AMERICA AND THE SIXTIES

HIST 4378.581
SUMMER SEMESTER 2005
MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENING 6:00-9:00
JONSSON 4.614

Instructor: David O’Donald Cullen, Ph.D.

Office: JO 5.712
Hours: Monday and Wednesday 5:00-6:00
Phone: 972.881.5965 (CCCC)
Email: dcullen@ccccd.edu
Credit: 3 hours

Textbooks: Anderson, Terry. The Movement and the Sixties.

Schulman, Bruce. The Seventies.

“Despite the necessity of facing the facts of the world in 1960, the problem of young
people remains the same as for their elders, namely, that of finding ideals by which life’s
motion may be made meaningful and values by which intelligent and ethical decisions
can be made…The next ten years will be crucial ones for the determination of our
aspirations and ethical standards.” (Liston Pope, Dean of the Yale Divinity School)

“Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out.” (Timothy Leary, Harvard University professor and
Counter-Culture guru)

The sixties did not begin in 1960, nor did they end in 1969. “The Sixties” is a
phrase that describes a political reform movement that spans a thirty- year period in
American history. Post-World--War II America experienced a growing restlessness
beneath the placid surface of society. Anxiety about America’s position in the world,
political pressure from African-Americans, the increasing visibility of poverty, and the
rising frustrations of women and young adults began to make themselves felt in the
nation’s public life. That restlessness would manifest itself in the three decades that
followed the end of the World--War II, and dramatically altered the political and cultural
landscape of the country.

This course is designed for you to examine the myth and the reality of the Sixties.
You should expect to be challenged to rethink many of the myths of the period and reach
personal decisions about which myths to discard and which ones to retain. Through this
critical process, you will develop the ability to analyze and synthesize complex concepts
in the humanities and improve your written communication skills.
 COURSE EVALUATION

Your grade for the class will be based upon two exams and one paper. Each exam
will consist of five identification items and an essay that reflects your reading and
reflection upon the required texts, class discussions, and screening of
documentary/feature films (these films should be treated as text). The paper will consist
of an analysis of three films produced during the Sixties or movies whose subject is a
topic from that reform period (see hand-out). Each assignment is of equal weight. That is,
each exam equals 100 points, and the paper is 100 points. No grades will be curved, nor
is extra credit available. Missed assignments may be made up at the discretion of the
instructor. Your final grade for the course will be the average of these three scores. The
grading scale is: A= 100-90 B=89-80 C=79-70 D=69-60 F=59-0. Cheating or
plagiarism on any assignment will result in a letter grade of F for the course. Attendance
is mandatory.

COURSE CALENDAR

We Can Change The World

June 1- June 22

Anderson, The Movement and the Sixties ; films.

June 1-6 : Anderson, Introduction and chapters 1 and 2
June 7 : Last Day To Withdraw From The Course Without a “W”
June 8-13: Anderson, chapters 3 and 4
June 15-22: Anderson, chapters 5 and 7
June 27: Mid- Term Exam (bluebook needed for test)

We Can Change Ourselves

June 29-July 25

Schulman, The Seventies; films.

June 29: Schulman, introduction and chapters 1-4
July 4: No Class
July 6-11: Schulman, chapters 5-7
July13-18: Schulman, conclusion and chapters 8-9; Anderson, “Legacies”
July 20: Final Exam
July 25: Paper Due

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

It is the policy of the University of Texas at Dallas to provide reasonable

accommodations for qualified individuals who are students with disabilities. This college
will adhere to all applicable Federal, State, and local laws regulations, and guidelines
with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal
educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Service For
Students with Disabilities at 972.883.2098 in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate
accommodations.