HISTORY 1302-060 (#71056)
HISTORY 1302-045 (#73708)


(in-class section)

Syllabus
Dr. Allan Purcell



COURSE OBJECTIVE:This course will acquaint the student with the basic facts of United States History from 1877 to present using a textbook, classroom exposition, outside readings, computer-assisted instruction, and audio-visual techniques. Although the coverage of the material is comprehensive, there will be an emphasis on political, constitutional, military, and economic history.
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a study of the history of the United States since 1877.
 

COURSE METHODLOGY: This is primarily a lecture course with opportunity for student discussion.
 

COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES:http//:www.austincc.edu/history
 

TEXTBOOK (Recommended, not required):Robert Divine et al. America Past & Present,Volume II (Ninth or Tenth Edition).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. The material in America Past & Present is to be read and studied according to the attached schedule.
2. Punctual and regular attendance is required.  Any student accumulating three (3) or more UNEXCUSED absences MAY be dropped from this course.  This is at the discretion of the instructor.
3. The quality and quantity of the work done by the student determines his/her final grade:
  For the grade of "A", the student must complete all four unit exams with an overall average of 90 or above AND write two analytical book reviews (at least one of which must be graded "EXCELLENT" and the other at least "ACCEPTABLE") AND pass the course map test.
 For the grade of "B", the student must complete all four unit exams with an overall average of 80 or above AND write one analytical book review (which must be graded at least "ACCEPTABLE") AND pass the course map test.
 For the grade of "C", the student must complete all four unit exams with an overall average of 70 or above AND pass the course map test.
 For the grade of "F", the student who fails to take all four unit exams or who fails to maintain an overall average of 70 on these four unit exams or who fails the course map test or who commits any act of scholastic dishonesty will earn the grade of "F".
 For the grade of "I", the student must have a medical excuse certified by a physician. There are NO exceptions to this policy.  Any "Incompletes" must be completed in the first four weeks of the following semester.

UNIT EXAMS: ONE of the four unit exams may be taken twice.  The first time will be in class on the day mentioned in the attached semester schedule.  If the student wishes to retest, they may take the exam one more time in the Testing Center.  However, there are two restrictions on the retest: first,  the HIGHEST GRADE POSSIBLE ON THE RETEST IS 70 and second, THIS RETEST MUST BE TAKEN THE FRIDAY OF THE WEEK THE UNIT EXAM IS GIVEN IN CLASS. The higher of the two grades will be the one recorded for the student for that unit exam.  (If a student misses the unit exam in class for good cause- as determined by the instructor- they may then take the unit exam in the Testing Center for the first time with no restrictions on the grade.) CAUTION: STUDENTS TAKING OR RETAKING UNIT EXAMS IN THE TESTING CENTER SHOULD RETAIN THE TESTING CENTER "FEEDBACK" SHEET AND PRESENT IT TO THE INSTRUCTOR AT THE NEXT CLASS MEETING.

   The unit exams consist of multiple-choice questions covering the textbook material and classroom exposition as highlighted by the learning objectives issued for each chapter.

AL'S SPECIAL DISPENSATION: If I have scheduled one of my unit exams on the same day you are scheduled to take an exam in another course, you may take my exam the Friday of that week in the Testing Center, PROVIDED THAT YOU TELL ME BEFORE THE TEST DAY.

MAP TEST: Because United States history is shaped and influenced by the geography of the continent, it is imperative that the student knows the basic facts of United States geography.  Therefore the student will be required to pass a geography map test.  This test will require the student to locate on an outline map of the United States twenty of the features named on the attached list.  A passing score is 80%. The test will be taken in class with Unit Exam #1 on an outline map provided in class.  This map test must be passed by the mid-semester point.

COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION: This is entirely voluntary.  All of the learning objectives for this course are on the course website:

http://www.austincc.edu/purcell

Further instructions on the use of this material as one means of learning course material will be provided during an in-class demonstration period at the beginning of each semester.  I wish to make two important points concerning computer-assisted instruction: first, this is completely voluntary- the student is NOT required to use computer-assisted instruction,   and second, computer-assisted instruction supplements but DOES NOT REPLACE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION.  Even if students use computer-assisted instruction, they must still attend class.


ANALYTICAL BOOK REVIEWS:
Rationale: This analytical book review will critically examine an important scholarly book covering some aspect of United States History since 1877.
The purpose of this review is twofold: first, to acquaint the student with a classic volume of historical scholarship and second, to allow the student to think critically about an important facet of American history and then to organize your thoughts in clear, cogent prose.  You should not view this simply as a hurdle which you must overcome in order to earn a grade of "A" or "B" in this course, but rather approach it as an opportunity to expand your creativity in thinking and writing, two very important aspects of any individual's necessary life skills.  Therefore, be advised that I consider this a VERY important aspect of this course and your reviews will be read and graded VERY carefully.
Form: Each book review will be approximately 1000 words long, although this is a general guideline and not an absolute requirement.  The main objective of this analytical book review should be to comprehensively cover the three sections of the following book review outline:
 Part I: This is a brief outline of the contents of the book.  In the space of one or two paragraphs you should be able to convey the parameters of the book's contents.  DO NOT simply reproduce the book's table of contents.
 Part II: Here is the place for a careful summary of the author's thesis.   The thesis is the primary idea the author is trying to prove and convince the reader to accept.  You must first identify the thesis and then show how the author either substantiates or fails to substantiate this thesis.  This will undoubtedly take you a page or two to do a good job.
 Part III: This is the most important part of your book review.  Here is where you describe your reaction to the book.  Some of the questions you must answer include: Do you agree or disagree with the book's conclusions?  Why?  Did the book support or contradict what you read in your textbook on the same subject? (You MUST quote some of the relevant passages from both books.)  Did you detect any biases on the part of the author?  What was the author's background and why did he or she write the book?  How in your opinion could the book have been improved?  You must be specific and keep in mind there are NO perfect books.  Did you enjoy reading the book? Why or why not?  Would you recommend it to others?

Grading: The book reviews will be graded "EXCELLENT", "ACCEPTED", or "NOT ACCEPTED". The second book review, required only of those seeking the grade of "A", must be graded "EXCELLENT".   The first book review, required of those seeking the grades of "A" and "B", must be "ACCEPTED".  Any "NOT ACCEPTED" book reviews will be returned to be rewritten.



Due Dates: The first analytical book review is due at mid-semester.  This is required for those seeking a "A" or "B" in the course. The second analytical book review is due one week before the end of the semester. This is required only of those seeking a "A" in the course.
 

Books: The following books may be read for the analytical book review.  If you wish to substitute another book for one of these, YOU MUST RECEIVE THE INSTRUCTOR'S PRIOR APPROVAL.  All of the following books are found on the shelves of the RGC Library.  They are listed in the order they are cataloged on the shelves.

C. Vann Woodward. Reunion and Reaction
Lawrence Goodwyn. The Populist Movement
Matthew Josephson. The Politicos
Homer Socolofsky and Allen Spetter. The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison
Ben Maddow. A Sunday Between Wars
Sam Acheson. Joe Bailey
Ben Proctor. Not Without Honor
G.J.A. O'Toole. The Spanish War
Graham Cosmas. An Army For Empire
John Offner. An Unwanted War
Frederick Allen. Since Yesterday
David Shannon. Between the Wars
William Leuchtenberg. In the Shadow of FDR
John G. Adams. Without Precedent
Walter Goodman. The Committee
John Gaddis. Strategies of Containment
Seymour Brown. The Faces of Power
Arnold Offner. The Origins of the Second World War
William Manchester. American Caesar
Forrest Pogue. George C. Marshall
E.B. Potter. Bull Halsey
Barry Goldwater. Goldwater
Thomas Kesssner. Fiorello La Guardia
Edward & Frederick Schapsmeier. Dirksen of Illinois
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. Times to Remember
David Oshinsky. A Conspiracy So Immense
Anthony Champagne. Congressman Sam Rayburn
John Martin. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois
Dewey Grantham. Hoke Smith & the Politics of the New South
Howard Beale. Theodore Roosevelt
Edmund Morris. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
Paolo Coletta. The Presidency of William Howard Taft
Elliot Asinoff. 1919
Arthur Link. Woodrow Wilson & the Progressive Era
Robert Murray. The Harding Era
Harris Warren. Hoover & the Great Depression
David Burner. Herbert Hoover
Robert Divine. The Illusion of Neutrality
Robert Herzstein. Roosevelt and Hitler
Joseph Lash. Dealers and Dreamers
Robert McElvaine. The Great Depression
Geoffrey Perrett. Days of Sadness, Years of Triumph
James Burns. Roosevelt, The Lion and the Fox
Eleanor Roosevelt. The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
Eric Goldman. The Crucial Decade and After
William O'Neill. American High
Stephen Oates. Let the Trumpet Sound
Robert Divine. The Sputnik Challenge
Dwight Eisenhower. At Ease
Stephen Ambrose. The Supreme Commander
_____________.  Eisenhower: the President
David Halberstram. The Best & the Brightest
William OíNeill. Coming Apart
Allen Matusow. The Unraveling of America
H. Norman Schwarzkopf. It Doesnít Take A Hero
Joan & Clay Blair. The Search of JFK
Henry Hurt. Reasonable Doubt
John Barry. The Ambition and the Power
Gary Wills. The Kennedy Imprisonment
Paul Conkin. Big Daddy from the Pedernales
Doris Kearns. Lyndon Johnson & the American Dream
Theodore White. The Making of the President 1964
Lewis Gould. Lady Bird Johnson and the Environment
Fawn Brodie. Richard Nixon
Stephen Ambrose. Nixon
Robert Litwak. Detente and the Nixon Doctrine
Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein. The Final Days
Jimmy Carter. Keeping Faith
Lou Cannon. Reagan
Ronnie Dugger. On Reagan

CLASS SCHDEULE FOR FALL 2019 SEMESTER
Date Classroom Activity TextbookPages
Aug 26 Introduction  
Aug 28 Redemption 471-478
Sep 2 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY  
Sep 4 New South  
Sep 9 Native Americans in the West 481-507
Sep 11 Mining and Cattle Raising  
Sep 16 Railroads 511-537
Sep 18 Rockefeller & Casrnegie  
Sep 23 Gilded Age Politics I 573-598
Sep 25 Gilded Age Politics II  
Sep 30 UNIT EXAM #1 and MAP TEST  
Oct 2 American Expansionism 601-624
Oct 7 Spanish American War  
Oct 9 Progressivism 627-651
Oct 14 Theodore Roosevelt 655-683
Oct 16 New Freedom  
Oct 21 Wrold War I 689-716
Oct 23 UNIT EXAM #2  
Oct 28 Herbert Hoover 719-741
Oct 30 Depression 749-774
Nov 4 US Foreign Policy in the 1930's 777-804
Nov 6 World War II  
Nov 11 Wrold War II  
Nov 13 UNIT EXAM #3  
Nov 18 Cold War 807-833
Nov 20 1950's 837-854
Nov 25 1960's 893-918
Nov 27 Vietnam  
Dec 2 1980's 927-955
Dec 4 1990's  
Dec 9 21st century  
Dec 11 UNIT EXAM #4  
     


 
 

            Class Schedule for History 1302 SPRING

Date Classroom Activity Textbook Pages
Jan 22 Orientation
Jan 24 Redemption 409-416
Jan 29 New South
Jan 31 Indians 419-441
Feb 5 Western Industry
Feb 7 Railroads 442-465
Feb 12 Rockefeller & Carnegie
Feb 14 Gilded Age Politics I 496-519
Feb 19 Gilded Age Politics II
Feb 21 UNIT EXAM I & MAP TEST
Feb 26 American Expansion 520-541
Feb 28 Spanish American War
Mar 5 Progressivism 542-563
Mar 7 Theodore Roosevelt 564-584, 599-602
Mar 12 New Freedom 585-591
Mar149 World War I (MID-SEMESTER) 603-619
Mar 19 & 21 SPRING BREAK
Mar 26 "Sgt York"  
Mar 28 UNIT EXAM #2
Apr 2 Organized Crime 623-643, 674-678
Apr 4 Depression 648-673
Apr 9 US Foreign Policy in 1930's 678-699
Apr 11 World War II

Apr 16

Apr 18

World War II

World War II

Apr 23 UNIT EXAM #3
Apr 25 Cold War 700-725
Apr 30 1950's 726-743
May 2 1960's 744-773
May 7 Vietnam 774-801

May 9

May 14

1980's

1990's

806-834

 

May 16 UNIT EXAM #4

 

OTHER INFORMATION
 
 














OFFICE HOURS: M W     6:30AM- 9:00AM & 10:30AM- 1:30PM in ATT 214
                                          T H    6:30AM- 7:30AM in ATT 214

TELEPHONE: 512-223-3398

E-MAIL: apurcell@austincc.edu

WEBSITE: http://www.austincc.edu/purcell

DUE DATES:1st Book Review  for "B" and "A": October 19, 2017
                                   2nd Book Review for "A": December 7, 2017

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW: November 25, 2017

WITHDRAWAL POLICY:  Punctual and regular attendance is required.  Any student accumulating three (3) or more UNEXCUSED absences MAY be dropped from this course.  This is at the discretion of the instructor.

COURSE COMPLETION DEADLINE: December 13, 2017 at the end of class
 

ADA:"Each ACC Campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities.  Students with disabilities must request reasonable accomodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes.  Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester." (ACC Student Handbook)
 

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY:"Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work.  Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression.  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."  (ACC Student Handbook)
Anyone committing any of these acts in this course will receive the grade of "F" for the course.

TESTING CENTER POLICY:http://www.austincc.edu/testctr
 

ACADEMIC FREEDOM: The free exchange of information is vital to the pursuit of learning.
 

PRIVACY: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects confidentiality of educational records.  Grades cannot be given over the phone, through a fellow student, or by e-mail in this course.

BUILDING REGULATIONS:RGC regulations prohibit smoking, drinking, or eating in the classrooms.  These regulations will be strictly enforced in this course.