HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
SOUTHWEST COLLEGE – Missouri City Campus
HISTORY 1301
COURSE SYLLABUS
SPRING 2012
INSTRUCTOR
PHONE
OFFICE HOURS
E-MAIL
Dr. Gretchen Jackson-Odion
713-718-2900
11- 12 Monday – Thursday or by appointment
gretchen.jackson@hccs.edu
Course Overview:
History 1301 provides students with a general overview of American history from the early
Native American Civilizations to 1877. Emphasis will be placed on how the political, economic
and social developments from the past still influence our present society.
Course Intent:
This class will offer an approach to American history, recounting the story of our country by
focusing on the experiences of diverse groups of Americans. Unfortunately, for many students,
history is depicted as a catalog of names, dates and places that is irrelevant to contemporary
society. The intent of this class is to help students understand American history by looking at
three levels: its major arguments, its thematic and chronological organization, and the impact
that major historical events have on the present. This course will be primarily taught through a
series of lectures, discussions and Web reading assignments. In addition to the primary teaching
method of lecturing, accommodative (active) learning will be included. Activities such as
museum assignments, historical debates, role playing and music will be incorporated into some
of the topics to help you to analyze and comprehend the material. You must come to class
prepared and get involved in the class discussions and activities.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
2. Students will be able to analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
3. Students will be able to analyze the effects of historical, social, economic and cultural
forces on this period of American History.
Textbooks:
Ayers, Gould, Oshinsky and Soderlund. American Passages: A History of the United States
Vol. I, 4th edition
American Perspectives Volume I. The access code for this electronic book can be purchased at
the bookstore, or directly through Pearson Publishing.
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Class Policies:
1. While in class, students may not read, talk unless during discussions, sleep or pass notes.
2. Please TURN OFF your cell phones during class and NO TEXTING!!!!
Attendance:
If you accumulate more than six (6) hours of unexcused absences, you may be dropped from this
class.
Tardiness:
I strongly discourage coming late to class because you will miss important information when you
are tardy. It is extremely difficult to understand a lesson when you catch it midway not knowing
how it began. On exam days, no extra time is given if you arrive late. Any student who arrives
10 minutes after class has begun or leaves before class is dismissed, without prior approval
from the instructor, is considered absent. A total of three violations of either will be
equivalent to an absence.
Withdrawal:
If you are not performing at a passing level and do not withdraw by the official drop date, you
will receive the grade that you have earned. All students who wish to withdraw from the class
are responsible for officially completing the required documents. The last day for student
withdrawal is March 29, before 4:30 pm. If your name is on the roll at the end of the semester,
you will receive a grade. Therefore, I will not automatically give you a “W” if you stopped
attending class. This is an administrative policy that I will strictly enforce.
Exams: Five (5) exams will be given during the semester; that is, 4 exams during the semester
and the final exam. These exams will constitute 50% of your grade and an in-class book review
from an assigned book will be worth another 25%. The exams will consist of multiple-choice
and essay questions from class activities, lectures and the textbook. The final 25% of your grade
will come from assigned articles in the reader, American Perspectives, as well as web
assignments. A scantron will be required for all exams and a blue book for the book review.
NOTE: This class does require a lot of reading. I is strongly advise that you to keep up
with the reading assignments.
Grading: The lowest class assignment and test grade, excluding the final exam, will be
dropped. As a result, there will not be any make-ups given for missed class assignments.
Your course grade will be computed as follows:
Five exams = 50%
Book Review = 25%
Reading assignments from American Perspectives / Web Assignments = 25%
NOTE: The book for the book review and the articles for the reading assignments will be given
to you during the second week of class.
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Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
90 – 100
A
80 – 89
B
70 – 79
C
60 – 69
D
59 and below F
Academic Dishonesty: Any student involved in cheating on an exam will receive a 0 on the
exam. That is the minimum punishment. Your case could be reported to Dean for further
punishment. During the exams, please turn off your cell phones (NO TEXT MESSAGES).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to
arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Support Service Counselor, Dr. Becky Hauri (713
718-7909) at the beginning of the semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations
quested by the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS). Students who are requesting special testing
accommodations must first contact the office.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is
necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to
answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The
anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs
for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston
Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
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COURSE CALENDAR
Week 1
Introduction, Text Chapter 1
“Contact, Conflict, and Exchange in the Atlantic World”
Week 2
Chapter: 2
“Colonization of North America”
Computer Lab: How to use the Web.
Week 3
Chapter: 3
“Crisis and Change”
Exam 1 Chapters 1 –3 February 6 & 7
Week 4
Chapter: 4
“The Expansion of Colonial British America”
Week 5
Begin Chapter5: “Wars for Independence”
Week 6
Chapter: 6
“Toward a more perfect Union”
Exam 2 chaps. 4 – 6, February 27 & 28
Week 7
Chapter: 7
“The Federalist Republic”
Week 8
Week 9
Chapter: 8
“The New Republic”
Chapter: 9
“Exploded Boundaries”
Exam 3 chaps. 7 – 9, March 26 & 27
Week 10
Chapter: 10
“The Years of Andrew Jackson”
Week 11
Chapter: 11 “Panic and Boom
&
Chapter: 12 “Expansion and Reaction”
Week 12
Chapter: 13
“Broken Bonds”
Exam 4: Chapters 10 – 13, April 16 & 17
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Week 13
Chapter 14 “Decent into War”
Week 14
Chapter 14 cont. & 15
& “Blood and Freedom”
Week 15
Chapter: 16
“Reconstruction Abandoned”
Week 16
Final Exam chapters 14 – 16,
May 10 - 13
IN-CLASS BOOK REVIEW DUE DATE: March 7 & 8
NOTE: Late papers will not be accepted without a valid written excuse.
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