NB: first meeting tomorrow, on 'Zoom' at 12:00 pm PST

Main Points

Welcome
Will the class be Easy ?
Why History ?
A Voyage of the Imagination
Why you should take this course
Procedure and Textbooks
Specific topics covered in the course
How I teach
Canvas by Instructure
Foothill College

History 17A winter quarter 2021

Welcome to the class, my name is Patrick Marder and I'm the teacher of this course, US History to 1815.

The purpose of this page is to give you basic information about the course, and the instructor, information to help you decide if this is a course you want to take.

Part of this class will be on the CANVAS system and

Part of this class will also be on GOOGLEDOCS

The first lecture prologue is here, (link to a Googledoc)

Let me try to put myself in your place and guess what your number one question might be:

Will the class be Easy ??

a drawing a very strong man struggling to lift two children's balloons

Easy how ? Do you think that, generally, for most people, life is easy?

If Education is supposed to prepare people for life, do you think an easy education is a good way to prepare for a hard life?

IF you attend the class regularly and complete the moderate work, then everybody will pass the class.

It would take a deliberate effort of will NOT to pass the class. Like you'd really have to want to fail in order to fail the class.

Students who devote a reasonable amount of attention to their work will have no difficulty in receiving B and A grades.

But perhaps 'easy ?' shouldn't be the number one question (assuming momentarily it is the number one question).

Because, fundamentally, Education is movement, we are moving, challenging, and building our minds. If all a class represents is a grade, and collectively, education represents X number of courses, then a diploma would just be a piece of paper.

Does simply paying your monthly bill to 24 hour fitness mean that automatically you're physically fit? I don't think so.

Does paying your college fees and simply showing up in class (kind of) mean you're educated? The student gets a diploma, the teacher gets a paycheck. Done!

Plenty of people are college graduates, even PhDs, who have learned nothing, whose degrees represent very little (except maybe a huge amount of student loan debt).

Or is education today mostly an industrial process mandated by our corporate government, to format us to be obedient and entrap us as useful pawns in their economic game?

Maybe. I hope not.

Instead of being passively formatted as workers and consumers, maybe education could instead be a path to try and examine our minds, challenge assumptions and standards, and actively re-program ourselves, to better ourselves, and together try to build a better world for everybody.

The choice is yours.

Or it could be...I hope I'm wrong about this, but I think for too many, the Easy way, just staying with the default programming, the 'human OS' (operating system), has been pre-installed--and a lot of people are like cows on a conveyor belt on their way to the meat/soul grinder.

So, in my opinion, you would do better to hope for hard classes that force you to become stronger and smarter to survive in a predatory and deceptive world.

Why History ?

Personally, I think that history is useful and important. I also believe that it's fascinating because it involves so much information and so many different fields of knowledge, and it prompts us to be diligent and thoughtful in finding, selecting, and evaluating information (which are skills everybody needs).

History should teach us healthy skepticism--to be respectfully doubtful of information and even ourselves: yes, right, damn right: even professors can be wrong--and students can be right (no, ha ha, they can't).

Don't be too quick to believe--or to disbelieve. Try to see the other sides and perspectives of an issue: just because I love history doesn't mean that you have to, or that there's something 'wrong' with somebody who doesn't.

Not everybody likes history: and that's OK.

Perhaps you had a shitty experience in past history classes, maybe you found it 'dry', boring, or irrelevant, without connection to your life.

Or perhaps you found it confusing, bewildering.

There is so much information in history, from so many disciplines, ranging from genetics and geography to psychology, to economics, to military strategy, to botany, to zoology, to meteorology, to metallurgy and so many more, that it can be dizzying and frustrating.

The intellectual world of mathematics, physics, or chemistry seem, in comparison, to be more clear-cut in their perspectives and much less 'fuzzy' or confusing than the messy world of history--and more relevant, more useful to your life.

But I ask you to give me, and yourself, a chance to 'taste' this class a little bit, try it out, even if it is complex, chaotic, confusing, and frustrating: because so is life.

