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History of the American City (History 463) Amanda I. Seligman |
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This course provides an overview of the history of urban development in the United States. The lectures will narrate the development of cities in the United States from Native American and European antecedents through the (possible) contemporary renaissance. Three major themes receive special attention. First, we will discuss how people have arranged themselves and each other throughout cities. Second, we will examine the development of urban landscapes. Third, we will consider how people thought about what constituted urban problems and how to solve them. ReadingsThe Schedule section of this syllabus outlines the order of assigned readings for this course. The following four paperback books are required and have been ordered through the UWM bookstore:Frederick Douglass
Karen Sawislak
Andrew Ross
Howard Chudacoff
I strongly advise purchasing your own copy of Chudacoff’s Major Problems, which the Golda Meir Library does not own. The other three books have been placed on 2-hour reserve at the Golda Meir Library. EvaluationThe written work in this course has several distinct components: informal writing assignments, in-class exams, and, for those of you who wish to pursue a research topic in greater depth, the option of writing a term paper instead of taking the final exam. Final course grades will be determined according to the following scale: |
| 30% (10% each) | 3 Writing Assignments |
| 30% | Midterm Exam |
| 40% | Final Exam or Research Paper |
Writing AssignmentsOn September 26, October 24, and December 14, all students must turn in writing assignments. Each writing assignment is worth 10% of your final grade. The questions are listed in the schedule. Your response should be at least 2 pages but not more than 5; it should be typed and double-spaced, with ample margins on the right hand side for feedback. For these assignments, you are not required to write a formal essay. You may answer these questions in the form of a letter or a journal entry, or some other creative style. Whatever approach to the question you take, however, you should edit and spell-check your response before turning it in. If you do wish to use this assignment as an opportunity to receive feedback on your formal prose, however, you may write an essay instead. I will be happy to provide you with detailed guidance on how to construct a formal essay. If you feel a pressing need to write a paper on some other topic than the assigned one, you are welcome to contact me about your alternative proposal.ExamsEach exam will consist of several short identification questions and a longer essay. They will be administered in class on the dates listed in the schedule.Term paperSome students gain greater intellectual benefits from writing research papers than from taking in-class exams. If you wish to pursue the paper-writing option, you must consult with me by mid-October and submit a series of interim assignments intended to keep you on track. I will distribute guides for writing research papers to students who express interest in this option. Do not pick this option thinking that it will be easier than taking the final exam. Writing a research paper requires a serious commitment of time and energy above and beyond the normal class requirements.NotesIf you need special accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of this course, please contact me as soon as possible.All students are expected to observe UWM’s standards of academic honesty, explained at http://www.uwm.edu/SAHP//administrationinfo/acadmisc.html. To receive full credit, all papers and writing assignments must be turned in at or before the beginning of the class period on the day they are due. Writing assignments that come in late will be penalized at the rate of 10% per day. If they are more than 10 days late, they still must be completed in order to pass the course. Failure to complete all required components of the course may result in a failing grade for the course as a whole. |
Schedule |
September 5 -- Introduction September 7 -- Pre-Colonial and Colonial Urban Landscapes September 12 -- Commercial Cities September 14 -- The Walking City September 19 -- The Lure of Open Space September 21 -- Urban Problems: Fire, Disease, and Poverty September 26 -- Industrialization September 28 -- Migrations from Europe and Asia October 3 -- Real Estate Speculation and the Development of Urban Neighborhoods October 5 -- City Transportation and Suburbanization October 10 -- Providing Urban Infrastructure October 12 -- City Politics October 17 -- Vice and Crime October 19 -- Urban Reform in the Progressive Era October 24 -- City Planning October 26 -- Midterm Exam October 31 -- Skyscrapers November 2 -- The Great Migrations November 7 -- Rise of the Automobile November 9 -- The Great Depression and the New Deal November 14 -- Community Organizing November 16 -- Physical Decay, Urban Renewal, and Public Housing November 21 -- Confronting the Crises of the City November 23 -- Thanksgiving: Class does not meet November 28 -- “White Flight” and postwar suburbanization November 30 -- Riots December 5 -- Edge Cities December 7 -- Inner City Abandonment and Disinvestment December 12 -- Downtown Revitalizations December 14 -- LAST DAY OF CLASS: A Return to Cities? Wednesday, December 20, 12:30-2:30 P.M. -- Final Exam or Research Paper |