August 22 - 28

 World War ICivil War Encampment 2 Links to an external site.

Civil War Soldier  (1861-1865)                                                              Soldiers in  World War I Beginning in 1914) 

From WAR to WAR: It seems that the style and ideas in the literature of our country change and reflect the major upheavals in our lives. We cannot exaggerate the profound effects of the Civil War: it freed millions of Americans, but it also killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and left much poverty behind.  Forty years later, another war (World War I) killed millions of people worldwide and brought the flu that killed millions more. Note the dates of those two wars; they bookend our first module in the course.

 

August 22 - 28

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

Students should

  • understand the characteristics of realism well enough to apply to assigned works in Weeks 1 and 2.
  • be familiar with the major events and movements of the historical period corresponding to the published works of writers studied.

Assignments include

  • reading the historical introductory material in the text book,
  • reading critical information on the unit, including the link REALISM below

Assessments include one written assignment on the historical background of the period (see below)

(All assignments are due by midnight on the due date and are considered late after that. So it works best to try to get them submitted a day ahead when possible, certainly several hours ahead of the midnight deadline in case you have a problem submitting it.)

 

Preliminary Assignment: Due August 24: Read all the short documents in the Introduction Module, and take the Orientation Survey. This short quiz is a contract of sorts that says you understand what online classes are, you have read the information provided by Distance Learning, and you intend to participate in the class. Obviously, if you do not intend to participate, do not do it, so you will be removed as a NO-Show Friday of the second week.

Written Submission Due August 28

  1. Print out and study the PAGE on Realism. (The characteristics of this literary movement are specific to this idea of realism, not our usual idea that something could really happen. You’ll need to understand these characteristics well enough to apply them to several works of literature on the first quiz.) WRITE a paragraph explaining whether The Hunger Games is realistic. You must mention two characteristics in the linked document above and apply them to the movie. If you did not see that movie, pick another one you saw or another TV series or soap opera and apply two of the characteristics. 
  2. Read the historical/literary information in the introduction starting on page 3 of your textbook. Then list three events or movements, which you consider significant, that occurred in America between the end of the Civil War and about 1900; as you list these, identify what they were or how they changed life in America. (This is YOUR opinion, so there is no wrong answer. But be SURE to specify with details from the reading. Do NOT cut and paste text since that is plagiarism.) Save the two parts of this writing assignment in one document, labeled Assignment 1, and submit it at Assignment 1 by the due date. Also, study them because they will be part of the first major quiz.

If you don’t have your textbook yet, just read America 1866-1900 Links to an external site. to provide you the information to write your two paragraphs. Do NOT cut and paste from the internet (that's plagiarism), and do not use other sources than the reading assigned and your brain.  .

Submit this list of answers through the Assignment 1 link above.  IF YOU HAVE NOT TURNED IN THE ASSIGNMENT due this week by midnight Aug. 28, you will be considered absent. If the assignment is late three days, it will receive a grade of zero. If no assignments are turned in, no email sent to me, and/or no orientation survey done by the end of the second week, you will be considered a no-show and will be removed from the roll for non-attendance.