History 368: History and Culture of the American Indian
South Dakota State University, Summer 2012
Internet/Online Tentative Course Syllabus, 3 Credit Hours
Instructor: Dale Potts, Ph.D.
Phone: 688-4903
Office: 110 West Hall
Office Hours: D2L & InsideState email addresses until 6:00 pm, Monday – Friday + weekends.
Course texts:
Calloway, Colin. First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History. 4th
ed. New York: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012.
Bettelyoun, Susan Bordeaux and Josephine Waggoner. With My Own Eyes: A Lakota Woman
Tells Her People's History. Emily Levine, ed. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press,
1999.
Deloria, Ella Cara. Waterlily. Lincoln: University of Nebraka Press, 2009.
Starita, Joe. The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2002.
This course is delivered via D2L (Desire2Learn) from May 29, 2012 to June 29, 2012. Please
use the email function of D2L to email me when the course is in session; when otherwise, please
contact me via university email: Dale.Potts@sdstate.edu. I will respond to your D2L email
messages within twenty-four hours, Monday through Friday, unless I am in a place without web
capability (I will give you notice of when I will be away). Do not hesitate to contact me if you
have any problems or questions.
Course Description
History 368: Presents history and culture of North American Indians from before white contact
to the present, emphasizing regional Dakota Cultures. Course is cross-listed AIS 368. Course
fulfills Teacher Education requirement.
Course Prerequisites
No prerequisites, but prior knowledge of American history is highly recommended.
Technological Requirements: Technological skills necessary will include the use of D2L to
participate in discussions, take quizzes, and to turn in the final essay. To learn about the
technology you will need to participate in this course, and to download select necessary software,
please visit Technical Support at SDSU. For technical support, you may either call the SDSU
Helpdesk at 605-688-6776, email, or visit their website:
http://www.sdstate.edu/technology/support-desk.cfm.
Instruction Method
South Dakota State University and I will deliver this course online via D2L. This course is
centered around three primary source books and a document reader. The course is conceived of
as an online seminar. Seminars are based on online discussion.
There are weekly quizzes on the chapters in Colin Calloway's Book, First Peoples. You will see,
for instance, that on June 1st, you are expected to complete a quiz for Introduction and pp. 14-54
of Chapter One. Second week, on June 8th, a quiz for Chapters two and three as well as pp. 5464 of Chapter One. And so on according to the schedule.
You will notice on the tentative schedule that there are three discussion periods based on the
following books: Waterlily, With My Own Eyes, and The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge. With the
second week of the course, students will participate in online discussions. Each book discussion
has eight proposed questions. Students will have the entire week (SEE THE SCHEDULE FOR
INDIVIDUAL BOOKS) to participate in discussion.
I will divide the class into discussion groups in order to create an environment where students are
comfortable discussing these texts. We will all participate together. To locate your group, click
on the Groups tab in D2L and click on each group until you locate yourself.
Students will also complete a final essay that ties together the material. This is the final exam
essay mentioned elsewhere. I will provide the question for the assignment at least one week in
advance of the due date.
Technical Support
For technical support, you may either call the SDSU Helpdesk at 605-688-6776, email, or visit
their website. Please do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
ADA Statement
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability
should contact Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, Coordinator of Disability Services (605-688-4504 or
Fax, 605-688-4987) to privately discuss your specific needs. The Office of Disability Services
is located in room 065, the Student Union.
Freedom in Learning Statement
Freedom in Learning. Students are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in
which they are enrolled. Under Board of Regents and University Policy, student academic
performance shall be evaluated solely on an academic basis and students should be free to take
reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any courses of study. Students who believe
than an academic evaluation is unrelated to academic standards but is instead related to judgment
of their personal opinion or conduct should first contact the instructor of the course. If the
student remains unsatisfied, the student may contact the department head and/or dean of the
college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.
Plagiarism Policy
The consequences of academic cheating and dishonesty range from any and all plagiarized or
compromised assignments, tests, and other forms of evaluations being given zero credit as per
offense to a student being given a failing grade for the class in which the offense took place.
There is also the possibility that any student who has committed a cheating offense may face
disciplinary probation or expulsion from the University. The full policies are found in chapter 1
of the Student Code (01: 10:23:01-1: 10:23:04) of the SDSU Student Policies Manual.
Academic honesty is expected of all students. A loose definition of academic honesty is defined
here as doing your own work (such as writing papers and taking exams), not doing work for
others (such as writing papers or taking an exam for someone else), but a far more specific
definition can be found in the Student Code (01:1025:01-1:10:25:04. Students caught cheating
will fail the assignment. In especially grievous cases University policy is to expel the offender.
Course Requirements (What You Will Be Graded On):
1. When you engage in your first book discussion, for Waterlily, for instance, you will notice that
the class has been divided into groups (Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, etc.). This allows
smaller numbers of people to be involved and to avoid feeling like they are competing with the
entire class. In the first week of class we will each introduce ourselves to our assigned
discussion group in one or two paragraphs so that we may create a greater sense of community.
Tell the group who you are, what your interests are, and the reasons you chose to take this
course. This assignment is worth (10) points. Points will not be accepted after Sunday, June
3rd, 2012, 5:00 pm.
If using Word to compose your posts be sure to click on the Word icon option under paste.
2. For Waterlily, With My Own Eyes, and The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge, students will participate
in online discussions (found on the gold navigation bar under "Discuss.") I will introduce each
book with a series of eight questions based on each reading. Students are expected to post at
least 6 initial comments (engaging at least 6 of the questions) AND students are expected to
post at least 6 responses to other student’s posts (also engaging at least 6 of the questions).
Students will be graded by the quantity and the quality of their contributions to the discussion.
Students will offer answers to questions and/or introduce their own questions. Simply repeating
what others have said or adding "I agree," will not meet the course requirements. One of your
goals is to prove that you have read and understood the books.
Discussion will occur over a one-week period. We will spend one week on each book. YOU
MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION AT ANY TIME AFTER SUNDAY, 8:00 A.M. AND ARE
ENCOURAGED TO DO SO. Discussion points must be earned by 5:00 p.m., Central Time,
on Saturday of the current discussion week to receive credit. Waiting until 5:00 on the last
day will not give you the chance to interact with others or others to address your comments.
Because interaction with other students and the instructor is important you should participate in
the discussion throughout the week. Students who provide specific references (quotes and page
numbers) in their responses will earn higher grades than those who simply generalize. Because
this is a college-level course, proper grammar is expected.
3. For the five quizzes on the Calloway reader students will use the LockDown Browser to log
onto D2L to take a multiple choice quiz. Be sure to read each chapter carefully, paying special
attention to the assigned primary documents at the end of each chapter. Primary sources are
complex, even if they do not appear so at first. Be prepared to understand each primary source,
such as who wrote it, why it was written, and if it contains any inherent biases.
Each quiz will consist of twenty questions. Five quizzes worth 30 points each add up to 150
points. Quiz dates are shown on the schedule.
4. Final essay. Students will write a final essay addressing questions found under “Paper
Instructions” at the end of this syllabus. The essay will be based on the course texts & class
discussions - 100 points. Essays will be graded for both content and style (grammar, adherence
to formal writing styles). Please pay close attention to the content and style of your essays. I
will read a rough draft if an electronic copy is sent to me no later than Monday, June 25th
@ 5:00 pm, CST. This is a sure way to increase your grade. I will make comments and
suggestions and return rough drafts to you as soon as possible.
The final version of your essay must be turned in through the “Dropbox” function within D2L by
Saturday, June 30th @ 5:00 p.m., CST. This tab allows students to email their assignments to
the instructor. Late essays (final versions) will be penalized 5% per business-day-of-lateness. Be
sure to get them in on time.
Self-introduction
Discussion
Quizzes
Summary essay
Total
10 points
150 points (three graded discussions x 50 points)
150 points (five graded quizzes x 30 points
100 points
410 points
All work will be graded on the following scale:
90-100%
A
80-89.99%
B
70-79.99%
C
60-69.99%
D
Below 60% F
Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes: This course builds upon SGR #4 (Humanities
and Arts/Diversity). Students taking this course will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the
diversity of values, beliefs, and ideas embodied in the human experience. They will also be able
to identify and explain basic concepts of history and identify and explain the contributions of
other cultures from the perspective of the discipline of history.
This course will include discussion of land and natural resource use, and so also builds upon IGR
Goal #1 (Land and Natural Resources). Students will learn the fundamental importance of land
and other natural resources and the ways in which Americans and Native Americans viewed the
land over time.
This course also builds upon IGR Goal #3 (Social Responsibility/Cultural and Aesthetic
Awareness because it examines both Native American and American cultural practices. Through
this course students will be more able to demonstrate an appreciation of the different ways in
which people expressed their understanding of the human condition. Students will also be more
able to understand their responsibilities and choices as related to behavioral, cultural, and/or
institutional contexts.
Class attendance policy: I expect you to participate regularly in course activities. These
activities include reading the assigned texts, posting relevant and appropriate questions and
comments to our course discussion boards, taking quizzes, and by writing a quality essay. These
activities all have deadlines.
Internet etiquette: In this course, you will frequently communicate using electronic means.
Please consider your audience and make every effort to ensure that your postings, as well as your
responses to the postings of others, are appropriate, tolerant, and concise. In discussion or
emails, students will address each other and the instructor with respect. Discussion will also be
conducted in proper English, using full sentences.
Tentative Schedule of Assignments:
Week One (May 28th to June 2nd) Native America before Contact & European Arrivals
Reading: Calloway, First Peoples, pp. 1-12; Chapter 1, pp. 14-64; Chapter 2, pp. 78-136
10-Point ”Introduce Yourself to Your Discussion Group” Assignment
Due, Friday, June 1st by 5:00 pm
Online Quiz One: Friday, June 1st
Week Two (June 3rd to June 9th): Age of European Conflicts & the American Revolution
Reading; Calloway, Chapter 3, pp. 152-198; Chapter 4, pp. 218-254
Online Quiz Two: Friday, June 8th
Online Discussion #1 – Deloria, Waterlily
(Sun., June 3rd 8:00 a.m. to Sat., June 9th 5:00 p.m., CST)
Week Three (June 10th to June 16th): U.S. Indian Policies: Removal & Conflicts in the West
Reading: Calloway, Chapter 5, pp. 274-319; Chapter 6, pp. 332-396
Online Quiz Three: Friday, June 15th
Week Four (June 17th to June 23rd): Reservation Systems & Indian New Deal
Reading: Calloway, Chapter 7, pp. 412-469, Chapter 8, pp. 484-532
Online Quiz Four: Friday, June 22nd
Online Discussion #2 on Bettelyoun, With My Own Eyes
(Sun., June 17th 8:00 a.m. to Sat., June 23rd 5:00 p.m., CST)
(Crucial that you read the text & the end notes.)
Week Five (June 24th to June 29th): Indian Militancy, Self-Determination & Sovereignty
Reading: Calloway, Chapter 9, pp. 546-603; Chapter 10, pp. 618-689
Online Quiz Five: Friday, June 29th
Online Discussion #3, Starita, The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge
(Sun., June 24th 8:00 a.m. to Sat., June 30th 5:00 p.m., CST)
Final Essay Due Sat., June 30h, 2012 by 12:00 midnight, CST, In the Dropbox, on D2L.
HIST/AIS 368 Paper Instructions:
The authors of Waterlily, With My Own Eyes and The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge each present
fascinating and complex life stories, culture, and history of western Plains Indians. In a wellreasoned essay of at least three pages, I would like you to consider the following questions:
Using one illustrative example from each book, please write an essay that compares contact
between Indians and whites; were these episodes positive or negative and did they change over
time? In your opinion, who benefited from these exchanges?
Your paper must contain a thesis statement (argument). The thesis statement should be
located in the first paragraph of the paper. A thesis statement tells the reader specifically what
the paper is about. You will need to determine what you want to explore in your argument. The
bulk of the paper should then be used to support your argument with sufficiently-developed
examples. These examples should contain your own analysis and not merely summary of your
sources. Your paper should then have a conclusion.
Give the paper a title. Be sure to type your paper–double-space with a 12-point font.
Proofread your paper beforehand. Spelling and other grammatical mistakes will be taken into
account. Cite your sources consistently with MLA style, both in-text citations and a
bibliography of works cited.
Finally, be aware of historical context. You may use your textbook reader as well as the
PowerPoint presentations to determine background information for your argument. Take into
account what was going on during these eras in American society. Try to understand the people
and events in the context of their own time.