HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HISTORY 1301
COURSE SYLLABUS
TEXT: AYERS, ET AL, AMERICAN PASSAGES, VOLUME I.
INSTRUCTOR: DR. DAVID P. ALDSTADT
EMAIL: DAVID.ALDSTADT@HCCS.EDU
PLEASE NOTE: THE FOLLOWING SYLLABUS IS DESIGNED TO FOLLOW THE CLASS
LECTURES. TEXT ASSIGNMENTS ARE INCLUDED AS A GENERAL GUIDE ONLY AND DO
NOT NECESSARILY RELATE EXACTLY TO THE SYLLABUS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE CONTENT OF BOTH THE LECTURES AND THE TEXT.
I. COLONIZATION OF THE NEW WORLD
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: PREFACE AND CHAPTER 1.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. THE PURPOSE OF HISTORY
B. AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS
1.
2.
C.
D.
E.
F.
SOME POSSIBILITIES OF PRE-COLUMBIAN CONTACT
MOTIVES FOR EARLY EXPLORATIONS
COLUMBUS AND THE CONQUISTADORS
THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE
THE SPANISH IN THE AMERICAS
THE REFORMATION
2
II.
ENGLAND IN THE NEW WORLD
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS I AND 2
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. THE REFORMATION IN ENGLAND
1. HENRY VIII AND THE DIVORCE PROBLEM
2. CALVINISM AND THE PURITANS
3. JAMES I AND THE PURITANS
B. MOTIVES FOR ENGLISH COLONIZATION
1. ECONOMIC
2. RELIGIOUS
C. THE ENGLISH COLONIES
III. THE COLONIAL WORLD
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS 2 AND 3
LECTURE TOPICS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
THE COLONIES BECOME “AMERICAN”
DIVERSITY OF THE ENGLISH COLONIES
THE SOUTHERN COLONIES AND SLAVERY
THE NORTHERN COLONIES AND DIVERSITY
IV. THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS 4 AND 5 (TO P. 123)
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. SALUTARY NEGLECT
B. THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
C. THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
THE FIRST TEST WILL BE HELD AFTER COMPLETION OF SECTION IV.
3
V. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTER 5 (AFTER P. 123).
LECTURE TOPICS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
THE DEBATE FOR AND AGAINST WAR IN ENGLAND AND THE COLONIES
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR
POSTWAR PROBLEMS UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
VI. FORMING A NEW GOVERNMENT
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTER 6.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. PROBLEMS UNDER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
B. THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION
C. DEVELOPMENT OF PARTY POLITICS
D. THE GROWTH OF NATIONALISM
VII. THE YOUNG NATION
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS 7 AND 8.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
EUROPEAN POLITICS--THE RISE OF NAPOLEON
THE WAR OF 1812
THE ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS
EXPANSION
SECTIONALISM
THE SECOND TEST WILL FOLLOW THE COMPLETION OF SECTION VII
4
VIII. JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS 9 AND 10.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. “DEMOCRATICAL” IDEAS BECOME RESPECTABLE
B. ANDREW JACKSON, THE TRANSCENDENTAL MAN
B. JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY SUMMARIZED
IX. THE SLAVERY ISSUE
READING ASSIGNMENT: CHAPTER 11.
LECTURE TOPICS
A.
B.
C.
C.
SLAVERY IN THE SOUTH
TREATMENT OF SLAVES
THE ABOLITIONISTS
THE SOUTHERN DEFENSE OF SLAVERY
X. INDUSTRY AND THE NORTH
READING ASSIGNMENT:
NONE.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. THE CONDITION OF THE AMERICAN WORKER
B. THE “SILENT MAJORITY”
1. WOMEN
2. SLAVES
3. URBAN POOR
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XI. INTELLECTUAL TRENDS IN EARLY AMERICA
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS 11 AND 12.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. LITERATURE
B. HISTORY
C. TRANSCENDENTALISM
THE THIRD TEST WILL FOLLOW COMPLETION OF SECTION XI
XII. MANIFEST DESTINY
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTER 12.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
RATIONALE FOR MANIFEST DESTINY
THE TEXAS REVOLUTION
OREGON
THE MEXICAN WAR
THE COMPROMISE OF 1850
XIII. CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTER 13.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A. GENERAL CAUSES
1. SLAVERY
2. THE TARIFF ISSUE
3. DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE
4. SOUTHERN FEAR OF NORTHERN POLITICAL DOMINATION
B. SPECIFIC CAUSES
1. FAILURE OF THE COMPROMISE OF 1850
2. BLEEDING KANSAS
3. UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
4. DRED SCOTT DECISION
5. JOHN BROWN’S RAID
6. ELECTION OF 1860
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XIV. THE CIVIL WAR
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTERS 14 AND 15.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
SECESSION
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES NORTH AND SOUTH
CONDUCT OF THE WAR
RESULTS
XV. RECONSTRUCTION
READING ASSIGNMENT:
TEXT: CHAPTER 16.
LECTURE TOPICS:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
PRESIDENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION
THE RADICAL OPPOSITION
ANDREW JOHNSON V. CONGRESS
THE IMPEACHMENT CRISIS
THE COMPROMISE OF 1877