AMERICAN HERITAGE 100
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
SPRING 2008
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
PROFESSOR
Dr. Christopher F. Karpowitz
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
850 SWKT
Email: ckarpowitz@byu.edu
Office Hours: Monday 2pm-3pm, Wednesday 9am-10am and by appointment
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Mike Bishop
Emily Kimball
Megan Quigley
Jennifer Robertson
Kyle Stephens
Will Stewart
m_obispo@byu.net
emyk17@yahoo.com
megan.linford@gmail.com
Jenrobertson@byu.edu
amerigo341@yahoo.com
willnumber85@hotmail.com
All teaching assistant office hours are held in the “Review Room”—173A in the Spencer W.
Kimball Tower. The specific teaching assistant office hours for all sections will be posted to the
course website soon after the beginning of the term.
AMERICAN HERITAGE OFFICE
Coordinator: Erica Germaine
Office and Phone: 166 SWKT, 422-6076
Email: amer_htg@byu.edu
Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Website: americanheritage.byu.edu
As the course coordinator, Erica Germaine is in charge of all administrative aspects of American
Heritage. Questions about course content should be directed toward Dr. Karpowitz or your
teaching assistant. Answers to your questions about course administration can likely be found
on the website or in this syllabus, but if you cannot find the answers there, Erica Germaine will
assist you.
A MESSAGE TO STUDENTS
Welcome to American Heritage, one of the signature courses at the university and one of the few
created by direct mandate from the Board of Trustees. Because American Heritage is unlike
most other introductory courses you will take, I have prepared a longer-than-usual syllabus, with
longer-than-usual words of advice and instruction. Please read the syllabus carefully from
beginning to end; I hope it will be a helpful guide for you.
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American Heritage 100 is a study of the founding and constitutional heritage of the United
States. Combining insights and methodology from economics, political science, and history, the
course offers an opportunity to reflect deeply – and with the help of a gospel perspective – about
the meaning of the Constitution and our nation’s founding ideals, not solely as an historical event
in the past but also as a shaping force in the present. Thus, the course should be something much
more and different than an exercise in flag-waving or a simple confirmation of your preenrollment political tendencies. American Heritage 100 should challenge you to understand the
founding, its meaning, and its implications for your life and the life of your political community
in a deeper way than you have done before.
The course is divided into three sections: Founding Principles, an investigation of key concepts,
ideas, and philosophies that influenced the nation’s founding; The Birth (and Rebirth) of the
Constitution, a detailed exploration of constitutional principles and institutions, from the
Philadelphia convention through the dramatic changes that occurred with the Civil War; and
Constitutional Development and Change, a brief tour of selected major events since the Civil
War that have influenced our understanding of American society and constitutionalism.
One important theme throughout the term will be the meaning of “citizenship.” Students at
Brigham Young University are to prepare to serve both in the kingdom and in the world at large.
I hope that the concepts we discuss will assist you in becoming a better, more engaged
contributor to the civic life of your community – whether or not you are a citizen of the United
States. The contribution you choose to make is up to you. But if you diligently study this
material you will leave this course better informed and better prepared to make your
contribution.
As we investigate the meaning and purpose of our Constitution, I expect that you will learn to
think rigorously about our constitutional structure, to ask questions you might not have
considered before, and to develop new understandings of the obligations of citizenship. In the
process of pursuing these goals, we will also seek to develop scholarly habits of attentive
reading, thoughtful questioning, rigorous moral reasoning, and compelling writing. I hope you
will enrich your study of the America’s constitutional heritage with insights from the restored
Gospel. Our goal should be, as the scripture says, to diligently “seek learning, even by study and
also by faith.”
And finally, a few words on education generally …
Borrowing from Plutarch, William Butler Yeats famously wrote that “education is not the filling
of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” My job as your professor, then, is not simply to fill your pail
through lectures, just as your job is to do much more than soak up the information given during
lectures. You are expected to play an active role in your education, and this course is designed to
promote in you the habits of work and mind that are central to college-level thought and
argument and that will serve you well long after you have taken the final exam. I hope you will
begin to become a producer of ideas, not just a consumer of them. The course will be a success
not simply because of what has been taught, but because of what you have learned and what you
have added – your unique ideas and perspectives – to the intellectual life of the university.
American Heritage is a difficult and demanding course, which is the only kind of course worth
taking (or teaching). The course will require a great deal of you, but for that same reason, it can
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be one of the most rewarding experiences you have at BYU. We are not in the business of
rehashing ideas you have already mastered in high school; we are about challenging you to
explore a terrain that may, at first, appear unfamiliar. While this process may sometimes be
difficult, scary, or frustrating, it can also be exhilarating and extremely satisfying. Remember,
too, that we are in this together – I expect our class to be an intellectual community in which we
support and respect one another, giving each other constructive feedback and encouragement
along the way.
I look forward to getting to know you and to our collective endeavor this term!
-- Dr. Karpowitz
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
In the late 1970’s, under the explicit direction of the university’s Board of Trustees and the First
Presidency, BYU developed American Heritage 100 to help students better understand and
appreciate the core principles and social architecture of the American founding. The basic
course objectives were developed by the Board of Trustees. American Heritage strives to
support students as they:
• Understand the religious, historical, political and economic origins of the
Constitution;
• Learn how the Constitution works;
• Apply their knowledge of the Constitution to analyze major historical, political and
economic issues; and
• Become better informed, more active citizens.
I support each of these basic objectives. Expanding on these core themes, I hope students will …
• Critically assess their obligations as citizens in our constitutional system through a
deeper understanding of our nation’s history of political thought and action;
• Gain a greater appreciation for the opportunities and challenges associated with civic
engagement, in part by becoming actively involved in political or community-based
activities related to issues they care about;
• Learn about theories of constitutional change by exploring developments beyond the
early tradition of American constitutionalism, including consequent changes in the
spirit and functioning of the Constitution from the Civil War through the New Deal
and beyond. Form initial answers to the questions of whether and how the
Constitution is a living document as well as what allegiance we owe, if any, to
original understandings of constitutional thought. Is it possible both to honor the
founders and be open to possibilities for change and progress?
• Become intelligently conversant in distinctively LDS perspectives on the
Constitution, most notably prophetic statements affirming the hand of God in the
Founding. What does it mean to believe in a divinely-inspired Constitution? What
role did our political and constitutional traditions play in the Restoration of the
Gospel?
• Explore the relationships among the ideas of constitutionalism, human freedom,
societal equality, and a well-functioning democracy. Discuss the assumptions
American constitutionalism makes regarding human nature – its corruptibility as well
as the possibility for virtue and the sacred character of human rights. How are those
assumptions reflected in the design of constitutional structures?
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COURSE RESOURCES
Texts
You are required to purchase each of the following texts:
• American Heritage 100 Course Packet – Karpowitz (only available at the BYU
Bookstore)
• Fox, Frank W. and Clayne L. Pope. 2007. City Upon a Hill: The Legacy of America’s
Founding. Provo, UT: BYU Academic Publishing.
The readings for this course are crucial. Study them carefully and remember that the tests will
cover parts of the readings not mentioned in class. Please be careful to pace your readings
appropriately. The nature of the texts is such that if you wait until the last minute to do the
reading you may find that the load is too heavy. This is especially true during the Spring Term,
when the pace is very fast. Remember, too, that the readings are not always spaced evenly
across the semester. For instance, George Washington’s farewell address is fairly dense and will
require more time and commitment than will some of the early chapters in your text. Students are
strongly advised to stay ahead in the reading. However you structure your reading habits, be sure
to read the texts before coming to class. You will learn much more that way.
Films
We will be watching three films this term. Not all of these films may be to your taste, but they
are required parts of the course and will be tested on exams, including the final. More
importantly, the films are selected to illustrate crucial course concepts or educate about key
moments in history. All of the films have been screened (and edited if necessary) to conform to
University standards, and will be shown on specific dates referenced in the course calendar.
• A More Perfect Union: This BYU produced dramatization of the constitutional
convention helps set the stage and clarify the terms of debate in 1787 Philadelphia
(particularly for those students who have not previously studied the constitutional
convention). Though the film takes some liberties with the historical facts, it is an
excellent summary of the debate.
o This movie will be shown in 140 JSB
ƒ Monday, May 19th at 5:00 pm
ƒ Tuesday, May 20th at 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
• Glory: No other film quite captures the essence of the civil war like this film that
recounts the history of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment—an all African-American
regiment. The film is included here to give a sense of the war’s conditions, and to
help explain the idealism that suffused that conflict. Not everyone will find the
content of this film pleasant. Please note that while Glory was originally released
with an R rating, the university believes that the movie has such remarkable
educational and inspirational merit that it has legally secured an edited version for
regular showing on campus. Not all of the violence or potentially offensive language
has been removed (there’s no getting around the fact that war is about violence and
death), though that which originally qualified it for its R-rating has.
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o This movie will be shown in 140 JSB
ƒ Monday, June 2nd at 5:00 pm
ƒ Tuesday, June 3rd at 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
• The Pursuit of Happyness: This is a recent film starring Will Smith. You should
watch it for two purposes. First, pay attention to the way it highlights some of the
costs and benefits of a market economic system. Second, what does this film tell us
about the state of the American Dream? Is this a simple story of rags to riches? Does
it offer any insights about poverty and wealth in America today? Do you accept the
lessons this film is trying to teach? This film is rated PG-13 for some inappropriate
language and parental fighting.
o This movie will be shown in 140 JSB
ƒ Monday, June 9th at 5:00 pm
ƒ Tuesday, June 10th at 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
Labs
Each week the large sections (Monday and Wednesday) will consist of a lecture where I present
a few key topics and concepts. I expect that you will come to lecture having completed the
assigned readings and being fully prepared to consider (and occasionally discuss) the topic of the
day. On Thursday or Friday, you are expected to attend the lab section for which you are
registered (do not attend a different section). Both lecture and labs are integral parts of the
course: one is not more important than the other. They are designed to be complementary halves.
The word “lab” might conjure visions of dissecting frogs or mixing chemicals. While we will be
“dissecting” ideas together, these labs are better thought of as discussion sections – places where
you will have an opportunity to grapple with the ideas you’ve been reading about and sharpen
your understanding in a more active, participatory way. As part of a larger lecture course, labs
are a unique and important opportunity to ask questions, discuss the concepts with your peers,
and generally clarify the points raised in the lectures held earlier in the week. You are expected
to come to lab prepared and to engage in active conversation with your fellow students. Often,
labs will include opportunities to discuss readings or other materials that were not part of the
lecture.
Course Website
The course website can be found on blackboard at https://blackboard.byu.edu. You are required
to give your BYU NetID and password to enter the system, where you should find your classes
listed in the upper right-hand portion of the screen under the heading “My Courses.” Students
should check this resource regularly for announcements and other course materials. More
general information about American Heritage can be found at http://americanheritage.byu.edu.
Teaching Assistants
After the texts and films, your best and most important resource is your teaching assistant. They
are both knowledgeable and kind, and you should go to them first with questions or concerns.
While no teaching assistant (or professor, for that matter) is perfect, the American Heritage
program strives to have only the highest quality individuals serve as teaching assistants. Take
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them your questions and problems; listen to their advice and instruction, and you will be well
repaid.
Review Room
The American Heritage Review Room is located in 173A Spencer W. Kimball Tower. Specific
hours for the review room will be posted soon after the beginning of the term. You are welcome
to simply drop in and ask any of the teaching assistants about general course questions. Of
course it would be best if you could speak with your own teaching assistant, but you will find
that they are all quite capable of handling your questions. Reviews of current course topics will
be held at 15 minutes after each hour. But you need not limit yourself to hearing the review
session. The best students will take the time to bring their questions into the review room. You
may also review your midterm exams with TAs in the review room.
EVALUATION AND GRADING
Grades will be computed on the following point basis:
Quizzes
Participation
Citizenship Project
Response Paper
Midterm #1
Midterm #2
Final Exam
Total
50 points
25 points
50 points
75 points
100 points
100 points
150 points
550 points
All points you receive will be added together to determine your final grade. (Keep in mind that
since all possible points are added together, a quiz point is just as valuable as an exam point.)
As with many large college classes, American Heritage is graded on a curve. The curve and
general grading practices will be discussed in more detail by the TAs in lab around the time of
the first exam. Quite simply, however, grading on a curve means that we typically grant a
certain percentage of A’s, B’s and C’s. This percentage is not set in stone. For instance, if you
can all manage to get perfect scores on the exams, there will be an unusually large number of
A’s.
