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History 135: American History to 1877

History 135: American History to 1877. Introduction. I. Was America a Mistake?. An 18th century essay contest Guillaume-Thomas Raynal philosopher, professional crank v. Adam Smith. A. Biological/natural inferiority. 1. 1780s - Comte de Buffon

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History 135: American History to 1877

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  1. History 135: American History to 1877 Introduction

  2. I. Was America a Mistake? An 18th century essay contest Guillaume-Thomas Raynalphilosopher, professional crank v. Adam Smith

  3. A. Biological/natural inferiority 1. 1780s - Comte de Buffon “It is a great and terrible spectacle to see one half of the globe disfavoredby nature that everything found thereis degenerate or monstrous.”

  4. B. Cultural decline 1. Slavery

  5. 2. Warfare among nation-states 1550-1815 3. Individual brutality Conquistadors

  6. 4. Racial degeneration coureurs de bois (French) mestizos (Spanish) a. “mixed” couples b. diluted religion c. genocide

  7. C. Mob politics 1. Dark side of people

  8. D. The Fall of the United States 1. v.1776

  9. II. Empire of Reason? John Locke tabula rasa Jefferson My friends and children, we are descended from the old nations which live beyond the great water, but we and our forefathers have been so long here that we seem like you to have grown out of this land. We consider ourselves no longer of the old nations beyond the great water, but as united in one family with our red brethren here. - to the Wolf and People of the Mandan Nation, 1806

  10. A. Nature’s Nation Frederick Jackson Turner“Frontier Thesis” 1893 Americans as: democratic egalitarian materialistic aggressive

  11. B. Cry Liberty! • Reconcile cultural dominance w/ national legacy • The Spirit of ‘76

  12. The American Experience • How have Americans defined “liberty”? • What are the limits “liberty”? • What are the contradictions in American history and society?

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