DR. PAUL DOUGLAS NEWMAN Associate Professor of History Krebs 125, Mailbox K104 O. 2987 H. 535-3176 Fax: 7255 pnewman@pitt.edu www.pitt.edu/~pnewman Class Meets: M-W 4-5:20 K124 Off. Hrs:  T-R 11-12, 2-2:30 & by appt

What's in this course?
In this three credit, upper division class, we will broadly explore a wide array of topics integral to Colonial America, including but not limited to subjects political, social, anti-social, diplomatic, familial, religious, medical, sexual, and so on.  The class will be structured as an upper level reading seminar. A number of historical essays will be assigned for every meeting which will serve as the basis for class discussion.  Given the primary importance of discussion verbal participation will be mandatory in each class meeting. There will also be a series of required writing assignments: in-class essay quizzes on the readings, analytical essays, a book review, and a final essay.  This class is not for the feint of heart--the reading load will be heavy and the writing will be constant.  As a result, however, you will emerge from the course not only with a greater understanding of Colonial America from the standpoints of race, religion, gender, economics, politics, and class, but also with fine-tuned reading, analytical, and writing skills.

Field Trip * Field Trip * Field Trip * Field Trip * Field Trip * Field Trip * Field Trip
1. This class will also have an optional weekend field trip to Jamestown and Williamsburg, VA, leaving Thursday afternoon October 10 and returning Sunday evening, October 12.  We will tour Jamestown National Historic Site, Jamestown Settlement State Park, Historic Colonial Williamsburg, and Carter's Grove Plantation.   We will leave UPJ at 5pm on Thursday and drive non-stop to Williamsburg to the Comfort Inn Central, 2007 Richmond Rd (757) 220-3888, where we have reservations.  The hotel offers a free continental breakfast and has a heated indoor pool...cowabunga!  On Friday we will have a 3 hour guided tour of Colonial Williamsburg in the morning, you can catch lunch at Chowning's Tavern ($6-10 range).  After lunch is free time for more touring and shopping in Colonial Williamsburg...enjoy.  We have dinner reservations for 7:30 at Kings Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg (Appetizers from $2.75-6.95, Entrees from $18.25-$25.75--this is steep, but oh, so good!).  On Saturday morning we will visit Carter's Grove Plantation, a seventeenth century tobacco plantation that portrays both high living and the lives of indentured servants and slaves.  We will arrive at Jamestown Settlement by 11:30 for lunch ($5-10) and take a guided tour of the settlement and the replica ships from 12-2pm.  By 3pm, we will head to Jamestown National Historic Site.  Saturday night we will dine on seafood at Virginia Beach at Rockefellers ($10-25), and enjoy the sand and surf afterward.  On Sunday morning we will depart Williamsburg by 10 am and return to UPJ no later than 5pm..  I will write a note for anyone having to miss class on Friday (but I cannot guarantee that your professor will honor it).  The cost of the trip will be $80 which covers hotel, transportation, tours, admissions fees, and breakfast each day.  I have a 15 passenger van reserved, if more than 15 people wish to attend, we will work out the transportation issue.  The $80 does NOT cover lunch or dinner.   You should eat dinner before we leave on Thursday (the van will stop only for a drive-thru), and bring $75 and you should be well covered for food. You're never gonna have an opportunity for a weekend trip for this cheap again, trust me, thanks to the sponsorship of Phi Alpha Theta and the History Club. You must present your  non-refundable check or money order (payable to Phi Alpha Theta of UPJ) to me by October 1  to reserve a spot on the trip.

Williamsburg Field Trip Virtual Tour

2. On Friday, November 7 we will take a one-day trip to Philadelphia.  Cost of the trip is ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH, NADA, NUTHIN, FREE, GRATIS!  We'll visit all of the National Park related sites including the new Liberty Bell museum, Independence Hall, Franklin Court, as well as the new Constitution Center (Ok, that runs $6 to get in).  We will dine at the historic "City Tavern," and that'll run you a few bucks too...check out the menu through the link.  I'll write notes to your Friday teachers, but I make no guarantees that they will accept them.

