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Fall 2018 Course Syllabus
Course: HIST-1301- Section: 71 United States History I |
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| Instructor Information | |||||||||
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| Instructor | Christina Wilbur | ||||||||
| wilburca@lamarpa.edu | |||||||||
| Phone | (409) 984-6341 | ||||||||
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| Department |
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| Course Information | |||||||||
| Description | A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual history of the United States from the pre-Columbian era to the Civil War/Reconstruction period. United States History I includes the study of pre-Columbian, colonial, revolutionary, early national, slavery and sectionalism, and the Civil War/Reconstruction eras. Themes that may be addressed in United States History I include: American settlement and diversity, American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, and creation of the federal government. | ||||||||
| Prerequisites | None. | ||||||||
| Learning Outcomes |
1. Relate the events that led to the exploration and colonization of early America 2. Summarize reasons for colonial discontent and actions that led to revolution and independence 3. Demonstrate an understanding of our documents of democracy 4. Describe our foreign policy as it developed in the 19th century 5. Analyze stages of economic development as the United States became an industrialized nation 6. Realize the causes of sectionalism as they moved us toward civil war 7. Discuss the major features of Reconstruction and their political impact |
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| Core Objectives |
* Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. * Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. * Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. * Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making. |
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| Program Student Learning Outcomes |
PSLO ALPHA: Reading skills - Demonstrates comprehension of content-area reading material. Identifies all main ideas, supporting details, and vocabulary in reading material; demonstrates a full understanding of the reading. PSLO 1: Critical Thinking Skills � Uses creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information. Creatively identifies problem, argument, or issue (to determine extent of information needed); differentiates the facts from opinions as relates to situation; constructs possible solutions or prediction or consequences; uses logical, sound reasoning to justify conclusion. PSLO 2: Communication Skills � Demonstrates effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and/or visual communication. Expresses a strong thesis; organizes information with effective transitions & sequencing of ideas; uses substantial, logical & specific development of ideas; details are relevant, original, credible and correctly documented when appropriate to show an effective development and interpretation of ideas; and presents ideas in appropriate mode of expression for the task. PSLO 5: Social Responsibility Skills - Expresses intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. Identifies cultural characteristics (including beliefs, values, perspectives and/or practices); demonstrates knowledge of civic responsibility; provides evidence of experience in civic- engagement activities; and describes what she/ he has learned as it relates to a reinforced and clarified sense of civic identity in local, regional, national, or global communities; and shows awareness of one�s own culture in relation to others. PSLO 6: Personal Responsibility Skills � Integrates choices, actions and consequences in ethical decision-making. Recognizes ethical issues when presented in a complex, multilayered (gray) context; recognizes cross- relationships among the issues; discusses in detail/ analyzes core beliefs; the discussion has greater depth and clarity showing the independent application of ethical perspectives/ concepts to an ethical question accurately; and is able to consider full implications of the application. |
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| Textbooks |
Brinkley, Alan. American History: Connecting with the Past, Volume I Connect Access 1 semester. The Connect Access is required for the course. You may purchase the access code from the LSCPA bookstore or through the publisher. You do not need a hard copy of the textbook but you may purchase one if you care to. Connect Access: To register for our section just click on the first LearnSmart reading assignment. It will take you to the Connect page to log-in and register. You may purchase access then and/or you may submit your access code if you have already purchased it. It is imperative that you register for the correct section! Students are allowed 2 weeks of free access - after that period you will be locked out until you upgrade to full required access. |
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| Lecture Topics Outline |
