HISTORY 121
U.S. HISTORY I
SECTION D03P
TTH 8-9:15
SPRING 2010
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Richard Shoaf
OFFICE: B119M
E-MAIL: rshoaf@tcc.edu
VOICEMAIL: 822-2403
OFFICE HOURS: 8:55—9:55, TTH 10:50—12:15
COURSE DESCRIPTION
History 121 is a broad survey of U.S. history from the discovery of America through Reconstruction.
PREREQUISITE: Placement into English 111.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (THE OFFICIAL TCC COURSE OBJECTIVES)
By the end of the course the student will be able to:
 Demonstrate skill in applying college-level reading and writing skills to works of history by successfully
completing written assignments that compare and contrast, describe, evaluate, explain, and indicate a general
understanding of assigned readings selected from historical texts.
 Demonstrate a historical understanding of citizenship, diversity, and a global perspective by discussing issues in
class that require the development of conclusions and analyses based on assigned readings.
 Demonstrate the ability to access, organize, and synthesize historical information from a variety of sources by
evaluating primary and secondary sources in print and online.
 Demonstrate the ability to write essays analyzing and evaluating historical information.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (MY PERSONAL OBJECTIVES FOR THIS COURSE)
 To provide you with interesting and entertaining lectures, readings, and videos that will present the essential
facts of U.S. history.
 To provide an introduction to the tools of the historian by exposing you to clashing historical interpretations and
helping you to learn to evaluate historical evidence and arrive at a truthful picture of past events.
 To help you succeed in a four-year college by laying a solid foundation for more advanced history classes and
acquainting you with the typical structure and methods of a course at a four-year college.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Available online at the class Blackboard site.
If access to the internet is a real hardship for you, meet with me after class.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
History 121 is basically a lecture course, but classes are regularly devoted to discussions of primary sources and
historical essays designed to develop your skills in critical analysis. It is important for you to do the assigned
reading, for both lectures and discussions, before class.
Please ask questions during the lectures if you need clarification and especially if you are interested in some point. (I
often spend some time in the next class discussing points raised by students in previous classes.)
ATTENDANCE
To prevent constant class disruptions by late students, I must enforce an attendance policy.
Beginning January 19, you are responsible for signing the roll before class starts. If you arrive late, or forget to sign,
2 points will be deducted from your total points for the course for each class that you miss or arrive late—after 3
free cuts.
There are no excused absences. You are expected to use your 3 free cuts to handle any emergencies (medical, legal,
etc.). According to TCC regulations, you are considered absent from any classes you miss if you transfer into the
course after the first day of class.
I do not expect to be notified of your reasons for missing class.
Because every clock at TCC keeps different time, our class starts at the appointed time according to real time.
(Consult www.time.gov.)
If you signed up for this course assuming that you could arrive late to every class, drop the course now and get a
refund.
I do not withdraw students who do not attend class or take tests. You receive an F unless you file the paperwork for
a W. (Exception: I withdraw students who fail to take the first two tests.)
CLASS CONDUCT
No children in the classroom at any time.
No food or drink in the classroom.
No talking in class unless you raise your hand and are recognized by the instructor.
No laptops in class.
No sleeping in class. If you fall asleep, I will awake you. If you do it again, I will ask you to leave the class.
Please do not leave the room once class begins unless absolutely necessary. If you know you will have to leave, tell
me about it before class begins. If students begin to disrupt the class by constantly leaving, I will ban students from
leaving.
Turn off your cell phone and put it away as soon as you enter the classroom.
If you must arrive late to class, take your seat and get out your pen and notebook quietly.
With many students in a small classroom, a small percentage of people continually flipping through notebooks or
rustling papers can cause a major distraction. Respect your classmates; they’re trying to listen to the lecture.
If you do not want to come to class to listen and take notes, drop this course and take an online course.
COURSE COVERAGE
This textbook is very detailed, and I do not expect you to know everything in it. You are responsible for all the
material covered in class. Tests are constructed around the material as it is presented in class.
Class discussions are an integral and important part of the course and cover material that is not in the textbook. You
will probably fail the tests if you miss the class discussions.
THE CLASS BLACKBOARD WEBSITE
Discussion readings and test review sheets are available on the class Blackboard website, and you are responsible
for printing them. They will not be distributed in class. Do not postpone printing discussion readings until the night
before the class; if the website is down then, you are still responsible for reading the material.
HOW TO USE BLACKBOARD
If you need help, you can go to the TCC site, click current student, then distance learning. On the menu on the left
side, click Blackboard. You can get instructions on login, FAQ, and even the complete blackboard instruction
manual. (http://www.tcc.edu/students/DTLS/blackbrd/index.htm is the address for the information.)
TAPE RECORDERS
Tape recorders are allowed. However, if you turn on your tape recorder and spend the rest of the class doing your
nails (as one student did), you will lose that privilege.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
It is the policy of TCC to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations for individuals with documented
disabilities. It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor in a timely manner if he or she desires to arrange
for accommodations.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
In the event of a bomb threat, tornado, or fire, students and staff may be asked to evacuate the building or move to a
secure location within the building. Evacuation routes for movement to an external location or to a shelter within the
building are posted at the front of the room. Students should review the maps and make sure that the exit route and
assembly location for the building are clearly understood. If you have a disability that may require assistance during
an evacuation, please let your faculty know at the end of the first class. If you are told to “standfast” you should
remain in the classroom until the faculty member is notified by the appropriate campus person to leave the
classroom.
REQUIREMENTS
Your course grade is determined by your score on 3 tests, a final exam, and 6 discussion quizzes.
QUIZZES: 60 points (7 quizzes, 10 points each, drop 1 quiz)
TEST 1: 100 points
TEST 2: 100 points
TEST 3: 100 points
EXAM: 100 points
The exam is identical in format with earlier tests and covers the chapters covered since test 3; it is not
comprehensive.
TESTS
Each test (and the exam) consists of multiple choice questions (70%) and an essay (30%)—all based on class
lectures and discussions.
Study sheets are provided (on the Blackboard site) for each test.
MAKE UP TESTS
If you miss one test for any reason, you will replace the test you missed by taking a make up test during the second
hour of final exam day at the end of the semester. The make up test will consist solely of multiple choice questions.
If you did not miss any of the first 3 tests, you may take a make up test for one of the 3 tests during the second hour
of exam day. Your score on that make up test will replace your score on the earlier test. All students electing this
option will be required to notify the instructor during the last week of class.
If you have a well-documented excuse for missing a test (for example, a court date), it may be possible to arrange
for you to take the test early if you inform me well in advance of the test date, but this is purely a courtesy, and your
request may not be granted.
DISCUSSION QUIZZES
At the beginning of each class discussion period where a reading has been assigned (as denoted on the class
schedule), there will be a quiz on that reading, which will consist of 5 multiple choice questions (2 points each). You
will be allowed to miss or drop 1 of the 7 quizzes.
Quizzes will be given during the first 8 minutes of class. If you arrive 8 minutes after the beginning of class, you
will not be allowed to take the quiz. There will be no make up quizzes.
EXTRA CREDIT ON TESTS
I return each test one week after you take it. During the last 10 minutes of the next class after the test is returned,
you may retake the multiple choice section of the test. If you answer all the questions correctly, I will add 5 points to
your original test grade. It is your responsibility to notify me about answers wrongly graded on your original test
before the extra credit retest.
This extra credit policy does not apply, of course, to the final exam or make up tests.
EXTRA CREDIT FOR PROOF READING
The first student to report a typographical error in the textbook, workbook, or readings will earn 1 point extra credit
for each error found—up to a maximum of 10 points per student.
MAKE UP POLICY
No make up tests will be given except according to the policy described above in the section on make up tests. By
signing up for this course, you have obligated yourself to make any accommodations necessary in your job or
personal life to attend class as necessary and take the tests at the scheduled times.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Students are expected to perform all assignments and take exams and quizzes without notes or outside assistance.
Scholastic dishonesty is not tolerated. If any type of scholastic dishonesty is detected, all parties involved will be
denied any points for that test or quiz, and the situation may be referred to the appropriate dean.
WEATHER
If a class is canceled, whatever was scheduled for the canceled class will be covered the next time the course meets.
If TCC is open when public schools are closed, you will still be required to attend class.
INSTRUCTOR'S VIEW OF COLLEGE COURSES
I teach my courses on the assumption that most TCC students are self-disciplined and mature adults who have many
obligations outside the college and intend to pursue a four-year degree. I therefore do not use teaching methods
commonly used in high schools (written homework, class projects, class time devoted to test review); I do not
inquire about your personal problems when you do badly on a test or miss class or a test.
STUDYING
In math and science courses, students expect to study to understand the material. In history classes they always
understand the material, so they are tempted to think that they don’t need to study.
To do well in this class, you must study.
 Attending each class and listening to the lectures is NOT studying.
 Attending each class, listening to the lectures, and taking notes is NOT studying.
 Attending each class, listening to the lectures, taking notes, and reading over your notes the night before the test
is NOT studying.
 DO NOT bring your textbook to class and follow along as I lecture. That is a worthless repetition of reading the
text, which you should do before you come to class.
You should expect to devote many hours to memorizing the details covered in the lectures.
Remember: this is a college level transfer course equivalent to the introductory level course at any average four year
college.
GRADING
Scale: 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C 60-69% D 0-59% F
Computing your approximate course grade: (total points you've earned) divided by (total points.)
Calculating your exact course grade: use the grade sheet available at the class Blackboard site in Course
Information.
Keep all your tests and quizzes until you receive your final course grade.
IF YOU NEED HELP
Office hours are for your convenience; just drop in. You never need to get an appointment during office hours. If
you have an emergency and can’t meet me during office hours, see me after class and we can set up an appointment.
Please do not ask me after class to discuss your course grade or your grade on a particular test. Those are serious
matters that should be discussed during office hours, where we will have time for a really helpful discussion.
My phone is 822-2403. I am not on campus except during classes and office hours. My class and office schedule is
always posted on my office door. If you must call at some other time and leave a message with my voice mail, I
cannot insure a call unless you leave a specific time when I can reach you.
E-mail is the best way to reach me: rshoaf@tcc.edu. TCC policy prohibits me from sending you e-mail except via
the VCCS system. Don’t e-mail me from AOL, etc.
COURSE SCHEDULE*
JAN
FEB
12
14
19
21
26
28
2
4
9
11
16
18
23
CH 1: The American Indians—CH 2: Europeans Discover America
CH 2—CH 3: European Colonies in America 1565-1640
Video: Curse of the Cocaine Mummies / CH3
CH 3—CH 4: Colonization of America 1640-1732
CH 4—CH 5: America in 1750
Discussion: Salem Witchcraft: Different Interpretations / CH 5
CH 5: America in 1750—CH 6: The Road to War (1732-1774)
CH 6-- CH 7: The War for American Independence (1775-1783)
CH 7
TEST 1 (CH 1—6)
Discussion: Was Washington a Christian? / CH 8
CH 8: Founding a New Nation (1783-1787)
CH 9: Starting a New Government (1789-1800
APR
25
2
4
16
18
23
25
30
1
6
8
13
15
20
22
27
29
Discussion: Did Jefferson Have a Slave Mistress? / CH 10
CH 10: A New Kind of Government and a New War with Britain (1801-1816)
Discussion: Historical Forgeries / CH11: A Nation Transformed (1816-1828)
TEST 2 (CH 7—10)
CH 11—CH 12: Jacksonian America (1828-1837)
Discussion: The Death of David Crockett / CH 12
CH12—CH 13: America in 1836
**Withdrawal Deadline: March 24
CH 13—CH 14: Reform and Expansion (1836-1844)
Discussion: Our Forefathers in Search of the Good Life / CH14
CH 15: War and Reform (1845-1848)
CH 16—CH17: Drifting toward War (1855-1861
TEST 3 (CH 11—15)
Video: Myths about Lincoln / CH 17
CH 17—CH 18: The War between the States (1861-2)
CH 18—CH 19: The War between the States (1863-5)
CH 19—CH 20: Reconstruction (1865-1877)
Discussion: Was President James Buchanan a Homosexual? / CH 20
MAY
4
8 AM
MAR
EXAM (CH 16—20) / MAKE UP TESTS
*This schedule is tentative, but the scheduled test dates will not change unless I specifically announce a change in
class, and that happens very rarely.
**If you are failing the course after this deadline, it is impossible to receive a “W” on your transcript. If you are
passing the course, a “W” can be given after this date only with written proof of an unexpected situation that
prevents you from attending class (e.g., job change, military orders, illness requiring prolonged bed rest). This is
state law!