Speaking of American History

Sarah McNair Vosmeier

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Course Description
Studying history provides both pleasure and practical benefits.   Reading primary sources can be like using a time machine -- it takes only a little imagination to feel like you are in another time. Analyzing primary and secondary sources also provides the practical benefits of a liberal arts education. In particular, we will learn to use historical imagination, to analyze difficult texts, and to make historical arguments. The approaches historians take for understanding the past can give you strategies for analysis in many other circumstances. At the same time, engaging in a variety of speaking tasks will help students strengthen their oral communication skills.
    Looking at a sampling of significant events in American history will allow us to discuss two main themes. The first is the history of changing attitudes about oral communication. The second is Edmund Morgan's metaphor of "American Slavery, American Freedom," which he uses to consider the way our highest ideals of liberty and individualism have shaped us as well as the consequences of not fully living up to those ideals.



Calculating Grades
        Informal Communication
                21%   Preparation and Participation
                15%   Prepared Interview

        Formal Communication
                12%   Historic Speech
                20%   Article Presentation

        Exams
                16%   Midterm Exam
                16%   Final Exam

Nota Bene
Our class time provides an opportunity, rare in modern life, to focus for an extended time on a single task and conversation. Please do not multitask – to avoid distraction for others and temptation for ourselves, we will not use laptops, phones, etc. during regular class time. (Laptops will be useful during scheduled workshops, however.)

Late assignments will be penalized, and in-class assignments cannot be made up. If you have an emergency and want to request an exception to this rule, contact me before the due date.

About items needed for this class
All assigned readings are available on reserve at the Duggan Library or online.   Our discussions will be based on close readings of texts, and you will need notes on the texts in the form of marginalia. Thus, you should budget appropriately for printing in addition to the books you purchase. (My class records show that the printing costs associated with marginalia pay off in significantly better grades.)

The following are available at the bookstore:
        Edmund S. Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom, 1975
      Chris Anderson, TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking, 2016.
You will also need a bound journal – choose either a good quality journal with acid-free paper or an inexpensive composition book.
    Because you will be printing out most of the readings for this class, a three-ring binder will be convenient.

About Preparation, Participation, Presentations, and Exams:

Preparation and Participation:
    We will all enjoy our time together more and find our work more rewarding if everyone prepares and participates fully. People who excel in this aspect of the class come to class with effective reading notes; they make useful comments in class or ask helpful questions, facilitating others' learning as well as their own; and they complete brief assignments included in this portion of the grade adequately and on time.
    Occasional brief assignments (such as marginalia checks or study guide contributions) allow you to demonstrate careful preparation for class.
    Brief, informal speaking opportunities include the elevator pitch assignment, impromptu recaps of discussion or lecture details, and sharing your commonplace book entries.
    Your commonplace book (also part of this portion of your grade) will hold quotes you can use for future public speaking occasions, and it can also serve as a keepsake for this stage of your academic career.
   Note that you will need to attend events connected with the faculty search process in January (schedule t.b.a.).

Presentations:
The prepared interview is similar to the kind of speaking you will do in a job interview.
For the historic speech, you will deliver a speech from Hanover's history.
The article presentation is similar to the presentations historians make at history conferences.

Exams:
Exams will include identifications and essay questions.

Assignments

Introduction, Definitions, and Background
Jan. 6, 2020 (Mon.)
Lecture: "Defining Terms."

Jan. 8, 2020 (Wed.)
    Lecture, Discussion, and Workshop: The commonplace book and public speaking.
    For workshop: Vosmeier, "On Marginalia," 2016 (online); "Style Guide for Chicago Manual Footnotes" (online).
    For discussion: Walker, Of Education, 1673 (excerpt online); Johnson, lecture at Google, 2010 (video online); Fleming, "Keeping a Commonplace Book," 2012 (online).

Jan. 10, 2020 (Fri.)
Meet in the Duggan Library Archives.
For discussion: Anderson, TED Talks, 2016 (pp. ix-xv, 233-37, 247-52); Green et al., "Purposes of Public Speaking," 2018 (excerpt online).
Workshop: Speeches from Hanover's history.

Jan. 13, 2020 (Mon.)
For discussion: Todd, Student's Manual, 1859 (excerpt online); Post, Etiquette, 1922 (excerpt online); McKay and McKay, "How to Make Small Talk," 2019 (online -- check to be sure that you've printed the entire article through the last section titled "Practice!" -- if the print function of your browser doesn't do that, you may need to copy the text into a Word file and print from there).

Speaking of Seventeenth-Century Virginia
Jan. 15, 2020 (Wed.):
   Lecture: "Seventeenth-Century Virginia."
   For discussion: Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom, 1975 (3-6, 379-87).

Jan. 15, 2020 (Wed.) 2:40-3:50, Classic 115:
Guest instructor, Anthony Miller: "The World in 1600."
For discussion: Hakluyt, Discourse Concerning Western Planting, 1584 (online); Yang, "I Cannot Do Otherwise," c. 1665 (online); Hideyoshi, letter to the Viceroy of the Indies, 1591 (online); Zhang, Examination of the Similarities and Differences, c. 1710 (online);

Jan. 17, 2020 (Fri.) - no class meeting.

Jan. 20, 2020 (Mon.)
    For discussion: Capt. John Smith, True Travels, 1630 (excerpt online).
Jan. 22, 2020 (Wed.)
    For discussion: Capt. John Smith, General History of Virginia, 1624, and other autobiographical excerpts, 1608, 1617 (excerpts (online).
Jan. 24, 2020 (Fri.)
    For discussion: Morgan, 71-91.
            For workshop: Krantz, "Developing Your Elevator Pitch," (handout).

Jan. 27, 2020 (Mon.)
    For discussion: Rountree, "Powhatan Indian Women," 1998 (online -- click on blue "download pdf" button to the right and print out); Pocahontas, autobiographical fragments, c. 1608-1616 (online).
Jan. 29, 2020 (Wed.)
    For workshop: Krantz, "Art of Interviewing" (handout); Anderson, 3-21; Post, Etiquette (excerpt online). Elevator pitch due.
Jan. 31, 2020 (Fri.)
     For discussion: Rolfe, letter to Dale, 1614 (online).

Feb. 3, 2020 (Mon.)
     For discussion: Mann, "America Found, and Lost," 2007 (online).
Feb. 5, 2020 (Wed.)
     Prepared interviews (schedule t.b.a.).
Feb. 7, 2020 (Fri.)
     Prepared interviews (schedule t.b.a.).

Feb. 10, 2020 (Mon.)
     Prepared interviews (schedule t.b.a.).
Feb. 12, 2020 (Wed.)
     For discussion: Speeches from Hanover's history: Crowe, "Address to the Literary Societies of Hanover College," 1857 (online); Blackburn, "Presidents of Hanover College," 1877 (online); Pence, commencement address, 2008 (online); Reisser, commencement address, 2014 (online).
     For workshop: Anderson, 30-35, 39-41, 130-47.
Feb. 14, 2020 (Fri.)    Meet in Duggan Library Archives.
           Workshop: Transcribing John Finley Crowe letters.

Feb. 17, 2020 (Mon.)
     Review
Feb. 19, 2020 (Wed.)
     Midterm exam. Commonplace books due Feb. 20.

Speaking of the American Revolution
Feb. 21, 2020 (Fri.)
     Lecture: The Revolutionary Era.
     For workshop: Anderson, 183-88.

Winter Break

Mar. 2, 2020 (Mon.)
     For discussion: Declaration of Independence, 1776 (online).
     For workshop: Anderson, 198-208.
Mar. 4, 2020 (Wed.)
     For discussion: Abigail Adams, "Remember the Ladies" letter, 1776 (online).
     For workshop: Anderson, 148-55.
Mar. 6, 2020 (Fri.)
     Meet in the Learning Center.
     Workshop: Use of sources.
     For workshop: "Style Guide for Chicago Manual Footnotes" (online).

Mar. 9, 2020 (Mon.)
     Delivering speeches from Hanover's history (schedule t.b.a.).
Mar. 11, 2020 (Wed.)
     Delivering speeches from Hanover's history (schedule t.b.a.).
Mar. 13, 2020 (Fri.)
     Meet in Duggan Library computer lab.
     Workshop: Bibliographic Instruction.

