HIST 2650 - CL History of American Democracy
Summer 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 31011,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Daniel Ayana
Email: dayana@ysu.edu
Course Description
Catalog Description
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.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required |
Students are required to read and demonstrate mastery over all of the following:
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Constitution of the United States
- Five of the Federalist Papers (No. 10, 39, 42, 51, 78)
- Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations
- The Emancipation Proclamation
- The Gettysburg Address
- Letter from Birmingham Jail
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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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/29 | Withrop, "A Model of Christian Charity" (1630) Maryland's "Act of Toleration" (1649) from Statues of Virginia (1666-1692) From Haudenosaunee"Great Law of Peace" The Declaration of Independence (1776) |
Origins of the United States | Comparative Source Assignment Primary Source Analysis due: July 5, 2026 11:59 pm |
| 7/6 | Articles of Confederation (1777) Northwest Ordinance (1787) Constitution of the United States The Federalist Papers 1787-1788 No. 10 (faction/partisanship, No. 39 republicanism; No. 42 Powers of Congress/States; No. 51 federalism/checks and balances. No. 78 Independent Judiciary |
Revolutionary Governments; beginnings of American Democracy | Comparative Source Assignment, Primary soruce Analysis due July 12, 2026. 11:59 pm |
| 7/13 | A.Smith, The wealth of Nations (1776) Owen "Discourses" 1825'; from de Tocqueville, Democracy in America; Declarations of Rights and Sentiments (1848); Dred v. Scott (1857) | Economic Transformations | Comparative Source Assignment, Primary soruce analysis due July 19, 2026 11:59pm |
| 7/20 | Stephens, "Cornerstone Speech" 1861; Lincoln, The Emanicipation Proclamation (1863) The Reconstruction Amendments (1865-1870) Chief Joseph,"An Indian View on Indian Affaris" (1879) | Union and Liberty in Crisis | Comparative Source Analsys Primary source Analysis due July 26, 2026 11: 59 pm |
| 7/27 | From Rills, "How the other Half Lives (1890) from Turner, "The Sig of the Frontier" (1839), DuBois. "Returning Soldiers" (1919), Roosevelt, "The Four Freedoms (1941), Nixon, "The Kitchen Debate (1959) audio | Democracy at Home and Abroad | Primary Source Analysis, due August 2, 2026, 11:59 pm |
| 8/3 | Hernandex v. Texas (1954), The Port Huron Statement (1962), King, Letter from Birmingham Jail" 1963. from Friedan, "The Feminine Mystique (1963) | Pursuit of American Promise | Comparative Source Assignment, Primary source Analysism, August 9, 2026, 11: 59 pm |
| 8/10 | Schafly, "What is wrong with Equal Rights" for Women (1972), Carter, "Crisis of Confidence (1979) audio/visual, Reagan, First Inaugural Address (1981) audio/visual, Buchannan "Address to the RNC" 1992, Bush, State of the Union (2002) audio/visual Final Exam |
Modern America |
Primary soruce Analysis, due 8/14/2026, 11:59 pm 8/15/2026 |
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.