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Welcome to U.S. History 2 (HIST 1302) Section/Synonym 45845-021

COURSE SYLLABUS Spring 2012

THIS CLASS

Class meets Mondays & Wednesdays, 12 noon – 1:20 pm at Pinnacle Campus (PIN) Room 402. Students are expected to arrive on time. Use of electronic devices other than tape recorders and hearing aids is strictly prohibited.  Students using cell phones, I Pods, text messaging, etc. will be asked to leave the class and counted absent for the day. Use of computers is prohibited. Taking notes is required.

PLEASE NOTE: I do not post grades on Blackboard. I occasionally post announcements or send emails via Blackboard.

YOUR PROFESSOR

Office hours: Mondays & Weds 10:30 – 11:30 am & 1:30 – 3 pm & by appointment at Pinnacle Campus Room 815.

Email: tmthomas@austincc.edu

Phone/voicemail: (512) 223-8164

Urgent message: call History Dept Chair, Dr. Al Purcell, at 223-3398 or Division Office at (512) 223-8132.

FAX: (512) 223-8900 (make sure my name is on cover page as the recipient).

Website: www.austincc.edu/tmthomas

Mailing Address:

Dr. T. Thomas

ACC – History

7748 Hwy 290 West

Austin, TX 78736

The fastest way to contact me is by using email.

A NOTE ABOUT EMAIL

I reply to ALL emails, usually within 24 hours. If you send me an email, please type something in the "Subject" space, such as "History course". If you leave the Subject blank, I will automatically delete your email as spam ("junk" email).

I answer EVERY email. If you do NOT get a reply, please assume I never got your email and - either email me again - or CALL me. You can leave a voice message at 223-8164. For URGENT messages, call the History Division Office at 223-8132 OR History Dept Chair, Dr. Purcell at 223-3398.

THIS COURSE

COURSE OBJECTIVE & RATIONALE: This course will acquaint you with the basic processes of United States History from 1877 to the present, using a textbook, classroom instruction, historical documents, and multimedia techniques. Although the coverage of the material is comprehensive, there will be an emphasis on social and cultural history. It is essentially a lecture course, but will incorporate frequent class discussions. This course emphasizes analytical reading and analytical thinking skills and historical research methods. This course fulfills the Texas Legislative requirement for one semester of U.S. History.

PREREQUISITES: In order to achieve success in this course, you must:

v have a desire to learn

v have a desire to achieve

v read and understand English at the college-level

v have a college-level reading comprehension and vocabulary. If you cannot yet read at this level, I recommend you first take developmental reading courses to improve your reading skills, THEN come back and take this course

v have an understanding of basic geography concepts (e.g., hemispheres, longitude, latitude, & difference between continents, countries, & cities)

v have a basic knowledge of world geography

v have a knowledge of basic political science concepts (e.g., legislative, executive, judicial, monarchy, imperialism, impeachment, nationalism, suffrage, veto)

COURSE ORGANIZATION: This course is divided into four units, with each unit covering 3-4 textbook chapters. For each unit, there are study questions. The study questions are distributed by Dr. Thomas on the first day of class and are also available to download from Dr. Thomas' website. At the end of each unit, an examination will be administered in class. The exam questions will be taken from class lecture, the study questions, and the textbook.

TEXTBOOK

REQUIRED: James Roark et al, The American Promise, Volume 2, Fourth edition. It is your responsibility to locate and purchase a copy of the textbook.

There are FOUR VERSIONS of the textbook. You may choose to purchase ANY one of these four:

ISBN # 0-312-45293-4

Full color paperback for about $90 new (used versions for less $ are also available)

Available at ACC bookstores

Full color paperback. Available at ACC bookstores and other Austin and online booksellers. Also available directly from the publisher at http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/?isbn=9780312452933 (Click on “Buy this book”) When purchased NEW, it is the most expensive version (about $90). It includes full color maps and pictures. You should be able to locate a USED copy for less money, at ACC Bookstores or elsewhere.

ISBN # 0-312-48947-1

Black and white paperback for about $35 new. It is called the “value edition”.

NOT available at ACC bookstores

Paperback, with black and white photos. SAME TEXT as the full-color version above. Available at various bookstores, including online. Also available directly from the publisher for about $34.95.

This is a less expensive version, since the photos are black and white.

ISBN # 0-312-62092-6                        “Loose-leaf” edition for about $48.

