HIST 4377-001: The American Revolution

Spring 2009
ECSS 2.201
Monday and Wednesday 12:30-1:45
Prof. Eric R. Schlereth
schlereth@utdallas.edu
Office: JO 5.708, 972-883-2168
Office Hours: M and W 3-4 or by Appt.

Course Overview
This course explores the American Revolutionary era, a period stretching from the 1760s through
the early 1800s. Great Britain’s North American empire largely collapsed during this period and
Britain’s former North American colonists attempted create a new society as citizens of the
United States. This process was highly complex, frequently contested, and, for its participants,
almost entirely unpredictable. A central assumption of this course is that the United States
emerged from a world of European colonies but that its departure was not automatic or total. In
nearly every way, from politics and poetry to slavery and even the country’s physical shape,
Americans in the Revolutionary era attempted to reconcile their colonial past with a new
constellation of political ideals, social realities, and cultural tensions unleashed in the American
Revolution. We will approach the history of the American Revolution by canvassing the
interplay of ideas, politics, social developments, culture, and warfare between roughly 1760 and
1810. Specific themes will include the Constitution and its origins, Native Americans as
participants in the Revolution, slavery, religion, and economic development. Course readings
include a few books by historians and an even larger amount of primary sources – texts, images,
and artifacts produced in the past – that historians use as evidence in their writing. This course is
thus an introduction to main themes in the history of the American Revolution, but also an
introduction to history as an interpretive discipline.
Course Objectives:

1. To understand key changes and themes in the history of the American Revolution
(1760-1810).
2. To identify the connections between the American Revolution and the era’s broader
economic, social, and cultural developments.
3. To develop your own interpretation of the American Revolution through essay exams
and writing assignments.

Required Readings:

The following books can be purchased at the UTD bookstore or at Off Campus Books, 581 W.
Campbell Road, #201. All additional weekly readings are available on Web CT.

1. John Ferling, Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800 (New York:
Oxford University Press, 2005) ISBN-13: 9780195189063 (Paperback)

2. Jack P. Greene, Colonies to Nation, 1763-1789: A Documentary History of the

American Revolution (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1975) ISBN-13:
9780393092295 (Paperback)

3. Joseph Plumb Martin, A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier (New York: Signet

Classics, 2001) ISBN-13: 9780451528117 (Paperback)

4. Gary B. Nash, The Unknown American Revolution: The Unruly Birth of Democracy
and the Struggle to Create America (New York: Penguin, 2006) ISBN-13:
9780143037200 (Paperback)

5. Alfred F. Young, The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American
Revolution (Boston: Beacon Press, 2000) ISBN-13: 9780807054055 (Paperback)

Assignments:

1. Participation. You are expected to come to class prepared to discuss issues and topics
from the assigned readings. Assigned readings will be discussed the week they are
assigned. Therefore they should be completed before the first class meeting of each
week. Regular class participation is absolutely crucial to your grade.

Weekly participation can take two forms. The first is by contributions to classroom
discussions. The second is by submitting one original discussion question to me via
email before 9:00 AM on the last day of class each week. This question must
demonstrate your knowledge of a specific reading for a given week and it must address a
larger analytical point. For example, “Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?” is
an unacceptable discussion question. “How did references to slavery enhance the
Declaration of Independence’s rhetorical and political power?” is an acceptable
discussion question.
 2. Exams. There will be a take-home mid-term examination and a take-home final
examination. The mid-term will cover all course lectures and readings through the day
of the exam. The final exam will cover all course lectures and readings between the mid-
term exam and the last class. There will also be one cumulative question that covers
course lectures and readings from the entire semester. Both exams will require you to
answer questions with detailed essays using material from lectures and course readings.
The mid-term questions will be circulated on Monday, February 23 and they will be due
in my office by 5 pm on Wednesday, February 25. The final questions will be
circulated on Monday, May 4 and they will be due in my office by 5 pm on Tuesday,
May 11.

3. Writing. There will be two writing assignments. The first is a brief (2 page) essay
summarizing and critiquing one chapter from Nash, The Unknown American Revolution
that you have read during the first five weeks of class. The critical essay is due at the
beginning of class on Monday, February 9. The second assignment is a slightly longer
(8-10 page) research paper using pre-circulated primary sources, or on a topic of your
choice related to the history of the American Revolution. The research paper is due at the
beginning of class on Monday, April 27. You must submit a bibliography and a précis
by Monday, April 13 to receive full credit for this assignment. Details about both
papers will be discussed in class well before the respective due dates.

Academic Lecture Topics Readings

Calendar **All readings must be completed by the
first meeting of the week they are assigned**
Week 1. Beginnings
Mon. Jan. 12 Introduction Nash, Introduction, xiii-xxvii.

