History 1301: U.S. History to 1877
Houston Community College, Southeast Campus
Course Reference Number: CRN XXXX
Fall 2011
Instructor Information
Instructor Name: Portia D. Barker, M.A.
Contact Information: Portia.Barker@yahoo.com
205.826.0299
Office Hours: 4:45-5:15 Tuesdays in the library
Course Information
Course Location: XXXX
Course Contact Hours: 48 contact hours
Course Length: 16 weeks
Type of Instruction: Lecture and Discussion
Prerequisites: Must be placed in college level reading and college level writing
Please note: Students who take a course more than twice face significant
tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public universities. If you are
considering withdrawing from a course because you are not passing (or for any
other reason),confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about
your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance,
course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might
be available.
Course Description
This course surveys the United States from the Age of Discovery through the Civil War
and Reconstruction (1877). The story of the US to 1877 is the story of the
implementation of the world's largest system of slavery; the removal of Native
Americans east of the Mississippi; the conquest of a vast empire from Spain and
Mexico; and the triumph of urban values. But it is also the story of the defeat and
collapse of slavery; the American reform tradition; and new ideals of liberty, equality and
democracy.1 Special emphasis will be placed on the emergence of the United States as
a nation, the formation of ideas of citizenship in America, and the evolution of the
1
Clayton Lust, History 1301 Syllabus, 2010.
economic, social/cultural and political institutions which defined the development of the
modern United States and its people.
Course Goals
• To provide a comprehensive introduction to the essential social/cultural, political,
military, and diplomatic elements of United States history before 1877, by surveying
the persons, places, and events which have shaped the American experience as well
as focusing on the forces of republicanism, individualism, democratization,
nationalism, sectionalism, agrarianism, and industrialism.
• To provide students with a thorough grounding in problem-solving and analytical
thinking, particularly by showing the relevance of American history to other areas of
knowledge— philosophy, political science, literature, economics, sociology, and
geography.
• To provide students with training in skills essential to success in a college/university
and/or work environment.
• To show that through proper study and reflection the past was hardly “simple” or
“innocent,” thus sparking discussions about many historical controversies.2
Required Texts
• Textbook: American Passages: A History of the US, 4th edition, Ayers, etal
• Virtual Reader – http://www.pearsoncustom.com/tx/hcc_hist1301
• Monograph(s): Plantation Mistress// Clilnton// Random House (Paperback)// ISBN
0394722531
OR
Ar'n't I a Woman? : Female Slaves in the Plantation South// W.W.
Norton//1999// ISBN 0-393-314-812
Required Assignments and Grading Scale
Tests: 50% of total grade
• 15% Test I--- Test I cover information from the beginning of the semester until
Tuesday, September 27, 2011. Refer to syllabus for specific themes and topics.
2
Robert Richie, History 1301 Syllabus, 2010.
Test I will be Thursday, September 29, 2011
• 15% Test II--- Test II will cover information from Tuesday, October 4, 2011 until
Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Refer to syllabus for specific themes and topics. Test II
will be
• 20% Test III (final)--- The final will cover information from Tuesday, November 8, 2011
until Tuesday, December 6, 2011. The final is semi-comprehensive, meaning that
there will be information covered from the beginning of the semester. Students should
take note of prominent themes across the course of the semester and be prepared to
discuss them in detail on the final. Students should refer to syllabus for specific
themes and topics.
Papers: 25% of total grade
• 10% History in Pop Culture Paper-- This paper requires the student to choose two
films from the list of perspective films to write a 5 page research paper on. Students
will compare the accuracy of the popular culture depiction to the historical evidence
presented within the text. Students should consider key critical thinking questions
when writing their papers. Examples include what is missing from the popular culture
depiction, what seems sensationalized or fabricated, how has this retelling of history
effected the overall historical narrative, and to what extent do these films offer an
accurate representation of history. Students are required to get approval from the
instructor as to which films they will view and are strongly advised to schedule a
meeting with the instructor to discuss their paper prior to the due date. The purpose of
this assignment is to familiarize students with historical narratives and how they are
retold through popular culture mediums. This paper will assist students in building
research skills, as well as improve their critical thinking and writing skills.
• 15% Oral History Paper-- This paper requires students to do an oral history interview
with one person and write a 5 page paper on the historical events they describe. The
students may chose any person they like to preform the interview on (so long as they
are over the age of 18 and understand they are being interviewed for a class
assignment). The person whom the student choses to interview will be asked a series
of questions having to do with a particular historical event that they lived through.
Examples include, cultural shifts and changes experienced by the interviewee
(segregation in the South, transnational relocation, ex-patriot or new citizenship etc),
war experiences (including World War II, Korean war, Cold war, Vietnam war, Desert
Storm, Iraq war, or Afghanistan war), social movements (including the civil rights
movement, gay rights movement, chicano rights movement, unionized labor
movements, women’s right movement etc), or significant era’s within American history
(40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, technology boom or dot.com era etc). The
purpose of this assignment is to familiarize students with the way we study history,
build research skills, as well as improve critical thinking and writing skills.
Please Note: All papers are must be typed. Students should use 12 point font and
Times New Roman. The paper should be double spaced and have 1 inch margins. You
must cite any references you make within your paper and provide a work cited page.
Students are required to put their first and last name as well as their class time in the
top right hand corner of the paper. Any deviation from these instructions will result in a
loss of points on their paper grade.
Quizzes, Citizenship and Participation: 25% of total grade
• 15% Chapter Quizzes and Monograph Book Quiz-- Students will take a minimum of 3
quizzes during the course of the semester. Each quiz will cover information found in
lectures and the texts. The instructor reserves the right to ADD quizzes if class
participation is low, readings are not completed, or material needs to be reiterated for
comprehension.
• 10 % Citizenship and Participation-- Students are required to actively participate in
class discussion, group activities, and note taking while in class. Citizenship is based
on PARTICIPATION, not just showing up. I will take attendance every class.
Excessive absences will result in a low citizenship and participation grade and will
severely hinder a student’s chance at success in this class. I reserve the right to drop
you from the class if you miss more than 5 classes. Please note, as stated in HCC’s
policy, 3 tardies is equal to once absence. In addition to this, the following are NOT
ALLOWED in class and will effect the student’s citizenship grade.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Cell phones that disrupt class (loud ringtones, texting, alarms, etc).
Repeatedly showing up late to class.
Eating or drinking full meals in class.
Tweeting, messaging, blogging, facebook posting, or any other digital social
networking while in class.
A general disregard and disrespect for me, classmates, the school or its
property.
Please Note: My goal as your instructor is to provide a learning environment that
is conducive to that found in a university setting. This is not high school. Please
do not refer to this class as “the 13th grade.” Please do not conduct yourself as a
person who believes they are in the “13th grade.” Treat this class as an important
and integral stepping stone to your future academic goals. Come to class ready
to learn and prepared to actively participate in class activities. In turn, I will come
to class ready to teach and willing to assist you in better understanding American
History.
*I have a ZERO tolerance policy for unruly, disrespectful or offensive behavior, gestures
and language. Each student needs to be respectful to each other and to me. Failure to
do so will result in you being asked to leave class and will negatively effect your
citizenship grade. In extreme cases I reserve the right to drop you from the course.
Grading Scale:
A= 90-100%
B= 80-89%
C= 70-79%
D= 60-69%
F= 60% and below
** Cheating on any assignment will result in an automatic ZERO for the assignment. NO
EXCEPTIONS. Cheating includes but is not limited to plagiarism, paraphrasing
another’s work and passing it off as your own, using unauthorized materials during tests
or quizzes, and turning in work that is not original. The bottom line; If you cheat I will
catch you, so don’t do it.
*** Should a student miss an exam for any reason they will have to notify me PRIOR to
the exam and no later than 24 hours after the exam. Failure to do so will result in a
failing grade of zero for the exam. Make up exams must be scheduled with me within
one week of the original testing date.
