GEOG 331*01:Topics in Historical Geography: American Landscapes
Fall 2017, Coastal Carolina University
Class meeting times: MWF 1-1:50pm
Location: EHFA 165
Instructor: Susan Bergeron
Office: 232 Brittain Hall
Office Hours: Tues./Thurs. 8:30am-10:30am and by appointment
Office Phone (from off campus):843-234-3496
Email:
Webpage:
http://www.coastal.edu/anthropology-geography
Topics in Historical Geography
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Course description:
GEOG 331 Topics in Historical Geography: American Landscapes (3). This course explores the way in which geographic phenomena change through time. We seek to understand how cultural, geographic, and political features developed by examining the interaction of human societies and their physical and social environment. Emphasis is placed on an analysis of themes such as historical landscape study, cultural interaction, immigration, environment, and economic change.Students explore each topic in depth through a combination of lectures, discussions, readings, and hands-on projects or research papers. The course may be repeated for up to six (6) hours of credit under different topics. F, S, Su.
Course Objectives:
1)explore how geographic phenomena have changed through time.
2)learn concepts, methods, and data of historical geography
3)use in-class exercises and activities that illustrate concepts of historical geography
4)use library, web, and other scholarly sources to research topics in historical geography
5)practice critical, analytical, and communication skills through writing exercises and examinations.
Student Learning Outcomes:
More precisely, upon successful completion of this course you can expect to be able to:
1)explain critical concepts in historical geography
2)describe data and methods used to understand geographic change through time
3)demonstrate a basic comprehension of historical geography
4)outline relationships between societies and their landscape through time
5)describe major geographic transformations through time.
Coastal Carolina University is an academic community that expects the highest standards of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility. Members of this community are accountable for their actions and reporting the inappropriate action of others and are committed to creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
Coastal Carolina University is dedicated to establishing and maintaining a barrier-free environment with all of its resources. Students with physical, psychological, or learning disabilities receive accommodations and assistance through Disability Services. To access services and accommodations, students should obtain documentation of the disability and make an appointment with the Coordinator of Disability Services.
Course requirements and grade distribution:
CATEGORY / POINTSAttendance/class participation / 100
Quizzes / 300
Section project #1 / 150
Section project #2 / 150
Project presentation / 100
Final project / 200
TOTAL / 1000
- Final grades are calculated as follows: A 1000-900; B+ 899-870; B 869-800; C+ 799-770; C 769-700; D+ 699-670; D 669-600; F 600-0.
- I reserve the right to make adjustments to the grading scheme, the number of assignments, due dates, and the overall course plan as necessary.
Texts, course materials:
- Online readings and links posted on Moodle.
Descriptions of course requirements:
Class participation:Your participation grade includes attendance, participation in discussion, in-class assignments, and overall classroom citizenship. You will be expected to contribute to daily classroom conversations in a respectful manner. Lack of participation (not paying attention, using your cell phone, laptops used for things other than notetaking, etc.) will affect your grade. You may miss 2 classes without penalty.
Quizzes: There will be three significant quizzes during the semester – one for each major section of the course. The format can include short answer, fill-in-the-blank, matching, multiple-choice, or true/false.
Section Projects:Each section of the course will include a project and project presentation. Information about the topic and requirements will be provided in class and on Moodle in advance.
Final Project: In lieu of a final exam, this course will culminate in a final project. Information about the topic and requirements will be provided in class and on Moodle in advance.
Course policies:
Attendance:ATTENDANCE WILL BE RECORDED AT EACH CLASS MEETING. Attendance is expected, and you must be on time for class. The CCU University Catalog states, with respect to attendance, that “An instructor is permitted to impose a penalty, including assigning the grade of F, for unexcused absences in excess of 25% of the regularly scheduled class meetings.” Attendance will be taken, and absences in excess of 25% of our class meetings will result in a failing grade, no matter what your actual performance in the course happens to be. The Catalog also states that “Absences will be excused for documented cases of:
a)Incapacitating illness,
b)Official representation of the University (excuses for official representation of the University should be obtained from the official supervising the activity),
c)Death of a close relative, and
d)Religious holidays.”
Missed Exams/Quizzes:Students must take all exams during the posted exam time (see schedule below). Some leniency may be expected for documented excuses of types (a)-(d) above, and perhaps others at the instructor’s discretion. If you miss an exam, you must contact me within 8 hours, regardless of the reason. Failure to contact me within that time frame will result in a 0 (zero) for the exam.
