HIS U.S. HISTORY FALL 2012

Transcription

1 HIS U.S. HISTORY FALL 2012 Instructor: Texts: Class Meeting: Office Hours: Office: Contact Info: Brook Poston, JD, PhD -America: A Narrative History, vol. 1, 8th ed., George Brown Tindall & David E. Shi. -Thomas Paine. Common Sense. Edited with an Introduction by Isaac Kramnick. -Michael Sharra The Killer Angels. 4:00-5:15 MW, 472 Ferguson 12-1:00, 2:15-4:00 MW, & By Appointment. 313 Liberal Arts North Postonb@sfasu.edu 1. Course Description: A comprehensive survey of American history from early explorations through Reconstruction. Meets Texas state requirements for all graduates. 2. Grading and Examination There will be two exams during the semester; a midterm and a non-cumulative final. Both exams will include 25 multiple-choice (2 points each) questions and one essay question (50 points) for a total of 100 points. There will also be one small writing assignment of 1000 words (3-5 pages) and one group assignment during the semester. More information will be given on these assignments later in the semester. Attendance and participation will make up the remainder of the final grade. Final grades will be weighted as follows: Writing Assignment 1- Common Sense 20% Midterm 20% Group Assignment- Killer Angels 20% Final Exam 20% Quizzes 10% Discussion 5% 1

2 Attendance 5% Final Grades are determined as such: A=100-90; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69; F=59 and below. 3. Discussion Informed participation is expected throughout the course. Regular, informed comments Occasional or only semi-informed comments Rare, semi-informed comments The instructor wonders if you re awake 100 points 80 points 60 points 50 points 4. Attendance Students are expected to attend scheduled class meetings Zero unexcused absences Two or fewer unexcused absences Three or fewer unexcused absences Four or fewer unexcused absences Five or more unexcused absences 100 points 80 points 60 points 50 points Drop one letter grade Seven or more unexcused absences will result in failure of the course. In addition, in order to discourage excessive tardiness, which is distracting to both the instructor and other students, two tardies will be treated as the equivalent of one absence.(if you have to leave any class meeting early for some legitimate reason, please notify me of that fact before the class begins. Otherwise, you will be counted absent for that class period.) 5. Classroom Behavior Please either turn your phones off or put them on vibrate. I prefer students not to use laptops in class. If you need to use a laptop for notes please come get permission from me. I want a solemn vow that you will refrain from doing anything that will distract you or your fellow classmates. If I catch you doing something other than taking notes with your laptop you will not be permitted to use your laptop in the future. 6. Students with Disabilities 2

3 To obtain disability related accommodations, alternate formats and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities must contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Human Services Building, and Room 325, / (TDD) as early as possible in the semester. Once verified, ODS will notify the course instructor and outline the accommodation and/or auxiliary aids to be provided. Failure to request services in a timely manner may delay your accommodations. For additional information, go to 6. General Education Core Curriculum Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes: HIS 133 is part of the university s Core Curriculum and as such strives towards both the general goals of the core and the specific objectives for social science classes set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Board has identified six skills, or intellectual competencies, as the foundation for all university-level work: reading, writing, listening, speaking, critical thinking and computer literacy. This section of HIS 133 offers students experience in all of these areas, except for speaking. In addition, this course will emphasize the Coordinating Board s objectives for social science classes: Students will demonstrate an understanding of key developments in American political history from the colonial period to 1877, with emphasis on colonial government, the creation and ratification of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the formation of the federal government and its relation with the states, and Texas independence and annexation. Students will demonstrate an understanding of key developments in American economic history from the colonial period to Students will demonstrate an understanding of key developments in American social history from the colonial period to 1877 with emphasis on immigration and social change, reform movements, race and ethnicity, family and gender roles, and religion and culture. Students will demonstrate an understanding of American foreign policy from the colonial period to Students will demonstrate an understanding of the methods historians use to gather and analyze evidence. Students will be able to use the knowledge and skills gained in the course in the fulfillment of their responsibilities as active citizens in a democratic society. 7. Academic Integrity (A-9.1) 3

4 Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty members promote academic integrity in multiple ways including instruction on the components of academic honesty, as well as abiding by university policy on penalties for cheating and plagiarism. Definition of Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to (1) using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a better grade on a component of a class; (2) the falsification or invention of any information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or (3) helping or attempting to help another in an act of cheating or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism are (1) submitting an assignment as if it were one's own work when, in fact, it is at least partly the work of another; (2) submitting a work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained from an Internet source or another source; and (3) incorporating the words or ideas of an author into one's paper without giving the author due credit. Please read the complete policy at 8. Withheld Grades (Semester Grades Policy, A-54) Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the academic chair/director, a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a WH, or the grade automatically becomes an F. If students register for the same course in future terms the WH will automatically become an F and will be counted as a repeated course for the purpose of computing the grade point average. 4

5 Tentative Daily Schedule Date Lecture Reading Aug. 27 Introduction Chapter 1. Aug. 29 Columbus Sept. 3 No class Chapter 2 Sept. 5 Spanish Empire Sept. 10 English Colonization Chapter 3 Sept. 12 Jamestown and the Chesapeake Sept. 17 Puritanism/Massachusetts Chapter 4 Sept. 19 Middle Colonies and the French Sept. 24 French and Indian War Chapter 5 Sept. 26 The Road to Revolution Oct. 1 The War of Independence I Chapter 6 Oct. 3 Common Sense Paper Due Oct. 8 The War of Independence II Chapter 7 Oct. 10 The Constitution Oct. 15 Catch up and Review Chapter 8 Oct. 17 Test I Oct. 22 The 1790s(John Adams) Chapter 9 Oct. 24 Age of Jefferson Oct. 29 The War of 1812 Chapter 10 Oct. 31 Andrew Jackson Nov. 5 Manifest Destiny Chapter 11 Nov. 7 The Mexican War Nov. 12 Slavery and The Sectional Crisis Chapter 14 Nov. 14 Sectional Crisis/Election of 1860 Nov. 19 Civil War Chapter 15 Nov. 21 Thanksgiving(no class) Nov. 26 Civil War Chapter 16 Nov. 28 Killer Angels Assignment Due 5

6 Dec. 3 Assassination Chapter 17 Dec. 5 Reconstruction Monday Dec. 10 Final Exam 4-6 6