Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography Teachers
Jonathan Dayton and Theodore Sedgewick, Alien and Sedition Acts (1796). Federalists in Congress and executive branch attempt to silence French sympathy and criticism of federal foreign policy resulting in major backlash of the anti-federalists including Jefferson and Madison's Virginia and Kentucky resolutions.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1796). Jefferson and Madison respond vehemently to the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, claiming that they violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. Importantly these essays outline the right of the states to nullify federal laws that they deem unconstitutional, a precedent that will be followed on many occasions through the American Civil War.
Schenck v.U.S. 249 U.S. 47 (1919). Supreme Court case of the WWI era that upholds the Espionage and Sedition Acts claiming that the federal government has the ability to limit freedoms during times of "clear and present danger."
Brown v. Board of Education 347 US 483 (1954). Supreme Court case that essentially overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 disallowing segregation laws in public schools. The landmark case decided by the Warren Court was a primary part of the African American Civil Rights movement and a bulwark to racist political philosophy in the American south.
David Myers, Psychology, seventh edition (Worth Publishers, 2004). This is the Advanced Placement Psychology textbook that is used in our school district. It obviously deals with a great number of theories and developments in the field of psychology but was especially useful in the formation of this unit for information in Chapter 18 on Social Psychology. It is a very readable text with fruitful examples to help make the theoretical more realistic.
Paul Johnson, A History of the American People (Harper Collins, 1997). Johnson's approach to American History both challenges and reinforces some of what has become the contemporary conventional wisdom of American History. For instance, Johnson attacks the "mythical" notion that President Hoover was a "do-nothing" executive during the early period of the depression, while with vivid prose he spells out the murderous fanatical character of President Andrew Jackson in the early American frontier. I am especially pleased with Johnson's insistence on including details of economic history. His explanation of the '29 crash, the growth of American industry during the Gilded Age, and the idea of eminent domain as it relates to the building of the transcontinental railroad are some of what makes this volume enjoyable and substantive reading.
Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States (Harper Perennial, 1992). Zinn's approach to America History has gained him widespread fame and criticism. The title itself is meant to let readers know that this work is about those who he believes are the people of the US: those who worked in the factories, toiled in the fields, and generally were used by those in power for material gain. Zinn focuses on American oppression, greed, and racism as the backbone of our country's heritage, not patriotism, freedom, and democracy. The book can be a hard read but is a valuable tool for showing students that there is life outside of the textbook and, for the sake of this unit, that there might be a great deal of credibility in theories of social obedience.
Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom, Armitage, Out of Many: A History of the American People, fourth edition (Prentice Hall, 2003). Advance Placement US History textbook that can be a fairly tough read without some guidance. The real perk of the text is that it includes practice data base questions at the end of each chapter. Although the book is quite involved it proves to be an excellent reference for students of history.
Robert A. Burt, The Constitution in Conflict (The Harvard University Press, 1992). Yale law professor Robert Burt presents readers with interesting questions about the role of the Supreme Court at various times in American history. Most advantageous for teachers looking to expand content knowledge about some of the most important court decisions in our history. Of particular interest are chapters 2-4 that deal with the perspectives of James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and John Marshall on the Supreme Court's role in overseeing and interpreting Constitutional law. Also contains an exploration into the courts view of labor unions in the late 19th century valuable to students and teachers.
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (W.W. Norton Company, 1997). This Pulitzer Prize winning book from Jared Diamond is bent on convincing readers that environmental determinism, not biological or genetic factors, accounts for much of the variance in human societies. Specifically, Diamond seeks to destroy the notion that western civilization was a byproduct of superior intellect but rather a predictable occurrence because of climate, proximity to resources, and other causes unaffected by human creativity. Of particular interest to teachers is chapter 14, "From Egalitarianism to Kleptocracy". This chapter chronicles the rise of organized governments over the course of human history and deals heavily with the necessity of the rule of law.
http://www.nps.gov/liho/debates.htm. The National Historic site for the Lincoln Home has the full text of each of the debates. It also contains other historic information that may help students further their perspective on the debates themselves, including a great deal of information on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln.
http://www.eugenevdebs.com/. The official website for fans of Eugene V. Debs. Not only contains a wealth of historical information about Debs but links to a number of primary resources perfect for students completing this part of the unit.
Annotated Bibliography Students
Jonathan Dayton and Theodore Sedgewick, Alien and Sedition Acts (1796). Federalists in Congress and executive branch attempt to silence French sympathy and criticism of federal foreign policy resulting in major backlash of the anti-federalists including Jefferson and Madison's Virginia and Kentucky resolutions.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1796). Jefferson and Madison respond vehemently to the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, claiming that they violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. Importantly these essays outline the right of the states to nullify federal laws that they deem unconstitutional, a precedent that will be followed on many occasions through the American Civil War.
Schenck v.U.S. 249 U.S. 47 (1919). Supreme Court case of the WWI era that upholds the Espionage and Sedition Acts claiming that the federal government has the ability to limit freedoms during times of "clear and present danger."
Paul Johnson, A History of the American People (Harper Collins, 1997). Johnson's approach to American History both challenges and reinforces some of what has become the contemporary conventional wisdom of American History. For instance, Johnson attacks the "mythical" notion that President Hoover was a "do-nothing" executive during the early period of the depression, while with vivid prose he spells out the murderous fanatical character of President Andrew Jackson in the early American frontier. I am especially pleased with Johnson's insistence on including details of economic history. His explanation of the '29 crash, the growth of American industry during the Gilded Age, and the idea of eminent domain as it relates to the building of the transcontinental railroad are some of what makes this volume enjoyable and substantive reading.
Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States (Harper Perennial, 1992). Zinn's approach to America History has gained him widespread fame and criticism. The title itself is meant to let readers know that this work is about those who he believes are the people of the US: those who worked in the factories, toiled in the fields, and generally were used by those in power for material gain. Zinn focuses on American oppression, greed, and racism as the backbone of our country's heritage, not patriotism, freedom, and democracy. The book can be a hard read but is a valuable tool for showing students that there is life outside of the textbook and, for the sake of this unit, that there might be a great deal of credibility in theories of social obedience.
Brown v. Board of Education 347 US 483 (1954). Supreme Court case that essentially overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 disallowing segregation laws in public schools. The landmark case decided by the Warren Court was a primary part of the African American Civil Rights movement and a bulwark to racist political philosophy in the American south.
Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom, Armitage, Out of Many: A History of the American People, fourth edition (Prentice Hall, 2003). Advance Placement US History textbook that can be a fairly tough read without some guidance. The real perk of the text is that it includes practice data base questions at the end of each chapter. Although the book is quite involved it proves to be an excellent reference for students of history.
http://www.nps.gov/liho/debates.htm. The National Historic site for the Lincoln Home has the full text of each of the debates. It also contains other historic information that may help students further their perspective on the debates themselves, including a great deal of information on the life and times of Abraham Lincoln.
http://www.eugenevdebs.com/. The official website for fans of Eugene V. Debs. Not only contains a wealth of historical information about Debs but links to a number of primary resources perfect for students completing this part of the unit.
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