HIST 204: American Labor History

Term: Fall 2026

Credits: 3.0

Meeting Times & Location: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00–10:50 a.m., Lovell Hall 210

Modality: In-Person Lecture and Discussion

Instructor Information

• Instructor: Prof. Ellen Whitaker (Associate Professor of History)
• Email: ewhitaker@university.alkimi.ai
• Office: Lovell Hall 214
• Office Hours:
• Monday: 1:00–3:00 p.m. (In person, Lovell Hall 214)
• Wednesday: 2:00–3:00 p.m. (Virtual via Zoom / Alkimi Portal; link posted in Canvas)
• Additional appointments available upon request by email.

Course Description

Work, workers, and labor movements in the United States from industrialization to the present, with emphasis on primary sources. This course examines how ordinary working women and men shaped American political economy, culture, and democratic institutions. We trace the shifts from artisanal and unfree labor regimes to industrial manufacturing, corporate capitalism, the regulatory welfare state, and the contemporary service and gig economies. Central themes include class formation, racial and gender divisions within labor markets, strikes and state repression, collective bargaining, and the ongoing contest over workplace democracy.

Prerequisites

None. Satisfies 3 credits of the Alkimi Core Social Sciences / Humanities requirement and serves as an elective for History majors and minors.

Measurable Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze Primary Sources: Interrogate historical labor documents (including worker diaries, union charters, court injunctions, and strike leaflets) by evaluating provenance, audience, context, and rhetorical intent.
2. Explain Structural Transformations: Trace the technological, legal, and economic transformations that shifted American labor from early craft production to modern corporate employment.
3. Assess the Intersections of Class, Race, and Gender: Articulate how racial hierarchies, gendered divisions of labor, and immigration policies structured working-class experience and union organizing.
4. Evaluate Labor Law and Policy: Compare landmark statutory frameworks and judicial doctrines—from early criminal conspiracy doctrines to the Wagner Act of 1935 and Taft-Hartley Act of 1947.
5. Construct Evidence-Based Historical Arguments: Formulate coherent, thesis-driven essays synthesizing primary documentation and historiographical debates with Chicago Manual of Style (Notes and Bibliography) citations.

Required Course Materials & Approximate Costs

1. Dubofsky, Melvyn, and Joseph A. McCartin. Labor in America: A History, 9th edition. Wiley-Blackwell, 2017. ISBN: 978-1118976494. (Approx. $45 new; $22 rental; reserve copies available at Whitcombe Library).
2. HIST 204 Digital Primary Source Reader. Edited by Prof. Whitaker. Available as a free PDF download on Canvas / Alkimi Workspace.
3. Total estimated cost: $0 to $45.

Generative AI Policy (AI Level 2: Permitted with Disclosure for Specified Tasks)

In accordance with Alkimi University Academic Policies (Student Handbook §5.8), this course operates under AI Level 2.

• What is permitted: Generative AI tools (including the course's Alkimi Learning Assistant) may be used for brainstorming potential paper topics, exploring research questions, generating study flashcards, clarifying confusing historical terminology, and requesting feedback on the clarity and grammar of student-authored drafts.
• What is strictly prohibited: You may NOT use generative AI to generate draft text, write primary source interpretations, formulate essay arguments, or construct historical narratives submitted for evaluation. All text submitted for grades must represent your own analysis, expression, and voice.
• Mandatory Disclosure Statement: Any graded assignment that utilizes generative AI tools for permissible support must include a brief disclosure statement at the end of the submission specifying: (1) which tool was consulted (e.g., Alkimi HIST 204 Learning Assistant), (2) the prompts used, and (3) how the tool’s output was adapted. Failure to provide this disclosure constitutes an academic integrity violation.

Grading Criteria, Components, and Scale

Grade Components & Weights

• Primary Source Analysis Essay 1: 15% (Due Week 4, Friday September 18)
• Midterm Examination: 20% (In-class, Wednesday October 14)
• Research Paper on a Major Strike or Labor Conflict (6–8 pages): 25% (Due Week 13, Friday November 20)
• Weekly Reading Responses & In-Class Discussion: 15% (Canvas submissions due Wednesdays at 8:00 a.m.)
• Final Comprehensive Examination: 25% (Monday December 14, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.)

Grading Scale (Alkimi University Standard)

• A: 93–100% | A-: 90–92%
• B+: 87–89% | B: 83–86% | B-: 80–82%
• C+: 77–79% | C: 73–76% | C-: 70–72%
• D+: 67–69% | D: 60–66% | F: Below 60%

Course Schedule (Fall 2026)

Course Policies

Attendance Policy

Class discussion is central to our historical inquiry. In accordance with university policy, students who miss the first two class meetings without notifying the instructor may be administratively dropped. You are permitted up to three unexcused absences across the semester without direct grade penalty; each subsequent unexcused absence results in a 2-point deduction from your overall participation grade.

• Religious Observances: If you will miss class for a religious observance, please notify me in writing within the first two weeks of the semester (by Wednesday, September 9, 2026).
• University-Sponsored Activities: If you participate in athletics, musical performances, or academic conferences, submit an official letter from the sponsoring department at least one week in advance.
• Illness: Please stay home if you are sick and communicate with me as soon as feasible.

Late Work Policy

Assignments submitted after the stated deadline will be penalized 5% per calendar day late, up to a maximum of 5 days (25% penalty). Assignments submitted more than 5 days late will not be accepted for credit without a formal extension granted in advance of the deadline.

Final Exam Policy

The final examination date and time (Monday, December 14, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) are established by the University Registrar and cannot be rescheduled except under official university policy. In accordance with Alkimi University policies (Student Handbook §6.4), any student with three or more final exams scheduled on the same calendar day may petition to reschedule the middle exam by contacting the instructor no later than the last day of classes (Wednesday, December 9, 2026).

Academic Integrity

Alkimi University holds students and faculty to high standards of academic honesty. Plagiarism, fabricating sources, unauthorized collaboration, using non-permitted AI tools, or submitting another person's work as your own will result in disciplinary action under the university Academic Integrity Policy (Student Handbook §5.1). For a first violation, the instructor may offer a Faculty Resolution Agreement imposing a sanction up to and including an F on the assignment. Suspected violations are reported to the Office of Academic Integrity (Lovell Hall 315, integrity@university.alkimi.ai, (555) 555-0163).

Accessibility Services

Alkimi University is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive learning environment. Students who experience barriers to learning due to a documented disability, chronic medical condition, or psychological condition should contact the Office of Accessibility Services:

• Office: Harlan Hall 204
• Phone: (555) 555-0155
• Email: access@university.alkimi.ai
• Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Please provide your approved accommodation letter early in the semester so we can coordinate your accommodations in a timely manner.

Campus Student Support Services

• Academic Advising Center: Lovell Hall 101 | Phone: (555) 555-0158 | Email: advising@university.alkimi.ai
• Writing Center: Whitcombe Library 2nd Floor | Drop-in and appointment tutoring for thesis formulation, citation, and paper organization.
• Hollis Health & Counseling Center: Hollis Center | Phone: (555) 555-0190 | 24/7 Counseling Line: (555) 555-0199 | Email: health@university.alkimi.ai
• Whitcombe Library Research Desk: Whitcombe Library Main Floor | askalibrarian@university.alkimi.ai | (555) 555-0170