History 346  The Gilded Age

Roger Williams University

CAS 228

MWF 10:00 - 10:50

Spring Semester, 2014

Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D.

Office:  GHH 215

Hours:  M, W, F,  11:00 - 1:00

Phone:  254-3230

E-mail:  mswanson@rwu.edu

Index

For Monday, February 24

Read, in Chambers,

Chapter 1 “Crisis of the 1890s” pp.  1-24

Chapter 2 “Prelude to the 20th Century” pp.  25 - 53

As you read these chapters, be aware of the typographic devices: headings, sub-headings, and the like.  Decide how the topics described in them are likely to affect you.  Will they effect you directly or indirectly? greatly or to a lesser degree? positively or negatively?  To some extent you’ll be in charge here. As you meditate on the possibilities, focus on the reasonable ones, given the character you’ve created for yourself.  I’ll like to create a cumulative list for the class as a whole, so bring notes with you for this particular discussion.

For Wednesday February 26

The Centennial Exposition.  An excursion for our alter-egos. 

Read: in Schlereth, Prologue, pp. 1-6

On the Internet

The Illustrated History of the Centennial Exposition (Selections)

The Centennial Exhibition, Described and Illustrated (Selections)

The Centennial Exhibition, 1876 (Tour)

The Herald Guide Book and Directory to the Centennial International Exhibition at Philadelphia

Centennial Guide of the Exposition and Philadelphia

Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876 (From Digital History)

Aside from reading all of Schlereth, It is difficult for me to describe what I want you to do here, and I can’t do it in terms of Page Numbers, so I’m going to do it in terms of hours–a minimum of  sixof them between tomorrow and the the next class.  I want you to “go” to the fair, using these  sources and following your interests.  Record your pages read and titles in your Blogs, and construct a little narrative of your visit.  I’m glad I only have the olymics to contend with this weekend, , so I should be able to get six hours out of each of you. Actually I’m hoping you’ll get so entranced by what you see and read about that you’ll be surprised at how hard it is to put the material down.    Upload illustrations to your resources if you wish and I hope you wish. I'm going to ask you to tell your friends and family (us) a little about your experience, perhaps with some "show and tell" to keep us amused.  This narrative can go into your If it would be more appropriate for your character to work at the exposition, why not try that tack.  Of course there were many temporary workers during the running of the exposition, and others who put it up and took it down.  Note:  One or more of these documents may require you to download a free reader to your computer.  If you note that difficulty, the software is here:  http://www.caminova.net/en/downloads/download.aspx?id=1

For Friday, February 28

Just about a month ago, we reached general agreement that everyone could finish The Gilded Age by the 27th of February, which happens to have been yesterday.  So, I guess we're prepared to start discussing it.   I'd like to begin the discussion from your perspective(s) in 2014. 

• If we were to try to describe the "moral" of the novel, what would that moral be?  Is there more than one "lesson" to be learned from Twain's "A Tale of Today"?
  

• In your view, who are the villains and heroes of the story.  Are there any? 
  

• In what ways might Twain's "style" and "point of view" be challenged if he were to wrie a similar story of our times?  Are there similarities which he would note?    Is his language acceptable, especially in situations where he's describing members of classes and groups other than the "elite"?