Faculty Syllabus

WELCOME to History 1301. I and my colleagues at ACC are pleased to partner with you this semester. This syllabus presents the policies and requirements that will help you be successful in this course. I look forward to your unique perspectives that make engaging with history and its relevance to contemporary issues so rewarding.

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE

Please see http://www.austincc.edu/history. This course provides a survey of U.S. History to 1877 and satisfies three semester hours of the Legislative Requirement in U.S. History.

COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES

Please see http://www.austincc.edu/history.

COURSE METHODOLOGY

This is primarily a lecture- and reading-based course, supplemented by student analysis of source materials and discussion.

TEXTBOOK

Locke, Joseph and Ben Wright, eds. The American Yawp. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press [2024].

Assigned reading for each class period should be completed beforehand.

GRADING

The instructor will evaluate students based on four assignments and four unit tests. Students will receive feedback on their work within a week of being submitted in most cases and may track grades and see feedback through the Gradebook and in blue books. Students earn up to a maximum of 300 points in the course as follows:

            History Assignment 1 is worth 25 possible points

            History Assignment 2 is worth 25 possible points

            History Assignment 3 is worth 25 possible points

            History Assignment 4 is worth 25 possible points

            Unit 1 Exam is worth 50 possible points

            Unit 2 Exam is worth 50 possible points

            Unit 3 Exam is worth 50 possible points

            Unit 4 Exam is worth 50 possible points

The instructor will determine each student's final grade in the course using this scale:

            90-100 percent of the 300 possible points, or 270-300 points, equals A

            80-89   percent of the 300 possible points, or 240-269 points, equals B

            70-79   percent of the 300 possible points, or 210-239 points, equals C

            60-69   percent of the 300 possible points, or 180-209 points, equals D

              0-59   percent of the 300 possible points, or     0-179 points, equals F

Incomplete (I) grades will be issued only upon presentation of a doctor's written note explaining why the student cannot complete the course within the current semester. All incompletes must be resolved within four weeks of the start of the next semester; otherwise the incomplete grade will become an F.

ATTENDANCE AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Regular attendance is required. Students who miss more than five classes, or who act in a manner that significantly interferes with teaching, may be withdrawn from the course at the instructor's discretion. If the student chooses to withdraw for any reason, then it is the student's responsibility to file for withdrawal. The last date for student withdrawal is 27 April 2026.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

The free and open exchange of ideas is vital to the pursuit of learning.

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY

College Policy: "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 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." Using artificial intelligence in any form, including ChatGPT and Grammarly, to generate graded work is prohibited, as this class promotes independent thinking and self-expression. Students will receive a grade of F on any work that does not conform to this policy.

COLLEGE POLICIES AND STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Please see https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies.

UNIT EXAMS

Students will write answers in a blue book, available at ACC bookstores and commercially. On each exam, students respond to short answer questions, multiple-choice questions, and one essay question. A short answer question requires a brief response, and has three parts, each worth one point: a) who/what; b) when; and c) historical significance. For example, say George Washington was a short answer question on the first test. A satisfactory answer would be: “George Washington -- Washington was the American military leader of the Revolutionary War, and then first president of the United States from 1789-1797. His prestige and leadership provided legitimacy and stability for the nation’s new government.”

On Blackboard, open the Exam Practice folder for instructions on how to write essays on tests. No notes or other resource may be used during an exam. Students making up a test due to absence must make up the test in the Testing Center (see Testing Center Guidelines) on the same campus where we hold class within six days of the date that the test is given in class. Only one exam may be made up for full credit. Subsequent make-up exams can earn a maximum score of 70% only. Test 4 may not be made up, unless the instructor issues a grade of incomplete (see above). Students may not re-test a make-up test.

RE-TEST POLICY

Students may re-take one of the first three tests (Exam 1, Exam 2, or Exam 3) if they earned less than a C on the original test. The re-test must be taken on Blackboard within a window of time specified by the instructor, and the maximum score for a re-test is 35 points (that is 70% of the original 50-point exam). Students taking a re-test should not expect all the same questions that appeared on the original exam.

