HIST 1302 CRN 91422 American History to 1877
Spring 2016 TR 12:30 to 2:00 pm
Houston Community College Southwest-West Loop Campus, Room C252
Instructor: Dr. Rogan Ellen Brunet
Email: rogan.brunet@hccs.edu
Website: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/rogan.brunet
Office: C256, Phone: 7137182084
Course Description: History 1302 is a survey of United States history from 1877 to the presidency of
Richard Nixon. It will focus on the evolution of the economic, social/cultural and political institutions which
define the development of the modern United States and its people. Although this course is built around
historical events and processes, it is much more than a simple recitation of facts. Students will learn and
apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills and will work with historical documents, maps and
economic and demographic models.
History 1302 is a 16 week, 48 contact hour course which fulfills three hours of the state-mandated six-hour
history requirement. Completion of this class will also improve performance in reading, writing, critical
thinking, communication, and computer skills.
Prerequisites: Student must have completed or be co-enrolled in ENGL 1301.
Learning Outcomes:
a. To create an argument through the use of historical evidence
b. The ability to analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents
c. The capability to analyze the effect of historical, social, political, economic, cultural and
global forces on different eras of history
d. To explain the importance of chronology and how earlier concepts and actions shaped later
events
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Explain the features of the Gilded Age and the issues on society, culture and politics
Summarize Industrialism and Urbanization
Analyze the New South and Jim Crow
Explain Populism and Progressivism
Identify the causes of the Great War and the United States
Discuss America between the wars
Identify the causes of World War 2 and the Cold War
Discuss Post-war America at home
Discuss Post-Modern American
TEXAS CORE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES
Critical Thinking Skills - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, 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 civic 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
Texts: Recommended: Making America, v.2, 7th ed., Berkin, et. al.
Recommended: www.digitalhistory.uh.edu, Stephen Mintz (recommended)
Required: I am a Man, Joe Starita (required)
Required: The Way We Never Were, Stephanie Coontz (required)
Purchasing a textbook for this class is not required. If you want a textbook for this class, my recommendation is
Making America, v2. There is also an online textbook available at www.digitalhistory.uh.edu. This course is lecture
intensive however and reading a textbook will not replace lecture notes. Any textbook should be used as a
supplement to the information presented each day in class.
This is a working syllabus and remains flexible. Please feel free to ask questions and remember that
participation is crucial to your grade in this class. The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus at
any time, with notification to the students.
Discussion Format Class: This class does not follow the standard lecture format. Instead, each class
period, we (actually you) will discuss the written lecture assigned for that day. On the Course Calendar you
will see that I have divided up our subjects by topics, not by chapters. This is because I do not follow any
textbook; my lectures are my own. Every topic has a lecture that is available on my LW site. I will NOT
lecture on the topic. Instead, you must take the responsibility of reading the lecture and come to class
prepared to discuss that day's topic. In addition, you must have a discussion question, typed, at the
beginning of class. This discussion question MUST be more than the usual “Who was Thomas Jefferson”?
Furthermore, your questions might form part of the day’s discussion. This exercise counts as a participation
grade (10pts). Furthermore, your participation in the class discussion is noted. Students who participate in
the day’s discussion receive one participation point.
Free Online Tutoring: HCC has implemented a free online tutoring program for all HCC students. The web
address is www.hccs.askonline.net. You will need to enter your email address, choose a username and
password and to know your HCC student ID number (the one that starts with a W). Please take advantage
of this new resource. An information sheet has been attached to the back of the syllabus with information
about Ask Online.
Exams: There will be two exams in this course, a midterm and a final. Each exam will consist of twenty
identifications and one essay and will be typed in the computer lab. A study guide to the exam will be
given prior to the exam date. Each exam is worth 100 pts. No student will be admitted to the
classroom twenty minutes after the exam has begun. It is assumed that all students will take all
exams at the assigned times, unless you make arrangements to the contrary ahead of the scheduled
exam time. Students will be required to put away all electronic devices, including cell phones, during
exams. No blue book is required for your exams.
Please be warned. I do NOT want to see my own lecture notes in ANY of the exams that you hand back to
me. One, it counts as plagiarism. Two, this class is designed to develop YOUR critical thinking skills. If you
need help, if you feel overwhelmed, if you feel that you cannot do this, come and talk to me. Do not,
however, regurgitate the facts that I give you. They are to be used as a springboard for your own thoughts
and opinions.
Reading Assignments: There will be two monographs (books) that will be given in addition to your
regular exams. These readings will not be available for purchase in the book store but you can find them
online (see the links on my Learning Web site) or at bookstores in town. The exams for these readings will
be essay in content and will be typed in the computer lab. On the day of the exam, please bring
the books with you as this is an open book exam.
Make-up Exams: Make-up exams are given at the discretion of the instructor, and only if the student has
a university approved reason for missing an exam. You must have the approval of the instructor to schedule
a make-up exam. Students will take make-ups at a scheduled time at the end of the semester. Please
note that students are limited to one make-up exam.
Extra Credit: I do not give extra credit assignments so do not ask for special consideration. If you have
time for extra credit assignments, then you have time to do the work to pass the class.
Grades: Your grades in this class are a reflection of your critical thinking skills, how well you analyze the
data presented to you and how you organize this data into educated opinions. You will do this by writing an
essay on each exam. The purpose of an essay is to present your point of view about a given topic. In this
class, an essay is the vehicle to demonstrate your mastery of the subject and your organization of these
facts into a logical conclusion that states your opinion of the given subject. You will be graded on content
and grammar.
Houston Community College now charges higher tuition rates for students who repeat a class for the third
time (or more).
Your final grade will be derived from the sum of your midterm (20 %), final (25%),
reading exams (20% each), and your participation grade (15%). The grading scale is as follows:
A=100-90, B=89-80, C=79-70, D=69-60, F=59-0
Final Grades will be available to students by May 15. Please note that there will be no curving
of grades in this class.
Incompletes: If you experience an unexpected hardship or personal matter during the course of the
semester, you may be able to take an incomplete for the class. The requirements for an incomplete are as
follows: you must have a passing grade for the class and you must have completed at least 75% of the
classwork. Remember that any incomplete work must be finished within a semester or the “I” will change to
an “F”.
Open Computer Lab: There are several open computer labs available on the West Loop Campus that will
provide students with access to the internet and email. You can also purchase a printing card to use the
printers in these labs. Please see the instructor for more information if needed.
Computers and Tape Recorders: If you wish, you may use tape recorders and computers to facilitate
note taking in class. Note that if you use a computer to play games or surf the web in this class, it is a
distraction to others and I will have you dropped from the class.
Cell Phones: Cell phones are highly disruptive in class. All students are required to either turn their cell
phones to vibrate or power them off. In the case of a student expecting an important phone call, please
inform me of the situation before class. If your cell phone rings during class, I reserve the right to deduct
one point from your final class average. Students receiving or sending texts during class will be asked to
leave. If texting in class is continual, I will drop that student.
Attendance Requirements: Attendance will be taken at every class meeting. I cannot stress enough the
importance of attending classes. Excessive absences will negatively affect your grade. If you wish to drop this class,
please inform me that you intend to do so. It is your responsibility to drop this class if you so desire. HCC mandates
that students who miss more than six hours of instruction time can be dropped by the professor. I sometimes take
the liberty of dropping students who miss more than five classes, unless the student has extenuating circumstances.
The final date for withdrawal is April 5. If you do not feel you will pass the class, you must take the
responsibility to withdraw on yourself. International students, students receiving financial aid and veterans must be
enrolled full time (12 hours) in order to maintain their status. Please keep this in mind if you decide to drop this
class. The HCCS History Department has mandated that NO ‘”W” will be changed to an “F”. Also, make an
effort to arrive in class on time. You will not be penalized if you are late, but excessive tardiness will be noted.
The final date to drop this class is April 5.
Please be aware of the fact that you are limited to six withdrawals over your college career when you are considering
dropping the class.
Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarism, cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited by
HCC policy and by the rules of this class.
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Plagiarism is the use of the ideas or words of another person (either whole or in part) without
crediting the source and constitutes the theft of another person’s intellectual property. It is the
most common form of academic dishonesty. If you are unclear as to what constitutes plagiarism,
you should seek clarification before beginning an assignment.
Cheating involves fraud and deception for the purpose of violating legitimate testing rules.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to: copying from another student’s test paper, using during an
exam materials or resources not authorized by the instructor; collaborating with another student
during a test; knowingly using, buying, selling whole or part of an unadministered test.
Academic dishonesty constitutes a severe violation of HCC policy and rules and is subject to
stringent penalties. Violations of these policies will result, at a minimum, in the
automatic failure of this course. Severe violations could result in suspension or
expulsion from HCC.
Students with Disabilities: I will make every effort to accommodate those students with disabilities. 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 requested 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.
Title IX Statement: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that institutions have policies
and procedures that protect students’ rights with regard to sex/gender discrimination. Information regarding
these rights are on the HCC website under Students-Anti-discrimination. Students who are pregnant and
require accommodations should contact any of the ADA Counselors for assistance.
It is important that every student understands and conforms to respectful behavior while at HCC. Sexual
misconduct is not condoned and will be addressed promptly. Know your rights and how to avoid these
difficult situations.
Log in to: www.edurisksolutions.org . Sign in using your HCC student e-mail account, then go to
the button at the top right that says Login and enter your student number.
FERPA Statement: All communications between the Professor and his/her class are subject to the
Federal Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA). The Professor may not discuss specific grades or
attendance with anyone other than the student and selected HCC administrators (e.g., department
chair). The Professor is not allowed to discuss grades over the telephone, as privacy cannot be
guaranteed. Likewise, discussion of grades over email is prohibited except over a) an official HCCS
email address or b) within the Eagle Online LMS environment.
I will NOT respond to ANY emails sent from non-HCC accounts. Emails must be sent from your
student.hccs.edu account. This is to comply with FERPA and other relevant state laws (e.g. Open
Records Law)
Caveat: The College purges students who have not paid their tuition or who have some other glitch with their
registration every weekend. However, it does not inform those students who have been dropped from their
classes. It would be in your best interests to pay your tuition on time and ensure that you are still enrolled in
classes by the 12th class day, by midterm and before finals. I cannot re-enroll students who have been dropped
by administration, no matter what their class standing might be. Please take care of any registration problems
promptly.
Course Calendar:
Week One
Jan 19 to 21
Introduction to the course
Week Two
Jan 26 to 28
Topic One: The Not So Wild, Wild West
Week Three
Feb 2 to 4
Topic Two: The Industrial Revolution: 1865 to 1900
Week Four
Feb 9 to 11
Topic Three: Living in an Industrial Age: 1865 to 1900
Week Five
Feb 16 to 18
Topic Four: The Politics of the Gilded Age: 1875 to 1900
Week Six
Feb 23 to 25
Topic Five: The U.S. Becomes a World Power: Imperialism, 1865 to 1900
FEBRUARY 25th, READING EXAM: I am a Man, Starita
Week Seven
Mar 1 to 3
Topic Six: A New Century and a New Spirit: Progressivism, 1900 to 1920
Week Eight
Mar 8 to 10
Topic Seven: The Great War, 1914-1919
MARCH 10th, MIDTERM
Mar 14 to 18
SPRING BREAK
Week Nine
Mar 22 to 24
Topic Eight: The Age of Jazz, Prosperity and Conflict: The Roaring 20’s
Week Ten
Mar 29 to 31
Topic Nine: The Great Depression, 1929-1940
Week Eleven
Apr 5 to 7
Topic Ten: The New Deal Creates Modern America, 1933 to 1939
Week Twelve
Apr 12 to 14
Topic Eleven: The World at War…Again, 1939 to 1945
Week Thirteen
Apr 19 to 21
Topic Twelve: Prosperity and Paranoia: Conformity and the Cold War 1945 to 1960
APRIL 21st, READING EXAM: The Way We Never Were, Coontz
Week Fourteen Topic Thirteen: Prosperity Turns to Protest: Civil Rights and Vietnam: 1955 to 1975
Apr 26 to 28
Week Fifteen
May 3 to 5
Topic Fourteen: The Conservative Revolution and Watergate, 1968 to 1975
Catch-up
May 12
FINAL 12:00 p.m., Thursday