Instructor: Clayton Kahan Lust
HIST 1302-0015 T/Th 530-7PM
US History Since 1877
Office Hours: 4-5 PM T-Th
Office: 245 EDC
Telephone: 832-524-1941
Email: clayton.kahan@hccs.edu
Learning web: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/clayton.kahan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProfLustHist1302
Course Description: The United States has undergone tremendous change since the
Civil War and Reconstruction. While the U.S. has seen the rise of large corporations,
become a military and industrial power, and indeed a global force, this has not been
accomplished without tremendous conflict, both at home and abroad. There was a true
revolution, as the United States transformed itself, the way it viewed itself, and indeed
the way the world viewed the U.S.. What we will find, is that the more history we know,
the less surprised we are. This survey of U.S. history will show that while the actions and
actors change, there are broad themes that remain constant.
Objectionable Materials Warning: Over the course of the semester I will utilize some
film clips, not as a substitute for lecture, but to allow us to move between the past and the
present, and to allow us to see how those in the past have viewed history. Some of the
film clips that we will view will contain scenes of explicit violence, sexual brutality,
ethnic and gender stereotyping, nudity, obscenity, adult themes, profanity, and offensive
language that might be found objectionable by some. There may also be ideas or
practices endorsed by specific motion pictures that some might consider immoral or
amoral. All of these films, however, were already in wide circulation in the culture at
large and are, in the instructor’s opinion, essential to understanding American cultural
history
HCC Policy Statement - ADA:
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester.
Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office.
Central Campus Ability Services: 713.718.6164, Learning Hub, 106
TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972, 20 U.S.C. A§ 1681 ET.
SEQ.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that institutions have policies
and procedures that protect students’ rights with regard to sex/gender discrimination.
Information regarding these rights are on the HCC website under Students-Antidiscrimination. Students who are pregnant and require accommodations should contact
any of the ADA Counselors for assistance.
It is important that every student understands and conforms to respectful
behavior while at HCC. Sexual misconduct is not condoned and will be
addressed promptly. Know your rights and how to avoid these difficult
situations.
Log in to: www.edurisksolutions.org . Sign in using your HCC student e-mail
account, then go to the button at the top right that says Login and enter your
student number.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Berkin – Making America volume 2 (textbook)
Mackin, Suddenly We Didn’t Want to Die
Griffin, Black Like Me
Blue Books: Students will need three (3) blue examination books that MUST be turned
in to the instructor IN ADVANCE of the exams – blue books are to be turned in by
February 18, 2016. YOU MUST TURN IN THREE SEPARATE BLUE BOOKS,
there is no reuse.
Important Dates:
1/19 – Classes begin.
2/1 – Official day of enrolment.
4/5 - Last day to withdraw
ELECTRONIC DEVICES POLICY
The following electronic devices are approved for use on a contingent basis: Laptops,
tablet PCs, iPads and similar devices, and audio recording devices.
Contingency: The use of these devices is permitted SOLELY to aid students in note
taking and understanding course materials. The student understands and accepts that
use of devices for activities such as (but not limited to)websurfing, chatting, streaming
videos, and capturing video and still images is expressly forbidden. Students violating
this policy will lose the privilege of electronic device use.
Lectures, notes, and course materials are the sole intellectual property of Clayton Lust.
Any dissemination of lectures and materials beyond use in THIS COURSE ONLY is
barred. Any violation will be pursued to the full extent that civil law permits.
CELL PHONES: Cell phone use is prohibited in class and the instructor expects ALL
cell phones to be turned off or put on vibrate. If your phone goes off in class, you will
be asked to leave for that class unless you have spoken to me IN ADVANCE. Texting
is similarly prohibited.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty
A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition, not showing that the
coursework has been learned, and that student is claiming an advantage not available to
other students. The instructor is responsible for measuring each student's individual
achievements and also for ensuring that all students compete on a level playing field.
Thus, in our system, the instructor has teaching, grading, and enforcement roles. You are
expected to be familiar with the college's Policy on Academic Honesty, found in the
catalog. What that means is: If you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the
rules will not help you. Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor
and integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings
may be initiated by College System officials against a student accused of scholastic
dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty”: includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test,
plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating on a test includes:
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Copying from another students’ test paper;
Using materials not authorized by the person giving the test;
Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization;
Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or
part the contents of a test that has not been administered;
Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged
incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.
Collusion mean the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written
work offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a
grade of 0 or F in the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation
for probation or dismissal from the College System. (See the Student Handbook)
HCC Attendance Policy Statements
Class attendance is expected and per course policy is mandatory. Attendance will be
taken at the beginning of each class - if you are late YOU WILL BE COUNTED AS
ABSENT UNLESS YOU SPEAK TO ME AT THE END OF CLASS - it is YOUR
responsibility to let me know you arrived, I will not track you down. Students are
permitted six free absences, after that the student will lose one point from their final
grade for each additional absence. Students who maintain perfect attendance will receive
a 3-point bonus to their course grade. While HCC MAY (and I stress may)
administratively drop you if you miss more than six hours of in-class time, deciding not
to attend class will not result in MY dropping you – if you wish to drop the class it is
your responsibility to do so.
Tardiness - get here on time. Lateness happens, habitual lateness is inexcusable. If you
are the type of person who is constantly late, you should consider another class.
GRADING
Your grade in this class is arrived at in the following manner. There will be two
closed book, closed note midterm examinations each worth 20 percent (or points) of
your grade and one closed book, closed note final exam, worth 20 percent of your
grade. There will also be two in class book essays on the Mackin and Griffin books,
each worth 10 percent of your grade. In addition, there will be three fifteen question
multiple choice quizzes worth 5 percent of your grade apiece. Finally, there will be a
number of unannounced “pop” quizzes the average of which will cumulatively make
up the remaining 5 percent of your grade. The entire course is 100 points. See
example below
Exam/Quiz Dates:
Quiz 1 – Feb. 9
Quiz 2 – March 10
Quiz 3 – April 26
Mackin test – Feb. 16
Griffin test April 12
Midterm 1 – Feb. 23
Midterm 2 – March 29
Final Exam – May 10 5:30-7:20P
GRADE SCALE:
A = 90-100
D = 60-69
B = 89-80
F = 59 and below
C = 79-70
COURSE WORK:
Mid-term exams and final exams – will consist of short answer and essay. They are
meant to test your ability to process and demonstrate knowledge of the course material
and why these materials are important. They are closed book and will take place in class
Book Tests - the two book tests will not be exercises in trivial pursuit. These tests will
allow students to demonstrate knowledge of the MAJOR themes, characters, and events
of the work in question. In short, if you have read the books, you will have no problem
answering these questions. They will be essay format, closed book, and in class.
Multiple choice quizzes – these will be objective questions designed to make sure that
students are following, processing, and understanding the material – sort of a pre-test to
gauge what might areas might need extra attention prior to an exam. They will consist of
15 questions
MAKEUP POLICY:
There are NO MAKE-UPS in this class except in cases of dire, documented emergency
Make-ups will be given ONLY with the expressed consent and at the sole discretion of
the instructor – simply missing an exam or quiz does not entitle you to a make-up. The
procedure is as follows: You must come to me immediately upon return to class (I WILL
NOT CHASE YOU DOWN) with DOCUMENTATION of a verifiable emergency and I
will then tell you that you are approved – simply put, no documentation means no makeup. ALL make-ups will be given on May 15 at 8AM at 228 EDC – THIS IS NOT
NEGOTIABLE
SYLLABUS CHANGES: While every attempt has been made to prepare this syllabus
and class schedule in final form, it will be the instructor's prerogative to make any
changes as may be deemed necessary in order to meet the learning outcomes of the
course. Any changes will be announced in a timely manner.
HIST 1302
PROPOSED COURSE CALENDAR
SCHEDULE
WEEK 1/ Jan 19 & 21
Intro
Reconstruction
The US in 1877
Disputed elections
The south as a colony
Lynching
The Piopulists
WEEK 2/ Jan 26 & 28
The election of 1896
The Wizard of Oz
Transformations of American Life
Segregation and Disfranchisement
Conquest of the West
WEEK 3/ Feb. 2 & 4
The Defeat of the Plains Indians
The Emergence of Modern Corporations
The US as a world power – where, when,
and how?
20th Century revolutions
WEEK 4/ Feb. 9 & 11
The Progressive Movement
World War I
WEEK 5/ Feb. 16 & 18
The First Red Scare
The Cultural Civil War of the 1920s
READINGS
Berkin Ch. 15 & 16
Begin Mackin
Berkin Ch. 17
Berkin Ch. 18
Berkin Ch. 19
Berkin Ch. 20
WEEK 6/ Feb. 23 & 25
Midterm Exam 1
Berkin Ch. 21-22
The Great Depression and Causes
Responses to the crisis
Begin reading Griffin
The New Deal and FDR’s Disputed Legacy
WEEK 7/ March 1 & 3
Hitler and Nazism
Berkin Ch. 23
The Holocaust
The US and “Neutrality and Isolation.”
World War II – “The Good War.”
The War in Europe
WEEK 8/ March 8 & 10
The War in the Homefront
Berkin Ch. 24
The War in the Pacific
The Atomic Age – myth, fact, fiction
Origins of the Cold War
A New order
WEEK 9/ March 15 & 17
SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES
WEEK 10/ March 22 & 24
Containment
The Korean War
A Second Red Scare
WEEK 11/ March 29 & 31
Midterm 2
Berkin Ch. 25
Civil Rights Movements
Institutional Responses
Activism and Changing Ideas
WEEK 12/ April 5 & 7
Civil Rights and their effects
JFK – Myth and Reality
Vietnam and its impact
WEEK 13/ April 12 & 14
Struggles for social justice
The Rise of globalization
Post-industrial America
Berkin Ch. 26
Berkin Ch. 27
WEEK 14/ April 19 & 21
The Reagan “revolution”
The Cold War ends.
Iraq – part 1
Bill Clinton and the meaning of his
presidency
WEEK 15/ April 26 & 28
Another “Red Scare”
Wars on Terror
Berkin Ch. 28
WEEK 16/ May 3 & 5
A glimpse into the future
Catch up
Berkin Ch. 29