HISTORY OF WYOMING
History 1251, Spring Term, 2008
SCHEDULED FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, May 7, 8 a.m.
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR FINAL EXAM
Dr. Phil Roberts M, W, F 9-9:50 a.m.
Office: 356 History Bldg., 766-5311 or 766-5101 57 History Bldg.
Office Hours: M, W, 10-11:30 a.m., and by appointment E-mail: philr@uwyo.edu
Miles Mathews, 766-4333, 56 History Bldg., mmathews@uwyo.edu
Office Hours: MWF, 10-11 a.m., and by appointment. Miles will be grading papers for students with last names beginning with the letters A-F
Emily Arendt, 766-4333, 56 History Bldg., EARENDT@uwyo.edu
Office Hours: T, W, 12:30-1:30 p.m., and by appointment. Emily will be grading papers for students with last names beginning with the letters G-La.
Chris Eells, 766-4333, 56 History Bldg., peells@uwyo.edu
Office Hours: MWF, 10-11 a.m., and by appointment. Chris will be grading papers for students with last names beginning with the letters Le-R.
Phil will be grading papers for students with last names beginning with the letters S-Z.
Please note that Prof. Roberts will NOT be available on Thursdays due to research commitments.
OBJECTIVE: The course is a survey which will encourage an understanding of Wyoming history, how it relates to the history of the West and the rest of America, and how it has influenced the present. Students will be expected to understand the main events in the state’s history as well as recognize the context in the wider national/international perspective. The lectures and readings are designed to provide a general overview and to encourage further reading in Wyoming and Western history. The course will NOT be taught entirely chronologically, but with a strong topical component as well as reference to biographies of well-known people in the state’s history. Consequently, it will be important for the student keep up with the reading assignments (both printed and on the web) and to have a clear understanding of the chronology of Wyoming events, particularly those since 1890. This course satisfies the University Studies V1 requirement and, consequently, study of the Wyoming and United States Constitutions are an important part of the class. Also, the class will include an opportunity for you to work with primary documents in the American Heritage Center, providing training on how historians work with one-of-a-kind original documents.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The readings for this class are neither difficult nor extensive. The main “text” actually is a book of readings, available on the web. These readings will be particularly important to understand the various themes in the state’s history while the lectures are designed to provide the chronological context. The lectures will provide context and continuity, but they will NOT duplicate the readings. Consequently, successful completion of the class requires careful reading of the assigned texts and good note-taking during lectures.
Readings in Wyoming History is a compilation of scholarly articles with footnote citations and well-developed historical arguments. Don’t be deceived by the brevity of some of the readings, thinking they will be particularly easy to read and understand. Each article will require careful reading. The other assigned books were written for the popular audience and, consequently, are neither extensively footnoted nor difficult to read.
Also assigned will be 17 brief biographies from the recently published series titled “Made in Wyoming: Our Legacy of Success.” All assigned biographies will be read from the webpage that is provided on the assigned dates.
Written outlines may be provided for some lectures although students will be required to develop better note-taking skills to satisfy the requirements for the course. If PowerPoint is used, the emphasis will be on photographic images and maps—not on repeating what is said in the lectures or duplicating student notes. Consequently, relentless attendance will be required in order to succeed in this class. Along with exams and quizzes, a short research paper, based on primary sources, will be required.
Because class attention will be necessary for successful completion of the course, all students are asked to turn off cell phones and pagers during lectures.
REQUIRED BOOKS: Copies of all books (and the State Constitution) are on reserve in Coe Library.
Geoffrey O’Gara. What You See in Clear Water: Indians, Whites, and A Battle Over Water in the American West. (New York: Random House, 2000).
John McPhee. Rising from the Plains. (New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1986, 2000).
Phil Roberts, editor. Readings in Wyoming History. (5th edition, published in 2007), available entirely on the web. The fifth edition contains a number of essays not included in earlier editions. There is a strong possibility that the book will not be ready in time for use in this class. Consequently, students will be expected to read the articles on the webpage, essentially exact duplication of the printed materials..