Week 1 8/27-9/2 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 1: The Collision of Cultures Article(s) for Discussion Board: The American Holocaust: Columbus and the Conquest of the New World Video(s) for Discussion Board: New World Encounters: In Video Folder Post ‘Getting to Know You in Blackboard’ / Take Pre-test /Complete course policy agreement. (All assignments for Week 1 are due at the end of the Week 2 due to the many late registrations. This is the only week where you are given two weeks to get assignments completed.) Week 2 9/3-9/9 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 2: Transplantations and Borderlands Article(s) for Discussion Board New Ways: Indian and European Sugar Video(s) for Discussion Board: We Shall Remain: After the Mayflower Quiz 1: Chapters 1 & 2 - due Sunday Pre-test Due: Sunday, 9/9 by 11:59 pm. Getting to know you post Due: Sunday, 9/9 by 11:59 pm Course Policy Agreement Due: Sunday, 9/9 by 11:59 pm. Week 3 9/10-9/16 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 3: Society and Culture in Provincial America Article(s) for Discussion Board Indentured Servitude Courtship, Sex and the Single Colonist The Creation of a Slave Society in the Chesapeake Video(s) for Discussion Board: The Black Atlantic - In Video Folder Being a British Colonist Week 4 9/17-9/23 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 4 The Empire in Transition Article(s) for Discussion Board Benjamin Franklin: Representing the 18th Century World Mad King George Video(s) for Discussion Board: Being a British American French and Indian War Changes the Fate of America. No discussion post for this but you need to watch it. It’s quite short. Liberty: The Reluctant Revolutionaries: In Video Folder Quiz 2: Chapters 3 & 4 - due Sunday Week 5 9/24-9/30 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 5: The American Revolution Article(s) for Discussion Board The Magnificent Fraud Revolutionary Food Video(s) for Discussion Board: Liberty: These are Times that Try Men’s Souls: In Video Folder Exam I: Posted at 8:00 am Wednesday, September 26th. Due by 11:59 pm, Sunday, September 30th Week 6 10/1-10/7 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 6: The Constitution and the New Republic Article(s) for Discussion Board George Washington’s Farewell Address Video(s) for Discussion Board: Alexander Hamilton Quiz 3: Chapters 5 & 6 - due Sunday Week 7 10/8-10/14 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 7: The Jeffersonian Era Article(s) for Discussion Board Slavery and Jefferson Re-assesed Video(s) for Discussion Board: Thomas Jefferson: Part 1: In Video Folder Thomas Jefferson: Part 2: In Video Folder Week 8 10/15-10/21 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 8: Varieties of American Nationalism Article(s) for Discussion Board TBA Video(s) for Discussion Board The War of 1812: In Video Folder (You do not need to comment in the Discussion Board for this but I do think it is informative) Quiz 4: Chapters 7 & 8 - due Sunday Week 9 10/22-10/28 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 9: Jacksonian America Article(s) for Discussion Board The Eaton Affair The Trail of Tears Video(s) for Discussion Board: The Trail of Tears Andrew Jackson: Legacy of an Autocratic Ruler: In Video Folder Week 10 10/29-11/4 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 10: America’s Economic Revolution Article(s) for Discussion Board Getting Rid of Demon Alcohol Video(s) for Discussion Board: The Telegraph Quiz 5: Chapters 9 & 10 - due Sunday Exam II: Posted at 8:00 am Wednesday, October 31st. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday, November 4th. Week 11 11/5-11/11 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 11: Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South Article(s) for Discussion Board The Everyday Life of Enslaved People Video(s) for Discussion Board: The Age of Slavery: In Video Folder Week 12 11/12-11/18 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 12: Antebellum Culture and Reform Article(s) for Discussion Board I Will Be Heard: William Lloyd Garrison and the Struggle Against Slavery Video(s) for Discussion Board: To Be Announced Quiz 6: Chapters 11 & 12 - due Sunday Week 13 11/19-11/25 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 13: The Impending Crisis Article(s) for Discussion Board Slavery and the Coming of the Civil War, as seen in The Beaumont Banner The Way West Video(s) for Discussion Board: The Civil War: The Cause’: In Video Folder Week 14 11/26-12/2 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 14: The Civil War Article(s) for Discussion Board Why Soldiers Went to War When the Yanks Came Video(s) for Discussion Board: The Civil War: The Better Angels of our Nature: In Video Folder Quiz 7: Chapters 13 & 14 - due Sunday Writing Assignment due by 11:59 pm Sunday, December 2nd. Week 15: 12/3-12/9 LearnSmart readings: Brinkley: American History Chapter 15: Reconstruction Article(s) for Discussion Board Why Reconstruction Matters Video(s) for Discussion Board: Slavery by Another Name Quiz 8: Chapter 15 - due Sunday Post-test due by 11:59 pm Sunday Final Exam: Posted at 8:00 am Wednesday, December 5th. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday, December 9th. |
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| Major Assignments Schedule |
Exam I: Posted at 8:00 am Wednesday, September 26th. Due by 11:59 pm, Sunday, September 30th Exam II: Posted at 8:00 am Wednesday, October 31st. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday, November 4th. Final Exam: Posted at 8:00 am Wednesday, December 5th. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday, December 9th. Writing Assignment due by 11:59 pm Sunday, December 2nd. |
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| Final Exam Date | December 5, 2018 - 8:00 AM Through December 9, 2018 - 11:00 PM | ||||||||
| Grading Scale | 90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B 70 - 79=C 60 - 69=D Below 59 = F | ||||||||
| Determination of Final Grade |
