History 2610.002
American History to 1865
SAGE 116 - Fall 2017
Instructor: Dr. Courtney Welch Email:
Office Location: Wooten Hall 256
Office Hours: MWF 12:00-1:50 p.m.
Phone: 940-565-3393
Course Description:
This course seeks to familiarize students with the major topics in American history from its discovery through Reconstruction. We will focus on diverse subjects including politics, race, gender, economics, and cultures, all the while attempting to understand how these historical events affected the lives of everyday citizens. Try to think of history as not solely an impressive recitation of names and dates, but rather a long interwoven tale of complex social, cultural, and political forces.
Required Texts:
Brands, H. W. American Stories vol. I - ISBN-13: 9781323185643
Lowe, Richard. Reader in American History vol. I - ISBN-13: 978-0-7380-9587-5
v You are expected to read the chapters in the reader as outlined in the attached list of dates. Reading the chapters in the textbook as assigned will assist you in comprehending the lectures, and will enhance your performance on the tests. Articles in the reader will provide the content for three reading quizzes.
Course Goal:
By the end of the semester, students will demonstrate an understanding of the political, social, and economic changes in the development of the United States as well as recognize and recall the basic facts and chronology of United States history, pre-Colombian through 1865.
1. By the end of the semester, students will know the significant events, individuals, wars and social and economic changes to North America during the following periods:
1.1 Pre-Columbus
1.2 During the conflict with the British Empire through the conclusion of the American Revolution
1.3 The formation of the United States under the Constitution
1.4 The War of 1812 and creation of Jacksonian Democracy
1.5 Manifest Destiny/Westward Expansion
1.6 The Mexican-American War
1.7 The political breakdown of the 1850s
1.8 The Civil War
2. By the end of the semester, students will understand the inter-relationship between war and society in the development of the United States.
2.1. Describe the course of American wars between 1750-1765 and how each influenced the following interwar period.
2.2. Analyze the significant social, economic, and political changes that resulted from the conflict-peace cycle in United States history.
3. By the end of the semester, students will think critically about the major themes in the development of the United States.
3.1. Identify and relate what social, political, economic, and religious themes in early colonial and United States history are similar and different with the modern themes in the United States.
3.2. Understand the influence religion had on the development of American culture.
3.3. Draw conclusions about social belief as it relates to tradition gender roles.
3.3.1. Compare the different gender structures of the various European and Native American peoples.
3.3.2. Explain how the different gender structures influenced political, social, and cultural traditions in the United States.
3.4. Demonstrate ability to interpret how historical documents reflect the belief and value system of the early United States.
3.4.1. Use primary documents to challenge conceptions and increase understanding of early America.
3.4.2. Construct arguments about themes of gender, race, class, and religion based on the documents read.
Attendance:
As this is a lecture format course, class attendance is essential. Attendance is an expectation and will be taken each class session by sign-in sheet. Make an informed decision about class attendance. Regular attendance allows you to follow the content and context of lecture material as well as helping you develop listening and note-taking skills. Regular attendance also demonstrates that you have made an effort in the class, something that is taken into consideration at the end of the semester, especially for those with a borderline average. No one will be penalized for poor attendance, but the infrequent classroom visitor should not count on any special consideration at grade time.
Disability Statement:
The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.
Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity emanates from a culture that embraces the core values of trust and honesty necessary for full learning to occur. As a student-centered public research university, the University of North Texas promotes the integrity of the learning process by establishing and enforcing academic standards. Academic dishonesty breaches the mutual trust necessary in an academic environment and undermines all scholarship. See UNT Policy 18.1.16.
UNT Policy link on Academic Integrity –
https://policy.unt.edu/sites/default/files/untpolicy/pdf/7-Student_Affairs-Academic_Integrity.pdf
Acceptable Student Behavior:
Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students' opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Dean of Students to consider whether the student's conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university's expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found atwww.deanofstudents.unt.edu
Sexual Discrimination, Harassment, and Assault
UNT is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these acts of aggression, please know that you are not alone. The federal Title IX law makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses. UNT has staff members trained to support you in navigating campus life, accessing health and counseling services, providing academic and housing accommodations, helping with legal protective orders, and more.