Note: the Bookstore will NOT buy back this version

NOT available at ACC bookstores

Full color version in loose-leaf format so you can bring to class only the pages you need for that day. Available at various online retailers. Also available directly from the publisher for about $48 at http://bfwpub.com/newcatalog.aspx?search=roark&isbn=0312452918 (Click on “Buy this book”) NOT available at ACC bookstores. This is less expensive than the Full Color paperback (above) because bookstores will NOT BUY BACK this book at the end of the semester. You might, however, be able to sell it on your own to another student.

Electronic book (E-book) – same as the paper copy of the textbook, but accessible ONLY online for about $45.

NOT available at ACC bookstores

ELECTRONIC book, available ONLINE from the publisher at http://ebooks.bfwpub.com/tap4v2.php

$44.95 for a one year subscription (one year access from date of purchase). Comes with a companion book of primary source documents that is NOT required for this course, but may be of interest to you. The companion e-book is entitled Reading the American Past.

OPTIONAL: John Trimble, Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing. ISBN # 013025713. This small, inexpensive book is especially helpful for those who plan to write a research paper. You are not required to purchase this reference book.

ATTENDANCE

The most successful students in this course are those who attend class. You are expected to attend class and to arrive on time. Chronic tardiness will result in the student being withdrawn from the course.

PROCEDURES FOR WITHDRAWING FROM THE COURSE

If you find that you are unable to meet course requirements, you should withdraw from the course to avoid any possibility of being assigned a failing grade. Withdrawal is accomplished by completing a withdrawal form available at the Admissions and Records on any ACC Campus (first floor at PIN Campus). It is your responsibility to obtain and complete the withdrawal form. The deadline for withdrawing is April 23^rd. You can withdraw ON April 23rd.

Students who disrupt the class will be withdrawn from the class. Disruptive behavior includes chronic tardiness.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

ACC is committed to providing students with disabilities an equal opportunity to access benefits, rights, and privileges of college services, programs, and activities in compliance with state and federal law. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through ACC's Office of Students with Disabilities. Students are encouraged to do this before the semester begins. Please let me know as soon as possible how I can accommodate your special needs in this class.

OSD offices are located on each of the ACC campuses. AT Pinnacle Campus, the OSD office is located in room 221.

YOUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY

In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, I will not give information concerning your grades, academic progress, attendance, address, phone, or email address to anyone (including your parents) unless you give your written permission. In addition, I will not give grade information over the phone or by email.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

The free exchange of ideas is vital to learning. Your comments and ideas, if expressed respectfully, will be met with respect from your colleagues and your professor. You are encouraged to ask questions and to contribute to class discussions.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKING THIS COURSE

This is a college course and all students enrolled in this course will be treated as college students. If you are taking this course, you are considered a college student. Unless there is an emergency, I will not speak to, nor will I correspond with your parents. If there are any absences, problems or issues, you need to speak with me or correspond with me yourself.

All sections of this syllabus and orientation pertain equally to all students in this course, regardless of age or educational status. Regardless of their age, high school students who are enrolled in a college course are protected by Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, In compliance with this Act, I will not discuss your grades or your academic progress with your parent(s).

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY

WARNING: Any type of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any act of plagiarism and/or other type of academic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade of "F" for the course .

Academic dishonesty – cheating - is defined as fraud, deceit, or dishonesty in an academic assignment. It includes:

v Copying or attempting to copy from others during an examination or for an assignment;

v Communicating examination information to, or receiving such information from, another person during an examination;

v Violating ACC Testing Center policies;

v Using, attempting to use, or assisting others in using materials that are prohibited during examination in question, such as: books, Web sites, prepared answers, written notes, or concealed information;

v Allowing others to do one's assignment or a portion of one's assignment or using a commercial term paper service

v Purchasing or otherwise acquiring written work that is not your own

Plagiarism is defined as using another's work (whether printed, electronic, or spoken) without crediting him or her. All of the following are considered plagiarism:

v turning in someone else's work as your own;

v copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit;

v failing to put a quotation in quotation marks;

v giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation;

v changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;

v copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules)

- above definitions copied &/or adapted from http://www.laspositascollege.edu/facultystaff/honesty.php and

from http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html)

Any act of plagiarism or other type of academic dishonesty will result in you receiving the grade of "F" for the course.

EXAMS

There are four unit exams, each consisting of 30 multiple choice questions (no essay questions). You must take all four exams in order to receive credit for this course.

