HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE South WEST
History 1301 Course Syllabus
HIST 1301 United States History from the beginning until 1877
Credit: 3 (3 lecture)
The American nation from the end of Reconstruction to the present. (Core Curriculum course)
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO):
1. Students will evaluate historical developments in an essay.
2. Students will read primary source documents.
3. Students will analyze historical evidence by writing an analytical essay.
4. Students will identify proper academic, history databases.
Course (Student) Learning Outcomes for History 1301:
1.
Discuss the Age of Exploration
2.
Explain Colonization
3.
Identify the Causes and effects of the American Revolution
4.
Explain the origins and impact of Slavery
5.
Analyze the formation of the Republic
6.
Summarize the effects of Expansion and Innovation
7.
Explain Nationalism and Sectionalism
8.
Discuss the Civil War
9.
Evaluate the effects of Reconstruct
Prerequisites: None
 Instructor: Dr. Gary E. Bryant
 Contract Information-gary.bryant@hccs.edu,
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 Time and place- Stafford Campus, Southwest Learning
Hub Room 324,Tu./ Thurs. 2:00-3:30 P.M. Office hoursBefore and after class or as arranged
 Section 34518
 Required materials: Text American Passages: A History
of the United States by Edward Ayers et al.; American
Perspectives: Readings in American History Vol. 1; When
The Mississippi Ran Backwards by Jay Feldman; Fires of
Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion by Stephen B.
Oates
Attendance: Regular attendance if expected and required. Role will be checked at
the beginning of each class period. If you must miss a class and know about if ahead of
time please let me know either in person or by email. If your absence is unexpected let
me know as soon as possible so that we can discuss what you missed. I do not provide
copies of my lecture notes to students. It is your responsibility to get the missing notes
from another student.
Withdrawal: If you decide to drop this course, then you must do so. I do not drop
student. If a student quits attending class, but does not withdraw, then that student
will receive an “F” for the course.
Grade Policy: Final grades will be assigned on a 10 point scale with 100- 89.5% earning
an A. 89.4-79.5% a B, 79.4-69.5% a C, 69.4-59.5 % a D, and below 59.4% an F. I do not
allow extra credit work.
Make up work: I do allow missed exams to be made up. You are strongly encouraged
not to miss exams since make up exams almost always result in a worse result than when
the exam is taken at the regular time. If you do miss an exam please see me to discuss a
make-up. Please note that not being prepared is not a valid reason for missing an exam,
but valid reasons such as illness, family emergencies, or unexpected accidents are
accepted.
Course Requirements
First Exam
Second Exam
Final Exam
Native America through
the American Revolution
The Articles of
Confederation through the
Great Transformation.
The Old South and slavery
20% of semester Grade
20% of semester grade
30% of semester grade
2
Quizzes
Critical essays
Living History
Project and
Presentation
through Reconstruction
6 quizzes, the lowest grade
will be dropped. Quizzes
will be announced.
Two outside reading
monograph-to be assigned
Interview a living person
who has experienced an
historical event. Write a
report of a minimum of
three pages with an
illustration, plus present to
the class. Guide lines to
follow.
10 % of semester grade
10% of semester grade
10% of final grade
Course Outline
Tues.1/15
Introduction, Expectations,
Outcomes, Begin Native
America
Thur. 1/17
Europe before expansion,
Portuguese exploration and
African civilizations
Spain’s empire
Tues.1/22
Thur. 1/24
Tues. 1/29
Thur. 1/31
Settlement of the
Chesapeake region
New England settlement
Chapter one
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Thur. 2/7
Tues. 2/12
Completing the English
Chapter Four
colonies and life in Colonial
America
Contest for empire, the
foundations of revolution
The road to Revolution
Chapter Five
Winning independence
Thur. 2/14
First Exam
Lecture noted, outside
readings, Chapters 1-5
Tues. 2/19
The failure of the Articles
and the writing of the
Constitution
Chapter six
Tues. 2/5
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Thur. 2/21
Tues. 2/26
Thur. 2/28
Tues. 3/5
Thur. 3/7
Starting a new governmentPresident Washington
The Federalists Vs the
Jeffersonian Republicans
President Jefferson and Mr.
Madison’s War
The Era of Good Feelings
and the rise of Andrew
Jackson
Jackson’s America and the
rise of the Whigs
Spring Break
March 11-15
Tues. 3/19
Thur. 3/21
The Great Transformation
1st in class essay
Tues. 3/26
Thurs.3/28
Tues. 4/2
Thurs. 4/4
Second Exam
The Old South and slavery
Expansion and war with
Mexico
Compromise and conflict
Tues. 4/9
Second in class essay
Thur. 4/11
Over the edge, the election
of 1860
Secession and preparing for
war
Women, Blacks and
emancipation
Fighting the war
Reconstruction
Project presentations
Project Presentations
Final Exam
Tues 4/16
Thur. 4/18
Tues. 4/23
Thur. 4/25
Tues. 4/30
Thur. 5/2
Thur. May 9
Chapter seven
Chapter eight
Chapter nine
Chapter ten
Chapter eleven
When the Mississippi Ran
Backwards
Chapters 6-11
Chapter twelve
Fires of Jubilee
Chapter fourteen
Chapter fifteen
Academic Integrity: All students are expected to maintain academic integrity in
completion of all assignments, including exams, quizzes, written assignments, oral
presentations, etc. This includes cheating, plagiarism, and unauthorized
collaboration on an assignment. Violation of academic integrity will have sever
consequences and may include failure for the entire course.
Mission Statement: The Houston Community College System is an open-admission,
public institution of higher education offering academic preparation and life long learning
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opportunities that prepare individuals in our diverse communities for life and work in an
increasingly international and technological society. The Northwest History Department
will provide an environment conducive to learning and encourages academic excellence.
Furthermore, the History faculty will encourage the development of the following
competences: Reading, writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking and computer
literacy.
Americans with Disabilities Act: Any student with a documented disability (e. g.
physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the Disabilities Service Center at their respective college
at the beginning of each semester. Faculty are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
Notice: All students who take a course for the third time or more must now pay
significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas Public colleges and
universities. At HCC it is an additional $50.00 per credit hour. If you are
considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, 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.
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