3. The final field trip will be to La Hacienda de los Hombres Nuevos in exclusive Dale Borough, on Saturday, November 22, for a Thanksgiving Feast at 2 pm.  You all will be assigned a recipe from a Colonial American cookbook, and you will bring your covered dish to my humble abode for a Holiday Hootinanny.  This is something of a tradition and is always a good time.  Clear your calendar for that day NOW!

Required Reading
Katz, et al., Colonial America: Essays in Politics and Social Development (5th Edition)
Green, Pursuits of Happiness
Demos, The Unredeemed Captive
Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History  

Reading
As mentioned above, there will be an extremely heavy reading load in this course, and each class will be a discussion revolving around that reading.  Therefore, you must read the assignments in order for this class to work.  If you fail to read an assignment there is no reason for you to come to class that day--you will only be risking humiliation when you are called upon.

Participation
Since this class will live or die with your level of participation, I am requiring you to contribute to our conversations by according 20% of your grade (100 points) to participation.  I will make a seating chart and I will record each relevant contribution you make to our class discussion.  At term's end, the highest 10% will receive an A, the second 20% will receive a B, the middle 40% a C, the next 20% a D, and the lowest 10% an F for the participation grade.  If the class as a whole does well, then the scale will slide from A to D, or A to C, but that depends on all of you.  I know what you're all thinking now: "1. But it's not fair!  2. I'll feel stupid!  3. I don't like to speak in front of people!  4. You're mean old S.O.B.!"  Well, in response to those statements, I would say: "1. Life isn't fair, get over it.  2. If you were stupid you would not be in college, and I care about your intellectual development, not your  "feelings."  3. You may not like speaking in front of people but honing your oral communication abilities is one of the most important skills that you can take out of college and into the real world.  Things that are good for you are not always pleasant.  4.  I am a mean old S.O.B., refer back to response number 1."

Quizzes
There will be periodic quizzes on your reading material that will account for 20% of your grade (100 points).  Only persons with excused absences will be permitted to take "make-up" quizzes–no exceptions.  You will have one week to make up a quiz.  Excused absences will only be granted prior to the class you intend to miss. You are responsible for making up your quizzes.  I will make no attempt to remind you or track you down.  Any quizzes that you fail to make-up will be recorded as a zero at term's end.

Book Review
You will a 3-5 page typed book review of Demos, The Unredeemed Captive. The book review will be graded on writing as well as content for a total of 50 points (10%).  It is due on Wednesday, October 29.  It will be out of your hair by Halloween so you can trick or treat with a clean conscience. Students who receive a D or F will be REQUIRED to re-write their paper.  Through the rewrite, they will be able to increase their score by one letter grade. This is NOT a punishment, but a way for you to improve both your grade and your writing skills. Students receiving a B or C will have the OPTION of rewriting their paper under the same terms as listed above.  For instructions on writing an effective book review, click on the "Book Review How To" link below.  See also the section on Book Reviews in Rampolla, Pocket Guide to Writing in History.

Book Review How To

Book Review Exercise
In order to prepare yourself to write this review you must do two things.  First, read the "Book Review How To" document linked above, and the section on Book Reviews in Rampolla.  Second, you must use the Owen Library's web-site to access the William & Mary Quarterly, choose and read any 5 reviews from the most recent issue on J-Stor and submit a two-page typed summary of those reviews.  The summaries must include brief summaries of the books themselves as well as the reviewers' positive and negative criticism of the books.  You will bring this assignment, and be prepared to discuss the project, to class on October 13 for 25 points (5%).

To get to J-Stor, go to the Owen Library Web-site, click on Resources, then Databases A-Z, then J-Stor, then Browse, then History, then William & Mary Quarterly.  You can then browse by date and volume.