Elinore Pruitt Stewart. Letters of a Woman Homesteader. (Lincoln: Bison Books, 1989). Other editions also OK.
The Wyoming Constitution. (Available for purchase, but also on reserve at Coe Library circulation and on the web).
The United States Constitution. (On reserve at Coe Library circulation and on the web).
“Made in Wyoming: Our Legacy of Success,” joint publication/web pages of the Casper Star-Tribune and Casper Journal, available on the web at: http://www.madeinwyoming.net/
RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED:
Annals of Wyoming: The Wyoming History Journal. The quarterly journal of the Wyoming State Historical Society contains important articles about Wyoming and Western history. The journal is sent to all society members. Membership is open to all. Students may join for just $15 annually. For additional information about membership, ask your professor or consult his website.
T. A. Larson. History of Wyoming. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2d rev. ed., 1990). Dr. Larson was the foremost authority on Wyoming history. A copy of this book is on reserve in Coe Library.
Mike Mackey. Remembering Heart Mountain: Essays on Japanese American Internment in Wyoming. (Powell: Western History Publications, 1998). ISBN 0-9661556-1-0
Robert Righter. Crucible for Conservation: The Struggle for Grand Teton National Park. (Moose: Grand Teton Natural History Assoc., 1982, 2000)
Phil Roberts, David L. Roberts, and Steven L. Roberts. Wyoming Almanac. (Laramie: Skyline West Press, 2008).
Samuel Western. Pushed Off the Mountain, Sold Down the River: Wyoming’s Search for Its Soul. (Moose: Homestead Pub., 2002).
Helena Huntington Smith. War on Powder River: The History of an Insurrection. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1966). A reliable and lively account of the Johnson County Invasion.
EXAMS: Two exams, 100 points each (40%); the final exam, 100 points (20%); Constitution exam, 100 points (20%); research exercises, AHC research paper, 75 points (10%); a map exercise and four unannounced quizzes, 25 points, (5%).. Absolutely no make-up quizzes will be given. Make-up exams will be given ONLY IF the student informs the professor or TA before the exam is to be administered with a valid reason for missing the scheduled time. When the American Heritage Center assignments are made, students are expected to attend on the date they are assigned. Unless PRIOR approval of the instructor is given, missing the date will result in losing all credit for the AHC assignment. Students are expected to be familiar with the university rules governing plagiarism and academic dishonesty which will be enforced in this class. This applies to the AHC assignments as well as to the exams.
American Heritage Center visits will be scheduled, beginning in late February. Each student will be assigned one of these days to go during the regularly scheduled class period. The names/dates will be noted on the webpage for this class.
Extra Credit: Up to 25 additional “extra-credit” points may be earned by attending history-related lectures outside regularly scheduled classes. These opportunities will be announced in advance and will require proof of attendance at the event and a brief statement about the lecture program.
GRADING PROCEDURE: The final grade will be calculated on the total "points" earned during the semester, tentatively based on the following scale: A: 450-500 points B: 400-449 points C: 350-399 points D: 300-349 points F: 299 or fewer
PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Students are expected to know and understand the university’s policies on plagiarism and academic dishonesty. The university rules will be strictly enforced in this class. http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/dos/programservices/judicial/Academic_Honesty.doc
OUTLINE OF TOPICS, MEETINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS (subject to minor change)
Mon., Jan. 14: Introduction. .
Wed., Jan. 16: Organizing Concepts in Wyoming History
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, "Introduction,"
Fri., Jan. 18: Original Residents and Explorers
Readings in Wyoming History, Chapter 1 Original Residents, Explorers and the Fur Trade
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Chief Washakie: http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/washakie.php
Mon., Jan. 21: NO CLASS. Martin Luther King Day.
Wed., Jan. 23: The Fur Trade.
