Faculty Syllabus

WELCOME to History 1302. 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 & RATIONALE

Please see http://www.austincc.edu/history. This course provides a survey of U.S. History since 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 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 Test is worth 50 possible points

Unit 2 Test is worth 50 possible points

Unit 3 Test is worth 50 possible points

Unit 4 Test 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 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 TESTS

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 Barack Obama was a short answer question on the last test. A satisfactory answer would be: "Barack Obama—Obama was a Senator from Illinois and presidential candidate for the Democratic Party in 2008. He was the first African-American elected president."

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 (Test 1, Test 2, or Test 3) in Blackboard if scoring less than a C on the original exam. The re-test must be taken within six days of the date that the exams are returned to the class, and the maximum score for a re-test is 35 points (that is 70% of the original 50-point exam). Students may not re-test a make-up test. Students taking a re-test should not expect all the same questions on the re-test 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

19 January                  MLK HOLIDAY—CLASS DOES NOT MEET

21 January                   Course Introduction                                                                 -----

26 January                   Continuity & Change, pre- and post-1877                               -----

28 January                   The Frontier; History Asn. 1 Due                                      Chapter 17

02 February                 Populism, Part I                                                                    16 V-VIII

04 February                 Populism, Part II                                                                       -----

09 February                 Labor: Late Nineteenth Century                               16 I-IV; 18 I-III, V-VI

11 February                 Labor: Early Twentieth Century                            20 II (first 3 paragraphs)

16 February                 Unit 1 Test                                                                               -----

18 February                 Progressive Era, Part I                        20 I, II (last 7 paragraphs), III-V, VII

23 February                 Progressive Era, Part II                                                            -----

25 February                 The U.S. and the World, 1878-1914, Part I                        Chapter 19

02 March                      U.S. & World, 1878-1914, Part II; History Asn. 2 Due           -----

04 March                     World War I                                                                         Chapter 21

09 March                     The 1920 Census                                                                       -----

11 March                     The 1920s                                                                   Chapter 22 I-V, VII-X

16, 18 March               SPRING BREAK – CLASS DOES NOT MEET

23 March                     The Great Depression                                                           23 I-IV, VI

25 March                     Unit 2 Test                                                                                -----

30 March                     The New Deal                                                               23 VII-VIII, X-XIII

01 April                       Workers, Dust Bowl, and Protest                                            23 V, IX 

06 April                       Rural America in the 1930s; History Asn. 3 Due                      -----

08 April                       World War II                                                                       Chapter 24

13 April                       The Cold War, Part I                            25 I, II (first 13 paragraphs), III-VII

15 April                       The Cold War, Part II      25 II (last 7 paragraphs on Korea); 26 I-II, V-VII

20 April                       Unit 3 Test                                                                                -----

22 April                       Vietnam                                                                       27 I, V-VI; 28 I-IV

27 April                       Civil Rights, Part I                   18 IV; 20 VI; 22 VI; 26 III; 27 III, VII-VIII

29 April                       Civil Rights, Part II                                                                   26 IV

04 May                        Late Twentieth Century, Part I; History Asn. 4 Due             27 II, IV

06 May                        Late Twentieth Century, Part II                                  28 V-IX; Chapter 29   

11 May                        Immigration                                                                          Chapter 30

13 May                        Unit 4 Test                                                                                -----

Date                                                    Topic                                                             Reading

19 January                  MLK HOLIDAY—CLASS DOES NOT MEET

21 January                   Course Introduction                                                                 -----

26 January                   Continuity & Change, pre- and post-1877                               -----

28 January                   The Frontier; History Asn. 1 Due                                      Chapter 17

02 February                 Populism, Part I                                                                    16 V-VIII

04 February                 Populism, Part II                                                                       -----

09 February                 Labor: Late Nineteenth Century                               16 I-IV; 18 I-III, V-VI

11 February                 Labor: Early Twentieth Century                            20 II (first 3 paragraphs)

16 February                 Unit 1 Test                                                                               -----

18 February                 Progressive Era, Part I                        20 I, II (last 7 paragraphs), III-V, VII

23 February                 Progressive Era, Part II                                                            -----

25 February                 The U.S. and the World, 1878-1914, Part I                        Chapter 19

02 March                      U.S. & World, 1878-1914, Part II; History Asn. 2 Due           -----

04 March                     World War I                                                                         Chapter 21

09 March                     The 1920 Census                                                                       -----

11 March                     The 1920s                                                                   Chapter 22 I-V, VII-X

16, 18 March               SPRING BREAK – CLASS DOES NOT MEET

23 March                     The Great Depression                                                           23 I-IV, VI

25 March                     Unit 2 Test                                                                                -----

30 March                     The New Deal                                                               23 VII-VIII, X-XIII

01 April                       Workers, Dust Bowl, and Protest                                            23 V, IX 

06 April                       Rural America in the 1930s; History Asn. 3 Due                      -----

08 April                       World War II                                                                       Chapter 24

13 April                       The Cold War, Part I                            25 I, II (first 13 paragraphs), III-VII

15 April                       The Cold War, Part II      25 II (last 7 paragraphs on Korea); 26 I-II, V-VII

20 April                       Unit 3 Test                                                                                -----

22 April                       Vietnam                                                                       27 I, V-VI; 28 I-IV

