History 4120, The American West Since 1900
Definitions of the American West
Why Study the West?
To understand the West as Home
To understand the past, present, and future
history of the United States
To understand the Myths of American History
To understand the people, culture, and society
of the American West
Because we want to live-in and protect the West
Grades:
Grades will be based on a percentage of the points possible. 95% = A.
An exploration of the post-1890 history of the
Trans-Mississippi West. Will include analysis of such issues as water use
and allocation, population growth, land use, exploitation of resources,
conservation and threats to the environment, the federal presence, and tourism.
Learning Objectives:
- Students will hone their skills in reading, writing, thinking, and presenting.
- Students will become knowledgeable about the new scholarship in the history of the American West.
Patricia Nelson Limerick, one of the leading "new Western" historians refines the West as a region. She admits that the West is not "a unit of homogeneity and internal consistency," but that much of the territory shares common characteristics. We will use her list as the units of study in this class:
- the West contains the bulk of the land still under federal control--and is a case study in how the U.S. conducts conquest
- Indian reservations and Indian people
- the West is part of the Pacific Rim and shares a border with Mexico--much of the West was once under the sovereignty of Mexico
- The West has a particularly dramatic and long-term involvement with boom/bust economies of extractive industries
- a long involvement with the commercial, intentional mythologizing of the region as a place of escape and adventure
- aridity and semi-aridity--which has inspired a campaign to "normalize" this landscape
- is the nation's dumping ground
Texts:
- Etulatin, Re-imagining the Modern AmericanWest
- Abbot, How cities Won the West
- Rothman, Devil's Bargain
- An autobiography by a 20th century westerner.
- additional readings as assigned, including scholarly articles and films
Activities in support of Learning:
5 short (2-3 pages)
papers 15 points
each:
|
2 formal Oral presentations (includes handout) 15 points each | Resource Guide. Students will create a resource guide on a specific example of the federal landscape in Utah. They will present their findings in written and oral formats to the class. 30 points. | in-class discussion, free-writes,
presentations. Participation is highly valued in this class. Students will assess their participation in a short paper (30 points.) |
This class will be conducted in the style of a seminar. We will engage in large-group discussion, do small-group work and occasionally I will provide short lectures. Students also will be asked to take turns at presenting and analyzing particular texts. Participation in the discussions is expected, so, therefore, is regular attendance.
We will be considering ideas, creative expressions, arguments of "the other"--from points of view, experiences, and beliefs other than our own. We cannot require that such expressions conform in advance to what we are prepared to recognize as authentic or meaningful. We will critique expressions outside our own experiences and beliefs--but those critiques will be respectful and engaged.