HISTORY 1301: UNITED STATES TO 1877--Fall, 2014
Course: West Loop Campus: Room C252 Section 31074 : 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. MW
Instructor: Kaye Arnold Office hrs. by appointment e-mail: kaye.arnold@hccs.edu
Required Texts: By His Own Hand?: The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis. Editor John D.W. Guice. Norman,
Oklahoma: Oklahoma University Press, 2007 ISBN-13 978-0-8061-3851-0 (paperback)
Recommended Texts: The American Promise: A History of the United States. James L. Roark et al. Vol. I Value Edition, 2012,
ISBN 978-1-4576-1346-3 or the Combined Volume and The Bedford Handbook. Diana Hacker. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,
2006 ISBN-0-312-41933 (student edition soft cover)
Subject/Purpose: History 1301 surveys Part I of United States history, beginning with European exploration and ending with the
final year of Reconstruction in the South. We will first discuss the origins of the American culture and the development of the
nation from colonial to mid-nineteenth century America, and then we will consider the issues and crises that this culture and the
American government faced in the mid-decades of the century that led to the Civil War and the rebuilding of the nation. In
addition to learning key trends and events during the period, students will focus on the processes of historical thinking, including
extensive study of primary sources, and will apply critical thinking to make judgments about the past. History 1301 is a 16-week,
48 contact hour course which fulfills three hours of a state-mandated six-hour history requirement. Successful completion of this
class will also improve student performance in reading, writing, critical thinking, communicating, and computer skills.
Prerequisites: successful completion or concurrent enrollment in English 1301; college level reading comprehension and writing
ability and computer literacy
Prerequisites: Must have earned credit for English 1301 or be concurrently enrolled in the course.
Core Objectives:
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Critical Thinking Skills: To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, and evaluation, and synthesis of
information
Communication Skills: To include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral,
and visual communication
Social Responsibility: To include intercultural competence, knowledge of community responsibility, and the ability to
engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making
guidelines
Program Learning Outcomes:
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Students will be able to create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
Students will be able to analyze and interpret primary and sources.
Students will be able to analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural and global forces on this
period of U.S. history.
Students will be able to understand the importance of chronology and how earlier ideas and events shaped later events.
Course (Student) Learning Outcomes for History 1301:
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Discuss the Age of Exploration
Explain colonization
Identify the causes and effects of the American Revolution
Explain the origins and impact of slavery
Analyze the formation of the Republic
Summarize the effects of expansion and innovation
Explain nationalism and sectionalism
Discuss the Civil War
Evaluate the effects of Reconstruction
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Course Expectations: Your outside study and preparation will be the essential determiner of your performance and thus,
your final grade average. There is no substitute for hard work and anyone who expects to invest only the time it takes to attend
classes should not expect to be successful in the course. For those who do expect success, a strong commitment to the following
habits should ensure that success:
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reviewing with frequency the course study guides and connecting them to course content
acquiring background knowledge to support understanding of course content
completing all assigned readings before the class period
bringing all assigned readings to class
completing all written assignments on time
taking thorough, organized notes
being prepared to participate in class discussion
reviewing materials for quizzes and exams
completing all skills lessons and practicing the recommended skills strategies
working on thinking, listening, writing, and vocabulary skills
meeting course deadlines
Course Organization and Requirements:
Lectures: Lectures will be scheduled for most sessions. It will be essential for your success in the course that you take thorough
class notes. I provide study guides; frequent review of these materials will support your learning.
Reading Materials: You must read the required text and any other assignments, analyze critically the assigned readings, and be
prepared to discuss the readings in class. The textbook, The American Promise, is highly recommended as a major study aide;
there will be required handouts and online resources. Library hours at West Loop are M-Th 7:30 am-9:00 p.m.; Fr 7:30 am-1:00
p.m.; Sat. 8:00 am-1:00 p.m.
