History 1302 Is a Survey of American History from 1877 to Present

HIST 1302: 1877 to the Present Houston Community College, SECHS Campus Spring 2019

Instructor: K. Chandler Section: HIST 1302 -8023 (20852) Class Time: T/Th Office Hours: text, call, or email 11am-12:20 pm E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 281-753-8087 (work cell)

REQUIRED READINGS 1. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: America: A Narrative History by George Brown Tindall & David Emory Shi (Brief 10th edition)

2. ARTICLES: http://www.pearsoncustom.com/tx/hcc_hist1302 by Pearson (on Canvas)

3. MONOGRAPH: Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris (on Canvas)

Students who take a course more than twice face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public universities. If you are considering withdrawing from a course because you are not passing (or for any other reason), confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available.

COURSE PREREQUISITE: Must have passed ENGL 1301 (Composition I) or be co-enrolled in ENGL 1301

COURSE DESCRIPTION History 1302 is a survey of American History from 1877 to Present. A survey course touches lightly on a variety of topics but does not provide a deep and thorough discussion of any topic. The course is based on lectures, readings, films, computer generated assignments and discussions. This course transfers as 3 hours of credit to most other colleges and universities.

Upon completion of this course, you should have an informed understanding of United States history as it relates to other nations. In addition, this course is designed to further basic skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening and computing); your critical thinking skills and acquiring, evaluating and processing data. It is important that you actively participate and become an ACTIVE LEARNER.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES (PLO);  Students will be able to create an argument through the use of historical evidence  Students will be able to analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources  Students will be able to analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural and global forces on this period of history  Students will be able to explain the importance of chronology and how earlier ideas and events shaped later events

1 COURSE (STUDENT) LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO):  Explain the features of the Gilded Age and the issues on society, culture, and politics  Summarize Industrialism and Urbanization  Analyze the New South and Jim Crow  Explain Populism and Progressivism  Identify the causes and effects of WWI and the US  Discuss America between the wars  Identify the causes of WW2 and the Cold War  Discuss Post-war America at home  Discuss Post-modern America

Grading Policy Your final course grade will be calculated according to the following formula: HCC Grading Museum Discussion 10% Article Presentation 10% Book Critique 25% Midterm Exam 15% Historical Film Paper 25% Final Examination 15% Total 100%

All of these assignments will help meet ALL six of the basic competencies required by the core curriculum which are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, critical thinking, and computer literacy. Points will be deducted for grammatical errors, punctuation errors, and/or failure to follow the format of that particular written assignment. Please proofread all writing assignments.

EXAMINATIONS Examinations will consist of multiple-choice questions and an essay from the lectures, readings, books, and films. THEREFORE, IT IS NECESSARY FOR YOU TO READ YOUR ASSIGNMENTS AND TO ATTEND CLASS REGULARLY. All work will be scored 0-100. The final percentage value resulting from the sum of the above components will be converted into letter grades according to the following scale: HCC  A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F= 59 and below.

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: cheating on tests, plagiarism, and collusion. Any student(s) guilty of scholastic dishonesty will be given an automatic zero for that assignment. No extra credit will be given to make-up for that zero grade.

ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY It is important that you come to class. I will take attendance at the beginning of class. It is not to your advantage to be tardy. However, it is to your advantage to show up early. If your tardiness or absence persists that does not mean you are automatically dropped from the class.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) Houston Community College is committed to cultivating an environment free from inappropriate conduct of a sexual or gender-based nature including sex discrimination, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Sex discrimination includes all forms of sexual and 2 gender-based misconduct and violates an individual’s fundamental rights and personal dignity. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex-including pregnancy and parental status-in educational programs and activities. If you require an accommodation due to pregnancy please contact an Abilities Services Counselor. The Director of EEO/Compliance is designated as the Title IX Coordinator and Section 504 Coordinator. All inquiries concerning HCC policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504), and complaints may be directed to: Jette (Yetta) E. Lott or Senta Eastern at 713-718-6164 (LHSB 106, Central Campus)

HCC strives to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience academic barriers based on your disability (including mental health, chronic or temporary medical conditions), please meet with a campus Abilities Counselor as soon as possible in order to establish reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and Ability Services. It is the policy and practice of HCC to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law. For more information, please go to http://www.hccs.edu/district/students/disability-services/

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your student Visa. Once a W is given for the course, it will not be changed to an F because of the visa consideration. Since January 1, 2003, International Students are restricted in the number of distance education courses that they may take during each semester. ONLY ONE online/distance education class may be counted towards the enrollment requirement for International Students per semester. Please contact the International Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have any questions about your visa status and other transfer issues.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT HCC shall provide an educational, employment, and business environment free of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is not tolerated by HCC. Any student who feels that he or she is the victim of sexual harassment has the right to seek redress of the grievance. HCC provides procedures for reviewing and resolving such complaints through its Grievance Policy.

Substantiated accusations may result in disciplinary action against the offender, up to and including termination of the employee or suspension of the student. In addition, complainants who make accusations of sexual harassment in bad faith may be subject to equivalent disciplinary action. For other students policies please follow the following link. http://www.hccs.edu/hcc/System%20Home/Departments/Student_Handbook/student_polic ies.pdf

Student Course Reinstatement Policy Students have a responsibility to arrange payment for their classes when they register, either through cash, credit card, financial aid, or the installment plan. Faculty members have a responsibility to check their class rolls regularly, especially during the early weeks of a term, and reconcile the official class roll to ensure that no one is attending class whose name does not appear on it. Students who are dropped from their courses for nonpayment of tuition and fees who request reinstatement after the official date of record payment of tuition and fees who request reinstatement after the official date of record (OE Date) can be reinstated by making payment in full and paying an additional $75 per course reinstatement fee.

3 A student requesting reinstatement should present the registrar with a completed Enrollment Authorization Form with the signature of the instructor, department chair, or dean who should verify that the student has been regularly attending class. Students who are reinstated are responsible for all course policies and procedures, including attendance requirements. A dean may waive the reinstatement fee upon determination that the student was dropped because of a college error. The dean should note the nature of the error in a memo to the registrar with appropriate documentation.

Campus Carry “At HCC the safety of our students, staff, and faculty is our first priority. As of August 1, 2017, Houston Community College is subject to the Campus Carry Law (SB11 2015). For more information, visit the HCC Campus Carry web page at http://www.hccs.edu/district/departments/police/campus-carry/.”

EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.

Changes in the Syllabus— This syllabus is meant as a guide and is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. If there are any changes made, the student will be notified in a timely manner.

January 2019

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 01/14 01/15 01/16 01/17 01/18

01/21 01/22 01/23 01/24 01/25 Review The Gilded Age: 1880s MLK Holiday Syllabus & 1890s, Textbook: Ch. 17 and 19, Articles: “The Great Railroad Strike, Dawes Act, and Farmers Describe the Crisis” 01/28 01/29 01/30 01/31 02/01 The US Imperialism: Progressive Frontier Wars, Spanish- Era, Textbook: American War, and Ch. 21, Articles: World War I (1896- “The Horrors of 1910s) Textbook: Ch.20 Lynching,” “The and 22 and Articles: “Big Jungle,” “Dawes Stick Abroad Fourteen Act,” and Points, and Zimmerman “Equal Rights Telegram Amendment”

4 February 2019

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 02/04 02/05 02/06 02/07 02/08 Isolation, Red Scare, The Great and the Jazz Age Depression in the US (1920s) and Around the Textbook: Ch. 23-24 World (1930s) and Article: Bonus Textbook: Ch. 25 and Army Invades Article: Every Man a Washington and King and Pres. Remaking Leisure in Hoover’s Letter Middletown Museum Visit Discussion Due

02/11 02/12 02/13 02/14 02/15 The Great World War II Depression in the US (Abroad and At and Around the Home) (1939-1945) World (1930s) Textbook: Ch. 26 and Textbook: Ch. 25 and Article: “Zoot Suit Article: Every Man a Riot and “FDR King and Pres. Infamy Speech” Hoover’s Letter 02/18 02/19 02/20 02/21 02/22 President’s Day World War II Cold War and Holiday (Abroad and At McCarthyism (2nd Home) (1939-1945) Red Scare): 1950s Textbook: Ch. 26 and Textbook: Ch. 28 Article: “Zoot Suit (1264-65, 1291-1305) Riot and “FDR Article: “Enemies Infamy Speech Within Speech”

Film Paper Due 02/25 02/26 02/27 02/28 03/01 Cold War and Review for Midterm McCarthyism (2nd Red Scare): 1950s Textbook: Ch. 28 (1264-65, 1291-1305) Article: “Enemies Within Speech”

