HIST 370
THE OLD SOUTH
History 370. The Old South. (A)
Three hours lecture (3).
Prerequisite: 3 hours of History at the 1OO-level.
Analysis of pre-Civil War development of Southern culture and civilization; attention to political, economic, social, and intellectual factors.
I. The Southerners--Their Colonial Origins
II. The Evolution of the Plantation
III. The Piedmont Society
IV. The Rise of a Native Aristocracy
V. The Embellishment of Life
VI. The Movement for Independence from the British Empire
VII. Through the Cumberland Gap
VIII. Ascendancy of the Southern Federalists
IX. The Great Generation
X. The Creoles Become Southerners
XI. The War Hawks and Expansion
XII. The Maturity of the Plantation
XIII. Slave Labor--Was It Profitable?
XIV. The Nature of the Southern Slave System and of the Slave
XV. The Middle Class and the Disadvantaged
XVI. The Hero of the Common Man
XVII. The Two-Party System of the Old South
XVIII. Calhoun and States' Rights
XIX. Exuberant Imperialism--A Southerner's War
XX. Changing Attitudes Toward Slavery
XXI. The Southern Way of Life
XXII. Towards a More Diversified Economy
XXIII. Molding the Southern Mind
XXIV. The Growing Alienation
XXV. Establishing a Southern Republic
The class meets three hours a week with all students being required to use a basic textbook. The large size of the class (usually over thirty-five) requires a teaching methodology that reaches a wide variety of students. Teaching methods involve a mixture of lectures, class discussion, and visual aids (slides, films, maps).
A student in History 481 should improve skills and understanding of Southern history from the beginning of the colonial period in 16O7 up to the establishment of a Southern Republic in 1861. Students should be able to comprehend and appreciate the following:
1). The colonial origins of the South including Negro slavery; topography of the land; the evolution of the Plantation system with its ideals of social stability, aristocratic distinctions, and rural worth.
2). Colonial Georgian architecture ("Shirley" and Westover"), education (William & Mary) religion (Anglican church, George Whitefield and Samuel Davies), literature (William Byrd II, Robert Beverley), and colonial politicians (Jefferson and Patrick Henry).
3). "Mercantilism" and its effect upon Southern agricultural trade.
4). The causes and results of the American Revolutionary War in the South, the military strategies, battles (Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, Yorktown), and leaders (Cornwallis, Greene, and Washington).
5). The Federal Constitution and early republic, ascendancy of the Southern Federalists (Washington, the Pinckney brothers, and John Marshall).
6). The era of Jefferson (Louisiana Purchase), Madison, and Monroe.
7). The causes and results of the "War of 1812" in the South, the military strategies, battles and leaders (General Andrew Jackson at New Orleans).
8). The "Missouri Compromise," President Jackson and "Westward Expansion," the "Trail of Tears."
9). John C. Calhoun and "States' Rights," "the Nullification Crisis," and slavery as a "positive good."
10). The causes and results of the "Mexican War," Southern heroes (President Polk and "Manifest Destiny," Generals Taylor and Scott).
11). Political and social traits that made the region between the Potomac and the Rio Grande a cultural province conscious of its identity.
12). Greek Revival architecture (Natchez, Mississippi), education, literature, transportation, manufacturing (William Gregg), religion, and military schools (V.M.I.) in the ante-bellum South.
13). Sectional controversies, the growth of Southern nationalism, the "Road to Secession," and the establishment of a Southern Republic (Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens).
Assessment measures include attendance, oral reports, participation in class discussions, book reviews, and testing that includes both objective and essay exams. All tests are structured to emphasize understanding of ideas, concepts, and cause and effect.
None.
Date Action Reviewed by
January 2005 Reviewed and Approved by Charles McClellan