SYLLABUS - HISTORY 1302
The Houston Community College System is an open admission, public institution of higher
education offering academic preparation, and lifelong learning opportunities that prepare
individuals in our diverse communities for life and work in an increasingly international and
technological society. The Northwest History Department will provide an environment conducive
to learning and encourages academic excellence. Furthermore, the History faculty will encourage
the development of the following competencies: Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Critical
Thinking and Computer Literacy.
This course is a study of United States history from 1877 to the present.
Chris Drake
Houston Community College-Northwest College-Town & Country Square
713-718-5632
chris.drake@hccs.edu
Office Hours: Before and after class and by appointment
Recommended Text: The American Pageant: A History of the Republic Vol. II
Kennedy, Cohen, & Bailey
Required Reader: American Perspectives: Readings in American History Vol. II
Ables et. al.
Additional Reading: The Life & High Times of John Henry Faulk
Chris Drake.
Grading & Evaluation: There will be three (3) major examinations. These examinations will
reflect material from classroom presentations, the Kennedy text, and the reader. Take care to
pursue web sites cited in the text. The structure of these exams will be as follows:
Fill-in-the-blank..................….30%
Matching......................…....…20%
Essay..............................….….50%
Essay questions will be developed around the material covered in class within a topic. Essays
MUST respond effectively to the multi-faceted nature of the topics; therefore, organization and
critical analysis are crucial to success.
Grade System: 90-100: A, 80-89: B, 70-79: C, 60-69: D, 59 & below: F
PLEASE NOTE: ALL EXAMINATION AND QUIZ DATES ARE APPROXIMATE AND
SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
FIRST EXAMINATION: Tuesday September 28 covering Chapters 22-27 & the following
classroom presentations: "The Great Barbeque," The City, Industrial Workers, Industrial Warfare,
Agriculture, The New South, Immigration, Foreign Policy, The Business Culture.
SECOND EXAMINATION: Thursday October 28 covering Chapters 28-36 & the following
classroom presentations: Progressivism I, Progressivism II, The Consumer Culture, The 1920s The
Great Depression, The New Deal I, The New Deal II, Foreign Policy Between the Wars, World
War II.
FINAL EXAMINATION: See College Final Exam Schedule covering Chapters 37-42 & the
following classroom presentations: Origins of the Cold War, The Cold War in Asia, The Cold War
at Home, Truman/Eisenhower, Kennedy/Johnson, Nixon/Ford/Carter, The Civil Rights Movement,
Vietnam, Watergate
Assignments from the reader and text chapters will coordinate with the subject matter taken up in
class. A quiz will be given to evaluate your comprehension of the readings, and the format of the
quizzes will vary, some will be in the form of graded discussions.
A book test will be taken based on your reading of The Life and High Times of John Henry Faulk.
This test will be the equivalent of an examination grade and is scheduled for the last day of
instruction prior to the final exam.
Your course grade will be determined by averaging the higher of the first two major exam grades,
the final exam, the book test, and the average of the article quiz grades.
MAKE-UP POLICY: All make ups will be taken on the day of the Final Exam unless otherwise
arranged.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: A student may be dropped from a course for excessive absences after
the student has accumulated absences in excess of 12.5% of the hours of instruction. Attendance is
important. Please note that at least 50% of the examination material will reflect issues taken up in
class; but, I believe that college is adult activity. It is the student's responsibility to withdraw
officially from a course. If you wish to withdraw you must take the necessary steps to accomplish
the task. Do not simply quit coming to class. All that will do is get you marked absent.
NOTE TO LATECOMERS: Punctuality is the virtue of kings. But, since we all live with the
vagaries of Houston traffic, some of us may occasionally be late to class. If this happens, please
come anyway. Enter quietly, take a seat on the row nearest the door, and remind me next class
meeting when I call the roll to mark you present for the day you arrived late. However, habitual
tardiness will not be tolerated. If I am late, just hang on until either I arrive or someone comes and
tells you I’m not going to make it.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE
DO NOT WALK ACROSS THE ROOM SHOULD YOU ENTER THE ROOM LATE
QUIETLY TAKE A SEAT NEAREST THE DOOR
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY: Anyone who cheats will earn a zero (not an "F," a "0") for
the assignment and be asked to withdraw from the class.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS POLICY: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical,
learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must
contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester.
faculty are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support
Services Office at 713-718-5708
NEW TEXAS WITHDRAWAL POLICY: The state of Texas has begun to impose penalties on
students who drop courses excessively. For example, if you repeat the same course more than
twice, you have to pay extra tuition. In 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting new
students (those starting college in the Fall of 2007) to no more than six (6) total course withdrawals
throughout their academic career in obtaining a baccalaureate degree. There may well be future
penalties imposed.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an “Early
Alert” process by which the instructor will “alert” you and HCC Student Services of the
chance you might fail a class because of excessive absences and/or poor academic
performance. You should visit with your instructor, and HCC counselor, or HCC Online
Student Services to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be offered to assist
you: tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc. to stay in class and improve you
academic performance.