BLINN
COLLEGE
FALL 2004
COURSE INFORMATION SHEET
HISTORY 1301
INSTRUCTOR: DR. LARRY J. WATSON OFFICE: M413
BLINN TELEPHONE: 830-4229 E-MAIL: lwatson@blinn.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A survey of American history that begins with the migration of people to the Western hemisphere and continues through the Civil War and Reconstruction period. The course focuses on the periods of discovery, colonization, revolution, and nation building. Material presented covers a wide variety of topics encompassing social, cultural, intellectual, military and political history. Prerequisites: Appropriate score on the TASP test or alternative test or completion of READ 0306 with a grade of "C" or better.
Credit: 3 semester hours.
CORE CURRICULUM COURSE
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 Education Objectives,
and Perspectives. The URL for the Blinn
College Core Curriculum web site is: www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
After successfully completing History 1301, United States History from Pre-Columbian to 1877, students should have a working knowledge of the periods of discovery, colonization, revolution, nation building, and the issues that led to the Civil War and the Reconstruction period after the war.
TEXTBOOK: Faragher, John Mack, et al. Out of Many: A History of the American People, Vol. 1, 4th Ed., 2003 (Required)
READINGS: Wright, Ron and Watson, Larry, ed. Readings in United States History, Vol. 1, 4th Ed., 2004 (Required)
STUDY GUIDE: Klick, Jonathan and McElroy, Joan M., Study Guide and Map Workbook for Faragher, et al., Out of Many..(Recommended)
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 on the 1st floor of the Administration Building. You must then set up a conference with the instructor in order to make the proper arrangements.
ATTENDANCE
The instructor will keep a record of class attendance. It is the student’s responsibility to see the instructor concerning absences. Students will NOT be dropped from the course by the instructor, even if a student never attends class (but is still registered) or fails to attend after the first day. If a student needs to drop the course, it the student’s responsibility to do so at the Office of Admissions and Records. Failure to do so will result in a grade of "F" for the course. (Last day to drop with a "W" is Nov 19).
OTHER POLICIES
*No food, drinks, caps, or hats in the classroom. Appropriate dress is required.
*Blinn College does NOT tolerate cheating or plagiarism. Procedures for dealing with these acts are outlined in the Scholastic Dishonesty Policy.
READING
The student is expected to read the assigned textbook readings in order to enhance and better comprehend the lecture material. Outside readings will cover topics that may not be discussed in class due to lack of time. Examinations shall cover all readings material.
EXAMINATIONS
Including the final, there will be four major exams worth 100 points each. The final will be comprehensive and is mandatory. Major examinations will have an objective format. Twelve "daily" quizzes will be given on assigned readings from the textbook For grading purposes, two quiz grades will be dropped. A map test (50 Pts.) will be given at the beginning of the semester. There will be three quizzes (50 pts.) during the semester from the Wright-Watson reader.
MAKEUP POLICY The lowest grade out of the first three major exams will be dropped for grading purposes. As a result, there are ABSOLUTELY NO MAKEUPS for "daily" quizzes or major exams, including the map test. (The ONLY exception is official Blinn "business").
TENTATIVE EXAM SCHEDULE
Map Test: Sept 20 or 21
First Major Examination: Sept 27 or 28
Second Major Examination: Oct 18 or 19
Third Major Examination: Nov 17 or 18
Final Examinations: Dec 10-15
EXTRA CREDIT: The maximum amount is 35 points.
a. Oral and/or typed reports on an approved topic. Submitted reports must be 4 full pages in length, with appropriate documentation (Detailed guidelines to be given out later). (10-25 Points)
b. Visits to "historic" restaurants (A detailed list to be given out later). (5 Pts. Ea.)
c. Reports on out of classroom films approved by the instructor. Students will compare and contrast at least three films (or videos) that are about the same topic or time period. (10 pts. Ea.)
d. Field Trip (TX) The student will take pictures at four historical sites and tour the museums that are at those sites. The sites will either be selected or approved by the instructor. (5 Pts. Ea.) (Detailed guidelines later).
SCHEDULE (Each Hist 1301 class has specific dates; please check
your class’s course info sheet ):
*Class Emphasis
Aug 30 or 31 : Introduction to the Course; "Models" of History
Sept 2-7 : Faragher, Chapters 1 & 2
*Motivations for exploration; European discovery & settlement; “Indians north and south of the Rio Grande
Sept 8-14: Faragher, Chapter 3
*The founding of Virginia and Massachusetts; Puritanism; **Daily quiz #1
Sept 15-16: Faragher, Chapter 4
*The Emergence of African Slavery in the U. S.; The Colonial Economy **Daily quiz #2
Sept 20-21: Faragher, Chapter 5; Wright-Watson, pp. 23-34, 51-64, 65-72
*The Great Awakening **Map Test;
Wright-Watson quiz #1
Sept 22-23: Faragher, Chapter 6
*British measures that led to Revolution; Lexington and Concord; Daily quiz #3
SEPT 27 or 28: FIRST MAJOR
EXAMINTION (CHS. 1-6)
Sept 29-Oct 5: Faragher, Chapter 7
*Trenton, Saratoga, Yorktown; Political and Social Reforms; The Articles of Confederation
Oct 6-12: Faragher, Chapter 8
*The Constitutional Convention; James Madison; Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson
*The Federalists: Washington and Adams; Daily quiz #4
Oct 13-19: Faragher, Chapter 9; Wright-Watson, pp. 123-135, 137-139, 141-149
*The Louisiana Purchase; Aaron Burr;The War of 1812; The Battle of New Orleans
**Wright-Watson quiz #2; Daily quiz #5
OCT 20 OR 21: SECOND MAJOR
EXAMINATION (CHS. 7-9)
Oct 25-28: Faragher, Chapter 9 (pp.262-268), Chapter 10, Chapter 12
*The "Era of Good Feelings"; The Missouri Compromise; John Marshall and "Judicial Nationalism"; The Lowell System; Eli Whitney
*Daily quiz #6
Nov 1-4: *The Age of Jackson”
*The Nullification Crisis; The "Trails of Tears"; The Bank "War"; Martin Van Buren; Democrats and Whigs
*Daily quiz #7
Nov 8-11: Faragher, Chapter 11, Wright-Watson, pp. 189-201, 203-212, 219-236, 241-245, 261
*Antebellum Slavery, White Class Structure in the Old South; The Nat Turner Rebellion
*The Southern "defense" of slavery (pp. 333-335)
**Wright-Watson quiz #3; Daily quiz #8
Nov 15-16: Faragher, Chapter 13
*The Second Great Awakening (Ch. 9, p.262); Transcendentalism (Ch. 12, p.363)
Charles Finney; William Lloyd Garrison; Reform Movements
**Daily quiz #9
NOV 17 or 18: THIRD MAJOR EXAMINATION (CHS. 10-13)
Nov 22-23: Faragher, Chapter 14
*"Manifest Destiny"; James K. Polk; The Mexican War
*Daily quiz #10
NOV 24-26: THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
Nov 29-Dec 2: Faragher, Chapter 15
*The Compromise of 1850, The Kansas-Nebraska Act, “Bleeding Kansas”; The Dred Scott decision
Dec 6-9: Faragher, Chapter 16; Chapter 17
*Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, “Stonewall” Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant
*Andrew Johnson, "Radical" Republicans
FINAL EXAMS: DEC 10-15
OFFICE HOURS
M-W 8:00-10:00 A.M.; 1-2:30 P.M.
T-TH 8:15-9:15 A.M.; 11:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.
FRI 8:15-9:45 A.M.; 11:00-11:30 A.M.
POINTS POSSIBLE
I. MAJOR EXAMS (3) = 300 Pts.
(Lowest of first three can be dropped; final cannot be dropped)
II. "DAILY" QUIZZES = 100 Pts.
III. MAP TEST = 50 Pts.
IV. READINGS (WRIGHT-WATSON) QUIZZES = 50 Pts.
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 500 Pts.
(Grading Scale = 0-59=F; 60-69=D; 70-79=C; 80-89=B; 90-100=A)