Readings in Wyoming History, Chapter 1, Part II: The Fur Trade
Fri., Jan. 25: Trails Across Wyoming I: Oregon/California/Mormon Trails.
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 2: Trails Across Wyoming, including Fort Laramie treaties
Mon., Jan. 28 : Conflict on the Plains: From the Grattan Fight to the Bozeman Trail
Wed., Jan. 30: Coming of Rails
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 3: Coming of Rails, including Pacific Railway Act and Selections from John Crowley’s Diary
Fri., Feb. 1: Establishing the Territory: South Pass City, “Hell-on-Wheels” Towns and Governor Campbell.
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 4: Establishing the Territory and Granting Women Equal Rights, including “!st Woman Juror,” and John Hoyt on Suffrage
Mon., Feb. 4: Women Suffrage: The Origins and the Myths of the "Equality State"
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Esther Morris:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/morris.php
Wed., Feb. 6: Homesteading and Land Grants: Getting Free Land from the Federal Government
Reading: McPhee, Rising from the Plains (entire book).
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 5: Public Lands
Fri., Feb. 8: Wyoming's Third Boom and Bust: Cattle Ranching, 1867-87
Readings in Wyoming History, “Cowboys Form a Health Coop”
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 9: Wyoming’s Self-Image, including “Powder River, Let ‘er Buck,” and “Buffalo Bill Takes His Wild West Show to Europe”
“Made in Wyoming” profile of William F. Cody
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/buffalo_bill.php
Mon., Feb. 11: Coal, Locomotives and the Rock Springs Massacre
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 6: Minerals in Territorial Wyoming
Readings in Wyoming History, The Wyoming Experience: Chinese in Wyoming
Wed., Feb. 13: Conclusion of Coal, Locomotives; review for first exam
Fri., Feb. 15: 1st Exam
The exam will be essay in style. Please bring an examination "blue-book" to class. No electronic devices are allowed today and students are reminded to keep cell phones turned off during the exam. The exam will be designed for completion in 50 minutes and you will not be given additional time due to scheduling commitments in this room. Keep this in mind as you prepare for the exam.
Mon., Feb. 18: Statehood and the Wyoming Constitution.
Reading: Wyoming Constitution; Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 22: Statehood, including “The Contest for the Capital,” “Overview of the Wyoming Constitution,”
Wed., Feb. 20: The United States Constitution.
Reading: U. S. Constitution.
Fri., Feb. 22: Comparing Constitutions
Mon., Feb. 25:
Bill of
Rights: Contemporary Issues of Civil Liberties. (Class cancelled due to
illness).
Wed., Feb. 27: Bill of Rights: Contemporary Issues of Civil Liberties. Constitution Exam questions distributed
Fri., Feb. 29: Johnson County War.
American Heritage Center visit #1
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 7, including “The War, The Invasion”
Mon., March 3: Populism, Progressivism and the “Grand Old Men.”
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 11: Into the 20th Century, including “Edward Gillette Describes How Gillette Was Named,” "Evolution of Roads," “Wyoming’s Estelle Reel,” “School Bells and Winchesters”.
Reading: “Made in Wyoming” profiles of John B. Kendrick, Willis Van Devanter and J. C. Penney:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/kendrick.php
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/van.php
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/jcpenney.php
Wed., March 5: Water, Irrigation and Reclamation.
American Heritage Center visit #2.
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 12, Water and Irrigation,“Colorado River compact”.
Fri., March 7: Homesteaders and Crop Agriculture in the Early 20th Century
American Heritage Center visit #3
Reading: Stewart, Letters of a Woman Homesteader (entire book).
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Elinore Pruitt Stewart:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/pruitt.php
Mon., March 10: Homesteading (continued)
Wed., March 12: Introduction to Wyoming Oil.
American Heritage Center Visit #4
Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 8: History of Wyoming Oil
Fri., March 14: Diversity: Internationalizing Wyoming
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 13: including “Ethnicity in Wyoming”; "Lovell's Mexican Colony,” “My One Hobby,”
Drawing for door prizes.