Note taking: You will be expected to work on improving your note taking skills in the course to help you organize your thinking
related to lectures, readings, and discussions. You will be expected to practice a strategy for note taking.
Participation: Class discussions are an important part of the course. Discussions will be based on readings and participation is
required. While it is not a requirement for the course, I strongly recommend that you extend class discussions and participation
beyond the classroom by forming study groups.
Paper: A written essay is required for the course. Guidelines and a format for the essay will be given during the course. The
paper should be submitted by the due date; late papers will be penalized and no papers will be accepted after the announced
final deadline. You should keep an extra copy of your paper; you will be able to review your work after grading but will return
the paper to me. All written work completed outside of class should be your own original work, written in your own words.
Any quotes or paraphrasing will be expected to be punctuated and cited correctly.; otherwise, plagiarism has occurred. This
violation will result in an automatic 0 for the assignment and may result in automatic failure of the course and/or expulsion
from the college.
Resources: You may be given Study Guides, Discussion Questions, and Vocabulary to support your note taking, reading, and
preparing for classroom discussion. Your textbook has a Glossary of Historical Vocabulary you should consult. I will use the
HCC Learning Web this semester to provide these course materials as well as to post the syllabus and any written guidelines for
assignments. You can access my Learning Web at site at http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/. Type in “Arnold” in the search box, and
it will take you to my site. Alternatively, you can reach the Learning Web by accessing the HCC Homepage (hccs.edu); click on
Southwest College at the top, click on “Learning Web” in the right hand menu on the Southwest Homepage. That should take you
to the search box. If you have any difficulty with this, let me know as soon as possible. You can access several study aids for the
textbook at bedfordstmartins.com/roarkvalue.
You may purchase the textbook at the HCC bookstores or possibly at local stores such as Barnes & Noble or Half-Priced Books or
through online sellers. There are several online sites that sell history textbooks and books such as www.alibris.com and
www.amazon.com and wwwbarnesandnoble.com.
Other history sites that provide general and topical information on U.S. History include: University of Houston’s Digital History:
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ and Eyewitness to History www.eyewitnesstohistory.com and Documents for the Study of
American
History
http://
www.vlib.us/amdocs/
and
National
Geographic
"America
in
1607"
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http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/05/jamestown/jamestown-standalone
and The Library of Congress: American
Memoryhttp://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html and The Avalon Project At Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and
Diplomacy http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm.
HCC offers an excellent resource for tutoring and for writing papers – AskOnline. You can access it at http://hccs.askonline.net.
Turn-around time for receiving help on papers is usually 18-24 hours, so you should plan on submitting papers for help well before
they are due. Visit the AskOnline website for details and further information.
Assessment of Learning: You will be evaluated with multiple kinds of assessments for the course. There will be three major
exams covering the historical topics studied prior to the exam; there are no cumulative exams. Additionally, along with the
assigned paper, your participation in class as well as short quizzes and possibly other written assignments may be used in
evaluating your learning. An example of a written assignment might be a critical analysis of a primary source or a summary of
information from an internet historical site or assigned text. Also please note that all multi-page assignments must be stapled
when they are submitted, and All assignments must be submitted as a hard copy--not by e-mail.
Examination and Grading Policy: Each student’s grades will be weighted according to the following : Major exams = 60%
Paper = 20% Other assignments, quizzes, and class participation = 20%. Exams and quizzes may be made up of objective,
short answer (paragraph), and/or essay questions. Please note that you will have to provide Scantron forms and #2 pencils for
all tests with objective questions; please answer all other questions in ink. You must be prepared to remain in the classroom
until you have completed all tests as you will be required to turn in your exam before you leave the classroom. There will be
specific procedures for test administrations and failure to follow these procedures may result in a test grade of 0. All testing
materials and student papers are kept by the instructor. Final course grades will be available via the HCC internet site.