5 March 2019

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 03/04 03/05 03/06 03/07 03/08 Midterm Exam Civil Rights (1947- 1959) Textbook: Ch.28 (1269- 1275, 1281-1291), Ch. 29. Pg. 1316 Articles: “Southern Manifesto,” “President Eisenhower Telegram speeches about Little Rock,” and “LBJ Letter to John Herrera” 03/11 03/12 03/13 03/14 03/15

Spring Break Holiday

03/18 03/19 03/20 03/21 03/22 Civil Rights (1947- Civil Rights (1960- 1959) 1965) Textbook: Ch.28 (1269- Textbook: Ch. 29 1275, 1281-1291), Ch. (1324-top 1336) 29. Pg. 1316 Articles: “Murder of Articles: “Southern Medgar Evers,” “Letter Manifesto,” “President from a Birmingham Eisenhower Telegram Jail,” “Testimony of speeches about Little Fannie Lou Hamer,” Rock,” and “LBJ Letter “Coming of Age in to John Herrera” Mississippi,” and “SNCC Position Paper” 03/25 03/26 03/27 03/28 03/29 Civil Rights (1960- Civil Rights (1965- 1965) 1969) Textbook: Ch. 29 Textbook: Ch. 29 (1324-top 1336) (1336-top 1339, 1341- Articles: “Murder of 1342, 1347-1348, Medgar Evers,” “Letter from a Birmingham 1356-1357) Articles: Jail,” “Testimony of “Murder of Malcolm Fannie Lou Hamer,” X,” “The Watts Riot,” “Coming of Age in “The Detroit Riot,” Mississippi,” and “SNCC Position Paper”

6 April 2019

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 04/01 04/02 04/03 04/04 04/05 Civil Rights (1965-1969) Chicano Rights, Gay Rights, and Textbook: Ch. 29 (1336- Women’s Rights (1960s-1970s) top 1339, 1341-1342, Textbook: Ch. 30 (1363- top 1385) 1347-1348, 1356-1357) and Articles: “We Shall Overcome” Articles: “Murder of by Cesar Chavez, “The Feminist Mystique,” “Stonewall,” “Year Malcolm X,” “The Watts Students Walked Out,” “and “The Riot,” “The Detroit Riot, 26th Amendment”

Book Critique Due

04/08 04/09 04/10 04/11 04/12 Chicano Rights, Gay Vietnam War Rights, and Women’s Textbook: Ch. 28 (Bottom pg. Rights (1960s-1970s) 1294-1298), Ch. 29 (pg. 1322- Textbook: Ch. 30 (1363- top top 1323) and Ch. 30 (1349- 1385) and Articles: “We 1356) Shall Overcome” by Cesar Chavez, “The Feminist Articles: Beyond Vietnam,” Mystique,” “Stonewall,” “Vietnam Veterans Against the “Year Students Walked Out,” War,” “The Legacy of Vietnam,” “and “The “We Were Butchering People 26th Amendment”

04/15 04/16 04/17 04/18 04/19 Vietnam War Nixon, Ford, and Carter Textbook: Ch. 28 (1970s) Textbook: Ch. 29 (pg. Spring (Bottom pg. 1294-1298), 1358-1359), Ch. 30 (pg. 1385- Holiday Ch. 29 (pg. 1322-top 1411) and, and Ch. 31 (pg. 1415- 1323) and Ch. 30 (1349- 1423) 1356) Article: “Ford Nixon Pardon Articles: Beyond and “Q&A with Ken Taylor” Vietnam,” “Vietnam Veterans Against the War,” “The Legacy of Vietnam,” “We Were Butchering People 04/22 04/23 04/24 04/25 04/26 Reagan and Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush (1980s) (1990s-2008) Textbook: Ch. 31 Textbook: Ch. 31 (pg 1454- (Bottom pg. 1423-top 1455 and Ch. 32 (pg. 1462- 1454) Article: “Reagan’s 1488) Articles: “The Really Evil Empire” Conservative Media,” and “We Have Some Planes”

Article PPT due 04/29 04/30 05/01 05/02 05/03 Obama and Trump (2009-Present) Review for Final Exam Textbook: Ch. 32 (pg. 1488-1513)

7 May 2019

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 05/06 05/07 05/08 05/09 05/10

Final Exam

Directions for Museum Visit and Discussion

1. Go to the website: https://exhibitions.ushmm.org/americans-and-the-holocaust/main called Americans and the Holocaust

2. Go through the website by clicking on the white bullet points on the left side of the screen and identify these three things: a) something you already knew before attending b) something new you learned c) something that should have been there, but wasn’t

