Women in American History—Hist 170

Ginette Aley, Instructor

 

Fall 2005                                                                                                              

Class Time & Place:  Mon. 6-8:50pm, Mere 229                        Email: ginette.aley@drake.edu

Office hours: M - F 11am-noon                                                                Office: Mere 224  Ph: 271-2136

 

Required Reading List:

Evans, Sara.                       Born For Liberty (main text)

Ruiz, Vicki                          Unequal Sisters, 3rd ed. (reader)

Peril, Lynn                         Pink Think

 

Course Description and Objectives:

This course puts women at the center of interpretation and explores how historical events affected the lives of American women and, conversely, what varied roles women have played in shaping American history.  One major objective is to understand how class, ethnicity, race, even region influenced American women’s daily lives, work patterns, and community activities, from the European “invasion” of North America to the end of the 20th century.  I encourage you to keep asking yourself:  does gender matter?  then, in what ways has it mattered? (think about significance and consequence)

 

Course Format:

This course is a colloquium which means that it will be reading, discussion, and, to some extent, writing intensive.  Since we only meet once a week, it is imperative that you come having read the material and are ready and eager to discuss it.  More than other kinds of courses, colloquiums allow the students to go as far with the material as they want, but it does also require your commitment to learning and engaging the material.

 

***In addition to the required reading list above, a number of items will be placed on Reserve at the library for you to read and take notes for our discussion.  Stay nimble on getting to this material because I consider it important as well.  I will try to email you with reminders.

 

Grade Distribution:

331/3%                Mid-term essay exam.

331/3%                Readings Journal and Class Participation (i.e. attendance, discussion, and evidence of engaging the material).

-the journal is a “reflective assignment” in which you will note ideas, experiences, or events that cause you to stop and think.  As you read, consider such things as:

-What is the major theme, topic, argument that was addressed?  Relate the reading(s), lecture, and other material together.

                                -How does this suggest that women’s experiences differed from men?  And how were these issues further differentiated by race, class, ethnicity, and region?

331/3%                10-12 page Term Paper on a related topic that considers some of our readings as well as incorporates primary source material.  Each student will be expected to meet with me at some point in the semester to show me an outline and discuss your sources.

 

 

Assignments, readings, due dates, and test dates are all subject to modifications.