History 129  22046                                         Dr. Alonzo N. Smith

African Americans to 1876                                             Fall, 2008

 

 

SYLLABUS

 

 

Purpose and Scope

            This course traces the sweep of African American history from the dawn of the human race down to the establishment of second class citizenship during the Reconstruction Era.  During this period of almost five million years of prehistory and five thousand years of recorded human history, humankind developed on the African continent and then spread by free migration throughout the world.  For most of this time, Africa was the cradle of  the human race, both biologically and culturally.   It was also the center of the world’s first grand civilization.

            The Transatlantic Slave Trade was a forced migration that profoundly changed the course of world history.  For the most part, Africans and their descendants in the Americas were not the primary of this change.   But gradually, first as chattel slaves, and later as second class citizens, they began to have a profound effect in the countries in which they lived, particularly in the United States.  As the world’s most powerful nation, the USA has an effect on the entire history of the world.

            During this course we shall explore the ways in which Africans and their descendants have interacted with many different cultures while remaining a historically identifiable group.  The history of Africans and their descendants in the USA is linked to other countries in the Americas.  African Americans are “a nation within a nation,” but at the same time, their history is Afrocentric, multicultural, and international.

 

Objectives

Each time you review for a quiz or final, reread these objectives, because they will give you an idea of the kinds of questions to expect.

Factual Knowledge:  Recalling names, dates, locating major places and movements on a map, statistically describing human populations

Comprehension and Interpretation:  Understanding major items and definitions, and understanding their roles in human affairs

Analysis and Application:  Comparing and contrasting terms and definitions, both within the past, and between the past and the present, using the past as a means of understanding the present, as well as anticipating the future.

 

 

Required Texts

Darlene Clark Hine, et. al., The African American Odyssey, Volume One, to 1877          Pearson Prentice Hall 2007 or 2008 edition only

African American Slave Narratives

 

 

Exams and Grades

The quizzes and the final exam will cover the lectures and the required readings.  Additional credit options will be discussed in class.  The total semester grade will be computed as follows:

            Attendance and participation:                                                                10%

            Four quizzes @ 15%                                                                            60%

            Final exam                                                                                            30%

 

Attendance and Participation

            Prompt and regular attendance and active participation are critical to the successful completion of this course.  If you feel that you may have difficulty in completing these requirements, you are encouraged not to enroll in this course.  No student will be admitted to class after attendance is taken.

 

Extra Credit

Extra credit projects will be announced in class  

 

Classroom Ethics and Conduct

            In all class discussions, please raise your hand for permission to ask a question.  This is not only a courtesy to the professor, but more importantly, to the other members of the class.  Cheating on an exam, and plagiarism on a paper are theft of information and are subject to the relevant rules of Montgomery College.  Please consult the Code of Student Conduct, which covers academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, as well as disruptive classroom behavior that violates the rights of other students.  See:  http://www.mc.cc.md.us/hrdept/

 

Contacting the Professor

Office hours are MWF, 9am-12am., in Room 267, Humanities Building.  Telephone: 240.567.5278, and leave a message with the administrative assistant.   You can also email the professor at Alonzo.smith@montgomerycollege.edu, or asmith8955@aol.com, or vze4vmwh@verizon.net.

 

Reading and Study Schedule

September 3-6                                   THE AFRICAN ROOTS

Orientation, introduction, Hine, Chapter 1; Smith, Chapter I

September 7-13                                 THE MIDDLE PASSAGE AND THE AMERICAS

Hine, Chapter 2; Smith, Chapter II

September 14-20                               COLONIAL NORTH AMERICA

Hine, Chapter 3;  Smith, Chapter III

September 21-27                               THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ERA

Hine, Chapter 4: Smith, Chapter IV                                                 First quiz

September 28-October 4                    THE NEW NATION

Hine, Chapter 5:   Smith, Chapter V

October 5-October 11                        SLAVERY, PART ONE

Hine, Chapter 6:  Smith, Chapter VI

October 12-October 18                    SLAVERY, PART TWO

Hine, Chapter 6:  Smith, Chapter VI

October 19-October 25                   “FREE” BLACK PEOPLE

Hine, Chapter 7:  Smith, Chapter VII                                      Second quiz

October 26-November 1                  ANTISLAVERY, 1800-1830

Hine, Chapter 8:  Smith, Chapter VIII

November 2-November 8                 ANTISLAVERY, 1830-1850

Hine, Chapter 9:  Smith, Chapter IX

November 9-November 15              THE ROAD TO THE CIVIL WAR

Hine, Chapter 10; Douglass and Jacobs; Smith, Chapter X

November 16-22                             THE CIVIL WAR, PART ONE

Hine, Chapter 11: Smith, Chapter 11                                              Third quiz

November 23-29                             

Thanksgiving Recess            

November 30-December 6               THE CIVIL WAR, PART TWO

Hine, Chapter 11, Smith, Chapter 11

December 7-13                                 RECONSTRUCTION

Hine, Chapter 12 & 13, Smith, Chapter 12 & 13                           Fourth quiz

December 14-20

Review for final                                                          

Monday, December 15, 8-10am

Final Examination