History 1302
American History, 1877-Present
Spring, 2012
Instructor: Alisha Loftin
Section: 78275
Campus: Northline, Room 231
Class Time: MW 8:00am-9:30am
Phone: 918-809-8661
Office Hours: By Appointment
Email: alisha.loftin@hccs.edu
Texts:
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History. NY: W.W. Norton, 2009.
Pearson E-Reader: http://www.pearsoncustom.com/tx/hcc_hist1301/ Use Volume II.
Outside Readings, as required by the instructor
History Monograph of the student’s choice. Must be approved by the instructor.
Course Theme:
Course Description and Goals: History 1302 is a survey of American History from 1877 to the present. The
study includes social, economic, and political aspects of American life and follows the development of the
United States as a world power. The course is based on lectures, readings, films and class participation. This
course is designed to improve the student’s skills in the following areas: critical thinking and reading about
history, clear and concise writing and articulation about history, comprehension of primary and secondary
sources, knowledge of important events, movements, people and ideas in American history.
By the end of the class, students
 Will be able to create an argument through the use of historical evidence,
 Will be able to analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources
 Will be able to analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural and global forces on
this period of United States history
 Will be able to understand the importance of chronology and how earlier ideas and events shaped later
events.
This course transfers as 3 hours of credit to most other colleges and universities.
Course Grades:
The final course grade is based on completion of the following:
Exam I– 100 points
Exam II – 100 points
Final Exam – 100 points
Book Review – 100 points
In-Class Essays/Homework Assignments – 20 points each
Exams: There will be three exams during the semester, Exam I will cover chapters 16 - 19, Exam II will cover
chapters 20 - 22, and the Final Exam will cover chapters 23 - 27. The Final Exam will not be comprehensive.
Exams will be worth 100 points each. Exam format will vary, and will be announced prior to each exam.
Students can expect a combination of identification questions, short answer/fill in the blank, multiple choice and
essays. Students must provide a bluebook for each exam. Information covered in the exams may come from
any lecture, video, reading, discussion, or activity assigned or completed in class. If students do not complete
Exam 1 or Exam 2 on the day it is scheduled, it may be made up during the period set aside for the Final Exam.
Book Review: Students may choose a history monograph over which to write their review. Instructor
Approval is Necessary for All Book Review Monograph Choices. The book review will consist of a twopage, typed double-spaced paper, with no larger than a 12-point font. More information on how to write a book
review will be forthcoming.
In-Class Essays: Also known as Pop Quizzes. At the instructor’s discretion, pop-quizzes over materials
pertinent to the week’s lecture, reading, or assignment will be administered at the beginning of class. Students
may not make up pop quizzes for any reason. Therefore, it is in the student’s best interest to come to class on
time and prepared, having read the assigned chapter in the textbook or the appropriate reading.
Grades on written work (Exam Essays, Book Review, Homework Assignments and In-class essays) will
be based upon the following standards: Clear and concise presentation of thesis, evidence and analysis
(content); organization; appropriate voice, tone and diction, correct grammar, writing structure and spelling, and
Turabian-style format. Book Reviews will not be accepted late.
Assignment and Exam Evaluation Techniques:
Grades for the class as well as on exams will be assigned on a 10-point curve of total points possible, as
follows.
90% - over =A
80%-89%=B
70%-79%=C
60%-69%=D
Under 59%-F
Attendance Policy:
Regular class attendance is not only important from the standpoint of learning, but also is required in order to be
successful in this course. Students are held responsible for all materials covered during their absence and any
changes made in the agenda.
The student is responsible for withdrawal from the class; the instructor will not complete withdrawals. Class
Participation and in-class essay points cannot be made up for any reason.
To withdraw from the class, the student should initiate an official withdrawal through the counseling
office; non-attendance DOES NOT constitute official withdrawal. Failure to withdraw may result in the student
receiving a regular grade of “F” at the end of the semester.
To request a change to Audit (A) or Incomplete (I), the student must be maintaining a passing grade.
The student must initiate the change with the instructor and sign the audit or incomplete agreement. If the
Incomplete is due to a circumstance that prevents the student from being able to sign the form him/herself, the
instructor may make other arrangements. See the agenda for the last day to change to A or I or withdraw.
Electronic Devices Policy
Use of electronic devices in the classroom is not permitted. Please take notes with pen and paper. If you must
leave your mobile phone turned on, please utilize the vibrate setting. Texting, social media and web surfing
during class are prohibited.
Plagiarism, Academic Dishonesty, or Misconduct:
Plagiarism is claiming, indicating, or implying that the ideas, sentences, or words of another writer are your
own; it includes having another writer do work claimed to be your own, copying the work of another and
presenting it as your own, or following the work of another as a guide to ideas and expression that are then
presented as your own. The student should review the relevant sections of the Student Code of Conduct Policy
Handbook. A student guilty of plagiarism may receive a zero for the assignment and an “F” in the course.
Academic dishonesty or misconduct is not condoned nor tolerated. Academic dishonesty is behavior in which a
deliberately fraudulent misrepresentation is employed in an attempt to gain undeserved intellectual credit, either
for oneself or for another. Academic misconduct is behavior that results in intellectual advantage obtained by
violating specific standard, but without deliberate intent or use of fraudulent means. The student should review
the relevant sections of the Student Code of Conduct Policy Handbook.
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 researchbased 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.
1
18-Jan
Syllabus/The Gilded Age
16
2
23-Jan
The West
16
3
25-Jan
30-Jan
1-Feb
The Spanish American War
American Expansion
Consumerism and Progressivism (ppt)
17
17
18
4
6-Feb
Consumerism and Progressivism (ppt)
18
8-Feb
13-Feb
15-Feb
20-Feb
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (movie)
World War 1 (ppt)
World War 1 (ppt)
President's Day No Class
Exam 1-The Gilded Age through
World War I/Book Assignment
18&19
19
19
~
Drama of the 1920s
The Crash of '29
The Depression
The Depression
20
21
21
5
6
22-Feb
7
8
9
10
11
27-Feb
29-Feb*
5-Mar
7-Feb
Mar
12/14
19-Mar
21-Mar
26-Mar
28-Mar*
12
13
14
15
16
17
*
**
2-Apr
4-Apr
9-Apr
11-Apr
16-Apr
18-Apr
23-Apr
25-Apr
30-Apr
2-May
9-May
Spring Break - No Class
World War II (ppt)
World War II (ppt)
Exam 2-The '29 Crash through
World War II
The GI's Come Home
Civil Rights of the '50s & '60s
Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll (l)
Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll (l)
Viet Nam
Viet Nam
Nixon
Nixon/Book Review Due
Watergate (movie)
Reagan Revolution
Catch-up day
Final Exam - Vietnam through
Reagan
30 Feb Day of Record
Mar 29 - Last day to Withdraw
Outside
Readings
(E-Reader
unless
otherwise
specified)
Text
In-class
Class
Dates
Week #
Tentative Schedule of Activities, Agenda and Course Outline:
The instructor may change the assignment schedule AT ANY TIME by verbal or written notification in class or
on Eagle Online.
~
22
22
23
25
25-26
25&26
26
26
26
26
27
Standard Oil Co. Pp29-42
The Dawes Act & Wovoka's
Message pp77-82
Teller & Platt Amends pp205207
Woodland Heights Sales
brochure, LW
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and
Disasters pp176-187
Scopes Trial pp246-253 & Day
7 transcript-avail. online
The Bonus Army pp295-317
Riots, pp335-342
Feminine Mystique pp488-498
Letter From Jail pp462-467 and
Testimony of FMH, pp476-479
Course Contract
Please review the syllabus. Then sign and return this contract to your instructor by the 3 rd class meeting.
I ____________________________________ have read and understand the syllabus for Section 78278 of History 1302. I agree that
this is a binding contract and that I will abide by the policies, instructions and guidelines as communicated by it and by my instructor
for the duration of my time in the class.
__________________________________
Signed
______________________________
Date