Faculty Syllabus
HIST-1302 United States History II
Theresa Yeargan
Credit Spring 2026
Section(s)
HIST-1302-036 (17152)
LEC MW 10:10am - 11:30am EGN EGN1 1251
Course Requirements
United States History 1877 to Present
Syllabus: Course Policies
Course Information
HIST 1302 section 036 course #17152
Meeting time: Tuesday and Thursday 12:40 pm to 2:10 pm
Regularly scheduled meeting place: ACC Elgin, room #1251
Meeting place during emergency campus closure: Blackboard Course Room
Course Description:
A study of the history of the United States from 1877 to present
College Credit hours: 3
Prerequisite: none
For Student Learning Outcomes and General Education Competencies, Course Rationale, and Common Course Objectives: available at http://www.austincc.edu/history
Instructor Information
Professor: Theresa A. Yeargan
Email: theresa.yeargan@austincc.edu, include your name and “HIST 1302-036” in your emails.
Office hour location: classroom or virtual meetings
Office hours: before or after class, virtual meetings by appointment.
Instructional Methodology: lecture, discussion, assessments.
Course Rationale: The Texas legislature requires students to take 6 hours of American history to graduate from an institution of higher learning in Texas. This course helps fulfill that requirement. Students taking History 1302 can expect to improve their reading and writing competencies, critical thinking skills, research skills, etc., all of which help students better succeed in life outside academia.
Common Course Objectives: https://sites.austincc.edu/history/common-course-objectives-1301/
Textbook: American Stories, A History of the United States, Volume 1I: 1877 to present, by H.W. Brands, et al, Pearson, 5th edition. Any edition of Volume 2 is acceptable
This is the primary textbook, which provides a chronological account of key developments from preconquest to 1877. The book is also widely available for rent or purchase online, at internet sites, and is also available at the ACC bookstore. Reading assignments from the textbook are listed in the Course Schedule portion of the syllabus.
Supplies:
- A binder or folder with pockets and notebook paper
- Pen or pencil for notes and tests
- charged Chromebook or laptop
How are grades weighted?
Unit 1 Test 20 percent
Unit 2 Test 20 percent
Unit 3 Test 20 percent
Unit 4 Test 20 percent
Class Participation 20 percent
Total 100 percent
How are grades earned in the course?
For the grade of A an average of 90 - 100 %
For the grade of B an average of 80 - 89 %
For the grade of C an average of 70 - 79 %
For the grade of D an average of 60-69 %
For the grade of F an average of 59% and below
Learning Objectives: Your Study Guide
Using the learning objectives should be central to your process of active learning as the objectives serve as a framework and study guide for the units. Learning objectives highlight crucial material from the periods studied, helping develop a historical understanding of the eras. Studying the objectives prepares students for unit tests, to participate in class discussions, and assist in writing historically informed essays. Learning Objectives are handed out in class and are also posted on Blackboard, sorted by unit number.
Learning Methodology:
Combine the information from lectures and class discussions with the information from the reading assignments in the textbook, American Stories. Take notes on lectures and during class discussions, read the textbook chapters carefully, look for material relevant to the learning objectives. Record the gathered information as notes, and review regularly to ensure retention.
Tests
Tests consist of multiple-choice questions and an essay question. All questions and essay question are taken directly from the unit learning objectives. Tests are taken in class on scheduled test days; tests are timed; one allowed attempt.
Tests are taken without outside aid (no notes, textbook, cell phone, or laptop). Collaborating during testing, or consulting outside sources during testing, is considered cheating. The consequence for cheating on tests is an earned grade of an F in the course; cheating on tests is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and will be reported to the Dean of Student Affairs.
Unit Tests 1-4 (20 percent each)
Tests 1-4 each consist of 20 objective multiple-choice questions, and one essay question, covering mastery of the unit’s learning objectives. Each multiple - choice question is worth 4 points, the essay is worth 20 points, with a maximum possible grade of 100 earned on the test. One attempt per test.
Make-Up Test Policies
Students may potentially be excused from testing on the scheduled day of the test for emergencies, illness, or excused school sponsored events. All excused absences for tests must be approved before the day of the test or given an emergency, the day of the test. Without an excused absence, you will be able to take a make-up test within the allowed period, but the maximum point total will be 75% of the points for each section of the exam.
