In an increasingly digital world in which pedagogical trends are de-emphasizing rote learning and professors are increasingly turning toward active-learning exercises, scholars are fleeing traditional textbooks. Yet for those that still yearn for the safe tether of a synthetic text, as either narrative backbone or occasional reference material, The American Yawp offers a free and online, collaboratively built, open American history textbook designed for college-level history courses. Unchecked by profit motives or business models, and free from for-profit educational organizations, The American Yawp is by scholars, for scholars. All contributors—experienced college-level instructors—volunteer their expertise to help democratize the American past for twenty-first century classrooms.
Table of Contents
1. The New World
2. Colliding Cultures
3. British North America
4. Colonial Society
5. The American Revolution
6. A New Nation
7. The Early Republic
8. The Market Revolution
9. Democracy in America
10. Religion and Reform
11. The Cotton Revolution
12. Manifest Destiny
13. The Sectional Crisis
14. The Civil War
15. Reconstruction

Online OER text created for U.S. History to 1865 by Dr. June Klees for Bay College.

© 2017 Bay College and Content Creators. Except where otherwise noted this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Online OER text created for U.S. History 1865 to Present by Dr. June Klees for Bay College.

© 2017 Bay College and Content Creators. Except where otherwise noted this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

The purpose of this course is to trace the twin paths of capitalism and democracy through American history. This course is premised on the idea that capitalism and democracy are intertwined, though they have often conflicted with one another. It provides students with a brief introduction to the history of capitalism and democracy in Europe and then to explore how they evolved in North America between 1600 and the present. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: define and identify the terms 'capitalism' and 'democracy' in a variety of different modern historical eras; identify and define the historical connections between capitalism and democracy and identify periods of tension between capitalism and democracy, explaining how they both strengthen and weaken one another; identify important events, personalities, and concepts related to American democracy and capitalism; identify and describe the emergence and development of both capitalism and democracy in the United States; identify and describe the different periods of American history as they relate to the concepts of capitalism and democracy. (History 312)

This course surveys the social science literature on civil war. Students will study the origins of civil war, discuss variables that affect the duration of civil war, and examine the termination of conflict. This course is highly interdisciplinary and covers a wide variety of cases.

This course concentrates on close analysis and criticism of a wide range of films, including works from the early silent period, documentary and avant-garde films, European art cinema, and contemporary Hollywood fare. Through comparative reading of films from different eras and countries, students develop the skills to turn their in-depth analyses into interpretations and explore theoretical issues related to spectatorship. Syllabus varies from term to term, but usually includes such directors as Coppola, Eisentein, Fellini, Godard, Griffith, Hawks, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Kurosawa, Tarantino, Welles, Wiseman, and Zhang.

This course introduces incoming students in the Master in City Planning (MCP) program to the theory and history of planning in the public interest. It relies primarily on challenging real-world cases to highlight persistent dilemmas, the power and limits of planning, the multiple roles in which planners find themselves in communities around the globe, and the political, ethical, and practical dilemmas that planners face as they try to be effective. As such, the course provides an introduction to the major ideas and debates that define what the field labels ‰ŰĎplanning theory,‰Ű as well as a (necessarily) condensed global history of modern planning. Courses in planning history, politics, and ethics--often several of them--are required in all accredited graduate programs in planning in the U.S. Gateway: Planning Action combines those contents, with a stronger focus on real-world cases than more conventional lecture-based planning theory and history courses at other schools. It also adds several opportunities to strengthen hands-on professional competencies, especially in communication.

This subject explores the legal history of the United States as a gendered system. It examines how women have shaped the meanings of American citizenship through pursuit of political rights such as suffrage, jury duty, and military service, how those political struggles have varied for across race, religion, and class, as well as how the legal system has shaped gender relations for both women and men through regulation of such issues as marriage, divorce, work, reproduction, and the family. The course readings will draw from primary and secondary materials in American history, as well as some court cases. However, the focus of the class is on the broader relationship between law and society, and no technical legal knowledge is required or assumed.

This textbook examines U.S. History from before European Contact through Reconstruction, while focusing on the people and their history. Prior to its publication, History in the Making underwent a rigorous double blind peer review, a process that involved over thirty scholars who reviewed the materially carefully, objectively, and candidly in order to ensure not only its scholarly integrity but also its high standard of quality. This book provides a strong emphasis on critical thinking about US History by providing several key features in each chapter. Learning Objectives at the beginning of each chapter help students to understand what they will learn in each chapter. Before You Move On sections at the end of each main section are designed to encourage students to reflect on important concepts and test their knowledge as they read. In addition, each chapter includes Critical Thinking Exercises that ask the student to deeply explore chapter content, Key Terms, and a Chronology of events.

This course examines the history of MIT through the lens of the broader history of science and technology, and vice versa. The course covers the founding of MIT in 1861 and goes through the present, including such topics as William Barton Rogers, educational philosophy, biographies of MIT students and professors, intellectual and organizational development, the role of science, changing laboratories and practices, and MIT's relationship with Boston, the federal government, and industry. Assignments include short papers, presentations, and final paper. A number of classes are concurrent with the MIT150 Symposia.

This course provides an overview of Asian American history and its relevance for contemporary issues. It covers the first wave of Asian immigration in the 19th century, the rise of anti-Asian movements, the experiences of Asian Americans during WWII, the emergence of the Asian American movement in the 1960s, and the new wave of post–1965 Asian immigration. The class examines the role these experiences played in the formation of Asian American ethnicity. The course addresses key societal issues such as racial stereotyping, media racism, affirmative action, the glass ceiling, the "model minority" syndrome, and anti-Asian harassment or violence. The course is taught in English.

Surveys the major political, socio-economic, and cultural changes in the Middle East from the rise of Islam to present times (A.D. 600-2002), with special emphasis on Islam's encounter with the West. Examines the rise and fall of Islamic empires; the place of Arabs, Persian and Turkic peoples, as well as minorities in Islamic society; scientific and technological achievements and their transmission to the West; and the impact of European expansion after 1800. Considers contemporary crises and upheavals facing the Middle East in light of the historical past. This course aims to provide students with a general overview of basic themes and issues in Middle Eastern history from the rise of Islam to the present, with an emphasis on the encounters and exchanges between the "Middle East" (Southwest Asia and North Africa) and the "West" (Europe and the United States).

Hitherto it had gone by the original Indian name Manna-hatta, or as some still have it, 'The Manhattoes'; but this was now decried as savage and heathenish... At length, when the council was almost in despair, a burgher, remarkable for the size and squareness of his head, proposed that they should call it New-Amsterdam. The proposition took every body by surprise; it was so striking, so apposite, so ingenious. The name was adopted by acclamation, and New-Amsterdam the metropolis was thenceforth called. --Washington Irving, 1808 In less tongue-in-cheek style, this course examines the evolution of New York City from 1607 to the present. The readings focus on the city's social and physical histories, and the class discussions compare New York's development to patterns in other cities.

Have you purchased gasoline and wondered at the price changes? Or worn your polyester jacket and wondered how it kept you warm, or been thankful your phone didn't break when you dropped it? These are just some benefits the petroleum industry brings to our world. Other aspects to the global world market involve natural disasters, wars, rumors of wars, national security, and consumer demand. Learn about oil production and how nations respond as EGEE 120 gives you a foundation of how industry interacts with you, governments, transportation, politics, and the world. You will become a more informed citizen, able to support your opinion about oil and the environment. As John McCain said, \Whoever controls oil controls much more than oil.\"

This “open textbook” is a social and cultural history of the people of Oregon representing powerful figures from the dominant Euro-American culture, the marginalized and oppressed, and social and political reformers who shaped the historical legacy of the state. It is a story of the diverse array of immigrants who helped build the state and strengthen it. The title is a recollection of the racial fantasies that European-American settlers created in their expansionist vision of the West and the state of Oregon. Initially the Oregon Territory was built on intolerance and racial exclusivity, but eventually Oregon embraces its diversity, but not without struggle and heartache. Our journey through the past starts with an essential question, “Who are the people of Oregon?”

