AAST 342H: African American History to 1865
AAST 342H: African American History To 1865
Course Syllabus
Fall, 2017
Course Information
Course Number: AAST 342H
Course Request Number (CRN): 73916
Room# and time: Online, all the time
Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Instructor Information
Instructor: Dr. George R. Price
Office Hours and Location: MWF, 1:00-1:45, 3:30-5:00, no appointment necessary, or other days and times by appointment only, in NAC (Native American Center) 203E
E-mail: Most faculty/student communication is done by email, in all departments. Please check your email at least daily for important announcements.
Office Phone: 243-2302
Required Texts
White, Deborah Gray, Mia Bay, and Waldo E. Martin Jr., Freedom on My Mind: A
History of African Americans, with Documents, vol. 1, Boston and New York,
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013, or second edition, 2017.
Wright, Donald R., African Americans in the Colonial Era: From African Origins
through the American Revolution, Wheeling, Ill., Harlan Davidson, Inc., 2000.
(referred to as “v1” in the lecture calendar)
Wright, Donald R., African Americans in the Early Republic, 1789-1831, Wheeling, Ill., Harlan Davidson, Inc., 1993. (referred to as “v2” in the lecture calendar)
We will read excerpts from the first two of Frederick Douglass's three autobiographies:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845) and My Bondage and My Freedom (1855).Both of these books are available online, at the following locations:
"Narrative..." at http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/douglass/douglass.html
And "My Bondage..."at http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/douglass55/douglass55.html
Several short articles and excerpts from books with required reading in them will also be posted in full and/or linked on our Moodle page for your convenience, for free.
Course Description
This course is a survey of the diverse historical experiences of Americans of African descent in the United States, from their origins in Africa until the end of the Civil War. Our focus will be on the quest of enslaved African Americans for freedom and dignity and the quest of free African Americans for equal opportunity and inclusion in American society, as they struggled against racism and oppression.
Course Objectives
- To familiarize students with the historical facts and circumstances that transformed diverse peoples of Africa into African Americans in the United States.
- To enable students to explore the reasons behind the formation of the institution of American slavery and racist concepts regarding humanity.
- To assist students in forming their own assessments and analyses regarding the logic, validity, and usefulness of popularly-held ideas about the nature of humanity.
- To help students to think independently and move beyond the limitations of customary popular concepts.
- To familiarize students with the facts concerning the history of African American resistance to slavery racism and other social injustices.
- To increase student awareness of the significant African-American influences upon, and contributions to, the development of American society.
- To provide a more complete context for understanding many of America’s current social problems.
- To familiarize students with some of the bibliographical and other sources of knowledge that are available for further study of the various topics that we will cover.
- To improve students’ research and writing skills.
- To provide students with opportunities for discussion and inquiry related to our topics.
Grading Criteria
I use a precise, numerical, point scale grading system. Since it is a 100-point scale your standing in the course can be easily converted into percentages at any time. No letter grades are assigned until after the final exam and all of the points are added up. Student grades will be based on the combined scores of the writing assignments, online participation, the midterm exams, and the final exam. The maximum points for each graded segment of the course, for the whole semester, will be as follows:
10 for discussions (5 online discussions, max. 2 points each)
15 for first midterm exam
15 for second midterm exam
20 for the final exam
10 for the short essays (2 essays, max. 5 points each)
30 for the research paper
As you can see from this chart, writing assignments make up about 40% of the grade for this class. The details for the writing assignments will be given separately from this syllabus, in another document.
