HIST 1301 Syllabus

David Lauderback
Professor of History

Syllabus
US History I

http://www.austincc.edu/dlauderb


HIST 1301 048 & 049	MW 7:30 - 8:50 & 9:00am - 10:20am
SYN 45768 & 45769	RGC 025

Contact Information

OFFICE HOURS

MW 10:30 am — 12:00 noon
TTH 9:00 am — 12:00 noon

Contact me at:

dlauderb@austincc.edu

or leave a message at: 223-3397

We can also meet by appointment. Just ask!

email: dlauderb@austincc.edu

Office

Attache Offices (ATT) Room 218
1209 Rio Grande Street

Across the street from the main entrance
to the Rio Grande Campus

email: dlauderb@austincc.edu

Course Description

For the official Course Description, Course Objectives, and Course Rationale, see the ACC History Department web site at the:

History Department Webpage.

This course covers the period in American history from the "discovery" of the New World in 1492 to the end of Reconstruction in the South in 1877. To make sense of such a sweeping view of history, the class will concentrate on four distinct but interrelated periods:

1492-1763, 1763-1815, 1815-1840 and 1840-1877.

There will be exams covering the material from each of these periods. (See Exams below)

The subtitle of this course is An Interpretive History of Life in America, 1492-1877. The name was chosen for a reason. Despite having a reputation of being nothing more than a mess of names, dates, and places, history is, first and foremost, about people and how they lived their lives. It is about the factors that shaped their existence and the choices they made. Any attempt to write about the past, however, is fraught with danger, because a serious question always looms: how do we know that what we are writing is correct? The obvious answer is, we do not, and cannot, always know the correct answer. But we generally can make good guesses, often very perceptive ones. Consequently, history reflects one's interpretation of the past. Whether you are a professional historian or not, each individual makes her or his own choice about what in history is important to her or him. The purpose of this course is to provide students with a useful framework from which to interpret some of the important themes on life in America's past between the years 1492 and 1877.

Required Reading

The text for this course is:

NOTE: YOU WANT THE BLACK AND WHITE VERSION OF EXPERIENCE HISTORY. IT IS HALF THE PRICE!

Mark Davidson, et al., Experience History: Interpreting America's Past, vol. I, To 1877, 7th ed. (New York: McGraw Hill, 2011). ISBN 9780077513870

Students can purchase the text for this and all other ACC courses at the ACC Bookstore

REMEMBER, YOU WANT THE BLACK AND WHITE TEXAS VERSION OF EXPERIENCE HISTORY. IT IS HALF THE PRICE!

Students will also need to review the primary documents included in the Reading Links. Most class meetings will have a reading assignment. See the course outline for the reading assignments. It is essential to complete the assigned reading prior to each class. The reading is designed to provide you with the background necessary to understand the lectures. Lectures will build on the material in Experience History and and the reading Reading Links and NOT merely repeat the same information.

Supplemental Instruction

Students will have the added benenfit of participating in Supplemental Instruction tutoring sessions and office hours. SI is a service offered free of charge to students registered in the class. The SI leader can assist you in: study skills, note taking, course review, test preparation, and term project assignments. I strongly enocurage you to take advantage of SI sessions. Go as often as your schedule permits. SI makes a difference. See the Supplemental Instruction link for SI session hours and the leaders office hours.

Attendance

Class attendance is crucial. The bulk of the material on which students will be tested is contained in the lectures. Students cannot expect to pass the course with only a knowledge of the information in the textbook. The instructor reserves the right to withdraw a student for poor attendance. The instructor will notify students in danger of being withdrawn from the course for poor attendance.

NOTE: Students who stop attending class must fill out the necessary paperwork to withdraw from the course. The instructor will not. If you stop attending class and you do not properly withdraw from the course, then you will receive an F for the course.

Rules

There are only three rules for this course: 1.) be on time; 2.) stay awake; and 3.) turn off all pagers, cell phones, and tape recorders, etc., BEFORE entering class. The instructor reserves the right to withdraw any student who fails to abide by the course rules.

