History 2710
United States History,
1877-Present
Southern
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Spring Semester 2007 |
3 Credit Hours |
Dr. Earl Mulderink |
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Office Hours: TR, 10-11:30; 1:30-2:30 |
BU 102 |
mulderink@suu.edu |
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Centrum 225 |
TR @ 11:30 AM |
435/865-8323 |
Course Description
This course is survey of
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 course requirements and expectations. Please note that course information and relevant links are found at my web page: http://www.suu.edu/faculty/mulderink. Good luck!
Required Reading Assignments
Your course reading assignments require you to read and reflect upon a sophisticated American history textbook and a challenging workbook that will serve as the core of required group discussions. 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. II (2004)
· Jules R. Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History, 9th ed. (2004)
· William Wheeler and Susan Becker, Discovering the American Past, A Look at the Evidence, 6th ed., Vol. II, Since 1865 (2007)
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 urged to complete all required work by the due dates. Your class attendance is expected, and active participation is encouraged. Your grade will be computed as:
· 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 2710 are fair game for these examinations, including readings, lectures, handouts, and supplementary readings. Each examination will focus only on that half of the course, and each will count toward 25% of your final grade.
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 exams, 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 to submit original and independent work; students who plagiarize will be subjected to the most severe academic penalties. 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 question 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: Middle-Class Life, DTAP, Chapter 3
Week 4 2/1 (R) Group 2: AmericanChildhood, DTAP, Chapter 4
Week 6 2/15 (R) Group 3: Wartime Propaganda, DTAP, Chapter 5
Week 7 2/22 (R) Group 4: The "New" Woman, DTAP, Chapter 6
Week 10 3/22 (R) Group 5: Documenting the Depression, DTAP, Chapter 7
Week 11 3/29 (R) Group 6: FDR and World War II, DTAP, Chapter 8
Week 13 4/12 (R) Group 7: The Brown Decision, DTAP, Chapter 9
Again, please do your best to cooperate with one another and work together. Feel free to be imaginative, and you are encouraged to incorporate different and relevant teaching technologies.
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. SUU's own Web site describes service-learning 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 written report (typed, double-spaced) by the end of Week 14. 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)
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Consult with the
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Investigate programs for the K-12 history
curriculum in
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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 in advance your service-learning project proposal. Any subsequent changes in your project must be approved, as well. For additional help, see the instructor's catalog of recent projects in his office or visit his homepage. Students with other history service-learning projects should discuss their situation with the instructor.
Other Course Matters
Plan to arrive for class in a timely manner and depart only at appropriate times. Students who habitually arrive late for class will be asked to drop the course. 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. Plagiarism can involve your use of other student's work or words, and "borrowing" from either print or electronic sources, such as the Internet and World Wide Web. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated.
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 (including pop quizzes), and to change the course schedule if needed. If you have questions about your progress in History 2710 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.
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Spring 2007 Schedule |
History 2710 |
Earl Mulderink |
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Week 1 |
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Read Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History, Chapters 1 & 2; Boyer, The Enduring Vision (TEV), Prologue & Chapter 17 |
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1/9 |
(T) |
Course Introductions |
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1/11 |
(R) |
Lecture: The Frontier West |
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Week 2 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 18; Wheeler/Becker, Discovering the American Past (DTAP), Chapter2 |
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1/16 |
(T) |
Lecture: Growth of Big Business |
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1/18 |
(R) |
Lecture: "Labor Pains" |
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Week 3 |
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Read TEV, Chapters 19 & 20; DTAP, Chapter 3 |
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1/23 |
(T) |
Lecture: Meanwhile, Back on the Farm |
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1/25 |
(R) |
Group 1 Presentation: Middle-Class Life, DTAP, Chapter 3 |
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Week 4 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 21; DTAP, Chapter 4 |
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1/30 |
(T) |
Lecture: A Global Giant Emerges |
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2/1 |
(R) |
Group 2 Presentation: American Childhood, DTAP, Chapter 4 |
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Week 5 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 22 |
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2/6 |
(T) |
Lecture: Progressivism, Part I |
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2/8 |
(R) |
Lecture:
Progressivism, Part II Service Learning Project Proposals Due |
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Week 6 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 23; DTAP, Chapter 5 |
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2/13 |
(T) |
Lecture: World War I |
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2/15 |
(R) |
Group 3 Presentation: Wartime Propaganda, DTAP, Chapter 5 |
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Week 7 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 24; DTAP, Chapter 6 |
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2/20 |
(T) |
Lecture: The “Roaring Twenties” |
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2/22 |
(R) |
Group 4 Presentation: The “New" Woman, DTAP, Chapter 6 Midterm Examination Essay Questions
Distributed |
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Week 8 |
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Read "How to Study for Exams" in Benjamin, A Student’s Guide, Chapter 3; Review Course Materials |
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2/27 |
(T) |
The Twenties, Continued; In-Class Review |
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3/1 |
(R) |
Midterm Examination |
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Week 9 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 25 |
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3/6 |
(T) |
Lecture: The Great Depression |
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3/8 |
(R) |
Lecture: The New Deal, Part I |
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SPRING BREAK – March 12-16 |
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Week 10 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 26; DTAP, Chapter 7 |
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3/20 |
(T) |
Lecture: The New Deal, Part II |
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3/22 |
(R) |
Group 5 Presentation: Documenting the Depression, DTAP, Chapter 7 |
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Week 11 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 27; DTAP, Chapter 8 |
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3/27 |
(T) |
Lecture: World War II |
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3/29 |
(R) |
Group 6 Presentation: FDR and World War II, DTAP, Chapter 8 |
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Week 12 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 28 |
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4/3 |
(T) |
Lecture: The Cold War at Home and Abroad |
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4/5 |
(R) |
Lecture: Life in the Fifties |
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Week 13 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 29; DTAP, Chapter 9 |
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4/10 |
(T) |
Lecture: Modern Civil Rights |
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4/12 |
(R) |
Group 7 Presentation: The Brown Decision, DTAP, Chapter 9 |
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Week 14 |
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Read TEV, Chapter 30; DTAP, Chapter 10 |
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4/17 |
(T) |
Lecture: The Sixties |
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4/19 |
(R) |
Discussion:
Final Examination Essay Questions
Distributed |
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Service-Learning Project Reports Due |
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Week 15 |
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Read TEV, Chapters 31 & 32; 15; DTAP, Chapter 11 (Note: You are encouraged but not required to read Chapter 33.) |
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4/24 |
(T) |
Lecture: Watergate and Beyond |
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4/26 |
(R) |
Last Day; In-Class Review |
Final Exam: Tuesday, May 1, 1-2:50 PM