PLEASE NOTE: The instructor will not initiate an administrative withdrawal at any time
during the semester for any student. Students who simply stop participating or simply
stop turning in major assignments and are still enrolled in the course at the end of the
semester will receive the grade that their performance in class reflects. Please consult
HCC’s policy on withdrawal policy for the last day for students to withdraw from the
course without receiving a grade.
Houston Community College Policies
Academic Dishonesty
All Houston Community College students are required to exercise academic honesty in
completion of all tests and assignments. Penalties for academic honesty (cheating on a
test, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration on an assignment) may include a grade of 0
or F for the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for
probation or dismissal from the college system.
ADA Policy
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations for the classroom
and/or testing 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. Students who are requesting
classroom and/or testing accommodations must first contact the DSS office for
assistance prior to the beginning of each semester. The counselor for Southeast
College is Ms. Lilian Baldwin and she can be reached at 713 718-7218.
Course Schedule
Date
Reading Assignment
Class Activity
Tuesday, August 30
Course Information and
Syllabus Discussion
Class Introductions
Thursday, September 1
Tuesday, September 6
Chapters 1 & 2
Thursday, September 8,
2011
Tuesday, September 13
Chapter 1 and 2 Quiz
Chapter 3
Thursday, September 15
Tuesday, September 20
Oral History Interview Day
Thursday, September 22
Chapter 4
Tuesday, September 27
Chapter 4 & 5
Thursday, September 29
Tuesday, October 4
Test 1-- (Chapters 1-5)
Chapter 6
Thursday, October 6
Tuesday, October 11
Oral History Paper Due
Chapter 7
Thursday, October 13
Tuesday, October 18
Chapter 8
Thursday, October 20
Tuesday, October 25
Chapter 7 and 8 Quiz
Chapter 9
Thursday, October 27
Tuesday, November 1
Chapter 10
Thursday, November 3
Tuesday, November 8
Test 2-- (Chapters 6-10)
Chapter 11
Thursday, November 10
Tuesday, November 15
Chapter 12
Date
Reading Assignment
Thursday, November 17
Class Activity
Monograph Essay Paper
Due
Tuesday, November 22
Chapter 13
Thursday, November 24
No Class/ Thanksgiving
Holiday
Tuesday, November 29
Chapter 14 & 15
Thursday, December 1
Tuesday, December 6
Chapter 15 Quiz
Chapter 16
Thursday, December 8
Group Study Day
Tuesday, December 13
Final for 5:30 and 8:30
Classes
Thursday, December 15
Final for 7:00 class
Additional Information
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your student
Visa. Once a W is given for the course, it will not be changed to an F because of the visa
consideration. Since January 1, 2003, International Students are restricted in the number of
distance education courses that they may take during each semester. ONLY ONE
online/distance education class may be counted towards the enrollment requirement for
International Students per semester. Please contact the International Student Office at 713718-8520 if you have any questions about your visa status and other transfer issues.
Student Course Reinstatement Policy:
Students have a responsibility to arrange payment for their classes when they register,
either through cash, credit card, financial aid, or the installment plan. Faculty members
have a responsibility to check their class rolls regularly, especially during the early
weeks of a term, and reconcile the official class roll to ensure that no one is attending
class whose name does not appear on it. Students who are dropped from their courses
for nonpayment of tuition and fees who request reinstatement after the official date of
record payment of tuition and fees who request reinstatement after the official date of
record (OE Date) can be reinstated by making payment in full and paying an additional
$75 per course reinstatement fee. A student requesting reinstatement should present
the registrar with a completed Enrollment Authorization Form with the signature of the
instructor, department chair, or dean who should verify that the student has been
regularly attending class. Students who are reinstated are responsible for all course
policies and procedures, including attendance requirements. A dean may waive the
reinstatement fee upon determination that the student was dropped because of a
college error. The dean should note the nature of the error in a memo to the registrar
with appropriate documentation.
Please Note: This syllabus is meant as a guide and is subject to change at the
discretion of the instructor. If there are any changes made, the student will be notified in
a timely manner.