HACU/SS 230:  CONTROVERSIES IN U.S. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL HISTORY

FALL 2004

 

Laurie Nisonoff, FPH 209, X5397, lnisonoff@hampshire.edu

Susan J. Tracy, EDH 7, X5747, stracy@hampshire.edu

Course Website: http://athena.hampshire.edu/HACU0230/

 

Course Description: This course will address the development of the United States economy and society from the colonial period to the present. Focusing on the development of capitalism, it will provide students with an introduction to economic and historical analysis. Among our primary concerns will be tracing the stages of capitalist development and investigating its corresponding political economy. We will study the relationship among economy, society, and the state. Issues of gender, race, and class will figure prominently in this course.

 

Course Requirements: Student evaluation will be based on class attendance and participation, at least one oral presentation, several short response papers, and the completion of two short papers and a longer final research paper on a negotiated topic. We will suggest topics for the first two papers and you may propose a topic for the last paper.

 

Required Books: The following books have been ordered at Amherst Books downtown at 8 Main Street 256 1547:

Mary Beth Norton, et. al.         A People and a Nation (text), 7th edition

J. Atack and P. Passell            A New Economic View of American History (text), 2nd edition

Ronald T. Takaki                    Iron Cages: Race and Culture in 19th-Century America

                        John Locke                              Two Treatises on Government (document)

                        Adam Smith                             The Wealth of Nations (Books I-III) (document)

                                                Constitution pamphlet (document)

You might check at The Raven, The Valley Bookshop and Amherst Books in downtown Amherst for used copies of these books.

 

There will be three movie showings on Monday evenings at 6:30 pm and response papers due at the beginning of the appropriate class to initiate discussion.

 

There will be three writing assignments for this class. The following are the dates:

Friday, October 1. NOON Paper on either Adam Smith or John Locke.

 

Wednesday, October 27. Take home exam. Answer one question.

 

Wednesday, November 17. Final research paper proposal due. You should have met with one of us by this date to discuss your topic.

 

Wednesday, December 8. Final research paper.

HACU/SS 230:  Controversies in U.S. Economic and Social History, Page 2

 

Note: (R) is for Reserve Readings in the Johnson Library, Hampshire College.

 

Course Outline:

 

I. The Mercantilist Economy

 

Wed. Sept. 8    A. The Eighteenth Century

                                    Reading: Norton: Chapter 3 (Background)

 

Mon. Sept. 13  B. The Atlantic Economy

                                    Reading: Norton: Chapter 4;

                                    Atack and Passell (A & P): Chapter 2

 

Wed. Sept. 15  C. Response to Mercantilism

                                    Reading: Norton: Chapter 5; A & P: Chap. 3: 54-69;

                                    Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations: Book I, Chaps 1, 2, & 10.

 

Mon. Sept. 20  D, Crisis in the System: The New Politics

                                    Reading: Norton: Chapter 6;

                                    Takaki, Iron Cages: Part I: “Republicanism”;

                                    John Locke, The Second Treatise of Government, Chapters 1-19.

                                    (In class 2-7, 19 will be the focus.)

Note: Bring a copy of the Declaration of Independence with you to class (it is in Norton).

 

Wed. Sept. 22 E. The U.S. Constitution: Document of Freedom or Privilege?

                                    Reading: Norton: Chapter 7; A & P: Chap. 3: 70-78;

                                    (R) (doc) J. Madison, The Federalist Papers, No. 10.

Note: Bring a copy of the Constitution with you to class (it is in Norton).

 

II. Slavery vs. Capitalism

 

Mon. Sept. 27  A. Plantation Society

                                    Reading: Norton: Chapter 13; A&P Chap. 11; Takaki: Chapter 6;

                                    (R) C. Clinton, The Plantation Mistress, Chapters 2 and 11;

                                    (R) D. G. White, Ar’nt I A Woman?, Chapter 2;

                                    (R) J. H. Hammond, “The Mudsill Speech”;

(R)    G. Fitzhugh, “The Proslavery Argument”.

 

Wed. Sept. 29              EXAM/ADVISING DAY – NO CLASS

 

FRIDAY OCT. 1 NOON    LOCKE OR SMITH PAPER DUE

HACU/SS 230:  Controversies in U. S. Economic and Social History, Page 3

 

Mon. Oct. 4     B. Plantation Economy: Was Slavery Profitable?

                        Reading: A&P: Chapter 12;

(R) E. D. Genovese, “The Slave South” and H. Woodman, “The Profitability of Slavery” in American Negro Slavery.

 

Wed. Oct. 6     C. Transition to Industrialism

Reading: Norton: Chapter 10; A&P: Chap. 5: 130-140 and skim Chapter 6; Takaki: Chapter 4;

(R)    E. P. Thompson, “Time, Work-Discipline and Industrial Capitalism”, from Past and Present (1967): 56-97.

 

Mon. Oct. 11   FALL BREAK – NO CLASS
 

Wed. Oct. 13   D. Case Study: Lowell

                        Reading: A&P: Chapter 7;

                        (R)L. Nisonoff, “Bread and Roses….”;

(R)T. Dublin, “Women, Work, and Protest in the Early Lowell Mills….”, pp. 49-63.