3. Then go to D2L and post your answers in the discussion module. Then agree or disagree with at least one other classmate (with supporting evidence from Chapter 25 in your textbook)

4. This should be done by 11:59 p.m. on the day the assignment is due.

8 Historical Film List 1. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (free on vimeo.com) 2. Rosewood (youtube for free) Princess Kaiulani (rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, 3. and Vudu.com) 4. Rough Riders (youtube for free) (watch 2 hrs only)_ Theodore Roosevelt: The Right Man at the Right Time (ask Ms. 5. Chandler to email you copy) Wonder Woman (Free on HBO Now/Go or rent on Youtube, 6. Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Vudu.com 7. Iron Jawed Angels (youtube for free) Cinderella Man (Free on Showtime or rent on Youtube, Amazon 8. Prime, Google Play, and Vudu.com) 9. Mi Familia (free on youtube) Pearl Harbor (Free on Netflix and Showtime; rent on Youtube, 10. Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Vudu.com) 11. Tuskegee Airmen (youtube for free) 12. ZootSuit (1981) (youtube for free) 13. The Longoria Affair (youtube for free) 14. The Majestic (free on vudu.com) Guilty by Suspicion (www2.123movieshubz.com/watch/guilty-by- 15. suspicion-1991-online-123movies.html) 16. Ruby Bridges (youtube for free) 17. Ernest Green Story (youtube for free) Selma (rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and 18. Vudu.com) 19. Ghosts of Mississippi (youtube uploaded by Paul L Shupe for free) 20. Murder in Mississippi (youtube for free) The Butler (rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and 21. Vudu.com) Malcolm X (rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and 22. Vudu.com) 23. Panther (1995) (Youtube for free) 24. Heatwave (youtube for free) Detroit (Free on Hulu or rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Google 25. Play, and Vudu.com) Cesar Chavez (Free on Hulu or rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, 26. Google Play, and Vudu.com) 27. Walkout (free on vimeo.com) Full Metal Jacket (rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, 28. and Vudu.com) Born on the Fourth of July (rent on Youtube, Google Play, and 29. Vudu.com) 30. A Bunny’s Tale (youtube for free) 31. Stonewall (2015) (rent on vudu.com) 32. Dick (Richard Nixon) (rent on vudu.com) 33. Missing in Action III (youtube for free)

9 Argo (free on movie123.club or rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, 34. Google Play, and Vudu.com) 35. Killing Reagan (free on youtube or Netflix) Tailor of Panama (https://bobmovies.us/4359-watch-the-tailor-of- 36. panama-online-free.html or rent on Youtube or Amazon Video) 37. Fair Game (2010) (youtube for free and on Netflix)

Historical Film Paper Directions Format: 1-inch margins. Times New Roman. Title is 14pt font and bold. No subheadings. Paragraphs are 12 pt. font and double spaced. Paper should be 2 pages. Heading should be in the top left-hand corner (11 font) with your first and last name, HIST 1302, Ms. Chandler, and the date. Parenthetical Citations

I. Introduction (1 paragraph) A. Name of Film B. Time Period C. Is it based on a true story or a work of fiction based on the historical time period? D. When was the film released? E. Minutes of the film

II. Summary of Film (1 paragraph) A. Main Characters B. Conflict C. Ending

III. Historical Accuracy of Film (Refer to lecture notes, textbook, and e-text readings) (2 paragraphs) A. Accuracies -- Did the movie accurately portray the historical figures and events? How or how did it not?

B. Inaccuracies -- Did the movie portray any inaccuracies -- persons or events that were missing or put in any characters that were untrue?

C. Authentic Interpretation -- Did the movie look, sound, and feel like that time? Were the accents, clothes, technology look like that period?

D. Unrealistic Interpretation -- Did the movie portray any person or event that really could not have happened in that time? Does it look too computer generated or an over-the-top Hollywood movie?

IV. Audience (1 paragraph) A. What audiences is the movie best intended for? 1. middle school, high school, and/or college B. Why or why not?

V. Conclusion (1 paragraph) A. Overall, what is your point of view about the film? 1. likes and dislikes B. How many stars (on a scale of 1 to 5 stars) would you give the film?

