HT 202 – Spring 2004

Dr. D.A. Sandoval

Office: PSYCH 109; Phone: 549-2188

David.A.Sandoval@colostate-pueblo.edu

DiabloVerde@juno.com

Office Hours: 10-12 MW; 10-11 F; Other times by appointment

 

HT 202 SYLLABUS—Spring 2004

 

The U.S. to 1877 (K4), “United States from Reconstruction Era to the mid-twentieth Century.”

 

Texts:   Alan Brinkley, American History, A Survey Vol. II: Since 1865.  Eleventh Edition.  New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

 

Section 1, Call # 3355, 9:00-10:00, MWF, Psych 223

Section 2, Call # 3360, 1:00-2:00, MWF, Psych 223

 

GENERAL CLASS POLICIES

 

Plagiarism or cheating in ANY fashion will result in immediate failure or withdrawal from the class.

 

Any student eligible for and needing academic adjustment or accommodations because of disability must make this known to the professor no later than the first week of classes.  Verification of the disability and accommodations must be made through the appropriate office. This University abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, which stipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.”  If you have a documented disability that may impact your work in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please see the instructor as soon as possible to arrange accommodations.  In order to receive accommodations, you must be registered with and provide documentation of your disability to, the Disability Services Office, which is located in the Psychology Building, room 232.

 

 

 

Tardies: It is extremely important that we begin on time, with a minimum of disruption--please be considerate and be on time. Roll will be taken every class period.  Notify the instructor of your presence immediately after class if you miss roll--I will not change my class records in this regard at any other time.

 

Absences: Excused absences fall in the realm of late registration, illness, death in the family, a significant appointment which cannot be rescheduled, or a verifiable emergency situation.  Simple timely notification of an absence should not be considered as an excused absence--if in doubt, come in and we will talk about it.  If you have an excused absence you will be allowed to make up any work missed due to the absence.  It is due on the date of your return.  If you have an unexcused absence, you will not be allowed to make up any work.  I will take roll everyday.  If you come in late, it is your responsibility to make sure that I have marked you late instead of absent.

 

A person with twelve total excused or unexcused session absences will not receive a passing grade; I may withdraw a student from class when this number of classes is missed during the allowable period.  W or F will be recorded as the final grade, depending upon university regulations.

 

Extra Credit: The purpose of extra credit is to encourage a more complete experience, NOT to ensure better or passing grades.  I will present, as an option, an opportunity to submit a single paragraph report of a video for a possible maximum value of five points.

 

All materials generated outside of class must be typed or computer generated and double spaced as I will not accept hand-written materials at all.

 

A paragraph should be viewed as a fundamental building block in writing.  This is an opportunity to develop that skill.  If you commit a literacy error, I will deduct one point from a possible five.  If you commit ten literacy errors, I will still deduct a single point.  Of course, I will note those errors so that you can work on your skills.  A paragraph usually has a theme, a topic, a point.  In a classic paragraph this is the first sentence.  It is followed by supporting sentences related to the theme, and it ends with a summary sentence designed to ensure that the reader has gotten the point.  There are other kinds of paragraphs as well such as the “Salesman” paragraph where the first sentences are designed to lead the reader to the topic sentence.  This is your opportunity to develop skills that will serve you in any endeavor you undertake.

 

No individual extra credit will be available.  Some videos are available through the Audio-Visual Department in the Library, but if you have a special need to see the video at a time when the Department is closed but the library is open, they will accommodate you.  Just ask.  I will make attempts to show the videos in class, however if I need the time to complete the lectures, I will rely on your independent viewing of the video.

 

Exams: Students are expected to take exams at the regularly scheduled times.  Exams will not be allowed to be made up for an unexcused absence and exams will not be scheduled to accommodate vacation plans or personal preferences.  If an assignment is missed due to an excused absence, the assignment is due upon the first day of the student’s return and an exam must be made up before the next regularly scheduled exam.  As I will have to develop a different exam, I will require at least two days notice.  Exams are based on reading assignments and lecture presentations.

 

Assignments/grades: Assignments will not be accepted after the due date and should be submitted in double spaced typed form.  An assignment is due on a specific date and will be accepted if submitted before 4:45 p.m. that day--placed in my mail slot in the Reception area.  Assigned readings will be more valuable if you finish before the class lecture on the topic.

 

            Scale:

A                     =600-558

A-                    =557-540

B+                   =539-522

B                      =521-498

B-                    =497-480

C+                   =479-462

C                     =461-438

C-                   =437-420

D+                   =419-402

D                     =401-378

D-                    =377-360

F                      =0-359

 

HISTORY

 

The discipline of history has several different types of goals, objectives, and skills.  History is a literary art--therefore, it is requisite that a person who examines history be a literate person.  History also requires that an individual develop skills that enable the person to synthesize tremendous amounts of material through a methodology.

 

History provides for the acquisition of self-knowledge through the study of a historical consciousness.  As George Santayana, the Harvard philosopher admonished, forget the past--be condemned to repeat it.  The point was to transcend the past through knowledge.  Given that history is not an exact science, the process of studying history allows for divergent conceptions of truth as the significance of history changes for each generation.

 

While the focus of an American History survey class is on the logical inquiry of historical events, key to discipline goals is the ability for a student to intelligently solve problems through analysis.  The student displays creativity when they begin to examine the various reasons for generational history and when they address the various issues posed by American society. For example, a student who examines the Reagan Revolution determines the focus on issues brought to the national agenda by Reagan and applies the creative tools of an historian, including judgment and ethical values, to the significance of the era.  The student will have to understand the grass-roots nature of populist presidents and the nature of reform social Darwinism as applied at the turn of the century in order to understand the impact of the Reagan legacy.

 

History enables a society to chart the course of human affairs, to satisfy its psychological curiosity, to measure order and predictability, to examine cause and effect, to study and create the identity of a people, to calculate the anticipated consequences of our own acts, to understand what and why, and most important, to understand the significance of society.  History can liberate or it can oppress.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

Affective objectives: The student should be able to appreciate and understand the complex societal forces that shaped American society from Reconstruction to the current era.  The student will be able to understand various personalities and public policies that shape contemporary American society.  Emphasis includes a culturally pluralistic approach.  The student will develop a national memory that enables the student to intelligently realize citizenship responsibilities.

 

Cognitive objectives: Generally, the student will demonstrate knowledge of, and the ability to discuss as well as write about American history.

 

MEASUREMENT

 

Five exams valued at 100 points each, one comprehensive final, 600 points base.

 

The semester exams will combine multi-choice with short answer essay questions.  The primary method of measurement for cognitive objectives includes national tests devised for university students.  The short answer essay questions are designed to develop the skill of covering a great amount of material and getting to the significance of it all.

 

Exam I will cover Brinkley, Chapters 16-18

                        Exam II will cover Brinkley, Chapters 19-22

                        Exam III will cover Brinkley, Chapters 23-25

                        Exam IV will cover Brinkley, Chapters 26-28

                        Exam V will cover Brinkley, Chapters 29-31

 

Students are expected to stay abreast of assigned readings and to be able to discuss issues addressed within the topic areas in class.  Because of requisite participation by students, the attendance policy specifies tolerance to absences.  The instructor calls on students to discuss the items under discussion, so be prepared.  I presume participation if the student attends class and a person cannot participate if they are not there.

 

Tentative Topical Schedule

 

 

Week One

Monday, January 12                             Orientation

Wednesday, January 14                        Chapter 16, “Societies of the Far West”

Friday, January 16—End of Add Period          Chapter 16, “Dispersal of the Tribes”

 

Week Two

Monday, January 19                             Chapter 17, “Economic Miracle”         

Wednesday, January 21                        Chapter 17, “Human Capital”

Friday, January 23                                Chapter 18, “Urbanization”

 

Week Three

Monday, January 26—End of Drop Period                 Chapter 18, “Cultural Contrasts”

Wednesday, January 28                        Exam I             EC #1 due re video VC 346-170 “Out of the Depths.”  [Available through the Audio-Visual Collection in the Library; you should view it there some time before January 28th in order to submit the extra credit on that date.]

