History 2610: United States to 1865

Spring 2018, 3 hours credit

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Richard B. McCaslin (Wooten 239, Phone 369-8182, )

OFFICE HOURS: 5:00-6:30 Wednesday, and by appointment.

TEACHING ASSISTANT: Chris Menking

OFFICE HOURS: TBA (see your Blackboard page)

DESCRIPTION: A survey of the issues, events, and personalities that shaped our national

development “from colonial origins through the Civil War” [Undergraduate catalog].

COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of the term, students will

*Know significant groups, individuals, and events in United States History from

settlement to 1865

*Think more critically about the political, economic, and social development of the

*Communicate more effectively in writing essays that provide coherent, logical, and factually correct responses to questions concerning the United States prior to 1865

TEXTS: Hewitt & Lawson, Exploring American Histories, 2nd ed. (ISBN 9781319193676)

HIST 2610: Reader in American History, 4th ed. (packaged with textbook)

Exploring American Histories serves as a resource for this course. Reading chapters as listed, as well as the documents, timelines, appendices, and glossary, will assist in comprehending lectures and enhance your performance on tests. The Reader in American History will provide the subject matter for three online reading quizzes.

ASSIGNMENTS: Your final grade will be based on three tests and three reader quizzes. Two midterm tests will each count as 20 percent of your final grade, while your final test will count as 30 percent of your final grade. Each reader quiz will count as 10 percent of your final grade.

Each test (midterms and final) will include twenty multiple choice questions, ten map questions, and one essay question, to be selected from two provided. Before each test, an in-class review will be conducted and a study sheet with essay questions will be provided. The essay questions on your tests will come directly from the study sheets. The dates for each test (midterms and final) are on the attached list.

The reading quizzes will each be comprised of twenty multiple choice questions focusing on three articles from the Reader in American History. You are expected to read the articles and then take the quiz online. The closing dates for each online quiz are on the attached list.

For extra credit, you can write a short essay (250 words) on a movie selected by you from a list provided by the instructor. Thoughtful, well-written essays can earn up to ten extra points.

GRADING: Grades are computed on a ten-point scale: 90 to 100 is an A, 80 to 89 is a B, 70 to 79 is a C, 60 to 69 is a D, below 60 is an F. I do not “curve” but significant improvement will be considered in assigning final grades. There are no pluses and minuses on report cards at UNT.

ATTENDANCE: Because tests are based primarily on the lectures, it would be best if you were not absent. It is my experience that excessive absence does affect your grade. “Make-up” tests and quizzes will be given only at the discretion of the instructor. If you know in advance that you will miss a test or quiz, it would be best to notify the instructor before missing that class.

OTHER RULES: Please turn off all cell phones and similar devices. Class communication will be exclusively through e-mail, using your official UNT e-mail address. Do not use the message function on Blackboard. Power points, announcements (including test review sheets) and grades will be posted on Blackboard.

HIST 2610: Fall 2017, 11:00-12:20 TTR

Date Topic Reading Notes

January 17 Introduction

24 Indians Chapter 1

First Europeans Chapter 2

31 VA/MA Chapter 3

Growth

February 7 Conflict Chapter 4 QUIZ 1 CLOSES

Protest Chapter 5

14 Revolution Chapter 6 REVIEW

21 TEST (Chaps. 1-6)

28 Confederation Chapter 7

Federalists

March 7 NO CLASS

[MOVIE NIGHT!]

14 SPRING BREAK

21 Anti-Federalists Chapters 8, 9

War of 1812

28 Good Feelings QUIZ 2 CLOSES

Age of Jackson Chapter 10

April 4 Reform Chapter 11 REVIEW

11 TEST (Chaps.7-10)

18 Slavery

Expansion

25 Compromise Chapter 12 QUIZ 3 CLOSES

Secession Chapter 13

May 2 Civil War REVIEW

9 TEST (Chaps. 11-13)

The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking reasonable accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with a reasonable accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request reasonable accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of reasonable accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of reasonable accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. Students are strongly encouraged to deliver letters of reasonable accommodation during faculty office hours or by appointment. Faculty members have the authority to ask students to discuss such letters during their designated office hours to protect the privacy of the student. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website athttp://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at940.565.4323.