March 17, 19, 21: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK.
Mon., March 24: National Parks Issues of Wilderness.
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 10: Conservation and National Parks,
“Commodification of Wildlife,”
“Harvard Cook in the Wyoming Badlands”
Wed., March 26: The 1920s: The Beginning of Wyoming’s “Great Depression”
Reading: Chap. 14: The 1920s in Wyoming, including "Teapot Dome" and "Wyoming's Other Governor Ross," “Give Them What They Want,”
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Nellie Tayloe Ross:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/ross.php
American Heritage Center visit #5
Fri., March 28: The 1930s : Depression and New Deal.
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chapter 15: Depression and New Deal, including“The Wyoming Sales Tax
Mon., March 31: World War II in Wyoming.
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chapter 16: World War II,
“O’Mahoney and Japanese Relocation.”
“Made in Wyoming” profile of W. Edwards Deming:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/deming.php
Wed., April 2: The Aftermath of World War II: Wyoming Transformed?
Reading: “Visions Beyond an Arrow of Fire,”
Fri., April 4: NOTE: THE EXAM ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IS POSTPONED TO APRIL 11.
Beginning of the 1950s: Red Scare and the Silent Decade Reading: Readings in Wyoming History,
Readings in Wyoming History, "The Textbook Controversy at the University of Wyoming"
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Bill Daniels:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/daniels.php
Mon., April 7: Civil Rights in Wyoming and the Nation
The “Black 14” Incident at UW: Civil Rights on Campus .
Reading: ” “Fired by Conscience,” “The Black 14: Williams v. Eaton.”
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 18: The 1960s,
“The Emerging Civil Rights Movement”
“Made in Wyoming” profiles of James Reeb, Liz Byrd
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/reeb.php
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/byrd.php
Wed., April 9: Exercise on taking history essay exams; review for exam #2
Fri., April 11: Second Exam.
This exam will cover materials from all readings and lectures since Feb. 29.
The exam will be essay in style. Please bring an examination "blue-book" to class. No electronic devices are allowed today and students are reminded to keep cell phones turned off during the exam
Mon., April 14: The 1960s: Severance Taxes at Last
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Stan Hathaway:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/hathaway.php
Wed., April 16 : The Vietnam War, Environmentalism, and Reform for Disabled.
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Olaus and Mardie Murie:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/Murie.php
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Helen Bardo
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/bardo.php
“Mrs. Barriers” and the Crusade to Make Wyoming Public Buildings Accessible
Fri., April 18: Social Dislocations of Boom Times.
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 19: The 1970s, and “Project Wagon Wheel: A Nuclear Plowshare for Wyoming,"
Mon., April 21: Boom and Bust: Coping with Impact.
Reading: Readings in Wyoming History, Chap. 20: The 1980s, and, “Home on the Range No More”
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Tom Stroock
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/stroock.php
Wed., April 23: Wyoming and the Depression of the 1980s.
Reading: History of Oil
“Made in Wyoming” profile of Mike Sullivan:
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/msullivan.php
Fri., April 25: The 1990s: Does the Environment Become the Economy?
O’Gara, What You See in Clear Water (all).
http://www.madeinwyoming.net/profiles/love.php
Mon., April 28: A Few Famous People: Wyoming and the Arts in the 20th Century.
Wed., April 30: Guest Speaker: The Hon. Thomas Stroock.
The 21st Century Boom and the Quest for Economic Diversification
Reading: “The Virginian Meets Matt Shepard”
Fri., May 2: “Stump the Professor” review exercise (time permitting).
End of semester review session, 3 p.m., our regular classroom.
Wed., May 7: Scheduled Final Exam, 8 a.m., our regular classroom.
Outlines of lectures will be posted periodically to the web. These are intended to supplement, but not replace student notes. Instead, students will be expected to attend and take notes, using the outlines for general guidance on the main ideas presented.