Grading: Three (3) Major Written Exams: (45%) Writing Assignment (10%) Seven (7) Quizzes: (20%) LearnSmart Readings: (10%) Article/Video Responses: (15%) A 100-90 B 89-80 C 79-70 D 69-60 F 59-0 Please keep up with your grades. Students should keep all copies of graded and ungraded work until course grades have been submitted at the end of the semester. A current running average is always available to you in the ‘Current Class Average’ of Blackboard. Your grade will be based solely on your performance on the above listed grades. Additionally, all grades will be posted in Blackboard in a timely manner. Please make sure to read the comments sections included with your grade and, additionally, read the comments on your submitted assignments as I make comments in both places. It is your responsibility to read comments and assessment notes and to make the suggested changes on future assignments/exams. |
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| Course Policies | |||||||||
| Instructor Policies |
Exams: Exams consist of lengthy discussion/essay questions and, possibly, multiple choice/short answer questions. Students are allowed four (4) or more days to complete the exam. Exams will cover material from your textbook, articles and video presentations/lectures. I will not contact you to find out why you missed an exam and late submissions are not accepted. If you try to take an examination having neither read the material/taken notes on the video lectures nor studied the material thoroughly – you will not be successful. Additionally, please plan accordingly when allowing time to complete your exams. Generally, exams consist of three (3) to five (5) 1 ½ - 2 page essay questions per exam. This means - you are given anywhere from three to five essay questions to complete and each one will require from 1 ½ to 2 pages for a total submission of between 8-10 pages. You cannot complete the exams in an hour or two. Students are expected to follow the directions given for the exam regarding submission, formatting, length, etc. Quizzes: Students will complete eight (8) quizzes. Each quiz will cover two chapters and contain 50 questions. There is a 60 minute time limit to complete the quiz. Quizzes will be completed in Blackboard using the Connect system. All quizzes are due by 11:59 pm on Sundays. Late submissions are not accepted. I do not like to re-open or re-set quizzes. Make sure you have a stable internet connection before you begin. The McGrawHill Connect system is a very stable system. Should you have problems you need to contact them and they will research the matter and let me know if a reset is required. This should be a very rare occurrence. I will drop your lowest quiz grade. LearnSmart Readings: Each week a chapter in the LearnSmart e-textbook is assigned for you to read. You will complete the reading and answer the questions as you go along. You can continue to answer the questions until you score the grade you’d like. All Learnsmart Readings are due by 11:59 pm on Sundays. Assignments: All assignments are listed in the Readings and Assignment tab in Blackboard. Late assignments are not accepted. No extra credit is offered - do not ask. Email: Students must put LSCPA 1301.71 in the subject line of any email. This is not optional. If the class and section number are not listed it makes it difficult for me to give you a prompt response. I will not stop what I am doing to log in and sort through multiple class rolls to determine what class you are in. An email that says only, “This is Sarah from your history class. I have a question about the paper” is problematic. Which Sarah? What history class - 1301 or 1302? Online student or in-class student? What paper? Including the required LSCPA 1301.71 makes it much easier for me to provide you with a prompt and accurate response. Moreover, please make sure to include your full name in the email. I do not use Blackboard email. Please note that most questions can be answered by reading the class syllabus, assignment sheet or other directions available to you in Blackboard. Since we will communicate extensively through email, it is important that students are aware of the tone and structure of their correspondence. All emails should include a greeting, a clear statement of the question or inquiry, your name and include proper spelling and grammar. 'Texting' abbreviations, lack of punctuation and 'i' are not acceptable. I enjoy getting to know my students through email so please do not hesitate to contact me. All email must come from the student's assigned Lamarpa.edu email address. I am available during normal business hours – Monday-Friday 7am-4pm. Emails received in the evening will not get a response until the next day. I do strive to reply to email promptly and within 24 hours. Time Requirements for this Course: An online class is not an ‘easier’ class. The time requirements for an online class are similar to a face-to-face class. The standard expectation for a college level class is approximately 10-12 hours a week. A class that is a 3-hour credit class will require 3 hours outside study time for each hour in class. Our class is considered a 3 hour credit class and therefore the additional study/working on assignments time is applicable. Please make sure to adjust your schedule accordingly. Posted Videos: The video links included in the ‘Reading and Assignment Sheet’ are an integral part of the course. They provide students with a resource to gain a deeper understanding of the material. I have chosen selections that I feel will aid in deepening your understanding related to a person, era, event, experience, etc. Some are documentaries or films, some standard lectures from other universities, and others - book discussion by authors - address the subject they have written about but also help you to understand the ‘historian’s craft.’ You should take notes while viewing just as if you were sitting in a classroom listening to a presentation. Currently, all video links are ‘working’ but sometimes they may, without notice, get moved to a new server, expire or an organization may decide to take down a link. If you notice a broken link during the semester, please let me know and I will look into it and update the selection with a new link or a replacement selection. Students should make sure that they view the links on schedule and take notes just as if you were in a lecture class. Material from the provided videos will be included on examinations. Viewing is not optional. Each week you will have a video response(s) due in the discussion board. The video due each week is listed in the syllabus. You should watch the required selection thoroughly and respond with a thoughtful written response in the ‘Discussion’ posting section. Each response should be 350 words minimum- approximately three full paragraphs - and reflect your thoughts on the content and how it relates to the unit we are currently studying, or perhaps, how you see the material as applicable to today. You are welcome to respond to other classmates posts but it isn’t required. These are due each Sunday 11:59 pm. Posted Articles: Each week I will post an article(s) on Blackboard in the ‘Articles’ folder. You should read and then respond to the applicable discussion post by the due date listed. This article might be from an academic journal, an essay, a selection from a book or newspaper, internet blog, etc. You should read it thoroughly and respond with a thoughtful written response in the ‘Discussion’ posting section. This should be 350 words minimum - approximately three full paragraphs - and reflect your thoughts on the content and how it relates to the unit we are currently studying, or perhaps, how you see the material as applicable to today. You are welcome to respond to other classmates posts but it isn’t required. These are due Sunday by 11:59 pm. Article / Video Responses are graded as follows: 100=Excellent 80=Good 60=Fair 40=Poor 20=Are you kidding me? 0=Not completed Suggestions for the course: This class moves very quickly and there is very little time to catch up if you get behind. Deadlines are firm. Make it a priority to read daily and to stay on schedule with the readings, videos, quizzes and discussion posts. These take time. Additionally, remember that you not only have to read the material but you also have to make time to study the material. I recommend that students print out the assignment schedule and refer to it daily and plan their schedules accordingly. Technology Responsibility: It is assumed that students registered for an online class are proficient with the technological/computer requirements and the Blackboard system. A lack of computer proficiency is not an excuse for the failure to submit assignments, etc. It is your responsibility to understand how to navigate Blackboard, upload files, view video, etc. Additionally, students should be aware that the majority of the responsibility in mastering the material falls to the student. Should you believe that these aspects of the course will be problematic, then it is suggested that you register for an in-class section of the course. Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is essential to online learning and I take it very seriously. Academic dishonesty will not be accepted in this class. Students are to submit their own work – not the work of others. If you submit other’s work as your own or use resources not allowed during examinations, not only are you jeopardizing your academic future but you are paying for an education you are not receiving and, moreover, you are wasting your own time and energy in an effort not to learn. During examinations (not quizzes) students may use the textbook, notes from video lecture material, assigned articles and material from Founding Brothers only and may not go on the internet to look up answers. Additionally, all student submissions are checked for plagiarism and use of any materials not authorized for use during the exam is prohibited. It is also expected that student are not accessing other material during the quizzes. Should it come to light that you are, you will receive a 0 on the quiz and an F in the class. You are better off not doing an assignment - as missing a few individual low-value assignments will not cause you to fail - than submitting a questionable assignment and failing the class. My class policy is that if any academic dishonesty is discovered, the student will receive an F in the class. You will not just receive a 0 on the individual assignment - whether it be a quiz, discussion board post, and exam or book review - you will receive an F for the course. |
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| Attendance Policy |
Class Attendance: Students are required to log-on to Blackboard in order to stay current regarding class announcements, assignment due dates and exam dates. If a student fails to log in on a regular basis, I will assume you are no longer participating in the class and may administratively drop you from the class. Additionally, failure to log in will affect attendance requirements for financial aid, if applicable. |
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| Academic Honesty | Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty. | ||||||||
| Facility Policies |
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| Important Information | |||||||||
| ADA Considerations | The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241. | ||||||||
| MyLamarPA | Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLamarPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you've logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the "My Courses" tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLamarPA. | ||||||||
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| HB 2504 | This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504. | ||||||||