Course Syllabus

HIS 102-41 

Fall 2017

St. Charles Community College

 

Course Objectives

This course is designed to give students an overview of the second half of United States history, from Reconstruction to the modern day. Students will gain an understanding of United States history during these years and connect this information to current issues and concerns. As a survey course, we will not be able to cover every detail of the 19th and 20th centuries but instead cover broad themes and key developments that shaped modern American culture, politics, and economy. In this regard, students will be expected to grasp these themes critically and apply interpretation through class discussions, exams and analysis projects.  The discipline of history is more than memorization of names and dates, but of interpretation and analysis. Thus, students will lean to apply these skills to documents from the time period and in lecture. This class meets the Missouri Constitution Requirement.

 

Throughout the course, we will be discussing the following themes to understand this particular time in United States History.  

1. Democracy and the Republic: understanding the structure of American government in the time period as well as the expansion and restriction of democracy in the United States post 1865
2. Economic growth and change: examination of the evolution of the market economy and capitalism and its effect on government and society
3. Race in a diverse society: understanding race and discrimination post-slavery and post 19th century immigration and its effect on the structure of American culture and government
4. Reform: understanding reform and movements within the context of a changing American culture post 1877
5. The changing interpretation of America’s role worldwide, understanding and identifying significant shifts in the nation’s evolving foreign policy and role in international affairs from after the Civil War to changes that occurred post WWII and the Cold War

 

Instructional Goals

This class will provide an environment where the College’s goals for students in the areas of Critical Thinking, Writing Across the Curriculum, and Computer Literacy are practiced. These will be utilized in a variety of ways throughout the course.

 

Instructor Information

Grace Wade Moser

Phone: 636-922-8522

Office: SSB 1104 O

Office Hours: Mondays 5-6:30 pm, Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 pm, Wednesdays 5-6:30 pm, Thursdays 5:30-6:30 pm, and by appointment

Email: gmoser@stchas.edu (Canvas email is my preferred method of contact)

 

 

Required Texts

James L. Roark et. al., The American Promise: A Concise History, Vol. 2: from 1865 (Bedford-St. Martin’s, 6th ed.)

Michael P. Johnson, Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents, Vol. 2: from 1865 (Bedford-St. Martin’s, 5th ed.)

*Both are bundled together and available in the bookstore on campus. Ebooks are also available. If you purchase your book from the bookstore or publisher directly, you will be given access to Launchpad. There will be activities associated with Launchpad for extra credit.

 

Email Protocol 

Emails can be sent through Canvas. This is my preferred method of contact! I can also be reached through my stchas.edu email address noted above. Any emails sent to the stchas.edu address must include your full name, course number, and section number, and brief description of your email in the subject line. Please take care to use grammatically correct language in your emails. Text language and unsigned emails are not acceptable. The instructor reserves the right to ignore any emails that do not follow these specifications.

 

Course Prerequisites 

There are no prerequisites required for enrollment in HIS 102. Students should be prepared to write on a college level and complete the amount of reading required for the course. 

 

Course Objectives 

At the end of this course the students will: 

1. Describe the constitutional changes in the United States since 1861.
2. Understand how race, ethnic and religious background have played a significant role in how Americans see each other.
3. Explain how the industrial revolution, immigration, the rise of urbanism and the movement west impacted the spatial context of American society.
4. Explain the intellectual forces that shaped American political and social beliefs.
5. Evaluate the role of the United States in international affairs.
6. Connect historical events from the context of the course to current issues or concerns facing the United States. 
7. Analyze film, photographs, print and other source material for historical accuracy and interpretation. 
8. Analyze primary source documents for historical interpretation.

 

Is this course really hard? 

This course is geared toward serious students prepared for an online structure, but it is not harder than a normal college course. It is the academic equivalent of a face-to-face course.  I assume that students enrolled in this course are prepared for college level courses and sincerely want to learn. So it is challenging and substantial, but not extremely or unusually difficult. The last day to change from credit to audit or audit to credit is September 15. The final day to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of “W” is October 27.

 

Assignments

Participation Activities—Students will complete in-class participation activities that will be assigned in class based on the material we are covering that week. Students will only get credit if they are attending and completed the assignment the day it is due. There are no makeup participation activities, but students can complete extra credit to make up missed assignments.

Reading Quizzes—Students will complete weekly reading quizzes on Canvas over the assigned reading material each week. Weekly logins to Canvas are required for success in the course. If you do not have Internet access at home, there are computer labs on campus available during campus hours of operation. Be sure to talk to me if Internet access is a problem. There will be no makeup quizzes, so make sure you pay attention to the course schedule dates for the quizzes and plan accordingly. 

Final Paper—Students will complete a final paper based on the themes identified at the beginning of the syllabus and focused on in the course itself. It will be a reflective essay based on choosing one of the themes discussed throughout the semester and applying it to a historical topic of your choice. I will release more details on the paper closer to the due date.

Constitution Worksheet—Students will complete a worksheet based on our United States Constitution. This will require reading and analyzing one of the most important documents in American history, the Constitution.

Extra Credit—throughout the semester, I will make various extra credit assignments available. These assignments generally require a typed, 1-2 page reflection essay to accompany the activity. Most of these assignments will be worth 10 points apiece. Points will be awarded on the basis of quality of the essay accompanying the assignment. Students may earn up to 50 points extra credit. 

 

Graded Papers and Exams: Graded assignments and exams will be posted on Canvas. Graded papers and exams will be returned to students as soon as is reasonably practical. Normally this will be within one week, but could be longer in unusual circumstances. Due dates for each assignment are noted in the course schedule.

 

Late Assignment Policy 

I will deduct 1 letter grade for every day an analysis paper assignment or constitution worksheet is late. Be aware of noted due dates in the schedule and do not miss the assigned dates. Please notify me in advance if you know your assignment will be late. Late participation assignments will not be accepted. You must be in class to receive credit for participation activities.

 

Participation

There will be several in-class participation activities announced throughout the semester to be completed in class. I will also post information on Canvas about the coming week’s activities. It is important for you to check Canvas on a regular basis for these assignments. Students are responsible for keeping track of the assignments. In the case of absences, participation activities may not be made up. 

In addition to participation in-class activities, students will be evaluated on participation in lecture as an important aspect of their attendance grade. I do not consider students attending and participating if they are sleeping in class, playing on their phones or computers, or otherwise disrupting the class. I expect students to be prepared prior to class by reading the assigned material and taking notes during lecture.

 

Exams

There will be 3 multiple choice, true/false, and matching exams throughout the semester. Exams will be 50 questions, 2 points apiece worth a total of 100 points. Refer to your reading assignment schedule to review dates for examinations. 

Makeup exams are offered; if you have to miss an exam you can schedule to take it early or you have one week to schedule a makeup exam with me. Do not plan to abuse this option. I will only offer one makeup exam per student, per semester. I do not drop the lowest test grade. Therefore, it is imperative you make up a missed exam.

 

Grading

A	90-100% of total points
B	80-89% of total points
C	70-79% of total points
D	60-69% of total points
F	59% of total points and below

 

Attendance

Attendance will be taken at every class period. You should attend all class meetings for classes in which you are enrolled.  The college has no plan of recognized class ‘cuts’ or absences. Excessive absence may be sufficient cause to fail the course... The final decision as to what constitutes excessive absence from a class is left to the instructor and will be outlined in the course syllabus. Students should discuss any absences with their instructor. (SCC Student Handbook)

As a student, you may miss up to two class periods with no consequence.  Sleeping in class, disruptive behavior, or any other example of non-participation is considered an absence.

Students who fail to participate or attend the course may be subject to administrative withdrawal from the course. Administrative withdrawal can occur when: 

1) A student misses 50% of the course meetings during the first 25% of the course unless documentation and contact with the faculty is provided.

2) A student fails to participate in the course for 14 consecutive days in a 16 week course. 

Students should not assume they will be withdrawn--it remains their responsibility to withdraw from any class they do not plan to attend.

 

Classroom Behavior

In order for everyone to be successful in this class, we must maintain a learning environment in the classroom. Disruptive behavior is anything that could potentially distract from learning in the room, therefore any disruptive behavior including the following could have punitive consequences, including being counted as absent for the day, and a loss of attendance points 

Please do not talk, text or allow your phone to go off during class hours. 

Please keep all bathroom breaks, food or soda runs to your breaks between classes. 

Please arrive on time for class. If you are going to be late, please let me know beforehand. If you are late, choose a seat closer to the door. 

Please respect your neighbor’s opinion as you would want them to respect yours, and refrain from any personal attacks or otherwise offensive language.

 Any student contributing to a disruptive learning environment will receive a verbal warning from me. This will constitute your first warning. The second warning from me will count as an absence, and a loss of participation points. In the case of a third warning, you will be asked to leave. If you are asked to leave, I require you to schedule an appointment with me to discuss the issue before being allowed back into the classroom. If you are asked to leave, you will not receive your participation points for the day.

 

Academic Dishonesty

Our college has a specific policy when it comes to academic dishonesty. You can view the school’s policy in the student handbook, for which I’ve also provided a link. https://www.stchas.edu/academics/student-resources/student-handbook/student-conduct/academic-procedures.html

 Plagiarism is the theft of intellectual property. In other words, it is the act of taking someone else’s thoughts, ideas, or research and passing them off as your own. Any student caught participating in any type of academic dishonesty within this class will face serious consequences, including an immediate failing grade for the assignment in question and a reporting of the incident to the Dean of Student Affairs for possible broader consequences including probation and expulsion depending on the circumstances.

Students will submit all written assignments through Turnitin, a program to which the school subscribes. The program will check every paper against a database of student papers, online databases, and internet websites. It will then generate a report matching specific portions of plagiarized material to the source. Do not attempt to plagiarize. The program will catch you, and you will receive a zero for the assignment.

  

Special Needs and Accommodations

We all have various channels through which we learn best. The Office of Disability Support Services is available to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. Please contact the Accessibility Services Manager, Paige George, at (636-922-8247) so that eligibility for services can be determined. Additionally, the Accessibility Services Manager will provide a one-stop-shop to address 2-year plans for degree completion and registration all in one place. Location is in Room 133 of the Student Center.

  

Mental Health

The college years can be a time of growth and development as well as a time of challenge and stress. Students may experience that stress in many different ways.

St. Charles Community College offers the opportunity to address your concerns utilizing free personal counseling from the Office of Student Success. SCC has a well-trained professional staff to help with a wide range of concerns common to college students including anxiety, eating concerns, alcohol/drug issues, relationship concerns, academic stress, suicidal thoughts, sexual and LGBT concerns.

We are committed to providing high quality care guided by the SCC mission of serving our community by focusing on academic excellence, student success, workforce advancement, and life-long learning within a global society. We celebrate diversity and we enrich the economic and cultural vitality of the region by providing an accessible, comprehensive, and supportive environment for teaching and learning.

Within the Office of Student Success, we offer short-term personal counseling, community support and referrals. Sometimes a student may require care beyond the scope of our personal counseling services and in these situations students will be assisted with establishing care off campus.

Length of personal counseling varies. Some problems are resolved within one or two sessions. Other problems may require meeting more often. This will be determined by you and your counselor.

Please contact the Office of Student Success, Teresa Drury at 636-922-8536 or tdrury@stchas.edu to set an appointment. Students can also schedule an appointment by going to http://www.stchas.edu/mhappt. The Office of Student Success is located in ADM 1123.

Any faculty, staff, or student may submit a report to SCC’s Campus, Assessment, Response, and Encouragement Team (C.A.R.E.) at http://publicdocs.maxient.com/incidentreport.php?StCharlesCC or by calling 636-922-8111. Any serious concerns of immediate response please direct to the SCC Department of Public Safety at 922-8545.

 

Campus Closings: For up-to-date information on closings due to inclement weather or other emergencies, call 636-922-8000, log on to www.stchas.edu, Twitter, receive a text (if you signed up), or http://www.facebook.com/stchas.

 

NOTE: this syllabus is subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

 

HIS 102-41

Weekly Reading and Assignment Schedule

This schedule is subject to modification. All reading assignments are taken from the required textbook and the document reader and are located within each unit module on Canvas under Unit Overview & Reading assignment. Please read the assigned chapters prior to attending lecture. Extra credit projects and their due dates will be announced separately throughout the semester.

 

Week 1: Aug 21-27

Introduction and Syllabus

Introduction to American Government

Aug 28: syllabus quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 2: Aug 28-Sep 3

Unit 1: Reconstruction

Sep 3: Unit 1 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 3: Sep 4-10

Sep 4: Labor Day (no classes)

Unit 2: The West—America’s First Empire

Sep 10: Unit 2 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 4: Sep 11-17

Unit 3: The Gilded Age—Industrialists and Workers

September 15: Last day to change from credit to audit

Sep 14: Constitution Worksheet Due

Sep 17: Unit 3 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 5: Sep 18-24

Unit 3 continued & Unit 4: Reforming America—Populists and Progressives

Sep 24: Unit 4 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 6: Sep 25-Oct 1

Unit 4 continued

Sep 28: Exam 1 over units 1-4

 

Week 7: Oct 2-8

Unit 5: American Imperialism and WWI

Oct 8: Unit 5 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 8: Oct 9-15

October 9-10: Fall Break (no classes)

Unit 6: Limits to American Democracy

Oct 15: Unit 6 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 9: Oct 16-22

Unit 6 continued & Unit 7: The Roaring 20s and the Great Depression

Oct 22: Unit 7 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 10: Oct 23-29

Unit 7 continued & Unit 8: The New Deal

Oct 29: Unit 8 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

Oct 27: Last day to drop and receive a grade of “W”

 

Week 11: Oct 30-Nov 5

Unit 9: World War II

Nov 5: Unit 9 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 12: Nov 7-13

Unit 9 continued

Nov 9: Exam 2 over units 5-9

 

Week 13: Nov 13-19

Unit 10: Postwar America and the Origins of the Cold War

Nov 19: Unit 10 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 14: Nov 20-26

Unit 11: The Cold War Politics and Presidencies

Nov 22-26: Thanksgiving Holiday (no classes)

Nov 27: Unit 11 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 15: Nov 27-Dec 3

Unit 12: Reform and Rebellion

Dec 3: Unit 12 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Week 16: Dec 4-10

Unit 13: Vietnam and Modern America

Dec 10: Unit 13 Reading Quiz (closes 11:59 pm)

 

Finals Week: Dec 11-16

Dec 12: Exam 3 over units 10-13

Dec 13: Final Essay due by 11:59 pm

  

PLEASE NOTE: This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. You will be notified of any changes in class and on Canvas.