Weekly Syllabus

Week of Monday, January 4 through Friday, January 8

Welcome back! I hope that 2010 is a wonderful year for you, and I will do my best to fill it with history goodness. This week will examine the secession movement that led to the Civil War. We will also spend some time this week with a close reading of the first of three major speeches by Lincoln (his first Inaugural Address, the Gettysburg Address, and his second Inaugural Address) that we will study this term. The first one is kind of long, and somewhat difficult, while the others are short, and beautiful. All of the speeches will likely be key sources for your major paper, so take careful notes while reading and in class.

Monday, January 4, 2010 (45 minutes)

Topic: Secession and the start of the Civil War. Introduction to Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address.

Homework: Read Lincoln's First Inaugural Address. You can find it at:

<http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/1inaug.htm>

Tuesday, January 5, 2010 (50 minutes)

Topic: Discussion of last night's reading.

Homework: Read the Confederate Constitution. Please write a one page essay comparing and contrasting it to the United States Constitution of 1787 (before any amendments), and to the United States Constitution as it stood in 1860 (up through the first 12 amendments). Your essay is due on the Ning tonight by 11pm.

 

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 (40 minutes)

Topic: Discussion of the reading so far.

Homework: Read McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom pp. 308-338. Reading is due by Friday. When you do the reading, you will find the following questions will be helpful.

 

 

Thursday, January 7, 2010 (45 minutes)

Topic: Fort Sumter, and the Battle of Bull Run. Early optimism about the war grows sour. Discussion of the reading.

Homework: Read AP&AN pp. 390 (Fort Sumter...)-391; In addition to the reading, it would be very helpful for you to have the timeline on page 396 memorized.

 

Friday, January 8, 2010 (30 minutes)

Topic: Due to the short class today we will ONLY discuss the reading. No quiz today.

Homework: Read AP&AN, pp. 403 (War Transforms the South)- 406 (Wartime Northern Economy).