US History 111
Syllabus - Fall 2011
Instructor: Mr. Reeser
Text: APeople anda Nation: Volume I to 1877 (7th Edition or newer)
Class Times:Monday – Friday 2:20pm-3:10pm
Office hours: By Appointment
Contact Information:
Work Phone 208-359-3305 ext. 3221
Cell Phone 208-313-4399
Pre-requisites: None
CSIMission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides quality educational, social, cultural, economic, and workforce development opportunities that meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. CSI prepares students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives in a global society.
General Education Objectives and Goals: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is designed to:
1.Provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2.Develop a discerning individual.
3. Practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
4.Promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of humankind.
5.Foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of society.
6.Reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7.Encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8.Encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social and cultural opportunities, which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by instructing students to understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
Social Science Department Objectives and Goals: This course also addresses the following Social Science Department goals:
1.Help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2.Help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3.Help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4.Teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5.Teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed decisions
6.Help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7.Prepare students to transfer to a university.
History Program Mission Statement
In order to prepare learners to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives, the History Program prepares students to understand and interpret a variety of historical areas and perspectives with the intention of encouraging a lifelong love of the subject.
History Program Objectives and Goals: The student will:
1. Examine central themes of United States History and various cultures in Western Civilization and Latin America.
2. Use reading, lecture-discussion, and supplementary material to understand and interpret the past.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the past by writing interpretive essays.
4. Explore different perspectives about the past.
5. Acquire an appreciation of the historical process, which will encourage a lifelong study of the past.
History 111 Catalog Course Description
History 111 examines United States history from its beginning to the Civil War. An emphasis will be placed on tracing the development of the American political system, economic institutions, andU.S. culture during the Colonial Period, the Age of Revolution, the National Era, the Jacksonian Period, and the Civil War.
History 111 Course Outcomes and Assessment aligned with GE Goals, Social Science Goals and History Program Goals:
Students will: / G E Criteria / SS Goals / Hist Program Objectives1. demonstrate an understanding of important developments / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 / 1,3,4,6,7 / 1,2,4,5
2. write essay exams / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 / 1,2,3,4,5
3. write an analytical paper / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 / 2,3,4,5,7 / 1,2,3,4,5
4. participate in class / 2,3,6,8 / 1,3,4,6,7 / 1,2,4,5
History 111 Course Objectives and Goals
1. Students will demonstrate their understanding of important developments in US History from the Age of Discovery through Reconstruction.
2. Students will write essays, which interpret selected developments in US History.
3. Students will define through class discussion the thesis, the supportive arguments and strengths and weaknesses from textual readings.
4. Students will write a book critique, which develops the thesis, supportive arguments and strengths and weaknesses.
5. Students will attend class responsibly.
Course Outcomes Assessment: Alignment of above course outcomes with assessment methods:
Multiple Choice Exams / Essay Questions / Book Critique / Attendance1 / X
2 / X / X
3 / X / X
4 / X
5 / X
History 111 Course Requirements
Tests
Test material will be taken from the chapter readings, videos, study guide, and notes taken in class. Students are expected to take tests on the same day that it is scheduled. If a student misses a test for any reason it is his or hers responsibility to contact me and schedule a make-up time. All tests will be returned the following week. There will be two tests for this class worth 200 points each. Any student found cheating on a test will receive a Zero on the test and it will affect his or hers grade drastically. Cheating, Plagiarizing, or copying answers will not be tolerated and is grounds for failing the course. The midterm will be given in class on September 30 and the final will be given on November 22.
Essay
Each student will write two different 4 to 5 page typed essay on a prepared question that I will issue to you in class. Students are to use oneother source for their paper besides their textbook and in class notes. The two papers will be worth 200 points each and will be due throughout the semester. Essay #1 will be due September 26 and Essay #2 will be due November 14.
Book Critique
Analyze one historical book that is written about a historical subject that takes place between 1607 and 1877. It must be a work of non-fiction. It should be 3 to 4 pages in length typed, double-spaced, ontop of the first page include the bibliographical information. While you are reading your book take some notes on key ideas, use these notes for interpreting the author’s thesis. Discuss the author’s thesis (central argument): Give the author’s thesis in the first paragraph, be sure and underline the thesis. Discuss three supportive arguments: Develop each one with a good paragraph. Use evidence to demonstrate supportive arguments; do not summarize. Be faithful to the author’s arguments even if you disagree with them. This should be no more than one and a half pages. Also, discuss three strengths and three weaknesses of the book. This should have detail and require about two pages. Discuss whether the thesis was achieved successfully. The Book Critique is worth 200 points and is due October 31.
Attendance
Attendance will be taken every class session – 57 class periods. Students can miss two classes without losing any attendance points. Students will receive 1 point for attending each class.