Please make necessary arrangements to take exams on the assigned dates. No make-ups will be scheduled. If an exam is missed,
a grade of 65 will be assigned; if any additional exams are missed, a grade of 0 will be assigned. Exam grades will still be
weighted 60%; therefore absences of one or more exams may result in a failing grade. A grade penalty will be assessed if
the last exam is missed. The standard HCC grading system is used for all grades: A (100-90) B (89-80) C (79-70) D (69-60) F
(below 60). I do not curve grades or give extra credit work as I prefer you to concentrate your efforts on improving your grades on
regular assignments. This is a college-level course; therefore it is imperative that you demonstrate college-level reading
comprehension and writing ability. Students planning to transfer their college credits to another college or university should
check on the requirements of that institution; generally, a grade of C is required for transfer of credit.
Attendance: Class attendance is a must, and the instructor will check attendance at every session and will follow HCC policies
regarding attendance and drops. A commitment to learning requires you to schedule your time so you can attend classes on time
and remain for full class times. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get all information, including handouts, that you
have missed; at the beginning of the course, identify fellow students who can help you. Punctuality is expected; repeated
lateness will be considered as partial absences in the course. Most importantly, many, if not all quizzes, will be given at the
beginning of class periods; a tardy will result in a grade of zero for the missed quiz. Generally, students who miss six or more
hours of the class have a difficult time following the course content and passing the exams. Ideally, every student will complete
the course successfully; you do, however, have the option of withdrawing any time before the official withdrawal date on
October 31. International students, veterans, and those on financial aid should be fully aware of the grade and minimum hours
policies affecting your situation. In particular, you should know the rules regarding withdrawal (“W”) from a course. Once a
“W” is officially recorded it will not be changed to another grade regardless of circumstances. I will not drop you for reasons
of nonattendance. If you choose to stop attending class, it is your responsibility to formally withdraw; if you fail to complete
the required withdrawal forms, you will receive a grade of “F”. You can withdraw at the Registrar’s Office at any Southwest
College campus. The last date for official withdrawal is 4:30 p.m., Friday, October 31 . Failure to officially withdraw by that
date will result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty Policy: Academic honesty is essential in education. Plagiarism, cheating and other forms of academic
dishonesty are prohibited by HCCS policy and the rules of this class.
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Plagiarism is representing other’s work--ideas, writing, including material from the Internet, etc.--as your own, without
crediting the source. It constitutes the theft of another person’s intellectual property. It is the most common form of
academic dishonesty. If you are unclear about what constitutes plagiarism, you should seek clarification before beginning
an assignment. I will provide guidance to you.
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Cheating is any form of deception or fraud intended to misrepresent one’s academic work and/or inflate a grade or assist
other students to do so. Cheating involves fraud and deception for the purpose of violating legitimate class rules.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to: copying from another student’s test paper or written assignment; using, during a
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test, materials not authorized by the instructor; collaborating with another student during a test; knowingly using, buying,
selling, etc. whole or part of an administered test or written assignment. Also, a grade penalty will be assessed if any
tests or papers that are to be returned to the instructor are not returned during the same class. Any questions about
academic dishonesty should be referred to the Student Conduct section of the College System catalogue.
Violations of these policies may result in automatic failure of the course and/or expulsion from the college.
Class Etiquette: Generally, students are expected to act like adult college students and respect the rights and needs of fellow
students and the instructor. Also please that note according to Houston Community College policy, no form of sexual
harassment will be tolerated.
Electronic Devices: No electronic devices--phones, tablets, laptop computers, pagers, etc.--should be used during class;
anyone disturbing instruction in this manner may be required to leave. Use of any kind of recording devices, including
camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where
instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students who bring phones and other electronic devices to the classroom during major
exams may have to place them on the instructor’s desk during exams. Students with disabilities who may want to use a recording
device as an accommodation should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for information regarding reasonable
accommodations and must provide the instructor with appropriate documentation.
EGLS3: HCC offers students the opportunity to provide student feedback to improve teaching and learning. At a designated time
during the semester, you will be directions to a site that will allow you to complete an online survey related to your classroom
instruction.