Grade Scale:
92-100 = A
90-91.5 = A-
88-89.5 = B+
82-87.5 = B
80-81.5 = B-
78-79.5 = C+
72-77.5 = C
70-71.5 = C-
68-69.5 = D+
62-67.5 = D
60-61.5 = D-
below 60 = F
Disability Modifications
The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students. If you think you may have a disability adversely affecting your academic performance, and you have not already registered with Disability Services, please contact Disability Services in Lommasson Center 154 or call 406.243.2243. I will work with you and Disability Services to provide an appropriate modification.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is the misrepresentation of another person’s writing as one’s own. Plagiarism is a violation of the University of Montana Code of Student Conduct, and the professor can give a student who plagiarizes an assigned paper a failing grade for the course. The UM leaves it up to each professor to decide if such action is appropriate. I choose to give a failing grade (no credit) for the particular assignment that was plagiarized, and no opportunity to re-do the assignment. That could lead to a failing grade for the course, but not necessarily, depending on how the student does with the rest of the graded items for the course. We professors are aware that there are a growing number of internet websites that sell “research papers” to students who are susceptible to that kind of scam. But there are also several websites that we can use to detect such papers and find their point of origin. Using such internet aids (and by other means), I have caught several students over the years who turned in plagiarized works, and it is never a pleasant situation for either of us. Consider yourselves to be kindly forewarned.
Course Outline/ Class Calendar
(may be subject to minor revisions, TBA)
Date Topic Reading Assignments
Aug 31Introduction to the course and the professor
View the Moodle tutorial by Sept. 5th
Sept 1-8The African Roots of African AmericansWhite, pp. 2-10 (2nd ed., 2-10)
Indigenous west-central African cultures, world
views, ways of livingWright, v1, pp. 7-28
Sept 9-14Origins and Early Expansion of African Slavery White, pp. 10-18 (2nd ed, 10-20);
Short video with questions “The Atlantic Slave Trade” Wright, v1, pp. 28-41
Excerpt from documentary, “Wonders of the African
World”
The “Middle Passage” and early experiences of Africans Olaudah Equiano, ch. 2
in America White, pp. 18-52 (2nd ed 20-55)
Discussion of study guide questions in Wright, v1, pp.41-54
“Advanced Forum”
Sept 15-22Transformations during the Colonial era: from
Indigenous “Africans” to “African Americans”
Slavery, indentured servitude, and freedom in Colonial
America White, pp. 54-120 (2nd ed. 46-100)
Excerpt from documentary, “Slavery and the Making of
America”
African American cultural development during the
Colonial era Wright, v1, pp.55-96
Two scenes from “Roots” (video)Wright, v1, pp.100-157
African Americans and Native Americans in the Colonial era (Price article #1)
Sept 23-30 African Americans and the American Revolution White, pp. 120-157(2nd ed., 101-127)
Influence of the Great Awakening and the
Enlightenment on anti-slavery and revolutionary thought Wright, v1, pp.158-174
(other articles posted on Moodle)
Hopes and Betrayal: The U.S. Constitution and institutional racism
Case study: James Easton
Exam 1: The first midterm exam, which will cover all of the material that preceded October 1st will be available to take from Friday, September 29th at 10:00 a.m. until Sunday, October 1st, at 11:00 p.m. Access to taking the exam will be cut off at that time, so you will have to be finished with the exam before then. You are allowed one hour to complete the exam.
Oct 1-7 The Uplift MovementWhite, pp.160-224 (2nd ed., 130-188)
Reasons for the expansion of slavery and racism in
the early American republic Wright, v1,pp.174-202, v2, 12-36
The growth of free African American communities and
organized resistance to slavery and racism in the
early19th century Wright, v2, pp.125-161
Origins and reasons for African American church denominations
The life of Captain Paul Cuffe
Free African American human rights activism in the 1820s
and ‘30s; White, 264-285 (2nd ed., 214-225)
The early African American press
Brief excerpt from documentary: “Slavery and the Making of America
David Walker, Maria Stewart, & Hosea Easton (sample writings of all three of
these activists are posted on our Moodle page and are required reading)
Oct 8-14 The Abolition movement, or “The American Revolution,
Part 2,” White, 309-317(2nd ed., 226-23)
An interracial activist alliance that attempted to make up
for the failures of the so-called “American Revolution.”
