United States History I Syllabus for 2022-2023
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Office Location

Dutton Hall 202H

Office Hours

Summer I 2023: M - TR 8:30 - 9:30 AM

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

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:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

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 course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are 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. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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-1301-007 United States History I

Prerequisites

Course Description

A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural and intellectual history of the United States from the pre-Columbian era to the Civil War/Reconstruction period. United States History I includes the study of pre-Columbian, colonial, revolutionary, early national, slavery and sectionalism, and the Civil War/Reconstruction eras. Themes that may be addressed in United States History I include: American settlement and diversity, American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, and creation of the federal government.

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

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

The American YAWP, volume I, edited by Joseph Locke and Ben Wright. This is an OER (open educational resource) available for free online. Links are found within the course, and you may also visit www.americanyawp.com. You can buy a paper copy of the textbook at the bookstore if you wish, but this is optional.

Supplies

You are required to have regular access to a personal computer (chromebook, mac, or pc desktop or laptop) with reliable access to the Internet. Tablets and smartphones should also work but will make performing certain tasks significantly more difficult.

You should bring a notebook or paper and something to write with to class for notetaking.

You are required to bring a #2 pencil to class on exam days.

Student Performance

Create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
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

Check your school email and Watermark at least once every weekday at the beginning of the day. If class is canceled, an email will be sent out as early in the day as possible.

You are responsible for learning how to use the technology utilized in this class. Unless there is a problem with the systems used by AC, issues with technology are not an acceptable excuse for failing to complete assignments. Blackboard will provide verification that submitted work has been accepted: it is important to check for this before moving on to other things. A list of support resources has been provided for you under the “help” section of the course’s Blackboard site to assist you with technology use.

You are expected to follow all Amarillo College policies and procedures, particularly those relating to academic integrity and personal conduct. The following are of particular importance:

Be respectful: to provide an environment that encourages free expression we must treat each other with dignity and respect. Students who behave inappropriately may face disciplinary action from the college.
Don't commit plagiarism: you must properly cite sources used in your work.
Do your own work: while it is perfectly acceptable and encouraged to study together, you may not collaborate with others on any work that receives a grade unless specifically authorized. You may not pass off others' work or the products of technology as your own.
Any form of academic dishonesty will result in harsh penalties imposed at the instructor's discretion which could include failure of the assessment, failure of the course, a reduction in the final course grade, and/or disciplinary action from the college.

Laptops, tablets, and other technology will be used selectively in this class. There are times when device use will be appropriate and encouraged, and times when technology should be put away. If another student's use of technology is interfering with your learning, you should bring this to your professor's attention.

Do not record the class without your professor's permission.

Course content created by your professor, including assignments, handouts, lectures, exams, quizzes, and videos, is protected by copyright and is intended for your personal educational use only, and may not be reproduced, distributed, sold, bartered, or linked to on the Internet without his express written permission. Students found to have violated your professor's intellectual property rights will be referred to the college for disciplinary action and may be subject to legal action as permitted by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Grading Criteria

Graded components

This class uses a point-based system for grading. There are 1000 points available.

Chapter quizzes

There will be 11 quizzes throughout the class; each will be associated with a unit. During each unit, you are allowed unlimited attempts of each quiz until the beginning of the unit exam, when the quizzes will become unavailable. Only the highest scoring attempt will factor into your grade. The purpose of this arrangement is to make the quizzes a tool for assessing your knowledge of the material and finding out where it is lacking. Each quiz is worth up to 10 points. Late quizzes will not be accepted. The lowest scoring quiz will not factor into your grade.

Homework assignments

There will be 11 homework assignmens on the portion of the material that is covered outside of class. Because we will not be going over this material during our time together, the purpose of the homeworks is to provide you an opportunity to review the video lectures and textbook readings and for me to check for understanding. Each homework is worth 10 points. Homework assginments turned in on time will receive a 1-point bonus. You may turn in a week's homework assignments late through 11:59 PM Sunday with a 1-point penalty. The lowest scoring homework assignment will not factor into your grade.

Exams

You will be taking three in-class exams. The purpose of the exams is to demonstrate your understanding of the material. Each exam will be worth up to 200 points. At the end of the semester, the lowest scoring exam will be replaced by the average score of the three.

If you miss an exam, being allowed to make it up will only be considered if you email your professor before the exam or shortly thereafter and provide an explanation of your situation. Students should not take missing an exam lightly: excuses will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Out of fairness to the other students, missed exams must be taken in person at the testing center the next day or as soon as possible. Multiple make-ups will not be allowed.

Common assessment

You will be completing an assignment that will ask you to imagine that you are write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in the past. The purpose of the common assessment is to practice research, writing, and the analysis of historical sources. The common assessment will be worth up to 150 points. Late letters will be accepted with a 10 point penalty per day turned in past the due date.

Attendance/participation

You are expected to regularly attend class; see the attendance section below for policies regarding absences. Attendance will be worth up to 50 points. Exceptional participation in class can result in students earning a small amount of extra credit.

Extra credit

There will be no extra credit awarded in the class save for that detailed under "attendance/participation."

Exceptions to course policies

Exceptions to course policies will not be granted unless you are experiencing significant hardship or bereavement and communicate with your professor in a timely fashion.

Grading scale

Final grades will be calculated using the following:

890 or more points = A

790 to less than 890 points = B

690 to less than 790 points = C

590 to less than 690 points = D

Less than 590 points = F

Decimals will be rounded up to the next integer

Attendance

Attending class regularly is generally understood as the most impotant thing a student can do to succeed in college. In recognition of this, this class has the following policies regarding attendance:

There is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences apart from absences due to AC-sponsored activities such as athletics. It is therefore not necessary to notify your professor that you will be missing class unless you are participating in an AC-sponsored activity.
To account for life's ups and downs, you may miss up to two classes without penalty. Beyond this, the following will happen:
- 3 - 4 absences: student will earn 1/2 credit for attendance/participation
- More than 4 absences: student will earn no credit for attendance/participation
Please do not attend class if you are genuinely sick. If you are concerned about an absence due to illness impacting your grade, please get in touch with your professor.
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class using Watermark; you will be required to check in using your smartphone. If you come in late, it is your responsibility to check in with your professor and have your attendance counted.
If you need to leave class early, you must notify your professor ahead of time unless you are responding to an emergency; failing to abide by this policy will result in being marked absent.
As detailed above in the "administrative drop policy" section, you must physically attend class or submit work for a grade on or before the census date or be removed from the class.

Calendar

Week 1

1/17: Intro to the class; unit 1 begins

1/19: Intro to hybrid learning; read chapter 2 sections IV – VI before today’s class

Read chapter 3 sections IV and V, watch the "colonial expansion and its consequences" video lecture, and take the unit 1 part II quiz by the end of the week

Finish watching the "Early English Colonies" video and turn in the homework by the end of the day (11:59 PM) on Sunday 1/22

Week 2

1/24: snow day, no class

1/26: Freedom, colonial politics, and empire; read chapter 3 sections II and III and chapter 4 sections III – VI, watch the "Colonial Slavery" video lecture, and complete the homework assignment before today’s class; take the unit 1 part III quiz after class