Test questions are taken from class lecture, the textbook and the Study Guide (Study Guide is distributed in class and available on Dr. Thomas’ website).

Exams are graded on a numbered scale with 100% being the highest grade, and anything below 60% considered a failing grade. Failure to take an exam results in a zero for that exam.

MAKE-UP EXAM: You MUST notify Dr. Thomas as soon as you know you will miss an exam. Do not wait. Make-up exams are given ONLY for DOCUMENTED medical reasons. It is your responsibility to arrange a make-up exam with Dr. Thomas.

SHORT RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS

On a regular basis, Dr. Thomas will assign short research assignments. It is YOUR responsibility to get a copy of the assignment and it is YOUR responsibility to submit these assignments by the due date. Assignments submitted after the due date will receive no credit.

All assignments must be typed and of a professional quality. If you don’t own a computer, there are computers and printers available for your use in any ACC Library (PIN Library is on the 9^th floor).

At the end of the semester, research assignments will be averaged and this average will count as one test grade.

YOUR GRADE AND HOW YOU EARN IT

The quality and quantity of the work YOU do determines YOUR final grade. There are no “extra credit” opportunities in this course.

For the grade of "A" you must have an overall exam/research assignment average of 85% or above AND submit an acceptable Book Analysis. IMPORTANT: You must complete an acceptable Book Analysis in order to be eligible for an A in this course.

For the grade of "B" you must have an overall exam/ research assignment average of 80% or above.

For the grade of "C" you will have an overall exam/ research assignment average of 70% - 79%.

For the grade of "D" you will have an overall exam/ research assignment average of 60% - 69%.

For the grade of "F" you will have an overall exam/ research assignment average below 60%.

For the grade of "I" (Incomplete), you must have a medical excuse certified by a physician, sent to Dr. Thomas no later than May 7th, AND you must have completed and passed at least 3 exams.

IMPORTANT: If your "Incomplete" is not completed by July 10, 2012 semester, your "I” grade will automatically become an "F" on your transcript. It is your responsibility to complete the course in time to avoid the "F".

BOOK ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT - DUE April 23rd

Do this assignment ONLY if:

v you hope to earn an "A" for the course AND

v you have an overall exam/short research assignment average of 85% or above

ASSIGNMENT:

Read a book from the approved list and then answer a number of questions about the book. The questions you must answer are provided below.

Your finished product will be a series of typewritten questions and answers. Your assignment will probably be about 7 to 10 pages in length. Dr. Thomas will bring sample assignments to class so that you can see what other students have done.

LIST OF APPROVED BOOKS

FORMAT: Your Book Analysis must:

v be typed and double-spaced

v be in Question/Answer format (that is, make sure you type EACH question, then your answer immediately following)

v include ALL questions and answers from Book Analysis Questions below

v if you quote from your book, you must put quotation marks around the quote and put the page number in parentheses after the quote.

GRADING:

The Book Analysis will be graded "ACCEPTABLE" or "NOT ACCEPTABLE". Only "ACCEPTABLE" writing assignments will be counted towards the grade of "A". You will be graded on:

v the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your answers; and

v on your ability to follow directions. Please contact Dr. Thomas if you have any questions concerning the assignment.

You may turn in a draft of your paper by April 19th. If there are any problems with it, I will give it back to you to correct.

DUE DATE: April 23rd

I recommend you COPY and PASTE the questions below into a Word document – then type your answers just below each question.

BOOK ANALYSIS QUESTIONS

Read the questions carefully then give complete answers to each of the following. Briefly TYPE the QUESTION, then your answer.

1. General Information – give the following information:

v the full book title (NOTE that book titles are italicized or underlined)

Examples:

Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution

Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution

v author

v publisher & year first published

v in general, what is the book about (3 - 5 sentences giving basic information such as who, what, when, where)?

2. PREFACE

What does the author say in the “Preface” (in a few sentences, summarize the Preface)? If the book has no “Preface”, then use the "Introduction". If the book has neither, then just say “the book has no Preface and no Introduction”.

3. THESIS

In the Introduction or the first chapter, the author usually says what he/she will be trying to prove in the book; that is, what the book will prove to the reader about a particular topic.

List and Discuss each of the points that the author will try to prove in the book (major and minor points. These are usually stated either in the Introduction or in the first chapter; but sometimes they are discussed throughout the book).

Your answer may begin with "In this book, the author hopes to prove that......." and then discuss the several points that the author hopes to prove about the subject of the book.

4. INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS ANALYSIS – in depth analysis for ANY 3 chapters in the book

Give the following information for any THREE chapters from the book:

v Chapter NUMBER and TITLE.

Type chapter titles in quotation marks.

Example:

Chapter 1: "Franklin's Early Years"

v Chapter SUMMARY

In one short paragraph, summarize the chapter (a good summary gives the reader basic information, such as WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY. Think of how you would summarize the plot of a movie to a friend who has not seen the movie )

v Chapter THESIS

In a couple of sentences, explain the main idea that the author was trying to get across in this chapter. That is, what does the author hope to PROVE in this chapter. (Hint: Look at the chapter title. It often is related to the main idea of the chapter)

Your answer may begin "In this chapter, the author hopes to prove that......"

Example: "In this chapter, the author asserts that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves (with the Emancipation Proclamation) because of political, not humanitarian, reasons."

v Chapter ARGUMENT. In a couple of sentences, restate the argument that the author used to prove the main idea (what did the author argue, in order to convince you that his/her main idea was correct)

Example: “The author states that Lincoln freed the slaves because he needed his party’s support for his upcoming re-election campaign and

because he wanted the support of the English government. Freeing the slaves accomplished both of those political goals.”

v Chapter CONCLUSION. I a few sentences, discuss the conclusions at which the author arrives at the end of the chapter. (Hint: the conclusions usually are related to the Main Points.) I don't want to know what HAPPENED; I want to know what the author CONCLUDES ABOUT what happened.

Example: "The author concludes that the accusations of witchcraft in Salem in 1692 were motivated by political and economic disputes between the two prominent families of Salem."

v Chapter SOURCES/EVIDENCE. Look in the chapter’s footnotes (sometimes these are listed on the bottom of each page; sometimes they are listed at the back of the book). If there are no footnotes, look in the Bibliography or “works Cited” section at the back of the book.

ü cite one primary source footnote from this chapter (a Primary Source is something written by someone at that time in history; such as a diary, a letter, a piece of legislation, a tax record; a deed; a business ledger; newspapers) Cite the source.

For example, your citation might look like this:

"Custer Defeated at Little Big Horn," The New York Times, April 14, 1876.

or, like this:

Jennifer Jones, ed., Diary of Anne Frank, 4^th edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1977).

ü cite one secondary source footnote from this chapter (a secondary source is one written by someone at a later date; usually a book or article by a historian about that historical event) Cite the secondary source; that is, make it look like a footnote (i.e., author, title, publisher, place and date of publication).

Your citation should look something like this:

Michael Smith, Witchcraft in the Later Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980).

Julia Juarez, "Mayan Hieroglyphs Decoded," Journal of Latin American History (June 1994), pp. 366-396.

ü What TYPE of source or what type of evidence would have made the author's argument/main idea more convincing? (Don't say "the argument was convincing enough".)

On a book about slave life, an example might be "If the author used letters or diaries written by slaves, his argument about the hardships of slave life would have been stronger."

Remember to answer the above questions for any THREE chapters in your book.

Now that you have completed answering questions for three individual chapters, please answer the following questions regarding the book, as a whole:

5. Overall Conclusions

List and discuss at least 3 conclusions at which the author arrives. These are usually found in the concluding chapter, and are usually related to the points the author sought to prove throughout the book.

Example: “The author concludes that the witchcraft hysteria in Salem in 1692 resulted from a conflict between two prominent families.”

Give 3 conclusions for your book.

6. Sources – to answer these questions, look at the author’s footnotes and/or Bibliography.

v PERIODICALS.

List 5 periodicals that the author cites in his/her Bibliography or in the Footnotes. (Periodicals are newspapers, magazines, & professional journals). Just list the periodical by name - you do not have to cite the entire article. How do you know which items are periodicals? Hint: Periodical titles are italicized, so look in the footnotes and bibliography for items that are italicized and find the items that are newspaper titles or professional journal titles.*

Here are some examples (note that the titles are italicized):

Journal of Early American History

American Historical Review

Latin American Research Review

William & Mary Quarterly

The New York Times

Austin American-Statesman

Ladies' Home Journal

Psychology Today

* Remember that book titles are also italicized - so learn to distinguish between books and periodicals. Periodicals will usually have a volume number or date, but not a publisher's name. Books will have a publisher, publication place and publication date.

v PRIMARY SOURCES. List three types of primary sources the author uses (e.g., letters, diaries, journals, interviews, legislation).

v BENEFITS OF PRIMARY SOURCES. In a sentence or two, tell why, if you were writing a history book about some subject in the past, WHY would it benefit from using PRIMARY sources (letters, diaries, etc. from that time period)?

v PROBLEMS OF PRIMARY SOURCES. In a sentence, tell, if you were writing a history book, what might be a problem in using primary sources?

v BOOKS ON SAME SUBJECT. List 3 books that deal with the same subject matter as your book. Give author, title, place of publication, publisher, and date of publication - just as this information would appear in a footnote.

Hint: use the "subject search" feature of the library's computerized card catalog to find these books. Consult with a librarian if you need help.

v ARTICLES ON SAME SUBJECT. List 3 articles (from scholarly publications or newspapers) that deal with the same subject matter as your book. Give author, title of article, publication in which article appears, date of publication, and page numbers - just as this information would appear in a footnote.

Hint: do a subject search in an on-line "periodicals index" to find articles. On ACC's library webpage, there is a link to various periodicals indexes. Choose "social and behavioral sciences" category and then do a subject search. For example, if your book was about the Salem witch, you'd do a subject search on "Salem witch trials". Your search should return periodical articles on the Salem witch trials. Get assistance from a reference librarian if needed.

7. YOUR IMPRESSIONS and OPINIONS – answer these questions thoughtfully and thoroughly:

v what did you like best about the book? what did you like least about the book?

v did you feel that the author was biased in presenting the subject matter? How so?

v List 3 facts that you learned from the book. (List 3 FACTS, not "impressions" or interpretations.)

An example of a FACT is:

"George Washington was the only president unanimously elected".

An example of an IMPRESSION (or INTERPRETATION) is:

"George Washington was the best military commander of all time."

List 3 FACTS.

v how does our textbook’s treatment of the topic compare with the author’s treatment of the topic (list and discuss at least 3 similarities and 3 differences)? Discuss content, not form or format.

DON'T say: "The book gave a more in-depth view of Franklin's life, while the textbook was more general." That is a statement of form, not content.

DO say: "My book discussed Franklin's diplomatic efforts in France, while the textbook did not mention his work in France." This compares content.

v would you recommend the book to someone else? Why or why not?

v if you could write a book on some historical topic, what topic would you choose, and why?

OK, Congratulations - You are DONE with the Book Analysis!!

HINTS, TIPS & ADVICE

These have worked for other students:

TEST-TAKING: Read each question very carefully and completely; know what the question is asking. Read each response. Eliminate responses that you know are wrong. When you have completed the exam, go over it again and verify your answers. Answer the questions you know first, then go back and answer the rest.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: Proofread all your typed assignments for typos, misspellings, incorrect grammar, etc. These types of errors seriously detract from the quality of your writing assignment. Read the assignment instructions before you begin the assignment. If you plan to take more college courses in the future, you may wish to purchase an excellent, short guide to writing by John Trimble, Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing.

TIME MANAGEMENT: Keep a calendar and note all your due dates and test dates. Check the calendar every day.

STUDY GROUPS: When possible, get together with 2 - 3 other students and form a study group. Work together to complete the Study Questions, compare answers, quiz each other. Study groups are a proven, effective means of attaining success in a course.

SPECIAL NEEDS: Please inform Dr. Thomas in advance if you require a special testing consideration or any in-class accommodation. For example, a large-print exam and large-print class materials will be provided for you if you have a sight impairment.

YOUR PROFESSOR: Do not hesitate to consult with Dr. Thomas if you have any questions, doubts or uncertainties. Call, email, or stop by during office hours or make an appointment. Seek help early in the semester; don’t wait until the end of the semester to ask for help.

SEMESTER SCHEDULE – SPRING 2012

(subject to change at Dr. Thomas’ discretion; changes will be announced in class and posted on the website.)

Jan 18 Introduction/Syllabus

Jan 23 The Contested West Chapter 17

Jan 25 - 30 Business & Politics in the Gilded Age Chapter 18

Feb 1 - 6 The City & Its Workers Chapter 19

Feb 8 - 13 Dissent, Depression, & War Chapter 20

Feb 15 UNIT 1 EXAM CHAPTERS 17 - 20

Feb 20 - 22 Progressivism Chapter 21

Feb 27 - 29 World War I Chapter 22

Mar 5 - 7 From the New Era to Great Depression Chapter 23

Mar 12 - 14 SPRING BREAK COLLEGE CLOSED