Click here for a pdf version of the original syllabus
HIST2300.001
American
History before 1877
Spring 2014
Tuesday–Thursday
12:30–1:50
Instructor: Dr. Mark Stoll
Office: HH 135 Office hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30–12:25, and by appointment
E-mail: Mark.Stoll@ttu.edu Web:
http://courses.ttu.edu/mstoll/
Textbooks:
William Cronon, Changes
in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
Study Questions
Colin G. Calloway, The
Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America
Study Questions
Lynn Hudson Parsons, The
Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election
of 1828
Study Questions
Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz,
The Kingdom of Matthias: A Story of Sex and
Salvation in 19th-Century America
Study Questions
Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass
Study Questions
James M. McPherson, For Cause and Comrades: Why Men
Fought in the Civil War
Study Questions
Recommended: Philip Jenkins, A History of the United States,
4th ed.
Format: Lecture and
discussion sections.
Grading:
·
Three
examinations
·
Students must
bring bluebooks on exam days.
·
All make-up
exams and quizzes will be given on the last Monday of classes only.
·
There will be a
quiz over each book to be discussed.
·
Each midterm
counts 22% of the final grade; the final counts 32%; and the six book-quiz
grades together count 24%.
Attendance: Attendance will
be taken in class and in discussion sections. Students with perfect attendance
will receive a bonus of 3 points on their final grades. Students who
miss more than 2 classes will lose 1.5 points off their final grades for
each absence over two. Absences may
be excused with written evidence of dire need, that is, death in the family,
hospitalization, illness, etc. Students who have been absent shall present
written excuses to the professor.
The jargon part that no one reads but has to be here:
Core Purpose Statement: This course satisfies the
Texas Tech University core curriculum requirement in the social and behavioral
sciences.
Core Competency Statement: Students completing this
course should be able to demonstrate the ability to assess critically claims
about social issues, human behavior, and diversity in human experiences.
Social and Behavioral Sciences Curriculum Objective:
The objective of a social and behavioral science component of a core curriculum
is to increase the student’s knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists
discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among
individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such knowledge
will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in
addressing the issues facing humanity.
Expected Learning Outcomes: Upon
successful completion of this course, the students will be able to (1) identify and critique alternative
explanations for claims about social issues in history; (2) demonstrate knowledge of the origins and evolution of
U.S. political
systems; (3) demonstrate
the ability to assess critically claims about social issues, human behavior,
and diversity in
human experiences; (4) identify major geographic features of the United States;
(5) describe major events and themes in American history since 1877; (6)
explain the development of American institutions and policies; and (7) identify
major historical events, people, and institutions that shape contemporary
society and major issues.
Assessment of Expected Learning Outcomes: Student
learning will be assessed through a map test for “outcome” 4 and for “outcomes”
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 through objective and essay exam questions, graded according
to the criteria listed on the professor’s Website and weighted as described in
the syllabus. Naturally.
Electronics in the Classroom: Because electronic devices distract both the student and other students
around them, all electronic devices must be turned off during class time. This
means no texting or other use of cell phones, and no laptops. Laptops may be
used only if the instructor gives permission, but students must use the
computer for class-related activities only, such as note-taking. This means no
e-mail, social media, Internet surfing, video watching, or other non-academic
activities. If, during an exam, a student is seen using any electronic device,
the exam will be collected immediately at that moment and receive a failing
grade.
Map quiz: Because
geography shapes and influences history, students must know the basic facts of
U.S. geography. All students will be required to pass a geography
map test. This test will require students to locate, on an outline map of the
U.S., 20 of the features named on the following list. A passing score is 80%.
The test will be taken in discussion sections during the second week of class.
Students will have opportunities to retake the map quiz if they fail, but must
pass before March 11. Students must be able to locate the following on
an outline map:
|
All 50 states by name |
Rio Grande |
Washington, D.C. |
|
Canada |
Appalachian Mountains |
New York City |
|
Mexico |
Rocky Mountains |
Philadelphia |
|
Pacific Ocean |
Sierra Nevada |
Boston |
|
Gulf of Mexico |
Cascade Range |
Atlanta |
|
Atlantic Ocean |
All 5 Great Lakes by name |
Chicago |
|
St. Lawrence River |
Great Salt Lake |
New Orleans |
|
Hudson River |
Puget Sound |
St. Louis |
|
Ohio River |
Great Basin |
Denver |
|
Mississippi River |
Great Plains |
Santa Fe |
|
Missouri River |
Chesapeake Bay |
Salt Lake City |
|
Arkansas River |
Florida Keys |
Los Angeles |
|
Columbia River |
Cape Cod |
San Francisco |
|
Colorado River |
Cape Canaveral |
Seattle |
|
|
Long Island |
|
Note: These geographical features can be found in most
encyclopedias and atlases. You might also try your luck on Wikipedia or Google
Maps. Attached to this syllabus is a blank map for you to practice with.
Spring 2014 Course Schedule
Complete the readings for each date before discussion
is scheduled.
Dates are tentative; the professor reserves the right to make changes.
Changes to the Web page supersede earlier versions of the syllabus.
Jan 16 INTRODUCTION
Jan 21 AMERICA BEFORE CONQUEST
Jan 23 EXPLORATION AND EMPIRE
Map Quiz
Jan 28 SPANISH EMPIRE
Discussion and quiz: William Cronon,
Changes in the Land
Jan 30 ENGLISH COLONIZATION
Feb 4 VIRGINIA
Feb 6 THE PURITAN COLONIES: NEW ENGLAND
Feb 11 THE
FRENCH IN AMERICA
Discussion and quiz: Colin G. Calloway, The Scratch of a Pen
Feb 13 COLONISTS, SLAVES, AND IMMIGRANTS
Feb18 THE GREAT AWAKENING; THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND POLITICAL IDEALS
Feb 20 EXAMINATION #1
Feb 25 THE CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION
Feb 27 THE REVOLUTION
Mar 4 THE CONSTITUTION
Mar 6
THE NEW GOVERNMENT TESTED
Discussion and quiz: Lynn Hudson Parsons, The Birth of Modern
Politics
Mar 11 REPUBLICAN "REVOLUTION OF 1800"
Mar 13 THE WAR OF 1812
Mar 15–23 SPRING BREAK—No Class
Mar 25 GOOD FEELING AND BAD: THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE; JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY
Mar 27
Discussion and quiz: Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz, The Kingdom of
Matthias
Apr 1 THE SECOND GREAT AWAKENING
Apr 3 EXAMINATION #2
Apr 8 THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Apr 10 SLAVERY
Apr 15
SLAVERY
Discussion and quiz: Frederick Douglass, Narrative
of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Apr 17 ABOLITION AND "POSITIVE GOOD"
Apr 22 WESTWARD EXPANSION; THE MEXICAN WAR; COMPROMISE OF 1850
Apr 24 RISING CONFLICT
Apr 29
SECESSION
AND WAR
Discussion and quiz: James M. McPherson, For
Cause and Comrades
May 1 THE CIVIL WAR
May 5 All
Make-Up Exams All Day in HH135
May 6 RECONSTRUCTION; POSTWAR AMERICA
FINAL EXAM: 1:30 p.m.
to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 13
Note: Any student who
intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known to the
instructor prior to the absence. A student who is absent from class for the
observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or
complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after
the absence.
Note: Any student who, because of a disability, may require special
arrangements in order to meet the course requirements should contact the
instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary arrangements. Students
should present appropriate verification from Student Disability Services during
the instructor’s office hours. Please note: instructors are not allowed to
provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification
from Student Disability Services has been provided. For additional information,
please contact Student Disability Services in West Hall or call 806-742-2405.
The professor reserves the right to change this
syllabus at his discretion. Changes will be announced in class and posted on
the class Webpages.