No matter what your specific interests are, History has something for you, whether it's physical or life sciences, art, business, psychology...or food, or sex, history has it all.

A Voyage of the Imagination

In this history class we'll be traveling back in time to a world that no longer exists, the past. A world very, very different from the one we live in today.

This isn't going to be a trip to Disneyland.

A world so different that it will take a great--but I think worthwhile--effort of imagination, of 'mental gymnastics' to try and picture how it might have been, to imagine it.

Just one day in Aztec Tenochtitlan, or in Elizabethan London, or in Colonial Philadelphia, would probably confront us with sight, sounds, smells, and tastes that we would likely find bizarre, disturbing, gross, frightening, and perhaps even inspiring.

Imagine a world without the internet, without cell phones, tv, radio, GPS, or laptops, without credit cards, without toilet paper, toilets, or toothpaste, without microwave ovens or electric light, without supermarkets, without roads or super-highways, without streetlights or organized police forces, wihout hospitals, without fast-food restaurants, without health clubs, without automobiles or airplanes, and without nuclear weapons--and this is just mentioning a few differences.

Why should you take this course?

Because you're forced to? Because the school, its teachers, administrators, and staff need an excuse to be paid? These should not be the reasons.

You should take this course to make yourself strong, to build your mind. Your mind is the most important potential asset you have: a physically powerful or physically beautiful body is worthless if the mind inhabiting it is weak or undeveloped.

I could be wrong, but my operating theory is that money rules the world, not justice, or morality, and that the world is basically predatory: a wealthy and politically powerful minority systematically abuse and exploit a vast majority.

This predatory minority got, holds, and is even expanding its control, by manipulating and duping large numbers of people--cynically taking advantage of ignorance, leveraging, feeding base instincts. Digital social media, as you are probably very aware of, has made this mass-manipulation or propaganda easier than ever before.

You, mostly young people, are a target. Corporate language explicitly uses language such as "...our target audience...our target market..."

The way not to be a victim or an easy target is to be strong in mind, to be aware, to scrutinize, to look, but look deeply--not just at the surface, but beneath the surface, to ask questions, lots of questions--and refuse to accept bullshit non-answers, whether they come from me, your teacher, or from anybody else (including yourself, because some of the most damaging lies are the ones we tell ourselves).

You need to be strong, but not just for yourself: you need to be strong for your family, for your friends, and for our society. Being stupid--remaining complacent--doesn't just harm you, it limits your ability to help others--and it means that instead, you become a needy, permanent drag on others.

This is a call to arms--to arm your mind, so you can shield yourself and others.

2021 is beginning. Humanity is confronted by unprecedented challenges and opportunities. It's up to you to determine what will happen.

But whatever does happen, you will have a better chance with your mind open and active--but not with your ass glued to a couch eating cheetos and watching cats windsurfing on Tictoc.

You should take this course because it can help you understand yourself, and the world you live in, help you recognize the patterns and cycles of the past. With this knowledge, you have a better chance of navigating the present and the future.

The specific knowledge and skills history can teach you are:

Knowledge

how politics work, not in theory, but in actuality
life, and the world, have been, are, and probably will continue to be grossly unfair
the linkages between economics and politics, corruption and conspiracy
how religious and educational institutions are used to maintain order
the influence of economics on media and politics
how economics work, specifically economic cycles of boom and bust
how international and regional trade works
how technology integrates with society
how technological change impacts society
the influence of geography on economics, trade, politics, and war
the influence of environmental factors, climate, flora and fauna
individual psychological and sociological factors' impact on society

Skills

finding, researching information
evaluating information sources
understanding selection bias
grasping logic
grasping statistics and the caveats of samples
understanding perspectives including implicit prejudice
writing effectively
speaking effectively
organizing ideas and information

This course, History 17A covers the first part of American history, from the Ice Age more than fifteen thousand years ago to the year 1815.

Topics Covered

The specific topics we will survey in this course are:

Native American societies and cultures prior to European arrival.
European colonization and its impact on Native America.
Establishment and maturation of diverse colonial settlements and populations.
Colonial policies and imperial rivalries in North America and their implication for settlements.
The American Revolution
The formation of the United States government from the Articles of Confederation through the development of the Constitution.
The early republic including political parties, economic and geographical expansion.

