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COURSE OBJECTIVES
AND CONTENT
This
course analyzes the political, cultural, and intellectual history of
America
in the turbulent 1960s. This  was
an era marked by intense social strife seldom witnessed in the nation’s
history. Hence, this class will examine the African-American
freedom
struggle, the Great Society, the rise of the New Right and the New
Left,
the controversies surrounding America’s involvement in Vietnam, student
radicalism, sexual liberation, the counterculture, and conservative
backlash.
The course will emphasize changes in liberalism and the revitalization
of conservatism. Studying popular music, film, literature, and works of
history, students will focus on the tensions between integration and
separatism,
between youth culture and traditional society, and the massive
transformation
of the US.
REQUIRED READING
(Available at the ENC college bookstore and on Amazon.com)
Philip Caputo, A
Rumor of War (1996, ISBN: 080504695X)
David
Farber, The Age of Great Dreams: America
in the 1960s (1994, ISBN:
0809015676)
Norman Mailer, Miami
and the Siege of Chicago: An Informal History of the Republican and
Democratic
Conventions of  1968 (1986,
ISBN: 0917657853)
Lisa McGirr, Suburban
Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right (2002, ISBN:
0691096112)
Debi Unger and
Irwin Unger, eds., The Times Were a Changin': The Sixties Reader
(1998, ISBN: 0609803379)
Additional reading
to be handed out in class or posted to this page
EXPECTATIONS
AND REQUIREMENTS
Students
will be evaluated on how well they identify and critique the
significance
events, terms,  and
individuals covered and on the basis of their reading, writing, and
thinking
skills. You must read every assignment and come prepared to
discuss
these in class. Since this is designed as a seminar/discussion
course,
your participation will be critical. Always be prepared; I may
call
upon you at any time. While going over each week’s assignment, identify
the major themes, challenge or affirm the key arguments, and offer a
clear
analysis of the material covered. Those who fail to keep up with
the reading will do poorly. Participation and attendance is absolutely
mandatory for each individual in this class and will figure largely
into
your overall grade. (Obviously, if you don’t attend or read the
assignments,
you can not participate.)
Two
tests will be administered over the semester involving short answer and
essay questions. (Online
study guide for midterm exam.) In
addition, unannounced pop quizzes may be administered occasionally at
the
beginning of class. These quizzes will cover the most recent
reading
assignments and our in-class discussions. Those who arrive late
or
fail to attend class will not be allowed to retake quizzes or tests,
unless,
of course, a written medical excuse can be provided.
 In addition
to a satisfactory evaluation of this work based on content, you are
expected
to demonstrate competence in writing, argumentation, and
English composition
and grammar. Every week you must submit one 1.5 to 2 page
double-spaced,
typed summary of the Tues. or Thurs. reading assignment (12 total),
highlighting
the major theses and analyzing the content. (Use the weekly discussion
questions on the webpage as a guide.) These short reviews will be
graded on a pass/fail basis. Your answers are due in class on the
Tues. or Thurs. that the reading is assigned. Additionally,
students
will write one major research paper. You may choose to write
either
an 8-10 page paper reviewing some aspect of the historical literature
or
an 8-10 page primary source research paper.
I will offer guidance and suggestions on your topics. Each
student
will present his/her final research at the end of the course.
(See
this subpage
for web sites that deal with the sixties era.)
Finally, a
note on proper behavior and academic honesty. Talking with fellow
classmates, eating, doing other work, reading newspapers, leaving cell
phones on, walking out early or arriving late all reflect poorly on you
as a student and will hurt your overall grade. Cheating and
plagiarism
are even worse and will not be tolerated. Be advised: ANY
instance
of cheating on tests, essays, or other assignments will result in
immediate
failure of the course. For more on this fascinating topic, please refer
to the ENC history dept. guidelines concerning  academic honesty: http://www.enc.edu/history/stephens.plagiarism.html.
Those who are guilty will be caught. Incriminating evidence is
only
a Google™ search away.
GRADING
Attendance
and Pop Quizzes = 10%
Participation
= 15%
1 Research
Essay = 20%
Bibliography
(5%) and Abstract (5%) for Research Paper = 10%
12 Short Response
Papers = 20%
2 Exams –
12.5% each = 25%
A = 100-94; A-
= 93-90; B+ = 89-87; B = 86-84; B- = 83-80; C+ = 79-77; C = 76-74; C- =
73-70; D = 69-60
Failure to
complete any of the assignments will obviously result in a significant
lowering of your total grade. If this all seems too daunting,
remember
that the last day to drop a course with no penalties is Feb. 2.
SCHEDULE
OF READINGS & DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(All
readings are to be completed on the day they are listed.)
Research and
other links on the 1960s
FINAL EXAM
Tues, 12/13/2005, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM,
OC101
Online study
guide for final exam.
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