Analytical Journal Article Review Essay
You will read three journal articles from the William & Mary Quarterly relating to one of the following topics: Non-English American Colonization and Settlement, Native American-European contact, Gender Relations in Colonial America, Slavery, Colonial Economies, or choose a topic of your own.  Those articles must be in issues printed since 1973.  You will also choose at least three essays from Katz, Colonial America, that fit your topic.  The essay will be documented with endnotes in the form determined by the Chicago Manual of Style, detailed in Rampolla.  The essay will be 5-8 pages in length, will be worth 100 points (20%) and will follow the "Analytical Journal Article Review Essay Guidelines" linked below:

Analytical Essay Guidelines

The analytical essay will have a peer review process. I will subdivide you into groups of four.  In these small groups, you will meet outside of class to read and critique each other's Analytical Article Review.   You should have a completed draft turned in to your teammates before November 12.  You will read and critique each others work before November 17.  You will write a one page, single-spaced critique of each of your peers' essays, judging their thematic analysis, summary, analytical comparison, organization, writing style, and grammar for 25 points (5%), and present it to them at your group meeting (at a time and place chosen by you all outside of class time before November 17).   You may use the plastic box labeled "Colonial America" outside of my office door as a drop-off/pick-up bin.  You will turn in your final draft to me on November 24.

Writing All Papers
All written assignments--book reviews and analytical essays--will be graded on the "Total Package," that is grammar, organization, style and composition in addition to content– summary, thematic analysis, and analytic comparison (for the analytical essays).  Please refer to "The Bare Basics of Writing" form linked below:

The Bare Basics of Writing

Final Essay
You will be required to write a final essay to be turned in on Thursday, December 11 at noon.  It will be a take home final, the questions for which will be distributed on the last day of class, Wednesday December 3. It will be typed and must conform to the standards outlined above.  The Final will comprise 100 points (20%).  

This class will operate on a points system composed of 500 points.  At term's end, 450=A, 400-449=B, 350-399=C, 300-349=D, and 299 and below=F.  The points will be accorded as follows:

Attendance
You will be permitted only three un-excused absences.  You will lose one letter grade for each un-excused absence after the third.  No one will pass this course who has missed more than six classes, excused or unexcused, unless the excuses amount to a "severe case of personal hardship."  Jon Gonder, he Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and I will determine what constitutes a "sever case of personal hardship."

Late Work
Late work is absolutely unacceptable and will merit a zero.  Period.  However, all assignments must be turned in, no matter how late, in order to pass the course.  Anyone with uncompleted assignments at term's end will fail the course.  This happens almost every term.  Don't try it.

Incompletes
Only students with "severe cases of personal hardship" will be permitted a grade of "I" or "G" at term's end with the permission to finish the coursework at a later date.  

Cheating
Any attempt to offer anyone else's work as your own at any time will merit a zero for that assignment, a G grade for the course, and will automatically begin the proceedings for an F in the course and for your expulsion from this university in accordance with the Academic Integrity Guidelines found in your student handbook.

Disabilities
Students with disabilities who may be requesting academic accommodations for this course should notify the course instructor and Theresa M. Horner, LRC Disability Services Coordinator, as early as possible in the term. The Disability Services Coordinator will verify the disability and determine reasonable accommodations for the course. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about disability services at UPJ, please call ext. 7109 or stop by the Learning Resource Center in 133 Biddle Hall.

Returning Papers and Grades
According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, each student of the age of majority (18) has the right to absolute privacy concerning their academic grades.  If that privacy is breeched, the instructor and the institution are liable and may be sued by the injured student.  Therefore, I will only return graded papers to their owners, face to face, and I will only discuss scores and grades with students face to face.  I will not discuss scores or grades over the telephone, e-mail, fax, conventional mail, hologram, or through a spiritual medium.  The only totally secure method to maintain your right to privacy is to handle all grade reporting in person.  THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.

Finding Out About Your Final Grade
I will not report your final exam grade to you until the grades have been turned in and sent to you in the mail by the Registrar's Office.  DO NOT PESTER ME with the question, "Do you have our finals graded yet?"

Professorial Prerogative
I reserve the right to make any reasonable changes to this syllabus that I deem necessary at any time for any reason of my choosing.  Failure to comply with any revisions to the syllabus will not be excusable due to absence on the day the changes were announced.  You are responsible for everything that transpires in the classroom every class meeting.