HISTORY 294-17
Colonial Encounters:
Religion, Race, and Sexuality in the Development of Early American Society
MWF: 2:20-3:20, Old Main 009
Macalester College, Spring 2007
Professor Andrea D. Robertson (robertsona@macalester.edu)
Office Hours: W, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. or by appointment
Required Texts:
Dowd, Gregory A Spirited Resistance
Godbeer, Richard Sexual Revolution in Early America
Gomez, Michael Exchanging Our Country Marks
Greer, Allan The Jesuit Relations
Little, Ann Abraham in Arms
Merritt, Jane At the Crossroads
Moore, Brian Black Robe
Salisbury, Neal Manitou and Providence
Sobel, Mechal The World They Made Together
Winship, Michael Times and Trials of Anne Hutchinson
Recommended:
Bonomi, Patricia Under the Cope of Heaven
Course Objectives:
Through an examination of primary documents from the sixteenth through the early nineteenth centuries and historical articles and monographs, students will examine and discuss the forces at work on the conflict and exchange between the diverse peoples that populated North America. In this course we will use critical analysis to arrive at our own conclusions about the following questions: Who populated early America? What types of religious and spiritual practices came into contact through these populations? What political function did religion and spirituality have (if any) in this time period? What competing ideas about gender and sex existed in the colonies and the early republic? In what ways did ideas about gender and race intersect? Gender and religion? What are the ways in which the emergence of a United States of America was contingent on conflict and exchange about religion, race and sex?
Grading and
Attendance:
The quality of your grade
in this course will be a direct reflection of the effort you have put forward
throughout the semester. This course will not be graded on a curve and each
grade is a reflection of the student’s own performance on individual
assignments and participation in the discussion section. Grades based on quality
of work relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements may be
understood as follows:
A – outstanding
B - significantly above requirements
C – meets
requirements
D – does
not meet requirements, but is worthy of credit
F – signfies that work was either 1) completed but not at
a level of achievement that is worthy of credit or 2) was not completed and
there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student
would be awarded an Incomplete
Your grade is based on
two exams, two written assignments, a group project with in-class presentation,
and participation in our class meetings. The percentage of your grade allotted
to each assignment is as follows:
Essay 1: Religion and Cultural Conflict 20%
Essay 2: Spirituality and Sexuality 20%
Research
Essay 30%
Discussion
Leadership 15%
Attendance
and participation 15%
Essays:
I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with
typewriters - Frank Lloyd Wright (1868-1959)
Writing is a powerful tool of communication and persuasion. It is the means by which historians share ideas with each other and with the public. Learning to write well is a challenging but imperative part of your liberal arts education. In this class we will discuss paths to becoming a good writer. In light of this goal, you will complete three essays over the course of the semester. Details of each short-essay assignment will be handed out in class two weeks prior to the due date. Full details for the research paper will be handed out four weeks prior to the due date. The first two essays will be 5-7 pages (double-spaced) and based on reading assignments from class. The third essay is a longer, research paper (10-12 pages) on a topic of your choice related to the theme of the course.
All written assignments
must be turned in at the beginning of section on the due date. Papers turned in
late are automatically docked one-half grade and a further half grade for each
additional day late. All written assignments must be turned in in hard-copy format – I will not accept e-mailed papers nor
will I comment on e-mailed drafts. In-class writing assignments, which will
appear periodically through the semester, cannot be made up if you are absent
on the class day they occur.
Discussion Leadership:
At the beginning of the
semester, each student will sign up to lead discussion in one seminar meeting.
The discussion leader should be prepared to guide the class through the key
issues of the assigned reading for that day and offer both praise and critique
of the author’s analysis of the topic at hand.
Class preparation and
timely work:
The success of our class
meetings revolves around the cooperation of all participants. Attendance is
mandatory and will be taken at each meeting. To receive full credit for course
attendance you must participate actively in class, and for this to occur
everyone must come to class having read the assigned course materials. Please
bring any notes you take while reading, the assigned course readings for the
day’s discussion, and talking points and/or questions that you have regarding
lecture topics. Inability to participate in class due to lack of preparation
will be reflected in your course grade. Out of courtesy to your classmates,
please arrive on time and do not pack up before the class period ends. Cell
phones, pagers, iPods, etc. should be off and stowed
for the duration of discussion section. Discussions require a courteous and
respectful atmosphere at all times. While a history course may and should
generate lively debates, any interruptions, personal attacks, inappropriate
remarks, or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Every person’s voice is
of value in this class.