Discussion

All students are encouraged to participate in class discussions on a regular basis. “PARTICIPATING” DOES NOT MEAN GIVING THE “RIGHT” ANSWERS; IT MEANS THINKING ABOUT THE MATERIAL AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS. This is NOT a requirement. Students will NOT be penalized if they do not participate in discussion, meaning that failure to participate will NOT “hurt” your grade. Students who do participate consistently, though, will receive positive consideration. The instructor will determine the merits of class participation.

Quizzes

Students will take twelve (12) quizzes. Three quizzes will be administered in class for each section of the course. The quizzes will consist of multiple-choice questions in the format that you will encounter on the exam. Quizzes will ONLY be administered in class on dates announced in class. Students who score at least a B on a quiz will earn bonus points toward the Unit Exam.

Exams

Students will take four Exams. Each exam will cover a separate chronological period:

1492-1763, 1763-1815, 1815-1840 and 1840-1877.

There will NOT be a comprehensive “final” exam. The last exam will test for the material covered since the third exam.

Each exam will have two parts: objective and essay. The objective section will count toward 40% of your exam grade. The objective section will comprise twenty (20) multiple-choice questions drawn from the unit quizzes. The essay section will count toward 60% of each exam grade. Students will have five (5) essay questions to study for each unit exam. See the Exam Review for each unit's essay questions. The instructor will select two of the five unit essay questions for each unit exam. Students will then choose one – and only one! – of the two to answer in an extended essay.

The exams test your ability to analyze the information contained in the textbook, documents, and the class lectures. Memorization will NOT be enough. In order to demonstrate your knowledge of the course materials, you must be able to identify the best answer to each multiple-choice question. In your essays, you must use clear, concise sentences. You must show that you can organize your thoughts and explain your reasoning. Good grammar, spelling, and punctuation are essential. These are the criteria on which your essay grade will be based.

See the Course Schedule for the dates of each exam.

Retests

Students who fail either of the first two exams will have the opportunity to retest. All retests must be arranged with the instructor and must be taken by the date specified by the instructor. The highest grade that can be earned on a retest is a 70. Students may NOT use the retest to make up an exam.

Retests will be given at the Rio Grande Campus Testing Center. For hours, see the ACC Testing Centers or call: 223-3164. And you MUST have an ACC ID before you can take an exam at one of the ACC Testing Centers.

Make-Up Exams

Students who cannot attend class the day an exam is given may have the opportunity to take a make-up exam. Students must contact the instructor BEFORE the scheduled date of the exam to arrange for a make-up exam. ONLY STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM THE INSTRUCTOR MAY TAKE A MAKE-UP EXAM. See the Course Schedule for the date when you take a make-up exam.

All make-up exams for each of the first three exams will be given at the Rio Grande Campus Testing Center on ONLY. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY. For hours, see the ACC Testing Centers or call: 223-3164. Remember, you MUST have an ACC ID before you can take an exam at one of the ACC Testing Centers.

Research Project

The Research Project is required for those students who desire a grade of B or better. If you do NOT complete the Research Project the highest grade that you can receive is a C. Additionally, completion of the Research Project does NOT automatically guarantee a grade of B or better. The Research Project is comprised of a: Book Choice, Topic Page (10 pts), Annotated Bibliography (15 pts), Outline (25 pts), and Final Draft (50 pts). Combined, the Research Project will equal the vaule of one exam grade.

Please see the Course Schedule for the dates by which you must: submit your Book, Topic Page, Annotated Bibliography, Outline, and Final Draft.

The Research Project will require a sustained effort over the entire semester. See the Research Project guidelines for completing a successful research paper.

Grading

To earn an A:

You must average at least 90 on the four exams and on a completed research paper; and

You must take at least 9 of 12 quizzes.

