Syllabus

History 491

Cops and Robbers: An Introduction to the Use of Source Material in Historical Inquiry

Call #3360

Fridays 2:00-4:50; Psych Room 202e

Spring, 2006

Instructor Beatrice Spade
Office: Psychology Building 122
Office Hours: Office hours: Monday, 11:00-12:00, Tues. 12:00-3:00, Wednesday 11:00- 12:00, and by appointment
Phone: 549-2417
e-mail: beatrice.spade@colostate-pueblo.edu
Web site: http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/spade.html

http://faculty.colostate-pueblo.edu/beatrice.spade/

Texts:

Juarez, Juan Antonio. Brotherhood of Corruption: A Cop Breaks the Silence of Police Abuse, Brutality, and Police Corruption. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2004.

Rubinstein, Julian. Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts. New York: Back Bay Books (Little Brown and Co.), 2004.

H.R.F. Keating. The Perfect Murder. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, reprint 1997 (1964).

Blader, Susan, trans. Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants: Selections from the Sanxia Wuyi. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1998.

Slott, Dan, et al. Batman Adventures: Shadows and Masks. Vol.2. New York: DC Comics, n.d.

Goals:

The major goal of this class is to explore how, when and why different types of

source material can be used in historical inquiry; and the very important flip side

of when and why certain materials are inappropriate for certain types of historical

inquiry. Critical thinking skills, oral presentation skills, and writing skills will be

emphasized.

Work Schedule: (This work schedule is subject to changes particularly in the area of guest speakers.)

Week One (Jan. 20)

Presentation: Erin McDanal, Staff Archivist, Colorado State Archives, “An Introduction to Material held by the Colorado State Archives” and a shorter presentation on the material from the Colorado State Penitentiary.

Discussion: (1) “Visual material—the mug shot” (2) The “Prisoner Record” and its potential use

Readings: Class handouts

Week Two (Jan. 27)

Presentation: Bill Thiebaut, District Attorney, “An Introduction to Local Court Records and Their Access”

Discussion: (1) “Statistical Tables from the Twenty-seventh Biennial Report of the Colorado Board of Corrections and Warden of the Colorado State Penitentiary (Canon City, Nov. 30, 1930) (2) Lizzie Borden

Readings: Class handout and read through the “Autopsies,” the “Inquest Testimony” and “the Indictment” sections on Lizzie Borden at the following web site before class: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/LizzieBorden/bordenhome.html

Week Three: (Feb. 3)

Presentations: Richard Joyce, Professor, Mass Communications, CSU-Pueblo, “News Reports and their Reliability for Historical Research”

Discussion: “Lizzie Borden: Proof versus Speculation”

Readings: Read the “Transcript Excerpts”, “Newspaper Accounts” and “Chronology” sections on Lizzie Borden before class:

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/LizzieBorden/bordenhome.html

Week Four (Feb. 10)

Presentation: Cynthia Taylor, Professor, English Literature, CSU-Pueblo, “The Reliability of Memoirs and Autobiographies”

Discussion: “Autobiographies and the Look at Self”

Readings: Brotherhood of Corruption: A Cop Breaks the Silence of Police Abuse, Brutality, and Police Corruption

Week Five (Feb. 17)

Discussion: “Autobiographies and the Look Outside”

Readings: Brotherhood of Corruption: A Cop Breaks the Silence of Police Abuse, Brutality, and Police Corruption

Week Six (Feb. 24)

Presentation: Carol Loats, Professor, History CSU-Pueblo, “The Use of Secondary Source Material in Historical Inquiry”

Discussion: What is good about secondary source material?

Readings: Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts.

Week Seven (Mar. 3)

Discussion: What is a weakness of secondary source material?

Readings: Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts.

Week Eight (Mar. 10)

Presentation: Margaret Senatore, Professor, English Literature CSU-Pueblo, “The Fictional Detective in Cultural Perspective”

Readings: The Perfect Murder

Week Nine (Mar. 17)

Presentation:

Discussion: “The Novel and Its Cultural Environment”

Readings: Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants: Selections from the Sanxia Wuyi

Week Ten (Mar. 31)

Discussion: “The Novel and Its Cultural Environment”

Readings: Tales of Magistrate Bao and His Valiant Lieutenants: Selections from the Sanxia Wuyi

Week Eleven (Apr. 7)

Presentation: Roy Sonnema, professor, art, CSU—Pueblo, “Comics and the Art Historian”

Readings: Batman Adventures: Shadows and Masks

Week Twelve (Apr. 14)

Student Presentations:

Andrew Christensen

Kenneth Colvin

Tawna Cox

Nancy Delmuro

Megan Dorsh

Sarah Gilbert

Week Thirteen (Apr 21)

Presentation: Tim McGettigan, Professor, Sociology, Colorado State University – Pueblo, “Films as a Reflection of Popular Culture”

Student Presentations:

Kyle King

Sara Klenke

Heather Lovell

Christina Lyme

Week Fourteen (Apr 28)

Student Presentations

Andrea Madrid

Curtis Montoya

Nicholas Oates

Melissa Rountree

Russell Shrout

Natalie Stevens

Week Fifteen (Final Examination period--May 1--Monday 1:00-4:00)

Student Presentations

Mikayla Swanson

Alexander Terekhov

Mallory Torrez

Micah Wheeler

Jenirae Wolff

Deborah Woodhouse

ADA Statement: This University abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, which stipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.” If you have a documented disability that may impact your work in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please see the instructor during the first week of class to arrange accommodations. In order to receive accommodations, you must be registered with and provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office, which is located in the Psychology Building, room 232.

Grades:

Group Discussion	Class Presentation	Final Paper	Total
40%	20%	40%	100%

60-63 D- 70-73 C- 80-83 B- 90-99 A

64-66 D 74-76 C 84-86 B

67-69 D+ 77-79 C+ 87-89 B+

Group Discussion: This will involve both written and oral classroom responses during the regular class period.

Class Presentation: This will involve an individual oral presentation in class, summarizing your research for the final paper. (Time limit of fifteen minutes per presentation; ten minute will be reserved for questions and answers.)

Final Paper: Select a source you might use as a basis for historical inquiry. Explore its strengths and weaknesses as a historical source. You should make reference in your paper to several other original sources and several secondary sources. The paper should stress organization and analytical ability. Turabian style is expected. (Suggested length of paper 12-20 pages.)

__________________________

Relevant Information: The rule of thumb is to spend two hours outside class for every hour of class. Consequently you should expect to spend about six hours a week in addition to class time for this course.