University of North Carolina at Pembroke
| HST 1010: American Civilizations to 1877 |
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Spring 2013 Course Objectives: This course is one of six history surveys that meets the University’s general education requirement. It is intended to help students further develop their analytical and communications skills as well as to introduce them to some of the major themes, developments, and events that characterize American history to 1877. The class will address several broad historical topics: the transfer and adaptation of Old World cultures to New World circumstances; nation-making and the problems (first for Great Britain and then for the United States) of distributing power between peripheries and center; race and gender relations; localism and expansionism; and the development of democratic institutions in American society. In doing so, we hope students will gain a better understanding of history as a field of study and profession, and realize that history is an interpretative process of which we are all a part. Supplemental Instruction: This class has been selected for the Supplemental Instruction Program, and thereby provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer facilitated review sessions. Our SI Leader is Samantha Morgan (sdm032@bravemail.uncp.edu). Each week, she will be available at designated times to meet with other students to discuss course information, upcoming exams, and writing assignments. Times and sites will be posted here once available. Assigned Readings: The following books are required reading and are available in the campus bookstore. Participation/Attendance: Class meetings will be a combination of lecture and discussion. The introductory nature of the course warrants lecture, but we expect student involvement to be a significant part of your experience. To stimulate participation, role-playing simulations and student discussions will be scheduled during the semester. To help you prepare for most class meetings, we will provide outlines, questions, and terms several days before each class. They can be accessed via the Course Schedule on our Blackboard site. You should consider these aids as you complete the reading for class meetings and as you prepare for exams. Several meetings are entirely dedicated to class discussion, and are marked “Discussion” on the schedule. It is especially important that you attend those meetings and complete the assigned supplemental readings scheduled for them. Students will be expected to discuss the material in class and should be prepared for quizzes or an in-class writing assignment. An unexcused absence for one of the discussion groups will result in an F for the overall participation grade. The first step to passing this course is to attend regularly. Attendance is required and does influence your grade in the course. If you have to miss a class — for medical, religious, or other legitimate reasons — when an exam, paper, or discussion is scheduled, you must contact us in advance to see if other arrangements can be made. However, on other days, we do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. Keep in mind, excessive absences will adversely affect your participation grade. If absent or late for a class, it is the student’s responsibility for getting any announcements or information from lectures/discussion. If, because of bad weather, you are uncertain whether classes will meet, consult the Announcements on the class Blackboard site, the UNCP Emergency Information Hotline at (910) 521-6888, or Brave Alert on the UNCP website (http://www.uncpalert.com/go/site/1614/). Quizzes: Success in this course is tied to students’ commitment to attendance and the readings. Therefore, to encourage students to keep up with the assignments, and reward them if they do, quizzes will be given. Expect to take a quiz or complete a brief writing assignment on days when supplemental readings are assigned. No makeups will be given, but we will drop the lowest quiz score. Writing Assignments: Students are required to complete two writing assignments (one on Celia, and a second on Abraham Lincoln) and might be asked to write very brief essays to prepare their thoughts for discussion. Detailed instructions are available on the Writing Assignments page of the Blackboard site. Grading: Final course grades will be based on the formula below. Participation 10% Papers and exams will be graded on a ten-point scale, with scores earning the following letter grades. A = 93 and above B- = 80 and above D+ = 67 and above The following criteria provide the basis for evaluating your exams and papers. A = Truly excellent work. Essays are insightful, coherent, and original. Exam questions are answered thoroughly, with specific examples and sophisticated interpretation and analysis. Participation grades are based on preparation for and participation in class discussions. Coming to class prepared and willing to discuss the materials will enhance your grades, but absences, late arrivals, and a failure to prepare and participate will adversely affect your grades. Quizzes will be given to reward students who come to class prepared, especially on those days with supplemental readings assigned. The exams will include essay, short answer, and multiple choice sections. Each exam addresses only the material in that segment of the course and will attempt to address the readings, lectures, and discussion information, as well as any films shown in class. We urge you to begin studying well in advance of each test date. The amount of material assigned makes last-minute preparation an especially ineffective strategy. We also strongly advise you to visit us during office hours or some other mutually agreed-upon time and to take advantage of the SI sessions. Makeup exams will not be given, except in the event of crisis and when the instructor’s permission is obtained in advance of the test date. Written excuses will be required for those days when an assignment is due or an exam taken. Failure to complete the Celia and Lincoln papers or any of the exams will result in an F for the course. Communication Policy: UNCP requires that students regularly check their University email accounts, and we want you to visit the Announcements section of our Blackboard site for information about the course. It is the students’ responsibility to consult these sources and be aware of any announcements or revisions to the course schedule. To protect the confidentiality of student records, we will not discuss grades via the telephone or email. Please see us in person or consult Braveweb or Blackboard. Code of Conduct: Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the University’s Code of Conduct outlined in the student handbook (http://www.uncp.edu/sa/pol_pub/code_of_conduct.htm). Disruptive behavior in the classroom, including extraneous talking and the use of electronic devices, will not be tolerated and may result in expulsion from the class. Academic Honesty: The University expects students to comply with the Academic Honor Code. Any student plagiarizing, cheating, or violating any relevant section of the Academic Honor Code may receive an F for the course and possibly go before the Campus Hearing Board, where additional penalties might be imposed. If you are unclear about what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, or any other violation of the Academic Honor Code, please discuss the matter with one of us or refer to the relevant sections of the Student Handbook. Disabilities: Any student with a documented learning, physical, chronic health, psychological, visual or hearing disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester (preferably within the first week) as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. This publication is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact Disability Support Services, DF Lowry Building, Room 107 or call (910) 521-6695. Class Schedule: Below is an approximation of our daily schedule. We will try to adhere to this schedule, but it is subject to change. Reading assignments are to be completed by the time of the class meeting for which they are listed, unless otherwise noted. Click on Course Schedule link to view the outline, questions, and terms for each class meeting. You should ponder these aids as you complete the assigned readings. Jan 8 Introduction |