While I would be overjoyed (and would gladly celebrate our class as the greatest ever) if you all
get perfect scores, sad experience has shown that this is unlikely to occur, in part because exams
are difficult (though fair) and in part because of variation in effort and ability. In the end, I
strongly encourage you not to obsess about grades. Focus on what matters most (understanding
and applying the ideas and concepts presented in the course), and everything else will fall into
place.
Quizzes
Except for the first week of class, every lab session will include either two 5 point quizzes or one
10 point quiz based on the readings assigned for that week. Quizzes can not be made up for any
reason except a university excused absence. It is thus imperative that you come to lab each week
and on time. Your lowest week’s quiz score will be dropped. This should cover any dire
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emergencies you may run into during the semester that prevent you from attending lab on time
and well prepared.
Participation
Your TA will grade your participation in each lab, and your total participation grade will be
determined by looking at the general pattern across the term. Thus one absence will probably
not hurt you, but more than that will, for if you are not in class you obviously cannot participate.
Attending and paying attention will earn you a C. You will earn a B by making substantive
comments, and an A by making well-informed contributions to the discussions. In other words,
what you say will matter at least as much as how much you talk, though you are expected to join
the conversation regularly.
Citizenship Project
You will be required to engage in at least 10 hours of a non-paid, service-learning activity that
contributes to the effort of some civic organization (like a school, political party, community
charity, local/state/federal office of government, etc.) or advances a public policy or initiative
you care about. You must clear your plans for your Citizenship Project with your TA in your lab
on May 8 or 9. Church service, or Church-sponsored service activities, will NOT count, NOR
will any paid employment activity.
The service may not be completed in one week. You should track your service with a
Citizenship Timecard (available in this syllabus). After completing your approved service, you
will hand in a Citizenship Timecard. The timecard will be due in your labs June 12 or 13.
Your teaching assistant may approve other alternatives, but you should strongly consider one of
the following two options:
Option 1 — Participate in election-related service or a campaign. You may complete
this project by volunteering for any local, state, or national campaign related to the 2008
elections. You will need to identify the campaign in which you wish to participate.
Option 2 — Service Learning. This project requires you to volunteer with a project that
benefits a group or community. You may work with the Center for Service and Learning
to identify an appropriate project, one that you can complete this term. The project
should take you off campus and out into the community in some way.
Response Essays
You will write at least one essay of no more than 3 pages or 750 words discussing a topics listed
below. This is not a research paper (that is, you don’t have to do significant library research),
nor is it a book report or mere summary of someone else’s position or a descriptive essay of the
kind you might have written in high school. It should be an essay in which you announce a
thoughtful, compelling thesis and construct an effective college-level argument, using
appropriate evidence and analysis to defend your position. Each essay should include the Honor
Pledge (see the “Policies” section). Your teaching assistants will give you more information
about these response essays in labs.
You may (but are not required to) turn in up to two essays, in which case the lowest grade will be
dropped. All essays must be completed no later than May 29th or 30th. Essays are due by the
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beginning of your lab; you may NOT turn in more than one essay in a given week. The essay
should be paper (NOT electronic) copy, double spaced, Times New Roman 12 font, stapled, and
1 inch margins all the way around. Please follow these guidelines carefully. Dr. Karpowitz and
the Teaching Assistants like fancy fonts and crazy margins as much as the next person, but NOT
when reading your essays.
Two possible topics are listed below. You must write on one:
Topic 1
Write an essay in which you discuss what it means to believe in a divinely-inspired
Constitution. This essay is not a summary of what prophets or apostles have said
nor is it simply an expression of your testimony of modern-day prophets (though I
strongly encourage you to develop such a testimony). Rather, the essay represents
an opportunity for you to construct an argument about how the writings of apostles
and prophets might affect your understanding and interpretation of the Constitution.
As you develop your argument, you should draw upon the readings from Just and
Holy Principles. You might pay special attention to the themes of continuity and
change in the pronouncements of Church leaders about the Constitution.
Topic 2
Write an essay in which you develop an argument about the obligations of
citizenship and the challenges of contemporary civic education and participation.