VI. Bibliography (http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide/chicago) A. Lecture B. Textbook C. Film D. Website

10 ______Ms. Chandler HIST 1302 2/8/13

Annie Film Paper

The film Annie is set in the time period of the 1930's during The Great Depression

while Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president. Though the particular story of the orphan

Annie is fictional, the film is based on the real life occurrences of what it would be like as an

orphan during the time period. The film was released in 1982, but was first released as a

musical in 1977 on Broadway. Before Annie was performed at all, it was originally a comic

strip called The Little Orphan Annie. The 1982 version of the film is 127 minutes long (IMDb

2013).

The film Annie is about a spunky little girl named Annie (Aileen Quinn) living in an

orphanage with several other little girls in the time of The Great Depression. The orphanage is

run by a mean woman named Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett). Her life appears tough and

hopeless until she is selected to spend a little time with Mr. Oliver Warbucks (Albert Finney), a

very rich industrialist who wanted to make a few wishes of a young struggling orphan come

true. While Annie spends time at the Warbucks residence, everyone in the house simply falls in

love with her and they decide to help her find her long lost parents. After Miss Hannigan tries

to scheme her way into getting the reward offered by Mr. Warbucks to find Annie's parents,

Mr. Warbucks decides to adopt Annie as his own and save Her from her hard lonely work life

as an orphan (Quinn, Burnett, and Finney 1982).

The film is pretty accurate when it comes to historical events and characters. In the

movie Annie and Mr. Warbucks sing a song called I Don't need Anything but You, in that song

Annie refers to Apple Sellers as some of those who were poor and suffering in the great

depression. During the Great Depression, apple sellers would stand shivering in the wind trying

to make what little money they could off of their apples. It was also accurate that FDR was

11 president at that time in our book it mentions his involvement in The Great Depression and how

The New Deal eventually brought America out of it (Davidson 2009, pgs. 513-518). In the film, at its conclusion, it talks about how FDR and The New Deal will be bringing an end to the

Great Depression. Annie was a fictional or historically inaccurate character. However, the poor living conditions, little food, limited clothing, and cramped living she went through in her orphanage during Great Depression was accurate (Chandler 2013).

I really felt that the film placed me in the time frame of the 1930's very accurately. The clothes of Miss. Hannigan and her extreme desperation for money resembled the life of a typical low class citizen during The Great Depression. There were people begging on the street, men looking for work, and long lines for soup/bread. Though the movie depicted the time period accurately, the characters are still fictional. Also, the singing and dancing made the time period look inauthentic – this is the Great Depression. Also, how realistic is it for a billionaire to rent-an-orphan for Christmas in the 1930s (Ebert 1982). Therefore, it was unrealistic that

Mr. Warbucks helped President Franklin Delano Roosevelt formulate The New Deal.

The film is friendly for any audience, but I think it is best for kids of middle school and high school age. The film is rated PG-13 for some violence and language (IMDB 2013). It's a kid friendly story between Mr. Warbucks and Annie that warms the hearts of many, but it could possibly be a little immature for college age students who may crave a story with more realistic characters. Some children may become afraid or cry because of the child abuse the orphans suffer at the hands of Mrs. Hannigan.

Overall, I really enjoy the film Annie. It mixes a heartwarming story about a sweet orphan girl with the reality of The Great Depression. Aside from being educational, it is also just a good movie to watch for enjoyment. The only thing I think could add depth to the movie would be if they had a few more scenes of what life on the streets was like for people during that time. The song Easy Street sung by Miss. Hannigan, her brother Rooster, and his girlfriend,

12 really 2 expresses how frustrated people were with their living situations and at sometimes all

they had to eat were peanuts and they were very desperate for money. On a scale of one to five

stars, I would definitely give this movie five stars. It exemplified life during The Great

Depression, as well as tying in a sweet story that eventually resulted in the happy ending of an

orphan finding a loving home and the resolution to the hard economic times.

Bibliography

“Annie” (1982). IMDb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083564/ (Accessed on 02/02/13).

Chandler, Kimberley. “Great Depression.” Class Lecture, Concordia University of Texas, Houston, TX, January 28, 2013.

Davidson, James. US: A Narrative History, vol. 2. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Ebert, Roger. “Annie (1982).” Reviews. Ebert Digital, January 1, 1982. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/annie-1982 (accessed 02/02/13).

