MASTER COURSE OUTLINE
Big Bend Community College
Date: March 2008
DEPT: HIST&
NO: 136
(Formerly: HIS 201)
COURSE TITLE: US History 1
CIP Code:
Intent Code:
Program Code
54.0102
11
N/A
Distribution Desig.:
Social Science
Prepared By:
Christopher P. Riley
Credits:
Total Contact Hours Per Qtr.:
Lecture Hours Per Qtr.:
Lab Hours Per Qtr.:
Other Hours Per Qtr.:
5
55
55
Course Description:
From the Reformation in Europe to the end of the Civil War, this course includes
colonization, the introduction of slavery, the Revolutionary and Early National Period,
the development of political parties, nationalism and sectionalism, and the Civil War.
Students are encouraged to complete ENGL& 101 prior to taking this class. Strongly
recommend placement in MPC 095 or higher and placement in ENGL 099 or higher.
Prerequisites:
Texts:
None
Instructors may choose from:
Out of Many, Volume I to 1877, by John Mack Faragher, et al.;
Out of Many, Combined Volume, by John Mack Faragher, et al.;
America, Volume I Brief Edition, by George Brown Tindall and David
Emory Shi;
Or other texts deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Course Goals:
1) To introduce students to the richness and variety of the American past
2) To promote an understanding of the tensions a pluralistic democratic society
necessarily undergoes
3) To foster critical perspectives on our current times so that students may view
them more rationally
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1) Define the significant terms used in telling the story of American history from
1500 to 1865
2) Identify the major people who contributed to American history from 1500 to 1865
3) Discuss the causes, course, and outcomes of the colonial wars, the Revolutionary
War, the War of 1812, the annexation of Texas, the Mexican War, the
nullification crisis, the debate over slavery, and the Civil War
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4) Discuss the major arguments and compromises made during the writing of the
Constitution
5) Contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and explain the
rationalization for each document
6) Describe the development of slavery and the arguments for and against it
7) Describe the major reform movements of the 1820s, 1830s, and 1840s
8) Discuss the development of political parties, especially the Jeffersonian
Republicans, the Jacksonian Democrats, and the Republican Party of Abraham
Lincoln
9) Contrast northern and southern colonies/states economically, politically, and
religiously
10) Discuss the relevance of Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine
Course Content Outline:
I)
Early Exploration, Reformation, Spanish and English Colonial Efforts
II)
New England & Mercantilism
III)
Slavery, Self-Government and the Glorious Revolution
IV)
Great Awakening
V)
European Rivalries & Colonial Wars
VI)
Revolutionary War & the Early National Period
VII) Constitutionalism
VIII) Federalists & Jeffersonianism
IX)
Jacksonianism and the South
X)
Urbanization, Reform Movements and Western Expansion
XI)
Civil War
Evaluation Methods/Grading Procedures:
This is a writing class. Students will be evaluated using a mixture of the
following:
1) A midterm examination consisting of objective questions and essay questions
designed to evaluate students’ understanding of major persons, events, and trends.
2) A critical book review or research paper in which the students are asked to
evaluate the arguments put forward by historians and determine the historical
relevance of their varying attitudes, or develop a historical thesis.
3) A final examination consisting of objective questions and essay questions
designed to evaluate students’ understanding of major persons, events, and trends.
4) Several quizzes designed to evaluate students’ progress with their assigned
readings and their understanding of the lectures presented.
Planned Teaching Methods/Learning Strategies:
X
__
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Lecture
Laboratory
Supervised Clinical
Special Project
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X
X
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Small Group Discussion
Audiovisual
Individualized Instruction
Other (List)
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______________________________
Division Chair Approval
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