Young, vii-13.
Wed. Jan. 14 British North America circa
1750

Week 2. Material Life in British North America

Mon. Jan. 19 NO CLASS Nash, Chapter 1, 1-43
Martin Luther King Day
Young, 14-32.
Wed. Jan. 21 An Empire of Goods

Week 3. Politicking and Praying

Mon. Jan. 26 Religious Revivals Charles Woodmason

Jonathan Edwards
Wed. Jan. 28 Political Developments
Pontiac, The Master of Life Speaks to the Wolf,
(1763)
Week 4. A World in Conflict: The Seven Years War
Mon. Feb. 2 Empire Nash, Chapter 2, 44-87

Wed. Feb. 4 The Limits of Empire Greene, 16-18 and 94-111

Week 5. Reforming the Empire

Mon. Feb. 9 Taxes Nash, Chapter 3, 88-149
Critical Essay
Due at the Greene, 45-65, 72-78, 84-85, 121-133
Beginning of
Class

Wed. Feb. 11 Acts

Week 6. Resisting Imperial Reforms

Mon. Feb. 16 Opposing Taxes Nash, Chapter 4, 150-206

Wed. Feb. 18 Opposing Acts Greene, 155-157, 197-201, 227-238

Week 7. Becoming a Revolutionary

Mon. Feb. 23 Lessons from Boston and Nash, Chapter 5, 207-263
Beyond
Young, 33-57
Wed. Feb. 25 NO CLASS
Mid-Term Exam due at 5
PM in JO 5.708

Week 8. Declaring Independence

Mon. March 2 The Event The Declaration of Independence

Wed. March 5 The Event’s Global Common Sense (excerpt)

Influence
Young 58-91

Week 9. Rejecting Independence

Mon. March 9 Loyal Colonies Nash, Chapter 7, 306-365

Greene, 285-296
Wed. March 11 Loyalists
Young 92-107

Week 10. Spring Break

Mon. March 16 NO CLASS No Reading

Wed. March 18 NO CLASS

Week 11. The War for Independence
Mon. March 23 The Military Course of War Nash, Chapter 8, 366-422

Joseph Plumb Martin

Wed. March 25 Economy and Government
Greene, 414-418

Week 12. War Experiences

Mon. March 30 Film: Mary Silliman’s War Nash, Epilogue 423-456

Joseph Plumb Martin

Greene, 422-425
Wed. April 1 The Soldiers’ War
Documents on Women’s Experience in the
Revolution

Week 13. Liberty For All?

Mon. April 6 Native Americans Native American views on the Revolution

Wed. April 8 African Americans African American views on the Revolution

Week 14. The Critical Period

Mon. April 13 The Republic’s Problems Young 108-131
Bibliography
and Précis due Ferling, 1-82
at the
Beginning of James Madison, “Memorial and Remonstrance”
Class (1785)

Wed. April 15 The Constitutional Solution Documents on Shays’s Rebellion

Week 15. The 1790s

Mon. April 20 Life in the 1790s Ferling, 83-161

Wed. April 22 The Rise of Partisanship Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)

Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1794)

Introduction

The Key of Liberty: The Life and Democratic

Writings of William Manning (1799)
 Week 16. A Revolution of 1800?
Mon. April 27 Jefferson Ferling, 162-215
Research
Paper due at Campaign Literature
the Beginning
of Class
Young 132-207
Wed. April 29 Looking Ahead to
Jeffersonian America

Week 17. The Revolution’s Legacy

Mon. May 4 Remembering the Revolution July Fourth Orations

Grading and Important Dates:

Critical Essay 10% 2/9

Mid-Term Examination 25% 2/25
Research Paper 20% 4/27
Final Exam 30% 5/11
Class Participation 15%

Requirements and Expectations:

1. You are allowed 2 absences without explanation. Following that you must speak to the
professor beforehand if you have to miss class. Legitimate reasons for absences beyond
the first two include religious observance, university sanctioned activities (such as
sports), or serious illness excused with medical verification. For each unexcused absence
after that your participation grade will drop a full letter grade.
2. Students are expected to be on time. Late arrivals disrupt the class and are disrespectful
to the professor and classmates. Consistent late arrivals will be noted, a warning will be
given, and subsequent infractions will result in a grade penalty. CELL PHONES MUST
BE TURNED OFF.
3. All course communication not conducted in class will be made using UTD email
addresses, and UTD email ONLY.
4. Any student who misses the mid-term examination may make it up at the professor’s
discretion but only if the student has a valid reason.
5. Papers are due in class on the date noted in the syllabus. Late papers will be accepted
with a valid reason and after consultation with the professor, but with a grade penalty.
6. Laptops are allowed in class, but only for note taking purposes. If it becomes evident that
laptops are being used for any purpose besides taking notes, especially if this action
disrupts nearby students, the professor reserves the right to prohibit individual students
from further laptop use.
Student Conduct & Discipline:

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each
student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which
govern student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is
contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each
academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3,
and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of
Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the
Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship.
He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating
the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or
criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity:

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done
by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of
individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any
other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism
(see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which
searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use:

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some
issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The
university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T.
Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it
originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of
confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted
information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all
communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration
procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements
from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper
paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to
attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures:

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities,
of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious
effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with
whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members
retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be
resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy
of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided
by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance
is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean
of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic
Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the
academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy:

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at
the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete
grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester.
If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted
by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services:

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be
necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog
guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted
(for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired).
Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible
facilities. The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration,
note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members
to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring
special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days:

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for
the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be
allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence:
a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who
notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for
the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed
period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has
been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the
student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution,
or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the
legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of
the chief executive officer or designee.

** The professor reserves the right to amend this syllabus as needed throughout the
semester. Any changes made to this syllabus will be announced in class.**