History 2111, U.S. History to 1865

Summer Semester 2005

Dr. Keith S. Bohannon, Department of History

Office: Room 3247, History Department, 3d Floor, Technology Learning Center

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday: 2-3 pm; Friday: 10-10:50 am and by appointment

Office Phone: 678-839-6045

E Mail: Kbohanno@westga.edu

Course Meetings: This class meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from

8-9:50 am in Pafford, Room 204.

Learning Outcomes: History 2111 examines major developments and themes in American History from the pre-Columbian era through the end of the U.S. Civil War. The course has several major goals: to increase the student’s understanding of America’s past, to foster an appreciation of history as a branch of knowledge, and to encourage critical thinking, reading, and writing skills.

Grading/Course Requirements

1^st Test . . . . . . 33% of grade

2nd Test/Final Exam . . . . . 33% of grade

Quizzes . . . . 3% of grade

1^st Test and Final Exam- These will cover material from classroom lectures and assigned texts. The format will be announced in class.

Quizzes- Unannounced quizzes will be given throughout the semester on material from the assigned texts.

Makeup tests & quizzes- Makeups will be given only under emergency circumstances. Students who miss an in-class assignment must provide the instructor with a written excuse from a doctor, coach, etc. explaining the absence. Students with valid excuses will have one week to make up assignments, after which time they will be given a zero on the test or quiz.

All makeup tests will consist of broad essay questions based on the assigned readings.

Class participation and discussion- Students are encouraged to ask and answer questions in class. Class participation can only help your final grade in the course and will be taken into consideration in the case of students with borderline grades.

Attendance- Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class period. Students who come into class late will not be allowed to sign the roll at the end of class. Students who need to leave during class must provide an excuse to the instructor before the class begins. Anyone who leaves during class without providing an excuse will be marked absent and will receive a zero on any assignment given that day, even if the student has completed the assignment.

Student attendance will be taken into consideration at the end of the semester in the case of students with borderline grades. An excessive number of absences almost always corelates with a poor or failing grade in the course. Students who are absent should get lecture notes from a classmate.

Cheating- Cheating in any form (including plagiarism- presenting someone else’s words as your own without citing them) will not be tolerated. Students caught cheating on a test or paper will receive an F on that assignment and possibly an F in the course.

Assigned Texts

Ayers, Gould, Oshinsky, & Soderland, American Passages, A History of the United States Volume One: To 1877

Annual Editions American History Vol. I (18^th Edition)

Douglass, Frederick, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

McPherson, James, What They Fought For, 1861-1865

Weekly Assignments Note: All chapter references are to Ayers, et al., American Passages

Week 1- June 6-10 Chapters 1 and 2; Annual Editions, Articles 1, 2

Week 2- June 13-17 Chapters 3 and 4; Annual Editions, Articles 5, 7, 8

Week 3- June 20-24 Chapters 5 and 6; Annual Editions, Articles 14, 18

Week 4- June 28-July 2 Chapters 7, 8, and 9 1^st Test on Friday, July 2

Week 5- July 4-8 Chapters 10, 11, and 12 Note: No class on July 4. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass due on Friday, July 8

Week 6- July 111-15 Chapters 13 and 14; Annual Editions, Articles 23, 25, 27

Week 7- July 18-22 Chapter 15; Annual Editions, Articles 29, 31, 35

Week 8- July 25-29 Monday, July 25 is the last day of class. What They Fought For, 1861-1865 due on Monday, July 25.

Final Exam on Friday, July 29, 7:30-9:30 am