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HIST/ECON 2140 U.S. Economic History SyllabusSpring 2017InformationProfessorEmailOffice Location & HoursKatherine Jewell, Ph.D.Kjewell1@fitchburgstate.eduMiller 301-B T/R, 12:30-1:45General InformationDescriptionThis course explores the history of the American economy and economic activity as it developed from the early days of European settlement to the present. We will cover topics including the emergence of commodities, labor systems including slavery, and entrepreneurship in the colonial and early Republic eras; the rise of industry and corporate capitalism; innovations in manufacturing, distribution, and selling of products as well as the markets and regions that were the sites of these activities; the experiences of economic panics, recessions, and depressions and their policy outcomes; the transformation of manufacturing and the development of the financial industry, consumer culture, and the service economy. Because this course covers a wide span of time, it is more of a survey of economic history and cannot go in depth into every event, but we will highlight some core themes to enhance our understanding of durable themes in American economic life. Expectations and GoalsAfter taking this course, students will be able to…Engage dynamically with America's economic historyConsider questions related to economic developments, how Americans experienced those developments, and the way that the nation was shaped by economic activityExplore the meaning of entrepreneurship, consumption, and political economy across eras of American history, and consider the way that these activities have shaped the geography and environment of the nationDefine and apply ideas related to the development of capitalism and its relationship to statecraft and citizenshipListen to, read, analyze, apply, synthesize, and construct historical argumentsEngage with scholarly lectures and readings and apply those themes to primary documentsRead historical arguments and assess their significance and connect thematically to economic developments both past and present, using additional primary sources and research materialCommunicate effectively about readings and the analysis developed using evidence from primary sources and logical essay constructionThink historicallyPut yourself in the shoes of past Americans and the economic and political decisions they faced (historical empathy)Develop your ability to think with complexity about how circumstances change over timeApply historical information to evaluate the current economic, political, and policy landscape that will shape your professional and personal lifeCourse MaterialsA laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone to access in-class/online quizzes.Blaszczyk, Major Problems in American Business History ISBN: 9780618044269 Mihm, Nation of Counterfeiters ISBN: 9780674032446Simon, Everything but Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks ISBN: 9780520261068Assignments, Grading, and Schedule20% Lecture and Reading Quizzes, Attendance, and Participation (10%) Quizzes: will take place using Socrative or another electronic quizzing software.All quizzes are open note, and will take place either in class or online.The three lowest quiz scores will be dropped. Extra credit is provided for submitting quiz questions.(10%) Participation in online discussions and in class will significantly enhance this grade. 20% Reacting to the PastAn in-class game that will reconstruct a historical event. Students will assume "roles" of people in the class. Details about how this will be graded will be available in class.25% Position MemosThese three short papers will take the form of position memos, based on specific readings and topics from the course. There will be a number of topics from which to choose, with varying due dates. More information will be available in class. 15% Reading SummariesTwice during the semester, for each of the books read (excepting Major Problems), submit a log of your notes, discussion items, and short summary of the argument and significant points (summary due in class the day of discussion). Each summary should explain the argument of the book and make explicit connections with the themes of the course and other readings.20% Mapping Economic History Research Project (2 Parts)More details will be available in class. The final paper will be a 6-8-page research paper that analyzes a specific historical site of economic activity, and which will be added to a map of economic sites developed by the class.REadings and AssignmentsTuesday17-Jan-17Introduction: Key Terms and Ideas?Thursday19-Jan-17What Came Before READ ONE (essays from Major Problems, Chapter 1) Philip B. Scranton, Why Study Business History? Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., What Is a Firm? Mary A. Yeager, Considering Businesswomen David Vogel, Do Business and Government Get Along? Christine Meisner Rosen and C. Christopher Sellers, Business and the EnvironmentTuesday24-Jan-17Colonial Varieties and the Plantation EconomyMP, Chapter 2, Documents 5 and 6; Hancock essayThursday26-Jan-17The Revolution and the Constitution in Economic PerspectiveMP, Chapter 2, Documents 1 and 2, Perkins essay; Kulik essayTuesday31-Jan-17Entrepreneurs and the New RepublicMP, Chapter 3, Documents 6-9; Doerflinger essayThursday2-Feb-17Slavery and Cotton in TransitionMP, Chapter 4, Documents 5 and 6; Lamoreaux and Matson essaysTuesday7-Feb-17Industry and the New NationMP, Chapter 6, Documents 1-3Thursday9-Feb-17King CottonMP, Chapter 5, Documents 1, 4, 6; Johnson essayTuesday14-Feb-17The Industrial RevolutionMP, Chapter 6, Documents 5, 6, 7Thursday16-Feb-17The American System, Corporations, and Early FinanceMP, Chapter 6, Document 4START Counterfeiters, Prologue - Chapter 2Tuesday21-Feb-17Railroads and CapitalismCounterfeiters, Chapters 3-4MP, Chapter 7, Document 4Thursday23-Feb-17A New Consumer SocietyCounterfeiters, Chapter 5-6MP, Chapter 6, Document 8Tuesday28-Feb-17The Civil War and EmancipationFINISH Counterfeiters, Chapters 7-Epilogue. Counterfeiters Reading Summary Due for DiscussionThursday2-Mar-17The Second Industrial RevolutionMP, Chapter 7, Yates and Usselman EssaysTuesday7-Mar-17Labor's DilemmasMP, Chapter 8, Documents 1, 4Thursday9-Mar-17The New SouthSharecropper contract (handout); MP Chapter 9, Document 1, 3 Tuesday14-Mar-17SPRING BREAK?Thursday16-Mar-17SPRING BREAK?Tuesday21-Mar-17Silk Strike 1Reacting to the Past AssignmentsThursday23-Mar-17Silk Strike 2Reacting to the Past assignmentsTuesday28-Mar-17Silk Strike 3Reacting to the Past assignmentsThursday30-Mar-17Silk Strike 4Reacting to the Past assignmentsTuesday4-Apr-17Government, Reform, and Big BusinessMP, Chapter 8, Documents 6-7; Dunlavy essayThursday6-Apr-17International ConnectionsMP, Chapter 8, Jacoby essayTuesday11-Apr-17Production and Distribution in the 20th CenturyMP, Chapter 10 Documents 1, 2, 3, 4; 7, 8; Blaszczyk essayThursday13-Apr-17The Great Depression and New DealsMP, Chapter 11, Documents 4, 5, 6; Berstein and Harris essaysTuesday18-Apr-17Mobilizing the Economy for Total WarMP, Chapter 11, Davidson essayThursday20-Apr-17?NO CLASS: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAYTuesday25-Apr-17The Postwar Quest for StabilityMP, Chapter 12, Documents 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Schulman essayThursday27-Apr-17Policy, Corporations, and ConsumptionMP, Chapter 12, Cohen essayTuesday2-May-17Innovations in Production, Distribution, and ConsumptionMP Chapter 14, Documents 1-4Thursday4-May-17Shopping and Working Since 1960Start Starbucks bookMP, Chapter 14, Documents 6 and 7Tuesday9-May-17Markets, Wages and Inequality after the 1970sCONTINUE Starbucks bookMP Chapter 13, Documents 3, 4, 5Thursday11-May-172008 and BeyondFINISH StarbucksStarbucks Reading Summary Due in Class?FINAL EXAM DATE6-8 Page Research Paper Based Due ................
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