History 320 Syllabus
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES WITH AFRICAN
AMERICAN EMPHASIS TO THE CIVIL WAR
Professor K. R. V. Heningburg
SEMESTER: Fall 2012
OFFICE INFORMATION:
LOCATION: RN-214 Behavioral Sciences Division
CONTACT INFORMATION - Students may see me:
1. Immediately after class;
2. during Office Hours;
 Mon/Wed 3:00pm-4:00pm &
 Tues/Thurs 10:30am-12:00noon or
 By appointment.
3. Website: http://web.scc.losrios.edu/heningk
4. E-mail: Heningk@scc.losrios.edu
5. Behavior & Social Science Office: Professor Heningburg’s mailbox
6. Voice mailbox: 558-2510
7. Walk-in
Page 1 of 11
History 320 Syllabus
Welcome to History 320 – History of the United States with African
American Emphasis to the Civil War!
Course Introduction:
First, it is important to note that this is not an African American Studies
course. It is an examination of United States history; paying particular attention to the
development of slavery and other labor systems and their effect on American society.
United States history cannot be completely understood without illuminating the integral
component of African American history. Consequently, this course will examine the
history of the United States from its initial settlement through the Civil War. We will
examine the origins of African slavery as it pertains to the formation and development of
this nation. Along the way, we will also explore the interplay between the powerful and
the powerless; freedom and slavery; prosperity and poverty.
My goal for this course is that students will gain an understanding of the collective
American past and deepen their perspective on contemporary black America. As a result
students taking History 320 should be able to:

Analyze and discuss those historical factors which shaped the American
experience in the early colonies and the young Republic particularly emphasizing
the effect of those factors on African Americans.

Assess the degree of African Americans' participation in American life and
history.

Analyze and discuss the interaction of African Americans with other American
ethnic groups such as Native Americans, the Irish, the Chinese, etc.

Demonstrate an understanding of the worth and dignity of America's black
citizenry.

Explore and appreciate the effect of African American culture on the broader
American cultural milieu.
Page 2 of 11

Analyze and discuss the development of the United States Constitution
emphasizing its relationship to American citizens in general and African
Americans in particular prior to the Civil War.

Recognize the inclusive and exclusive distinctions of our cultural heritage, based
on race, gender, class, creed, or other conditions.

Explain the role of ethnocentrism in the social, cultural, and political
development of America.
PROFESSOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
As your instructor, I am responsible for lecturing, grading your exams and
papers. I have high academic standards and expectations. Therefore, you may count on
me to be both thorough and fair in my approach to grading papers and exams. I look for
and expect improvement on each assignment and will structure my grading accordingly.
I am also your resource for any problems or concerns about the class. My job is to help
you succeed not only in passing this course but to enjoy the process.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES and STUDENTS SUCCESS:
I am intensely interested in your success as a student. However, just as I have
delineated my responsibilities above, I also have expectations of my students. I expect
my students to attend class regularly and to be prepared to participate. Your
participation includes but is not limited to taking notes and contributing to the
discussions in class. I will endeavor to allay any trepidation you may have so that you
can learn in a relaxed environment. However, this does not preclude your responsibility
as a student. The responsibility of learning is yours alone. My job is to facilitate
that process. You must do that which is required (download the syllabus, read the texts,
take notes, write the papers and exams) to gain the grade you want. An additional tip
for student success is to follow directions! I cannot stress enough how important this
is to your success as a student.
A WORD ABOUT WRITING:
Page 3 of 11
This history course is demanding. It demands a lot of reading, analytical writing,
and critical thinking skills. The stated prerequisite for this class is ENGRW 101 College Writing. Therefore, I expect students who take this class to have satisfactorily
completed or have otherwise satisfied this prerequisite. As reading is also very
important, English 110 – Comprehension Strategies & Vocabulary
Development for College will also be very helpful.
A FURTHER WORD ABOUT HISTORY AND WRITING HISTORY PAPERS:
First: History does not occur in a vacuum. Each historical event in some way
touches other events around the world. Therefore, it is imperative to remember the
context in which a particular event is discussed.
Second: History papers must demonstrate an understanding of cause and effect,
and accurate chronology. Students must learn to think contextually and about the event
or person’s significance. What is happening around the event or person being
discussed? Who is involved? Why? When? How?
Third: Writing assistance is available in the Writing Center.
COURSE STRUCTURE:
This class will incorporate readings, lectures, discussions, written paper
assignments and evaluations. I believe using this combination of learning methods is
the most thorough way to study and learn history. The course contains the following
sections:
1. Africa & Native America – Lands, People, and Slavery.
2. The Coming of the Europeans – European World Exploration: The Quest for
“God, Glory, & Gold.”
3. Britain’s North American Empire – the Formation and Structure of Colonial
Societies.
4. Coming of the American Revolution & American Independence.
5. American Constitution, Inventing a Country and Post-Revolutionary War
America.
Page 4 of 11
6. Antebellum America – Slavery and United States Expansion.
7. Slave Resistance, Northern Industry, and the Challenges of a New Age.
8. The Road to Civil War & Reconstruction.
ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY:
It is imperative to come to class prepared to listen and discuss what you have
absorbed from the readings and from lectures. If you do not choose to attend class, you
will have a difficult time passing this course. Therefore, you should consider class
attendance an opportunity to consider and question important issues in United States
history, and to share your thoughts with your classmates. If you do not attend class
for two consecutive sessions without communication with me, I will drop
you from the class without notice.
If attendance problems arise, please feel free to come and talk with me. I will
listen and can be very understanding. Please remember that good communication is
essential to any relationship, and is no less important between professor and student. I
urge you to take advantage of my office hours, as I am quite willing, able, and available
to help you.
COURSE EVALUATION:
I have designed this course to impart information. However, grades are important!
Therefore, I will evaluate your course grade based on the following criteria:
Page 5 of 11
% OF
CRITERIA
POINTS
TOTAL
REQUIREMENTS
GRADE
Two Exams
100 pts
25
Combination Multiple Choice/
each
Chapter Tests
25 pts
Essay Exams
27
On Course Compass
each
Mandatory “Meet
100 pts
5
the Professor”
Must be completed by 9/27/2012
(no exceptions)
Conferences
One five (5) page
100 pts
15
Must conform to standard essay paper
format (as indicated in Kate Turabian
paper
manual of style):




