United States History II Syllabus for 2021-2022
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Course Information

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Course

HIST-1302-020 United States History II

Prerequisites

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 ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Tech Supported

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

David Emory Shi. America:The Essential Learning Edition, Volume Two. Ebook, InQuizitive, History Skills Tutorials, and Student Site. Copyright 2018; ISBN: 978-0-393-66410-2.

This is a required textbook.

Supplies

Pencil, pen, and notebook; access to a reliable computer and reliable internet connection. Required internet Browser: Mozilla Firefox (available as a free download online).

Your textbook is required for this class; you will not be able to pass the course without the textbook and access to its companion website. You will purchase the textbook after our first class meeting; do not attempt to do so until after we have met.

Student Performance

Contacting Your Instructor:

Utilize the course mail function in Blackboard only (accessed via AC Connect). You will also have opportunities to meet with me before or after class and during office hours.

Preparedness, Mandatory Tutoring, and Success

You must be prepared to complete coursework online and be a self-starter in order to be successful in this class. This means that you must be committed to completing readings and other assignments on time, and be able to discuss these in class.

Tutoring is required if you achieve a score below 70% on  any readings assignments, writing assignments, and tests. This means that if you fall below 70% in any of these categories, you must attend tutoring before I will accept any further work from you.

 

Course Objectives

            Throughout this course, you will:

1. Identify, define, and explain perspectives, ideas, cultures, classes, individuals, and events in modern American history.
2. Determine the motivations of peoples who lived during this time period. Evaluate how their ideas influenced their actions.
3. Compare viewpoints of peoples living in the Americas throughout the time period covered.
4. Assess and articulate how events in modern American history helped shape and were shaped by the character of its citizens.
5. Acquire and practice skills in critical thinking through reading, source analysis, listening, discussion, collaboration, and writing.

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

Classroom Conduct

We will be meeting on Zoom this semester.

Come to class prepared to learn. Complete any assigned material on time. Bring a notebook, pencil or pen, and your enthusiasm for learning!

Acceptable student behavior is noted in the Student Handbook, and is listed under the heading: “Student Conduct & Responsibilities” beginning on page 16 and continuing through page 17. Consequences for violations of the Code immediately follow the explanation of expectations section. It is your responsibility to know and abide by this code of conduct while a student at Amarillo College.

Show respect for every individual in the classroom. Be mindful and thoughtful of one another.

Cell phone use, including texting, during class is rude and will harm your participation grade. If you have an emergency situation and need to take a call during class, let me know before class starts. There will be activities during which you will be free to use your own technology such as smart phones. Otherwise, turn your cell phones off. Please remove headphones as soon as you enter the classroom. It is rude and disruptive to the learning environment to wear them during class.

Plan to attend class using a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer. These offer you the best tools for participating in class. If your only option is smartphone technology, please let me know right away so we can create solutions for you to fully participate.

Academic Honesty

Copying another person’s work is unwise and dishonorable. Do not do it. Cheating of any kind is unacceptable; if you cheat, you will be dealt with as outlined in the Student Handbook. In other words, if you cheat, you will not get credit for the assignment or exam, and may also face more serious consequences. This includes copying other students’ work on exams, quizzes, and assignments, as well as copying essays written by others, or turning in as original work assignments you have completed for other classes. If you use someone else’s ideas, you must give them proper credit. Integrity is vital to your success, and I look forward to hearing your original ideas and thoughts about history.

 If you have any questions about this policy, please ask.

Grading Criteria

Course Work

There are many activities, assignments and assessments that you will complete during this course. You are responsible for completing these in a timely manner. If you have questions about the requirements or are unsure about how to complete the work, consult the syllabus and the assignment instructions. If you are still in need of help, contact me and I will be glad to assist you. If you do need to contact me, please do so well before your assignment is due.

You will use Blackboard to:

• Attend Class
• Communicate with your instructor and classmates
• Take exams
• Access course content including assignments and study aids
• Complete other coursework as assigned
• View grades

This is an 8-week course, and will likely be challenging. In order to be successful, you must have access to a computer and the internet. You will not be able to complete coursework using a smartphone, since the Blackboard functions you will be using may not be reliable when using smartphone or tablet technology. Use the newest version of Mozilla Firefox as your web browser, since many of the functions you will need in Blackboard and the textbook website will not work using other browsers.

 

Readings, InQuizitive, and History Skills Tutorials

Weekly readings will include material from America: The Essential Learning Edition, Volume Two and, occasionally, other sources including film, documents, artwork, filmed interviews, etc. Each week, you will complete readings and assignments online via your textbook website. With each chapter you will complete InQuizitive and History Skills assignments.There are videos, interactive maps, and other materials that will help you understand and master the material. You will complete approximately two chapters per week. If you have any difficulty acquiring the book, let me know immediately. This textbook is required for the course; you will not be able to pass the course without it.

You will earn 200 points For InQuizitive assignments (based on the average you earn from completing these), and 200 points for History Skills Tutorials for a total of 400 points in this category.

 

Assignments

You will have one formal writing assignment in this class: it will include document analysis and your assessment of individual lived experiences. I will post the instructions for this assignment when appropriate. This assignment is worth 150 points.

 

Exams

You will have three exams in this class. Exams will be online and will include a combination of multiple choice, true-false, short answer, and essay questions. I will provide you with a review sheet for each exam. Questions will be taken from the book, assigned source materials, class activities, and lectures. Final Exam date is listed in the schedule below.

Each of these exams is worth 100 points. Your total points for this category is 200 points. I will drop your lowest test score.

Participation

Attendance and participation are important to your success; each day that you are present and participating, you will earn  points. You will have daily responses and discussion that are required for you to earn these points. You may be divided into teams for discussions, activities, and study. Full participation in these groups is necessary for you to be successful in the class. Participation is worth 150 points.

Some of your lectures will be provided in a pre-recorded format. For these, you will be required to write a short summary of what you learned. These responses are worth 75 points.

Your first class activity is a syllabus assignment. You will complete this during the first week of class. It is worth 25 points.

Total points available for this category is 250.

Extra Credit

Students who are in need of an extra boost to their grade may complete extra credit work. You may earn 25 points of extra credit may be earned during the semester. Extra credit opportunities will be announced in class and on AC Connect (in Blackboard). I will provide instructions for each opportunity.

 

Grading

Participation, Attendance, and Responses: 250 points

Readings/InQuizitive Assignments: 200 points

History Skills Tutorials: 200 points

Writing Assignment: 150 points

Exams: 200 points

Breakdown of Course Grades:

1000 total points available

900-1000 points= A

800-899 points-= B

700-799 points= C

600-699 points= D

0-599 points= F

Attendance

Attendance is vital to your success in this class. There are times when absences cannot be avoided due to illness, emergencies, or educational purposes. If this occurs, contact me immediately.  If you must miss class due to college activities or business, you must have your coach, director, or sponsor provide notice of the absence in advance of the activity.

Calendar

Additional Information

Instructor’s note on course schedule and syllabus: I may adjust the lecture/activity schedule during the term to accommodate reasonable variance in class discussions. Due dates for readings, quizzes, exams, and other course work will remain the same.