Spring 2021 Course Syllabus Course: HIST-1301- Section: 71 United States History I

Instructor Information
Instructor	Christina Wilbur
E-mail	wilburca@lamarpa.edu
Phone	(409) 984-6394
Office	Location: Student Center - Room: 409 Hours: Office Hours: TTH 10:45-1:15 / W 9:30-2:30 or by appointment
COVID 19 Information	The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been exposed to COVID 19 or diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition on the COVID 19 Notification Form (available via a link on the Student Code of Conduct COVID19 webpage). This information will be provided to the Dean of Student Services. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
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
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
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.
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.
Textbooks	Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer. Required Materials: All course materials are available online. There is no need to purchase any course materials. Textbook: The American Yawp textbook is an online textbook that you will access through Blackboard. Readers: Available within Blackboard. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Additional required readings: Additional required readings are included in Blackboard.
Lecture Topics Outline	Week 1 1/19/21 The New World Week 2 1/25/21: Colliding Cultures Week 3 2/1/21: British North America Week 4 2/8/21: Colonial Society Week 5 2/15/21: Chapter 5: The American Revolution Week 6 2/22/21: A New Nation Week 7 3/1/21: The Early Republic Week 8 3/8/21: Democracy in America      Spring Break - March 15-19      Week 9 3/22/21: Religion and Reform Week 10 3/29/21: The Cotton Revolution      Week 11 4/5/21: Manifest Destiny Week 12 4/12/21: The Sectional Crisis Week 13 4/19/21: The Civil War Week 14 4/26/21: Reconstruction Week 15 5/3/21: May 5 (Wednesday) is the last class day of the semester
Major Assignments Schedule	Week 1 1/19/21     Introduction post due by 5:00 pm Thursday Course Policy Agreement due by 5:00 pm Thursday Week 2 1/25/21     Discussion Post #1: Columbus: due by 5:00 pm Thursday Week 3 2/1/21 Trans-Atlantic: 1619 Assignment due by 5:00 PM Thursday. Week 4 2/8/21     Post #2: From a Colonist to an ‘American’ due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 5 2/15/21 Revolution Assignment due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 6 2/22/21 Post #3: Washington’s Farewell Address due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 7 3/1/21     Benjamin Franklin Assignment due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 8 3/8/21          Spring Break - March 15-19      Week 9 3/22/21 Post #4: Room for the Ladies? due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 10 3/29/21      Week 11 4/5/21 Primary Sources Assignment due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 12 4/12/21 Week 13 4/19/21 Gender and Slavery Assignment due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 14 4/26/21 Post #5: Why Reconstruction Matters due by 5:00 PM Thursday Week 15 5/3/21 Final Course Project Due by 5:00 PM Thursday
Final Exam Date	May 6, 2021 - 5:00 PM   Through  January 11, 2021 - 12:0 PM
Grading Scale	This class will use a 200-point grading scale. The total points earned will result in your final grade. All assignments will be clearly marked with their point value. Submitting an assignment does not guarantee that you will earn the total point value – you must follow the directions and achieve the standards set out in the directions for each assignment to earn the necessary point values. 200-180: A 179-160: B 159-130: C 129-110: D 109-0: F
Determination of Final Grade	Grading: This class will use a 200-point grading scale. The total points earned will result in your final grade. All assignments will be clearly marked with their point value. Submitting an assignment does not guarantee that you will earn the total point value – you must follow the directions and achieve the standards set out in the directions for each assignment to earn the necessary point values. 200-180: A     179-160: B     159-130: C     129-110: D     109-0: F Major Assignments: 70% Course Project: 17.5% Discussions: 12.5% Assignments: Transatlantic World-1619     30 points American Revolution      30 points Benjamin Franklin     25 points Primary Sources     25 points Gender and Slavery     30 points Final Course Project     35 points Discussion posts: 5 posts – 5 points each     25 points Assignment Due Dates: It is imperative that assignments are turned in on time. All assignments and posts are due by 5:00 PM on Thursday evenings on the due date listed in the schedule. You are allowed one late day only for the major assignments – i.e. the assignment must be turned in by 5:00 PM the next day. Late assignments will be assessed a penalty of 20% of the point total for that assignment. For example, if an assignment has a 30-point total, I will begin grading your assignment at 24 points. After the grace period has passed, no late assignments will be accepted. Discussion posts are not accepted late. 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. You will be able to see your running point total in 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 on your submitted assignments as I make comments both on the assignment itself and in the grading notes section. It is your responsibility to read comments and assessment notes and to make the suggested changes on future assignments/exams.
