in your own work.
Now
that I have said all the nasty stuff required of me, let's try and have a great
semester, smile while you doodle on this syllabus, that's an order!
COURSE GOALS
1.
Students will learn a basic narrative of historical events in African American
history from the 1500s to the post-Civil Rights Era.
2.
Students will learn to analyze causes and effects of historical events.
3.
Students will learn to read historical sources critically.
4.
Students will practice writing basic analytical essays.
EXPECTED STUDENT
OUTCOMES
1.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of basic events on two midterms and one
final exam.
2.
Students will demonstrate ability to determine cause and effects in
examinations and in two analytical papers based on class readings.
3.
Students will demonstrate ability to distinguish between fact and opinion in 2
critical book analyses.
4.
Students will demonstrate ability to pose an overall argument, with supporting
evidence and examples on both examinations and in the 2 book analyses.
LECTURES AND READING ASSIGNMENTS: SPRING
2005
African
American Experience
Reading assignments are due on the class
date they are listed on the assignment sheet.
*AFAMEX means African American
Experience; *Majority = Black Majority;
*Born = Born in Bondage; *Light
= Light In The Darkness; Rec'd = Recommended Reading
Feb. 1, TUES.: Rec'd
AFAMEX, 2-25 Introductory Remarks, African Origins
3, THUR.: AFAMEX,
26-35, 48-54 The
Slave Trade and
START
Majority
History of Slavery
8,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 36-40 The
Middle Passage
10,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 56-63, 71 Origins of
Race Slavery in the
15,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 73-76 Slavery
in
17,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 63-70, 72,
76-79 Slavery in
the Chesapeake and
22,
TUES.: FINISH
Majority Discussion
of Black Majority
24,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 103-48
Blacks
and the
Start Born
Revolution
Mar.
1,
TUES.: MIDTERM #1
Born
is not on this test
3, THUR.: AFAMEX,
80-102, 149-60 End
of the Slave Trade,
New
Slavery, New Slaves
8,
TUES.: PAPER OPTION #1 DUE Family
AFAMEX,
161-88
10,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 189-96, Church
SPRING
BREAK Continue Born
22,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 197-207 Resistance
24,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 208-36
Free
Blacks, Abolition
29,
TUES.: FINISH Born Discussion
of Born in Bondage
31,
THUR.: NO CLASS
Start
Light
April
5,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 236-85 Civil War and
PAPER OPTION #2 DUE Reconstruction
7,
THUR.: MIDTERM #2
Light is not on this test
12,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 293-342 Rise
of the Middle Class
Continue
Light and Jim Crow
14,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 343-72
Gradualists vs.
Radicals
Continue Light
19,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 373-401 WWI and the Great
Migration
Continue Light
21,
THUR.: FINISH Light Discussion
of Light In the Darkness
26,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 402-433 Harlem
Renaissance,
Marcus
Garvey
28,
THUR.: AFAMEX, 460-78, 490-516 Depression and WWII
May
3,
TUES.: AFAMEX, 517-63 Civil
Rights
PAPER OPTION
#3 DUE
5,
THUR.: Rec'd AFAMEX, 573-603 Civil Rights and Beyond
FINAL EXAM 9-11 Friday, May 13 (spooky!) FINAL EXAM WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE LAST THIRD
OF THE COURSE BUT WILL HAVE ONE COMPREHENSIVE ESSAY BASED ON THE THEMES FROM
THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS