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HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HISTORY 1301
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
DR. DAVID P. ALDSTADT
EMAIL: DAVID.ALDSTADT@HCCS.EDU
OFFICE: LEARNING HUB 305
OFFICE HOURS: 6-8 AM DAILY AND BY APPOINTMENT
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION: HISTORY 1301 COVERS THE AMERICAN NATION FROM THE
EUROPEAN DISCOVERY OF THE NEW WORLD TO THE CLOSE OF RECONSTRUCTION.
II. TEXT: AYERS, ET AL: AMERICAN PASSAGES, VOLUME I. CAN BE PURCHASED IN THE
BOOK STORE OR FROM AMAZON. COM.
III. TEACHING GOALS:
A. TO CONVEY TO THE STUDENT THE NECESSITY OF KNOWING AMERICAN
HISTORY, BOTH FOR HIM/HERSELF AND FOR HIS/HER CIVILIZATION.
B. TO PROVIDE THE STUDENT WITH THE BASIC FACTUAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL
STRUCTURE OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
C. TO IMPART BASIC CONCEPTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY BY EMPHASIZING THE
PROCESSES BY WHICH EVENTS ARE CREATED.
D. TO INVOLVE THE STUDENT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN THE
TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS.
IV. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
AT THE END OF THE COURSE THE STUDENT WILL
1. BE ABLE TO CREATE AN ARGUMENT THEOUGH THE USE OF
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE.
2. BEABLE TO ANALYZE AND INTERPRET PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
SOURCES.
3. BE ABLE TO ALALYZE THE EFFECTS OF HISTORICAL, SOCIAL,
POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, CILTURAL AND GLOBAL FORCES ON THIS
PERIOD OF UNITED STATES HISTORY
V. TESTS:
A. THERE WILL BE THREE TESTS AND A FINAL EXAMINATION. THE TESTS WILL
BE HELD APPROXIMATELY EVERY FOUR WEEKS. FOR SUMMER TERMS,
THE TESTS WILL BE HELD APPROXIMATELY EVERY WEEK.
B. THE TESTS AND FINAL EXAMINATION WILL COVER MATERIAL IN YOUR
TEXT, IN ANY VIDEOS WHICH ARE SHOWN, AND YOUR LECTURES. IF YOU
HAVE TO MISS A LECTURE BE SURE TO GET NOTES FROM
SOMEONE IN THE
CLASS AS THE LECTURES WILL INCLUDE MATERIAL NOT IN YOUR TEXT. YOU
ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT
ARE MADE DURING ANY MISSED LECTURE.
C. EACH TEST WILL FOLLOW THE SAME FORMAT AND WILL CONSIST OF:
1. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS FROM YOUR TEXT.
2. ESSAY QUESTIONS FROM THE LECTURES.
D. THE FINAL EXAMINATION WILL BE COMPREHENSIVE.
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E. ALL TESTS AND THE FINAL MUST BE TAKEN WHEN SCHEDULED. THERE WILL
BE NO MAKE-UP TESTS.
F. THE STUDENT MUST BE ON TIME FOR ALL TESTS. THE STUDENT WILL NOT
BE ADMITTED TO THE TEST SITE AFTER THE TEST HAS BEGUN.
G. THE PROFESSOR DOES NOT DROP THE LOWEST TEST GRADE.
VI. BOOK REVIEWS (PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED “BOOK REVIEW ASSIGNMENT”)
VII. ATTENDANCE:
CLASS ATTENDANCE WILL HAVE AN AFFECT ON YOUR FINAL GRADE (GOOD
ATTENDANCE WILL ASSURE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT)
VIII. TARDINESS:
BEGINNING WITH THE SECOND CLASS WEEK, A STUDENT WILL BE CONSIDERED ABSENT
IF HE OR SHE IS NOT PRESENT WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED.
ANY STUDENT WHO FINDS THAT SHE OR HE CANNOT ATTEND THE CLASS AT THE TIME
SCHEDULED SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DROP THE CLASS OR RESCHEDULE IT FOR A TIME
WHICH IS MORE CONVENIENT TO THE STUDENT.
IX. WITHDRAWAL POLICY:
A. ALL STUDENTS WHO WISH TO WITHDRAW FROM THE COURSE MUST FILL OUT
OUT A COURSE WITHDRAWAL FORM IN THE CAMPUS OFFICE.
B. A STUDENT WHO DOES NOT OFFICIALLY WITHDRAW FROM THE COURSE WILL
RECEIVE AN “F” FOR THE FINAL GRADE. CEASING TO ATTEND CLASS
DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A WITHDRAWAL. A STUDENT IS NOT CONSIDERED
WITHDRAWN UNTIL HE/SHE FILLS OUT A WITHDRAWAL FORM. THE TEACHER
WILL NOT WITHDRAW STUDENTS FOR EXCESS ABSENCES.
X. GRADES:
THREE TESTS @ 18% EACH = 54%
FINAL EXAM
= 36%
BOOK REVIEWS
= 10%
90-99=A
80-89=B
70-79=C
60-69=D
XI. CELL PHONES/ELECTRONIC DEVICES:
ALL CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES MUST BE TURNED OFF AND PUT
AWAY BEFORE CLASS BEGINS. FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN EXPULSION FROM
THE CLASS.
PLEASE NOTE: STUDENTS WHO REPEAT A COURSE MORE THAN TWO TIMES MAY SOON
FACE SIGNIFICANT TUITION/FEE INCREASES AT HCC AND OTHER TEXAS PUBLIC
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
DISABILITY POLICY
ANY STUDENT WITH A DOCUMENTED DISABILITY WHO NEEDS TO ARRANGE
REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS MUST CONTACT DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICE
COUNSELOR, DR. BECKY HAURI AT 713-718-7909.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY
PLAGIARISM, CHEATING AND OTHER FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ARE
PROHIBITED BY HCC POLICY AND BY THE RULES OF THIS CLASS. VIOLATION OF THIS
POLICY IS SUBJECT TO STRINGENT PENALTIES UP TO AND INCLUDING EXPULSION FROM
HCC.