History 315-010/080
Postwar America
Spring 2000
Dr. Gary May
119 Munroe Hall
Voice Mail: 831-0800, Office Hours: Wednesday 2:00-4:00 pm
e-mail address:  garymay@udel.edu

  LINK to Honors Section Page


  This course covers recent American history from the 1950's to the new century and consists of lectures, readings, film documentaries, and discussion. There will be ONE MIDTERM and a FINAL EXAMINATION. For further details, see page  2.
 

Course Outline:

1. "Happy Days?" or "Tortured Nights" -- The 1950's:
    reading: Chafe, chapter 5; May, entire book; Sitkoff. pp.3-68

2. Camelot: The Kennedy Years:
    reading: Chafe, chapter 7; Sitkoff, pp.61-154

3. Liberalism in Crisis: LBJ:
    reading: Chafe, chapters 8-12; Caputo, entire book; Sitkoff, pp.155-209

4. Richard M.Nixon and the Politics of Revenge:
    reading: Chafe, chapter 13; Sitkoff, pp.210-235

5. Ford, Carter, and the "Psychic Crisis of the 1970's":
    reading: Chafe, chapter 14

6. The Reagan-Bush Restoration:
    reading: Chafe, chapters 15-16
 

7. The 1990's--Tabloid Decade
    reading: Chafe, Epilogue
 
Rules, Regulations, and Things That Drive Dr. May Crazy
 
EXAMINATIONS:The midterm exam will be given on either March 21 or March 23. The precise date and what will be covered will be announced in class well in advance of the date. The midterm counts 45% of the grade. No make-ups will be given except for extraordinary reasons which must be documented in writing (Spring Break trips to Bermuda do NOT fall into this category, unless you agree to take the entire class and the staff with you).

Amazingly, some students never pick up their midterm exams. Therefore, all students are REQUIRED to pick up their midterms when they are returned. Exams not picked up after two class sessions will have their grades lowered one-half for every class session missed.

The final exam is scheduled for Thursday, May 25, 2000 from 10:30-12:30 in KRB 100, and will count 55% of your grade. Again, no make-ups will be given as above. Both exams are essay in form.
 

Class READINGS: Students are REQUIRED to read the assigned books. Questions on both exams cannot be fully answered without drawing on class readings. Repeating lecture material-even perfectly-will not earn a student a passing grade, without evidence that the reading has been done and incorporated into answers.
STUDENT BEHAVIOR: Students have the right to expect that their instructors present organized and-hopefully-interesting lectures. Professors have hopes and expectations too. Students are expected to arrive in class on time and for the rest of the hour to listen attentively and ask lively questions. Reading, chatting with friends, bolting for the door when a film is being shown, or sleeping is NOT acceptable behavior, and will be dealt with according to the STUDENT HANDBOOK ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND BEHAVIOR. Students should obtain a copy and be familiar with its policies on behavior, cheating, and plagarism because they will be followed in this course.
IF YOU FIND THESE POLICIES UNACCEPTABLE,
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE.