Music: Charles Mingus, Ah Um (1959)

Things You Might Want to Things You Might Want to Know:Know:

I am: Tim LeCain, Asst. Prof. of HistoryI am: Tim LeCain, Asst. Prof. of History Ph.D. in American History with areas of Ph.D. in American History with areas of

specialization in history of technology and specialization in history of technology and environmental historyenvironmental history

Wilson 2-108Wilson 2-108 Office hours: 2:30-4:30 Tuesdays and Office hours: 2:30-4:30 Tuesdays and

Thursdays, 1-2 Mondays, or by appointmentThursdays, 1-2 Mondays, or by appointment Always happy to talk about anything, course Always happy to talk about anything, course

related or not—just stop by. Peet’s coffee and related or not—just stop by. Peet’s coffee and cookies often served.cookies often served.

Your Wonderful TAs:Your Wonderful TAs:Mr. Pete FagganMr. Pete FagganMr. Robert GardnerMr. Robert GardnerMs. Susan MartinMs. Susan MartinOffices in Graduate Student Carrels, Wilson 2-169Offices in Graduate Student Carrels, Wilson 2-169TAs will conduct the recitation sessionsTAs will conduct the recitation sessions

Opportunity to think and discuss rather than just sponge up Opportunity to think and discuss rather than just sponge up materialmaterial

Focus of Core: Humanities Inquiry workFocus of Core: Humanities Inquiry work

Will be adjusting size of recitationsWill be adjusting size of recitationsNo recitations this week, but required attendance No recitations this week, but required attendance beginning next weekbeginning next week

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:Please read the syllabus carefullyPlease read the syllabus carefully

Readings:Readings: Inventing AmericaInventing America Thinking Through the PastThinking Through the Past The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Autobiography of Malcolm X

Assigned readings should be completed Assigned readings should be completed by Tuesday of each weekby Tuesday of each week

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:Attendance is required at both lectures and Attendance is required at both lectures and recitation sessionsrecitation sessions Lecture attendance will be sampled by four Lecture attendance will be sampled by four

unannounced and ungraded attendance quizzesunannounced and ungraded attendance quizzes1 freebie, but subsequently begin to harm your final 1 freebie, but subsequently begin to harm your final gradegrade

No-questions-asked excused absences No-questions-asked excused absences beforebefore a quiz a quiz

Contact your TA by e-mail if you will miss classContact your TA by e-mail if you will miss class Daily attendance taken in recitationsDaily attendance taken in recitations

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:RecitationsRecitations Counts as 20% of your final gradeCounts as 20% of your final grade Each week you will be provided with a list of Each week you will be provided with a list of

discussion questions for next week’s readingsdiscussion questions for next week’s readings TAs will write and administer six brief pop TAs will write and administer six brief pop

quizzes on the readings at times of their quizzes on the readings at times of their choosingchoosing

Due to a class expansion, some of you will be Due to a class expansion, some of you will be assigned to a different TA during your first assigned to a different TA during your first recitation meeting next weekrecitation meeting next week

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:Exams!Exams! Midterm is Thursday February 24Midterm is Thursday February 24 thth

Essay question, short IDs, and multiple choiceEssay question, short IDs, and multiple choice Final is Thursday May 5Final is Thursday May 5thth

Note late date in Finals Week and plan accordinglyNote late date in Finals Week and plan accordinglyComprehensiveComprehensiveNo essay question, just short IDs and multiple No essay question, just short IDs and multiple choicechoice

About one week before we will provide list of About one week before we will provide list of potential essay questions and IDspotential essay questions and IDs

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:EssaysEssays Three 3-4 page essays on designated topicsThree 3-4 page essays on designated topics NOTE: Essay One on Reconstruction is due NOTE: Essay One on Reconstruction is due

week after nextweek after next Essays due in your recitation sectionEssays due in your recitation section

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:Plagiarism and Cheating:Plagiarism and Cheating: All essays and exams must be written in your own All essays and exams must be written in your own

wordswords You must give credit for ideas you are borrowingYou must give credit for ideas you are borrowing Study groups for exams are encouraged, but be Study groups for exams are encouraged, but be

certain your final responses are in your wordscertain your final responses are in your words Penalties for plagiarism and cheating can range from Penalties for plagiarism and cheating can range from

a failing grade in the course to academic suspensiona failing grade in the course to academic suspension—so please let’s not even go there—so please let’s not even go there

Syllabus Highpoints:Syllabus Highpoints:Grading:Grading: Performance levels for grades reflect Performance levels for grades reflect

standards typical for a college coursestandards typical for a college course Our job is to help you understand and achieve Our job is to help you understand and achieve

these levels of performance so you can these levels of performance so you can receive the grade you desirereceive the grade you desire

Everyone in this room can receive an “A” if Everyone in this room can receive an “A” if they are willing to work hard enough and they are willing to work hard enough and consult with us when necessaryconsult with us when necessary

Questions?Questions?

Course Introduction:Course Introduction:“Isn’t History Really Just a “Isn’t History Really Just a

Waste of Time?”Waste of Time?”“History does not refer merely, or even

principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.”

—James Baldwin

Two Quick Examples:Two Quick Examples: The Enola Gay ExhibitThe Enola Gay Exhibit The Iraq WarThe Iraq War

Surprise Answer: Surprise Answer: NoNo

Historical facts exist and are the critical foundation Historical facts exist and are the critical foundation for any acceptable historical thesis:for any acceptable historical thesis:BUT in describing the past historians exercise BUT in describing the past historians exercise judgment and interpret eventsjudgment and interpret events No one correct view of the pastNo one correct view of the past Judge the validity of a historical view by evidence Judge the validity of a historical view by evidence

AND by our own understanding of how the world AND by our own understanding of how the world worksworks

Do this constantly in the present, so why should the Do this constantly in the present, so why should the past be any different?past be any different? Present-day question: “Is the current war in Iraq a Present-day question: “Is the current war in Iraq a

good idea?”good idea?”Would expect a wide range of answers to this Would expect a wide range of answers to this questionquestionFuture historians will have similar debates Future historians will have similar debates about the wisdom of the Iraq War, though they about the wisdom of the Iraq War, though they will know more about its ultimate consequenceswill know more about its ultimate consequences

Second Example: Is Iraq Another Second Example: Is Iraq Another Vietnam?Vietnam?

American soldiers in Iraq American soldiers in Vietnam

“I hope, as [Four-Star General Gary Luck] is touring the regions in which the U.S. is still using conventional tactics against a guerrilla foe, that he keeps in mind how difficult it is to defeat local insurgencies, and other indigenous forces, as exemplified by such widely varying historical examples as the French experiences in Indochina and Algeria, the American experience in Vietnam, the Israeli experience in Lebanon, and so on.”

--New York Times Columnist Bob Herbert

January 10, 2005

Certainly some legitimate parallels to be made between Iraq Certainly some legitimate parallels to be made between Iraq and Vietnam, but there are also just as many differencesand Vietnam, but there are also just as many differencesPoint: How we view and understand what happened in Point: How we view and understand what happened in Vietnam is influencing the way we understand what is Vietnam is influencing the way we understand what is happening in Iraqhappening in IraqHotly debated questions about Vietnam thus are obviously Hotly debated questions about Vietnam thus are obviously relevant today:relevant today: Was it a mistake for the U.S. to become involved in Was it a mistake for the U.S. to become involved in

Vietnam in the first place, or was it a noble cause to build Vietnam in the first place, or was it a noble cause to build democracy?democracy?

Was the war in Vietnam essentially unwinnable, or could Was the war in Vietnam essentially unwinnable, or could different tactics have allowed the U.S. to prevail?different tactics have allowed the U.S. to prevail?

Historians debate these historical issues as much as Historians debate these historical issues as much as present-day policy makers and pundits debate the proper present-day policy makers and pundits debate the proper course in Iraqcourse in Iraq

How they view Vietnam will play a role in determining what happens in How they view Vietnam will play a role in determining what happens in IraqIraq

“The past isn’t dead. It isn’t even past.”

— William Faulkner, American novelist (1897-1962)

Questions?Questions?

Tuesday:Tuesday:

ReconstructionReconstruction