How healthy is our constitutional democracy, especially from the perspective of
young people? What, if anything, could or should be done to improve levels of civic
knowledge and participation among young people?
Exams
There will be two examinations and a final during the semester. The first two exams will be
worth 100 points each; the final will be worth 150 points and will be comprehensive. Exams will
include both multiple-choice questions and essay questions. Note that some questions will be
drawn from class lectures and media, while others will be drawn purely from the reading
assignments.
All exams will be taken through the testing services of the University, and will be administered
in the Grant Building testing center. Allow yourself sufficient time to take each examination. We
will not accommodate students who are too late to receive an exam or unable to finish an exam.
No exams will be given out less than one hour prior to closing time. All exams will be picked up
15 minutes prior to closing time. If circumstances beyond your control make it impossible for
you to take the exam during the scheduled examination period, contact the American Heritage
office (422-6076) before the exam period has ended (as early as possible). Students who do not
should expect severe penalties.
COURSE CALENDAR
The following course calendar will be held to rigorously in terms of exam, movie and assignment
dates. Lecture topics may be adjusted as needed. For the reading assignments note that
CP=Course Packet and FP= Fox and Pope’s City Upon a Hill.
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DATE
DAY
SCHEDULE
READING ASSIGNMENTS
SECTION I: FOUNDING PRINCIPLES
WEEK 1
April 30
May 1-2
WEEK 2
May 5
May 7
Wednesday
Course Introduction FP: pp xi-xvi;
CP: L. Tom Perry
Thurs/Fri
The Human
Predicament
Labs
Monday
City Upon a Hill
FP: Chapter 2 (pp. 15-28);
CP: Jeffrey R. Holland,
“Prologue”
The English Legacy
and the Rule of
Law
A Conflict of
Interests
FP: Chapter 3 (pp. 29-44);
CP: John Winthrop’s “Little
Speech on Liberty”
FP: Chapter 4 (pp. 45-60)
Wednesday
FP: Chapter 1 (pp. 1-14)
Read the syllabus in its entirety
The Founding and a FP: Appendix A (pp. 293-312)
Market Economy
May 8-9
Thurs/Fri
Labs
Citizenship
Project cleared
with TA
CP: “Mayflower Compact,”
John Winthrop’s “Model of
Christian Charity”; Michael
Mullane, “The Rule of Law”
Review for Exam
WEEK 3
May 12
Monday
The American
Revolution and the
Declaration of
Independence
May 13-14
Tue. – Wed.
MIDTERM #1
Exam in Testing Center. Be sure to go with enough
time before TC closes.
(NOTE: It is your responsibility to find out when the
testing center closes, and how long lines are running,
so that you can avoid getting cut short on the time you
need to finish your exam.)
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FP: Chapter 5 (pp. 61-78);
Declaration of Independence,
Appendix C (pp. 342-344);
CP: Thomas Paine, “Selections
from Common Sense” and The
Crisis, No. 1; Wilford
Woodruff; B.H. Roberts
SECTION II: THE BIRTH (AND REBIRTH) OF THE CONSTITUTION
May 14
Wednesday
May 15-16
Thurs/Fri
WEEK 4
May 19
Monday
Designing
Government
The Constitutional
Convention (Intro)
Labs
The Constitutional
Convention
(Factions and the
Federalism)
FP: Chapter 6 (pp. 79-98);
CP: Dallin H. Oaks; Rakove,
“James Madison and the
Creation of the American
Republic,” Chapters 5-6
FP: Preamble and the Seven
Articles of the United States
Constitution, Appendix C (pp.
345-353);
CP: George Washington,
“Circular to the States”
FP: Federalist #10 and Federalist
#51, Appendix C (pp. 353-371)
CP: Brutus I-II; Cato IV
Film #1 – A More Perfect Union will be shown in 140 JSB
Monday, May 19th at 5:00 pm
Tuesday, May 20th at 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
May 21
Wednesday
The Bill of Rights
May 22-23
Thurs/Fri
Judicial Review
Labs
A More Perfect
Union class
discussion
WEEK 5
May 26
Monday
May 28
Wednesday
NO CLASS:
Memorial Day
Holiday
Elections, Parties,
and Participation:
The Founding and
Contemporary
Citizenship
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FP: Chapter 7 (pp. 99-116);
CP: Joseph Smith – Orson Pratt;
Marbury v. Madison; Federalist
#78
FP: The Bill of Rights
(Amendments 1-10 of the
Constitution), Appendix C (pp.
354-355);
FP: Chapter 8 (pp. 117-135);
Reflections on the Founding (pp.
136-137);
CP: Shea and Green, “The
Turned-Off Generation: Fact and
Fiction?”; Galston, “Civic
Knowledge, Civic Education,
and Civic Engagement”;
Ezra Taft Benson
May 29-30
Thurs/Fri
Labs
Response Essay
due in labs
FP: Amendments 11-12 of the
Constitution, Appendix C (p.
355);
CP: Green and Shea, “Throwing
a Better Party: Local Political
Parties and the Youth Vote”
Review for Exam
WEEK 6
June 2
Monday
The Scourge of
Slavery, the Civil
War, and a New
Birth of Freedom
June 4-5
Wed. – Thu.
MIDTERM #2
Exam in Testing Center. Be sure to go with enough
time before TC closes.
(NOTE: It is your responsibility to find out when the
testing center closes, and how long lines are running,
so that you can avoid getting cut short on the time you
need to finish your exam.)
FP: Chapter 11 (pp. 183-201);
Amendments 13-15 of the
Constitution, Appendix C (pp.
356-358); Lincoln’s “Gettysburg
Address” and “2nd Inaugural,”
Appendix C (p. 382-383);
CP: Frederick Douglass, “What
to the Slave Is the Fourth of
July?”; Dred Scott v. Sanford;
Erastus Snow, Charles Nibley
Film #2 – Glory will be shown in 140 JSB
Monday, June 2nd at 5:00 pm
Tuesday, June 3rd at 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
SECTION III: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE
June 4
June 5-6
Wednesday
Thurs/Fri
The Founding and
Historical Change
FP: Chapters 9-10 (pp. 139180);
CP: James E. Talmage, Levi
Edgar Young, J. Reuben Clark,
Jr.
Market Weaknesses FP: Market Weaknesses,
and Economic
Appendix B (pp. 313-339);
Inequality
CP: APSA Task Force,
“American Democracy in an
Age of Rising Inequality”;
Neal A. Maxwell
Labs
CP: “Seneca Falls Declaration of
Glory class
Sentiments”; Turner, “The
discussion
Frontier in American Life”
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WEEK 7
June 9
Monday
The Gilded Age,
the Trusts, and
Progressivism
FP: Chapter 12 (pp. 203-219);
Amendments 16-21 of the
Constitution (pp. 358-360);
CP: Wilson, “Address to the
Jefferson Club of Los Angeles”
and “The New Freedom”
The Great
Depression and the
New Deal
FP: Chapter 12 (pp. 219-232);
Amendment 22 of the
Constitution (p. 360);
CP: FDR’s “First Inaugural” and
“Four Freedoms” speeches
Film #3—The Pursuit of Happyness will be shown in 140 JSB
Monday, June 9th at 5:00 pm
Tuesday, June 10th at 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
June 11
Wednesday
The Fifties, Civil
Rights, and the
Revolutionary
Fervor of 1968
June 12-13
Thurs/Fri
Labs
Citizenship
Project Timecard
due in labs
Pursuit of
Happyness class
discussion
WEEK 8
June 16
Monday
Theories of Judicial
Review and
Constitutional SelfGovernment
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FP: Chapter 14 (pp. 253-262);
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I
Have a Dream” speech,
Appendix C (pp. 384-386);
CP: Brown v. Board of
Education; King’s “Letter from
a Birmingham Jail”; Malcom X,
“The Ballot or the Bullet”; Betty
Friedan, “Our Revolution is
Unique”; Students for a
Democratic Society, “Port
Huron Statement”; Hugh B.
Brown
FP: Chapter 13 (pp. 233-252);
Washington’s Farewell Address,
Appendix C (pp. 372-381);
CP: Elie Wiesel’s “Speech at the
White House on the Perils of
Indifference”; Hamdi v.
Rumsfeld
FP: Chapters 14-15 (pp. 263291); Amendments 23-27 of the
Constitution, Appendix C (pp.
360-362);
CP: White, “Faces of the
Future”; Hancock,
“Introduction”; Gordon B.
June 17
June 18-19
Tuesday
Wednesday
and
Thursday
Reading Day
Final Exams
Hinckley; Griswold v.
Connecticut; Roe v. Wade;
Lawrence v. Texas
Prepare for Finals
POLICIES
It is your responsibility to read and follow these policies. Their presence in writing here
constitutes fair notice to you. Please pay careful attention and follow each one!
• Attendance and Participation: In order to succeed in this course, your consistent attendance
and regular participation at both lectures and labs is required and essential. You are responsible
for all material presented in lecture. Multiple unexcused absences will make it very difficult, if
not impossible, to score well on exams. You are also required to attend your lab discussion
section each week. More than two unexcused absences will result in severe penalties on your lab
participation grade.
Lectures will offer some opportunity to discuss together the topics under consideration. I expect
you to be involved and to participate meaningfully in our discussions, to the extent possible in a
large group. In labs, you will have an even better opportunity to talk about ideas and issues, and
I expect you to be actively involved in the group discussion. If you find that such participation is
a special challenge for you, please come see your TA or me so we can talk about how you can
most effectively join the conversation. As we engage in lively debate about important issues, all
of us—students, teaching assistants and professor alike—will be expected to treat each other
with great respect and care, engaging in challenging and candid discussion, without a spirit of
animosity or ridicule.
• Communication. My door is always open to you, and I’m happy to discuss any aspect of the
course with you during my regularly scheduled office hours or by appointment. In addition, I
strongly recommend that you take advantage of the exceptional help offered by the American
Heritage teaching assistants. You may meet with your own teaching assistant at his or her office
hours or drop by the American Heritage Review Room, located in 173A of the Spencer W.
Kimball Tower. These are extraordinary resources for you, and I urge you to use them often and
well.
Because it is the best way for us to communicate with each other outside of class, all class
members are required to maintain an active email account. It is your responsibility to ensure that
the email address that is listed for you in the BYU directory is accurate. To update your email
address, log in to Route Y and select “Update Personal Information.” There you can specify a
current email address if you are not using the one assigned to you by BYU, or you can have your
BYU email forwarded to the account you plan to use. I will relay important or time-sensitive
class announcements via email. I strongly encourage you to check your email daily throughout
the semester. You are responsible for any information that I or your TAs pass along via this
medium.
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• Extensions: All deadlines in this course are firm. Except in the case of medical or family
emergency, I give no individual extensions. If, due to a medical or family emergency, you
cannot meet a deadline, please contact your teaching assistant as soon as possible. In the event
of a medical emergency, you must produce a note from a doctor or from the Student Health
Center (or bring me pictures of your newly born baby).
Late Policy: For assignments turned in within 24 hours after the due date, there is a 10%
penalty. Assignments turned in within 48 hours receive a 25% penalty. Assignments
more than 48 hours late will not be accepted.
• Incompletes: We adhere to University policy on incompletes, which is that an incomplete (I) is
given only WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE STUDENT’S CONTROL MAKE IT
IMPOSSIBLE to complete the required work within the prescribed time. Arrangements must be
made between the course coordinator and the student prior to the end of the semester. The “I” is
never given when a student is failing or has failed the course. Circumstances beyond the
student’s control do not include poor performance in class, heavy work load, engagement or
marriage.
• Honor Code: Academic honesty is at the heart of academic life and the honor code at this
university. I expect that you will live by the university’s academic honesty policy, which you
have already signed: BYU students should seek to be totally honest in their dealings with others.
They should complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid
academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including plagiarism, fabrication or
falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct. Students are responsible not only to
adhere to the Honor Code requirement to be honest but also to assist other students in fulfilling
their commitment to be honest. If appeals to virtue are not enough, please be aware that cheating
on quizzes and exams and other forms of academic dishonesty may result in severe sanction,
including receiving a failing grade for the entire course and being dismissed from the
university.
• Plagiarism: While all students sign the honor code, there are still specific skills most students
need to master over time in order to correctly cite sources, especially in this new age of the
internet; as well as deal with the stress and strain of college life without resorting to cheating.
Please know that I or your TAs will likely notice instances of cheating on exams or plagiarizing
on papers. See http://www.byu.edu/honorcode for specific examples of intentional, inadvertent
plagiarism, and fabrication, falsification.
