History 1700

American Civilization -- 3 Credits

Southern Utah University

                                                                             

Dr. Earl Mulderink

mulderink@suu.edu

435/865-8323

 

Course Description

 

This course is an introductory survey of United States history aimed at students who are new to college or new to the college-level study of history.  Besides providing a clear chronology of events and explaining their historical significance, this course will provide opportunities to develop a variety of skills.  All students in History 1700 will be exposed to the diversity of historical experiences and to the difficulty of interpreting the past.  Successful completion of this course will fulfill basic degree and graduation requirements, including the American Government and Institutions Requirement, and you will gain a firm foundation for further study in history and related fields.  Please note that this college-level history course demands your active involvement, persistence, and discipline. 

 

Required Textbook and Reading Assignments

 

The required textbook is available for purchase through the SUU Bookstore and other locations:  James A. Henretta, David Brody, Lynn Dumenil, America, A Concise History, Third edition (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006), ISBN 0-312-43806-0.  You must have access to this book to succeed in the course.

 

Every copy of America: A Concise History is accompanied by a suite of free on-line resources, designed to help the student master themes, ideas, and information in the text. The main site for the textbook can be found at http://bedfordstmartins.com/henrettaconcise.  Here you will find a wealth of resources, from a Recommended Study Plan to Multiple Choice Quizzes to Map Activities. In addition to his text specific tool, other more generic new media sites are at your disposal.

  • DocLinks at http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/doclinks.  Featuring a database of over 750 annotated web links to primary documents -- searchable by topic and date, as well as indexed to the chapters of the text -- this site adds depth and breadth to the strong narrative of A Concise History.
  • History Links Library at http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/historylinks.  History Links Library is a searchable database of more than 200 carefully reviewed and annotated links to the Web sites of American history.
  • Research and documentation on-line at http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc.  This site offers clear advice on how to integrate outside material into a research paper, how to cite sources correctly, and so on. 

You are strongly encouraged to read and review the textbook in conjunction with your interactive use of the web site.

 

Grading and Examinations

 

Much of your work in History 1700 will focus on reading textbook chapters and enhancing your understanding through your use of the companion web site.  Because this is a self-paced course, the grading and examinations will reward your persistence and diligence in working consistently and sequentially through all course materials. 

 

Your grade will be based mainly on multiple-choice tests drawn from the textbook and will be computed as follows. 

·         31 Chapter Quizzes (all must be completed)      0 points

·          6 Tests (50 points each)                                 300 points

·          3 Internet Assignments (20 points each)          60 points

·          1 Short Essay (40 points)                                  40 points

·         Total Available Points                                    400 points

Note:  If you complete and submit all required work listed above, you will have an opportunity to earn up to 50 “extra credit” points through a research paper on a topic of your choosing.  This paper is optional, and more information is provided at the end of the course in the expanded “Course Outline.” 

 

The grading scale is based on the following: 

Grade/Percentile                             Points

·         A, 93-100                                372-400

·         A-, 90-92                                 360-371

 

·         B+, 87-89                                348-359

·         B, 83-86                                  332-347

·         B-, 80-82                                 320-331

 

·         C+, 77-79                                308-319

·         C, 73-76                                  292-307

·         C-, 70-72                                 280-291

 

·         D+, 67-69                                268-279

·         D, 63-66                                  252-267

·         D-, 60-62                                 240-251

 

·         F, 0-59.                                       <239

 

Chapter Quizzes

 

Each chapter quiz will have ten (10) multiple-choice questions that will be randomly generated, and you will have ten (10) minutes to complete each quiz.  You can take each quiz as many times needed to attain a score of five (5) or better out of ten (10) questions.  You will not be able to move to the next chapter quiz unless you receive a score of 60% or better.  You will have a minimum of five (5) minutes between each quiz opportunity.  The aim here is to encourage you to study effectively to maximize your success on each of the six section exams.  Quiz scores will NOT be computed as part of your final grade, but all chapter quizzes must be completed with a grade of 6 (six) or better if you are to take all section exams.  Chapter quizzes must be taken in sequential order, and each Section Exam can be taken only if you have successfully completed all relevant chapter quizzes.  Because the goal is for you to read and understand course material before moving on to the next section, please plan to read each chapter in succession while working with relevant learning resources at the companion web site. 

 

Section Exams

 

You should read the chapters in sequential order to best prepare for the six (6) section exams that will correspond with the six parts of the textbook.  Each of the six tests will feature the same format and will consist of fifty multiple-choice questions that will draw upon all material covered during that part of the course.  Each question will be worth one point.  These exams will be timed for sixty minutes and may be taken twice, with the highest score counting toward your final grade.  Some questions from chapter quizzes and from the companion web site may appear on the section exams.  Although some questions will test your factual knowledge and others probe your analytical abilities, all questions will require critical thinking more than mere memorization.  As with the chapter quizzes, your preparation in reading the textbook and utilizing the publisher’s web site will help to determine your success with the section exams.

 

 Web Assignments

 

There is an explosion of historical information available on the Internet and the World Wide Web, and through three relatively simple assignments (each worth 20 points) you will gain familiarity with using and evaluating this wonderful source and resource.  Your completed Internet/Web assignments will then be submitted to your instructor via email through the course email link or to mulderink@suu.edu.

 

Other Assignments

 

Your written work submitted for this course (e.g., web site evaluations and short essay) should be typed and follow the standard rules of grammar, punctuation, and English usage.  For all written assignments, try to write in your own words, but if you wish to quote from course materials or a web site, please place all quoted material in quotation marks and add a page reference or citation in parentheses at the end of that sentence.  Do not plagiarize, and be aware that you are expected to submit original and independent work by all deadlines.  The instructor reserves the right to submit your work to Turnitin.com, an excellent and thorough plagiarism detection web site.  Please feel free to be imaginative in exploring the questions asked in this course, and ask questions if you are unclear about assignments or expectations. 

 

Learning Objectives

 

  • Learners will utilize chronological thinking to place the history of the United States in proper chronological framework.
  • Learners will develop historical comprehension, identify central questions of each time period, and draw upon data presented in text, maps, charts, and graphs.
  • Learners will be able to make historical analysis and interpretations, to compare and contrast, to differentiate historical facts and interpretations, consider multiple perspectives, analyze cause and effect relationships, compare competing historical analyses, and recognize the tentative nature of historical interpretations.
  • Learners will develop an ability to construct their own historical interpretations.
  • Learners will be able to identify main issues and problems in United States history, and will be able to evaluate historical evidence and interpretations.
  • Learners will develop historical understanding of the social, political, economic, and cultural developments in the United States from approximately 1600 to the present.

 

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.  You are expected to have read and understood the current issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding student responsibilities and rights, and the intellectual property policy, for information about procedures and about what constitutes acceptable on-campus behavior.

 

STUDENT DISABILITY NOTICE

Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Southern Utah University Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or phone (435) 865-8022.  SSD determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

 

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

 

When In Doubt, Ask!

 

As with any college course, it is hoped that you will get out of this course what you put into it.  While this history course is largely self-paced, you should feel free to contact your instructor at any time.  History 1700 has been structured to follow in sequential order, from Chapter 1 through Chapter 31 of the textbook, with six (6) exams that correspond with major sections or parts of the textbook.  Your reading and course work will follow the basic chronological order of American history.  As you work through the course materials, try to build upon what you learn and apply “lessons from the past” to your understanding of more recent and contemporary events.

 

If you have questions about your progress in History 1700 or remain unclear about course assignments or materials, please do not hesitate to ask.  You have several ways to contact me at any time.  If you’re in the Cedar City area, you can visit during my office hours in Centrum 225 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-11:30 AM and 1:30-2:30 PM.  Feel free to call me at 435/865-8323 to discuss your work in the course or to schedule an appointment.  If you leave a message, I will return your call at my earliest opportunity.  Finally, I encourage you to communicate through email whenever possible; my email address is:  mulderink@suu.edu.

 

Good luck!