HISTORY 2312-03
U.S. History from 1877
Stabler Hall 407
MWF, 10:00 – 10:50AM
Spring Semester 2010
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Dr. Raymond Screws
Office: Stabler Hall, 601C
Office email: rxscrews@ualr.edu
Office phone: 569-8154
Office hours: 11:00-Noon, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or by appointment.
Course Description
This course investigates American history from the end of Reconstruction in 1877 to beginning
of the 21st century. We study the events, movements, and the American society, which have
shaped modern America.
Course Objectives
This course is designed to allow students to acquire:
1. An understanding of the development of political and economic principles, institutions and
the processes in society that have shaped the modern American society.
2. An understanding of the history and diversity of individuals and groups in American society.
3. An understanding of the role of culture, technology, and environment in the location and
distribution of human activities.
4. The ability to think critically, solve problems, and make rational decisions.
History Department Objectives:
1. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of historical information such as names, dates and
chronologies, events, terms, and concepts.
2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the diversity and complexity of the
historical context that shapes human experience.
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the inter-relatedness of historical events as
expressed in such concepts as continuity and change, causation, interdependence of cultures,
and the interaction between differing groups and societies.
4. Students will organize and articulate their ideas through an essay that presents a thesis
relevant to the question.
5. Students will support their ideas with historical evidence and will reach conclusions based
on that evidence.
Required Readings
Textbook:
Paul S. Boyer et al., The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Volume 2: from
1865. Sixth Edition.
Readings:
Harvard Sitkoff, The Struggle for Black Equality, 1954-1992, 1993.

Required readings are to be read by class time each Monday so that you are ready
for class discussions. The exception is the first week in which Ch. 17 from The
Enduring Vision should be read by Friday, Jan. 15.
Teaching Strategy
Teaching Strategy: Lecture/discussion/examinations/ critical reasoning activities/written
assignments
There are two major examinations, a midterm and a final. These two exams consist of essay
questions (students are required to bring a Blue Book for each exam). Each exam is worth 100
points. There are also six quizzes given randomly throughout the semester. The quizzes only
cover the reading material for that week (The Enduring Vision), and not the lectures. The
quizzes are short essay questions. Each quiz is worth 20 points for a total of 100 points (the
lowest quiz grade is dropped).
Besides the textbook, there is one other required reading. The Struggle for Black Equality
requires a book review. The review is due on Monday, April 12, and is worth 100 points.
Grading:
Mid-term exam
Quizzes
Book Review
Final Exam
25%
25%
25%
25%
Grading Scale:
A = 90 – 100%
B = 80 – 89%
C = 70 – 79%
D = 60 – 69%
F = 59% of below
Course Outline and schedule: Text Readings (The Enduring Vision)
Topics
1. Week of Jan. 11, The West
Chapter 17
2. Week of Jan. 18, Industrialization (NO CLASS, Jan. 18, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Chapter 18 to p. 561
3. Week of Jan. 25, Urbanization
Chapter 19
4. Week of Feb. 1, Immigration
Chapter 19 (same as above; read once)
5. Week of Feb. 8, Industrial Workers and the Labor Movement
Chapter 18, p. 566 to end of chapter
6. Week of Feb. 15, Late 19th Century Politics
Chapter 20 to p. 638
7. Week of Feb. 23, The South
Chapter 18, pp. 561-565
8. Week of March 1, Progressive Reform
MIDTERM EXAMINATION, Friday, March 5.
Chapter 21
9. Week of March 8, Rise of America as World Power and World War I
Chapter 20, p.638 to end of chapter; Chapter 22
10. Week of March 15, The 1920s, The Great Depression and The New Deal
Chapter 23; Chapter 24
Week of March 22, SPRING BREAK
11. Week of March 29, World War II
Chapter 25
12. Week of April 5, Postwar America at Home and the World
Chapter 26; Chapter 27
13. Week of April 12, The Liberal Era and Vietnam REVIEW DUE, MONDAY, APRIL 12
Chapter 28; Chapter 29
Also, read Coming of Age in Mississippi by April 12
14. Week of April 19, Mid 1970s through the 1980s
Chapter 30
15. Week of April 26, 1990s, and into the 21st Century
Chapter 31; Chapter 32
Monday, May 3, Last day of class – review
Tuesday, May 4 – Consultation Day
FINAL EXAMINATION:
Wednesday May 5, 10:30AM – 12:30PM (Stabler 407)
Policy for Absences and Late Assignments: It is important to attend class. There are no makeup examinations without evidence of personal illness, family emergency or unavoidable
conflicts.
Every student gets four (4) free absences (unexcused and excused). Beginning with the fifth
(5) and every subsequent absence, students lose 5 points.
Assignments are due on the dates listed. 10 points are docked for every day an assignment is
overdue.
Academic Honesty: All assignments will be conducted under the Academic Dishonesty
provisions of the UALR Student Handbook found on page 63, and on the UALR web site at
www.ualr.edu/www/archive/handbook/HANDBOOK.HTML.
Classroom Disruption: Students may not disturb normal classroom procedures by distracting or
disruptive behavior. Any student involved in such disturbances may be subject to disciplinary
action. This is found on page 64 of the UALR Student Handbook.
I strive to maintain a classroom environment that is open and engaging and comfortable for all
students.
 I expect you to be respectful, in behavior and speech, of me and your classmates.
Disrespectful speech or behavior is not appropriate or acceptable, and is not tolerated. I
reserve the right to eject from the classroom students who engage in such speech or
behavior.
 Class begins promptly at the top of the hour, and you should be in your seat and ready to
go at that time. Late arrivals can be disruptive and distracting and should be avoided. If
you must arrive late, please enter through the back of the classroom and quietly take a
seat. Consistent tardiness and loud and distracting late arrivals is not tolerated.
 Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc., before class begins. NO TEXTING IN
CLASS. If you forget to turn your cell phone off, and it rings during class, please turn it
off immediately. Under no circumstances should you answer a cell phone if it rings
during class. (If you do answer your cell phone during class you will be asked to leave the
classroom immediately.)
Students with disabilities: It is the policy and practice of the University of Arkansas at Little
Rock to create inclusive learning environments. If there are aspects of the instruction or design
of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or to accurate assessment of achievement-such as time-limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos--please
notify the instructor as soon as possible. Students are also welcome to contact the
Disability Resource Center, telephone 501-569-3143 (v/tty). For more information, visit the DRC
website at www.ualr.edu/disability.
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to change the syllabus during the semester. I will let the class
know of any changes.