History 2610.002

American History to 1877

Spring 20112 MWF 10:00-10:50 a.m.

CURY 103

Instructor: Dr. Courtney Welch Email:

Office Hours: 8:00-8:50 a.m. and 11:00-11:50 a.m

Office Location:SAGE 302C

Phone:940-565-2457

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:

Text: Goldfield & Abbott. The American Journey, vol. I. New Jersey, Pearson

Education, Inc., 2008.

Optional:

Myhistorylab.com – contains an e-book, study guides, flashcards, Resource Index (documents, images, audio, videos, maps, and timelines). The e-chapters contain pre-tests and post-tests that would be helpful in preparing for the graded tests.

Reader: Campbell and Park. American Legacies: Readings in United States History, vol.

I. Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2010.

You are expected to read the chapters in Goldfield & Abbott The American Journey, vol. I 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 Campbell and Park American Legacies, will provide the content for three reading quizzes.

Attendance:

As this is a lecture format course, class attendance is essential. Attendance will be taken each class session by sign-in sheet. “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.

Disability Statement:

Any student with special circumstances covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA), Suite 322, University Union Building (phone 940-565-4323). Students who have registered with ODA should also make an appointment to discuss disabilities accommodation requests with the instructor of this course during the first week of class. Reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate the special needs of students with disabilities where such adjustments are necessary to provide equality of educational access. The ODA liaison for the Department of History is Dr. Clark Pomerleau.

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 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 Campbell and Park, American Legacies. The dates for each quiz are listed in the course schedule chart below.

Grading:

Test 1 – 100 points90% = 432 points

Test 2 – 100 points80% = 384 points

Final – 100 points70% = 336 points

Quizzes (3) – 180 points60% = 288 points

480 Total Possible Points59% = 283.2 points

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 / Readings/Assignments
January 18, 2012 / Introduction
January 20, 2012 / Early Civilization Before Conquest / Chapter 1
January 23, 2012 / Incentives for Colonization
God, Glory, and Gold! / Chapter 1
January 25, 2012 / Early Colonization Efforts / Chapter 2
January 27, 2012 / Massachusetts Bay Experience / Chapter 2
January 30, 2012 / Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials / Chapter 2
February 1, 2012 / Restoration Colonies / Chapter 2 and 3
February 3, 2012 / Glorious Revolution and the Great Awakening / Chapter 3 and 4
February 6, 2012 / French and Indian War / Chapter 4
February 8, 2012 / Quiz 1 – Chapters 1-6 in American Legacies
February 10, 2012 / Review
February 13, 2012 / Test 1 – Chapters 1-4
February 15, 2012 / Conflict with the British Empire / Chapter 5
February 17, 2012 / Protest and Resistance / Chapter 6
February 20-24, 2012 / American Revolution / Chapter 6
February 27, 2012 / Founding and Feuding Fathers / Chapter 7 and 8
February 29, 2012 / Establishing of 1800 and the Jeffersonian Vision / Chapter 9
March 2, 2012 / The War of 1812 / Chapter 9
March 5, 2012 / Quiz 2 - Chapters 7-14 in American Legacies
March 7, 2012 / Review
March 9, 2012 / Test 2 – Chapters 5-9
March 12-14, 2012 / The Rise of Jacksonian Democracy
March 16, 2012 / Market Revolution / Chapter 12
SPRING BREAK / MARCH 19-23, 2012
March 26, 2012 / Manifest Destiny / Chapter 13
March 28, 2012 / The Texas Revolution and Republic / Chapter 10
March 30, 2012 / The Mexican War / Chapter 13
April 2, 2012 / American Renaissance / Chapter 12
April 4, 2012 / Age of Reform / Chapter 12
April 6, 2012 / Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South / Chapter 11
April 9, 2012 / Abolitionist and the Politics of Slavery / Chapter 11 and 14
April 11, 2012 / Compromise and Breakdown / Chapter 14
April 13, 2012 / Union v. Confederacy / Chapter 15
April 16-20, 2012 / Civil War / Chapter 15
April 23, 2012 / Victory, Defeat, and Assassination / Chapter 15
April 25-27, 2012 / Reconstruction / Chapter 16
April 30, 2012 / Quiz 3 - Chapters 15-20 in American Legacies
May 2, 2012 / Review
May 4, 2012 / Reading Day – no class
May 7, 2012 / Final Exam 8:00-10:00 am