Final Exam
Total
Extra Credit
(One time only)
(Added to “Meet the
Professor” points)
200 pts
28
1275
100
25
N/A
Typed double-spaced
12point font
black ink
cover page and footnotes
TBD
Attend one off-campus cultural
event in the Sacramento area.
(A cultural event is defined as a
museum visit or ethnic celebration,
etc)
IMPORTANT:
All class assignments (exams, quizzes, and papers) must be completed to
receive a good grade for this course. Students are responsible for all
adjustments - verbal and written - to syllabus information.
MISSED EXAMS AND LATE PAPER POLICY:
I will not accept any late papers or essay exams unless there are valid reasons and
applicable documentation (e.g., a signed doctor’s note). If you have a problem turning
in an assignment, please contact me as soon as possible before the due date. This will
Page 6 of 11
allow us to work out an acceptable compromise. Students may make up a missed exam
ONLY if they provide me with a valid excuse, i.e., illness (doctor’s note required), a
family emergency, or another documented catastrophe. “I did not get enough time to
study” is not a valid excuse. Make-up exams and late paper extensions are
granted at my discretion and must be completed no later than two weeks
after the assignment due date.
EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING:
All students should have an educational plan. You may obtain such a plan by visiting
the counseling office and conferring with a member of the counseling staff. They are
more than willing to assist you with your educational goals.
READING LIST AND OTHER RESOURCES:
1. History 320: American History (Custom Edition for Sacramento City
College).
2. Keith R. V. Heningburg, Readings in US History: African American
Emphasis
3. Gary J. Kornblith, Slavery and Sectional Strife in the Early American
Republic, 1776-1821
READING SCHEDULE AND WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:
Note: Students should begin readings immediately!
Weeks
Section Title
One &
Africa, Native America: Lands
Section Readings
Faragher: A Continent of
Page 7 of 11
Notes
Two
& People
Villages, to 1500
Hine: Africa
Faragher: When Worlds
Collide, pages 24-30.
Three &
Four
The Coming of the Europeans
Faragher: When Worlds
– European World
Collide, pages 31-47.
Exploration: The Quest for
Faragher: Planting Colonies in
“God, Glory & Gold.”
N. America, 1588-1701;
Begin Reading Kornblith: Sectional
Strife…
Faragher: Slavery & Empire,
1441-1770;
Hine: The Middle Passage;
Heningburg: Slavery as a
Concept & The Coming of the
Europeans.
Five &
Britain’s N. American Empire
Hine: Black People in Colonial
N. America, 1526-1763;
Six
Faragher: The Cultures of
First Exam:
October 3rd/ 4th depending on what
day your class meets.
Colonial N. America, 1700-1780
Heningburg: Great Britain’s
North American Empire: The
Formation of Colonial Structures,
1619-1700.
Seven &
Eight
The Coming of the American
Faragher: From Empire to
Revolution & American
Independence;
Independence.
Faragher: American
Revolution;
Hine: Rising Expectations;
Heningburg: The Coming of the
Revolution.
Page 8 of 11
Term Paper due
Week of October 16th or 17th
Depending on what day your section
meets.
Nine &
Ten
The American Constitution –
Faragher: The New Nation,
Inventing a Country.
1786-1800;
Faragher: Empire for Liberty,
