History 1302 Course Information Sheet

 

Fall 2008

Instructor: Alan Lehmann

Office: Old Main #408          

 

Office Hours:

Monday & Wednesday:

8 to 9, 10:15 to noon And 1:00 to 4 p.m.

 

Tuesday and Thursday:

8 to 9:15, 10:45 to noon And 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

 

Friday:

9 a.m. to noon

                       

                                    And by appointment

 

Phone Number:           (979) 830-4226

email:                           alehmann@blinn.edu

 

Course Description:  History 1302 consists of a study of United States history since the Civil War-Reconstruction era. 

 

Core Curriculum:  This is a Core Course in the 42-Hour Core of Blinn College.  As such, students will develop proficiency in the appropriate Intellectual Competencies, Exemplary Educational Objectives, and Perspectives.  The URL for the Blinn College Core Curriculum web site is: http://www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum/index.htm

 

Student Learning Objectives:  After successfully completing History 1302, students should have a working knowledge of U.S. history since the Civil War.  Students should have an understanding of the industrial, political and social problems of the time.  This survey discusses the rise of progressivism, World War I, the New Deal and reaction, World War II, and contemporary America.

 

Readings:  Please read this section very carefully and be aware of the implications for your successful progress in this course.  History 1302 is designed to allow you a successful and enjoyable introduction to the many facets of History at the college level.  It is designed to challenge you as well as keep you stimulated.  In spite of this, History 1302 should not be too difficult for you if YOU KEEP UP WITH THE ASSIGNED READINGS.

Class lectures and discussions will NOT necessarily cover the same material as in the text.  Periodically, handouts will be used to present concepts, applications and examination of selected materials to achieve course learning outcomes.  However, examinations will be derived from class lectures, handouts, assignments and the text.

 

Textbook: Carnes & Garraty, American Destiny (3rd Edition). Pearson Longman, New York, 2008.

Examinations: It is the instructor's policy that all students take the exams at the scheduled time.  All deviations must be excused in advance.  In instances of emergencies, the STUDENT MUST inform the instructor as soon as possible.  It is the instructor's decision whether an absence is excused.  Failure to take an exam at the scheduled time without an excuse will result in a score of zero (0).  Exams (including the comprehensive final) will be primarily multiple choice, true false and fill-in-the blank. However, if the instructor decides to allow a makeup exam, the student should expect an essay exam.  Note quizzes will NOT be made up unless they are missed with an EXCUSED absence.

 

Attendance Policy:     The College District believes that class attendance is essential for student success; therefore, students are required to promptly and regularly attend all their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for subsequent class meetings. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall find themselves at a severe disadvantage for achieving success in college. Class participation shall constitute at least ten percent of the final course grade. It is the responsibility of each faculty member, in consultation with the division chair, to determine how participation is achieved in his or her class. Faculty will require students to regularly attend class and will keep a record of attendance from the first day of class and/or the first day the student’s name appears on the roster through final examinations. If a student has one week’s worth of unexcused absences during the semester, he/she will be sent an e-mail by the College requiring the student to contact his/her instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss his/her attendance issues. Should a student accumulates two weeks worth of unexcused absences, he/she will be administratively withdrawn from class.

 

Should you decide to stop attending a class, it is your responsibility to drop; if you do not, you will stay enrolled and receive a final grade of "F".  The last day to drop with a "W" is November 14, 2008.

 

Extra Credit:  Completion of assigned projects for up to 5 points applied to a major exam grade.  Assignments must generally be completed within a week of the major exam to be improved.

 

Cheating:  Blinn College does not tolerate cheating, plagiarism or collusion.  Procedures for dealing with these acts are outlined in the Scholastic Dishonesty Policy.

 

Administrative Information:  Food, Drinks and Tobacco products are NOT allowed in the classroom.

 

Electronic Device Policy:

         All the functions of all personal electronic devices designed for communication and/or entertainment (cell phones, pagers, beepers, iPods, and similar devices) must be turned off and kept out of sight in all Blinn College classrooms and associated laboratories.  Any noncompliance with this policy will be addressed in accordance with the Blinn College civility policy.  Additionally, any communication understood by the instructor to be in the nature of cheating will have consequences in accordance with this Blinn College policy section regarding academic dishonesty.  Students exempted from this policy section include, active members of firefighting organizations, emergency medical services organizations, commissioned police officers, on-call employees of any political subdivision of the state of Texas, or agencies of the federal government.  Exempted students are expected to set the emergency-use devices on silent or vibrate mode only. 

 

            0)Any student violating this policy shall be subject to discipline, including suspension, in      accordance with FM.

ADA Statement:

Blinn College would like to help students with disabilities achieve their highest potential in college.  In order to receive accommodations on exams or assignments, proper documentation must first be provided to the Office of Disability Services in room 104 of the Administration Building (phone 830-4157).  You must then self-identify and conference with me during my posted office hours to begin receiving accommodations in this class.

 

Civility Statement:

Members of the Blinn College community, which includes faculty, staff and students, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and words. Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that recognizes personal respect and demonstrates concern for the personal dignity, rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community, including respect for College property and the physical and intellectual property of others.

            If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with the instructor; it is the student’s responsibility to arrange for this conference

 

Real History project

As a way to show you that history happens to all of us, I want you to interview someone about his or her own experiences with historical events.  I will give you a detailed assignment sheet later, but in general the assignment will count for 100 points.

 

Note quizzes: There will be 6 unannounced quizzes taken during the semester worth 5 points each.  They will generally cover notes given that day or recently in the class or some other topic of discussion.  Note quizzes are designed to reward students for being present and actively learning in class.  There are no makeups for note quizzes unless the student produces proof that they had an excused absence on the day of the note quiz.

 

Tentative Class Calendar:

 

Date

Lesson

Readings

Topic

8\25-9\15

Section 1

Chaps 16-19               

Industrialization,  Urbanization, Westward Expansion

9\17

Exam 1

 

Multiple Choice/ True-False/ Fill-in-blank

9\22-10\8    

Section 2

Chs.20, 21 and 23

Imperialism, WWI

            Progressivism

10\13 

Exam 2

 

MC/TF/FB

10\15-11\5

Section 3

Chs. 26, 27

Depression, WWII

11\10  

Exam 3

 

MC/TF/FB

11\12-12\3

Section 4

Chs. 29, 30

Cold War, Civil Rights, Vietnam

TBD

Final Exam

 

MC/TF

 

                                                                                   

 

                                                                        ,                                                                                                          

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

                                                         

 

 

                                                                                   

 

                                                           

 

Grading Method:

Three Major Exams (16% each)-         48%

Comprehensive Final                          16%

Real History project                            16%

8 Chapter quizzes (drop 1)                  14%

6 Note quizzes                                    6%

__________________________________

Total                                                    100%

 

Track your grades here:

 

Exam   #1:       ____

 

Exam   #2:       ____

 

Exam   #3:       ____

 

Total                                                                                                                ____

 

Final Exam                                                                                                      ____

 

Real History project                                                                                        ____

 

Chapter Quizzes          ___, ___, ___, ___, ___, ___, ___, ___ 

Total (keep only top 7)                                                                                    ___

 

Note Quizzes (keep all) ___, ___, ___, ___, ___, ___                                   ___

 

Extra credit earned                                                                                         ___

 

Total (maximum of 600 points)                                                                      ____

 

Grading scale:

540 or more:     A                    420-479:          C                     Less than 360 points: F

480-539:           B                    360-419:          D