With an enormous territory over an enormous span of time as its subject in a quarter format course, this class can be no more than an 'appetizer', or perhaps an emetic, that gives you an introduction to this theme, but I nonetheless hope that it may be a starting point for thought or further study.

My contact information is email: marderpatrick@fhda.edu

My office hours (virtual): Tuesdays 3-4pm through Zoom (to make an appointment, please follow this link)

To make sure you understand this course, please do the following this week:

understand how we communicate
read this home page
review the syllabus
review the expectations and outcomes for this course
find out about CANVAS, how it works
campus resources for help using CANVAS

How do I teach?

Here's one thing before we get started: I'll tell you how I teach, but I shouldn't, and won't tell you how to learn for the simple reason that I'm not you; we are different, and what works for me, may not work for you.

Technique

I lecture, I talk, I ask questions, I answer questions, I will make a lot of comparisons, and I like to use a lot of visuals, photographs, maps, and I like to draw pictures to illustrate my ideas.

As I may have said before: the only thing I'm sure about is...that I'm NOT sure; history isn't math, so my conclusions are tentative; in my eyes, certainty is the realm of the fool, liar, madman or mystic (did I just repeat myself).

I will not impose my ideas and perspectives on you; students are free and indeed encouraged to have different opinions or, if they wish, no opinion. Even though I'm German in origin, I'm not a disciplinarian; I did not become a teacher in order to be a prison guard, or indulge a craving for power and authority.

You have the freedom to excel and the freedom to fail. I will assist and encourage you as best I can, but I will not micromanage or force-feed you.

Procedure and Textbooks

Each week, according to the syllabus and calendar, students will study online readings from articles, books, texts, documents, and letters; there will also be maps, statistical charts, and some videos.

Via Canvas we will read and review pages I wrote, and pages from a free Openstax American history.

Why am I giving you two basic sources of information?

I think it's good to have redundance or a back-up to my own material. Why?

I could be wrong
I probably have biases
I definitely have my own perspective

Did you ever set two alarm clocks or perhaps use two maps or navigation systems? This is the same idea: it's prudent to independently check or verify or balance one source of information with one or more others.

I'm calling this the binocular method, because when you look through binoculars you are seeing slightly different views through your right and left eye, or when you listen to stereo sound, your right and left ears are receiving different signals.

Your brain then processes and integrates these different signals into your perception.

a view through binoculars

Specifically, I put together my own pages over more than a decade, taking a shitload of time to think, write, re-write, track down books, passages, maps and images, because I thought (and still think) that the vast majority of history textbooks are mediocre. They are academic 'McNuggets.' They are easy to swallow--but lacking in substance.

Teaching with the typical off-the-shelf corporate McBook made me feel bad; it reminded me of working in retail as a teenager, selling stuff that I knew was junk to people. I could not, in good conscience, do it then, and I don't want to do it now.

Selling somebody a shitty electronic pest-repellent is one thing--people will lose $20; but when you 'sell' people on ideas, or, more specifically, on what I think are delusions, that's a lot more serious and pernicious, because you are fucking with people's minds.

I believe that as I teacher, my job is a bit different: I have a fiduciary responsibility towards people, similar in some ways to the function of a priest, a medical doctor, or a lawyer; my statements have the color of authority, and therefore I feel myself morally obligated to tell the truth as I see it, even when--and perhaps especially--when it hurts.

What would you think about a doctor who looks at a scan of a patient's body showing the tissue saturated with an aggressively proliferating cancer--but turns, smiles blandly and says: 'everything is OK' because he doesn't want to upset the client--or interfere with the hospital 'policy' ?

Everything is NOT ok

The common college textbooks in the USA are produced on a mass basis by 3-4, very large, very wealthy international corporations; they are fast-thought products made to be sold at a profit and the characteristics they typically share are:

unsurprisingly, common textbooks don't fundamentally question capitalism and the class system
common textbooks don't question nationalism and US exceptionalism
common textbooks don't question the government
common textbooks don't question organized religion
common textbooks are highly processed, synthetic group-think products

Controversial but vital subjects are more or less taboo to corporate textbooks--superficially addressed, if at all.

