HISTORY 1311
AMERICAN HISTORY I
T TH 9:30 am-10:50 a.m.
DR. KEVIN SMANT
FALL 2012
Office and Hours: UH 339 T TH 12:30-1:30, 6 pm-7 pm
e-mail: or
This course will cover the broad sweep of American history, beginning with the period of Columbus' voyage to the New World and concluding with the period of Civil War and Reconstruction. This is primarily a lecture course, but we will also make use of historical music and videos, and I encourage you to ask questions at any time.
EXPECTED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME STATEMENT
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to demonstrate mastery of knowledge of the important events and periods of American history from Columbus to 1876, such as the period of American colonial history, the American Revolution, the establishment of the new nation, the changes America underwent in the first half of the 19th century, and the American Civil War era. Students should be able, through exams, quizzes over textbook readings, and short answer questions over other assigned readings, to how and why important events occurred and processes of change developed. Students should be able to explain, in essay form, their answers to questions such as: why did America engage in a revolution against British rule? Why did Americans adopt a new constitution in 1789? How did Americans in the South justify the institution of slavery?
EXAMS AND QUIZZES:
There will be one midterm examination, plus the final. Exams will consist of some matching/identification multiple choice questions, and multiple choice questions intensively covering class lectures. Part of each exam will be based on your assigned textbook readings, the rest will be based on classroom lectures. All exams will be worth 150 points. I hand out study guides in advance of each exam. All questions on the exam are taken from and/or based on the study guide. ALSO: there will be 7 multiple-choice quizzes, which will cover both assigned textbook readings and lectures. These will be take-home, and will each be worth 25 points. The 7th quiz will be worth 50 points; this will then make for a total of 200 points. There will however be strict guidelines for when these quizzes are due. Quizzes turned in late will receive point deductions.
TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENTS
You will also be required to complete 2 take-home book assignments. These will consist of the following: you will be assigned to read 2 other books on more specific topics related to the historical period we are studying. You will also be given a sheet of essay questions based on the assigned reading in the book, with the questions to be completed based upon the assigned reading. You then hand those answers in to complete the assignment. The questions will be broad in nature. Your assignment, when handed in, must be typed. Both will be worth 100 points.
GRADING
Your grade will be based on a point system as follows: 2 exams, each worth 150 points; 2 take-home book assignments, worth a total of 200 points; 7 take home quizzes, worth a total of 200. Total: 700 points. Such things as class attendance and the improvement you show throughout the course can also affect your grade. I grade on a straight scale: 90% and above=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, etc..
ATTENDANCE
In any class, but especially in a history class, it is very important that you attend class faithfully. This is important for being able to understand the material fully and do well in the course; and also just so you know what’s going on with the class (changes in dates for giving exams, due dates for book assignments, etc.). I will not take attendance in this class every day; however, we WILL take attendance on SELECTED days. Attendance will be taken somewhere between 15 and 20 times this semester; but maybe more. It will be taken by you signing your name to an attendance sheet. And then IF: at the end of this course, after all class sessions have been held and attendance taken and recorded, you have either THREE absences total, or TWO, or ONE, or ZERO absences, you will receive 25 free points added to your class point total.
Please turn off all cell phones or other electronic devices before coming to class. No texting or checking messages allowed during class. No Ipods or MP3 players. Laptops for note-taking are permitted. Students are permitted to tape lectures.
MAKING UP MISSED ASSIGNMENTS OR EXAMS
You will be allowed, in case of illness or emergency, to make up missed exams, or to hand in written assignments 1-2 days late. HOWEVER, you MUST let me know you will miss an exam, or that you need more time for an assignment, either in advance or within 24 hours after the exam has been given or the assignment is due. You can contact me by e-mail. You must also present a written excuse explaining why you cannot take the exam that day or need more time to complete an assignment, such as a note from your doctor, employer, parent, etc. There will be no exceptions. ALSO: if you did not have a valid illness or emergency, but you still need to hand in a take-home assignment late, you ARE allowed to do so. There is however a late penalty; this penalty is 3 points taken off per day the assignment is late (all days count, including weekend days).
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
It is the philosophy of the University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with university regulations and procedures. Discipline may involve suspension or expulsion from the university. “Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.” (Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Series 50101, Section 2.2)
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 92 – 112 – The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of federal legislation entitled Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens. As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide “reasonable accommodations” to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty of their need for accommodation and for providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels. Information regarding specific diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability. Also, you may visit the Office for Students With Disabilities in room 102 of University Hall or call them at (817)-272-3364.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE
The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the university and achieve academic success. These programs include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally-funded programs. Students requiring academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at (817) 272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.
BOOKS
George Tindall and David Shi, AMERICA: A NARRATIVE HISTORY, volume I, brief 8th edition
Stephen B. Oates, THE FIRES OF JUBILEE
Shelby Foote, SHILOH
CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK OF: ASSIGNMENT
August 23
August 28 Tindall and Shi, chapter 1
September 4 Tindall and Shi, chapter 2
September 11 Tindall and Shi, chapter 3; FIRST TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE Thursday Sept 13th
September 18 Tindall and Shi, chapter 4; SECOND TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE Thursday Sept 20th
September 25 Tindall and Shi, chapter 5
October 2 Tindall and Shi, chapter 6; THIRD TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE Thursday OCT 4TH; begin reading Oates
October 9 Tindall and Shi, chapter 7; FOURTH TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE THURS OCT 11th
October 16 Tindall and Shi, chapter 8; MIDTERM EXAM ON THURS OCT 18TH
October 23 Tindall and Shi, chapter 9; FIFTH TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE ON THURS OCT 25th
October 30 Tindall and Shi, chapter 10
November 6 Tindall and Shi, chapter 11; BOOK ASSIGNMENT ON OATES DUE ON THURS NOV 8th
November 13 Tindall and Shi, chapter 12; SIXTH TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE ON THUR NOV 15; begin reading Foote
November 20 Tindall and Shi, chapter 13
November 27 Tindall and Shi, chapter 14; SEVENTH TAKE HOME QUIZ DUE THURS NOV 29th
December 4 Tindall and Shi, chapter 15, 16; BOOK ASSIGNMENT ON FOOTE DUE TUES DEC 4th
FINAL EXAM THURSDAY DEC 6th from 8:15 pm to 10:45 pm
The final exam is not cumulative. It will cover everything since our midterm exam.