Friday, January 30                                Chapter 19—“Stalemate”

 

Week Four

Monday, February 2                             Chapter 19—“Crisis”

Wednesday, February 4                       Chapter 20—“Empire as a Way of Life”          

Friday, February 6                                Chapter 20—“Republic as an Empire”

 

 

 

Week Five

Monday, February 9                             Chapter 21—“Progressive Impulse”

Wednesday, February 11                     Chapter 21—“Crusades for Reform”   

Friday, February 13                              Chapter 22—“National Reform”

 

 

Week Six

Monday, February 16                           Chapter 22—“The Big Stick”

Wednesday, February 18                     Review/Video VC 345-790 “How We Got the Vote.”  [depending on time, I intend on showing this video in class, but if substance conflicts with plans, the video should be viewed in the Audio Visual Collection in the library, just as EC #1 was handled.]

Friday, February 20                              Exam II            EC #2 due

 

Week Seven

Monday, February 23                           Chapter 23—“War without Stint”        

Wednesday, February 25                     Chapter 23—“Social Unity”

Friday, February 27                              Chapter 24—“New Economy”

 

Week Eight

Monday, March  1                               Chapter 24—“Conflict of Cultures”

Wednesday, March 3                           Chapter 25—“Depression

Friday, March 5                                   Chapter 25—“American Culture”

 

Week Nine

Monday, March 8                                Review/Video I plan on showing a video in the class on this date, but if time constraints limit us, EC #3 will be based on VC 354 290 History of the 20th Century Series, #2 1910-1919 or #3 1920-1929.  And it will be viewed in the A-V section of the library on the 6th floor.

Wednesday, March 10             Exam III—EC #3 due 

Friday, March 12—Last Day for W   Chapter 26—“New Deal”       

 

Week Ten

Monday, March 15                              Chapter 26—“Broker State”   

Wednesday, March 17                         Chapter 27—“Global Crisis”

Friday, March 19                                 Chapter 27—“Neutrality Abandoned”

 

Week Eleven –SPRING BREAK

Monday, March 22 to March 26

 

Week Twelve

Monday, March 29                              Chapter 28—“War on Two Fronts”

Wednesday, March 31                         Chapter 28—“Americans in Wartime”

Friday, April 2                                      Review/Video—I plan on showing a video in the class on this date, but if time constraints limit us, EC #4 will be based on VC 348 807 “Two Great Crusades (The New Deal and WW II).

 

Week Thirteen

Monday, April 5                                   Exam IV—EC #4 due

Wednesday, April 7                              Chapter 29—“Cold War”

Friday, April 9                                      Chapter 29—“Crusade against Subversion”

                       

Week Fourteen

Monday, April 12                                 Chapter 30—“Age of Affluence”

Wednesday, April 14                            Chapter 30—“Freedom sought”          

Friday, April 16                                    Chapter 31—“Battle for Racial Equality”          

 

Week Fifteen

Monday, April 19                                 Chapter 31—“Traumas of 1968”

Wednesday, April 21                            Video/Review I plan on showing a video in class, but if time constraints change that plan, the EC #5 will be based on VC 347 245 Eyes on the Prize I, part 1, “Awakenings, 1954-59.”

Friday, April 23                                    Unit Five Exam, EC #5 due

 

Week Sixteen—FINALS WEEK

 

April 30, 2002 for HT 202 Section 1—from 8:00 to 10:20

April 28, 2002 for HT 202 Section 2—from 1:00 to 3:20

 

If you wish to know your final grade early, leave a self-addressed stamped envelope in my mail slot.