History 80600

Seminar in U.S. History: Readings in Texas History

Fall 2003

Office: 116 Reed Hall

Phone: 257-7035 (office)

E-mail: g.cantrell@tcu.edu

Office Hours: Tues.-Thurs. 9:30-11:30, and by appointment. I will be here many other hours and will be happy to meet with you any time. However, if it’s not during my official office hours, it’s a good idea to call first and make sure I’m there. I am in class Mon., 2:00 - 4:40, and Tues-Thurs., 12:30 - 1:50..

Course Objectives: To read broadly in the field of Texas History and become familiar with the scholarly literature and major historiographical issues in the field; to develop critical thinking and writing skills. reading.

Course Format and Grading: This is primarily a reading class, supplemented by some lecture from the professor. The goal is to expose you to as much of the literature on Texas History as possible and to provide you with a broad grasp of Texas historiography. Each week you will have one or more assigned readings. Some weeks the entire class will read the same selections; other weeks each student will be assigned something individually. All readings will be discussed in class. For each assigned book (except Texas Through Time), you will be required to write a 2-to-3-page book review (instructions will be provided). The reviews constitute 70% of your semester grade, and you get to drop the lowest one. I will not accept late reviews unless you have secured prior permission from me. You will also have a final exam; it will count 20% of your semester grade. Class participation (which includes attendance and class discussion) counts 10% of your semester grade, it will be used as the decisive factor in borderline cases.

Special Accommodation Request Procedure: If you require accommodations for a disability, please contact the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities, Center for Academic Services, Sadler Hall 11, TCU Box 297710, 817-257-7486. Once you have met with me to deliver and discuss an official accommodations letter from TCU's Academic Services, I will be able to arrange for your modifications related to this course. If you have emergency medical information or need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please discuss this with me as soon as possible.

Required Readings:

Buenger and Calvert, eds., Texas Through Time: Evolving Interpretations

Chipman, Spanish Texas, 1519-1821

Cantrell, Stephen F. Austin, Empresario of Texas

Campbell, An Empire for Slavery: The Peculiar Institution in Texas

Barr, Reconstruction to Reform: Texas Politics, 1876-1906

Oliens and Oliens, Oil in Texas: The Gusher Age, 1895-1945

Caro, The Path to Power

Plus: other individualized readings as assigned by the professor.

Optional Reading:

Calvert, De León, and Cantrell, The History of Texas (3rd ed.)

Tentative Schedule of Topics and Assignments:

Week 1 (Sept. 8): Indians and Spaniards. Course introduction. Discuss “The Shelf Life of Truth in Texas,” in Texas Through Time (TTT).

Week 1 (Sept. 15): Spanish Texas. Discuss Chipman, “Spanish Texas” in TTT. Discuss Chipman, Spanish Texas. Turn in book reviews of Chipman book. Get book assignments for next week.

Week 2 (Sept. 22): Mexican Texas. Discuss Lack, “In the Long Shadow of Eugene C. Barker” in TTT. Turn in book reviews assigned last week.

Week 4 (Sept. 29): The Revolution and Republic. Discuss Cantrell, Stephen F. Austin. Turn in book reviews of Cantrell book. Get book assignments for next week.

Week 5 (Oct. 6): Annexation to Disunion. Discuss Campbell, “Statehood, Civil War, and Reconstruction” in TTT. Turn in book reviews assigned last week.

Week 6 (Oct. 13): Civil War and Reconstruction. Discuss Campbell, An Empire for Slavery. Turn in book reviews of Campbell book. Review for midterm exam and get book assignments for Week 8.

Week 7 (Oct. 20): Agrarian Texas. Discuss Calvert, “Agrarian Texas” in TTT. Turn in book reviews assigned in Week 6.

Week 8 (Oct. 27): To Be Announced.

Week 9 (Nov. 3): Gilded-Age Politics and Society. Discuss Barr, Reconstruction to Reform. Turn in book reviews of Barr book. Get book assignments for next week.

Week 10 (Nov. 10): The Progressive Era. Discuss Hill, “Texas Progressivism,” in TTT. Turn in book reviews assigned last week.

Week 11 (Nov. 17): The Age of Ferguson. Discuss Oliens & Oliens, Oil in Texas. Turn in book reviews of Oliens book.

Week 12 (Nov. 24): Modern Texas Politics. Discuss Hendrickson, “Texas Politics Since the New Deal,” in TTT. Discuss Parts I, II, and III of Caro, The Path to Power. (No reviews due this week.)

Week 13 (Dec. 1): Economic Modernization. Discuss final parts of Caro, The Path to Power. Discuss Miller, “Sunbelt Texas,“ and Buenger, “Flight from Modernity,” in TTT. Turn in book reviews of Caro book. Review for final exam.

Week 14 (Dec. 8): Final Exam.