HIST 1301 Syllabus

David M. Lauderback, Ph.D.
Professor of History

Syllabus
US History I

http://www.austincc.edu/dlauderb


HIST 1301 082	MW 10:30 am - 11:50 am
SYN 42170	RGC1 1112

SPRING 2022

OFFICE HOURS

I will be holding

ELECTRONIC OFFICE HOURS

MW 9:00 am - 10:30 am
12:00 - 4:00 pm
TTH 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

We can visit over the phone at:

512.223.3397

You can contact me via e-mail at:

dlauderb@austincc.edu

or we can do Google Meet at:

dlauderb@austincc.edu

We can also meet by appointment. Just ask!

Office

SPRING 2022
I WILL BE HOLDING ONLY ELECTRONIC OFFICE HOURS

~~RGC TBA~~
~~Currently moving my office. Will post when I have a new location.~~
~~We can arrange to meet at RGC 3000~~

1218 West Avenue

Across the street from the Rio Grande Campus under construction.

~~Just let me know and we can set up a time.~~

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

This Semester, you can be use either the 5th or 6th edition of:

Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History Seagull, vol. I,
5th edition (New York: Norton, 2017).

Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History Seagull, vol. I,
6th edition (New York: Norton, 2019).

There a lots of low cost copies available online via Amazon and other sites. Plus, the ACC Bookstore has copies, for a price. And the publisher W.W. Norton has copies you can rent or buy or you can get an eBook from Norton if you prefer.

NOTE: Be sure you have access to a textbook; the ACC Book store will charge you over $70 for a hard copy or $45 for a rental. You can find the book elsewhere of course. Up to you!

Remember, you will need to read the chapters in Foner, Give Me Liberty to complete the quizzes and exams. So, be sure to rent or buy a copy of the textbook so you can complete the class.

So get your book soon.:)

NOTE: If you order your book on line and it arrives late, you are still responsible for all course deadlines on the Course Schedule, including quizzes and exams. So be sure to have your book on time for all quizzes and exams.

Each class meeting 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 Give Me Liberty! and the reading Reading Links and NOT merely repeat the same information.

Course Orientation

Each student MUST complete Online Orientation form via the course Blackboard page. Just click on the Orientation link on the course Blackboard page and follow the directions. Only takes a moment.

Each student MUST complete the Online Orientation form no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline listed in the Course Schedule.

WARNING!! Students who do NOT submit the Online Orientation form by the date listed in the Course Schedule will be Withdrawn from the course and may lose some or all of their financial aid.

New Federal Financial Aid reporting guidelines require the College to report students who "never attend" a course. ACC in turn requires faculty to report students who "never attended" by the Official Reporting Date. The Official Reporting Date happens very early in the semester. See the ACC Registration Calendar for the Official Reporting Dates. Please see the ACC Financial Aid office for questions about your financial aid and how the new policy might affect your financial aid status. So, make sure that you submit the Online Orientation form via course Blackboard page by the date listed in the Course Schedule.

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. To do well in the course, students must: come to class, participate in discussion, and take thorough notes.

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.

Attendance Certification

WARNING: New Federal Financial Aid reporting guidelines require the College to report students who “never attend” a course. ACC in turn requires faculty to report students who “never attended” by the Official Reporting Date. The Official Reporting Date happens very early in the semester.

Students who are marked “never attended” will be withdrawn from the course! Be sure to come to the first class or contact me via email to ensure that you do not get withdrawn.

Any student who does not complete the misses the first class OR who does not contact me via email by Jan. 28 will be WITHDRAWN.

See the ACC Registration Calendar for the Official Reporting Dates. Please see the ACC Financial Aid office for questions about your financial aid and how the new policy might affect your financial aid status. So, make sure that you come to class.:)

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.

Student Contacts

Each student is REQUIRED to contact the instructor twice during the semester via the course Blackboard page. Just click on the 1st and 2nd Contact links on the course Blackboard page and follow the directions. Only takes a moment.

The contacts must be done no later than 11:59 pm on the deadlines listed in the Course Schedule.

The contacts give students the opportunity to verify test scores, review any projects submitted for an A or B, and determine your course grade. This is as much a requirement of the course as any other grading requirement. You will not pass the course if you do not to complete the course Contacts by 11:59 pm on the deadlines listed in the Course Schedule.