To earn a B:

You must average at least 80 on the four exams and a completed research paper; and

You must take at least 8 of 12 quizzes.

To earn a C:

You must average at least 70 on the four exams; and

You must take at least 7 of 12 quizzes.

To earn a D:

There will be no grade of D given in this class.

To earn an F:

You average less than 70 on the four exams; or

You take less than 7 of 12 quizzes.

Privacy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy and confidentiality of educational records. So, to protect your privacy grades will not be given out over the phone, through a fellow student, or via e-mail.

Students with Disabilities

Each Austin Community College campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office of Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take a majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester.

Scholastic Dishonesty

WARNING: Scholastic dishonesty will NOT be tolerated. Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, included but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework. Any student guilty of scholastic dishonesty will automatically receive an F in the course and be remanded to the appropriate Austin Community College authorities for disciplinary action. See the ACC Student Handbook for details on scholastic dishonesty.

Incompletes

Incompletes will be given ONLY with a medical excuse certified by a physician. All incompletes MUST be completed within the first four weeks of the following session. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY.

Withdrawals

Student Withdrawals:

Students may withdraw from the course for academic reasons. Withdrawals must be completed according to the guidelines of Austin Community College. See the ACC Catalog procedures for withdrawing from a class and the Course Schedule for the deadline by which you must withdraw from a class. Students may also withdraw from the course for non-academic reasons. Once again, see the guidelines in the ACC Catalog for details and the Course Schedule for the deadline by which you must withdraw from a class.

Instructor Withdrawals:

The instructor will NOT withdraw students for failing to fulfill any of the course requirements, see above. Instead, students will receive a grade based on their performance in the course. Students who fail to fulfill any of the course requirements will receive a F. Therefore, if a student registers for a course it is the student's responsibility to satisfy the course requirements. If "life happens" and you cannot finish the course, be sure to withdraw. Once again, see the guidelines in the ACC Catalog for details and the Course Schedule for the deadline by which you must withdraw from a class.

Office Hours

It is essential that students and the instructor make a concerted effort to maintain open lines of communication. In other words, talk to me. Problems generally are easier to solve BEFORE they happen. You are encouraged to discuss any questions you may have regarding the course, the material, and your performance. To that end, I have scheduled time to meet with students. My office hours are listed at the top of page 1 of this Course Syllabus. If those times do not fit your schedule, please feel free to make an appointment. You may also contact me via e-mail at: dlauderb@austincc.edu. I do have one request. If you make an appointment, please make every effort to keep that appointment.

Use of ACC email

ACC sends all email communication solely to the student's ACCmail account and expects students to read the messages in a timely manner. So that means all important information and emergency details will go only to your ACCmail . Students should expect to receive from, and send email to, their instructors from their ACCmail account. To set up an account, students can go to ACCmail for instructions.

Safety Statement

ACC is committeed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Students are expected to learn and to comply with ACC environmental, health, and safety procedures and to follow ACC safety policies. See the Environmental Health and Safety link for more details. The College also asks that each student become familiar with the Emergency Procedures and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. See ACC Emergency Alerts to sign up for electronic notices in the event of a serious emeergency.

Building Regulations

ACC regulations prohibit smoking, drinking, and eating in classrooms.

Student's Classroom Responsibilities

The purpose of this course is to acquaint you with the history of America from the the “discovery” of the New World to the end of Reconstruction following the Civil War. You will be responsible for learning a considerable amount of information in a short period of time. You must demonstrate on your exams that you can analyze what you have learned. I will do my best to give you every opportunity to learn. In return, I ask that you give yourself the opportunity to do the same.

Consequently, I ask that students conduct themselves in the following manner:

Bring an open mind; listen to the instructor and, especially, your classmates; and think critically about everything that is discussed in class.
The free exchange of information is vital to the pursuit of learning.

Copyright

The instructor reserves the right to all lecture materials, handouts, and interpretations presented in class, and any said materials may not be reproduced in any form without the express, written consent of the instructor.