History 101: United States History to 1877 Section 2326 Summer 2012 El Camino College Instructor: Arne A. Jaaska, PhD Class Meeting Times and Place: Monday through Thursdays, 1:00-3:10 p.m. in Social Science Room 123 Office Hours and Place: Monday 12:00 p.m.-12:50 p.m. in ARTB 320 (building located directly to the north of Social Science) E-mail: ajaaska@elcamino.edu Voice mail: (310) 660-3593 x4331 Required Textbook: Keene, Jennifer D., Saul Cornell, and Edward T. O Donnell, Visions of America, Volume I: A History of the United States to 1877. Prentice Hall, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-321-05309-1. See image of book cover below right. Course Description: This course is a chronological survey of American history from the first Americans to 1877, focusing on American social, intellectual, political, economic, and diplomatic institutions. Major topics in the course include colonization, slavery, the American Revolution, Native Americans, the Civil War and Reconstruction. Course Learning Objectives The learning objectives for this course are: 1. Compare and contrast the cultural traditions, values and life styles of Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans in the early colonial period. 2. Assess the American colonial experience under English domination through the political, social, economic, and cultural forces that shaped its development. 3. Describe the institution of slavery and the experience of enslaved peoples during the colonial era; and explain why slavery became the dominant labor system in the 1
southern colonies and how it impacted American social, political and economic systems. 4. Compare and contrast the Spanish, French and British colonies in North America. 5. Analyze the major events and ideas that gave rise to the American Revolution against English rule and assess the outcome of the war. 6. Identify the competing political philosophies in the early national period and explain how they impacted the creation of the Constitution and the expansion of democracy. 7. Define the basic principles of American foreign policy from 1789 through the Civil War era, and explain how those principles were applied to American interactions with foreign nations, including Native Americans in the West. 8. Evaluate the evolution of the institutions of family, school, workplace, and community from the colonial era through the Civil War period. 9. Identify and describe the impact of early nineteenth century European immigration on American culture, society, politics, and the economy. 10. Define the concept of Manifest Destiny and evaluate the process and consequences of westward expansion, including the impact of westward expansion on Native Americans and Mexicans. 11. Identify the nineteenth century reform movements aimed at the eradication of social ills in American society and assess how they influenced racial relations, gender roles and the social hierarchy. 12. Discuss the following issues in regards to the expansion of slavery in the nineteenth century: the evolving experiences and culture of enslaved peoples, the northern reaction to slavery, and the impact of slavery on southern economic and social systems. 13. Analyze the causes, course, and outcome of the Civil War. 14. Determine how political conflicts after the Civil War led to the creation of federal and State Reconstruction programs and assess the successes and failures of those programs. Student Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of United States History to 1877, students will be able to develop and persuasively argue a historical thesis in a written assignment that identifies and explains major social, economic, political and/or cultural historical themes or patterns in United States history to 1877and apply appropriate historical methods to analyze and use primary and/or secondary sources as evidence to support the thesis. 2
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement kkk El Camino College is committed to providing educational accommodations for students with disabilities upon the timely request by the student to the instructor. A student with a disability, who would like to request an academic accommodation, is responsible for identifying herself/himself to the instructor and to the Special Resources Center. To make arrangements for academic accommodations, contact the Special Resources Center. Online Access to Course Materials: The course utilizes a website in the Etudes course platform, accessible at https://myetudes.org/. Materials presented in class will be posted to this website regularly. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in online discussions regarding course material. The instructor will brief students on logging into Etudes and navigating in the course site. Policy on Attendance and Missed Assignments: The instructor will make every effort to be present in class for every scheduled course meeting, and he expects every student enrolled in the course to do the same. Regular attendance will have a positive effect on a student s grade in the course, as class attendance provides opportunities to participate in class discussions and to complete written, in-class participation exercises, both of which form the participation component of a student s overall grade in the course, 15% of the overall course grade. In-class written participation exercises will occur frequently and may not be made up. If an illness, emergency, or major event of some kind causes you to miss a quiz or exam, you may make up the missed quiz or exam if you contact me in person or by e-mail or phone prior to the time the quiz or exam starts and state the reason you will not be able to be present for it. Statement regarding respectful attitude in class In order for learning to take place, students must feel safe; this safety is due all students, not only those who share your values and beliefs. For this reason, courtesy, thoughtfulness, and acceptance are essential in our discussions in and out of the classroom. Acceptance should not be confused with agreement: one need not agree with a person to listen, and one must listen well in order to disagree respectfully. Every student in this course has a voice and so deserves the courtesy of attentive listening and the freedom to express diverse ideas. Thank you for your cooperation. 3
Statement regarding use of electronic devices in class No electronic devices may be used or be visible during class electronic devices include laptops, cell phones, ipads, iphones, ipods, and the like. If you have any of these devices with you please keep them inside a closed bag or backpack during the duration of class. Thank you for your cooperation. Components of Overall Grade in Course Quiz I, 10% of course grade, administered in Etudes on Thursday, June 28 Quiz II, 15% of course grade, administered Thursday, July 5 Midterm Exam, 20% of course grade, administered Thursday, July 12 Quiz III, 20% of course grade, administered Thursday, July 19 In-Class Participation, 15% of course grade, assessed throughout the semester on the basis of verbal participation in class and completion of written, in-class participation exercises Final Exam, 20% of course grade, administered Thursday, July 26 Schedule of Weekly Textbook Readings, Assessments, and Class Meetings Course lectures, presentations, and in-class participation exercises will reference and expand upon material presented in the weekly readings assigned from Jennifer D. Keene and others, Visions of America, Volume I: A History of the United States to 1877 (Prentice Hall, 2009). The instructor reserves the right to adjust the dates of assigned readings and assessments to fit course needs. Any adjustments will be announced. Week 1 (June 18 June 21) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 1, Peoples in Motion: The Atlantic World to 1590 and Chapter 2, Models of Settlement: English Colonial Societies, 1590-1700. Week 2 (June 25 June 28) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 3, Growth, Slavery, and Conflict: 4
Colonial America, 1710-1763 and Chapter 4, Revolutionary America, 1764-1783. Thursday, June 28: Quiz I available in Assignments, Tests and Surveys link of course page in Etudes. Class does not meet today. Week 3 (July 2 July 5) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 5, A Virtuous Republic: Creating a Workable Government 1783-1789 and Chapter 6, Political Passions in the New Republic, 1789-1800. Wednesday, July 4: Class does not meet. Thursday, July 5: Quiz II. Week 4 (July 9 July 12) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 7, Jeffersonian America, 1800-1824 and Chapter 8, The Democratization of American Culture, 1824-1840. Thursday, July 12: Midterm. Week 5 (July 16 July 19) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 9, Workers, Farmers, and Slaves: The Transformation of the American Economy, 1815-1848, Chapter 10, Revivalism, Reform, and Artistic Renaissance, 1820-1850, and Chapter 11, To Overspread the Continent: Westward Expansion and Political Conflict, 1840-1848. Thursday, July 19: Quiz III. Week 6 (July 23 July 26) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 12, Slavery and Sectionalism: The Political Crisis of 1848-1861, Chapter 13, A Nation Torn Apart: The Civil War, 1861-1865, and Chapter 14, Now That We Are Free: Reconstruction and the New South, 1863-1890. Thursday, July 26: Final Exam. 5
Constantino Brumidi, George Washington Rising to the Heavens, fresco, Capitol rotunda, Washington, DC, 1865 6