Course Policies
Instructor Policies	Time Requirements for this Course: The time required for this class is substantial. 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, and assignments. These take time. I recommend that students print out the assignment schedule and refer to it daily and plan their schedules accordingly. Assignment Due Dates: It is imperative that assignments are turned in on time. All assignments and posts are due by 5:00 PM on Thursday evenings on the due date listed in the schedule. You are allowed one late day only for the major assignments – i.e. the assignment must be turned in by 5:00 PM the next day. Late assignments will be assessed a penalty of 20% of the point total for that assignment. For example, if an assignment has a 30-point total, I will begin grading your assignment at 24 points. After the grace period has passed, no late assignments will be accepted. Discussion posts are not accepted late. If you submit an assignment well before the due date, please know that I will not be grading submissions until after the due date has passed. I strongly suggest NOT trying to work ahead too much and submitting all your assignments in a rush. If you do so, you will miss out on the suggestions and comments that are made as we go forward. All submission links will allow you to submit multiple times up until the due date if you find that you need to update an assignment before the submission link closes. Uploading Assignments: All assignments must be uploaded in the required format. All assignments – unless instructed otherwise – i.e. a video submission – must be submitted as Word document. Do not submit in 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 – not the next day. It will be considered late if I do not have an email copy of the assignment by the due date. When you submit an assignment, Blackboard sends you a confirmation email with an individual submission number. Please make sure that you receive this confirmation and save it. If there are issues regarding the submission of your assignment, I may ask to see the submission confirmation. 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 video, etc. Assignments: You will complete 6 major assignments during this course along with the 5 discussion posts. The directions for each assignment will vary and you will need to read the instructions for each one closely and follow those directions. The assignments will be posted in the Assignments section of Blackboard. 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. All work must be original when submitted. Assignments that are found to have been reused will receive a 0. Exams: There are no exams in this course. Your grade is based on the assignments and the point value assigned to them. Extra Credit: There is no extra credit for this course. Email: You must put the class and section number in the subject line of the email. Having to look you up through multiple class rolls so that I can respond to a question delays your response and is a poor use of my time. I am teaching different classes through different modalities. It is important that I know what class you are in so that I can answer your question. You are welcome to email me and I do try to respond in a timely manner within 24 to 48 hours during the week. I am available during normal business hours – Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm. Emails received in the evening will not get a response until the next day. I do not respond to email on the weekends. Please use your lamarpa email to communicate with me as email from Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, etc. may end up in a clutter folder and I will not see it, and therefore, not respond. 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 •    Include proper spelling and grammar. 'Texting' abbreviations, lack of punctuation and 'i' are not acceptable. Article and Videos for Assignments and Discussion Posts: The article and video links assigned 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/reading just as if you were sitting in a classroom listening to a presentation. 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 submit an assignment using resources not allowed, 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. Please see the tab in Blackboard that references proper citations for this class. 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. If an issue arises with your work, I do 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. Directions regarding formatting and citations are included in Blackboard. You are to familiarize yourself with these instructions and how to cite and document properly.
Attendance Policy	Class Attendance: You must log in to the class on a regular basis. If you fail to log in and submit assignments, I will conclude that you are no longer participating in the class.
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	No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
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 the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
MyLSCPA	Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA 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 MyLSCPA.
Other
HB 2504	This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Department	General Education and Developmental Studies Chair: Dr. Michelle Davis E-mail: davisml1@lamarpa.edu Phone: (409) 984-6341 If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.