HISTORY ASSIGNMENTS

See Blackboard for instructions and due dates. Students earn twenty points for the content, and five points for proper formatting, for a total of twenty-five points per assignment. Three points will be deducted for the first M-F weekday that it is late, and two points for each M-F weekday thereafter.

Note:  No coursework of any kind will be accepted after the last class meeting of the semester.

Date                                                     Topic                                                    Reading

20 January                    Course Introduction                                                          -----

22 January                    European Exploration                                            Chapter 1, Section III

27 January                    English Expansion; History Asn. 1 Due                  Chap. 2, Sec. I-IV

29 January                   Colonial Origins                                                        Chap. 2, Sec. V-VII

03 February                 Colonial Development              Chap. 3, Sec. III-VI; Chap. 4, Sec. I-II, IV

05 February                 Native Americans                                                    Chap. 1, Sec. I-II, IV-V

10 February                 Slavery, Part I                                        Chap. 3, Sec. I-II; Chap. 4, Sec. III

12 February                 Slavery, Part II                                                                   -----

17 February                 Unit 1 Exam                                                                      -----

19 February                 Revolution                                Chap. 4, Sec. V-VII; Chap. 5, Sec. I-V, VII

24 February                 Independent Nation; Hist. Asn. 2 Due  Chap. 5, Sec. VI; Chap. 6, Sec. I-II

26 February                 First Political Parties                                          Chap. 6, Sec. III-VI, IX-XI

03 March                    Early Issues, 1788-1800                                             Chap. 6, Sec. VII-VIII

05 March                     Westward Expansion, Part I            Chap. 7, Sec. I-II; Chap. 12, Sec. I-III*

10 March                    W. Expansion, Part II                          Chap. 7, Sec. IV first two paragraphs

12 March                     International Relations                  Chap. 7, Sec. IV-VII; Chap. 12, Sec. VI

17, 19 March               SPRING BREAK—CLASS DOES NOT MEET

24 March                     Unit 2 Exam                                                                     -----

26 March                     Labor in the Early & Mid-Nineteenth Century   Chap. 8, Sec. I-IV, VI-VII

31 March                     Jacksonian Democracy; Hist. Asn. 3 Due    9, Sec. I-II, IV-XI; 12, Sec. II

02 April                       American Art; Growth of the U.S.                 Chap. 10, Sec. I-IV, VII

07 April                       Nineteenth-Century Women, Part I         Chap. 7, Sec. III; Chap. 8, Sec. V

09 April                       Nineteenth-Century Women, Part II                        Chap. 10, Sec. VI

14 April                       Immigration                                                                      -----

16 April                       Mexico and Texas                                                Chap. 12, Sec. IV-V, VII

21 April                       Unit 3 Exam                                                                     -----

23 April                       Antebellum Perspectives                                  Chap. 10, Sec. V; Chap. 11

28 April                        Sectional Crises                                                 Chap. 9, Sec. III; Chap. 13

30 April                        Civil War                                                                      Chapter 14 

05 May                         Econ. Consequences of Civil War; Hist. Asn. 4 Due      -----

07 May                         Reconstruction, Part I                                           Chapter 15, I-III, V-VIII

12 May                         Reconstruction, Part II                                                      -----

14 May                         Unit 4 Exam                                                                     -----

                                                                                                                         *Chap. 12, Sec. II first six paragraphs

Date                                                     Topic                                                    Reading

20 January                    Course Introduction                                                          -----

22 January                    European Exploration                                            Chapter 1, Section III

27 January                    English Expansion; History Asn. 1 Due                  Chap. 2, Sec. I-IV

29 January                   Colonial Origins                                                        Chap. 2, Sec. V-VII

03 February                 Colonial Development              Chap. 3, Sec. III-VI; Chap. 4, Sec. I-II, IV

05 February                 Native Americans                                                    Chap. 1, Sec. I-II, IV-V

10 February                 Slavery, Part I                                        Chap. 3, Sec. I-II; Chap. 4, Sec. III

12 February                 Slavery, Part II                                                                   -----

17 February                 Unit 1 Exam                                                                     -----

19 February                 Revolution                                Chap. 4, Sec. V-VII; Chap. 5, Sec. I-V, VII

24 February                 Independent Nation; Hist. Asn. 2 Due  Chap. 5, Sec. VI; Chap. 6, Sec. I-II

26 February                 First Political Parties                                          Chap. 6, Sec. III-VI, IX-XI

03 March                    Early Issues, 1788-1800                                             Chap. 6, Sec. VII-VIII

05 March                     Westward Expansion, Part I            Chap. 7, Sec. I-II; Chap. 12, Sec. I-III*

10 March                    W. Expansion, Part II                          Chap. 7, Sec. IV first two paragraphs

12 March                     International Relations                  Chap. 7, Sec. IV-VII; Chap. 12, Sec. VI

17, 19 March               SPRING BREAK—CLASS DOES NOT MEET

24 March                     Unit 2 Exam                                                                     -----

26 March                     Labor in the Early & Mid-Nineteenth Century   Chap. 8, Sec. I-IV, VI-VII

31 March                     Jacksonian Democracy; Hist. Asn. 3 Due    9, Sec. I-II, IV-XI; 12, Sec. II

02 April                       American Art; Growth of the U.S.                 Chap. 10, Sec. I-IV, VII

07 April                       Nineteenth-Century Women, Part I         Chap. 7, Sec. III; Chap. 8, Sec. V

09 April                       Nineteenth-Century Women, Part II                        Chap. 10, Sec. VI

14 April                       Immigration                                                                      -----

16 April                       Mexico and Texas                                                Chap. 12, Sec. IV-V, VII

21 April                       Unit 3 Exam                                                                     -----

23 April                       Antebellum Perspectives                                  Chap. 10, Sec. V; Chap. 11

28 April                        Sectional Crises                                                 Chap. 9, Sec. III; Chap. 13

30 April                        Civil War                                                                      Chapter 14 

05 May                         Econ. Consequences of Civil War; Hist. Asn. 4 Due      -----

07 May                         Reconstruction, Part I                                           Chapter 15, I-III, V-VIII

12 May                         Reconstruction, Part II                                                      -----

14 May                         Unit 4 Exam                                                                     -----

                                                                                                                       *Chap. 12, Sec. II first six paragraphs

UNIT 1

European Exploration

The student will be able to:

-explain the reasons for European exploration in the 15th-17th centuries

-discuss the consequences of the arrival of Columbus in America

-describe the elements of the Columbian exchange

-articulate the contributions of Native Americans and Africans to colonial society

English Expansion

The student will be able to:

-explain the significance of Henry VII & the Tudor Dynasty to colonial America

-discuss the role of the English gentry in colonizing America

-describe the exploration efforts of John Cabot

-articulate Walter Raleigh’s relationship to the Roanoke Colony

Colonial Origins

The student will be able to:

-describe the settlement of the Virginia colony

-contrast the settlement of Massachusetts Bay with that of Virginia

-express the significance of John Winthrop as governor of Massachusetts Bay

-explain the challenges that Anne Hutchinson posed to colonial society

Colonial Development

The student will be able to:

-identify the region to which each of the thirteen colonies belonged

-discuss the regional characteristics of the Southern colonies

-contrast the regional characteristics of New England with the South

-compare the Middle Colonies to New England and the South

-discuss the reasons for, and outcome of, Bacon’s Rebellion

-explain the circumstances surrounding the Salem Witchcraft Trials

-describe the central features of the Great Awakening

Native Americans

The student will be able to:

-distinguish between sedentary, semi-sedentary, and non-sedentary peoples

-contrast elements of Aztec civilization with Native Americans in British North America

-discuss the challenges faced by the Catawba Nation

Slavery

The student will be able to:

-distinguish between slavery and indentured servitude

-explain the relatively limited slavery before 1660 in the thirteen colonies

-describe the travails of Olaudah Equiano

-describe the task system

Overall, the student will be able to put the items studied in Unit 1 in chronological order.

UNIT 2

Revolution

The student will be able to:

-describe the Stamp Act and Townshend Act

-explain the Boston Tea Party and the Coercive Acts

-identify the actions of the Continental Congresses

-describe the main elements of the Declaration of Independence

The Independent Nation

The student will be able to:

-discuss the significance of Shays’ Rebellion

-explain the purpose of the Articles of Confederation

-distinguish key differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution

First Political Parties

The student will be able to:

-describe the principal views of the Federalists

-describe the principal views of the Republicans

-explain the difference between loose and strict construction of the Constitution

-describe the debate over the Bank of the United States

-identify the authors of The Federalist

Early Issues, 1788-1820

The student will be able to:

-discuss the importance of the Whiskey Rebellion

-present the key elements of the Alien and Sedition Acts

-explain the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Westward Expansion

The student will be able to:

-identify Sacagawea’s relationship to the Lewis and Clark expedition

-discuss the significance of the Louisiana Purchase

-describe the annexation of Florida

-articulate how the concept of Manifest Destiny shaped westward expansion

International Relations

The student will be able to:

-distinguish the goals of the Hartford Convention

-describe the consequences of conflict with the Barbary Pirates

-explain the origins of the War of 1812

-describe the period of the Era of Good Feelings

-discuss the place of the Monroe Doctrine in American foreign policy

Overall, the student will be able to put the items studied in Unit 2 in chronological order.

UNIT 3

Labor in the Early and Mid-Nineteenth Century

The student will be able to:

-explain how the growing market economy shaped the way goods were produced

-describe the progression of apprentice-to-journeyman-to-master craftsperson

-distinguish between the cottage industry and factory production

-describe the concept of republicanism

Jacksonian Democracy

The student will be able to:

-explain what is meant by Jacksonian Democracy

-explain the significance of the Nullification Crisis

-describe President Andrew Jackson’s views on relocating Native Americans to the West

-discuss the central issues raised in the Memorial of the Cherokee Nation (1830)

-describe the Trail of Tears

American Art and Growth of the United States

The student will be able to:

-describe the central features of the Second Great Awakening

-articulate the characteristics of transcendentalism

-discern patterns in the timing of admission of states into the Union

Women in the Nineteenth Century

The student will be able to:

-explain the legal and cultural limitations faced by women in the early nineteenth century

-describe the activism of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony

-discuss the influence of the growing market economy on society's views toward women

-identify when and where the Seneca Falls Convention took place, and its significance

-identify specific woman's suffrage organizations and their agenda

Mexico and Texas; Immigration

The student will be able to:

-enumerate points of contention between Texas and Mexico

-identify when Texas was an independent republic

-explain the role of Zachary Taylor before and after the Mexican-American War

-describe the causes and results of the Mexican-American War

-describe the difference between a synchronic and diachronic view of history

Overall, the student will be able to put the items studied in Unit 3 in chronological order.

UNIT 4

Antebellum Perspectives

The student will be able to:

-discuss the importance of the Nat Turner rebellion

-explain the importance of the future of the West to the South and the North

-explain the North's economic critique of slavery

-discuss the abolitionist movement

Sectional Crises

The student will be able to:

-explain the importance of the Missouri Compromise

-discuss the significance of the Wilmot Proviso

-describe the Compromise of 1850

-discuss the significance of the Ostend Manifesto

-describe the intent and repercussions of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

Civil War

The student will be able to:

-describe the anaconda plan

-explain the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation

-describe the causes of West Virginia statehood

-explain the significance of the Gettysburg Address

-discuss advantages and disadvantages of the North and the South during the Civil War

Economic Consequences of the Civil War

The student will be able to:

-describe the economic difficulties faced by the South after the war

-discuss the practice of sharecropping

-define who were the carpetbaggers

Reconstruction

The student will be able to:

-describe President Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan

-discuss the main components of Presidential Reconstruction

-contrast the policies of Radical Reconstruction with those of Andrew Johnson

-explain the content of Amendments XIII, XIV, and XV

-describe the reasons for the end of Reconstruction

-explain the role of the Freedmen's Bureau

-articulate how Reconstruction affected the lives of African-Americans

Overall, the student will be able to put the items studied in Unit 4 in chronological order.