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History 409 The United States, 1919-1945

 

Fall 1997
Michael O'Malley
Robinson B376
M 1:30-3; Th 9-10 and by appointment
993-2157 momalle3@gmu.edu

 

Required Readings (all at University Bookstore, Johnson Center)

Langston Hughes, The Ways of White Folks

Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt

Robert McElvaine, The Great Depression

William Stott, Documentary Expression and Thirties America

David Stowe, Swing Changes

Studs Terkel, Hard Times

Grading

short (2-3 page) paper, 20%

Midterm, 30%

Final Paper (10-12 pages) 35%

Class Participation, 15%

 

There is also a web site for the course at http://chnm.gmu.edu/hist409. Students will be asked to make regular use of the web site.

 

Syllabus

Tuesday, Aug 26

Introduction

Thursday, Aug. 28

WWI and the Crusade for Conformity

 

Tuesday Sept. 2

1919: A Troubled Year

Thursday, Sept. 4

The Palmer Raids

 

Tuesday, Sept . 9

Prohibition

Thursday, Sept. 11

The Klan Rides Again

 

Tuesday Sept. 16

Fundamentalism and Modernity

Thursday, Sept. 18

An introduction to the course online

 

Tuesday Sept. 23

The Scopes Trial

Thursday, Sept. 25

Discuss Lewis, Babbitt

 

Tuesday, Sept. 30

The Rise of Radio

Thursday, Oct. 2

The Lone Eagle

 

Tuesday Oct. 7

Movie, The Jazz Singer

Thursday, Oct. 9

Discuss Hughes, The Ways of White Folks

Columbus day

 

Thursday, Oct. 16

Midterm

 

Tuesday Oct. 21

The Crash (read Terkel, pages TBA)

Thursday, Oct. 23

The Great Depression (read McIlvaine, pages TBA)

 

Tuesday, Oct. 28

FDR

Thursday, Oct. 30

A New Deal?(read Terkel, Pages TBA)

 

Tuesday, Nov. 4

The Dust Bowl

Thursday, Nov. 6

Alphabet Soup

 

Tuesday Nov. 11

Discuss Stott, Documentary Expression and Thirties America

Thursday. Nov. 13

FDR under fire

 

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Scottsboro

Thursday, Nov. 20

The Swing Era

 

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Discuss Stowe, Swing Changes

 

Tuesday, Dec. 2

The Zoot Suit

Thursday, Dec. 4

The Eve of War