Writing submitted for credit at BYU must consist of the student's own ideas presented in
sentences and paragraphs of his or her own construction. The work of other writers or speakers
may be included when appropriate (as in a research paper or book review), but such material
must support the student's own work (not substitute for it) and must be clearly identified by
appropriate introduction and punctuation and by footnoting or other standard referencing. The
substitution of another person's work for the student's own or the inclusion of another person's
work without adequate acknowledgment (whether done intentionally or not) is known as
plagiarism. It is a violation of academic, ethical, and legal standards and can result in a failing
grade not only for the paper but also for the course in which the paper is written. In extreme
cases, it can justify expulsion from the University. Because of the seriousness of the possible
consequences, students who wonder if their papers are within these guidelines should visit the
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Writing Lab or consult a faculty member who specializes in the teaching of writing or who
specializes in the subject discussed in the paper. Useful books to consult on the topic include the
current Harbrace College Handbook, the MLA Handbook, and James D. Lester's Writing
Research Papers.
You should be careful to avoid the following examples of plagiarism: (1) Turning in work or
portions of work that are identical to work submitted by another student. If two paragraphs of
different papers are identical, we will assume that plagiarism occurred and will treat the incident
as a serious violation of the Honor Code. (2) Using work from past semesters or other courses as
anything other than a guide or supplement. If work is submitted for this semester which follows
the format or instructions of a previous semester, we will assume that plagiarism occurred. We
encourage you to work with other students and even consult work done in previous semesters.
However, the work you turn in must be entirely your own work. Because of the simplicity of "cut
and paste," it is easy to pass off another person's work as your own. It is your responsibility to
make sure that your work is entirely your own.
• Honor Pledge: As a way of reinforcing the importance of academic honesty, I am adopting a
tradition from Princeton University for the essays you turn in this semester. You should write the
following pledge at the end of all drafts and revisions, and then sign it: “This paper represents
my own work in accordance with University regulations.”
• Discrimination: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination
against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds. The act
is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education. Title IX covers discrimination in
programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU's policy against
sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. If you
encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please talk to your
professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 378-5895 or 367-5689 (24-hours); or contact
the Honor Code Office at 378-2847.
• Access: Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning
atmosphere which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any
disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the
Services for Students with Disabilities Office (378-2767). Reasonable academic
accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities.
Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the SSD office. If you need assistance
or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may
seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the
Equal Employment Office at 378-5895, D-282 ASB.
• FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34
CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. American
Heritage is committed to upholding this law, but due to the size of the class, we need your
participation to do so. You will be asked to sign a permission slip that allows us to hand back
your papers in the filing cabinets in the American Heritage lab and to allow your quizzes to be
graded in class by other students. If you do not feel comfortable signing this permission slip,
you will need to get with your TA during his/her office hours to receive any assignments back.
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• Cheating/Notes: Brigham Young University and American Heritage (collectively “BYU”)
have developed proprietary teaching materials to supplement the BYU American Heritage 100
course. These materials have been assembled by BYU in the means of faculty lectures, power
points, media, labs, and text books.
Faculty lectures, power points, media, labs, and text books are developed in conjunction with
teaching the BYU American Heritage 100 course. Personal use of these materials such as buying
or selling notes (e.g., Cougar Notes) is not allowed without the express written permission of the
Dean and American Heritage faculty of the BYU College of Family Home and Social Sciences.
The above list of prohibitive uses is not meant to be exhaustive.
This Agreement is necessary to protect BYU’s intellectual property and its investment in the
project materials. BYU retains ownership of faculty lectures, power points, media, labs, and text
books and its proprietary content. Any taping, transcription, and notes are the sole propriety of
American Heritage. Any buying or selling of these items are prohibited. A violation of this
could lead to further disciplinary action.
WHAT TO DO NOW
When you get to this point in the syllabus, please e-mail your teaching assistant (emails are listed
on the first page of the syllabus) to say that you read it, and tell him or her something about
yourself and about your goals for the semester. Feel free to ask any questions that you may have
about the course.
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Citizenship Timecard for
Date
Hours
Served
Organization
I completed the above hours of service for American Heritage 100.
Signature
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Activity