HISTORY 1301: UNITED STATES TO 1877: Summer, 2012
Course: West Loop Campus:
Instructor: Kaye Arnold
Section 83004: 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. M-TH
Office hrs. by appointment e-mail: kaye.arnold@hccs.edu
Recommended Text: American Passages: A History of the United States, 4th Ed., Edward L. Ayers, et al ISBN 13: 978-0547-16646-9 or Volume I, ISBN 13: 978-0-547-16630-8
Subject/Purpose: History 1301 surveys Part I of American 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 (modified for summer) which fulfills three hours of a state-mandated sixhour history requirement. Completion of this class will also improve student performance in reading, writing, critical thinking,
communicating, and computer skills. Prerequisites: Must be placed into college-level reading and college-level writing.
Course Objectives: to help you, the student:
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to develop insight into the country’s past, present, and future and as a consequence, enhance your own sense of
identity
to improve your ability to read critically, to think analytically, and to problem solve
to stimulate your further interest in historical study
to improve skills essential to academic and work-related tasks, and most importantly
to hone your critical judgment by developing your understanding of historical thinking
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 may be required to read assignments, to analyze critically the assigned readings, and to be prepared
to discuss the readings in class. 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 am1:00 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. I strongly
recommend that you bring the Study Guides to each class to support your taking notes.
Participation: Class discussions are an important part of the course. Discussions will be based on readings and participation
is required. You will receive a participation grade, criteria for grading include: quality of your questions, frequency of
responses, depth of understanding and critical analysis, use of specific information, and accuracy. 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.
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
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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
Resources: You may be given Study Guides, Discussion Questions, and Vocabulary to support your note taking, reading,
and preparing for classroom discussion. 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 may purchase the recommended textbook at the HCC bookstores or other local
bookstores such as Half-Priced Books or through online sellers. Two online sites that sell history texts are www.alibris.com
and www.amazon.com
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. Your participation in class as
well as short quizzes and other short written assignments may be used in evaluating your learning. An example of a short
written assignment might be a critical analysis of a primary source or a summary of information from an internet historical site.
Also please note that all multi-page assignments must be stapled when they are submitted.
Examination and Grading Policy: Each student grades will be weighted according to the following : Major exams = 70%
Daily Grade Average (Other assignments, Quizzes, and Class Participation) = 30% Exams and quizzes may be made up
of objective, short answer (paragraph), and/or essay questions. There will be a written portion on each exam. 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 each test; you must 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, the other tests will be weighted accordingly so that the
total weight of exams equals 70% of the final 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 of
Monday, June 25. 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. You can withdraw at the Registrar’s Office at any Southwest College campus. The last date for official withdrawal
is . 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 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. Any questions about academic
dishonesty should be referred to the Student Conduct section of the College System catalogue. Also, a grade penalty
will be assessed if any tests or papers that are to be returned to the instructor are not submitted.
Violations of these policies can result, at a minimum, in the automatic failure of the assignment, exam, or course.
Severe violations could result in suspension or expulsion from HCC.
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--cell phones, 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 cell 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.
HISTORY 1301 SCHEDULE OF TOPICS, READINGS, AND ASSIGNMENTS Summer, 2012
June 4: Session 1
Introduction of Syllabus and Schedule
Topic A: The New World and the Old: European Antecedents
June 5: Session 2
Topic 1: Colonial America: British Folkways Form the Cultural Foundation
Text: Ch. 1
June 6: Session 3
Topic 1 con’t.
Text: Ch. 2, pp. 31-37; 41-44; 47-48; 51-51 and Ch. 3, pp. 56-61; 63-66; 68-69; 72-76
Topic 2: The Political Foundation---Evolution and Revolution
Text: Ch. 4, pp. 84-88; 90-98; 101-106; 108-110 and Ch. 5, pp. 112-113; 115-131;134-135;141-142
Document: The Declaration of Independence, 1776 (text appendix A3-A5)
June 7: Session 4
Topic 2 con’t.
Topic 3: The Nation Takes Shape: The Early Republic (1780’s-1815)
Text: Ch. 6, pp. 144-150; 160-168 and Ch. 7, pp. 171-182; 188-195
June 11: Session 5
Topic 3 con’t.
June 12: Session 6
Topic 3 con’t.
June 13: Session 7
EXAM I
June 14: Session 8
Topic 4: The Growth of a Democratic Culture
Text: Ch. 8, pp. 197-199; 205-214; 222-224 and Ch. 9, pp. 230-241
June 18: Session 9
Topic 4 con’t.
Topic 5: Jacksonian America (1824-1840)
Ch. 9, pp. 241-246 and Ch. 10, pp. 248-261 and Ch. 11, pp. 20-90-291
June 19: Session 10
Topic 5 con’t.
Topic 6: Antebellum America: Perfectionism and Sectionalism (1830’s to Mid-century)
Text: Ch. 8, pp. 202-205 and Ch. 10, pp. 263-271 and Ch. 11, pp. 277-286 and Ch. 12, pp. 311-313
June 20: Session 11
Topic 6 con’t.
Topic 7: Antebellum America: Manifest Destiny and Expanision (1830-1850)
Text: Ch. 10, pp. 261-262; and Ch. 11, pp. 293-296 and Ch. 12, pp. 300-309
June 21: Session 12
Topic 7 con’t.
June 25: Session 13
Deadline for Student Withdrawals
Exam II
June 26: Session 14
Topic 8: America in Crisis: The Nation Divides (1850’s)
Text: Ch. 12, pp. 315-324 and Ch. 13
June 27: Session 15
Topic 8 con’t.
Documents: Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, 1861
June 28: Session 16
Topic 9: America in Crisis: The Civil War (1861-1865)
Text: Ch. 14 and Ch. 15
Documents: Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863 and Second’s Inaugural Address, 1865
July 2: Session 17
Topic 9 con’t.
July 3: Session 18
Topic 10: Aftermath of War: Reconstruction and Reunion
Text: Ch. 16, pp. 400-414; 420-426
July 4: Independence Day Holiday
July 5: Session 19
Exam III