1
U.S. History Since 1865 – Honors
(Modern U.S. History through Film)
Fall 2017 Dr. Rachel Louise Moran
HIST 2685
M/W/F 1:00-1:50 in 110 Wooten Hall Office hours: MWF 9:30-11
& by appointment
Office: 248 Wooten Hall
The survey course is designed to teach you about the broad sweep of United States history after the Civil War. You will learn major themes in United States history, observe change over time, and most importantly gain skill in analyzing historical evidence. In this particular incarnation of the honors survey, we will use film as our main source of primary historical evidence. We will watch films critically to assess contemporary perspectives on historical events, and then pair these sources with historical essays and lectures to help put the films in perspective.
Course Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
- Critically examine historical films
- Reflect on how U.S. history was experienced by those living through it
- Evaluate various driving forces of history
- Write critically about primary sources
Required Texts
- James J. Lorence, Screening America: United States History Through Film Since 1900, Routledge 2016, 9780321143167
- Glenda Gilmore and Thomas Sugrue, These United States: 1890-Present, Norton 2015, ISBN: 9780393239522
Films
We will watch the following films:
- A Corner in Wheat (1909)
- The Birth of a Nation (1915) – selections
- The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
- The Negro Soldier (1944)
- Dr. Strangelove (1964)
- Coming Home (1978)
- Do the Right Thing (1989)
We will also watch clips from several films of the 1920s and of the 1960s, and you will choose a film from the 1990s (from a list) to watch and analyze on your own.
Grading Overview
Attendance/Participation – 100 points
Quizzes – 150 (10 quizzes x 15 points each = 150; drop 3, no make-ups)
Assignment 1: A Corner in Wheat review in character, 100 points
Assignment 2: Review of a Review (Birth of a Nation or Grapes of Wrath), 150 points
Assignment 3: The Negro Soldier, 150 points
Assignment 4: Review of a Review (Dr. Strangelove or Coming Home), 150 points
Assignment 5: Film of the 1990s overview essay, 200 points
Modest extra credit activities may be available – these will be talks/events put on by history or related departments. A write-up of an approved event is worth up to 10 bonus points toward your total grade.
Course Expectations and Grading Breakdown
Attendance/Participation - (100 points)
-This includes doing all course readings and actively contributing to class discussion. This is a class in which your participation is necessary. We will read and watch films, and discuss and debate the material extensively. For this reason, you must do the reading in advance and prepare to ask and answer questions.
-Attendance is a requirement of this class. Also, please do not arrive late to class. Computers/ipads may be used in class to read documents and take notes. No emailing, web surfing, texting, or phone calls are allowed. They disrupt others and hinder participation – After a warning, I will ask distracted students to leave (they will, of course, not be counted as having “attended” that day).
Class preparation quizzes – (10 quizzes worth 15pts each = 150 pts)
-Over the course of the semester, I will have 13 quizzes. I drop your three lowest (including any zeros). So, you have ten quizzes that count, for up to 15 points each, making this component of the course worth up to 150 points.
-Quizzes are five short answer questions, each worth 3 points. Quizzes take 15 minutes and are administered at the start of Friday classes. Since we typically discuss/grade the quiz right away, latecomers still need to hand their quizzes in at the 15-minute mark.
-Quizzes test your reading comprehension on reading due that week. You may use printed readings you have brought to class, or reading notes, or readings on a tablet/electronic device. You may NOT use other sources (internet, peers, etc.).
-There are no make-ups outside of truly extraordinary circumstances. Whether you are sick, tired, couldn’t get the book on time, showed up too late to class to do the quiz, etc., you can just count that as one of your “dropped” quizzes. Three freebies are a LOT, and allow a decent amount of flexibility.
-Please let me know ASAP if you have ODA documentation that requires a different quiz set-up.
Grade Calculation
[1000 points, total – NO ROUNDING]
899.0 and upA
799.0-898.9B
699.0-798.9C
599.0-698.9D
Anything below 599.0F
Late work
Late assignments will be graded down 1/2 letter grade for each day late. For example, if your paper was one day late, you would receive an A- instead of an A; two days late means a B+ instead of an A, etc….
Late assignments mean late feedback from me. Since each piece of this course builds upon the last, it is critical you stay up to date with all work.
If you are running into a problem that may require an extension, you must request the extension more than 24 hours before the due date. I usually will grant you a modest extension if you make a compelling case, but if you make such a request too late it is simply a late paper.
Accessibility
The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking reasonable accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with a reasonable accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request reasonable accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of reasonable accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of reasonable accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. Students are strongly encouraged to deliver letters of reasonable accommodation during faculty office hours or by appointment. Faculty members have the authority to ask students to discuss such letters during their designated office hours to protect the privacy of the student. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.
TLDR: Please let me know ASAP if you require accommodations and we’ll sort it out.
Other Information
Food Pantry
The University of North Texas is taking action to address food insecurity among its students, and is doing so with a vision of partnership and community building. The Dean of Students Office has established a pantry that will provide an accessible on-campus food source for students in need. The food pantry launched at the start of the spring 2015 semester and is currently housed in the Union.
Any current UNT student in need can visit the Food Pantry 8am-6pm Monday-Thursday and 8pm-5pm on Fridays. Students will check-in at the Dean of Students Office front desk in the Union, Suite 409. Students may go directly to room 366 from 5PM-6PM, Monday-Thursday. Students who visit the food pantry can request to meet with a staff member to discuss any difficulties they may be facing during the hours of 8am-5pm. When appropriate, referral to additional campus and/or community resources will be made. The Dean of Students Office has established protocols that allow for student confidentiality and dignity to be maintained. There is also a pantry located at the Discovery Park Location in the Engineering Library (M130) next to the Career Center. The Discovery Park Location is closed during the summer. There is also a Food Pantry located at UNT's New College at Frisco, which can be accessed by visiting the information desk.
Sexual Discrimination, Harassment, and Abuse
UNT is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these acts of aggression, please know that you are not alone. The federal Title IX law makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses. UNT has staff members trained to support you in navigating campus life, accessing health and counseling services, providing academic and housing accommodations, helping with legal protective orders, and more. UNT’s Dean of Students’ website offers a range of on-campus and off-campus resources to help support survivors, depending on their unique needs.
Renee LeClaire McNamara is UNT’s Student Advocate and she can be reached through e-mail at or by calling the Dean of Students’ office at 940-565-2648. You are not alone. We are here to help.
Dean of Students
If serious illness or injury, death or illness in the family, mental health matters, economic instability, pregnancy and/or parenting, legal matters, etc. are interfering in your academic success, you may want to speak with someone at the Dean of Students’ office.
