HIST-1302 United States History II

Brian Walter

Credit Fall 2024

Section(s)

HIST-1302-022 (90907)
LEC Th 6:30pm - 9:10pm HLC HLC1 2217

COURSE METHODOLOGY

This class is a lecture-based survey of American History from the end of Reconstruction to the present day. It will focus on the major themes that occurred throughout this period. All meetings for this course will be "in person."

Course Requirements

The following will determine your grade in this course.
You will have 3 Exams during this course. The exams will be on the dates given below. Each exam will be worth 25% of your final grade. Note that the final exam is NOT cumulative.
Unit 1 Exam – Sept. 26 / Unit 2 Exam – Oct. 31 / Unit 3 Exam – Dec. 12
Exams will consist of short answer, identification, multiple choice, matching and/or map questions.

In addition, you will have a Written Assignment that will be worth 25% of your final grade. I will present more
information on this assignment later. It will be due toward the end of the semester. **Thus, you have 4
chances to earn your grade. I will not drop any exam score or curve any grades.

Grading.
Cumulative points will be used to determined your final course grade.
360 points and above = A; 320—359 = B; 270—319 = C; 269 and Below = F.
***NOTE: I do not give out D’s (you will need to pass with at least a C to transfer your credit.)

Course Subjects

COURSE AGENDA

DATE	AGENDA
Thur Aug 29	Course introduction
Thur Sept 5 thru Thur Sept 19	UNIT ONE: Chapters 17-21: The West; Industrial Revolution; City Life; Politics of Late 1800s; U.S. Imperialism; Progressive Era
Thur Sept 26	UNIT 1 EXAM

Thur Oct 3 thru Thur Oct 17	UNIT TWO: Chapters 22-26: Foreign Policy, 1900-20; World War I; 1920s & Great Depression; FDR & the New Deal
Thur Oct 24	UNIT 2 EXAM


Thur Oct 31 thru Thur Dec 5	UNIT THREE: Chapters 27-end: World War II; Cold War/1950s; 1960s-current *Please note: no class on Thurs., Nov. 24 due to the THANKSGIVING DAY HOLIDAY*
Thur Dec 12	UNIT 3 EXAM	-- not cumulative - covers Unit 3 ONLY!

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

General course rationale and objectives. 1) Students will gain knowledge of the basic facts of U.S. History from 1877 to the present. 2) Students will gain historical perspective and interpretation; 3) Students will understand the importance of history for our modern lives; 4) Students will improve the ability to write and connect effectively; 5) Students can transfer credit for the course to a four-year institution that will satisfy part of the state legislative requirement of six hours of American History. 6) For a list of general course objectives for this course established by the ACC Department of History, visit www.austincc.edu/history.

Readings

Textbook.
The title of the textbook is simply U.S. History. Great news—it is a free, online textbook available at the following URL: https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history. The main purpose of the textbook is to supplement/clarify material presented in lectures. Your exams will be almost solely based on lecture material.

COURSE POLICIES

Blackboard.
Every student needs to be enrolled thru Blackboard.

Attendance.
• You are expected to attend every class meeting.
• There are no excused absences; an absence for whatever reason is still an absence. I will not take
attendance formally, nor will I punish you for excessive absences. But attendance is mandatory to
succeed in this course.
• If you do miss a class, you will not be able to get your missed notes from me. Please get them from
one of your colleagues.
• Attendance does not merely mean physical attendance; you must also conduct yourself with civility.
Please do not distract other students who are paying attention.
You may use devices to take notes, record lectures, or look at electronic text ONLY; otherwise,
please refrain from non-class-related use of devices during class.

Withdrawals.
The last day to withdraw for the semester is THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21. The responsibility for
submitting a withdrawal form is yours. I will not initiate any withdrawals.

Making up missed work / exams.
If you must miss class on an exam day, you must notify me in advance in order to receive a makeup
test! A valid excuse is required. The make-up exams will be ALL ESSAY EXAMS, and will be
administered at day/time/location at MY discretion. They must be completed by the agreed-upon due date.
The exam dates for the semester are in this syllabus, so check the exam dates, and please plan
accordingly.
All make-up work must be completed within a reasonable amount of time; it is your responsibility to
complete all work in a timely fashion. This includes contacting AND following up with me. I am not required
to grant additional time beyond what I consider to be a reasonable timeframe.

Exam Re-tests.
Under no circumstances can a student to re-take an exam that they have already taken.

Incomplete Grades.
The college requires that a minimum of 50% of the course requirements be completed before an
Incomplete grade can be given. Only under extreme circumstances (acute illnesses, family emergencies,
etc.) will I give a student a grade of Incomplete. Such requests will be decided on a case-by-case basis, at
my discretion. Documentation of the cause for the request may be required. If a grade of Incomplete is
granted, all course work must be completed by an agreed-upon due date, or else the grade will revert to an
‘F’.

COLLEGE POLICIES

ALL college policies will be followed for this course; examples are included below. All students are
expected to abide by the Student Standards of Conduct.

Students Needing Accommodations.
Austin Community College is committed to providing a supportive, accessible, and inclusive
learning environment for all students. Each campus offers support services for students with
documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other
accommodations must request them through Student Accessibility Services (SAS).
Students are encouraged to request accommodation when they register for courses or at least
three weeks before the start of each semester they are enrolled, otherwise the provision of
accommodations may be delayed. Accommodations are not retroactive, so it is in the student’s
best interest to deliver the NAA on the first day of class. Please contact SAS@austincc.edu for
more information.