UNT’s Dean of Students’ website offers a range of on-campus and off-campus resources to help support survivors, depending on their unique needs: http://deanofstudents.unt.edu/resources.
Tests:
There will be three exams including the final. Each exam will be worth 100 points and will consist of a combination of multiple choice and essay questions. The tests are primarily based on the lectures and textbook. Prior to each test, a review will be conducted and a study sheet with possible essay questions will be provided. The dates for each test are listed in the course schedule chart below. “Make-up” tests will be given only at the discretion of the instructor. If you know in advance that you will miss a test or quiz, it would be best to notify the instructor before missing that class.
Make-up exams will consist of all essay questions. In order to arrange a make-up exam you must contact me within three days after the original date of the exam. There will be no make-up exam for the final.
Reading Quizzes:
The reading quizzes will each be comprised of 30 multiple choice questions focusing on the author’s thesis and the evidence presented in a selection of articles from the Reader in American History by Richard Lowe. The dates for each quiz are listed in the course schedule chart below. The quizzes can be found on your Course Content page on our Blackboard course site.
Miscellaneous Instructions:
No earbuds, headphones, Ipads, phones (of any kind) will be visible during the duration of any exam or quiz.
No earbuds or headphones can be used during the lecture, unless needed because of ODA modifications.
No student will be permitted to wear a brimmed cap during the duration of any exam or quiz – with the brim to the front.
Recordings Policy:
Ø Anyone enrolled in the class may make audio recording of my lectures for their own personal use in studying for the course. However, video recordings or taking images of any aspect of the class or lecture (including images or video recordings of either the professor or students) are prohibited.
Ø Absolutely no recordings of any kind (images, video, audio, or otherwise) of the class or my lectures may be posted online for any reason. Among other things, this is a potential violation of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
History Help Center:
Location: Wooten Hall, room 220
Times: Monday – Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Fridays 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Graduate Students staff the center during the hours above in order to proctor exams and answer student’s questions about various historical topics. For editing and writing help, please seek out the Writing Center on campus.
Writing Center:
Location: SAGE Hall, room 152
Phone: 940-565-2563
· Undergraduate students receive 30 minutes of one-on-one tutoring at Sage Hall, Room 152
· Undergraduate students receive 30 minutes of one-on-one tutoring at Willis Library,Room 250H(walk-ins only)
· Undergraduate students receive 30 minutes of one-on-one tutoring using ouronline tutoring service(must schedule 24 hours in advance)
Learning Center:
Location: SAGE Hall, room 315
Phone: 940-369-7006
Staff will provides one-on-one, online and group tutoring
Grading:
The following is the point structure for the final grades:
Test 1 – 100 points
Test 2 – 100 points
Final – 100 points
Reader Quizzes (4) – 60 points each – total of 240 points
Total Possible Points – 540 points
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EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT: “A Tale of Two Counties” –worth a possible 20 points.
Ø Consult the following website for your research - http://valley.lib.virginia.edu
It is also linked to your Course Content section.
Ø Comparison of two counties – Augusta County, VA and Franklin County, PA –surrounding the American Civil War
Ø Categories – The Eve of the War (Fall 1859-Spring 1861); The War Years (Spring 1861-Spring 1865); The Aftermath (Spring 1865-Fall 1870)
Ø Each category contains online searchable resources for the following:
The Eve of the War - 1860 stats, church records, letters, diaries, census and tax records, newspapers, maps and images – Due November 17, 2017.
The War Years – Official Records, Letters and Diaries, Battle Maps, Soldier Records, Newspapers – Due November 20, 2017.
