Monmouth College
History 370
Fall 2007

Course Description and Goals:

• This course surveys women’s historical experiences in the United States from the Colonial Era to the present. It is intended to introduce you to the methodology of women’s history in addition to exploring the often hidden and forgotten gender dimensions of the American past. One major goal of this course, therefore, is to present women’s history both as an integral part of United States history and as a unique subject of historical investigation.
   
• As in every other liberal arts class, this one should also sharpen your analytical skills, critical thinking skills, writing ability, and reading comprehension.
   

• Another goal of this class is simply to teach you about the ways women—many different types of women--have contributed to and have made history in the United States. 
   

• Learning is accomplished in several ways.  Chief among them are listening to our foremothers and listening to ourselves.  Because this is a history class, we will also listen to historians whose job it is both to create the historical record and to help us critically analyze it. 

Discussion Reminders: 

• Good class discussion involves several crucial elements:

  • an open and tolerant mind,

  • a mouth that engages after the brain,

  • the desire to learn,

  • cheerful and respectful discussants,

  • the ability to allow others to make their points without interruption,

  • and the knowledge that discussion involves all members of the class (so please don’t direct your comments and questions only to the professor).

Books:

• Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Good Wives:  Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England, 1650-1750

• Lauren Burgess, Uncommon Soldier:  The  Letters of Rosetta Wakeman

• Jean Baker, Sisters:  The Lives of America's Suffragists

• Chana Kai Lee, For Freedom's Sake: The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer

• Cynthia Pemberton, More Than a Game: One Woman’s Fight for Gender Equality in Sport

Class attendance:

Class attendance is a course expectation. On the third absence of the semester I will invoke the no-cut policy.  The fourth absence will result in a failing grade for the course. If you must be absent, see me before you miss the class; only then will it be an excused absence. You are responsible for material missed during your absences. Clearly, in a seminar wherein a percentage of your grade is based on discussion, class attendance is crucial.  I'm sorry; I hate this rule, but I have found it to be necessary, and I will enforce it.

Academic Dishonesty Policy:

I follow the Monmouth College academic dishonesty policy strictly.  If you plagiarize in this class it may mean a failing grade for the assignment or for the course.  It may also mean academic dismissal.  Please see me if you have any questions at all.

Class Calendar and Assignments:

Grading Policy:

1. The opportunities for influencing your grade consist of the following points:

• Overall class discussion: 100 points
• Comparison between Good Wives and "Mary Silliman's War:"  25 points
• Dinner with a Suffragist :  50 points
• Varieties of 19th Century Reform:  50 points
• Women's History Newspapers:  50 points each
• Film paper: 25 points
• Feminism documents:  50 points
• Women Today:  100 points
• Articles about Hillary Rodham Clinton and gender, 10 points

2. Late assignments of any sort will not be accepted without a prior excuse.  Anything late for any unexcused reason will earn a zero.

3. Expect pop quizzes over the reading. The point value of the course will be adjusted upward accordingly.

4.  I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus--but only after discussing the proposed changes with the class first.

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