Montgomery College

Rockville Campus

History and Political Science Department

Syllabus

                                                                                         Spring 2009

                                                                                                      

HISTORY 202

 

 

30332 12-12:50      MWF      HU 133

30345 11-1215        TR          HU 010

31362  9:30-10:45   TR          HU 132

 

Dr. Lee Annis
Office 265 HUM

Office 301-251-7281

Home 301-384-3598

E-Mail  lee.annis@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Hours: MW 11:15-12:00, 1-145

              TR     12:45-1:30, R 6-6:30                                                                                                                                        

  Or by appointment

 

Course Reading/Texts

 

Tindall and Shi, America: A Narrative History, Vol. 2 (7th edition)

Ravitch, The American Reader

Wright, Black Boy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Course Information:

 

·        Brief Course Description: History 202 is a survey course designed to enhance the student’s understanding of social, political, diplomatic, military, economic and literary developments in the United States after 1865. It should be a student’s aim to learn as much as possible about our national past in a four month period and to develop analytical skills which will help him or her analyze the major events and ideas and place them in a well – reasoned context.


Class Aims: Students should leave History 202 with greatly improved skills of written expression and analysis. Moreover, successful students should, upon the completion of the course, have solid conceptions of, among other things: Reconstruction and its effect on white and black Southerners; the African American response to white dominance over the past century; the rise of American business and its consequences; the growth of urban America and the decline of the farms; the growth of the importance of American state and the Presidency; the coming of American involvement in World War I & II; the course of the Cold War; the growth of struggles for human rights in the past half century, and the varieties of change in American life since the Civil War.                                                                                     

·        Course Objectives: As an introductory course, HS202 is designed to meet two broad objectives:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. to provide the student with an overview of early American history.                                                                                                                                                2. To develop critical thinking skills which include, but are not limited to the                  following:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               a) to synthesize information from a variety of sources;                                                                                                                                                                     b) to distinguish cause from effect and understand the “why” of historical incidents;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          c) to draw inferences from historical evidence;                                                                                                                                                                             d) to distinguish facts from opinions and/or conclusions;                                                                                                                                                                e) to see art and artifacts as equally important as documents and other historical evidence;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       f) to view events from a variety of viewpoints, and                                                                                                                                                                                  g) to present coherent and informed oral and written arguments.                                                                                                                                        

Assessment: 

 

EXAMS: There will be three exams, each of which will be essay in nature and count 20% towards a student’s final grade.

 

JOURNAL: Each student will keep a journal of independent learning about material related to the course. It will count 30% towards a student’s final grade and should include analyses (not summaries) of assigned readings, classroom discussions, chronicles of museum viewings of exhibits pertinent to the course, outside readings (i.e., magazines, newspaper articles) and reviews of at least two books and two theatrical movies covering the period under study. (Students registered for the honors model will be expected to review at least three books.)The journal will be due the week before the final exam. One installment should be submitted the week prior to the midterm break. 

         

NOTEBOOK / CLASS PARTICIPATION: Each student’s notebook and participation will be evaluated at the end of the semester, and that evaluation will count 10% towards a student’s final grade.

 

Grading:  90 – 99 = A or superior work

                  80 – 89 = B or above average work

                  70 – 79 = C or average work

                  55 - 69 = D or below average work      

              below  55 = F or failing work         

 

Make-up Policy:  Make – ups will be dealt with on a case – by – case basis. Students who cannot be present for the exams MUST make arrangements with the instructor well BEFORE those exams save in RARE emergencies. Those who don’t will be one letter grade on that exam.

 

Late Work Policy:  Late work will be dealt with on a case – by – case basis. Students should have work prepared by due dates. For written assignments, the instructor meticulously follows a first – come, first – served policy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Schedule:  Assignments and due dates may be subject to change.

 

Reading Assignments

 

 

WEEK          TOPIC                                             ASSIGNMENT

 

 

I                     INTRODUCTION TO CLASS        Appendix

 

II                    LEGACY OF THE CIVIL WAR     18, R275-302, 359-360, 373-383

                                                                                   

III                  WEST & THE GILDED AGE          19-22, 18-19, R310-322, 385-386

 

IV                  RISE OF THE STATE                      24, R347-372, 388-397

 

V                   EXAM #1; END TO ISOLATION    23-25, R333-344, 413-450

 

VI                   1920s                                                26-27, R398-400, 451-456

                   Installment #1 of the Journal Due        

VII                  DEPRESSION & FDR                     28, R459-487

 

VIII                 WORLD WAR II                              29-30, R488-503

 

IX-X                EXAM#2; COLD WAR                  31-33, R507-512, 535-552                                                          

                                                                                  

XI-XII             CIVIL RIGHTS                                34-35, R513-535, Wright

 

XIII-XIV         POSTWAR AMERICA                   36-37, R553-610

                     Final Journal Due

                       FINAL EXAM

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Policies for History & Political Science Courses

 

A.  Attendance

 

Students are expected to attend all class sessions.  “Excessive absence” is defined as one more absence than the number of times the class meets per week during a fall or spring semester (with the number of absences to be prorated for accelerated sessions).  For example, in a Monday-Wednesday-Friday class, four absences would be considered excessive.  If you miss a class session, it is your responsibility to find out what you have missed.

