HIST 2650 - CL History of American Democracy
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section A01, CRN 44330,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Kyle Starkey
Email: ktstarkey@ysu.edu
Course Description
2650. CL History of American Democracy. A one semester survey of the American past focusing on history and civic literacy. The emphasis will be on important developments in American political, economic, and social history; particularly on the emergence and evolution of the concepts of democracy and the American economic system. No prerequisite. Meets state "Civic Literacy" requirements. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Winthrop, “A Model of Christian Charity” (1630) | ||
| Required | Maryland’s “Act of Religious Toleration” (1649) | ||
| Required | from Statues of Virginia (1667-1682) | ||
| Required | from Haudenosaunee “Great Law of Peace” (c. 1750) | ||
| Required | The Declaration of Independence (1776) | ||
| Required | Articles of Confederation (1777) | ||
| Required | Northwest Ordinance (1787) | ||
| Required | Constitution of the United States | ||
| Required | The Federalist Papers (1787-1788) | ||
| Required | Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776) | ||
| Required | Owen, “Discourses” (1825) | ||
| Required | from De Tocqueville, Democracy in America (1835) | ||
| Required | “Declaration of Rights & Sentiments” (1848) | ||
| Required | Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) | ||
| Required | Stephens, “Cornerstone Speech” (1861) | ||
| Required | Lincoln, The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) | ||
| Required | Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address (1863) | ||
| Required | The Reconstruction Amendments (1865-1870) | ||
| Required | Chief Joseph, “An Indian’s View on Indian Affairs” (1879) | ||
| Required | from Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890) [images] | ||
| Required | from Turner, “The Sig. of the Frontier” (1893) | ||
| Required | DuBois, “Returning Soldiers” (1919) | ||
| Required | Roosevelt, “The Four Freedoms” (1941) [audio] | ||
| Required | Nixon, “The Kitchen Debate” (1959) [audio/visual] | ||
| Required | Hernandez v. Texas (1954) | ||
| Required | The Port Huron Statement (1962) | ||
| Required | King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (1963) | ||
| Required | from Friedan, The Feminine Mystique (1963) | ||
| Required | selections of protest music [audio] | ||
| Required | Schlafly, “What’s Wrong with ‘Equal Rights’ for Women” (1972) | ||
| Required | Carter, “Crisis of Confidence” (1979) [audio/visual] | ||
| Required | Reagan, First Inaugural Address (1981) [audio/visual] | ||
| Required | Buchanan, “Address to the RNC” (1992) [audio/visual] | ||
| Required | Bush, State of the Union (2002) [audio/visual] | ||
| Required | OpenStax - U.S. History (Open Resource Textbook) |
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Course Schedule
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/19 | Winthrop, “A Model of Christian Charity” (1630) Maryland’s “Act of Religious Toleration” (1649) from Statues of Virginia (1667-1682) from Haudenosaunee “Great Law of Peace” (c. 1750) The Declaration of Independence (1776) OpenStax - Chapters 1,4-6 |
Module 1: Origins of the United States | Feedback Fruits #1 - Declaration of Independence Comparative Source Analysis #1 Primary Source Analysis #1 |
| 10/26 | Articles of Confederation (1777) Northwest Ordinance (1787) Constitution of the United States The Federalist Papers (1787-1788) OpenStax - Chapters 6-8 |
Module 2: Revolutionary Governments | Comparative Source Analysis #2a Comparative Source Analysis #2b Primary Source Analysis #2a Primary Source Analysis #2b |
| 11/2 | Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776) Owen, “Discourses” (1825) from De Tocqueville, Democracy in America (1835) “Declaration of Rights & Sentiments” (1848) Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) OpenStax - Chapters 9-13 |
Module 3: Economic Transformations | Feedback Fruits #2 - Declaration of Sentiments & Resolutions vs. Dred Scott v. Sandford Comparative Source Analysis #3 Primary Source Analysis #3 |
| 11/9 | Stephens, “Cornerstone Speech” (1861) Lincoln, The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address (1863) The Reconstruction Amendments (1865-1870) Chief Joseph, “An Indian’s View on Indian Affairs” (1879) OpenStax - Chapters 14-18 |
Module 4: Union and Liberty in Crisis | Feedback Fruits #3 - Gettysburg Address & Emancipation Proclamation Comparative Source Analysis #4 Primary Source Analysis 4a Primary Source Analysis #4b |
| 11/16 | from Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890) [images] from Turner, “The Sig. of the Frontier” (1893) DuBois, “Returning Soldiers” (1919) Roosevelt, “The Four Freedoms” (1941) [audio] Nixon, “The Kitchen Debate” (1959) [audio/visual] OpenStax - Chapters 22,25-28 |
Module 5: Democracy at Home and Abroad | Feedback Fruits #4 Comparative Source Analysis #5 Primary Source Analysis #5 Final Exam (1st attempt) |
| 11/23 | Hernandez v. Texas (1954) The Port Huron Statement (1962) King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (1963) from Friedan, The Feminine Mystique (1963) selections of protest music [audio] OpenStax - Chapters 28 & 29 |
Module 6: Pursuit of the American Promise | Comparative Source Analysis #6 Primary Source Analysis #6 |
| 11/30 | Schlafly, “What’s Wrong with ‘Equal Rights’ for Women” (1972) Carter, “Crisis of Confidence” (1979) [audio/visual] Reagan, First Inaugural Address (1981) [audio/visual] Buchanan, “Address to the RNC” (1992) [audio/visual] Bush, State of the Union (2002) [audio/visual] OpenStax - Chapters 30-32 |
Module 7: Modern America | Comparative Source Analysis #7 Primary Source Analysis #7 Final Exam (2nd attempt) |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.