HISTORY 1312-004 AMERICAN HISTORY II
DR. KEVIN SMANT
M W F 11:00-11:50 UH 11
SPRING 2010
Office and Hours: UH 339
M W F 10:00–11:00, 12:00-1:00 p.m..
Or by appointment
Telephone: Office: 817-272-2889
Home: 817-926-6516
E-mail:
This course will cover the broad sweep of American history, beginning with the period following 1876 and concluding with the 1980/90s. This is primarily a lecture course, but we will also make use of historical music and videos, and I encourage you to ask questions at any time.
EXPECTED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME STATEMENT
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to demonstrate mastery of knowledge of the important events and periods of American history since 1876, such as the Progressive Era, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the post-1945 era. Students should be able, through exams, quizzes over textbook readings, and short answer questions over other assigned readings, to how and why important events occurred and processes of change developed. Students should be able to explain, in essay form, their answers to questions such as: Why did the U.S. enter World War I? Why did Americans show intolerance towards Japanese-Americans in World War II? Why were many Americans ready to embrace the civil rights movement for African-Americans by the early 1960s?
EXAMS AND QUIZZES:
There will be one midterm examination, plus the final. Exams will consist of some matching questions, some multiple-choice, and at least one essay questions. Half of each exam will be based on your assigned textbook readings, the other half will be based on classroom lectures. All exams will be worth 150 points. I hand out study guides in advance of each exam. All questions on the exam are taken from and/or based on the study guide. ALSO: there will be 4 multiple-choice quizzes, which will cover both assigned textbook readings and lectures. These will be take-home, and will each be worth 50 points, for a total of 200 points. There will however be strict guidelines for when these quizzes are due. Quizzes turned in late will receive point deductions.
TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENTS:
You will also be required to complete 2 take-home book assignments. These will consist of the following: you will be assigned to read 2 books on specific topics related to the historical period we are studying. You will also be given a sheet of short essay questions based on the assigned reading in the book, with the questions to be completed either while you read the book, or afterwards. You then type up and hand in those answers to complete the assignment. You will have roughly ten short essays to complete for each book. The questions will be broad. Your assignment, when handed in, must be typed. Your work on these assignments MUST be your own, and your answers must be your own. Using another student’s work, or copying/pasting from the internet, will be treated as cheating. Each book assignment will be worth 100 points.
GRADING:
Your grade will be based on a point system as follows: 2 exams, each worth 150 points; 2 take-home book assignments, each worth 100 points; and textbook quizzes, worth a total of 200 points. Total points available: 700. Such things as class attendance and the improvement you show throughout the course may also affect your grade. I grade on a straight scale: 90% and above=A; 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C; and so forth.
ATTENDANCE:
In any class, but especially in a history class, it is very important that you attend faithfully. This is important for being able to understand the material fully and do well in the course; and also just so you know what’s going on with the class (in case there are changes in dates for giving exams, for example). So: 10-15 times during this semester, I will take attendance. You will sign your name to a sign-in attendance sheet, which will be passed around at some point during class (note that it will not necessarily go around at the beginning of class). Those students who, at the end of the semester, have either 1 absence after all the attendance-taking is done, or 0 absences, will receive 25 points added to their class total.
MAKING UP MISSED QUIZZES OR EXAMS/HANDING IN ASSIGNMENTS LATE:
You will be allowed, in case of illness or emergency, to make up missed quizzes or exams, or to hand in written assignments 1-2 days late. HOWEVER, you MUST let me know you are going to miss it, or that you need more time to complete an assignment, either in advance or within 24 hours after the quiz, exam, or assignment due date. [This applies to the textbook quizzes as well.] You can, for example, contact me by telephone, either at the office or at home; and if I’m not there, there are answering machines/voicemail at both places---leave a message. You MUST ALSO present a written excuse, such as a note from your doctor, employer, parent, etc. There will be no exceptions. ALSO: if you did not have a valid illness or emergency, but you still need to hand in a take-home assignment late, you ARE allowed to do so. There is however a late penalty; this penalty is 3 points taken off per day the assignment is late (all days count, including weekend days).
Please turn off all cell phones or other electronic devices before coming to class. No texting or checking messages allowed during class. No Ipods or MP3 players. Laptops for note-taking are permitted. Students are permitted to tape lectures.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
It is the philosophy of the University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with university regulations and procedures. Discipline may involve suspension or expulsion from the university. “Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.” (Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Series 50101, Section 2.2)
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 92 – 112 – The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of federal legislation entitled Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens. As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide “reasonable accommodations” to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty of their need for accommodation and for providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels. Information regarding specific diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability. Also, you may visit the Office for Students With Disabilities in room 102 of University Hall or call them at (817)-272-3364.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE
The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the university and achieve academic success. These programs include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally-funded programs. Students requiring academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at (817) 272-6107 for more information and appropriate referrals.
BOOKS:
George Tindall and David Shi, AMERICA: A NARRATIVE HISTORY, volume II
Erich Maria Remarque, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
Sidney Stewart, GIVE US THIS DAY
CLASS SCHEDULE
week of: lecture topic: assignment:
January 20 Introduction Tindall, ch. 20
January 25 American experiences, 1876-1900 Tindall, ch. 21
February 1 The Gilded Age Tindall, ch 22
February 8 America’s empire Tindall, ch.23; 1st take-home
Quiz due, 2/12; begin reading
Remarque
February 15 The Progressive Era Tindall, ch. 24
February 22 The Great War–I Tindall, ch. 25; 1ST TAKE-
HOME ASSIGNMENT ON
REMARQUE DUE FRIDAY
2/26
March 1 The Great War–II 2nd take-home quiz due
Friday 3/5
March 8 The 1920s Tindall, ch. 26, 27;
MIDTERM EXAM (to be
Given Weds 3/5
March 15 SPRING BREAK
March 22 The Great Depression Tindall, ch. 28; begin reading
Stewart
March 29 World War II Tindall, ch. 29; 3rd take-home
Quiz due on Fri 4/2
April 5 World War II Tindall, ch. 30, 31;
April 12 The Cold War Tindall, ch. 32; TAKE-HOME
BOOK ASSIGNMENT ON
STEWART DUE FRI 4/16
April 19 Civil Rights; the Great Society Tindall, ch. 33, 34;
April 26 America and Vietnam Tindall, ch. 35; 4th TAKE-HOME
QUIZ DUE FRI 4/30
May 2 Reagan, the 1980s, and beyond Tindall and Shi, chs 36, 37
May 8-May 14 FINAL EXAM WEEK
The final exam will NOT be comprehensive. It will cover all material since the midterm exam.