United States History II Syllabus for 2016-2017
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:

• consult with their instructor to obtain a signed academic withdrawal request form to submit to the AskAC department for processing
• consult with the financial aid office if receiving financial aid
• consult with the Veterans Benefit Coordinator if receiving veteran benefits
• consult with their academic advisor to determine how withdrawing may affect their enrollment in future semesters
  • NOTE:  The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. (Senate Bill 1231) Rule 4.10.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

HIST-1302-006 United States History II

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills

Course Description

A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural and intellectual history of the United States from the Civil War/Reconstruction era to the present. United States History II examines industrialization, immigration, world wars, the Great Depression, Cold War and post-Cold War eras. Themes that may be addressed in United States History II include: American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, urbanization and suburbanization, the expansion of the federal government and the study of U.S. foreign policy.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

You are required to obtain the following books:

The American Nation Fifteenth Edition Volume 2 by Mark Carnes, ISBN 0134594649

You will be provided with a paper copy and an access card for the electronic version of the book; you may use whichever version you prefer.

Greenwich Village, 1913 by Mary Jane Treacy, ISBN 0393938905

Supplies

You are required to have regular access to a reliable computer with reliable internet access

Student Performance

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
2. Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
3. Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period in United States history.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

You are expected to follow all Amarillo College policies and procedures, particularly those relating to academic integrity and personal conduct. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be dealt with harshly; of particular importance is properly citing the sources you use in written work. You will be respectful of your peers during class discussions.

It is only acceptable to use outside sources when specifically instructed: your text(s) provide(s) plenty of material to work with. It is never acceptable to use non-scholarly internet sources: use of unauthorized sources in an assignment will result in it receiving a failing grade.

Course materials, including assignments, handouts, lectures, and similar materials and derivative works such as course notes are protected by copyright and for personal educational use only, and may not be reproduced, distributed, sold, bartered, or publicly posted to the Internet without your professor’s express written permission.

You may not record class with audio or video recording equipment without permission; if permission is granted, you agree to only use said recordings only for your own personal educational purposes and will not reproduce, distribute, sell, barter, or publicly post the recordings without your professor’s express written permission.

You are responsible for taking the proper steps to solve technical problems with technology used during the class: a list of support resources has been provided for you under the “help” section of the course’s Blackboard site. It it particularly important to give yourself enough time to work through technical issues before due dates because technical problems will not usually be an acceptable excuse for late work.

Your professor is not a technical support person and will simply refer you to the “help” section if you come to him with technical problems; it is appropriate, however, to speak with him if you are unable to reach a resolution after consulting the appropriate resources.

The best way to get in touch with your professor is through email. Please use Blackboard’s email tool, linked to in the course menu, not your personal email or school email through ACConnect.

Please observe the proper etiquette for business emails when contacting your professor: provide a descriptive yet concise subject in addition to a professional salutation (such as Hi) and closing (such as Sincerely); additionally, you should write in complete sentences and avoid net- or text-speak. Your professor earned his PhD, so it is appropriate to address him as Doctor (abbreviated Dr.). Most workplaces use email, so this should be good practice for you.

Email is not an instantaneous form of communication, so give your recipient time to respond. Dr. Fauss checks his email at least once a day Monday through Friday, which means that usually, but not always, you will get a response within 24 hours.

Grading Criteria

The following will be the graded components of this class and policies related to grades. Specific grading criteria will be explained in rubrics that will be distributed to the class.

There will be one quiz administered in class: it will consist of a single essay question. The quiz will be 5% of your course grade.

There will be three exams administered in class: each will have a combination of multiple choice and written questions. The average of the best two exams will be 40% of your course grade (20% each).

You may use notes taken in and out of class during the quiz and exams. Only paper notes will be accepted; printouts of typed notes are allowed.

You will write two papers during the Reacting to the Past component of class. One paper will be submitted early in the game (the due date will be provided in class), the other will be due at the end. The papers will be 30% of your course grade (15% each).

Finally, you will be assessed on your participation during the Reacting to the Past game. Everybody must give at least one 3-minute speech from the podium during the course of the game and work regularly with his/her team in and outside of class. Apart from speaking at the podium, there are many other ways to participate, from coordinating with your teammates outside of class to personal conversations with undecided players. You will submit a short assessment of your performance that indicates what grade you believe you have earned and supporting evidence; your professor will nonetheless have the final say on your participation grade. Participation will be 25% of your course grade.

You may view your grades and course average any time using the “My Grades” link in the course menu on Blackboard; your course average is calculated as a running weighted total.

Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria:

90-100 = A

80-89 = B

70-79 = C

60-69 = D

Below 60 = F

Your final grade will be rounded to the next highest integer.

There will be no extra credit awarded in this course.

You may turn in papers up to two days late; a 10-point penalty will be applied. After two days, the paper will be worth 0 points. Exceptions to this rule or makeups for missed exams or the quiz will be granted on a case-by-case basis and will typically be considered only when advanced notice of a conflict is provided or for genuine emergencies.

Attendance

You must check in every day by using the classroom “black box” with your ID or Ellucian smartphone app. You are responsible for doing this yourself.

Attendance is critical for your success in this course: you cannot expect to do well on quizzes and exams if you miss class, and your participation grade will suffer if you miss class during Reacting to the Past. Excessive absences will trigger an intervention by your academic advisor.

It is your responsibility to obtain notes from a fellow student if you miss class: your professor will not hand out lecture notes to anybody.

Calendar

Additional Information

This class features Reacting to the Past: a multi-week experience in which you will be stepping into the role of people in history and engaging in structured roleplaying.