1790-1824;
Hine: African Americans in the
New Nation, 1783-1820;
Heningburg: American
Constitution: Inventing a
Country
Eleven &
Twelve
Antebellum America, Slavery,
Faragher: The South & Slavery,
Second Exam:
& United States’ Expansion.
1790s-1850s;
November 14th
Faragher: Growth of
or 15th
Democracy, 1824-1840;
Depending on what day your class
Hine: Life in the Cotton
meets.
Kingdom;
Hine: Free Black People in
Antebellum America, 1820-1860;
Heningburg: Antebellum
America.
Thirteen
Slavery, Resistance, Northern
Faragher: Industry in the
&
Industry, & the Challenges of
North;
a New Age.
Faragher: Meeting the
Fourteen
Challenges of a New Age;
Hine: Opposition to Slavery;
Hine: “Let Your Motto Be
Resistance;
Heningburg: Slave Resistance.
Fifteen &
Sixteen
Road to the Civil War &
Faragher: The Coming Crisis;
Reconstruction.
Faragher: The Civil War;
-------------
Hine: “And Black People Were at
Final
the Heart of It!;”
Exams
Hine: Liberation: African
Americans & the Civil War.
Page 9 of 11
.
Heningburg: The Road to The
Civil War.
FINAL EXAM DATES:
IF YOUR CLASS MEETS:
YOUR FINAL IS ON:
Mon/Wed @12:00 noon
Monday, December 17th
12:45pm-2:45pm
Tues/Thurs @ 9:00am
Tuesday, December 18th
from 8:00am-10:00am
THINGS THAT IRRITATE THE PROFESSOR:
1. Late arrivals & early departures -- This is rude and inconsiderate to the speaker
and classmates. I expect all students to come to class on time and remain until dismissal
unless such departure has been previously discussed with me or in emergency cases.
2. Late paper excuses – see “Missed Exams and Late paper Policy.”
3. Academic Dishonesty -- I do not tolerate cheating in any form. Any student who
cheats on an exam, or plagiarizes on a written assignment will not receive credit for that
assignment.
4. Electronic Devices -- Students must turn off all electronic/portable media
devices (i.e. cell phones, ipods, etc.) upon entering the classroom. I allow
classroom sessions to be recorded for academic purposes only and under special
circumstances. If you have issues with this policy, see me in private.
5. Improper Social Behavior – Anti-social behavior such as interrupting fellow
classmates while speaking, being excessively argumentative, or causing any other
classroom disruption is not allowed. In the event that a student chooses to disrupt the
class, The Sacramento City College Student Code of Conduct Page 10 of 11
http://wserver.scc.losrios.edu/~matric/guide/stuconduct.html) will be observed and
enforced.
6. Reading newspapers, books, studying, talking, sleeping, etc., during
lectures and classroom activities. --This behavior distracts your fellow students
and is inconsiderate to the instructor.
7. Racist remarks of any sort. -- This behavior is incongruent with college policy
and has no place in this classroom.
8. Talking when I am speaking. -- This is rude and disruptive.
9. Laptops. --Because laptops are difficult to police, I have to disallow laptops in this
class.
10. Students who do not take the class seriously or show initiative.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:
Special Arrangements: Please inform me privately of any special needs you may
have (i.e., learning disabilities) at the beginning of the semester. You must provide
campus verification for any disability you may have.
Page 11 of 11