With this class' 'binocular' system, you will be reading my material, one version of reality with one eye--and you will be reading the Openstax version of reality with the other.

There are more than two versions of reality--perhaps an infinity of them, but my hope is that with a least two perspectives, you may be able to form your own opinion.

I lecture, ask questions, and have discussions with students about the week's subject, reviewing and explaining the material covered that week.

Students are asked to combine what they've heard/read/seen, and demonstrate their knowledge by taking quizzes and tests, contributing to on-line discussions, and by writing essays.

The normal sequence each week will be the following:

read the Learning Outcomes listed first in the Canvas module: these are points you should be expecting to learn about and which you should study and retain, because they're important and will probably be in the quiz and the exam

a screenshot showing a Canvas screen with the module learning outcomes highlighted

After you click on the learning outcomes, you'll see a list:

Screenshot of learning outcomes list in Canvas

2. be at the distance-learning lecture, be there punctually, make notes and ask questions, either verbally, or via chat

3. read that week's module pages, watch any embedded videos, explore any links on the pages--and take note of points that either aren't clear or about which you'd like more information

when reading these pages, pay especial attention to the primary sources, the historical information which comes directly from the past, which will be preceded by a labeled blue box:

a screen image showing a blue box labeled primary source, followed by text in italic letters

When reading the page, please also pay attention to questions that are asked; these are identifiable by a large letter 'Q' on the left and a color contrast. Read these questions and think about what your answer might be.

These questions usually ask you to relate the past to the present and to consider if there are useful historical comparisons to be made between now and then.

Here's what these questions look like:

Question: Can we learn from the Past?

4. take part in that week's discussion and make a substantive contribution to the discussion

5. take that week's quiz and review correct and incorrect answers, knowing that many of the quiz questions--or variations of them--will be included in the exams

Canvas by Instructure

You're reading and seeing this content via a software and from server computers designed and controlled by a corporation called Thoma Bravo.

Thoma Bravo, a private company, recently bought Instructure, the company that created Canvas, for $2 billion dollars.

Canvas incidentally, is far from an inert, disinterested, or benevolent entity, it was bought by a billionaire, Orlando Bravo, who just happens to come from Puerto Rico (which should be called Puerto Povre). I'm pretty sure this guy, who grew up playing tennis, went to Stanford law, and was a partner at Morgan Stanley, is not running a charity--and yet a lot of our schools and colleges are now getting married to this software platform.

Even though Thoma Bravo does not create the content on Canvas--at least they sure as hell didn't write this--they do control the tools and channel and can exert a profound influence by setting the parameters and methods of the things we can, or cannot, do.

Therefore I am concerned about public education getting into bed with venture capitalists, with minimal meaningful input from teachers, let alone students. This school--which mean YOU--are in effect, paying a lot of money for this software, to people who are already incredibly rich.

Are you getting your money's worth? Should the channels and tools of education be controlled by for-profit corporations?

I don't know what your thoughts are--but I want to bring these questions to your attention.

Foothill College

a diverse group of Foothill College students

This photograph is how Foothill College wants to be seen; does this image correspond to reality?

Foothill College is a public institution, it's a school that's publicly funded, and publicly governed. But that's not the end of the story.

Foothill College, whatever its nominal and legal status, is not a passive, disinterested agent. While there are fine words about the 'Foothill Family' and, definitely, there are many dedicated, admirable, and idealistic staff working at this school, it is nevertheless an established collective of elite private individuals, the 'District' which mainly and ultimately runs the college.

A small semi-permanent group of well-paid administrators and wealthy trustees, whose agendas and objectives may not always be consonant with yours, networked with similar hierarchies around the state, make crucial decisions about your education issue, sell and spend hundreds of millions of dollars of interest-bearing bonds, with remarkably little transparency, oversight, let alone, participation from the community at large.