Spring 2005 TR 2:00-3:15 Room I-110

Prof. Len Travers

Office Hours: TR 9:00-10:50, M 1:00-1:50, or by appointment.

A glance at a travel brochure for this region will confirm that the ocean still has a good deal to do with what New England is all about: New Bedford Whaling, Mystic Seaport, Old Ironsides, Gloucester fishermen, Cape Cod and The Islands (only an outsider has to ask which islands), etc. What Americans generally think of as "maritime New England" has more to do with myth and marketing than gritty fact. In this course, we will explore some of the reasons for New England’s salty reputation, concentrating on the "Age of Sail" (which lasted longer than you may think). Recent historical literature has probed beyond the glamour that seems to cling to maritime studies, particularly with regard to the experiences of the men and women involved.

This course will employ readings, lectures, class discussion, and some light research. Readings will provide chronological framework, and spotlight critical social, economic, political, and military topics. Lectures will supplement the readings. Frequent class discussion will critique the readings and clarify issues.

Required Readings – Articles available online through our library: otherwise at Reserve/Circulation, Library):

Required Readings – Articles available at Reserve/Circulation, Library:

Attendance Policy:

I hope that students will make every effort to attend all class meetings. Since I expect to spend a good deal of time in class discussing the readings (some of which are challenging), and can guarantee that lecture material will show up in the Quizzes, I am confident that the wise student will recognize the advantages of regular attendance. For the rest, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Quizzes: You will take 4 Quizzes on the dates indicated (one is a "Final Exam," worth an extra 5 points). These will be based upon in-class lectures, and material from your readings. Quizzes may consist of multiple-choice questions, term & map identifications, and responses to specific questions. Make-up Quizzes are allowed (grudgingly) by the following Tuesday, but lose 1 point automatically. You will note that the points schedule above adds up to 10 "extra" points, so do not anticipate any "extra-credit" opportunities.

Précis: You will write a total of three 1-page précis of designated articles before the semester break. A précis is a succinct summary of an author’s thesis (argument), method, main points, and important supporting points. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that you have read, considered, and understood the material; it is not an analysis or opinion thereof (save these for class discussion); i.e. it is not a review. Note that I take "1 page" to mean ca. 225 words, double that for "2-page," and so on. All précis are due in class on the date indicated, and since we will discuss the subject articles at that time, late papers will not be accepted. I will score précis from 1 (inadequate) to 5 (perceptive & well-written), and 0 for no submission/late. For each précis I will dock a point for seriously short length and a point for poor writing, so take care with these.

All of you will write précis for the first (Gragg) article; thereafter you may choose any two from among the next four articles marked [Précis option].

Short Essays: You have two short (2-3 page) essays to write. All of you will write the first one (due 3/3); you may choose between the two remaining, marked Essay option, due 3/29 and 5/5. The topics are described in the schedule, below.

Review Report (due April 7): For the Creighton book Rites and Passages, you are to locate a substantial review in a scholarly journal (Journal of American History; William & Mary Quarterly; Reviews in American History; New England Quarterly; etc.), preferably one to which our library subscribes. Ask anyone in the Reference Department how to find a review article; it’s easy. Based on the reviews you get, write a 2-page "review of the review," citing the reviewers’ praises and/or objections, and adding your own assessment & opinions. Note that this is a sort of combination précis and review; you are encouraged to give your point of view for this one. Be sure to cite the review authors’ names, and the journals in which they appeared, early in your text. Staple a copy of the reviews you used to the back of your report.

New Bedford Directory Project (due April 21): Your assignment is to create an occupational "snapshot" of New Bedford’s black population in 1838. Using the data from the 1838 New Bedford directory (on library E-Reserve), provide 1) a breakdown of all pertinent entries by occupation; 2) then tabulate the number of all these who apparently dwelt in houses, and those who "boarded." Fit this data into two tables on one page.

Week 4 [Feb. 15 & 17]: Pirates and Privateers (shiver me!).