Quinn, Aileen, Carol Burnett, and Albert Finney. Annie. Online. Directed by John Huston. Culver City: Columbia Pictures, 1982. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-By6St47Zbk (accessed 01/28/13)

Critique for Clybourne Park Play by Bruce Norris

Format: 1-inch margins. Times New Roman. Title is 16 pt. font and bold. No subheadings. Paragraphs are 12 pt. font and double spaced. Paper should be 2 pages. Heading should be in the top left-hand comer (11 font) with your first and last name, HIST 1302, Ms. Chandler, and the date. Parenthetical Citations (Chicago or Turabian Style) I. Introduction (1 paragraph) A. In what historical time periods does this play take place? B. Who are the main characters in the play? C. What is the overall summary or plot of the play?

II. Themes (2 paragraphs) A. What are two major themes, conflicts, or issues that are addressed in this play? (cite specific examples) 1. Generational – family members 2. Gender – female and/or male characters 3. Racial – between blacks and whites 4. Cultural – deaf, gay/homosexual, or developmentally delayed (mentally retardation) 5. Socioeconomic – rich and poor or rich vs. poor

III. Character Analysis (2 paragraphs) A. Which character is most independent? What makes them independent? B. Which character is the most trapped by their circumstances (dependent on others)? C. Which character is the most selfish and why? D. Which character is the least selfish (most empathetic – thinks about others or their feelings) and why?

IV. Author’s Intentions (2 paragraphs) A. Why issues or points is Bruce Norris emphasizing in this play that Lorraine Hansberry also did in A Raisin in the Sun? B. What new issues or points did Norris emphasize in this play that Hansberry did not in A Raisin in the Sun? C. Which issues, or points did Norris explain or examine well in his play? D. Which issues, or points did Norris not explain or examine well in his play?

V. Your Point of View (1 paragraph) A. What are your thoughts about the play? Did you like it? Yes or No? Why or why not? B. Would you recommend this play to a friend? (read or watch the play) C. If you could meet Bruce Norris, what is one question you would like to ask him? D. What do you how Lorraine Hansberry would think of his play?

VI. Bibliography (www.bibme.org/citation-guide/chicago) A. Lecture B. Textbook C. Bruce Norris Play

14 Lirio Turcios HIST 1302 Ms. Chandler 17 April 2016 A Raisin in the Sun

The Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, takes place in the 1950’s in the

struggle for integration during the civil rights movement (Chandler 2017). The book tells of a story

of the struggle of the Younger family when moving to a “higher class “neighborhood during the

1950’s. In Act 1, the whole Younger (family of 5) wake up in a 2-bedroom apartment. As the day

goes on all the family thinks about is about the 10,000 dollars insurance check that is set to soon

arrive. In Act 2, Lena announces that she used the insurance money to put down a payment on a

house in a white neighborhood. But they are all worried to moving into an all-white neighborhood,

especially when people repeatedly hint them that they are not wanted in the neighborhood. In Act

3, there is some hesitation when moving and just when Walter was going to sign Mr. Linder’s

contract to receive money for not moving in, he had a change of heart and decided that they were

going to move despite the opposes from their soon to be community (Hansberry 1994).

Raisin in the Sun demonstrates how white people are treated better than blacks. It also shows

how blacks are neglected and talked down to. An example of this is when Ms. Johnson said, “You

mean you ain’t read ‘bout them colored people that was bombed out their place there” (p. 100).

This shows that people kick the blacks out of their community by any means necessary, even if it

means to use weapons. Another example is when Mr. Linder comes to their house to talk about

their community. Although he appears to have good intentions at welcoming tem at first, he

gradually starts to subtlety propose the idea that they aren’t wanted in the white community. He

adds that people living there are hardworking and honest people, implying that the Youngers

aren’t.

The book also shows a huge gap in socioeconomic. The rich seem to be able to have it all

while the poor struggle to pass by. Like the harsh environment the Younger live in; a small

15 apartment with 2 bedrooms for 5 family members and sharing a bathroom with others in the building. It’s so different from the community they are planning to move to. Another example would be when Lena says, “I think Ruth is thinking ‘bout getting rid of that child” (p. 75). In which Ruth confirms are her intentions. A rich family wouldn’t need to worry about deciding whether to keep a baby that’s on his way. But Ruth is willing to consider abortion, because having a baby would really hurt them financially and she wouldn’t be able to raise another child in such conditions.