It was also a precursor to the Civil Rights movement of
the 20th century. Supplementary readings on Moodle
Oct 15-21Opposition to freedom and equality in the 1830sWright, v2, 162-208
The economic incentives and motivations for the
pro-slavery movement, and their various tactics.
Discussion: Do you see any parallels to the 1830s in today’s U.S.A?
First essay due: Tuesday, October 17 by 11:55 PM
Oct 22-27Frederick Douglass, Part 1, experiences under slavery,
and insights gainedNarrative, Chaps. 1, 2, 6, 7, 10
Video documentary: “When the Lion Wrote History,” Part 1
African American community and cultural development
under slaveryWhite, 232-261(2nd ed., 195-211)
Scenes from “Roots” depicting slave community life Wright, v2, pp.43-84
Forms of slave resistance to slavery Wright, v2, pp.85-124
Conditions under slavery and the impact on families;
psychological impact of slaveryDouglass, My Bondage.., pp. 192-193
Oct 28-Nov 4 Frederick Douglass, life as a free man and an
Abolitionist Douglass, My Bondage.., 235-243
“My Escape From Slavery,”
Chapters 21, 23 & 24
Documentary: “Frederick Douglass: When the Lion
Wrote History,” Pt. 2 Discussion of Douglass’ writings and the video excerpt
from William Wells Brown’s “Narrative of the Life…”
Nov 5-12 African Americans, abolitionism and politics in the 1840s;
voting rights, anti-slavery political parties, battle against
the expansion of slavery into the new western states
The impact of pro-slavery forces on American politics
and society“Slavery and Political Power in the
U.S., 1790-1865” (on Moodle)
“The Slave Power Aristocracy” and the Free Soil Party
Exam 2: The second midterm exam, which will cover all of the material that we went through between October 1st and November 12th, will be available to take from Monday, November 13th at 10:00 a.m. until Wednesday, November 15th, at 11:00 p.m. Access to taking the exam will be cut off at that time, so you will have to be finished with the exam before then. You are allowed one hour to complete the exam.
Nov 13-17 African Americans in the westward expansion of the U.S.
African Americans on the early western frontiers and in
the California Gold Rush; Exclusion Acts
2nd essay due: November 17th, 11:00 p.m.
November 18th: Submit descriptions of your research paper topics to the professor for approval and/or suggestions (if you have not yet already done so). This can be done by email.
Nov 18-25 The Underground Railroad, The Fugitive Slave Law
of 1850, and the U.S. attack on free African Americans
in the 1850’sWhite, pp. 285-308 (2nd ed., 235-243)
Militant response to the FSL, defiance and indignation Still, preface to The Underground Railroad
Nov 26-Dec 2 The Expansion of Antislavery Fervor in the 1850s
African American militias; “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
The Republican Party
Increasing violent disputes over slavery in the 1850s
“Bleeding Kansas” and John Brown; Harper’s FerryHenry David Thoreau, Plea for Capt. J.B.
Dec. 2nd: Turn in rough draft (unfinished, in-progress is OK) or (at least) a detailed outline of your research paper
Dec 3-5 The Dred Scott decision and its implications for America White, 290-292 (2nd ed., 243-255)
Moodle links on the Dred Scott case
Dec 6-12 Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and the End of Slavery White, 322-373 (2nd ed., 260-295)
American political changes after Dred Scott
Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and African Americans in the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln and the “End of Slavery” (see Moodle)
Did the Civil War end slavery? Impact of the Civil War
and the 13th Amendment on African Americans; discussion
Dec 7 Review outlines for final exam posted on Moodle
Dec 12Last day to turn in research paper (no papers will be accepted after that date)
Final Exam: The Final Exam, which will cover all of the material that we went through between November 13th and December 12th, plus a small amount of questions that cover the big picture over the whole semester, will be available to take from Wednesday, December 13th at 10:00 a.m. until Friday, December 15th, at 11:00 p.m. Access to taking the exam will be cut off at that time, so you will have to be finished with the exam before then. You are allowed two hours to complete the final exam.