Student Support.
ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of
opportunities and services. Information on these campus services and resources is available
HERE. A comprehensive array of student support services is available online HERE.
Academic Support.
ACC offers academic support services at all of its campuses. These services, which include online
tutoring, academic coaching, and supplemental instruction, are free to enrolled ACC students. Tutors
are available in a variety of subjects, including history. Students may receive these services on both a
drop-in and referral basis. An online tutor request can be made HERE. Additional tutoring information
can be found HERE.

Testing Center.
If an on-campus testing center is used during the semester, please note that the centers have
strict policies that must be followed. To access these guidelines, visit www.austincc.edu/testctr.
Student privacy.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects confidentiality of students’
educational records. Grades cannot be provided by faculty over the phone, by e-mail, or to a fellow
student.

Discrimination Prohibited.
The College seeks to maintain an educational environment free from any form of discrimination
or harassment including but not limited to discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color,
national origin, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
Faculty at the College are required to report concerns regarding sexual misconduct (including all
forms of sexual harassment and sex and gender-based discrimination) to the Manager of Title
IX/Title VI/ADA Compliance. Licensed clinical counselors are available across the District and
serve as confidential resources for students.
Additional information about Title VI, Title IX, and ADA compliance can be found in the ACC
Compliance Resource Guide available HERE.

Student Rights & Responsibilities.
Students at ACC have the same rights and protections under the Constitution of the United
States. These rights include freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition and association. As
members of the community, students have the right to express their own views, but must also take
responsibility for according the same rights to others and not interfere or disrupt the learning
environment. Students are entitled to fair treatment, are expected to act consistently with the
values of the college, and obey local, state, and federal laws. For more, visit HERE.

Scholastic Dishonesty/Academic Integrity.
Austin Community College values academic integrity in the educational process. Acts of academic
dishonesty/misconduct undermine the learning process, present a disadvantage to students who earn credit
honestly, and subvert the academic mission of the institution. The potential consequences of fraudulent
credentials raise additional concerns for individuals and communities beyond campus who rely on
institutions of higher learning to certify students’ academic achievements and expect to benefit from the
claimed knowledge and skills of their graduates. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or
designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and
evaluations.
Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication,
collusion, falsifying documents, or the inappropriate use of the college’s information technology resources.
Visit THIS LINK for more information.
***FOR THIS COURSE: Any act of scholastic dishonesty will result in not only a grade of zero on
the assignment or exam in question but in a grade of F for the entire course. Academic Integrity
issues will be handled in accordance with the procedures listed in the ACC Student Handbook.

Freedom of Expression.
The free exchange of information is vital to the pursuit of learning. It is expected that faculty and
students will respect the views of others at all times.

Senate Bill 212 and Title IX Reporting Requirements.
Under Senate Bill 212 (SB 212), faculty and all college employees are required to report any
information concerning incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking
committed by or against an ACC student or employee.
Federal Title IX law and College policy also require reporting incidents of sex- and gender-based
discrimination and sexual misconduct. This means faculty and non-clinical counseling staff cannot keep
confidential information about any such incidents that you share with them.
If you would like to talk with someone confidentially, please contact the District Clinical Counseling
Team who can connect you with a clinical counselor on any ACC campus: (512) 223-2616 (or HERE to
schedule online.)

Student Complaints.
A defined process applies to complaints about an instructor or other college employee. You are
encouraged to discuss concerns and complaints with college personnel and should expect a timely and
appropriate response. When possible, students should first address their concerns through informal
conferences with those immediately involved; formal due process is available when informal resolution
cannot be achieved.
Student complaints may include (but are not limited to) issues regarding classroom instruction,
college services and offices on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, age,
gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or disability. Further information about the
complaints process, including the form used to submit complaints, is available HERE.

Safety Statement.

Health and safety are of paramount importance in classrooms, laboratories, and field activities.
Students are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and
agree to follow ACC safety policies. Emergency Procedures posters and Campus Safety Plans are
posted in each classroom and should be reviewed at the beginning of each semester. All incidents
(injuries/illness/ fire/property damage/near miss) should be immediately reported to the course
instructor. Additional information about safety procedures is HERE and how to sign up to be notified in
case of an emergency.
Everyone is expected to conduct themselves professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone
who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual may be
immediately dismissed from the day’s activity and will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for
disciplinary action.
In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an emergency situation or an outbreak
of illness, the format for this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event,
students will be provided an addendum to the class syllabus that will supersede the original version.

Concealed Handgun Policy.
Individuals who are licensed to carry (LTC) may do so on campus premises except in locations and at
activities prohibited by state or federal law, or the college’s concealed handgun policy. It is the
responsibility of license holders to conceal their handguns at all times. Persons who see a handgun on
campus are asked to contact the ACC Police Department by dialing 222 from a campus phone or 512-
223-7999. Look HERE for further information.

Office Hours

Th 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM HLC Room 1431 (downstairs, Bldg. 2000)

NOTE Door says "1423-1436 Faculty Suites." Turn left down hall, go past break area. I should be in desk area #1 (labeled "1431-01.") I strongly recommend you email me prior to coming, so I can be looking for you! :)