27 April                       Civil Rights, Part I                   18 IV; 20 VI; 22 VI; 26 III; 27 III, VII-VIII

29 April                       Civil Rights, Part II                                                                   26 IV

04 May                        Late Twentieth Century, Part I; History Asn. 4 Due             27 II, IV

06 May                        Late Twentieth Century, Part II                                  28 V-IX; Chapter 29   

11 May                        Immigration                                                                          Chapter 30

13 May                        Unit 4 Test                                                                                -----

UNIT 1

The Frontier

The student will be able to:

-discuss major continuities and changes in U.S. History between the period up to 1877 and the period since 1877

-describe the frontier thesis of Frederick J. Turner

-discuss the influence of the Dawes Act on Native Americans

-explain the importance of the Wounded Knee Massacre

-discuss the actions of the exodusters

-describe the purpose of the Grange

Populism

The student will be able to:

-explain the origins of the Populist movement

-discuss the importance of railroads to farmers

-describe how Farmers' Alliances operated

-identify core components of the Cleburne Demands

-discuss the planks of the People's Party platform of 1892

Labor in the Late-Nineteenth Century

The student will be able to:

-describe the efforts of the Knights of Labor

-describe the efforts of settlement house workers

-describe the meaning of the phrase “The Gilded Age”

-discuss the purpose of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act

-discuss the significance of the Pullman Strike

Labor in the Early Twentieth Century

The student will be able to:

-describe the career of Eugene V. Debs

-describe the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

-identify major captains of industry and the businesses with which they were associated

-describe the significance of the Coxey's Army episode

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

 UNIT 2

Progressive Era

The student will be able to:

-describe ideas such as social Darwinism that hindered progressive reform

-describe the efforts of the muckrakers

-identify the works of specific muckrakers

-discuss Amendments XVI-XIX to the Constitution

-explain the reasons for the end of the Progressive Era

The United States and the World, 1878-1914

The student will be able to:

-identify the work and influence of Alfred T. Mahan

-discuss the causes and outcome of the Spanish-American War

-explain the main features of the Roosevelt Corollary

-describe the purpose of the Teller and Platt Amendments

-discuss the context of the Philippine-American War

World War I

The student will be able to:

-discuss the relationship between the sinking of the Lusitania and the Great War

-describe how the Zimmermann Telegram contributed to the U.S. entering the war

-discuss the purpose of the League of Nations

-explain the significance of the United States not joining the League of Nations

The 1920s

The student will be able to:

-explain the factors that gave rise to the Red Scare

-discuss the significance of the Palmer Raids

-explain the causes of the Teapot Dome Scandal

-explain the significance of the Scopes Trial

-define what is meant by a synchronic and diachronic view of history

The Great Depression

The student will be able to:

-describe the causes of the Depression

-explain the Hoover administration's approach to the Depression

-describe the effects of the Hawley-Smoot Tariff

-discuss the significance of the Bonus Army episode

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

UNIT 3

The New Deal

The student will be able to:

-discuss Franklin Roosevelt's approach to the Depression

-distinguish between the first and second New Deals

-explain the challenges of the Agricultural Adjustment Act & National Recovery Admin.

-describe the purpose of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation

-explain the purpose of the Works Progress Administration

-assess the efficacy of New Deal measures

Workers, Dust Bowl, and Protest

The student will be able to:

-explain the causes of the Dust Bowl

-explain the purpose of the Wagner Act

-describe the views of Huey Long

-account for the initial popularity of Charles Coughlin

World War II

The student will be able to:

-describe the significance of the Good Neighbor Policy

-discuss the purpose of the Kellogg-Briand Pact

-describe the significance of the Atlantic Charter

-explain the importance of the attack on Pearl Harbor

-describe the lend-lease program

-explain the origin and purpose of the United Nations

-identify the original permanent members of the U.N. Security Council

Cold War

The student will be able to:

-describe the significance of the Taft-Hartley Act

-describe the Berlin Airlift as a Cold War event

-explain the significance of the Truman Doctrine

-decribe the assumptions of McCarthyism

-describe the core content of NSC-68

-discuss the origins and outcome of the Korean conflict

-explain the motivations behind the Marshall Plan

-explain the involvement of the United States in Guatemala

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

 UNIT 4

Vietnam

The student will be able to:

-explain the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the incident that precipitated it

-describe the significance of the Tet Offensive

-enumerate reasons why many Americans turned against the war effort

-discuss the degree to which the Vietnam conflict was a Cold War event

-assess the role of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations regarding Vietnam

Civil Rights

The student will be able to:

-describe the Black Codes and Jim Crow customs

-define the concept of hegemony

-discuss the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education

-describe the significance of the murder of Emmett Till

-explain the importance of Amendment XXIV to the Constitution

-describe the views of Martin Luther King, Jr. to the civil rights movement

-describe Affirmative Action

The Late Twentieth Century and Beyond

The student will be able to:

-describe the events surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis

-discuss the Watts riots in the context of the 1960s

-explain the characteristics of the New Frontier and the Great Society

-identify the importance of the Pentagon Papers

-explain the Watergate affair

-describe the circumstances surrounding the Iran-Contra Scandal

-explain the purpose behind Desert Storm

-discuss events that contributed to the end of the Cold War

 -explain a historical significance of Barack Obama's presidency

Immigration

The student will be able to:

-define what is meant by a diachronic view of history

-identify main regions of origin of immigrants from 1950-1990

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