Schedule(subject to change, but always with notice)
Unit 1: Capitalism and its Discontents(1877-1910)
M 8/28 / n/a / Intro to course, introductions
W 8/30
Civil War and Reconstruction / Gilmore - Preface / Civil War/Reconstruction lecture
F 9/1 Reconstruction / Lorence– Introduction / Quiz 1(On Syllabus, Gilmore - Preface, Lorence introduction)
Discussion of Lorence/primary sources
M 9/4 / LABOR DAY – NO CLASS
W 9/6
Industry & Capitalism / Gilmore - 1 / Industry/Capitalism lecture
F 9/8
Industry & Capitalism / Quiz 2 (On Gilmore 1)
Industry/capitalism lecture continued, discussion of how to read Lorence
Assignment 1 handout distributed
M 9/11
Populism / Lorence - 1 / Watch A Corner in Wheat in class
Discuss A Corner in Wheat
W 9/13
Empire / Gilmore - 2 / Empire lecture
F 9/15
Progressivism / Quiz 3 (On Lorence 1, Gilmore 2, A Corner in Wheat)
Introduction to/handout on Assignment 2
UNIT II: Building a Modern Nation (1910-1940)
-Date- / -Required Reading- / - In Class/Due -M 9/18
Progressivism / Gilmore - 3 / Progressive Era Lecture
DUE– Assignment 1
W 9/20
Progressivism / Lorence - 2 / Watch clips from Birth of a Nation
F 9/22
Progressivism / Discuss Birth of a Nation
Quiz 4 (Gilmore 3, Lorence 2, Birth of a Nation)
M 9/25
1920s / Gilmore - 4 / 1920s Lecture
W 9/27
1920s / Lorence - 3 / Watch clips from Dancing Mothers, The Jazz Singer
F 9/29
1920s / Quiz 5 (Gilmore 3 and Lorence 3)
Discussion of 1920s films and culture
M 10/2
Depression/
New Deal / Gilmore - 5 / Great Depression lecture
W 10/4
Depression/
New Deal / Lorence - 6 / Begin watching Grapes of Wrathin class
F 10/6
Depression/
New Deal / Quiz 6 (on Gilmore 5 and Lorence 6)
Continue watching Grapes of Wrath after quiz
M 10/9
Depression/
New Deal / Gilmore - 6 / Finish watching Grapes of Wrath
W 10/11
Depression/
New Deal / Discuss Grapes of Wrath
Assignment 3 handout distributed
F 10/13
WWII / Quiz 7 (on Gilmore 6)
WWII lecture
UNIT III: War and the New World Order (1941-1965)
-date- / -Required Reading- / -In Class-M 10/16
WWII / Gilmore – 7 / DUE in class – Assignment 2
WWII lecture
W 10/18
WWII / Lorence - 8 / Watch The Negro Soldier in class
F 10/20
WWII / Quiz 8 (on Gilmore 7 and Lorence 8)
Discuss The Negro Soldier after quiz
M 10/23
Post-War / Gilmore - 8 / Post-War lecture
W 10/25
Early Cold War / Lorence - 11 / Cold War lecture
F 10/27
Early Cold War / Quiz 9 (on Gilmore 8 and Lorence - 11)
Start watching Dr. Strangelove in class
M 10/30
Early Cold War / Gilmore - 9
/ Continue watching Dr. Strangelove in class
W 11/1
Early Cold War / Gilmore - 10
/ Finish watching Dr. Strangelove in class, discuss.
F 11/3
Early Cold War / Quiz 10 (Gilmore 9 and 10)
Assignment 4 handout distributed
Unit IV: The 1960s and Beyond
-date- / -Required- / -In Class-M 11/6
1960s / Gilmore - 11 / DUE in class – Assignment 3
Lecture on 1960s America
W 11/8
1960s / Lorence - 12 / Watch clips from Alice’s Restaurant and The Graduate in class
F 11/10
1960s / Quiz 11 (Gilmore 11and Lorence 12)
M 11/13
Vietnam / Gilmore - 12 / Vietnam lecture
W 11/15
Vietnam / Lorence - 14 / Begin watching Coming Home
F 11/17
Vietnam / Quiz 12(Gilmore 12 and Lorence 14)
Continue watching Coming Home
M 11/20
1970s / Gilmore - 13 / Finish watching Coming Home
W 11/22
1970s / Discussion of Coming Home
Assignment 5 handout distributed
11/23-11/26 / Thanksgiving Break
M 11/27
1980s / Gilmore - 14 / Lecture on 1980s
W 11/29
1980s / Lorence - 15 / DUE in class – Assignment 4
Begin watching Do the Right Thing
F 12/1
1980s / Quiz 13 (Gilmore 14 and Lorence 15)
Continue watching Do the Right Thing
M 12/4
1990s / Gilmore - 15 / Lecture on 1990s
W 12/6 / Finish watching Do the Right Thing and discuss
Mon.,
12/11/17 / Assignment 5 Due
(no need to show up in person that day – I won’t be there! – please turn in through Blackboard/Turn It In assignment box)