Honors US History to 1865

Assignments & Class Work

March 2 – 6, 2009.
Starred Items Should be in Your Notebook on Friday, March 6, 2009.
Quicklinks
Monday; Tuesday; Wednesday; Thursday; Friday; Important Reminders.
You must email your completed assignments as a single, appropriately-titled MS Word document, using the
provided template (work submitted in any other format, or titled incorrectly, will not be accepted and will be
marked as a zero), to Dr. Ratliff by 3:00 pm on Friday, March 6, 2009.
Failure to meet this requirement will result in a one-letter-grade deduction on your work if submitted at
3:01 pm on Friday; a two-letter-grade deduction if submitted at any time on Saturday; a three-letter-grade
deduction if submitted on Sunday. Your assignment will not be accepted after 3:00 pm on Sunday. NO
EXCEPTIONS.

Monday:
Logical Fallacy #23 – Genetic Fallacy – 25 points.
Two Parts
A. A brief explanation of Genetic Fallacy.
B. One example of Genetic Fallacy in common usage.
Discuss Jacksonian Democracy – the first of many poxes upon the republic.
It’s Time to Go Campaignin’ – We’ll listen to the campaign songs from the election of
1824 (JQ Adams’s song is considered by many Latvian musicologists to be the first rock song
ever recorded, which says more about Latvian musicologists than about the song.) You’ll
answer the following questions. – 5 points.
1. How do the songs differ?
2. What mood does each song evoke?
3. What information does each song provide?
4. Using the lyrics, describe the character and potential of the two candidates.
5. Based on this additional information, how would you vote?
6. How did the songs influence your vote or change your original opinion?
The ―Corrupt Bargain.‖ – 20 points.
o The US House of Representatives decided the 1824 presidential election. Soon after John Quincy
Adams was elected president, he announced that would appoint Henry Clay, a powerful
congressman from Kentucky who had used his influence to secure Adams’s election, as his
secretary of state. Cries arose immediately thereafter, especially from America’s chief redneck
opportunist, Andrew Jackson, that some kind of ―corrupt bargain‖ had taken place during the
election – a quid pro quo arrangement between the two men.
o In class, we will discuss several historians’ perspectives on this matter, as well as examine several
documents related to the event.
o You will write a two paragraph opinion on the following topic: Was there a “corrupt
bargain” in the 1824 presidential election?
o John C. Calhoun’s letter to an associate discussing the 1824 election.
o Resources:
 Eyewitness Account of Margaret Bayard Smith.
 Andrew Jackson’s bilge.
 Henry Clay’s defense in the House.
  Other assorted Jackson balderdash:
"So you see, the Judas of the West [Clay] has closed the contract and will receive the thirty pieces of
silver. His end will be the same. Was there ever witnessed such a bare faced corruption in any country
before?" —Andrew Jackson to William B. Lewis, February 14, 1825.
"This, to my mind, is the most open, daring corruption that has ever shown itself under our government,
and if not checked by the people, will lead to open direct bribery… Mr. Clay is prostrate here in the minds
of all honest and honorable men." —Andrew Jackson to George Wilson, February 20, 1825.
John Quincy Adams was never able to overcome the stigma of this election and his
administration was a dud.
Tuesday:
In class, read portions of Andrew Jackson’s inaugural address.
Andrew Jackson Lecture Video – pay attention, this stuff will be on the test.
Wednesday:
Jackson and the Tariff. Read John C. Calhoun’s South Carolina Exposition and Protest,
then write a paragraph summarizing Calhoun’s argument.
Thursday:
Indian Removal Group Project – 10 points.
o You’ll be divided into groups to examine several of these documents.
o Tomorrow, your group will present a report to the class addressing the following
questions/points.
The Author
• Look for information about the author.
• Look for evidence in the document that would help you to understand what the author believes,
values, or thinks.
• Look for evidence in the document that would help you to understand why the author wrote it
(the author’s intent.)
• Think of information about the author that you would need in order to better understand her or
his ideas, values, intentions, etc.
• Think about how what you believe, value, and think might affect what you decide the author
believes, values, and thinks (your bias).
The Audience
• Look for evidence in the document that would help you to understand the author’s sense of
audience at the time the document was written.
• Look for evidence that might help you understand why the author might have focused on a
particular audience
• Think of additional information that you would like to have in order to help you to understand
the intended audience and the document’s relevance to them.

Friday:
Presentations.

Andrew Jackson, Redneckis Americanus, Exam – Friday, March 13, 2009.

Spring Break – March 13, 2:30 pm – March 22.
Research Project Final Draft – May 1, 2009.