Academic misconduct: Academic misconduct will not be tolerated, and if you are caught committing an academic infraction, your action will be reported to the University, and my standard sanction is failure for the course. The CCU Student Code of Conduct (URL: https://www.coastal.edu/conduct/) gives examples of plagiarism and cheating:
a. Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to the following:
- Words, sentences, ideas, conclusions, examples and/or organization of an assignment are borrowed without proper acknowledgement from a source (for example, a book, article, electronic document, or another student’s paper).
- A student submits another person’s work in place of his/her own.
- A student allows someone else to revise, correct, or edit an assignment without explicit permission of the instructor.
- A student submits work without proper acknowledgement from commercial firms, Web sites, fraternity or sorority files, or any other outside sources, whether purchased or not.
- A student allows another person to take all or any part of a course, including quizzes, tests, and final examinations.
- A student submits any written assignments done with the assistance of another without the explicit permission of the instructor.
- A student knowingly aids another student who is engaged in plagiarism.
b. Examples of cheating include but are not limited to the following:
- A student uses unauthorized information, materials or assistance of any kind of an assignment, quiz, test or final examination.
- A student knowingly aids another student who is engaged in cheating.
See the Code of Conduct for more details, as well as other cases of academic misconduct. The simplest rule of thumb here is: do your own work, and give properly formatted credit for ideas that aren’t your own.
Technology Requirements
Email: Official communications will be conducted through email. Please check your account regularly.You may also email me. I check my email at least twice on weekdays. Do not expect prompt responses to messages on weekends or late evenings. If your message requires a lengthy response, I encourage you to talk with me in person during office hours or schedule an appointment.
Moodle: The syllabus, project requirements, readings, assignments, and other materials will be posted on the class Moodle site. Be sure to check Moodle regularly for new information and announcements.
This syllabus is subject to change; any content or assignment changes will be posted on the Moodle site and announced in class.
Schedule:
Topic 1 – Introduction to Historical Geography
Week 1:
Introductions and syllabus. What is historical geography?
Language of Maps
Types of Geographies
READING: TBD
Week 2:
Sins of our fathers: environmental geography
READING:Environmental Determinism, Ellsworth Huntington, and the Decline of GeographySource:
Week 3:
Discussions and ramifications of environmental determinism: alternative ideas.
Reactions to determinism and cultural landscape theory
READING: Sauer, Carl O. Morphology of Landscape (PDF on Moodle)
Week 4:
Historical geographic resources and sources
READING: TBD
Quiz 1
Topic 2 –American Landscapes
Week 5:
What is a region?
Building geographies exercise
Defining a cultural region
READING: Mann, Charles C. 1491, New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus
(Chapter 2, pg. 33-67)
Week 6:
When cultures clash.
Evolution of “New Landscapes”
READING: TBD
Week 7:
Horry County as a historical region
***Class Trip: Horry County Museum Conway***
READING: TBD
Trip Notes Due!!!
Week 8:
Layering Horry discussions
READING: TBD
1st Project Due!!!!!
Topic 3 – Settlement Patterns
Week 9:
Settlements: place vs. space and pre-industrialsettlement
Changing settlements after the Industrial Revolution
READING: Geography, Settlement Characteristics (Read all 4 sections)
Source:
Week 10:
Modern urban and rural settlement
READING: TBD
Quiz II
Topic 4 – Site and Landscape
Week 11:
What is a site? Characteristics, layers and types of focus
Choosing and categorizing your site
Public History, restoration projects and the geography of memory
READING: Baron, Christine One if by Land! Two if by River? Or, What if Everything You Thought You Knew were Wrong?
Source:
Week 12:
Pitfalls and rewards of public history and historical spaces
Site layering. In class case studies
READING: TBD
Quiz III
Week 13:
Project consultations (see consultation schedule)
READING: None, work on your final project
Week 14:
Project presentations (see presentation schedule)
READING: None, work on your final project
Week 15:
Project presentations (see presentation schedule)
READING: None, work on your final project
Week 16:
Presentation feedback student assessments due / Make-up day
READING: None, work on your final project
Final Assessment: In lieu of a final exam, students must complete and submit a final project. Please see Moodle for the assignment and submission policies.
A syllabus is a general guide to the course. It is not a contract or agreement. The instructor reserves the right to unilaterally change anything contained in the syllabus, including but not limited to, assignments, tests, or grading.
Topics in Historical Geography
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