History 151 US History I Fall 2009 Syllabus
Professor: Steven J. Bucklin Class Room: Patterson 117 Class Time: 11-1150, MWF Office Hours: MWF 0900-1030 hours and 1500-1630; and by appointment Office: 205 East Hall Phone: 677-5575 email: sbucklin@usd.edu home page: http://www.usd.edu/~sbucklin
INTRODUCTION
This course will provide you an opportunity to examine American history from pre-Colombian times to 1877. Such a broad chronology allows us to explore a variety of issues, to include those of gender, race, and class, from an equally wide array of sources. Significant components of the course will be devoted to analyses of contact between cultures, competition for resources, the colonial experience, the formation of the Republic and its institutions, foreign policies, ideologies, modernization, and the evolution of political democracy.
REQUIRED BOOK AND LINKS
Ayers, American Passages, vol. 1 (This is your basic text book)
Ellis, Founding Brothers
Anderson, Little Crow
ATTENDANCE
Why not?
DISCUSSION
You should come to class prepared to lead or to join discussion of the assigned readings. The quality of our discussions will depend in large part upon your preparation and willingness to participate in them.
EXAMS
There will be four multiple choice exams. I will drop the lowest exam score from your total grade. The three remaining exams will each be worth twenty-percent of your total grade. The exams, including the final, are not comprehensive.
PAPERS
All students will write a three-to-five page review of the Ellis and Anderson books in that order. The reviews will be written according to the Writing Reviews worksheet. Each review will be worth twenty-percent of your course grade. I do not, under most circumstances, accept late papers and I do not accept under any circumstances additional work ("extra credit") to supplement poor performance.
Reviews o Founding Brothers: Booklist; Choice; Library Journal; New England Qrtly; New York Times Book Review; Reviews in American History
Reviews of Little Crow: American Historical Review; Choice; Minnesota History; North Dakota History; South Dakota History; Western Historical Quarterly
CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM
No credit can be given for a dishonest assignment. At the discretion of the instructor, a student caught engaging in any form of academic dishonesty may be:
a. Given a zero for that assignment.
b. Allowed to rewrite and resubmit the assignment for credit.
c. Assigned a reduced grade for the course.
d. Dropped from the course.
e. Failed in the course.
As for plagiarism, the simple rule is that your work must be your own. If you use ideas, organization, wording, or anything else from a source, cite it. When in doubt, cite a source!
COURSE GOALS
BOR Goal #3: Students will understand the organization, potential, and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:
In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of at least one of the following:
INCENTIVES
I factor in your attendance and contributions in class to your final grade in the event that it is on the border between two grades. I do not accept additional work ("extra credit") to supplement poor performance.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Any student who feels s/he may need academic accommodations or access accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability should contact and register with Disability Services during the first week of class. Disability Services is the official office to assist students through the process of disability verification and coordination of appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Students currently registered with Disability Services must obtain a new accommodation memo each semester. Contact Ernetta L. Fox, Director, Disability Services, Room 119 Service Center, 677-6389
Web Site: www.usd.edu/ds
E-mail: dservices@usd.edu
PROBLEMS
Should you have a problem with the course that you find difficult to discuss with me or that is about me, you should contact the History Department administrative staff at 207 East Hall (677-5218) or Dr. Judith Sebesta, the Chairperson of the History Department.
FREEDOM IN LEARNING
South Dakota Board of Regents Faculty must include the following statement in all course syllabi:
Under Board of Regents and University policy student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should contact the dean of the college or school that offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.
CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS