What does this image say to you? Triumph? Militarism? Sacrifice? Dedication?

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1 HISTORY U.S. History to 1877 M+W 10-11:15am What does this image say to you? Triumph? Militarism? Sacrifice? Dedication? It tells me that the human capacity to strive for something better knows no bounds Why ask such a question as you begin this course on American history? The answer is simple. History is really just an examination of how people in our past confronted challenges and responded; nothing more, nothing less. When we study our history, we are seeing how people, just like you and me, made decisions and took actions that challenged and then changed the world around them. Why study history? Personally, I find inspiration in it. I am inspired by individuals who rose above the drudgery of everyday life to do something important, something profound for others. We can be so much more when we push ourselves to go beyond what we are. Look again at the image above. That is a digital image of what is called a chromolithograph. It was a common type of visual image created in the late 1800s. This one in particular was published in 1890 by Louis Kurtz and Alexander Allison. Although not realistic by today s standards, it portrays a romantic vision of an attack on Confederate Fort Wagner that protected the southern approach to Charleston, SC during the Civil War. The Northern forces portrayed are comprised of the 54 th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African American units organized by the U.S. government. Although led by white officers, all the enlisted men were free blacks who volunteered to fight against the Confederacy in the hopes of ending slavery in America. Although this attack by the 54 th Massachusetts failed, the bravery shown by these men proved to many that African Americans would play an important part in winning the war for the North, and more importantly, freeing more than four millions slaves. HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 1

2 So as we go forward in our study the next couple weeks, I want you to periodically come back to this image and think about it and what it symbolizes. As we study how people in our past made an impact on the world around them, I hope you will think about how you will make your life meaningful to others. COMPONENTS OF THIS COURSE: I designed this course as both a study of our nation s early history, but also an opportunity to think and talk with your classmates about your role in our world. We all have an opportunity to make a contribution as have Americans in the past. Reading the Book: For almost all class meetings, there will be readings assigned in the book (and on some days, there will be additional readings found inside Canvas). It is really important that you hear from people other than me, and these readings will allow you to know the views of other historians and the thoughts & interpretations to those who participated in the events we study. Taking Notes in Class: The time we spend in class will be a combination of lecture, class discussions, and student presentations. For the lectures, it is vitally important that you take notes and review them often. Yes, you can learn much from listening, but the very process of transferring that information into your own writing (class notes) provides a much stronger way for you to learn and retain new information. If you do both of the above, you will be well on your way to success in this course. Using the two above, we ll need to have ways to show what you ve learned. Right? Here s how we ll do that: Reading Quizzes: As a way for you to show what you ve learned from the book, you ll take a series of reading quizzes, always on Mondays: first thing that day, quick, to-the-point, and easy to do well if you read and comprehend the basics of what was covered. More details are provided below. Class Discussions: Nine times during the semester, we will have designated discussions in class. You ll need to prepare for these, and you will get credit for your participation. More details to follow. Weekly Writings: We will spend Monday and Wednesday in class each week studying a variety of topics in class. Then between Wednesday and Sunday evening each week, you will have time to write out an answer to one long essay question. You will submit this via Canvas no later than 11pm on Sunday evening. I will endeavor to have them marked and back to you no later than the following Wednesday. You will do this for 12 weeks, and I will count the best 10 scores. More details to follow. Biography Presentation: Your lone research project this semester will be a small, information presentation to the class concerning a single individual. You will get to select the person from an approved list, and this is meant to be informal. Don t panic, I will give you LOTS of support on this one. HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 2

3 Okay, that is a basic explanation of what we ll be doing in class. I won t lie to you it will be a lot of work. But I will be right there with you the whole time and I will meet you at least half way. Just work, tell me when something doesn t make sense, and then work some more. If you put forth a good effort for the next 15 weeks, I promise I will give you as much of me as I can to help you succeed. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR: Hi! My name is John Haas and I am an associate professor of American history here at Chesapeake College. I have been teaching college-level history for more than twenty years now and I truly love my work. You will find out a great deal more about me when we meet one another on the first day of class, but I want you to know that I am always here to support your work in this course and at Chesapeake College. If you find you are struggling with the material in this course, please contact me as soon as possible. I can work with you and get you additional assistance as needed. Here is how to contact me: Office Hours at Wye Mills: Monday & Wednesday: 8:45am 9:45am Thursday: 1:00pm 4:00pm Office: C-205C, 2 nd Floor of the Caroline Center, Wye Mills Campus Telephone: , x2330 address: jhaas@chesapeake.edu or use the message function within Canvas Mailbox in C-202 Now that you have a general sense of the course and who I am, let s go into more detail READING ASSIGNMENTS: Specific pages corresponding to each class meeting are assigned for you to read. Details on the course schedule are below. You are expected to read these portions of the book prior to that class period. By doing so, you will have previewed material that will be covered in class, and you will have a framework to place the learning you will do in class. It will also improve your ability to perform well on the reading quizzes, effectively take notes, contribute to class discussions, and study outside of class. Remember what I said above: reading sets you up for success in all the other components of the course. This is really important! READING QUIZZES: As a way to encourage you to keep up with the reading assignments, there will be eleven (11) quizzes during this course. Those quizzes will always occur on Wednesdays, but you will not know which weeks. There are fourteen (14) class periods when a quiz is possible. Each quiz will be given at the start of class. Each quiz will be based solely on the reading from Introduction to American History assigned for that class period and reading assigned for the previous Wednesday s class period. These quizzes will be composed of three (3) short answer items, of which students will choose two (2) to answer. Since everyone is entitled to a bad day, your lowest score will be thrown out, and only the ten (10) best quiz scores will count toward your final grade. Each quiz will be given during the first 15 minutes of class, so you ll have until 15 minutes into the class period to complete each. Those who arrive late will still have only until 15 minutes into class, so arriving at class on-time each day is in your best interest. NOTE: QUIZZES MISSED ARE SCORED AS A ZERO AND MAY NOT BE MADE UP!! HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 3

4 If you read and gain a decent comprehension of each week s material, this should be relatedly easy. They are intended to be that way. And if you do well on the reading quizzes, everything else in the course gets easier. Make this a major focus early in the course! WEEKLY WRITINGS: Rather than use traditional written exams several times during the semester, you will have the opportunity to show your proficiency with the content of the course by submitting a written answer to a question each week. I will provide to you several questions and you will answer one (to give you some choice). You will need to complete your answer by 11pm on Sunday evening and submit it in CANVAS. As the directions will state, your answers should be in paragraph form and answer the question as fully as possible. There is no required length or word-count. Instead, each must simply be long enough to fully answer the question. I am more concerned with what you have to say than how long your answer might be. QUALITY is far more important than quantity. However, I think you will find that a single, short paragraph will not be enough to fully answer any question. The answers to these questions will take time to complete. Your first submission will be due by February 7, 2016, followed by another each week for the remainder of the semester. There will be a total of Twelve (12). The top 10 scores will be calculated into your final grade for the course. One of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else. That is the idea behind these writings. Each week, you will need to answer a question by writing out an answer in your own words, explaining a subject we examined in class that week. By doing this, you are essentially teaching it to me. BIOGRAPHY PRESENTATION: Much of what America has done and created during its past, both good and bad, was the result of the extraordinary work of individuals. During this semester, each of you will make one five-to-seven minute presentation to the class in which he or she will provide a short biography of a selected individual. However, this will not be your typical biographical sketch. You will be asked to answer a series of questions that will also provide context for the life you examine. In doing this, we will all be able to place that person into the events and trends we examine. The class will then have an opportunity to ask questions. As a class, we will place that individual in context and understand how they made a significant contribution to the history of the United States. More details on the selection of topics and the time frame for this assignment will be given in class. PRIMARY READINGS: In addition to the Introduction to American History text, you will read a variety of primary documents from the time periods covered by this course. Primary documents are those written by people who lived at the time and had first-hand knowledge of events. Numerous times during the semester, you are assigned a section from that book. Since it is vitally important to read the documents before the discussion, one class period prior to the discussion session, you will be given a response assignment. Each of you will write out and complete it before the next class session. This completed assignment will act as a ticket of admission to the discussion. Those who have not completed it will be excused and receive no credit for that discussion session. I will give more information in class concerning this component of the course. Students regularly tell me that this is one of their favorite parts of the course. I think you will get a kick out of reading these first-hand accounts and then discussing them with your classmates. HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 4

5 EXAMS: There are absolutely NO exams in this course. And there was much rejoicing LATE SUBMISSION OF WEEKLY WRITINGS: One (1) point [10% of the assignment s value] will be deducted from that assignment s mark for each 24- hour period (or fraction thereof) that it is submitted after the deadline. For example, a weekly writing assignment due Sunday at 11pm is submitted by a student on Tuesday at Noon. That assignment would lose two (2) points from its mark since it was submitted 37 hours late. WORKLOAD IN THIS COURSE: This is a General Education and College Transfer course. As such, the academic rigor of this course is high. In order to successfully complete the assignments and study for exams and quizzes, students are expected to do a minimum of two to three hours of work outside of class for every hour in class. Some assignments may require more time. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The final grade for this course is based on the following components: 50% - Weekly Writings (5% for each) 10% - Biography Presentation 25% - Reading Quizzes (2.5% for each quiz) 15% - Primary Readings Discussion Sessions EXTRA CREDIT: No extra credit is available in this course. If you are struggling with the work already assigned, does it make sense to provide you more work? As an alternative, I will provide additional assistance to all who are not achieving their goals in the course. ATTENDANCE POLICY AND CLASSROOM DECORUM: You are expected to attend ALL classes and are responsible for all classwork, homework, lecture notes and reading assignments, whether present or absent. Roll will be taken at the beginning of each class period and all students are expected to be on time. In order to provide everyone an opportunity to learn, courteous and attentive behavior is expected at all times. Anyone who is disruptive in class will be dismissed and subject to discipline in accordance with the Chesapeake College Student Code of Conduct. The rest of what is included in this syllabus is more formal and needs to be included for a number of reasons. HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 5

6 CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE Spring 2016 Semester Wye Mills Campus HIS 101: United States History I (3 credit hours) A survey of colonial America and United States history through Political, economic, social, and cultural factors that have shaped the pattern of life in the United States through reconstruction are covered. 3 credits. Section 104, Monday and Wednesday, 10:00 am 11:15 am Room: H-113, Humanities Building on the Wye Mills Campus REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: Farmer, Brian, et al. Introduction to American History. Vol. I, eighth edition. Redding, CA: BVT Publishing, [This is a Textbook Plus version] The ISBN number for the required text book for this class is If you receive financial aid that exceeds the cost of tuition and fees, you may have a credit at the oncampus Barnes and Noble bookstore to assist with the cost of course-related materials. Additional Readings will be provided by the professor through the course site. You should purchase your copy of the text as soon as possible. Students will be required to read and study the textbook in order to participate successfully in the discussion sessions and weekly writings. COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1. To acquaint the student with a basic survey of United States History through Reconstruction. 2. To equip the student and the community for civil social and political discourse. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR HIS 101: At the completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Thinking Essay - Analyze the meaning and context of historical events and processes in American history, demonstrated in an essay form. 2. Primary Documents - Through reading primary documents, interpret the meaning of those writings and advocate your view of that meaning. 3. Content Descriptions - Describe important people, terms, events, and processes in America s past. GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES FOR HIS 101: This course should increase a student s skills and knowledge: 4. Apply information literacy skills to locate, evaluate and use information effectively 6. Evaluate diverse forms of expression and perspectives HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 6

7 ESTIMATED WORKLOAD TIME FOR THIS COURSE (OUTSIDE CLASS) Activity Hours Assigned Reading from the text: 575 total pages 28 hours Weekly Review of Lecture Notes 14 weeks 28 hours Primary Documents Readings: 83 total pages 8 hours Biography Presentation Preparation: 2 hours Preparation for in-class essays, exam #1: ~6 essays 12 hours Preparation for other exam items, exam #1: 2 hours Preparation for in-class essays, exam #2: ~6 essays 12 hours Preparation for other exam items, exam #2: 2 hours Total Estimated Time Outside Class 94 Hours CELL PHONES As a matter of courtesy and respect to both the professor and fellow students, all cell phones (not just ringers) are to be turned completely OFF during class. If there is an emergency situation in your family that requires you to be in contact during class, please talk to the professor before class to make arrangements. Texting during class disturbs your professor as well as fellow students and will not be permitted. Those who violate this guideline may be dismissed from class. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE: If you find that you are struggling with any element of this course, please see me as soon as possible. I will be happy to work with you to discuss study habits and reading strategies. I may be able to make some useful suggestions. In addition, I can work with the Academic Support Center to seek tutoring assistance for you as well. Please do not give up on this course until you speak with me first. My role at Chesapeake College is to help you find success and provide you the tools to achieve your goals. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have a disability that may prevent you from fully demonstrating your abilities in this class, you should contact Judy Gordon in room L-135 in the Library. Judy can discuss the possibility of an accommodations plan with you to insure full participation and achievement of your educational goals. ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN: In the event that Chesapeake College needs to close for an extended period of time due to a flu pandemic, severe weather event, or other emergency situation, consideration will be given to the timing and duration of the closure as follows: 1. Closure during the semester for up to one week there will be an opportunity to make up work missed without significant alteration to the semester calendar. 2. Closure extending beyond one week (or in situations where classes are cancelled on the same days/evenings over multiple weeks) the College may extend the length of the semester. Depending on the timing of the closure, scheduled breaks, end of semester dates, and/or the processing of final grades might be impacted. HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 7

8 Students can acquire information about closures on the College website or by calling or Chesapeake College courses held at off campus sites will follow the protocol of the host facility. GENDER-BASED MISCONDUCT POLICY: Chesapeake College prohibits sexual misconduct and sex discrimination by or against all students, employees, and campus guests. If you have any questions or concerns or if you need to make a complaint, contact Chesapeake s Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources Director Susan Cianchetta, by at scianchetta@chesapeake.edu, or by phone at (410) Please note: If you choose to report sexual misconduct or sex discrimination to a faculty member, that individual is required to report the incident (including the names of alleged perpetrators, and all the facts surrounding the misconduct) to our Title IX Coordinator. You may request that we keep your name confidential, but we may not be able to do so. If you do not want this information reported, you may share the information confidentially with counseling, advocacy, health, mental health, or sexual-assault-related services. For detailed information about policy, procedures, prevention education, and sources of counseling, advocacy and support, please see Chesapeake s Gender-Based Misconduct Policy at HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 8

9 History CLASSTOPIC COURSE SCHEDULE Spring 2016 United States History I ASSIGNED READINGS 1/25 Introduction to History 101 1/27 The First Americans & European Exploration p /1 Introduction to Library Research [Class meets in Room L-204, in the Library] 2/3 The Early Chesapeake Colonies p , 39-53, Online Readings 1 2/8 The New England Colonies p /10 The Middle Colonies p /15 Colonial Development into the 18 th Century [Discussion Session #1] p , , Online Readings 2 2/17 The Revolutionary Crisis p , /22 The War for Independence [Discussion Session #2] p , Online Readings 3, Dec of Independence 2/24 America Begins to Rule Itself p , , U.S. Constitution 2/29 The New Constitution p , Online Readings 4 3/2 Federalists in Power [Discussion Session #3] p , Online Readings 5 3/7 Jefferson: Visionary and Pragmatist [Discussion Session #4] p , Online Readings 6 3/9 A Second War for Independence: 1812 p /16-3/18 Spring Break No Classes 3/21 Changing America Industry and Democracy p /23 Andrew Jackson as President p , Online Readings 7 3/28 Religion and Reform in America [Discussion Session #5] p , , Online Readings 8 3/30 Manifest Destiny and the Texas Republic p , /4 The Mexican War [Discussion Session #6] p , Online Readings 9 4/6 Slavery and the Old South p /11 Abolitionism and the Politics of Slavery p , , Online Readings 10 4/ A Nation Out of Control [Discussion Session #7] p , Online Readings 11 HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 9

10 4/18 Election and Southern Secession p /20 Foundations of Civil War in America p , Online Readings 12 4/25 Civil War: To Decide What? [Discussion Session #8] p , Online Readings 13 4/27 Limited War Becomes Total War p /2 The Politics of Reconstruction [Discussion Session #9] p , Online Readings 14 5/4 The Failure of Reconstruction p /11 Make-Up/Extra Day 9:30am-11:30am PLEASE NOTE: Should change become necessary, the instructor reserves the right to adjust the requirements, pace, or scheduling of this course. Any change will be announced in class before it becomes effective. Chesapeake College Student Honor Code Students of Chesapeake College agree to demonstrate academic and personal integrity. Chesapeake College students are persons of integrity: they stand for that which is right. They tell the truth and ensure that the full necessary truth is known. They do not lie.* They embrace fairness in all actions. They ensure that work submitted as their own is their own, and that assistance received from any source is authorized and properly documented. They do not cheat.* They respect the material and intellectual property of others and ensure that others are able to benefit from the use of their own property. They do not steal.* Therefore, each student at Chesapeake College pledges to: Submit assignments that reflect his / her own thoughts and work. Cite and properly acknowledge the thoughts and work of others. Complete all tests and other in class assignments using his / her own thoughts Reject the use of materials acquired illegally. Respect the rights and property of others. Those found in violation of this code agree to disciplinary Sanctions and appeal processes outlined within the Chesapeake College Student Code of Conduct. *Adapted from the United States Naval Academy Code of Honor HIS Syllabus Spring 2016 Page 10