I am currently taking Meranze for US History 1800-1850. In reality, he spends a good amount of the first two weeks on the last decade of the 1700's and will most likely only get to 1848. He is not the most entertaining lecturer, but he has a mastery of the materials and is very approachable when you have questions. The reading is light, one main novel and three shorter accompaniments. He doesn't like people recording lectures, but as long as you don't sit out with your tape recorder in the first row, he won't notice.

If you're reading these reviews and see the last two people commenting on his lack of a study guide, and agree with those reviewers, then don't take this class. You are in college, Meranze realizes that people at a top ranking university are intelligent and dedicated individuals, and expects you to act like one. If you can't be bothered to go through the notes of lectures (which he lays out relatively well with main themes and key dates) then this isn't the course for you and you should find something to cater to your laziness.

This class is rewarding and helps to build a very strong base in early US History, if you pay attention and do the reading, you're going to do just fine on the exams and get a good grade.

I thoroughly enjoyed Professor Meranze's class. I was initially turned off to the class because his voice reminded me of the Clear Eyes commercials, but once you get past that, the lectures are well-organized, interesting, and thoughtful. He makes post-revolutionary/pre-civil era war interesting. We had a 25% midterm, 35% paper, and 40% take-home paper final. I attended all lectures and did perhaps 40% of the readings and got an A-. He posts slides to the course website, but I highly recommend attending all of his lectures as most of the material covered there are on the midterm and will help with the final. I would definitely take another one of his classes.

Selling Give Me Liberty. Email me for info at sean.coleman2016@gmail.com.

I actually took Meranze for American Intellectual History 142A, but am too lazy to create a whole new profile so here is the review. This class was set up like the one here, with one midterm (40%) and one final exam (60%). For 142A he had a TA help him grade midterms, she was a beast, so pray you get a cool TA that does not enjoy going crazy with the red pen. Meranze allows for students to ask questions, which was interesting but setback the class, we did not reach the end of the syllabus. Sometimes this is a good thing but not for this class because I had bought the materials beforehand and we did not end up reading Harriet Jacobs. I collect books so this was not a bother, but if this is not you or you're strapped for cash, buy books as the course progresses. Also, Meranze was the most unwelcoming professor during his office hours. Actually the only one who was this way. Perhaps I got him on a bad day, or maybe our personalities did not mesh. Lastly, Meranze gets irritated if you walk in late, he chewed a couple of people out for this and does not allow for students to record him because he "does not like the sound of his voice." A bit superficial and uptight in my opinion.

basic apush stuff.
grading is all done by the TA.
2 papers, midterm, and a final.
TAs look for specific things in the final, so if you want an A in the class, go to their office hours and have them look over.
i got 95 on midterm and final but got a B- & B+ for the paper and ended up with the B+. yea papers matter.