Master Syllabus U.S. History 1301 1492 - 1877

The purpose of the History Department is threefold. First we provide excellent instruction in the discipline of history. Second, we provide each student with six semester hours of U.S. History instruction to meet the requirements of the Texas Education Code (51.303). Third, we provide history majors with fifteen semester hours of history instruction to prepare them to successfully pursue a bachelor's or higher degree in history at a four-year college or university.

Course Description: Study of the history of the United States to 1877.

SCANS competencies: None required, but students will need good reading, writing and study skills to succeed in this course.  Students will be expected to read about 450 pages of textbook, and, depending on the individual instructor, may be obliged to read an outside book and/or do a research paper.  Students will have to write essays, book reports, and/or research papers and will be expected to observe decent English grammar and spelling rules.  Although students will be told when tests will take place and be given detailed learning objectives to facilitate study, students will be expected to study information in detail to prepare for the tests.

Instructional Methodology: Depends on which instructor and format the student is taking.

Course Rationale: The Texas legislature requires students to take 6 hours of American history to graduate from an institution of higher learning in Texas.  This course helps fulfill that requirement.  Students taking History 1301 can expect to improve their reading and writing competencies, critical thinking skills, research skills, etc., all of which help students better succeed in life outside academia.

General Education Competencies: upon completion of the general education component of an associate’s degree, students will demonstrate competence in:
1. Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information (Critical Thinking)
2. Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society (Civic Awareness)
3. Comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas,. Aesthetic traditions and cultural practices (Cultural Awareness)

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes: upon completion of the A.A. degree in History students will be able to:

1. Use critical thinking in the analysis of historical facts
2. Demonstrate civic awareness in the appraisal of historical contexts
3. Demonstrate cultural awareness in the assessment of historical situations

Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes: upon completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Use critical thinking in the analysis of historical facts
2. Demonstrate civic awareness in the appraisal of historical contexts
3. Demonstrate cultural awareness in the assessment of historical situations

Common Course Objectives: After completing History 1301 the student should be able to:

1. Describe the European background of New World colonization and identify motives of those who migrated to the western hemisphere.

2. Explain the diversity of English speaking colonies of North America.

3. Describe the societies that evolved in the English colonies of North America, together with the development of unfree labor systems.

4. Explain the economic and political relationships between the English colonies and the Mother Country.

5. Describe the economic, religious and political developments in eighteenth century Colonial America.

6. Identify the wars fought by English colonists in North America and evaluate the impact of those wars, particularly the French and Indian War.

7. Trace the growing alienation of the colonies from Great Britain, which ended with the decision to declare independence.

8. Describe the course of the American Revolution to the winning of Independence, including the significant campaigns and the diplomatic maneuvers that helped gain victory.

9. Explain the impact of the American Revolution on American society and politics and the problems that arose after independence.

10. Describe the restructuring of the Republic at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the fight for the ratification of the Constitution.

11. Trace the rise and development of political parties during the 1790s, including the contributing domestic and foreign policy differences and the attempted suppression of the Republicans by the High Federalists.

12. Describe the key events and developments of the Jefferson and Madison administrations, including the attempts to avoid war with Britain, together with the outcomes of the War of 1812.

13. Describe the territorial expansion and economic developments after the War of 1812.

14. Trace the social, economic and political developments of the Jacksonian Era which democratized the United States and transformed the party system.

15. Identify the religious developments and reform movements of the Antebellum Era.

16. Describe the territorial and internal expansion of the United States during the 1830s and 1840s, including the war with Mexico.

17. Trace the expansion of slavery in the early nineteenth century and explain the effects of that expansion.

18. Describe the African American experience under slavery.

19. Explain the events from the Compromise of 1850 to the election of 1860 that led to the disruption of the union.

20. Trace the course of the Civil War from secession to Appomattox, paying particular attention to the social, economic and political effects of the conflict.

21. Describe the reconstruction of the South and explain its failure.

22. Identify the major problems of the Grant administration and evaluate his handling of those problems.

Grading System: Depends on the individual instructor

Course Policies:  Policies on attendance, withdrawals, incompletes, student discipline, and academic freedom vary by instructor.   However, the entire department adheres to the following statements on scholastic dishonesty and students with disabilities.

Attendance/Class Participation:
Regular and punctual class and laboratory attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.

Withdrawal Policy:
It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should s/he decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should s/he feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw s/he should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. Students are also strongly encouraged to retain a copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

College & State Withdrawal Policies:
Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall 2002, may be charged a higher tuition rate for that course.

State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities without penalty.  With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count toward this limit.  Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Incompletes:

An instructor may award a grade of "I" (Incomplete) if a student is unable to complete all the requirements for the course. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.

Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty:

A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an "F" in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow

Student Rights and Responsibilities:
Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Statement on Students with Disabilities:
Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.
Students who have received approval for accommodations from OSD for this course must provide the instructor with the "Notice of Approved Accommodations" from OSD before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the "Notice of Approved Accommodations" from the student.
Additional information about OSD is available at http://www.austincc.edu/support/osd

Safety Statement:

Austin Community College is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Students are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and to agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on these can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/ehs. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency/.

Use of ACC email:
All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account.  Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account.  Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff.  Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/index.php.

Please note that students are expected to conduct themselves professionally, with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be dismissed from the day's class activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.
 

Testing Center Policy:

Under certain circumstances, an instructor may have students take an examination in a testing center.  Students using the Academic Testing Center must govern themselves according to the Student Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before going to take the exam.  To request an exam, one must have:

• ACC Photo ID
• Course Abbreviation (e.g., ENGL)
• Course Number (e.g.,1301)
• Course Synonym (e.g., 10123)
• Course Section (e.g., 005)
• Instructor's Name

Do NOT bring cell phones to the Testing Center.  Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester.  ACC Testing Center policies can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/

Student and Instructional Services
ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services.  Information on these services and support systems is available at:   http://www.austincc.edu/s4/
Links to many student services and other information can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/current/
ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC students currently enrolled in the course to be tutored.  The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may be found at:  http://www.autincc.edu/tutor/students/tutoring.php
For help setting up your ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, see a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab.