History 1301 Syllabus
Fall 2014 Semester
Instructor: Liza T Powers
Campus:
Spring Branch
Phone:
713.979.7385
Email:
tliza@yahoo.com
Section:
Class Time:
Class Room:
Office
Hours:
CRN:
Sat 9 am to 12 pm
Appointments Available
Upon Request
COURSE OVERVIEW:
This is a survey of American history. A survey course touches lightly on a variety of topics but does not provide a
deep and thorough discussion of any particular topic. The course is based on lectures, readings, films, computer
generated assignments and discussions. This course transfers as 3 hours of credit to most other colleges and
universities.
CORE 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 decisionmaking Guidelines
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 explain the importance of chronology and how earlier ideas and events shaped later events.
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 Reconstruction
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
Textbook: Making America Berkin, Miller, Cherny, and Gormly 6th Edition – ISBN-13: 978-0-8400-2871-6
Reader: American Perspectives: Readings in American History, Volume 1. Fifth Edition. This book is an on-line
edition and not available in hard copy. Publisher: Pearson.
Monograph: A Sea of Misadventures: Shipwreck and Survival in Early America by Amy Mitchell-Cook
YOUR TEXTBOOK should be treated as a supplement to this course. Classroom lectures and discussions will
be based on the textbook as well as other sources the instructor has read in graduate school and in professional
development since school. Do not expect class times to be solely a regurgitation of the textbook. Prior to class,
each student should read the chapters that will be discussed in that respective session and answer the
questions at the end of each chapter in the Focus Questions section to submit to the instructor. The instructor
will give students the opportunity to turn in their answers to these questions at the beginning of that respective class
Students not in attendance or
late cannot turn in the extra credit late or email the assignment in lieu of not
being present when they are turned in during class.
for the opportunity of two bonus points per chapter on the next exam.
Instructor guidelines and policies
Attendance:
Class attendance is encouraged to ensure full understanding of subject material, to foster a sense
of community, and to participate in group projects and discussions.
● The instructor will take daily attendance; however, students will be treated as adults and expected to manage their
time wisely.
● If students miss class for any reason, they need to use the syllabus and peers in their class to learn what areas
were covered at that class meeting. The instructor will not contact missing students.
● The instructor will not drop anyone from this class for chronic absences. If your name appears on the final class
roster, then you will receive whatever letter grade your assignments warrant, including an F.
● Bonus points for attendance may be given without prior notification. These points cannot be made up for any
reason. They serve to reward students who came to class, rather than to punish those who did not come to class.
Assignments:
Exams: (60% of final grade) – Lowest grade dropped.
● You will take four exams.
● Each will cover the lectures, class discussions, reader, videos shown in class and textbook. Each exam completes
a segment of history and no exam is cumulative.
● Students should bring a scantron and a number two pencil to class the day of the exam. Students who do not
have a pencil or scantron will NOT take the exam.
 Each exam will have a set of multiple questions as well as an essay question to answer.
Twenty Minute Class Presentation: (10% of final grade)
● Each student will be responsible for presenting a section of history to the class.
● A visual aid, such as a handout or power point presentation should be used during the presentation.
● Students will use the course textbook for initial research on the topic and use other outside sources as necessary.
● Topics to select from will be posted on the learning web the first week of class and selection is first come first serve.
Please note that the date of the presentation is non negotiable as it will correspond with the timeline of history that the
instructor is reviewing with the class. Also note, if the student does not choose a topic, one will be provided to them.
If a student does not present their topic to the class, then they will receive a zero for the assignment.
EReader Writing Assignments: (10% total)
● There will be two written assignments for the assigned EReader essays.
● No extensions will be given. A hard copy must be submitted in class. No email will be accepted. Assignments must be
typed. A 25 point deduction will be taken on any assignment that is handwritten
Shipwrecks Short Essays: (20% each)
● Students will be requird to turn short essays for The Box book. Each short essay will cover a portion of the book.
Answers cannot be found on quick internet searches. The ability to answer the question will rest solely on reading
the book. (More information for this assignment will be posted on the learning web.)
.
Make-up Exams: If you miss an exam, contact me either by email or telephone within twenty-four hours. All make-up work will
be done at the instructor’s convenience and must be completed prior to the final day of class.
Cell phones and beepers: Turn off all cell phones, pagers and beepers prior to the beginning of class. See below for possible
outcome if you fail to comply with this policy.
Civility Policy:
Class attendance requires a degree of civility and courtesy towards your fellow students as well as to the professor. As such the
following behaviors are prohibited: talking, surfing the internet, cell phones, pagers, reading, studying for other classes,
chronic tardiness (as defined by the professor) or any other action deemed disruptive or inappropriate by the instructor.
Turn off all electrical appliances before entering class.
The professor reserves the right to remove anyone from class for violating these policies.
1. A verbal warning will be issued at the first occurrence of problematic behavior, where the student is told that the
conduct will not be tolerated or allowed.
2. A second occurrence will result in another verbal warning and written notification being sent to the dean of the
college, explaining the circumstances of the offense.
3. A third occurrence of the activity will result in the student being sent to the appropriate academic dean and
potentially being dropped from the class.
LETTER GRADE ASSIGNMENT:
Letter Grade
A
Final Average in Percent
100 - 89.5%
B
89.4 – 79.5%
C
79.4% - 69.5%
D
69.4% - 59.5%
F
Below 59.4%
Tentative Schedule
Week
of
Agenda
8/25
Intro & Chapter 1
9/6
Chapters 1 & 2
9/13
Chapters 3 & 4
9/20
Chapter 5 & 6
9/27
Test One
10/4
Chapter 7, EREADER ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE
10/11
Chapter 8 & 9
10/18
Test Two
10/25
Chapter 10
Chapters 11 & 12
11/1
EREADER 2 Due
11/8
Test Three
11/15
Chapter 13
11/22
Chapter 14
11/29
Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class
12/6
Chapter 15
12/13
Final
Academic Integrity
I will follow the general discipline provisions (see Student Handbook online). Issues of compromised academic integrity that will be addressed:
cheating on tests, plagiarism, and collusion. Any other compromises will also be addresses.
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement
If you require reasonable accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning disability, please contact the Counseling
Office to obtain the necessary information to request accommodations. Upon completion of this process, please notify your
instructor as soon as possible and preferably before the end of the first two weeks of class to arrange for reasonable
a4/ccommodations.
Computer Virus Protection
Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Using diskettes on more than one computer creates the possibility of infecting computers
and diskettes with a computer virus. This exposes the computers of the college, your personal computer, and any others you may be using to
potentially damaging viruses. The college has aggressive anti-virus procedures in place to protect its computers, but cannot guarantee that a
virus might not temporarily infect one of its machines. It is your responsibility to protect all computers under your control and use and ensure
that each diskette you use, whenever or wherever you use it, has been scanned with anti-virus software. Since new viruses arise continually,
your anti-virus software must be kept current. And, since no anti-virus software will find every virus, keeping backup copies is extremely
important.