  

Mon. Oct. 18   E. The Political Economy of the North

                        Reading: Norton: Chapter 12; A&P: Chapters 9 and 10;

(R )J. Schafer, “Was the West a Safety Valve for Labor?”, pp. 206-225 and F. A. Shannon, “A Post-Mortem on the Labor Safety Valve Theory”;

                        (R) B. Bledstein, “The Advantage of Being Middle Class”, pp. 1-45.

Mon. Oct. 18 EVENING FILM: Glory


Wed. Oct. 20.  F. Manifest Destiny and Slavery

Reading: Norton: Chapters 11 and 14; A&P: Chapter 8; Takaki: Part II: “Enterprise”;

                        (R) Henry David Thoreau, “Essay on Civil Disobedience” (document).

           

                        Mon. Oct. 25   G. Civil War

                                                Reading: Norton: Chapter 15; A&P: Chapter 13;

                                                (R ) Lee and Lincoln readings.

                                                (R ) Sidney Kaplan, “The Sculptural World of Augustus Saint-Gaudens”.

 

                        Wed. Oct. 27   TAKE-HOME EXAMINATION DUE – CLASS DISCUSSION

 

                        Mon. Nov. 1    H. Reconstruction

                                                Reading: Norton: Chapter 16; A&P: Chapter 14: pp. 376-85;

                                                (R ) W. E. B. DuBois, “Black Reconstruction”.

Mon. Nov. 1 EVENING FILM: “The Spirit Dance” of The Way West  (PBS)                      

 

                        HACU/SS 230:  Controversies in U.S. Economic and Social History, Page 4

                       

                        Wed. Nov. 3.   I. The New South and Populism

Reading: Norton: Review Chapter 16; A&P: Chapter 14: pp. 385-401; Takaki: Chapter 9;

(R ) C. Vann Woodward, Strange Career of Jim Crow, Chapter III: “Capitulation to Racism”.

 

III. Monopoly Capitalism, 1880-1919

 

Mon. Nov. 8    A. The West

                        Reading: Norton: Chapter 17; A&P: Chapter 16;

(R ) P. Limerick, The Legacy of the West, Introduction, Chaps. 1 and 2, pp. 19-77;

(R ) Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the West in American History”.

 

                        Wed. Nov. 10  B. Case Study: Wounded Knee

Reading: (R ) John G. Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks, Chapters 21-25, pp. 195-230;

(R ) R. M. Utley and W. W. Washburn, Indian Wars, Chapter 11, “The Final Volleys”, pp. 280-301.

 

Mon. Nov. 15  C. Race and Imperialism

Reading: Norton: Chapter 22; A&P: Chapter 15; Takaki: Part IV: “Empire”;

(R ) William Appleman Williams, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, Chapter 1, “Imperial Anticolonialism”;

(R) Albert J. Beveridge, “The March of the Flag” (1898, document);

(R) Gail Bederman, Manliness and Civilization, Chapter 1, “Remaking Manhood through Race and ‘Civilization’”, pp. 1-44, 241-250.

           

 

Mon. Nov. 15 EVENING FILM: Matewan

 

Wed. Nov. 17  D. The New Industrial Order

Reading: Norton: Chapters 18 and 20; A&P: Chapter 17;

(R ) A. Chandler, “The Beginning of ‘Big Business’ in American Industry”, pp. 335-367;

(R ) E. Digby Baltzell, “The Social Insulation of the Traditional Elite”, pp. 70-95.

 

Mon. Nov. 22  E. Case Study: Pittsburgh

                        Reading: Norton: Chapter 19; A&P: Chapter 19;

                        (R ) J. Brecher, “The Ragged Edge of Anarchy”, (Homestead), pp. 53-63;

HACU/SS 230:  Controversies in U.S. Economic and Social History, Page 5

                       

                        Pittsburgh readings continued:

(R ) D. Brody, “Slavic Immigrants in the Steel Mills”, pp. 127-139;

                        (R ) K. Stone, “Job Structure in the Steel Industry”, pp. 61-97;

(R ) Frank Couvares, “The Triumph of Commerce: Class Culture and Mass Culture in Pittsburgh”, pp. 123-152.

 

Wed. Nov. 24 THANKSGIVING

 

Mon. Nov. 29 F. Progressivism: The Corporation and the State

                        Reading: Norton: Chapter 21; A&P: Chapter 23: 648-665;

(R ) J. Weinstein, The Corporate Ideal and the Liberal State, 1900-1918, Introduction, Chapters 1 and 2.

 

IV. Between the Wars: Flush Times/Hard Times

 

Wed. Dec. 1    A. The Twenties: Scientific Management in the Consumer Society   

                        Reading: Norton: Chapter 24; A&P: Chapter 20;

(R ) Harry Braverman, Labor and Monopoly Capital, Chapters 4,5,10,12, 13,14 .

 

Mon. Dec. 6    B. Hard Times: The Great Depression

Reading: Norton: Chapter 25, pp. 679-686; A&P: Chapter 21, pp. 362-383;

Tillie Olsen, “I Want You Women Up North to Know”, pp. 179-181;

John Steinbeck, excerpt, “The Grapes of Wrath”, pp. 118-129;

Meridel Lesueur, “Women on the Breadlines”, pp. 181-190.

 

Wed. Dec. 8    C. FDR and the New Deal

                        Reading: Norton: Rest of Chapter 25; A&P: Chapters 22 and 23.

 

FINAL CLASS. ALL WORK IS DUE INCLUDING ALL PREVIOUS WORK, FINAL PAPER AND SELF-EVALUATION, IN A STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE.