Eastfield College Social Science, Human Services & Business Division SYLLABUS FOR HISTORY 1301 - AMERICAN HISTORY FALL 2011 HIST 1301.4009 (3 Credit Hours) HIST 1301.4011 (3 Credit Hours) 4009……..…8:00 a.m. - 9:20 a.m………C293 4011………..9:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m……..C293 Instructor: Franklin Cate Contact Information: Office: Phone: Email address: Hours Available: REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: David M. Kennedy: The American Pageant, Brief Edition, ISBN#9780495915317, 8th Ed., 2012, Houghton Mifflin. PURPOSE OF THE COURSE: This is a basic, introductory course for beginners. The instructor expects that the student will have much to learn concerning American history. The purpose of this course is to provide the student, in 15 weeks, with a basic grasp of this cultural, political and economical heritage. The time frame of the course is the period from 1500 to 1876. Within this time frame, specific events, ideas and individuals will be studied. Our objective will always be to relate these events, ideas and personalities to each other and to the student in this class in terms of the framework described above. OBJECTIVES: On 4 tests for this course, the student should be able to demonstrate skills and knowledge in the following: 1. Given terms, persons or concepts, the student should be able to relate them to particular historical periods or events and to explain why they are historically significant. 2. Given an historical problem (questions), the student should be able to reach a logical conclusion, based on factual evidence, which he is able to demonstrate in a written essay. 3. The student will read the assigned material with an inquiring mind and be prepared to discuss and interpret his findings. 4. The student should be able to cite trends which flow through American History and be aware of parallels between various eras in American History. G237 – Social Science Division Office 972-860-7156/7159 [email protected] By Appointment5. The student should realize that history is not static or fixed, that historical fact is continually being reinterpreted. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: The course will be presented by means of lectures, discussions, student reports, and audio visual aids (slides, films, filmstrips, cassette tapes). A study guide prepared by the instructor will accompany each principal unit of work. HOW TO STUDY: Difficulties in completing American History courses usually arise from one of the following reasons: 1. Inadequate study (too little time spent) 2. Ineffective study (turning pages - not taking notes) 3. Non-attendance of class (sleeping in class) 4. A job and other college courses (too much to do elsewhere) 5. Inability to read COURSE OUTLINE: 1. Unit I: Birth of the Nation (Ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) 2. Unit II: Getting Started (Ch. 9, 10, 11, 12) 3. Unit III: Jackson and the West (Ch. 13, 16, 17, 18) 4. Unit IV: Civil War (Ch. 19, 20, 21, 22) GRADES: 1. Your semester grade will be calculated in a simple, concrete manner. The grade is derived as follows: ***4 tests of equal weight covering 4 units of work*** 2. In addition, "Bonus Points" from none to a maximum of 10 may be added at the conclusion of the semester. You will receive these points for not being tardy to class. After 3 tardies, you should not expect to receive bonus points. 3. In addition, "Extra Project Points" from 0 to a maximum of 10 may be added at the conclusion of the course if they are earned. They fall into 3 types and will be explained after the test: Type I.........Abstracts of Articles #1 Due: Type II........Critical Essays Type III.......Creative Idea 4. At the close of the semester, the individual's 4 test scores, plus "bonus points" will be added together, and the total divided by 4. The extra project points will be added to this sum. The result is your semester grade. 5. Food in classroom: PLEASE DO NOT BRING FOOD OR BEVERAGES INTO THE CLASSROOM. GRADING SYSTEM - NUMERICAL TO LETTERS: 90-100 = A 80- 89 = B 70- 79 = C 60- 69 = D 59-below = F student dropped course = WSTOP BEFORE YOU DROP: For student who enrolled in college level courses for the first time in the Fall of 2007, Texas Education Code 51.907 limits the number of courses a student may drop. You may drop no more than 6 courses during your entire undergraduate career, unless the drop qualifies as an exception. Your campus counseling/advising center will give you more information. Remember that once you have accumulated 6 non-exempt drops, you cannot drop any other courses with a AW@. Therefore, please exercise caution when dropping courses in any Texas public institution of higher learning, including all 7 of the Dallas County Community Colleges. For more information, you may access: https://www1.dcccd.edu/course drops ATTENDANCE/DROP POLICY: If you are unable to complete this course, you must withdraw from it by Thursday, Nov. 17. Withdrawing from a course is a formal procedure which you must initiate; I cannot do it for you. You may do this in Admissions or Counseling. If you stop attending and do not withdraw, you will receive a performance grade, usually an "F". Students sometimes drop courses when help is available that would enable them to continue. I hope you will discuss your plans with me if you do feel the need to withdraw. MAKE-UP TESTS: If you miss an examination, you may report to the Appraisal Center the day you return to college to take the make-up test. If you take a make-up test, it will consist of 50 multiple choice questions over the material covered by the examination you missed during regular class hours. The make-up test must be made up before you return to class. The make-up test will be in the Appraisal Center for only one week after the date of the regular test. If you cannot take the scheduled test in class, or the make-up test in the Appraisal Center, you need to contact me. If you do not contact me, a make-up test will not be scheduled. I consider voice mail a proper contact. CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: Since every student is entitled to full participation in class without interruption, all students are expected to be in class and prepared to begin on time. All pagers, wireless phones, electronic games, radios, tape or CD players or other devices that generate sound must be turned off when you enter the classroom. Disruption of class, whether by latecomers, noisy devices