Grading Scale
For the purpose of grading, a points system will be used. All exams, essays, book critiques and
attendance will be assigned a point value. Points will be added and then placed on a percentage scale
which is:
Percent
100-95 A89-87 B+79-77 C+69-67 D+
94-90 A-86-84 B76-74 C66-64 D
83-80 B-73-70 C-63-60 D-
Grade breakdown
Attendance55 points
Midterm (In class March 8 or 10)200 points
Essay#1(Due March 1 or 3)200 points
Essay #2(Due May 3 or5)200 points
Final Exam (In class May 10 or 12)200 points
Book Critique (Due April 19 or 21) 200 points
TOTAL 1055 points
Honesty Policy
The CSI honesty policy explained on page 15-16 of the College Catalog applies to this class. Students must produce original work. Because the professor encourages the honor system, any cheating or plagiarism can result in failure for the assignment or the entire course.
Late Paper Policy
Late work will receive a 10% point loss each class period that the paper is late. After 2 weeks, the paper will not be accepted. No exceptions. Hard copies of all papers need to be handed in to the instructor.
CSI Email
Since email is the primary source of written communication with students, all registered CSI students get a college email account. Student e-mail addresses have the following format: <address>@eaglemail.csi.edu where <address> is a name selected by the student as a part of activating his/her account. Students activate their accounts and check their CSI e-mail online at Instructors and various offices send messages to these student accounts.Students must check their CSI e-mail accounts regularly to avoid missing important messages and deadlines. At the beginning of each semester, free training sessions are offered to students who need help in using their accounts.
Alternate Email
The instructor will be sending an activity for you to complete that includes a place for you to record an alternate email. Since we don’t know how long it will take for the CSI system to have you entered as a student, we will not rely on the CSI email system alone. Initial correspondence for the course will happen through this alternate email address.
On-line course evaluation statement
Students are strongly encouraged to complete evaluations at the end of the course. Evaluations are very important to assist the teaching staff to continually improve the course. Evaluations are available online at Evaluations open up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to complete an evaluation is the last day of the course. During the time the evaluations are open, students can complete the course evaluations at their convenience from any computer with Internet access. When students log in they should see the evaluations for the courses in which they are enrolled. Evaluations are anonymous. Filling out the evaluation should only take a few minutes.
Students with disabilities policy
Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their first opportunity after registration for a class. Student Disability Services is located on the second floor of the TaylorBuilding on the Twin Falls Campus. (208) 732-6260 (voice) or (208) 734-9929.
Class Schedule
August 24-26: Syllabus, Introduction to the Course. Age of Discovery. Textbook Readings: pgs. 4-18.
August 29 – September 2: Columbus, and Colonial America. Jamestown, Puritans, Quakers, and the Thirteen Colonies. Colonial Slavery. Reasons for the American Revolution. Textbook Readings: Chapters 2, 3, 5.
September 6-9:The American Revolution. The Declaration of Independence. The Articles of Confederation. Textbook Readings: Chapter 6, pgs. 166-182.
September 12-16: The Constitutional Convention. Federalists and Anti-Federalists and Ratification of the Constitution. George Washington and the Establishment of the American Republic. Textbook Readings: pgs.182-190, 193-204.
September 19-23: John Adams, The Alien and Sedition Acts. Thomas Jefferson, The Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. Textbook Readings: pgs.205-214, 217-226. Essay #1 Due (9-26-11)
September 26-30: Marbury v. Madison.War of 1812. Monroe Doctrine . Jacksonian Democracy and the nullification crisis in South Carolina. Textbook Readings: pgs.220-221, 226-238, 319-329. Study Guide Review. Mid Term Examination (9-30-11)
October 3-10: Harvest Break
October 11-14: Westward Settlement, Oregon & California Trails, Donner Party. Oregon Trail Video. Textbook Readings: pgs.336-358.
October 17-20: The Missouri Compromise. The Mexican American War and the Gadsden Purchase. Events leading to the Civil War, Northern and Southern Differences, Slavery, Textbook Readings: pgs.240-243, Chapters 10 & 11, 361-366.
October 24-28: Events that lead to the Civil War (cont.), Dred Scott,Compromise of 1850, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry.Buildup to War - The North and the South, Generals, Leaders. Textbook Readings: pgs.367-386. Book Critique Due (10-31-11).
October 31 – November 4: The Civil War Fort Sumter to Chancellorsville. Textbook Readings: pgs. 389-411.
November 7-11: The Civil War Gettysburg to Appomattox. Textbook Readings: pgs. 411-424. Essay #2 Due (11-14-11)
November 14-18: Reconstruction. Textbook Readings: Chapter 16. Study Guide Review.
November 21-22: Final Examination