HISTORY 4004

TWO COMMUNITIES IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

 
Dr. Crandall Shifflett Reagon Shelton
Major Williams 435 Major Williams
Office Hours:  Tues 12:30-1:45 Office Hours:  Th 12:30-1:45 MajWm 502
231-8372 231-5331
shifflet@vt.edu reshelto@vt.edu
Workshop Class:  Th 12:30-1:45 MajWm 502
Classroom: Tues MajWm 427
 
Links to Other Resources
Using the Valley Project

Overview:

This course is based upon the World Wide Web Project of Professor Edward Ayers, Department of History, University of Virginia, and the adaptation of the site to the class room by Professors Ayers and Thomas and their students in History 403, University of Virginia, Fall 1997 semester. Other colleges and public schools have also adapted the project to the class room.  The project is called Valley of the Shadow and it is accessible via your web browser at:   http://jefferson.village.Virginia.EDU/vshadow2/ . A recent scholarly journal called the Valley project "probably the most sophisticated historical site on the Web."  Also, it was chosen for the NEH/MCI sponsored site Edsitement, a national clearinghouse for educational Web sites of quality, sophistication, and depth.  It has been used by public school teachers (Albermarle High School, The Peddie School in N.J., Gettysburg College, and JMU in history courses, and their projects are linked to the Valley site.  Many schools, universities, and libraries use the site.
 
 

In History 4004, students will explore, discuss, and interpret the meaning of the American Civil War by looking at two communities in the Great Valley of the United States:  Franklin County, Pennsylvania,  and Augusta County, Virginia. Using the digital archive created by the students of History 403, you will have a variety of "primary" sources at your fingertips:  letters and diaries; newspapers; census and tax records; maps and images; church records; and military records.

You will be divided into three groups and assigned one of three topics:
1.  77th Pennsylvania Volunteers
2.  Augusta County Homefront
3.  United States Colored Troops (USCT), Franklin County

Students will collaborate in groups of 2-4 students, each of which will create an interpretive Web site on their assigned topic.  Individually, students will keep journals on their work.  The journals should reflect what you have learned about the Civil War through your project and include an assessment of the possibilities and limitations of digital, team-based, collaborative history.
 

 

For the background history on sectionalism, secession, and Civil War, students can rely upon the section of the Valley project entitled "The Impending Crisis."  Major secondary sources may also be used from the Newman Library.

The class may also include one field trip to Chancellorsville-Fredericksburg.  Students will be asked to contribute about $50 (an estimate based upon conversations I have had with a local bus rental service) each for the trip, including meals.  (Look at it as in lieu of a large book bill and it is very reasonable).

  

Grading:

50% of the final grade on the team Web site.  The team grade will be the grade for each member of the team.  The emphases are upon collaboration, interpretive content, balance, and creativity.  Teams are expected to meet for at least one hour per week to organize, plan, and divide work fairly and efficiently, and make sure deadlines are set and kept.  Each team is responsible for its own project, including testing and evaluation of the Web site as it develops.

25% of the final grade on an online journal which charts the student's progress, work, and development of ideas and understanding and the team's interactive learning process.  The journal should reflect exactly what has been gained in this experience and the possibilities and limitations of collaborative, digital history.

25% of the final grade on individualk participation and work in the course.

In the final week of the course, each team will demonstrate its Web site before a panel composed of professionals -- historians, programmers, educators, writers, graduate students, and other specialists.  Panelists will judge the site, give commentary at the demonstration, and provide a written critique.

 Schedule of Meetings
    Jan 13 Using the Valley of the Shadow Archive
      15 Using the Valley of the Shadow
      20 Web Page Planning and Design
      22 Netscape and Your Web Pages
      29 Workshop Class
Feb 5 Workshop Class
     12 Workshop Class
     19 Workshop Class
     26 Workshop Class
Mar 5 Mid-Term Reports on Research
Mar 8-15 SPRING BREAK
     19 Workshop CLass
     26 Trip Preparation
Apr 2 FIELD TRIP TO CHANCELLORSVILLE/FREDERICKSBURG
       9 Workshop Class
     16 Draft Project Demonstration
     23 Project Demonstration