SYLLABUS
History of the United States Since 1865
History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To
try to hold fast is to be swept aside---John F. Kennedy
HST 143 online
Dr. Carolyn F. Hoffman
Office: M2023
Phone Number: 301-322-0531
E-Mail: choffman@pgcc.edu
HST 143 is a one semester survey of the history of the United States since 1865.
The course examines the political, diplomatic, economic, and social development of the
country with equal emphasis.
By the end of this course you should be able to:
1) trace the experiences of the newly freed slaves and their descendants over the time period
covered by the course, explain the betrayal of African Americans by both major political
parties at the end of the 19th century, and understand the outcomes of different
approaches by succeeding generations of American blacks to achieve full political,
economic, social, and educational equality;
2) understand the economic forces transforming the nation from a rural and agricultural
society into an urban and industrial state and analyze their impact on society, day-to-day
life, and culture;
3) identify different social and economic reform movements and explain their solutions to
the problems that faced American society as a result of rapid industrialization and the
concentration of the nation’s wealth in the hands of a few;
4) explain the causes of the Great Depression and the increased role of the federal
government in combating its effects and understand the expanded role of the U.S.
government in domestic affairs during the 20th century;
5) analyze the causes and courses of the post-World War II Civil Rights Movement;
6) trace the rise of the United States as a great world power and explain the nation’s role in
the two world wars of the 20th century;
7) analyze the causes and outcomes of the Cold War on the post-World War II period;
8) appraise the origins of the Vietnam War and its impact on American political and social
development in the 1960s.
Required Texts:
Alan Brinkley, The Unfinished Nation. Volume II: Since 1865. ISBN 0-07293525-1
Irwin Unger and Robert R. Tomes, American Issues: A Primary Source Reader in
United States History. Volume II: Since 1865. ISBN 0-13-094018-6
Course Requirements:
There will be 2 exams (a mid-term and a final), 5 quizzes, 10 discussion boards,
and 1 documentary editing assignment during the course of the semester. The exams,
quizzes, discussions, and documentary editing assignment will be weighted as follows:
Mid-term
Final
Documentary Editing Assignment
Quizzes
Discussions
25%
30%
15%
15%
15%
Quizzes:
The quizzes will be based on the readings from your text book, Brinkley’s The
Unfinished Nation. See following pages for quiz and exam schedule. There will be six
quizzes offered over the semester. You are required to take only five. However, if you
wish, take all six quizzes, and I will drop your lowest quiz grade when I calculate final
grades.
The quizzes will be 5 identifications based on the readings in your text book. In
writing each identification you should include the following information in paragraph
form:
Who or what
When (date)
Where
Why (significance)
There will be NO make-ups for the quizzes, and I will not accept any late
quizzes. Additional information will be provided in the Assignments section of your
online class.
Be sure your answers are in standard English. Punctuation, grammar, and
spelling count. Proofread your work. If I can’t understand it, you won’t get credit
for it.
Discussions:
The discussions will be based on the readings from your primary source book,
Unger and Tomes’ American Issues. Each week I will post a question based on the
readings in Unger and Tomes. You will be required to respond to the question and
respond to at least one posting from the other students in the class. You will earn 1 to 6
points for your posting and 1 to 4 points for a response for a total of 10 points per
discussion. You will have ten days to respond. You need to contribute to at least 10 of
the 15 posted questions for full credit. There is no extra credit for contributing to more
than 10 of the discussions, but if you want to, feel free.
Be sure your responses are in standard English. Again, if it doesn’t make
sense, you won’t get credit. Also, be sure you are courteous in your responses to
your classmates’ postings. Your answers should be thoughtful as well as thoughtprovoking, but they do not need to be hostile.
Exams:
The exams will be a combination of 5 of 10 identifications, 1 of 3 short essays,
and 1 of 3 long essays. Study guides will be provided before each exam.
Exams will be administered in the Testing Center in Bladen Hall, Room 100. The
exams will be available for one week.
Since the exams are available for one week, there will be no make-ups given
unless under extreme circumstances such as a death in the family or out-of-town
travel!!! Be sure to contact me immediately if there is a problem.
Documentary Editing Assignment:
I will not accept any late papers. IF THE EDITING ASSIGNMENT IS NOT
HANDED IN ON TIME, THE RESULTING GRADE WILL BE A ZERO. Again,
grammar and spelling count. PROOFREAD YOUR WORK BEFORE TURNING
IT IN. Additional information will be provided in the Assignments section of your
online class.