History 7431 Course Schedule

History 7431
Course Schedule

	January 28: Introduction
	February 4: A New Approach to Politics
	February 11: 1912
	February 18: 1932
	February 25: 1948
	March 4: 1960
	March 11: 1964
	March 25: 1968 PRESENTATIONS: Gary (NY 1970 Senate race--Ottinger/Buckley/Goodell); Paul (Pennsylvania 1968 Senate race--Joe Clark vs. Richard Schweiker; Vanessa (Tennessee 1970 Senate race--Albert Gore vs. Bill Brock)
	April 1: 1972--and beyond PRESENTATIONS: Sara (Tom Downey's House race--Long Island, 1974); Suesanne (Bob Edgar's House races--Pennsylvania 7th, 1974, 1976); Kemile (NC 1972 Senate race--Helms v. Galifanaikis); Elizabeth (1972 Flatbush congressional primary--Holtzman v. Celler)
	April 8: 1980 PRESENTATIONS: Ken (1980 Iowa Senate race--Culver v. Grassley); Jeremy (1980 Indiana Senate race--Bayh v. Quayle); Dante (1980 SD Senate race--McGovern v. Abdnor)
	April 15, 22: No classes, spring break
	April 29: 1992 PRESENTATIONS: John (California Senate race--Boxer v. Hershensohn); Kate (PA Senate race--Yeakel v. Specter); Ben (Illinois Senate race--triumph of Carol Moseley-Braun); Janise (NY Senate race--D'Amato v. Abrams); Elizabeth M. (NY Senate primary, Democrats--Abrams v. Ferraro, Holtzman, and Sharpton)
	May 5: 2000 PRESENTATIONS: Irwin (Washington Senate race--Cantwell v. Gordon); Tyrone (NY Senate race--Clinton v. Lazio); Sun (NY 1 congressional race--the Mike Forbes candidacy); Rosa (Missouri Senate race--Carnahan v. Ashcroft)
	May 12: Modern Politics PRESENTATIONS: Ryan (Missouri Senate race--Carnahan v. Talent); Dwight (NY gubernatorial race--Pataki v. McCall); Craig (Minnesota Senate race); Esther (Georgia Senate race--Chambliss v. Cleland)

COURSE PAPERS:

1.) "Historians should pay more attention to the presidential election of 1948, since it is there--rather than in 1964 or 1968--that the New Deal coalition collapsed." Do you agree? Critically analyze this statement, paying particular attention to the Clifford perspective on presidential politics in 1948.

2.) The Gil Troy book argues that political parties became progressively less important as the 20th century progressed, replaced by the growing significance of personalistic presidential campaigns. Do you agree? Analyze, discussing the elections of 1912, 1932, 1948, and either 1960 or 1964.

3.) "The main theme of American politics in the last 20 years has been the intersection of law and politics." Do you agree? Analyze through the context of the Bush-Gore contest of 2000, and the the Clinton impeachment hearings, where the House Republicans and the jurors in the case--eight members of the US Senate--debated the Framers' conception of what constituted an impeachable offense--specifically the provisions described by Alexander Hamilton in Federalist 65 and Federalist 66?

4.) "The major story of 20th century American politics has been the progressive decline of liberalism--from its high point with Wilson, to a more restricted view with FDR, and then to the postwar key leaders, LBJ and Clinton." Do you agree?