Textbook:

OpenStax US History.  

This is a free, online textbook you can access here: OpenStax US History.

There is also an audio version of the text that you can access here: Audio OpenStax US History

Additional links to the textbook are also provided within Blackboard. 

Required Materials:  

All course materials are available online.

• ENGL-0302 College Reading Skills
• ENGL-0327 Integrated Reading and Writing

Learning Outcomes - Students will be able to:

Create an argument through the use of historical evidence. 

Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources. 

Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of United States history.

Core Objectives: 

Critical Thinking Skills – Uses creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information. 

Communication Skills – Demonstrates effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and/or visual communication.

Social Responsibility Skills - Expresses intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Personal Responsibility Skills – Integrates choices, actions and consequences in ethical decision making.

Early Globalization: The Atlantic World, 1492–1650

Creating New Social Orders: Colonial Societies, 1500–1700 

Rule Britannia! The English Empire, 1660–1763

Imperial Reforms and Colonial Protests, 1763-1774

America's War for Independence, 1775-1783

Creating Republican Governments, 1776–1790

Growing Pains: The New Republic, 1790–1820

Industrial Transformation in the North, 1800–1850

Jacksonian Democracy, 1820–1840

A Nation on the Move: Westward Expansion, 1800–1860

Cotton is King: The Antebellum South, 1800–1860

This class will use a 100-point grading scale. 

• 100-90: A   

• 89-80: B     

• 79-70: C     

• 69-60: D     

• 59-0:  F

2 exams: Midterm and Final Exam 40%

2 Assignments: 20%

Oral History Project: 20%

OpenStax Assignable Modules: 20%

Time Requirements for this Course:

The time needed for this class is substantial. Deadlines are firm. Make it a priority to read daily and to stay on schedule with the readings, videos, and assignments. These take time. I recommend that students print out the assignment schedule, 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 and download files, view videos, etc.

Civility in the Online Classroom

Student incivility, rudeness, or attacks of a personal nature or statements will not be tolerated, whether directed at the instructor or another student. Any student engaging in disruptive or disrespectful activities on campus or in online classes will be required to cease such behavior. If the behavior continues after the first warning, the student will no longer continue as a student of the course.

24-hour Online Blackboard Help:

If students need help with Blackboard: submitting assignments, navigating, etc., please contact the 24-hour online help desk at (936) 496-5379.

Assignment Due Dates:

All assignments are to be turned in on time.  

Uploading Assignments:

All assignments must be uploaded in the required format. All assignments – unless instructed otherwise – i.e. a video or PowerPoint submission – must be submitted as Word document. Do not submit Google docs, pages, or PDF’s. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have submitted your assignment as directed in the instructions. If I cannot open your assignment, I will not grade it.  

Additionally, if you have difficulty uploading your assignment due to Blackboard or other technical issues, you should email me a copy of the assignment immediately before the due date – not the next day. It will be considered late if I do not have an email copy of the assignment by the due date. You should then contact Blackboard technical support to address the problem and work to get the assignment uploaded into Blackboard. 

When you submit an assignment, Blackboard sends you a confirmation email with an individual submission number. Please make sure that you receive, and save, this confirmation. If there are issues regarding the submission of your assignment, I may ask to see the submission confirmation. 

Assignments from a previous course or repeating the class:

You may not submit assignments that were created for another class. You also may not resubmit assignments from a previous attempt in the class. Assignments that are found to have been reused will receive a 0. All work must be your original work. You are not to use AI or other similar programs. If plagiarism or the use of AI is suspected, students will be asked to discuss this matter with the instructor. 

Academic Integrity:

Academic integrity is essential to 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 submit assignments using resources not allowed, not only are you jeopardizing your academic future, but you are paying for an education you are not receiving and you are wasting your own time and energy in an effort not to learn. It is expected that students are submitting their original work. 

All student submissions are checked for plagiarism and use of any materials not authorized for use for an assignment is prohibited. Should this be an issue with any assignment you submit, you will receive a 0 on the assignment and, possibly an F in the class. The use of article rewriting tools, or other AI technology is unacceptable, not allowed, and will result in a 0 for the assignment. If there are indications of academic dishonesty, students may be asked to take a written, or verbal assessment in my presence.  

If an issue arises with your work, I reserve the right to go back and reassess/regrade previously submitted work to see if academic dishonesty has occurred with previous submissions. Assigning an F for the course for plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty is at my discretion if the offense is flagrant or repeated.  Please note that I decide if an offense is flagrant or repeated – not the student.   

Assignments: 

Students should read the instructions included with each assignment. Any additional materials that are needed are noted on the assignment instructions.

OpenStax Assignable Practice Modules: In Blackboard you can access practice modules that will assist in preparing you for your exams. All of the practice modules must be completed by 11:59 PM on the due date with a minimum score of 70%. If you do not score 70%, you do not get credit for the practice modules. 

Important Information About Taking Exams:

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have an adequate amount of time, the proper atmosphere, and a secure connection to the internet to take exams. I strongly suggest using a laptop or desktop computer—not your phone—and using a wired internet connection to avoid wi-fi fluctuations that may occur. Finally, you should also give yourself enough time to take these— don’t wait until the last minute—so that if your internet is “down” you can find another place to take them. Blackboard Ultra is a stable platform, so the ONLY way I will consider “re-setting” an exam is if you submit a screenshot or picture of the error message showing that the site itself was at fault along with a submission ticket to Blackboard to fix the problem. I will not reset an exam after the due date/time has passed under any circumstances

Class Attendance: 

You must log in to the class regularly. If you fail to log in and submit assignments, I will conclude that you are no longer participating in the class.