History 5110.001
Studies in the Texas Revolutionary Era
Fall 2002
Professor: Dr. Gregg Cantrell
Office: 233 Wooten Hall
Phone: 565-3340 (office)
-E-mail address: cantrell@unt.edu
Office Hours: Tues-Thurs, 1:00-3:00, 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 will also always try to be in my office at least 30 minutes ahead of the start of my evening classes.
Course Objectives: To read broadly in the field of Texas History, 1821-1848 and become familiar with the scholarly literature and major historiographical issues in the field; to develop critical thinking and writing skills.
Course Format and Grading: This is primarily a reading class, supplemented by some lecturing from the professor. The goal is to expose you to as much of the literature on the Texas revolutionary era (broadly construed) as possible and to provide you with a command of the historiography of the period. Each week you will have one or more assigned readings; most weeks the entire class will read the same selections, some weeks each student will be assigned something individually. All readings will be discussed in class. For each of the ten assigned books, you will be required to write a book review of not less than three pages and not more than four pages (instructions will be provided). The reviews constitute 50% of your semester grade. I will not accept late reviews unless you have secured prior permission from me to turn them in late. Each week you are required to xerox enough copies of your review to distribute to all of your classmates. You will also have a mid-term and a final exam; these each count 20% of your semester grade. Participation in class discussion (which includes attendance and a five-minute presentation of your book on weeks when we had individualized reading assignments) counts 10% of your semester grade; it will be used as the decisive factor in borderline cases.
Required Readings:
Tijerina, Tejanos and Texas Under the Mexican Flag
Cantrell, Stephen F. Austin, Empresario of Texas
Lack, The Texas Revolutionary Experience
Hardin, Texian Iliad
Haynes, Soldiers of Misfortune
Winders Crisis in the Southwest
Campbell, An Empire for Slavery
Plus: other individualized readings as assigned by the professor.
It is YOUR responsibility to obtain the above books in time to have them read by the due-date.
I will work with you to obtain the other assigned books if they are not in the UNT library.
Tentative Schedule of Topics and Assignments:
Week 1 (August 27): Course introduction. Discuss “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” and “In the Long Shadow of Eugene C. Barker” (provided by professor).
Week 2 (Sept. 3): Texas at the dawn of Mexican independence. Discuss Tijerina book. Turn in reviews of Tijerina.
Week 3 (Sept. 10): Mexican Texas. Discuss assigned books, and turn in reviews.
Week 4 (Sept. 17): Mexican Texas. Discuss Cantrell book. Turn in reviews of Cantrell.
Week 5 (Sept. 24): The coming of the Revolution. Discuss Lack book. Turn in reviews of Lack.
Week 6 (Oct. 1): Mid-term exam.
Week 7 (Oct. 8): The Revolution. Discuss Hardin book. Turn in reviews of Hardin.
Week 8 (Oct. 15): The Revolution. Discuss assigned articles (no review this week).
Week 9 (Oct. 22): The Revolution. Discuss assigned books, and turn in reviews.
Week 10 (Oct. 29): The Republic. Discuss Haynes book. Turn in review of Haynes.
Week 11 (Nov. 5): The Republic. Discuss assigned books, and turn in reviews.
Week 12 (Nov. 12): Annexation, statehood, and the Mexican War. Discuss Winders book. Turn in reviews of Winders.
Week 13 (Nov. 19): Race, class, and gender in the Texas Revolutionary Era. Discuss Campbell book. Turn in reviews of Campbell.
Week 14 (Dec. 3): Course conclusion, catch-up, and review.
December 10: Final Exam, 6:30-9:20
Special Accommodation Request Procedure:
Any person with special circumstances covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Office of Disability Accommodation, Suite 318A, University Union Building, and also inform the instructor. Reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate the special needs of students with disabilities where such adjustments are necessary to provide equality of educational access. Professor Harland Hagler is the History Department’s liaison to the Office of Disability Accommodation and can provide further information and/or assistance.