Speaking of the Nineteenth Century
Mar. 16, 2020 (Mon.)

Lecture: "The Nineteenth Century."

Remaining Schedule to be announced.

Mar. 18, 2020 (Wed.)
    For discussion: Goodman, "The Manual Labor Movement and the Origins of Abolitionism," 1993 (online); Crowe, "History of Hanover College," c. 1857 (online).
Mar. 20, 2020 (Fri.)
     For discussion: Crowe letters (online).

Mar. 23, 2020 (Mon.)
     For discussion: Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863 (online).
     For workshop: Anderson, 30-43, 156-75.
Mar. 25, 2020 (Wed.)    Sojourner Truth, Ain't I a Woman?" 1851 (online).
Mar. 27, 2020 (Fri.)    Meet in the Learning Center.
            For discussion: Pogle, New Popular Reciter and Book of Elocution, 1901 (excerpt online).
            For workshop: Anderson, 113-26.

Mar. 30, 2020 (Mon.)    Presentation consultations, no class meeting.
Apr. 1, 2020 (Wed.)    Review. Commonplace book due.

Conference in Memory of John Finley Crowe: Education, Agriculture, and Race Relations
Apr. 3, 2020 (Fri.)    Article presentations, schedule t.b.a. Assignment t.b.a.

Apr. 6, 2020 (Mon.)    Article presentations, schedule t.b.a.. Assignment t.b.a.
Apr. 8, 2020 (Wed.)    Article presentations, schedule t.b.a. Assignment t.b.a.
Apr. 10, 2020 (Fri.)    Article presentations, schedule t.b.a. Assignment t.b.a.

Suggestions for Achieving the Objectives

of the General Education Requirements

(Speaking Area of Competence and Engagement
and
Historical and Social Perspectives Core Curriculum Requirement)

Objectives of the Speaking ACE
Demonstrate skill in structuring oral presentations for maximum effectiveness, interest, and clarity
?    Learn about structure, verbal/non-verbal communication, and visual aids Anderson's TED Talks and classroom instruction.
?    Observe these skills in historical documents and in other speakers.
?    Demonstrate this skill in the Historic Speech and Article Presentation.

Present clear positions on subjects of importance and support them with evidence
?    Learn about using evidence from Bibliographic Instruction and the "Use of Sources" brief assignment, especially.
?    Observe the use of historical argument supported by evidence in scholarly articles and lectures.
?    Demonstrate this competence in the Prepared Interview, Article Presentation, Impromptu Recaps, and class discussions.

Critically evaluate and respond to the arguments of others, recognizing premises, chains of reasoning, ambiguities, implications, and logical fallacies
?    Learn about historical argument and other forms of argument from Anderson's TED Talks, classroom instruction, lectures, and class discussions.
?    Demonstrate this competence in class discussions, in providing feedback for your colleagues, and in the Article Presentation.

Consider purpose, audience, context, and style in spoken work
?    Learn about purpose, audience, etc. in assigned readings and classroom instruction.
?    Demonstrate this competence in class discussion and in the Prepared Interview, Article Presentation, and Historical Address.

Objectives of the HS CRE

Examine the distinguishing features of the social world in a global or historical context.
By reading and discussing primary and secondary sources on American history, we will examine features of American society in historical context. This objective is a part of everything we do, but exams are an especially clear way for students to demonstrate this objective.

Confront issues of causality and human motivation.
We will use primary and secondary sources to consider what motivates people to behave the way they do and how to determine what causes change over time. Class discussions and most graded assignments provide the opportunity to demonstrate this objective.

Give consideration to ethical issues embedded in the social world.
Discussing liberty and individualism in historical context is an example of considering ethical issues embedded in the social world. Class discussions and most graded assignments provide the opportunity to demonstrate this objective.

Explain key ways of evaluating evidence when examining historical and social issues.
From readings and lectures, students will learn how historians make historical arguments and how they use evidence to support those arguments. This objective will be a part of almost everything we do, but the "Use of Sources" assignment is an especially clear way for students to demonstrate this objective.