The Aftermath – 1870 stats, Freedman’s Bureau, Letter and Diaries, Newspaper, Census and Veteran records, Memory of the War, Maps and Images – Due December 1, 2017.
Each student will choose a category from the above list. The corresponding directive question sheet is posted on blackboard in the Course Content section and can be accessed at the beginning of the semester.
The grading rubric is included in this syllabus so that you are aware of the expectations and requirements of this extra credit assignment.
The extra credit paper must:
· be typed in Times New Roman in 12 font
· Have the responses correspond to the questions asked
· Only choose one of the sections in which to answer the questions
· Number your pages
· Answer all parts of the questions to receive full points – partial credit is possible.
· You CAN NOT email or fax the question responses
· You MUST turn in a paper copy during class on the corresponding date located in the course schedule.
Course Schedule:
This is an outline of our schedule with the corresponding readings for each lecture. This schedule can be amended at any time.
DATE / LECTURE TOPICS / ASSIGNMENTSAugust 28, 2017 / Introduction
August 30, 2017 / Early Civilization Before Conquest / Chapter 1
September 1, 2017 / Incentives for Colonization: God, Glory and Gold! / Chapter 2
September 4, 2017 / Labor Day Holiday
September 6, 2017 / Early Colonization Efforts / Chapter 2
September 8, 2017 / Massachusetts Bay Experience / Chapter 3
September 11, 2017 / Salem Witch Trials / Chapter 3
September 13, 2017 / Restoration Colonies and Glorious Revolution / Chapter 3
September 13-14, 2017 / Quiz 1 – Chapters 1-5
History Reader / Opens at 8:00 a.m. on Sept. 13th – closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 14th
September 15-18, 2017 / French and Indian War / Chapter 4
September 20, 2017 / Review
September 22, 2017 / Test 1 – Chapters 1-4
September 25-27, 2017 / Conflict with the British Empire and the impact of the Tavern / Chapter 5
September 29- October 4, 2017 / American Revolution / Chapter 5
October 6-9, 2017 / Founding and Feuding Fathers / Chapter 6 and 7
October 11, 2017 / Jeffersonian Vision / Chapter 8
October 13, 2017 / War of 1812 / Chapter 8
October 12-13, 2017 / Quiz 2 – Chapters 6-10
History Reader / Opens at 8:00 a.m. on Oct. 12th – closes at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 13th
October 16, 2017 / Review
October 18, 2017 / Test 2 – Chapters 5-9
October 20-23, 2017 / Era of Good Feelings / Nationalism / Chapter 10
October 25-27, 2017 / The Rise of Jacksonian Democracy / Chapter 10
October 1 – November 1, 2017 / Age of Reform
“The Utopian Movement” / Chapter 12
November 3-6, 2017 / Manifest Destiny / Chapter 13
November 8, 2017 / Texas Revolution and Republic / Chapter 13
November 8-9, 2017 / Quiz 3 – Chapters 11-15
History Reader / Opens at 8:00 a.m. on Nov. 8th – closes at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 9th
November 10, 2017 / Mexican War / Chapter 13
November 13, 2017 / Abolition and the Politics of Slavery / Chapter 11
November 15-17, 2017 / Compromise and Breakdown / Chapter 14
November 17 – Extra Credit Eve of War Papers Due
November 20, 2017 / Civil War / Chapter 15
November 20 – Extra Credit The War Years Papers Due
November 22, 2017 / NO CLASS
November 23-26 / THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
November 27-29, 2017 / Civil War / Chapter 15
December 1, 2017 / Reconstruction / Chapter 16
December 1, 2017 – Extra Credit The Aftermath Papers Due
November 30-December 1, 2017 / Quiz 4 – Chapters 16-20 in History Reader / Opens at 8:00 a.m. on Nov. 30th – closes at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1st
December 4, 2017 / Review
December 6, 2017 / Conference Day
December 8, 2017 / Reading Day – No Class
December 13, 2017 / Final Exam –
8:00-10:00 a.m.
Chapters 10-16