Faragher, John, et al. OUT OF MANY, volume 1. Prentice Hall publishers, Brief Fourth Edition. The packaged set should include the textbook, documents set, and a collection of biographies.

Assignments and Grading

20%    Written assignments responding to historical documents and issues of historical debate

            During the semester, students will write four small assignments analyzing historical documents and/or developing and defending an interpretation of a historical. These assignments will involve analyses of primary documents in the documents reader. Each will be worth 5% of the total grade.

60%    Examinations

            The class will include two examinations, each worth 30% of the final grade. Each test will include three types of questions: short answer questions (requesting one or two sentences), identifications (asking for a time period, description, and assessment of significance of people, places, events, organizations, etc), and an essay, which will require the student to use the information he or she has learned to develop and defend an argument about this period of American history. In addition, the first test will have a map component asking students to identify the location of 17^th and 18^th century colonies.

            The final will not be cumulative but rather will cover the chapters after the midterm examination.

20%    Class discussion and participation

            The participation grade involves four elements: participation in class discussion, participation in class debates, in-class writing assignments, and attendance.

            This course encourages class discussion and participation. Rather than following a more traditional lecture format for two and a half hours each day, I will expect students to have done the reading in advance so we can explore issues in greater depth through discussion, debate, and small group presentations. Two debate dates are marked on the syllabus, and all students are expected to participate. 

            During the semester, I will ask students to respond to questions or issues we have been discussing in class through informal response writings. These writing assignments may not be made up if you miss class.

            I will take attendance at the beginning of each class. More than three unexcused absences will lower a student’s final grade by one letter grade. More than five unexcused absences will lower a student’s final grade by two letter grades. Please note that students who leave at the break will not be counted as present for that class day.

            If you would like to request that your absence be excused, please talk with me either before your absence or the following class day.

Honor Expectations

            Students are expected to turn in written work that is their original work. Plagiarism is not acceptable and will be punished. It is an ethical violation and a violation of trust between faculty and student. Plagiarism means using the ideas or writing of another as one’s one. You may not copy words directly from another writer, unless those words are included in quotations and you reference the writer in a footnote or citation. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please contact me.

            Any work that is plagiarized will be returned with no grade, and students will automatically receive an “F” for a final grade in the class.

Tentative Class Schedule

Please note!

Additional documents and writing assignments may be announced in class. You are still responsible for turning in the four written assignments even if you miss class. There will be additional in-class writing responses that will count towards your participation grade.

June 7:            North America at the Eve of Colonization

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 1

                        How had life in North America evolved up to the eve of European exploration?

June 9            The Age of Exploration

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 2 and documents 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3

                        Question for the day: how would you interpret Christopher Columbus today?

June 14           The Colonization of North American in the 17^th century

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 3 and documents 3-4, 3-5, and 3-9

Written assignment: Compare the ideas of colonization proposed by Winthrop and Penn, as expressed in documents 3-5 and 3-9. This need be only one to two pages and must be double-spaced.

June 16           Slavery and Empire

Read: Out of Many, chapter 4.

Oral presentations: Each student will also be assigned a specific document about slavery and the empire it created to present in class.

June 21           The North American Colonies in the 18^th Century

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 5 and documents 5-6 and 5-8.

Written assignment: compare the ideas of Benjamin Franklin (5-6) and Jonathan Edwards (5-8) and specifically their philosophies and values about how colonists should live their lives. This paper should be one to two pages, double-spaced, and word-processed.

June 23           The American Revolution

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 6 and documents 6-7 and 6-8.

                        Why did the colonists rebel? What does it take to make a revolution?

July 28             Creating the United States

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 7 and documents 7-2 and 7-3.

                        How did the colonists create a new government and fight a war for independence?

June 30          Midterm exam, covering chapters 1-7.                                  

July 5              The Constitutional Crisis

                         Read: Out of Many, chapter 8 and documents 8-4 and 8-6 and begin chapter 9.

                        What challenges did the new nation and the first presidents face?

July 7               A New Republic and the rise of Democracy

                        Read: Out of Many, complete chapter 9 and chapter 10

                        We will be comparing the ideas of a new republic and the rise of democracy.

Written and oral assignments due today: We will be debating three of Jackson’s most controversial actions: the Indian Removal Act, the Bank Wars, and the Tariff and Nullification Crisis. Each student will be assigned a position to debate. For this class, you will need to decide a person who would have held your position and write a position statement that you can use for your debate. The position statement should describe your character and your opinion. You will need to turn this position paper in at the end of class.

July 12             Sectional Divisions: The South and Slavery

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 11

                        How did a unique southern culture develop?

July 14             Sectional Divisions: The North and Industry

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 12

                        Why did the North develop a distinctive economy and culture?

July 19             America at Mid-Century: Urbanization and Reform

                         Read: Out of Many, chapters 13

                        How and when did cities evolve? Why did this become a time of intense reform?

Written and oral assignment due: we will debate several of the reform movements of this time period. Each student will be assigned a debate and position. Please develop a character who would hold that position and prepare a position paper for that person (one to two pages, double-spaced, word-processed). Also, be prepared to debate your position in class.

July 21             Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny

                        Read: out of Many, chapter 14

                        How did western expansion fuel the growing sectional divisions?

July 26             Sectional Crisis: The Coming of the Civil War

                        Read: Out of Many, chapter 15

                        What caused the Civil War?

July 28           Final Exam, 7:30-9:30 a.m, covering chapters 8-15.