For tests #1-3, the make up must be completed within seven calendar days of the scheduled test. For test #4, any needed make-ups must be complete by the last scheduled day of our class. Failure to take a test, or make up a test in the allowed period, will result in a grade of zero for the missed test.
Class Participation Grade (20 percent)
The class participation portion of the course grade will be based on informed, relevant contributions to the class. Class participation should consistently demonstrate:
- Come to class on time and show active engagement for the entire class period
- Demonstrate that you have read and thought about the reading assignment and lectures
- Demonstrate that you have read any assignment of any primary sources
- Demonstrate that you have knowledge regarding the documents’ meaning and significance and can point to specific passages in the documents proving knowledge.
Participation grades are earned on a scale of:
Excellent participation 40 points
Above average participation 25 points
Satisfactory 20 points
Poor participation 15 and below
Attendance Policy
Regular and punctual attendance is expected and essential for success in the course. If you’ll be missing multiple days of class due to illness, or due to a school sponsored event, contact me. In situations where classes are cancelled due to weather or other emergencies, the student is responsible for communicating with their professor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by their professor.
Withdrawal—The Last Day to Withdraw is Monday, April 27th
It is your responsibility to ensure you are officially withdrawn from the course. You can withdraw electronically via online services anytime before the “last day to withdraw” deadline. Please contact your counselor with any questions or concerns regarding withdrawals.
Incompletes
Incomplete contracts may be negotiated only in emergencies, and only when students have completed a minimum of 80% of the course. Students must contact me to discuss the incomplete contract by the last scheduled class meeting. Incomplete assignments must be made up by the date specified on the incomplete contract.
Student Technology Support
Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.
Freedom of Expression
The classroom serves as a civil space for learning and discussion of course material for students to develop an accurate understanding of the historical record. The development of historical understanding, as well as broader critical thinking skills, comes through debate and exchange, through listening and intellectual exploration. Our studies of the past will sometimes involve contentious or controversial subject matter; it is essential for students to practice maturity, civility, and respect in their classroom interactions.
ACC Student Standards of Conduct
Acceptable standards of conduct include behavior that:
• Reflects the highest level of honesty and integrity
• Is civil, courteous, and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property of the college and promotes the smooth and unimpeded delivery of knowledge in the classroom
• Encourages responsibility and prohibits the unlawful use of alcohol, illicit drugs, other substances, and weapons
• Promotes mutual respect, equality, and safety of its members and opposes those acts that harass, intimidate, or haze its members.
Anyone failing to adhere to the above standards will be withdrawn from the course.
Scholastic Dishonesty Policies
The penalty for academic misconduct is an F in the course and a report of violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Dean of Student Affairs. Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to, tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework. Please refer to the College Policies section of the syllabus for further information about Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Generative Artificial Intelligence
GAI course policy:
- Introduction: The use of generative AI (GAI) is permitted in this course under certain conditions to enhance learning while maintaining academic integrity.
- Rationale: GAI is permitted to foster technological fluency and to leverage advanced tools for research, as long as it does not substitute for critical thinking and learning.
- Definition of GAI: Generative AI encompasses technologies that create content through learned patterns and data without direct human input.
- Usage Permissions: Permitted: GAI can be used for initial research, idea generation. It is not to be used for final submissions unless explicitly cited and discussed.
- Resources: Guidance on the ethical and effective use of GAI will be provided through designated course materials and office hours.
- Assessment: Contributions of GAI may not be used on assessments.
- Penalties: Misuse of GAI, including a failure to cite, will be considered a breach of academic integrity, with consequences including a failing grade for the assignment and academic review.
- Exceptions: Should the technology be required as an accommodation, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
GAI data privacy and security:
In accordance with our dedication to privacy and security, students are advised to refrain from sharing any sensitive or personally identifiable information on GAI platforms. Given that content inputted into or generated by these platforms may become accessible to the platform’s operators, caution is advised. Always ensure your data is clean, accurate, and does not include personal information before interacting with these technologies.
GAI and academic honesty: Generative AI tools, such as Chat GPT and others, are rapidly evolving technologies that have great potential in all realms of human endeavor, including teaching and learning. They also pose serious challenges, particularly with regard to academic integrity. At Austin Community College, the use of these tools in coursework, like any others, is subject to the same standards outlined in the college’s Academic Integrity policy.
Presenting AI-generated content as your own without proper attribution is considered a violation of academic integrity. All work you submit must reflect your own understanding and effort. If you use generative AI to help with your work, you must clearly acknowledge how and where it was used. Intellectual honesty is essential to a fair and supportive academic environment.
Individual instructors may set their own expectations and limitations regarding the use of generative AI tools in their classes, which should be clearly stated in the syllabus. To ensure you are complying with your course requirements, always consult with your instructor before using AI tools for assignments. Policies regarding the use of AI may vary by instructor; it is contingent on them to state them, and contingent on you to follow them.
To learn more about the college’s expectations around academic honesty, please refer to the college’s statement on Academic Integrity here and on the specific Academic Integrity Process website.
GAI and Bias, discrimination, and falsehood: Students are cautioned that GAI may inadvertently produce biased or inaccurate content. It is incumbent upon the student to critically evaluate and verify the information provided by these platforms. Relying on unverified GAI content for academic work is unacceptable and may lead to disciplinary action.
Privacy Policy
The federal government requires that student privacy be preserved, according to FERPA (the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) legislation. Thus, the posting of grades, even by the last four digits of the social security number, is forbidden. All communication will remain between the instructor and the student, and the instructor will not be able to share details of the student’s performance with parents, spouse, etc.
Safety Policy
In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an emergency 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.
Course Schedule
UNIT 1—Industrialization and Expansion through Progressivism
January 21st - Welcome and Introductions, The Old West
Read: Chapter 17
January 27th & Jan. 29th - Late 19th Century Economic Expansion and Its Impact
read: chapters 18, 19
February 2nd & Feb. 4h - The Gilded Age: Social and Political Issues
read: chapters 20,21
February 9th & 11th - The Progressive Era
read: chapters 22,23
February 18th – Essay Practice
February 23rd – Review
Test #1—Wednesday, February 25th: Chapters 17-23 Learning Objectives
UNIT 2—From WWI to Globalism
March 2nd - The Fate of Progressivism in Wartime
read: chapter 24
March 4th - Change and Conservatism in the 1920s
read: chapter 25
March 9th & March 11th - The Great Depression and the New Deal
read: chapter 26
March 25th & March 30th - Battlefronts and Home Fronts in WWII
read: chapter 27
April 1st – Review
Test #2—Monday, April 6th: Chapters 24-27 Learning Objectives
UNIT 3—The US in the Post-WWII Era
April 8th & April 13th - From Hot War to Cold War
read: chapter 28
April 15th - Cold War Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics
read: chapter 29
April 20th & April 22nd - Civil Rights and Liberation Movements
read: chapter 30
April 27th – Review
Test #3—Wednesday, April 29th: Chapters 28-30 Learning Objectives
UNIT 4—The United States in the Era of Globalization
May 4th - The Legacies of Vietnam and Watergate
read: chapter 31
May 6th - From the Cold War’s End to the War on Terror
read: chapter 32
May 11th– Review
Test #4— Wednesday, May 134h: Chapters 31-32 Learning Objectives
*Monday, April 27th - Last Day to Withdraw from the Course
Readings
Textbook: American Stories, A History of the United States, Volume 1I: 1877 to present, by H.W. Brands, et al, Pearson, 5th edition. Any edition of Volume 2 is acceptable
This is the primary textbook, which provides a chronological account of key developments from preconquest to 1877. The book is also widely available for rent or purchase online, at internet sites, and is also available at the ACC bookstore. Reading assignments from the textbook are listed in the Course Schedule portion of the syllabus.
Course Subjects
Common Course Objectives: https://sites.austincc.edu/history/common-course-objectives-1301/
For Student Learning Outcomes and General Education Competencies, Course Rationale, and Common Course Objectives: available at http://www.austincc.edu/history
Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
Common Course Objectives: https://sites.austincc.edu/history/common-course-objectives-1301/
For Student Learning Outcomes and General Education Competencies, Course Rationale, and Common Course Objectives: available at http://www.austincc.edu/history
Office Hours
M W 10:10 AM - 1:30 PM Elgin
NOTET Th 12:40 PM - 2:10 AM PFP
NOTET Th 2:50 PM - 4:20 PM SPH
NOTEPublished: 01/16/2026 17:34:03