Disability Policy: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs
to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact Dr. Becky Hauri, the Disability Support Services Counselor, for the
Southwest College, phone 713-718-7909 at the beginning of the semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Office of Disability Support Services Office (DDS). Students who are requesting special testing
accommodations must first contact that office.
Notice: Students who repeat a course three or more times may face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas
public colleges and universities. State law limits the number of courses a student, attending state institutions, may withdraw from
to a maximum of six. Please ask your instructor/ counselor about opportunities for tutoring/other assistance prior to considering
course withdrawal, or if you are not receiving passing grades.
This syllabus is not to be considered a legal document; rather it states course goals, organization, and requirements and as such
may be subject to modifications. The following schedule and readings are subject to revisions by the instructor.
HISTORY 1301 SCHEDULE OF TOPICS, READINGS, AND ASSIGNMENTS, Fall, 2014
August 25 : Session 1
Introduction/Syllabus & Schedule/Study Aides
Topic A: The Nature of History
Topic B: The New World and the Old: European Antecedents & the Columbine Exchange (15th & 16th centuries)
August 27 : Session 1
Topic B con’t.
Topic 1: The Anglo-Atlantic World: British Folkways Form the Cultural Foundation (17th century)
Text: Ch. 1 and 2
September 1: Labor Day Holiday
September 3: Session 2
Topic 1 con’t.
Text: Ch. 3 and 4
September 8: Session 3
Topic 1 con’t.
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September 10: Session 3
Topic 2: The Political Foundation—Evolution and Revolution (the 18th century)
Text: Ch. 5 and 6
September 15: Session 4
Topic 2 con’t.
Text: Ch. 7
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Foreword, Preface, Acknowledgments, Introduction, Appendix, and Selected Bibliography
September 17: Session 4
Topic 2 con’t.
September 22: Session 5
Exam I
September 24: Session 5
Topic 3: The Early Republic (1780’s-1800)
Text: Ch. 8 and Ch. 9
September 29: Session 6
Topic 3 con’t.
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Chapter One: “The Case for Suicide”
October 1: Session 6
Topic 4: The Growth of a Democratic Culture and the Nation’s Expansion (1800-1828)
Text: Ch. 10
October 13: Session 7
Topic 4 con’t.
Topic 5: Jacksonian America (1828-1840)
October 15: Session 7
Topic 5 con’t.
Text: Ch. 11
October 20: Session 8
Topic 6: America: Perfectionism and Sectionalism (1830’s to Mid-century)
Text: Ch. 12, pp. 333-342 and 357-362 and Ch. 13, pp. 365-389
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Chapter Two: “Why Not Homicide?”
October 22: Session 8
Topic 6 con’t.
October 27: Session 9
Exam II
October 29: Session 9
Topic 7: Manifest Destiny (1840’s): America Becomes a Continental Nation
Text: Ch. 12, pp. 342-357
October 31: Deadline for Student Withdrawals
November 3: Session 10
Topic 7 con’t.
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Chapter 3: “A Postmortem Trial Concerning Meriwether Lewis’s Controversial Death”
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November 5: Session 10
Topic 7 con’t.
Topic 8: American in Crisis: The Nation Divides (1850’s)
Text: Ch. 13, pp. 389-392 and Ch. 14
November 10: Session 11
Topic 8 con’t.
Final Paper Due
November 12: Session 11
Topic 8 con’t.
November 17: Session 12
Topic 9: America in Crisis: Civil War (1861-1865)
Text: Ch. 15
November 19: Session 12
Topic 9 con’t.
Text: Ch. 15
November 24: Session 13
Topic 9 con’t.
November 26: Session 13
Topic 9 con’t.
November 27: Thanksgiving Holiday
December 1: Session 14
Topic 10: Aftermath of War: Reconstruction and Reunion (1866-1877)
Text: Ch. 16
December 3: Session 14
Topic 10 con’t.
December 10: Session 15
Exam III (Final)
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