United States History Survey and

United States History since 1940:

-William Appelman Williams

 

Welcome to the United States History and United States History since 1940 webpages at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. The two complementary webpages are interactive syllabi for the Tenth grade US survey and an Eleventh and Twelfth grade electibe in post-war history. To use the sites, just click on the "US History" or "US Since 1940" images and use the pop-up menus at the top of each page to explore the various periods ("units") covered in the courses. Texts used for the course are listed in the lefthand frame on the syllabi and in the daily assignments as hypertext links.

History is not merely a litany of dates and events from the past, but a living tool for understanding both the past and the present. These courses are designed to develop a comprehensive understanding of United States history from the initial contact between Europeans and Native Americans until roughly 1940 and from 1940 to today. The courses are designed to place you in the position of historical actors, through heavy relaince upon primary sources and simulations, but also to inform your understanding of the present, to show how our contemporary assumptions are dependent on our history. Our study will familiarize students with the important political, social, economic, and cultural developments that have brought us to the present moment.

We will examine the experiences of a broad range of individuals, classes and social groups, as expressed in a host of primary sources: presidential addresses, Supreme Court decisions, political cartoons, sermons, paintings, songs, television shows, etc. We will also consider a variety of secondary sources, analyzing the works of important historians, philosophers and essayists, evaluating the differing historical perspectives and producing interpretations of our own.

Our goal is to develop the skills necessary to be historians and informed, active citizens. Our use of primary sources and articles will help you to understand how historians go about constructing and defending their analyses. You will need to develop your own interpretations of history and to express and support them in discussion and in writing.

A Thematic Approach

Certain themes will recur throughout our study. The government’s role in regulating the economy sparked debates between both Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton during the 1790s, between Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression and between the most recent presidential candidates today. The tension between government power and individual rights helped to provoke both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. We will see how the popular conception of the United States as a model society arose in Puritan sermons of the 1630s recurred in imperialist propaganda of the 1890s, and appear in the political campaigns of today.

Some of the themes we will trace in the US History course include:

For The US since 40:

History is not just a series of unrelated events but a rich interplay of recurring and evolving ideas. These themes offer us a framework as we trace the nation’s development and recognize how political, economic, social and cultural forces have helped to shape the American character.

Please go to the separate introductions for each course for information on assignments, readings, grading and projects.

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

Academic honesty is essential for learning and for maintaining a sense of mutual trust and respect within the Fieldston community. Teachers must know that all of the work students present orally or in writing is their own. To present the work of others as one’s own is dishonest.

Copying from another student’s test, using hidden notes, giving or receiving information on tests, and receiving help on take-home tests without the specific permission of the teacher are clearly dishonest and constitute cheating. An equally serious violation of academic honesty is plagiarism. This involves taking words, ideas, images, text, or data created by others, wherever one might find them, and presenting them as one’s own, without giving proper credit to the source. It includes the Internet and the copying and pasting of words, images, and data from a web site into a report or essay. The methods for using and citing these sources will be discussed in classes.

Students are expected to take responsibility for their own academic work within the guidelines established by teachers. Students should assume that all work, including homework, is to be done individually unless the teacher states that collaboration on a particular assignment is permitted. Any assistance a student receives from another person, including a parent, peer, or tutor, should be limited to help in understanding concepts and methods. Any help beyond this must be acknowledged.

The work on any assignment should be one’s own and not that of another person. When in doubt, students should either cite the source or consult their teacher. An open exchange of ideas and knowledge can be achieved only in an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding.

Where to find us

The Faculty Workspace (Room 135) is located in the office above the Student-Faculty Center. The History Center occupies the same space.

Mr. Meyers Room is 214

Mr. Meyers:

e-mail: aam14@columbia.edu

Phone 718-329-7277

Jake Kirsch: Jkirsch@kirschnet.com