Slavery and the Old South

AMER30022 Slavery and the Old South 20 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 3 David Brown Unit coordinator English and American Studies 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 Slavery shaped all facets of southern life and thought in the antebellum period (1830-1861), making an indelible mark on the culture and society of the Old South. This module uses a variety of primary sources (including slave autobiographies, folklore, interviews with ex-slaves, plantation records, novels, political tracts, travel accounts, letters and diaries) to explore three main themes: first, slave life and plantation culture, emphasising the diverse nature of the slave experience and the endurance of the slave community in the face of immense brutality; second, the position of both black and white women in the South; third, white society and relations between planters and nonslaveholders, especially with regard to debates over consensus or conflict in the run up to the Civil War. American slavery has stimulated some of the finest historical research in the last thirty years and this module pays particular attention to the rich historiography of this subject. Slavery shaped all facets of southern life and thought in the antebellum period (1830-1861), making an indelible mark on the culture and society of the Old South. This module uses a variety of primary sources (including slave autobiographies, folklore, interviews with ex-slaves, plantation records, novels, political tracts, travel accounts, letters and diaries) to explore three main themes: first, slave life and plantation culture, emphasising the diverse nature of the slave experience and the endurance of the slave community in the face of immense brutality; second, the position of both black and white women in the South; third, white society and relations between planters and nonslaveholders, especially with regard to debates over consensus or conflict in the run up to the Civil War. American slavery has stimulated some of the finest historical research in the last thirty years and this module pays particular attention to the rich historiography of this subject. <ul><li>To critically evaluate the influence of slavery within the antebellum South and explore the various ways in which slavery shaped the lives of planters, elite white women, male and female slaves, and non-slaveholding whites;</li> <li>To consider the enduring significance of slavery to the historical development of the United States;</li> <li>To develop and refine skills of documentary analysis and historical interpretation to a level appropriate to final degree work;</li> <li>To become familiar with the historiography of slavery and the Old South, focussing in particular on current research issues.</li></ul> On completion of the course successful students should be able to demonstrate: <ul><li>A detailed knowledge of slavery's influence in the antebellum South across divisions of gender, race and class, and of slavery's wider impact on the historical development of the United States;</li> <li>An ability to recognise and critically appraise different historical approaches and schools of thought about slavery and the Old South;</li> <li>Skills to utilise and interpret a wide range of primary and secondary sources;</li> <li>The capacity to organise and articulate arguments cogently and effectively in essays, under pressure of time, and in seminar discussion.</li></ul> Analytical skills Students taking this unit will be able to analyse and evaluate arguments and texts. Above all, committed students will emerge from this course unit with an advanced capacity to think critically, i.e. knowledgeably, rigorously, confidently and independently. Group/team working Students taking this unit will be able to work courteously and constructively as part of a larger group. Innovation/creativity On this unit students are encouraged to respond imaginatively and independently to the questions and ideas raised by texts and other media. Leadership Students on this unit must take responsibility for their learning and are encouraged not only to participate in group discussions but to do so actively and even to lead those discussions. Project management Students taking this unit will be able to work towards deadlines and to manage their time effectively. Oral communication Students taking this unit will be able to show fluency, clarity and persuasiveness in spoken communication. Research Students on this unit will be required to digest, summarise and present large amounts of information. They are encouraged to enrich their responses and arguments with a wide range of further reading. Written communication Students on this unit will develop their ability to write in a way that is lucid, precise and compelling. One 1-hour plenary session and one 2-hour seminar per week 0 Other 100% Essay (40%)Exam (45%)Presentation (15%)   - Written feedback on essays- The opportunity to submit, and discuss, an essay plan - Additional one-to-one feedback (during office hours or by making an appointment) N Solomon Northup, 12 Years a SlaveDavid Brown and Clive Webb, Race in the American South: From Slavery to Civil RightsThavolia Glymph, Out of the House of Bondage: The Transformation of the Plantation HouseholdEdward Baptist, The Half Has Never Been ToldE.D. Genovese, Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made  Walter Johnson, Soul By Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave MarketSteven Deyle, Carry Me Back: The Domestic Slave Trade in American LifeJohn W. Blassingame, The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum SouthWilliam Dusinberre, Them Dark Days: Slavery in the American Rice SwampsEmily West, Chains of Love: Slave Couples in Antebellum South CarolinaPeter Kolchin, American Slavery, 1619-1877Ira Berlin, Generations of Captivity   Assessment written exam 2 Seminars 33 0 165 T