HCC HISTORY 1301: UNITED STATES TO 1877--Fall, 2014
Course: West Loop Campus: Room C252 Section 31068: 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. M
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:




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 decisionmaking guidelines
Program Learning Outcomes:




Students will be able to create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
Students will be able to analyze and interpret primary and secondary 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:









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
1
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:











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
tbe prepared to discuss the readings in class. The textbook, The American Promise, is required along with in-class 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"
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/05/jamestown/jamestown-standalone and The Library of Congress: American
2
Memory http://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. 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 by 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.

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.

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 test, materials not authorized by the instructor; collaborating with another student during a test; knowingly
3
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 submitted. Any questions about
academic dishonesty should be referred to the Student Conduct section of the College System catalogue.
Violations of these policies will 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.
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)
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 8: Session 2
Topic 1 con’t.
Text: Ch. 3 and 4
Topic 2: The Political Foundation—Evolution and Revolution (the 18th century)
Text: Ch. 5 and 6
September 15: Session 3
Topic 2 con’t.
Text: Ch. 7
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Foreword, Preface, Acknowledgments, Introduction, Appendix, and Selected Bibliography
September 22: Session 4
Exam I
4
September 29: Session 5
Topic 3: The Early Republic (1780’s-1800)
Text: Ch. 8 and Ch. 9
October 6: Session 6
Topic 4: The Growth of a Democratic Culture and the Nation’s Expansion (1800-1828)
Text: Ch. 10
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Chapter One: “The Case for Suicide”
October 13: Session 7
Topic 5: Jacksonian America (1828-1840)
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 27: Session 9
Exam II
October 31: Deadline for Student Withdrawals
November 3: Session 10
Topic 7: Manifest Destiny (1840’s): America Becomes a Continental Nation
Text: Ch. 12, pp. 342-357
Discussion: By His Own Hand? Chapter 3: “A Postmortem Trial Concerning Meriwether Lewis’s Controversial Death”
November 10: Session 11
Topic 8: American in Crisis: The Nation Divides (1850’s)
Text: Ch. 13, pp. 389-392 and Ch. 14
Final Paper Due
November 17: Session 12
Topic 8 con’t.
Topic 9: America in Crisis: Civil War (1861-1865)
Text: Ch. 15
November 24: Session 13
Topic 9 con’t.
Topic 10: Aftermath of War: Reconstruction and Reunion (1866-1877)
Text: Ch. 16
December 1: Session 14
Topic 10 con’t.
December 8: Session 15
Exam III (Final)
5
6
7