Students who do not complete a course contact by deadline on the date listed in the Course Schedule will lose one (1) point from the overall course average. So, if your Total Average were 90.27% then you would lose one (1) point and the new course average would become 89.27%. If you complete both the 1st & 2nd Contact late then you will lose a total of two (2) points from the overall Total Average in the course.

If you have any questions at any time, do not hesitate to contact me. I am happy to discuss your progress in the course, go over the term projects, review your exams, and talk about test-taking strategies. And you can reach me via e-mail, by telephone, or in person during office hours.

Discussion -- 100 points

Combined, Discussion equals the value of one Unit Exam toward your final grade.

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. Students will be expected to review the Focus Questions for each chapter as well as some documents and images found in Course Materials in the course Blackboard page. You can find the Focus Questions at the top of each chapter in Give Me Liberty. Students will receive a discussion grade for each class meeting. The instructor will determine the merits of class participation.

Textbook Chapter Quizzes -- 100 points

Combined, the Quiz Average equals the value of one Unit Exam toward your final grade.

Students will take 15 quizzes, one for each chapter of Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, vol. 1. Each Chapter Quiz is available via Course Materials on the course Blackboard page. The Chapter Quizzes must be done no later than the beginning of class on the date the Chapter is due listed in the Course Schedule.

If the quiz is submitted after 10:30 am on the date the Chapter Quiz is due in the Course Schedule, it will be treated as a "late." The highest score you can receive on a late quiz is 18/25 (72%).

The deadline for all late quizzes is the deadline for Exam 4. If you do not complete any quiz by the deadline for the 4th Exam, you will receive a 0 for each missing quiz. No quizzes will be accepted after the deadline for Exam 4 listed in the Course Schedule.

Students may:

take the quizzes as soon as the semester begins. All of the exams are available via the course Blackboard page. So you can begin taking exams right away;
earn maximum points by taking a quiz by the deadline. You can earn up to 25/25 points if you complete the quiz by the deadline listed in the Course Schedule;
submit the quizzes after the deadline. If you submit a quiz after 10:30 am on the deadline dates listed on the Course Schedule, the quiz will count as a “late.” So if you start a quiz before the 10:30 am deadline and submit after the 10:30 am deadline, then the quiz will be considered late.
The highest score you can earn on a late quiz is 18/25 (72%).

And, you must complete all quizzes by the deadline for Exam 4. No quizzes will be accepted after the deadline for Exam 4 listed in the Course Schedule.

Each chapter has a twenty-five (25) question multiple-choice quiz that draws from the Focus Questions at the beginning of each chapter in Give Me Liberty! Students can find a wide range of links available on the course Blackboard page to help them prepare for the Textbook Chapter Quizzes.

Combined, the average on the Chapter Quizzes equals the value of one Unit Exam toward your final grade.

Exams -- 100 points Each

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 18/25 or 72%. Students may NOT use the retest to make up an exam.

~~Retests will be given at the Riverside 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~~. ACC Testing Centers are closed to lecture courses for retests.

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 Highland Testing Center. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY. For hours, see the ACC Testing Centers. Remember, you MUST have an ACC ID before you can take an exam at one of the ACC Testing Centers.

Research Project -- 100 points

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 value 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: Discussion, the 15 Chapter Quizzes, the four exams, and on a completed research paper

To earn a B:

You must average at least 80% on: Discussion, the 15 Chapter Quizzes, the four exams, and on a completed research paper

To earn a C:

You must average at least 70% on: Discussion, the 15 Chapter Quizzes, and the four exams

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: Discussion, the 15 Chapter Quizzes, and the four exams

Course Policies

Use of ACC email

Students are expected to use their ACC email for all course communication. Use your ACC email account ONLY to submit the parts of the term project -- Book Choice(s), Outline(s), and Final Draft(s). The College sends all official 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 via their ACCmail account. To set up an account, students can go to ACCmail for instructions.

Please see for the complete list of ACC College Policies for the official statement on Use of ACC email.

https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies

Academic Integrity and Scholastic Dishonesty

WARNING: Violations of academic integrity and scholastic dishonesty will NOT be tolerated. Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty and plagiarizing on academic 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. Some examples of scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

Copying or attempting to copy from others during an examination

Copying or attempting to copy from others during an assignment

Communicating examination information to, or receiving such information from, another person

Using, attempting to use, or assisting others in the use of materials that are prohibited during an examination, such as books, websites, prepared answers, written notes, or concealed information

Allowing others to do one's assignment or a portion of one's assignment

Purchasing or otherwise acquiring written work, with or without submitting it as your own.