Table of Contents
1. Origins: Indigenous Inhabitants and Landscapes
2. Curiosity, Commerce, Conquest, and Competition: Fur Trade Empires and Discovery
3. Oregon Fever and Western Expansion: Manifest Destiny in the Garden of Eden
4. Native Americans in the Land of Eden: An Elegy of Early Statehood
5. Statehood: Constitutional Exclusions and the Civil War
6. Oregon at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
7. The Dawn of the Civil Rights Movement and the World Wars in Oregon
8. Cold War and Counterculture
9. End of the Twentieth Century and Beyond

This “open textbook” is a social and cultural history of the people of Oregon representing powerful figures from the dominant Euro-American culture, the marginalized and oppressed, and social and political reformers who shaped the historical legacy of the state. It is a story of the diverse array of immigrants who helped build the state and strengthen it. The title is a recollection of the racial fantasies that European-American settlers created in their expansionist vision of the West and the state of Oregon. Initially the Oregon Territory was built on intolerance and racial exclusivity, but eventually Oregon embraces its diversity, but not without struggle and heartache. Our journey through the past starts with an essential question, “Who are the people of Oregon?”

This course teaches critical learning abilities that are skills and attitudes to be taught across the curriculum: communication, problem solving or critical thinking, responsibility, and global awareness or diversity/appreciation. To these, we add information/technology literacy, and lifelong learning. By the end of the course students will be able to: Identify the major political, economic, and social developments in Pacific Northwest history and especially in the state of Washington; Integrate the perspectives of different peoples to interpret Pacific Northwest history; Describe the Pacific Northwestęs role in the context of American and world history; Apply your knowledge of Pacific Northwest history to your life by conducting an oral history and by researching and writing about issues in the region today; and Define current environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest and analyze their historical context.

The history of music is closely linked to the history of copyright law. This book explores how the law shaped music and the music industry. From church and court patronage in pre-19th Century Europe, to the effects of social media on music, this book explores the abiding influence of the law on music.

Examines the history of the United States as a "nation of immigrants" within a broader global context. Considers migration from the mid-19th century to the present through case studies of such places as New York's Lower East Side, South Texas, Florida, and San Francisco's Chinatown. Examines the role of memory, media, and popular culture in shaping ideas about migration. Includes optional field trip to New York City.

The study of public policy offers every citizen an understanding of the various roles played by the different branches of the U.S. federal government as well as by state, county, and local governments in various areas of contemporary American life. It focuses on the priorities of American society as portrayed in the public policy choices that representatives make and the size of different interest groups that advocate on behalf of particular policy goals. This course will introduce this various actors involved in the making of American public policy, explore public policy formulation by examining a variety of case studies, and examine the implementation of public policies, the allocation of funding to pay for these projects, and the evaluation of these projects to determine their effectiveness. The rest of the course will examine specific case studies and areas of public policy. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate a working knowledge of various key concepts in the process of American public policymaking and the major steps from start to finish in the public policy process; identify vital issues and specific areas of concern for contemporary American policymakers within the broad fields of economic, national security, public health, environmental, education, rural, and social policy; identify key actors and agencies involved in the making of public policy within the United States and their respective roles in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of policy; demonstrate skills in the analysis of the various political, social, economic, military, legal, and ethical goals and cultural values that form the basis of policymaking decisions; identify key debates in contemporary American public policy as well as the issues at stake and the arguments advanced by each side of the debate; demonstrate an understanding of various decision frameworks used by policymakers in creating, developing, and executing various public policies; demonstrate an understanding of the context, evolution, and linkages of specific policies and between certain polices within the broader context of American political history. (Political Science 431)