COURSE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT 

This course is designed to give students a comprehensive and critical view of the modern American South.  The South will be studied as a distinct geographic location that shaped American politics and culture.  In addition, the course will chart the South’s history as an idea that altered how all Americans imagined race, politics, gender and sexuality, religion, music, and economics.  One of the major themes of the course will be the “southernization” of American society, or how the South has exerted a powerful influence on the nation: from the likes of Booker T. Washington to Elvis Presley to Martin Luther King, and to Newt Gingrich.  Throughout the semester students will become familiar with the interpretive historical literature on the South and will examine representations of “Dixie” in popular music, film, collective memory, literature, and political culture.

Jeanette Keith, The South: A Concise History, Volume II 

Paul D. Escott, David R. Goldfield, Sally McMillen, Elizabeth Hayes Turner, Major Problems in the History of the American South: Vol. II, The New South 

Tony Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War (1999) 

David M. Oshinsky, Worse than Slavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice (1997)

Richard A. Wright, Black Boy (1944) 

Dan T. Carter, From George Wallace to Newt Gingrich: Race in the Conservative Counterrevolution, 1963-1994 (1999)

Other material TBA. 

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.  (Daily discussion questions will serve as a guide: www.enc.edu/history/south_qs.html.)  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.  (Studyguide for midterm.) 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 at least 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 that will be posted to this webpage as a guide.)  These short reviews will be graded on a pass/fail basis.  Two of them must cover Horwitz, Oshinsky, Wright, or Carter.  Those two will be graded on a scale of 1-100.  These papers 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 post Civil War South.)

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.

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%

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 add/drop a course is Wed., Sept 13th.

SCHEDULE OF READINGS & DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 
(To be posted later.  All readings are to be completed on the day they are listed.) 

Research and other links on the post Civil War South

Studyguide for final exam, Monday, 11 December, 10:30-11:45, same classroom