Plagiarism, like other forms of scholastic dishonesty, will result in an F in the course. Plagiarism is defined as using another's work (whether printed, electronic, or spoken), without crediting the source. All of the following are considered plagiarism:

Turning in someone else's work as your own

Copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit

Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks

Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation

Changing words for copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit

Copying so many words or ideas from a source that makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not

Copying from a website without giving credit

"Giving credit" means citing the source of your information. If you use materials from a website, book, or other source, you must give credit to that author by citing the source in a note. Definitions above are copied and/or adapted from:

http://www.laspositascollege.edu/facultystaff/honesty.php and from
https://www.plagiarism.org/article/what-is-plagiarism

Any student guilty of scholastic dishonesty and violating academic integrity policy 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 and the Academic Integrity and Disciplinary Process for details on student rights and responsibilities regarding scholastic dishonesty.

Please see for the complete list of ACC College Policies for the official statement on Academic Integrity.

https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies

Building Regulations

ACC regulations prohibit smoking, nicotine vapor products and devices (such as electronic cigarettes) and smokeless tobacco products, drinking, and eating in classrooms.

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:

A grade of F on a transcript never looks good. Further, bringing your grade point average back up after receiving an F takes a very long time. To avoid that scenario, students who are in danger of earning less than a D will have the option to withdraw from the class.

Student 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.

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. 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.

Office Hours

I am always happy to visit about your status in the course, the term projects, preparation and test-taking strategies, and any other questions you have about the course. Just give me a call during my electronic office hours listed above and on my home page or we can set up a time.:)

Why? Problems generally are easier to solve BEFORE they happen. So, it is essential that students and the instructor make a concerted effort to maintain open lines of communication. In other words, talk to me. Let me know about any questions you have regarding the course, the material, and your performance. To that end, I have scheduled time to meet with students. See my office hours listed above and on my home page or we can set up a time. 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.:)

Recording Policy

To ensure compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student recording of class lectures or other activities is generally prohibited without the explicit written permission of the instructor and notification of other students enrolled in the class section. Exceptions are made for approved accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Recording of lectures and other class activities may be made by faculty to facilitate instruction, especially for classes taught remotely through Blackboard Collaborate or another platform. Participation in such activities implies consent for the student to be recorded during the instructional activity. Such recordings are intended for educational and academic purposes only.

Please see the complete list of ACC College Policies for the official statement on Recording Policy.

https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-poli

Student Evaluation

ACC Student Online Services provides a Web interface as an opportunity for you to evaluate the instructor(s) of your distance learning course. All Faculty Evaluation responses are kept confidential. Faculty members have no way to determine the source of any comments or responses to questions. Evaluation Reports are distributed to the faculty member after the final grades have been submitted. Instructions can be found at ACC Online Faculty Evaluation. To complete an evaluation you must be logged into the ACC Student Online Services system. Instructions for logging into the system are located here.

Student Privacy

In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and ACC policy, I will not give information concerning your grades, academic progress, or attendance to anyone other than you, including your parents, guardians, or highschool personnel. NOTE: ACC makes your “Directory Information” (name, address, phone number, birthdate, and other information), available to the public without your consent, unless you specifically request in writing that it NOT be publicly available.

For more information and for instructions to restrict public access to your information see: http://www.austincc.edu/ferpa

Please see for the complete list of ACC College Policies for the official statement on Privacy.

https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies

Student Responsibilities

The purpose of this course is to acquaint you with the history of America from 1492 to the end of Reconstruction. 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 are expected to follow all of the requirements the ACC Student Standards of Conduct so that their actions:

Reflect the highest level of honesty and integrity
Are civil, courteous, and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property, and the College
Support the smooth and unimpeded delivery of knowledge in the classroom, online, and in coursework
Encourage responsibility and prohibits the unlawful use of alcohol, illicit drugs, or other substances, and weapons
Promote mutual respect, equality, and safety of its members and oppose those asked to harass, intimidate, or haze its members

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

Copyright The instructor reserves the right to all course 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.

College Policies

Use of ACC email

Please see for the complete list of ACC College Policies for the official statement on Use of ACC email.