1863 "Draft Riots"

In this course we will examine the above questions with a special emphasis on cities in the United States. We will explore the pushes and pulls that are behind movements of groups. We will investigate how various groups have been placed in competition with each other over time. When and why this competition explodes into violence. We will look at how groups have advanced, been held back and the many in-betweens. While ultimately we will examine the consequences of these issues in terms cities of today and tomorrow, the major focus of this course will be on the historical events that have shaped the foundation for the current ethnic and racial composition of our cities.

  

 

 

The midterm (October 19) and final will cover class discussions, assignments and the readings. The former will be comprehensive to October 19 and the latter will cover the entire semester. The format for these exams will be discussed during the semester.

 

 

There will be a minimum of six quizzes, to be announced on our Blackboard site the Sunday prior to the week they are given. The quizzes will be on the most recent material from the classroom, websites and texts. That should be it for quizzes unless it is determined that the work is not being done. Then more will be added and they will not be announced in advance. There will no unexcused absences from quizzes.

 

 

You will write a term paper on a specific racial or ethnic group that is not your own. This paper will explore the history of the group, how have things changed, or not, for this group over time, and will offer some speculation on the future of the group. The group must be identified by, September 21. An outline is required by October 12. The first draft is due November 20 and the final draft of no less than twelve typed pages is due the last day of class, December 7. The work turned in for each deadline will be evaluated separately, with these individual grades going into the final composite grade for this component. All work on the term paper will be submitted and returned via our Blackboard site. Under Course Documents in Blackboard are specific guidelines on what is expected in this paper – see Guidelines for Research Papers

 

 

For most readings, you will see in Blackboard under Assignments a series of discussion questions. You should be prepared to discuss these in class but also be prepared to go beyond these questions.  From time to time you will be assigned as a class, a group or as an individual, responsibility the lead the class on these questions. In addition you will be given a number of brief assignments. Some will be presented during class, while others will involve use of Blackboard’s Discussion Board and Virtual Classroom. You will be graded in terms of the quality of your contributions for this work.

 

  

Attendance: will be taken daily at the very beginning of each class. If you come in after attendance is taken you will be marked absent but, since you will be held responsible for that day’s material, it is strongly advised that you stay. As stated in the General Bulletin: “A student is permitted absences totaling two times the number of lecture meetings per week.” Thus for classes that meet two times a week, students are permitted no more than four absences. Students who exceed four absences, including times when they come in late, will have their final grades reduced for each additional absence, i.e., a B- will become a C+.

 

Late Written Assignments: will also have a grade deducted for each class that they are late -- a B- will become a C+.

 

Make-up Exams and Quizzes: are generally not permitted. In extraordinary cases, with appropriate documentation, a student may be permitted to make items up.

 

Plagiarism, Cheating and Computer Usage and Piracy: any student who violates college policies as defined The NET (see The Net http://www.spc.edu/PDFFiles/DeanOfStudents/NET.pdf) will automatically fail the class. The student’s name will immediately be given to the Office of the Academic Dean and this student can be dismissed from the College.

 

Standards for Classroom Behavior: the classroom is a place for mutual respect. While debate is welcome, it must be done in a respective manner. Other areas, as defined in THE NET, such the use of cell phones and beepers, as well as leaving the classroom once class has begun, without authorization are prohibited.

 

 

 

 

A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki, Little Brown and Company, 1993

 

Assigned Articles and Weblinks