Course Syllabus

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**  Printable/PDF version of the syllabus here **

 

 

Mr. Lucier’s History 100 (online) Syllabus

History 100 Section 11 (Ref# 3546) United States History to 1877

San Bernardino Valley College | Summer 2021

Social Sciences, Human Development & Physical Education Division

North Hall Room 345 | (909) 384-4413

Instructor: Bradley Lucier

Email: Blucier@sbccd.cc.ca.us

Room: Online

Office Hours: Apt. only M-Th 9-11 AM

Time: 10.8 hours each week

Preferred contact: Inbox in canvas

Start date: 6/1/21

End date: 7/1/21

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course provides a general survey of United States history with an emphasis on political, economic, social, and cultural developments from the pre-Colonial period through the Civil War and Reconstruction period.

 

COURSE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 

1. Identify and explain the historical significance of key terms, events or movements in United States history from the pre-colonial period to 1877.

 

2. Critically evaluate and interpret key themes in social, cultural, political, and or economic movements in the United States history from the pre-colonial period to 1877.

 

3. Applying the specific knowledge of key events and themes in United States history from the pre-colonial period to 1877, students will demonstrate their understandings of the course material using evidence based writing (using 2 or more sources)

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Upon successful completion of the course the student should be able to:

  1. Identify, define, and discuss key factors contributing to European exploration and conquest, and the cultural clash between Native Americans and the Spanish, French, and British colonists
  2. Critically evaluate and interpret pertinent themes such as the transition to slave labor in the Chesapeake, the role of women in the colonial experience, and the impact of Republican thought on American politics
  3. Compare and contrast the development of various colonies, identifying their original goals as well as their end results, including: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, the Quakers, the Pilgrims, the Puritans, and the Exodus Colonies
  4. Examine and interpret the key factors leading to the American Revolution, highlighting conflicts such as the French and Indian War, British economic and political sanctions against the colonists, and the ideological foundations of revolutionary philosophy
  5. Discuss the challenges presented by the American Revolution, including the war itself as well as the philosophical foundation and political compromise that created the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the structure of our government
  6. Interpret the key factors that led to the Market Revolution, including inventions, the transportation revolution, and the importance of immigrant and slave labor
  7. Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the impact of the Westward growth, including conflicts such as the War of 1812 and the Mexican American War,  and the philosophy of Manifest Destiny on Native American populations
  8. Analyze and discuss the role of women as slave and free laborers, in antebellum culture, and as leaders of various reform movements
  9. Identify and discuss the key conflicts of the 1850s that led to the Civil War
  10. Construct sound arguments regarding the challenges presented in fighting the Civil War, as well as the economic, social, and political consequences of the Civil War
  11. Analyze and discuss the various stages and the outcome of the Reconstruction period, including the impact that the Compromise of 1877 had on African American and white populations in the North and the South

 

COURSE CORE COMPENTECIES:

  • Read and retain information
  • Write clearly
  • Locate and interpret information
  • Evaluate authority and bias of information
  • Locate, evaluate and select evidence to support/discredit an argument
  • Construct a persuasive argument
  • Demonstrate knowledge of, and respect for, other cultures
  • Demonstrate knowledge of, and respect for, one’s own culture

 

Required LMS:

Canvas

 

 

Required Texts:

Textbook is 100% free and online at: https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history

Corbett, Scott P., et. al. U.S. History by Openstax (XanEdu Publishing Inc; 1st edition December 30, 2014) ISBN: 978-1506698151

*Additional required readings will be made available online through Canvas

Course Requirements:

                                                                                    Grade breakdown:

Weekly Chapter Assignments                                    350 points (points vary per week)

Midterm + Final Exam                                                 350 points (175 points each)

Two Historical Biographical Discussions:                 180 points (90 points each)

Four Primary Source Discussions:                             120 points (30 points each)

________________________________________________________________________

Total points:                                                               1000 points                                                                

 

Weekly Chapter Assignments:  

(350 points total, points vary per week) Each week students will be required to complete readings, watch videos, and take notes on the chapters covered for that week. Chapter assignments will mostly include short quizzes but may also include other types of assignments. Due dates for chapter assignments are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays @ 11:59 PM.

 

Midterm and Final Exams:  

(350 points, 175 points each) Students will be required to complete a midterm and final exam.  Exams will test your knowledge on the chapters covered in the textbook. Exams will consist of 25 questions (multiple answer, matching, dropdown) that you will be required to answer in 60 minutes.  Questions are chosen from a pool and shuffled, meaning each exam attempt will generate a different exam.  There are two attempts to account for any technical glitches or internet issues during your initial attempt.  Even if you experience no technical issues on the first attempt, feel free to take advantage of both attempts. No late Exams will be accepted.

                           

                     

Historical Biography Assignment:

(180 points, 90 points each) During the semester students will complete 2 biographical assignments. Each assignment will require each student to participate in two separate discussions. The first; everyone will choose a different person for which they will write a discussion post detailing that individuals’ biography. Participating in the first discussion will avoid two or more students choosing the same person. Duplicate posts receive no credit.

 

The second; there will be a series of questions for which you will answer.  Research will be based from online sources as these assignments will require a deeper understanding than the textbook or videos can provide.  Biographical posts must be put into your own words to avoid plagiarized work. Any work copied and pasted and/or not put into your own words will be considered plagiarism and will be graded as a 0.  Each student must also reply to at least 2 other students posts comparing biographical figures through a series of follow up questions that will be posted.  The specific format for these assignments will be made available on Canvas. Late assignments will be reduced by 50%.

 

Primary Source Discussions:

(120 points total, 30 points each) Four primary sources discussions will be made available on canvas.  Primary source discussions will require the reading of selected primary sources posted on to canvas.  You will be given a series of questions which you must answer in your discussion.  It is important to include in your initial reply: 1) the primary source read and 2) the question you are answering. Source discussions will be graded on the initial post and the two required peer replies.

 

What is a primary source?  A source is anything that informs us about the past.  A primary source is a source that comes directly from the time period/place of historical inquiry. 

 

 

Ethics, Plagiarism, and Cheating policy:

A WORD OF CAUTION: Plagiarism includes copying or re-mixing someone else’s work – either from the textbook or the internet - and passing it off as your own. Additionally, the use of a paraphrasing tool, thesaurus, and other text modifiers is also plagiarism. Do not be seduced into using the Internet as a crutch instead of using your own thoughts/words.  Simply changing a few words or punctuation is NOT using ones own thoughts/words, and will be considered plagiarized work.

 

The PLAGIARISM PENALTY: Students who plagiarize will receive a ZERO for the assignment and WILL NOT be able to make it up.  Any secondary incident will lead to additional loss of points, including a FAILING grade for the class. Repeated incidents of plagiarism to the Dean for student code of conduct violations.

 

Good practices to avoid plagiarism: Some advice/best practices to avoid submitting plagiarized work: Do not use words/terms/places that you are personally unfamiliar with, or do not understand. Read first, close browser/book, then write – Do NOT read/write simultaneously.  Work to minimize the content of your sources ie: For every 5 sentences of information read, write 1 sentence on your assignment. Proof-read, proof-read, and proof-read before you submit.

 

Late Work Policy:

No late exams are accepted.  Because the answers are public after exam sessions, no late exams are accepted.  Exam sessions are open for 7 days, if an exam has not been attempted within the exam period, it will be scored as 0.  

 

All other late assignments will only be accepted within 48 hours of the original due date, afterwards assignments will be closed and graded as 0. No late assignments are accepted past the end of the semester.   Late assignments will have their scores reduced by 50%.

Online Participation/Drop Policy:

Students can be dropped for the following reasons:

  1. Failure to attempt the Syllabus Quiz within the first 3 days of the course
  2. Failure to submit any work for any given 10 day period.
  3. Inappropriate, harassing, or offensive comments/statements made to the professor or other students in public discussions

Drop date: 6/4/21. Withdraw date: 6/18/21. Students are responsible for dropping by the posted deadlines.

 

Resources - ADA Accommodations:

If you require a disability-related accommodation, please let me know as soon as possible so that I can assist you in a timely manner. You must also register with the college’s Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS). You will be required to provide DSPS with professional verification of your disabling condition(s). The phone number for DSPS is (909) 384-4443.

  

Course Calendar:

All assignments are due on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays @ 11:59 PM.  No late assignments accepted for Exam Assignments. No late assignments accepted after 7/1/21 regardless.

 

Thursday - June 3rd:

  • Syllabus Quiz + Introduction Assignments

 

Sunday - June 6th:

  • Discussion: Choose a person to research
  • Chapter 1+2 assignments

 

Tuesday - June 8th:

  • Discussion: Primary Source Discussion - Colonization
  • Chapter 3 assignment

 

Thursday - June 10th:

  • Discussion: Primary source peer replies
  • Chapter 4 assignments

 

Sunday - June 13th:

  • Discussion: Historical Biographical Discussion 1
  • Chapter 5+6 assignments

 

 

Tuesday - June 15th:

  • Discussion: Primary Source Discussion – Revolution
  • Discussion: Biography discussion peer replies
  • Chapter 7 assignments

 

Thursday - June 17th:

  • Discussion: Primary Source peer replies
  • Chapter 8 assignments
  • Midterm Exam (Ch. 1-8)

 

Sunday - June 20th:

  • Discussion: Choose a person to research
  • Chapter 9+10 assignments

 

Tuesday - June 22nd:

  • Discussion: Primary Source Discussion – North and South
  • Chapter 11 assignments

 

Thursday - June 24th:

  • Discussion: Primary source peer replies
  • Chapter 12 assignments

 

Sunday - June 27th:

  • Discussion: Historical Biographical Discussion 2
  • Chapter 13+14 assignments

 

Tuesday - June 29th:

  • Discussion: Primary Source Discussion – Civil War
  • Discussion: Biography Peer replies
  • Chapter 15 assignments

 

Thursday - July 1st:

  • Discussion: Primary source peer replies
  • Chapter 16 assignments
  • Final Exam (Ch. 9-16)

* NO assignments will be accepted after July 1st *  

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due