Course Credits: 3 
Contact Hours: 45 
Prerequisite: ENG 100 
Humanities/Writing Intensive 

Course Description 

American Studies 201 offers an introduction to the American experience, with a particular emphasis on its significant values and institutions. The course examines the influence of political, economic, social, and environmental factors, as it explores ideas of individualism, success, and national character. We analyze representative figures from different historical periods to understand dominant values, beliefs, and myths over time. This class will seek to:

1. introduce the student to the interdisciplinary study of American society through the synthesis of theories, concepts, and insights from history, social science, and literature
2. give the student a sense of history and shared experience through an analysis of key American novels in their time settings

Objectives 

     1.   to introduce the student to the interdisciplinary study of American society through the 
           synthesis of theories, concepts, and insights from history, social science, and literature 
     2.   to give the student a sense of history and shared experience through an analysis of key 
          American novels and time settings 

Student Competencies/Learning Outcomes

1. demonstrate an understanding of the humanities as a collection of disciplines that study human nature, culture, attitudes, and accomplishments
2. recognize the shared elements, conflicts, and affirmations of human existence.
3. critically examine the values of one’s own culture as well as the values of cultures that are separated in time or space from one’s own.

The student will, to the instructor’s satisfaction

1. Define key cultural concepts drawn from the social sciences - sociology, history, economics, political science, and the humanities and literature (See “American Cultural Literacy/Cultural Concepts”)
2. Explain the basic outline of American historical periods - events, processes, and individuals
   (see Lecture handouts #1-8)
3. Write three +5 page papers, with a draft, conference, and re-write to final paper, based on assigned novels, with a synthesis and analysis utilizing cultural concepts and insights from American history
   a) Paper #1 on The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (text)
   b) Paper #2 on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (text)
   c) Paper #3 on Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis (text)

Texts 

        1.   The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper 
        2.   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain 
        3.   Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis 

Evaluation 

Grades in this course are based upon the following:

1. PAPERS
   There will be three papers, each five typed pages minimum, analyzing the themes of individualism and conformity in the American Character in the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries. These papers will be based on the three novels and related historical and theoretical material, focusing on the major figures of Hawk-eye, Huck Finn, and George Babbitt. Guidelines on the papers will be forthcoming. Since this is a Writing Intensive (WI) course, these papers are a major element in determining the grade for the course. Each paper will require a preliminary draft which will be reviewed and revised by the student and instructor together before the completion of the final project. Each paper will be worth 20% of the final grade, and the three papers together constitute 60% of the course grade.
2. EXAMS
   There will be two exams, one at midterm and one in finals week, covering the related course materials - concepts of cultural literacy and the history lectures which provide the historical and institutional structure for interpreting and analyzing the novels. These two exams make up 30% of the grade, each worth 15%. Attendance and participation in class make up the remaining 10% of evaluation.

Themes and Approaches for American Studies 201  

American Studies 201 centers on the American Experience and Character. We will examine the forces which have shaped American Civilization - the ideas, ideals, and values; the experience of the frontier, town, and city; the institutions of the family, work, and business; and the people, leaders, and representative figures of different historical eras.

We will develop the historical, institutional, and social framework in the American Experience through the colonial, national, and modern eras as a background for the Cooper, Twain, and Lewis novels. We will examine how the real historical conditions, values, and experiences are reflected in the novels. We will examine the perspectives taken by the authors in dealing with the major issues of their times. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on the connections between history and culture, art and politics, and technology and values in the writing of their papers.

Course Reading Schedule 

      Week           Novel  

      1 -  5            The Last of the Mohicans     +   lectures & films 
      6 - 10           Huckleberry Finn                  +   lectures & films 
     11 - 15          Babbitt                                 +   lectures & films