PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MASTER SYLLABUS
U.S. HISTORY I
HIST 2010
Class Hours: 3.0   Credit Hours: 3.0  
Laboratory Hours: 0.0   Date Revised: Fall 2005  
       
Catalog Course Description:    
  A survey of United States history from settlement to 1877.
Entry Level Standards:    
  Students must be able to read with a questioning mind and write essay answers to examination questions in order to perform well in this course.  They must be “active learners” in the sense that they should seek to do more than memorize and passively absorb reading and lecture material.
Prerequisites:    
  None
Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:  
  David Goldfield, et al.  The American Journey.  A History of the United States.  Brief Third Edition
I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:    
  Week  Topic
NOTE:   The exact organization of material per week and time allotted to a particular topic may vary slightly from instructor to instructor. 
  1 Introduction; Contact, Conflict and Exchange in the Atlantic World
  2 Colonization of North America
  3 Crisis and Change
  4 The Expansion of Colonial British America
  5 Wars for Independence
  6 Toward a More Perfect Union
  7 The Federalist Republic
  8 The New Republic Faces a New Century
  9 Exploded Boundaries
  10 The Years of Andrew Jackson
  11 Panic and Boom
  12 Expansion and Reaction
  13 Broken Bonds
  14 Civil War
  15 Reconstruction Abandoned; Final Exam Period
II. Course Objectives*:    
  A. Gain a basic understanding of the American past through a survey of key events and personalities between settlement and 1877.    IV.1, IV.3
  B. Establish major political, cultural, social and economic themes and trace continuity and change from the 15th through the 19th centuries.    IV.1, IV.3
  C. Analyze how past societies differed from our contemporary world.    IV.3, IV.4
  D. Analyze what post societies have contributed to our contemporary world. IV.5
*Roman numerals after course objectives reference TBR's general education goals.
III. Instructional Processes*:     
Students will:      
  1. Read the text and use critical thinking skills to relate factual material to the themes of the course. History Outcome, Communication Outcome 
  2. Take notes and use critical thinking skills to organize their notes in preparation for quizzes and exams.  History Outcome, Communication Outcome, Active Learning Strategy
  3. Write analytical essays about the past.  History Outcome, Communication Outcome, Social Science Outcome, Active Learning Strategy 
  4. Engage in classroom discussions with their peers about historical issues. History Outcome, Communication Outcome, Social Science Outcome, Transitional Strategy 
*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.
IV. Expectations for Student Performance*: 

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Understand the significant stages of development in American history. A, B

2. Understand how different cultures - and even one’s own culture in an earlier era - hold values different from the student’s own.  A, B, C

3. Develop a greater appreciation of cultures and beliefs different from the student’s own.  A, B, C, D

4. Understand how present assumptions, values, and practices emerged from previous ideas and institutions (i.e., the realization that we are products of our past). A, B, D

5. Be more of aware of political, social, economic, and environmental issues in contemporary society.  D

6. Possess a fuller capacity for analytical and conceptual thought.  B, C, D

7. Demonstrate the ability to write analytical essays about historical issues.  B
*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.
V. Evaluation:


A. Testing Procedures:

Students will be asked to write a series of essays that require them to create a factually based interpretation of past societies.  The majority of the final grade will come from this form of evaluation.  Instructors may also make use of reading quizzes, require their students to interpret and evaluate original historical sources, and/or ask them to participate in extracurricular cultural events as part of their graded work for the course. 

B. Laboratory Expectations:

N/A

C. Field Work:

N/A

D. Other Evaluation Methods:

N/A

E. Grading Scale

The precise grading scale will be determined by individual instructors.
VI. Policies:


A. Attendance Policy:

According to Pellissippi State policies, “students in all courses (excluding distance learning courses) must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course” (PSTCC Catalogue – General Academic Policies).  The history faculty penalizes any absences above 6 for MWF classes, any absences above 4 for TR classes, and any absences above 2 for night classes.

 B. Academic Dishonesty:  

Academic misconduct committed either directly or indirectly by an individual or group is subject to disciplinary action. Prohibited activities include but are not limited to the following practices: Cheating, including but not limited to unauthorized assistance from material, people, or devices when taking a test, quiz, or examination; writing papers or reports; solving problems; or completing academic assignments. In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign either (1) an F or zero for the assignment or (2) an F for the course.

C. Accommodations for disabilities:

If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform the instructor immediately. Please see the instructor privately after class or in his/her office. Students must present a current accommodation plan from a staff member in Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) in order to receive accommodations in this course. Services for Students with Disabilities may be contacted by going to Goins 127 or 131 or by phone: 694-6751(Voice/TTY) or 539-7153.

D. Other Policies:

Students are expected to demonstrate respectful behavior towards their instructor and their classmates.  Conduct that disrupts the learning environment could result in a student’s expulsion from the class.  For more information, please refer to the “Student Disciplinary Rules” section of the college catalogue.