Contacting me:
I am delighted to be
teaching your course this semester and I look forward to getting to know each
of you better. Please visit me during office hours with questions or concerns
about the course. If your schedule conflicts with my posted office hours,
please e-mail me or speak to me following class to set up an alternate meeting
time. I am happy to discuss your assignments or review papers with you; out of
fairness to the class I can provide comments on only one draft per essay
assignment. However, I will not review any assignment within 24 hours of the
due date. Plan ahead. If you have a question about your grade you must set an
appointment with me at least one day after receiving your graded paper. At the
appointment I expect you to have read all the comments on your paper and to
have specific questions that you wish to discuss. If you are seeking additional
assistance with writing, I encourage you to visit the The MAX Center, which is open for tutoring M-F, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sun-Th, 7 -10 p.m. at Kagin Commons
1st floor.
Important academic policies:
Academic dishonesty: Please do not cheat. Per University policy,
plagiarism and other forms of cheating may be reported to the appropriate
disciplinary body and subject to sanction. Academic dishonesty is defined as
“any act that violates the right of another student with respect to academic
work or that involves misrepresentation of the student’s own work.” This
includes “cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing, inventing or
falsifying research or other findings with an intent to
deceive, submitting the same or substantially similar papers (or creative work)
without consent of all instructors concerned, depriving another of necessary
course materials, and sabotaging another’s work.” Disruptive conduct and
sexual harassment: Students who engage in behavior that disrupts the
learning environment for others may be subject to disciplinary action,
including having their registration cancelled. Sexual harassment, defined as
“unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical contact of a sexual nature,” by or towards a member of the college
community is strictly prohibited.
Special needs: Students with documented disability conditions
that affect their ability to participate fully in class or to meet all course
requirements should contact the instructor and Disability Services, Student
Disability Services is the designated office at Macalester College
that maintains disability-related documents, certifies eligibility for
services, and determines and provides reasonable accommodations for students
with disabilities. The Disability Student Services Coordinator is
located in 119 Weyerhaeuser Administration Building.
The academic year hours are 8:00 am-4:30 pm. The phone number is 651.696.6220.
SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS, SEMESTER II 2007:
January 22 (M): Introduction:
Syllabus and Discussion Sign-Up
January 24 (W): Salisbury – Introduction, Chapter 1
January 26 (F): Salisbury – Chapter 2, Chapter 3
January 29 (M): Salisbury – Chapter 4, Chapter 5
January 31(W) Salisbury – Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Epilogue
February 2 (F): Greer –
Introduction, begin Moore, Black Robe
February 5 (M): Greer, Chapter 1,
2, continue Black Robe
February 7 (W): Greer, Chapter 3,
4, continue Black Robe
February 9 (F): Greer, Chapter 5,
6, 7, finish Black Robe
February 12 (M): Gomez, Chapter 1,
2
February 14 (W): Gomez, Chapter 3,
4
February 16 (F): Gomez, Chapter 5,
6
February 19 (M): Gomez, Chapter 7,
8
February 21 (W): Gomez, Chapter 9,
10
February 23 (F): Discussion Review ESSAY ONE DUE
February 26 (M): Godbeer, Introduction, Chapter 1
February 28 (W): Godbeer, Chapter 2, 3
March 2 (F): Godbeer,
Chapter 4, 5
March 5 (M): Godbeer,
Chapter 6, 7
March 7 (W): Godbeer,
Chapter 8, 9
March 9 (F): Winship,
Part I
March 12 (M): SPRING BREAK
March 14 (W): SPRING BREAK
March 16(F): SPRING BREAK
March 19 (M): Winship,
Part II
March 21 (W): Little
March 23(F): Little
March 26(M): Little
March 28 (W): Little
March 30(F): Dowd, Introduction,
Chapter 1, 2 ESSAY TWO DUE
April 2(M): Dowd, Chapter 3, 4
April 4 (W): Dowd, Chapter 5, 6
April 6 (F): COLLEGE HOLIDAY, NO CLASS
April 9 (M): Dowd, Chapter 7, 8
April 11 (W): Dowd, Chapter 9, Afterword
April 13 (F): Merritt, Introduction,
Chapter 1,2
April 16 (M): Merritt, Chapter 3, 4
April 18 (W): Merritt, Chapter 5, 6
April 20 (F): Merritt, Chapter 7, 8
April 23 (M): Sobel,
Part I
April 25 (W): Sobel,
Part II
April 27 (F): Sobel,
Part III
April 30 (M): FINAL CLASS MEETING, RESEARCH ESSAY DUE