Lena Younger is, in my opinion, the most independent character in the book. It is mostly because she is the eldest in the family and takes charge in keeping control in the family. She had initially been the one to decide to get a new house for the well-being of the family. Even when her husband died, she has kept strong and still finds ways to keep the family together. She made decisions to keep everyone happy and gave Walter money for his liquor store and Beneatha’s college. Beneatha has a free spirit and own thoughts and although she does seem quite independent, she depends on her family. Beneatha can only go to college by the support of her family. When Walter had lost all the money including Beneatha’s college money, Beneatha started considering whether she really could be a doctor.

The most selfish character in the book is Walter Younger. Since the very beginning, he only wanted the money for his liquor store. Although it is understandable to have ambitions and wanting a better life for his family, he crossed the line when he gave all the money that Lena had given to him. He had only thought of what he wanted and did not think of the consequences that it would have created on Beneatha. Also, there was that issue with Ruth when she had declared she was pregnant and wanted an abortion. At that time, he did say anything to stop her and just simply left. He had also had left work for 3 days to go out drinking without thinking about his family.

Hansberry coveys many issues such as the struggle of poverty, facing discrimination, following dreams, and sticking together as a family. She really does an excellent job in describing

16 what it is like to live in poverty. She shows many struggles such as the fact that they all must live

in a very small and old apartment and that they barely have enough money to give to their son for

school as well as the fact that Ruth can’t keep a baby due to economic reasons. An issue that was

not very well conveyed was family. At first, they all seemed to go different ways and always

seemed to be arguing. Each member wanted something different, so it was hard to see a unity in

the beginning of the story but towards the end, they all learned to function in a family.

Raisin in the Sun does an exquisite job in describing the struggle of a black family facing

discrimination and poverty in the 1950’s. I enjoyed reading Raisin in the Sun because although we

have learned about this issues in class (Chandler 2017), it is different to see how it affects a family

directly. I would recommend this book to friends because it was a fascinating story although quite

tragic that people had lived like this and had to go through angry white mobs (Shi and Tindall

2016)). If I could meet with Lorraine Hansberry, I would ask her if she was inspired to write this

play based on personal experience.

Works Cited

Chandler, Kimberly. “Civil Rights 1940s -1950s” Lecture Notes, History 1302 from Houston Community College, Houston, TX, April 17, 2017

Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York. Vintage Books, 1994

Shi, David Emory and George Brown Tindall. America: A Narrative History, 10th ed. New York City: W.W. Norton, 2016

17 Article Presentation List 1. Dawes Act 2. Horrors of Lynching 3. The Jungle 4. Equal Rights Amendment by Alice Paul 5. The Need for Birth Control by Margarent Sanger (1922) pg. 166 6. Zimmerman Telegram 7. Fourteen Points 8. Pres. Hoover Letter to Emmerson 9. Every Man a King 10. FDR Infamy Speech 11. Zoot Suit Riot (1943) 12. LBJ Letter to John Herrera 13. Enemies Within (1950) 14. Southern Manifesto 15. Eisenhower’s Speech on Little Rock Badgered by a Mob as She Enters Little Rock High School by Elizabeth 16. Beckford pg. 322 17. Letter from a Birmingham Jail 18. Murder of Medgar Evers 19. Testimony of Fannie Lou Hamer 20. Murder of Malcolm X 21. The Watts Riot 22. The Detroit Riot (1967) 23. We Shall Overcome by Cesar Chavez 24. Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody 25. We Were Butchering People 26. 26th Amendment 27. The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan 28. Stonewall 29. The Year the Students Walked Out by Paula Crisotomo 30. Vietnam Veterans Against the War Statement 31. Pres. Ford Pardons Nixon 32. Beyond Vietnam 33. Legacy of Vietnam 34. Q&A with Ken Taylor 35. Address to the Nation on Panama 36. Contract with America by Newt Gingrich pg. 376 37. Address to Congress and the Nation by George W. Bush pg. 382 Directions for Article Presentation 1. Read the article that is assigned to you on the list above. 2. Create a PowerPoint Presentation with 5 slides a. Slide #1 -- Title Page (Your Name, Title of the Article, Author’s Name, HIST 1301, Section Number, & Date) b. Slide #2 – Background about the Author of the article c. Slide# 3 – When was the article written, purpose of the article, and the audience d. Slide #4 – Summarize 3 major points of the article e. Slide #5 – State what you wished the author had included in the article and what the author could have excluded f. Slide #6 – Bibliography (Chicago Style) -- Alphabetical Order

18 Sample Article PPT