ACI 319

Office Hours: W 1600-1700

(or by appointment)

305-919-5859

petersoj@fiu.edu
 
 

Required Reading

Linda K. Kerber and Jane Sherron De Hart, eds., Women's America

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Ellen Carol DuBois, ed., The Elizabeth Cady Stanton-Susan B. Anthony Reader

Anzia Yezierska, Bread Givers

Laura Kaplan, The Story of Jane
 
 
 

Weekly Schedule

ALL READING ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AND WILL BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS ON THE DATE INDICATED. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF QUIZ OR A JOURNAL ENTRY DUE ON THE ASSIGNED READING EACH CLASS.

1/10 Introduction to the Course - Why Study Women's History?

1/17 Women in Early America - READ: Articles by Evans, Berkin, Norton, Dayton, Kerber in Women's America - Journal Entry due

1/24 Women in the New Republic: What Kind of Revolution? - READ: Articles by Block, Smith-Rosenberg, Mohr in Women's America - Journal Entry due

1/31 The Lives of Enslaved Women - READ: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Quiz

2/7 Women Work for Woman's Rights I - READ: Stanton-Anthony Reader, Part One - Quiz

2/14 Women in Southern Society - READ: Article by Faust and Documents on p.241-246 in Women's America - Journal Entry due

2/21 Women Work for Women's Rights II - READ: Stanton-Anthony Reader, Part Two - Quiz

2/28 Women in Industrial America - READ: Articles by Pascoe, Gilmore in Women's America - Journal Entry due

3/7 Women Work for Women's Rights III - READ: Stanton-Anthony Reader, Part Three- Quiz - Paper One Due

3/14 Immigrant Women - READ: Bread Givers - Quiz

3/21 SPRING BREAK

3/28 Women's Suffrage and Progressivism - READ: Articles by Sklar, DuBois, Gordon and Documents on p.338-343 in Women's America - Journal Entry due

4/4 Modern Women and Feminism - READ: Articles by Cook, Kessler-Harris, McEnaney, Freedman, Cahn in Women's America - Journal Entry due

4/11 The Women's Liberation Movement - READ: The Story of Jane - Quiz - Paper Two Due

4/18 What Changes, What Stays the Same? - READ: Article by Ginsburg, Documents on p.508-523 and 532-553 in Women's America - Journal Entry due - This is the last class of the semester. Paper Three is due by April 25 at 5 PM.
 

This course surveys the history of women in the United States from the period of European colonization until the present. There are three underlying themes that run through the course. One is the ways that women experience gender differently as shaped by race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and individual life experiences. Another is the movements for change in women's lives and status that occur and recur during this period. Another is the interaction of individual biographies with a gendered cultural context. As you read, think about the way that the reading relates to these three themes.
 

Class Participation: It is important to come to class prepared to discuss the reading in class. Much of the value of the course comes from discussing the assigned texts with others in the classes. The quizzes are designed to encourage you to read. You should also be motivated to be prepared by the obligation you have to your fellow students in the class to make the class worthwhile as a group enterprise.
 

Women's Studies Majors: If you are a Women's Studies major and want to use this course to meet the computer and/or oral presentation requirement for the major, please let me know at the beginning of the semester. I will arrange assignments for you to meet the requirement. For the computer requirement this will involve research on internet resources and word processed papers. For the oral presentation this will involve presentations to the class totally at least 30 minutes over the course of the semester. These assignments will be critiqued and will be part of what determines your grade for the course.
 

Journal Entries: Each reading assignment in Women's America requires a journal entry due on the day the reading is assigned. An entry consists of a one page (double-spaced) comment on your reading. How did you respond to the reading? What seemed interesting to you? How can you tie the readings together? Your journal entry should focus on one idea either in the form of a comment or a question.
 

Written Assignments: All three papers are 5 page (double spaced) analytical essays. You should have a clear thesis, use evidence effectively to support your thesis, and present your ideas within an appropriate historical context. Papers One and Two are based on the assigned reading for the course. Paper Three requires you to read two biographies and is discussed below.
 

Paper One (due March 7) This paper is based on Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and The Elizabeth Cady Stanton-Susan B. Anthony Reader. Your task is to find a way to relate these two texts. You may relate by discussing similarities or differences. You may use your reading in Women's America to provide historical context for the texts. Remember to provide a clear thesis for your essay.
 

Paper Two (due April 11) This paper is based on Bread Givers and The Story of Jane. Again your task is to relate the two texts along lines of similarity or difference within an historical context provided by Women's America. Remember to provide a clear thesis for your essay.
 

Paper Three (due April 25) This paper is based on two biographies of your choosing. Use the list provided to select one early period and one modern period biography. Compare and contrast the two women's lives and account for the differences and/or similarities in your essay. Decide whether to focus on difference or similarity and make appropriate use of historical context.
 

Grading: Your final grade is based on the following assignments. In addition I will take class participation into account in determining your final grade. Thoughtful, active participation will improve your grade.
 

Quizzes + Journal Entries - 25% There will be a quiz or journal entry on each reading assignment. These will be graded Pass/Fail. I will eliminate your lowest grade (either a Fail or an entry not turned in or quiz missed). This portion of your grade will be figured on the basis of number of Pass grades:

10-12        A

8-9            B

6-7            C

less than 7 F
 
 
 

Paper One - 25%

Paper Two - 25%

Paper Three - 25%