History 2700
United States History,
1500-1877
Southern
|
Spring 2007 |
3 Credit Hours |
Dr. Earl Mulderink |
|
Office Hours: TR, 10-11:30; 1:30-2:30 |
Centrum 227 |
mulderink@suu.edu |
|
Centrum 225 |
TR @ 8:30 AM |
435/865-8323 |
Course
Description
This course is a
political, social, and economic survey of
Course
Objectives/Outcomes
Aimed at
students who expect to earn a major or minor in history, this course offers a range
of skill-building exercises while providing a clear chronology of events and
explaining their historical significance.
All students in History 2700 will be exposed to the diversity of
historical experiences and to the difficulty of historical interpretation. Course readings and presentations will
provide insights about women, African Americans, American Indians, and
others. Successful completion of this
course will fulfill basic degree and graduation requirements and give you a
firm foundation for further study in history and related fields. In addition, this course will feature an
introduction to service-learning.
Students will be evaluated through written and oral exercises,
independent and group work, and a written report about their service-learning
project.
Please note
that this is a fast-paced college-level history course that demands your active
involvement and participation. You will be responsible for reading much of
the course material on your own, for class lectures and discussions will touch
upon some – but not all – of what you are required to read. Each chapter in the textbook is about thirty
pages in length, and you may need to read some material more than once. Do your best to keep up with the course
requirements and expectations. Good
luck!
Required
Reading Assignments
Your course
reading assignments require you to read and reflect upon a sophisticated
American history textbook and several supplementary books. All readings are required,
and you should strive to read each week's assignment prior to the first class
session each week.
·
Paul
Boyer et al, The Enduring Vision, A
History of the American People, 5th ed., Vol. I (2004)
·
William
Wheeler and Susan Becker, Discovering the American Past, A
Look at the Evidence, 6th ed., Vol. I (2007)
·
Jules
R. Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History, 9th ed. (2004)
Grading
and Examinations
This course will
emphasize reading, writing, and reporting in a variety of formats. Students are expected to hand in all work by
the deadlines and to follow specific guidelines for each assignment. Please note that the assignments are
"staggered" through the semester, and you are expected to complete
all required work by the due dates.
Because this course will use both lecture and discussion formats, your
class attendance is expected, and active participation is encouraged.
Your grade will
be computed as follows:
·
Midterm
Examination 25%
·
Final
Examination 25%
·
Discovering
the Past Group
Presentation 15%
·
Service
Learning Project 25%
·
Attendance,
Participation, Other 10%
The grading
scale is based on the following: A,
93-100; A-, 90-92; B+, 87-89; B, 83-86; B-, 80-82; C+, 77-79; C, 73-76; C-,
70-72; D+, 67-69; D, 63-66; D-, 60-62; F, 0-59.
The two examinations
will feature the same format, consisting of short identifications (ID’s) and essay questions that will draw upon all class
materials covered during that part of the course. All materials distributed or
discussed in History 2700 are fair game for these examinations, including
readings, lectures, handouts, and supplementary readings. Each examination will focus only on that half
of the course.
For the ID’s on each examination, you will have a choice (perhaps 5
items from a list of 10). In an answer
of three to five sentences, you should correctly and briefly identify each item
and then explain its historical significance.
The essay questions for each examination will be distributed at least
one week prior to the examination. You
should prepare written outlines or answers for all of these questions for the
closed-book final exam, since your instructor will select the essay question(s)
to be answered.
Your written
papers and all other work submitted for this course should be typed, double-spaced,
on high-quality paper and follow the standard rules of grammar, punctuation,
and English usage. If you do not possess
typing or word-processing skills, you are strongly encouraged to begin learning
these skills while preparing your papers for this course. Certainly, feel free to be imaginative in
exploring the questions asked in this course, and ask questions if you are
unclear about assignments or expectations.
You are expected, of course, to submit original and independent work;
students who plagiarize will be subjected to the most severe academic
penalties. Finally, please be advised
that no late papers will be accepted.
Discovering
the Past Group Presentation (15%)
You will
participate in a group presentation that will focus on one chapter in Discovering
the American Past. Ideally, group
members will cooperate in determining the format and content of their presentations, and all group members will receive the same
grade as evaluated by the audience, other group members, and the instructor (who
has the final word). Group projects
will be evaluated by their imaginative and thorough use of the evidence in
presenting key themes and issues found in their assigned chapter of Discovering
the American Past. In addition,
groups will be evaluated for the effectiveness, clarity, and enthusiasm
demonstrated during the oral presentation.
This exercise will help you to think critically about different types of
historical evidence, how to work together in a group, how to organize a class
presentation, how to keep the attention of your audience, and how to answer
questions from other students.
This group
presentation should last about an hour, leaving time for further discussion of
the material. Your group has great
latitude in determining the content and format of the presentation, and it can
involve a variety of methods, materials, and pedagogical approaches. You may want to distribute discussion
questions, create a debate, prepare a multimedia show, give a quiz, organize a
panel discussion, or engage in a role-playing exercise. Feel free to consult with your instructor,
particularly if you need help with audiovisual materials (videos,
transparencies, recordings, multimedia equipment).
Every effort
will be made so that you can sign up for the chapter and topic that you most
prefer, but please note that it may be impossible to give all students their
first choices. Also, consider the
schedule below and select a date that works best for you. Finally, be advised that your attendance is
expected for all group presentations, not just your own. If you have more than one absence for the
group presentations, your class participation grade will be lowered by a full
letter (10 points) for each absence.
Your role as an audience member and evaluator is important to others in
the class, so plan to be in attendance.
Schedule for Group
Presentations
Week 3 1/25
(R) Group
1: Anne Hutchinson, DTAP, Chapter 2
Week 4 2/1 (R) Group 2: Colonial Life, DTAP,
Chapter 3
Week 5 2/8 (R) Group 3:
Week 7 2/22
(R) Group
4: First American Party System, DTAP, Chapter 5
Week 9 3/8 (R) Group 5: Working Women of Lowell, DTAP,
Chapter 7
Week 10 3/22
(R) Group
6: Cherokee Removal, DTAP, Chapter 6
Week 12 4/5 (R) Group 7: American Slavery, DTAP,
Chapter 8
Service-Learning
Project (25%)
As part of a
larger university-wide effort to encourage service-learning, you will be
engaged in a history-related service-learning project. Service-learning has been described as a
"form of experiential education that combines organized service with
academic learning to improve both." Service is tied to curriculum because
students apply what they learn in the classroom to "real-life"
situations. Working on your own, or with
one or two other students, you are to develop and complete a project, and then
submit a 4- to 6-page report at the end of the semester, preferably by the end
of Week 15. You will receive additional
materials about service-learning and potential projects. Please talk with me if you are enrolled in
another history course that includes a service-learning component.
You have much
freedom in considering potential projects, and you may need to reach out to the
larger community for ideas. Here are a
few brief suggestions:
·
Work
with local history groups (the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the Sons of Utah
Pioneers, Iron County Historical Society)
·
Consult
with the
·
Investigate
programs for the K-12 history curriculum in
·
Plan
projects that strengthen historical resources at SUU, in
You get the
idea: find ways for history students to
share what they know with the larger community.
By the end of
Week 5, you should submit an approval sheet that outlines your project. This sheet asks you to address the following
items in your proposal:
·
Title
of project
·
Project's
intended audience and beneficiaries (besides history students)
·
Local
contact person(s) or agency (and other administrative details)
·
Anticipated
workload to complete the project
·
Expected
timetable or schedule of work
·
Technology-related
resources or applications
·
Connections
to other service-learning projects (if applicable or known)
·
Anything
else relevant to the feasibility of the project
Please note that
your instructor must approve your service-learning project proposal.
Other
Course Matters
Plan to arrive
for class in a timely manner and depart only at appropriate times. Attendance is expected for all class
sessions, and if you plan to be absent, particularly in the case of serious
illness, please try to inform your instructor in advance. All examinations will be offered only as
scheduled, and makeup exams may be provided only at the discretion of the
instructor. Any requests for makeup
examinations must be made prior to the scheduled exam. No exceptions. Finally, plagiarism - using the work or
words of another individual without proper attribution - is a serious academic
offence and will be treated accordingly with a failing grade.
Let me be clear
here: Plagiarism can involve your use of
other student's work or words, and "borrowing" from either print or
electronic sources such as the term-paper "mills" found through the
Internet and World Wide Web. Cheating in
any form will not be tolerated. You are
expected to have read and understood the current 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.
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.
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
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!
You have several
ways to contact me at any time during the semester. First and most obviously, feel free to ask
pertinent questions during the class periods or after classes. Or, if you wish, you can visit during my
office hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-11:30 AM and 1:30-2:30 PM, or by
appointment. You can call me at
435/865-8323 and leave a message.
Finally, I encourage you to communicate through email whenever possible;
my email address is: mulderink@suu.edu.
Final
Disclaimer
This course
syllabus has been prepared to explain course requirements, students’
obligations, and the instructor’s expectations.
Please be advised, however, that the instructor reserves the right to
take attendance, to ask for additional work or assignments, and to change the
course schedule if needed. If you have
questions about your progress in History 2700 or remain unclear about course
assignments or materials, please do not hesitate to ask. Feel free to contact me at any time about
course-related issues.
|
Spring 2007 |
History 2700 Schedule |
Earl Mulderink |
Week 1 Read
Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History, Chapters 1-2; Boyer, The
Enduring Vision (TEV), Prologue
1/9 (T) Introduction
to History 2700: Syllabus and Introductions
1/11 (R) Cultures
in Contact
Week 2 Read
TEV, Chapters 1 & 2; Wheeler/Becker, Discovering the American
Past (DTAP), Chapter 1
1/16 (T) Colonizing
1/18 (R) The
Week 3 Read
TEV, Chapter 3; DTAP, Chapter 2
1/23 (T) Settling
1/25 (R) Group
1 Presentation: Anne Hutchinson, DTAP, Chapter 2
Week 4 Read
TEV, Chapter 4; DTAP, Chapter 3
1/30 (T) Colonial
Society
2/1 (R) Group
2 Presentation: Colonial Life, DTAP,
Chapter 3
Week 5 Read
TEV, Chapter 5; DTAP, Chapter 4
2/6 (T) Steps
Toward Revolution
2/8 (R) Group
3 Presentation:
Service
Learning Project Proposals Due
Week 6 Read
TEV, Chapter 6
2/13 (T) Revolution
and War
2/15 (R) A
New Nation
Week 7 Read
TEV, Chapter 7; DTAP, Chapter 5
2/20 (T) Politics
2/22 (R) Group
4 Presentation: First American Party
System, DTAP, Chapter Midterm Examination Essay Questions Distributed
Week 8 Read
TEV, Chapter 8; Review Course Materials
2/27 (T) The Genius of Thomas Jefferson; Review
3/1 (R) Midterm
Examination
Week
9 Read TEV, Chapter 9; DTAP,
Chapter 7
3/6 (T) Industrializing
3/8 (R) Group 5 Presentation: Working Women
of Lowell, DTAP, Chapter 7
Spring Break Recess, March
12-16
Week 10 Read
TEV, Chapter 10; DTAP, Chapter 6
3/20 (T) Andrew
Jackson and His Times
3/22 (R) Group
6 Presentation: Cherokee Removal, DTAP,
Chapter 6
Week 11 Read
TEV, Chapter 11
3/27 (T) Reforms
and Reformers
3/29 (R) Political
and Popular Culture
Week 12 Read
TEV, Chapter 12; DTAP, Chapter 8
4/3 (T) The
Peculiar Institution
4/5 (R) Group
7 Presentation: Slavery in the
Antebellum South
Week 13 Read
TEV, Chapters 13 & 14; DTAP, Chapter 9
4/10 (T) National
Expansion
4/12 (R) Sectional
Crises
Week 14 Read
TEV, Chapter 15; DTAP, Chapter
10
4/17 (T) The Civil War
4/19 (R) Reconstruction,
I
Final
Examination Essay Questions Distributed
Week
15 Read TEV, Chapter 16
4/24 (T) Reconstruction,
II
4/26 (R) Last
Class Day; Review
Service Learning Project Reports Due
Final
Exam: Wednesday, May 2, 9-10:50 AM