ALABAMA A & M UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
2800 HIS 202 (01) American History II, 3 Credits
Class Meetings: Monday and Wednesday 3:30 – 4:50 in NCB 103
COURSE PREREQUISITES: none
INSTRUCTOR: Edward L. Bond
OFFICE LOCATION/PHONE: 223 Carver Complex North
X5343, 851-5343 from off-campus
ebond@aamu.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday/Wednesday 11:00 – 3:00
Tuesday/Thursday
1:00 – 2:00
COURSE DESCRIPTION: America History II is a survey of the political, economic, social, and
religious development of the United States from Reconstruction Period through the present.
RATIONALE/RELATIONSHIP TO THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (School of
Education majors):
This course represents a performance-based approach to teacher education designed to
enable the advanced candidate to become an educational service professional with knowledge
skills and dispositions required by institutional, state, regional, and national standards. Through
a constructivist design, learning will be facilitated by the entry-level candidate’s participation in
activities that will involve the intellect as well as the dispositions. Creativity in learning will be
facilitated by collaboration and feedback that should result in continual reflection and selfassessment. The ultimate outcome of this course is the further development of a skilled, highly
proficient, entry-level teacher.
COURSE TEXTBOOK: Winthrop D. Jordan, Leon F. Litwack, The United States: Brief Edition
(Northwest Publishing, 2002).
DISABILITY STATEMENT: Alabama A&M University is committed to serving the needs of
students with disabilities, and the institution recognizes its responsibility for creating an
instructional climate in which students with disabilities can strive. If there is a documented
disability for which special requirements are required in order to promote learning in this class,
please contact the Office of Disability Services to verify eligibility and to discuss the options for
reasonable academic accommodations that might be available.
ETHICS STATEMENT: All acts of dishonesty in any academic work constitute academic
misconduct that could result in a failing grade for HIS 201. Academic dishonesty includes but is
not limited to cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication of information.
COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
1. to acquire an understanding and appreciation of the origins and historical development of
cultures in their chronological setting (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.1; 290-3-3-.22 1.a.1 1.a.2
1.a.4/I1A/P2.0)
2. to understand the interrelationship of economic, political, social, psychological,
intellectual, and technological forces in shaping the nation (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.6/I1A/P2.0)
3. to understand the major characteristics of American institutions and movements, the
nation’s successes and failures, the ability of its people to cooperate and to engage in
domestic conflict, and the role of cultural diffusion in American life (S290-3-3-20
1.a.2/I1a/P2.0)
4. to encourage students to think critically by developing the skills of inquiry and analysis
(I1C, 1E/P2.1)
5. to develop an awareness both of the various interpretations of history and an appreciation
for the complexities of historical causation (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.6; 290-3-3-.22 1.a.4,5)
6. to develop a clearer idea of what it means to be a citizen of the United States as well as
the opportunities, responsibilities, and burdens of citizenship (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.2)
MODES OF INSTRUCTION:
American History II will combine lectures with student readings and discussions. The
use of videos is also a possibility. As many as two individual research assignments will be
required of each student during the semester.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
All students will be allowed three (3) unexcused absences with no penalty. For each
unexcused absence above three (3), the student will lose two (2) points from his or her
attendance grade. Two tardies is the equivalent of one absence.
If you miss an exam, you must present me with a University-approved excuse within 2
class meetings in order to be able eligible to take a make-up exam. All make-up exams must be
completed before April 25, 2003 at 5:00 p.m.
I cannot stress strongly enough to you the importance of attending class. The vast
majority of students who earn grades lower than a C has very poor attendance.
COURSE EVALUATION:
Course requirements include regular class attendance, the required readings listed in the
COURSE OUTLINE section below, three exams during the semester, and one final exam.
Meaningful class participation will be taken into account at the end of the semester. This may
improve a half grade level on the final grade.
Attendance
Textbook Evaluation
Exam One
Exam Two
Final Exam
Reconstruction Project
50 points
50 points (I1C 1D 1G/P1.1 1.2)
200 points (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.1 1.a.2; 290-3-3-.22 1.a.2 1.a.4/I1A/P1.1 2.0)
200 points (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.1 1.a.2; 290-3-3-.22 1.a.2 1.a.4/I1A/P1.1 2.0)
200 points (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.1 1.a.2; 290-3-3-.22 1.a.2 1.a.4/I1A/P1.1 2.0)
100 points (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.2/I1D 1E/P1.1 1.2)
A: 720 – 800 points
B: 660 – 719 points
C: 580 – 659 points
D: 450 – 579 points
F: below 450 points
COURSE OUTLINE OF UNITS OF INSTRUCTION:
Week of
Lecture topic
Reading Assign.
January 13
Introduction; A Changing Society
249-268
January 20
A Changing Society, continued
239-247
January 27
Reconstruction
217-236
February 3
Reconstruction, continued
February 10
Tensions and Responses
FIRST EXAM: February 13
February 17
A New State and Ways
February 24
Progressivism
321-340
March 3
A New Racial Order
Foreign Policy: A New Activism Abroad
303-316
March 10
Foreign Policy: World War One
Retreat from World Leadership
345-356
March 17
Normalcy?
New Ways of Life
Second Exam: March 18
361-377
281-287
March 24
SPRING BREAK
March 31
Depression and New Deal
381-396
April 7
Foreign Policy: Coming of World War II
World War II and American Society
399-418
April 14
Origins of the Cold War
421-438
April 21
Postwar Liberalism
441-476
April 28
Sixties Revolts
The preceding topics address the following guidelines: (S290-3-3-.20 1.a.1 1.a.2; 290-3-3-.22
1.a.2 1.a.4/I1A 1D/P2.0)
Final Exam: Friday May 9, 2003 at 2:00 P.M. in NCB 103