United States: 1877 to the Present
History 110, Spring 2008
Villa Julie College, Stevenson, MD 21153
Marilyn Julius, Instructor
f-julius@mail.vjc.edu
Office: LRC #114; Phone: (443) 334-2289
Objectives |Materials | Assignments | Please
Welcome to our history! This course, the second half of Villa Julie's American history sequence, covers the years 1877 to the present. Telve decades of American life: We have a challenging task ahead of us.
I hope you will appreciate that history is so much more than dates and facts, more even than the sum of our nation's economic, political, social, and cultural past. History is about ideas. And so the theme for this course is freedom, one of the biggest ideas of all. Some questions to consider:
- What exactly does freedom mean?
- How has our interpretation of this cherished value changed over our country's history? Freedom for whom? Freedom from what?
- And how have we reconciled the concept of freedom with that other American ideal, equality?
We will consider these questions over the course of the semester, and maybe you will be surprised at your own thinking on the subject of freedom. Let Freedom Ring!
Catalog Description
The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the major personalities, events, and ideas related to the development of the United States since 1865. The course will look at the consequences of the Civil War, Reconstruction, Populism, Progressivism, the two World Wars, and the inter-war years marked by great social changes and the Great Depression, the Cold War, and the political and social reactions to it up to the present. Prerequisite: ENG 151 or equivalent (May be taken concurrently). Three credits.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completing this course, you will be able to
- Demonstrate your knowledge of historical periods, person, events, ideas, and themes in U.S. history from 1877 to the present (discussion board, reading journal, self-tests, essays).
- Demonstrate your understanding of the concepts of historical causation, conflict, and change over time. (essay tests, discussion board)
- Analyze the changing interpretations of freedom and equality since the Civil War (final essay)
- Read, interpret, and evaluate primary sources (reading journal)
- Write clearly about history (discussion, journal, essay tests, final essay)
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In Class:
As you can see from the chart above, class participation is important, worth 20% of your grade. Each day that you come to class unprepared, fail the quiz, or are absent, you will loose one percent of this grade. NOTE: You will not be held responsible for class work with excused absences and may have 2 unexcused absences.
Day 1: Road Trip
On this day we will cover some distance, usually a decade or so, through a quiz on the assigned chapter and through lecture and discussion. To prepare for class, you should read the assignment thoroughly enough to pass a 10-20 question multiple choice quiz.
Day 2: Road-side Attraction
On this day, we will slow down for a side trip to learn more about some particular aspect of the time period we are studying. To prepare for class, you will usually have a primary source to explore, either as a handout or from the online companion website for Give Me Liberty!
Weekly Liberty Journal: Due Fridays
By Friday noon of each week you will post your Liberty Journal entry on Blackboard -- your take on the meaning of freedom during this time period as you've thought about the week's chapter and primary source materials.
Course Materials
- Text: Give Me Liberty ! An American History , Volume 2, by Eric Foner. New York: Norton, 2005. Avaliable at the College Store.
- Student Website for Give Me Liberty!
The Student Study Space for Give Me Liberty! provides a wealth of information and resources to enhance your study of U.S. history. Plan to take advantage of these resources, some of which will be required and others optional. Each chapter includes the following materials
- Pod-casts by the great man, himself: Eric Foner, (highly recommended)
- Primary sources: video, audio, photographs, documents, and more, with Medial Analysis Worksheets (some of these will be required)
- Quizzes (good practice for tests)
- Chapter Outline and Flashcards (optional, study aids)
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Assignments
Assignment |
Wt |
Due |
| Class Participation, Quizzes, Presentations |
20% |
Daily preparation and contribution; weekly quizzes |
| Freedom Journal |
15% |
Due weekly,
Day 2 |
Tests
|
15%
15%
|
|
| Freedom essay on the history of liberty from Reconstruction to the present. Based on Liberty Journal entries. |
15% |
Due Week 15 |
| Final Exam |
20% |
|
In Class: As you can see from the chart above, class participation is important, worth 20% of your grade. Each day that you come to class unprepared, fail the quiz, or are absent, you will loose one percent of this grade. You will not be held responsible for class work with excused absences and may have 2 unexcused absences.
Day 1: Road Trip
On this day we will cover some distance, usually a decade or so, through a quiz on the assigned chapter and through a quiz. To prepare for class, you should read the assignment thoroughly enough to pass a 10-20 question multiple choice test.
Day 2: Road-side Attraction
On this day, we will slow down for a side trip to learn more about some particular aspect of the time period we are studying. To prepare for class, you will usually have a primary source to explore either as a handout or from the online companion website for Give Me Liberty!
Weekly Liberty Journal: Due Fridays
By Friday of each week you will post your Liberty Journal entry on Blackboard -- your take on the meaning of freedom during this time period as you've thought about the week's chapter and primary source materials.
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Evaluation:
On individual assignments you may receive a numerical or a letter grade. Numerical grades are recorded on a grade book spreadsheet according to the following scale:
Letter grade |
Numerical equivalent |
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F |
98
95
92
88
85
82
78
75
72
68
65
62
50 |
Final Grade: After all grades are in, your final grade is determined by the new Villa Julie grading scale shown below with no second guessing on the teacher’s part! What is, is.
VJC |
Julius Rounding |
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
60-66
0-59 |
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
F |
92.5-100
89.5-92.4
86.5-89.9
82.5-86.4
79.5-82.4
76.5-79.4
72.5-76.4
69.5-72.4
67.0-69.4
59.5-66.4
0-59.4
|
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Please . . .
Be prepared. Some days you may be asked to write about the reading at the beginning of class or to read your reading response aloud. Some days you may have a quiz. You should always be prepared to discuss readings and topics aloud.
Be prompt. Turn in all work on time. Grades on late assignments will disappoint you (papers are devalued one letter grade per class period except in the case of documented absences for illness requiring a doctor's visit, a court appearance, a death in the family). But wait! You do have one safety valve. One assignment may be turned in one class period late. Tests may be made up only with a documented excuse: from a physician, hospital, court, or other verifiable documentation
Be honest with yourself and with me about your attendance, class preparation, and assignments. Document your papers correctly (plagiarism will result in failure of the course). Also, be candid. Honest feedback will help me fit the course to your needs and desires.
Be open-minded. Expect a lot. Get involved. Be curious. Have fun, too!
And don't forget to write!
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