Hist 2301 American Nation I

Dr. Lorien Foote

Office Hours: M 9-9:50, 2-3; TTH 11-12; W 9-9:50, 2-4; F 9-9:50; and by appointment

Office: Irby 104, 450-5620, email lfoote@uca.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

History 2301 covers the social and political history of the American people to 1877.  The goal of the course is to provide students with a broad survey of the ideas, events, people, and social forces that shaped America during this period.  The course is designed to improve student skills in the following areas: analytical thinking, fact-based interpretation, and written communication.

REQUIRED BOOKS

Wheeler and Becker, Discovering the American Past:  A Look at the Evidence, 5^th ed.

Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

EVALUATION

There are 350 total points in the course.  Your final grade is based on the number of points you achieve. 

315 - 350                     A

280 - 314                     B

245 - 279                     C

210 - 244                     D

Below 210                   F

Your total points are based on your grade on the following:

Midterm                                                                       100 points

Final                                                                             100 points

5 Assignments over Wheeler and Becker                      100 points (20 pts each)

Book Exam                                                                    50 points

You will complete five assignments from the book Discovering the American Past by Wheeler and Becker.  These assignments are due on the date indicated in the syllabus.  On the day the assignment is due, you will come to class with a typed answer to the problem given in the reading for that day.  Your answer should be within the space of a single page with regular margins.  You may single-space if necessary.  In your assignment, you should answer the central question given in the reading, and indicate the most important evidence from the book that backs up your answer to the question.  Each chapter in the book will give you the central question, and then will guide you through a series of sub-questions and tasks that will help you answer the question.  Attached to the syllabus is a sample assignment. 

The midterm and final will cover the professor’s lecture and class discussion over the assignments.  The exams will consist of identification terms and an essay.  You will receive a review sheet with the potential questions before the exam.  The questions on the exam will be taken directly from the review sheet.  The final is not cumulative. 

There will be an in-class exam over the books Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.  You must have both books read by the day of the exam.  You will receive a study guide a week before the exam with two or three potential questions.  One of those questions will be on the exam.

MAKE-UP POLICY

There are two acceptable excuses for missing an exam -- illness and a family emergency.  You must contact me before the examination and have my consent for your absence if you wish to take a make-up exam.  Please note that even if you have an acceptable excuse, unless you contact me about missing the exam by or on the day of the exam, I will not schedule a make-up for you.  You must take the make-up within a week of the missed exam, or you will receive an F for that exam.  The format of any make-up exam is at the sole discretion of the instructor.

ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY

You may not miss more than six classes.  If you miss more than six classes, you may be dropped from the class.  Faculty reserve the right to report students who frequently miss class to student services, who may notify you that continued absences will result in a “WF” for the course.  These proceedings may begin after an absence of six class periods.  Friday, November 4 is the last day to drop the course with a non-punitive grade.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the University’s policy on academic misconduct (cheating, plagiarism, etc.), which can be found on page 36 of the Student Handbook. Failure to abide by the accepted standards of academic honesty may result in an “F” for the assignment or for the course.

OTHER UNIVERSITY POLICIES

You should familiarize yourself with all the policies listed in the student handbook, especially the Sexual Harassment Policy on page 109-111 and the Academic Policies on page 34. 

ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible.  Students may also contact Disability Support Services.

ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES

Aug.     29                    Lecture:  The Continent and Its Inhabitants

            31                    Lecture:  Origins of Colonization

Sep.       2                    Assignment Due:  Wheeler, Ch. 1, “First Encounters”

  5                    No Class

              7                    Lecture:  British Society

              9                    Lecture:  The Chesapeake

             12                   Lecture:  Slavery

             14                   Lecture:  New England

             16                   Assignment Due:  Wheeler, Ch. 2, “The Threat of Anne Hutchinson”

             19                   Lecture:  Middle Colonies

             21                   Lecture:  Native Americans and Colonists in the 17^th Century

             23                   Lecture:  Rebellion and Witchcraft

             26                   Lecture:  Growth of the Colonies

             28                   Lecture:  Religion in the 18^th Century

             30                   Lecture:  Road to Revolution

Oct.        3                   Assignment Due:  Wheeler, Ch. 4, “The Boston Massacre”

               5                   Lecture:  The American Revolution

               7                   Lecture:  The American Revolution

              10                  Lecture:  Independence to Republicanism

              12                  Lecture:  Impact of the Revolution on Women and African-Americans

              14                  Midterm

              17                  Lecture:  Politics of the Early Republic

              19                  Lecture:  War of 1812

              21                  No Class

              24                  Lecture:  The Market Revolution

              26                  Lecture:  Nationalism and Sectionalism

              28                  Book Exam

              31                  Lecture:  Age of Jackson

Nov.        2                  Lecture:  Indian Removal

                4                  Lecture:  Reform

                7                  Assignment Due:  Wheeler, Ch. 7, “The Working Girls of Lowell”

                9                  Lecture:  Abolition

               11                 Lecture:  The Mexican War

               14                 Assignment Due:  Wheeler, Ch. 9, “The Wilmot Proviso Debate”

               16                 Lecture:  Sectional Crisis

               18                 Lecture:  Sectional Crisis

               21                 Lecture:  From Limited to Total War

               23                 No Class                     

               25                 No Class

               28                 Lecture:  From Union to Freedom

               30                 Lecture:  The End of the War

Dec.         2                  Lecture:  Reconstruction

                5                  Lecture:  Reconstruction in the South

                7                  Lecture:  The End of Reconstruction

                9                  Study Day

FINAL SCHEDULE

10:00 MWF Class                    Wednesday, December 14                   8:30 a.m.

  1:00 MWF Class                    Wednesday, December 14                 11:00 a.m.