 

Source: Collegewide Policies and Procedures Manual: Academic Regulations: Class Attendance (Section 9.823). [http://www.mc.cc.md.us/hrdept/]

 

B.  Academic Honesty

 

Common examples of academic dishonesty and misconduct can be found below and in the Student Code of Conduct, Section IV. These examples are not an all-inclusive list of all prohibited behavior. If you are in doubt about what constitutes academic dishonesty, consult your professor or the Student Code of Conduct.

 

Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to using “cheat notes” during an exam, copying answers from another student, allowing another student to copy your work, either inside or outside of class; using work from previous semesters; and copying from a book, magazine, Internet site, or brochure when writing a paper without giving credit to the source. 

 

Faculty members may impose grade sanctions for violations of academic ethics, normally ranging from a minimum of F on the assignment in which the dishonesty occurred to a maximum of an F in the course.  Faculty members may choose to impose different sanctions. Faculty members also have the prerogative of referring a case to the campus Dean of Student Development with a specific request that the dean consider imposing additional sanctions.

 

Source: Collegewide Policies and Procedures Manual: Student Code of Conduct: Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct (Section IV). [http://www.mc.cc.md.us/hrdept/]

 

 

 

C.  Classroom Conduct

 

The College seeks to provide an environment where discussion and expression of all views relevant to the subject matter of the class are recognized as necessary to the educational process.  However, students do not have the right to interfere with the freedom of the faculty to teach or the rights of other students to learn.

 

Faculty set the standards of behavior that are acceptable in the classroom by announcing these standards early in the semester.  It is your responsibility to pay attention when these standards are outlined; missing a class period does not absolve you of this responsibility.  Following these standards will contribute to a respectful learning environment for everyone in the classroom.  Examples of acceptable behavior include, but are not limited to turning pagers and cell phones off or to “silent mode” during class and entering class quietly if one is late.

 

Source: Collegewide Policies and Procedures Manual: Student Code of Conduct: Classroom Behavior (Section III). [http://www.mc.cc.md.us/hrdept/]

 

Annis’ Rules

 

1.     Do NOT expect a break at the end of the semester if your attendance has been less than regular. Please maintain your dignity by not whining to the instructor after getting the lower grade.                                                                                        

2.     Take the headphones off and turn the cell phones and beepers off before you enter the class.                                                                                                              

3.     Drinks (unspiked, of course), are fine. BUT, if you must eat, bring enough for the entire class, and close your mouth while chewing.                                                      

4.     If a student has to leave early, he or she should have the courtesy to notify the instructor beforehand. Students should plan to spend the entire class period in the classroom and will not be allowed to return and complete the exam if they leave the classroom during the exam.

 

5.  All assignments submitted will be either typed or written legibly in ink. Any                                                                                                                   assignment submitted in pencil will be returned. Any exam taken in pencil will be downgraded a full grade. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!

 

6. All assignments will be submitted by hand to the instructor. No assignments will be submitted electronically                                                                                                        

7. Anyone submitting a paper which is or substantial parts of are found on the Internet will fail the class. NO EXCEPTIONS!

 

D.  Support Services

 

A student who may need an accommodation due to a disability should make an appointment to see the class instructor during office hours.  A letter from Disability Support Services (DSS) authorizing your accommodations will be needed.  The DSS office is located in CAB 122 and may be called on 301-279- 5058 or TTY 301-294-9672.

 

E.  Cancellation of Classes

 

If inclement weather forces the College or any campus or College facility to suspend classes or close, public service announcements will be provided to local radio and television stations as early as possible.  If you have checked several stations and have not heard an announcement, you may go to the College Web site or call the number listed below for closing information.

 

You will be able to determine the College's operational status during inclement weather or other emergencies through the following means:

 

·        Tune in to area radio or television stations. Dozens of stations are notified. Among those with most frequent updates are:

 

Television -- NBC Channel 4/WRC; Fox Channel 5/WTTG; Channel 7/WJLA; Channel 9/WUSA; and cable News Channel 8. In the Baltimore area, check Channel 2/WMAR.

 

Radio -- WTOP (1500 AM and 107.7 FM), WMAL (630 AM), WAMU (88.5 FM). In the Frederick area, check WFMD/WFRE.

 

·        Check the College’s Web site at http://www.montgomerycollege.org or http://www.mc.cc.md.us

 

·        Call the College’s main phone number, 301-279-5000, to hear an updated message, in the event of closures or delays.
If the campus or College closes, class will be cancelled. It is your responsibility to find out whether class is cancelled.  The content of subsequent class sessions or other course requirements may be changed to accommodate the loss of one or more class sessions.  Your instructor will notify the class of any changes to the course.

Source: College Catalog: Directory.  [http://www.mc.cc.md.us/courses/]