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Fall 2014
History 103: History of the United States to 1877
Course Description
Survey of United States history to 1877, emphasizing major political, economic, social, and cultural
developments. 3 Credit Hours.
Course Objectives
Change has not occurred without hard-fought battles, some of which were won, some of which were lost, and
some of which continue to this day. Freedom, equality, and democracy for some groups have coexisted with
oppression, inequality, and exclusion for others. This course will introduce you to the history of the United
States from pre-colonial times to 1877. It will cover basic facts, concepts, and themes, concentrating on
migration, diversity, and individual freedom as special features of the early American experience. It will teach
you what it means to study history and why history is an important subject in modern times. The central focus
of this course will be the struggles of different groups to define what concepts like freedom, equality, and
democracy meant, and to determine to whom they should apply. This class will provide you with an
overview of the major conflicts and changes within the history of the United States from the first interactions
of Europeans and native peoples through the Civil War, and will develop your ability to interpret their
meanings and implications critically.
My goal is not to tell you what to think about the course material, but to help you come to your own informed
conclusions. At the end of the course students should be able to recognize a historical argument when they see
one, be familiar with the most important people, ideas, and events of early American history, and understand
their significance for today. Students in this course will participate actively in their education. They will
engage the instructor and each other in classroom discussion and write regularly about what they are studying.
The objectives of this course include: (1) to gain factual knowledge about the period under discussion; (2) to
develop the specific skills and points of view needed by historians; (3) to improve skills needed for evaluate
primary source materials; and (4) to learn to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of
view.
Please note: This syllabus is your contract with me, the professor, for the semester. By enrolling in this class
you agree to the policies and requirements set out below. These terms are non-negotiable and will remain in
effect for the duration of the semester. If you have any questions about anything in this syllabus, please ask.
Required Readings
The following books are available in the bookstore:
Roark, James L. (2012). The American Promise: A History of the United States.
Gates, H. L. (2002). Slave Narratives (college). Edited by Andrews, W. L. Library of America.
(ISBN: 9781931082112).
Classroom Policies
All students are expected to observe basic tenets of common decency and acceptable behavior conducive to a
positive leaning environment. During class time, I expect your undivided attention. This means turning off cell
phone, pagers, iPods, and other devices, and putting away newspapers and other forms of distraction, for the
duration of the class period. Please come to class on time and plan to stay for the entire period. Coming late
and/or disrupting the learning environment shows disrespect for your instructors, your colleagues, and the
educational endeavor in which you are engaged. If you must leave early, please let me know at the beginning
of class. I can be very understanding of problems that might arise over the course of the semester, but only if I
know what is going on with you. I encourage you to stop by during office hours, to get to know me, and to
keep me informed of any issues you might have that would affect your performance in this class.
Special Accommodations
Students with disabilities or other special needs who require accommodation in this course are encouraged to
speak with me as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements for these accommodations.
Academic Honesty
All work in this course must be completed in a manner consistent with NDSU University Senate Policy,
Section 335: Code of Academic Conduct and Responsibility available at
http://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/335.pdf
In all courses, I expect that all work that you do and turn in is your own. No form of plagiarism, cheating,
collusion or any other form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. Plagiarism is defined as deliberately
taking the words or ideas of someone else and passing them off as your own. Cheating is obtaining
unauthorized assistance on any assignment. Collusion is the selling of academic products with the intention
that they be submitted to satisfy an academic requirement. Students are expected to uphold and support the
highest academic standards at all times. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will fail the
assignment in question, may fail the entire course, and may be subject to disciplinary action by the University.
Any form of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for this course and may be subject to
disciplinary action by the University. If you are ever unclear about what constitutes plagiarism or academic
dishonesty, please ask.
Your participation, an additional component to your attendance grade, will be guided by the following rubric:
A = Always prepared, frequently participates, rarely absent
B = Always prepared, participates only when called on, rarely absent
C = Usually prepared, rarely speaks, rarely absent
D = Often unprepared, several absences
The instructor reserves the right to adjust attendance points according to participation during class.
You are responsible for all material covered in our class meetings, regardless of your physical presence in the
room. Students are expected to come prepared to engage with and discuss the assigned material. This means
preparing the assignment before class and bringing the reading material with you to class. Only the course
instructor can excuse a student from course responsibilities. I expect all students to participate in our class
discussions and to contribute their thoughts, ideas, and questions to our collective exploration. I especially
encourage you to bring your questions to class. I will create, and expect you to uphold, an intellectual
environment in the classroom where we can listen to and consider others arguments and opinions with an open
mind and where we respect viewpoints other than our own.
The instructor reserves the right to give unannounced quizzes in class periodically. These quizzes will be
counted as extra credit toward the final course grade and cannot be made up under any circumstances.
Assignments
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the resources of the Center for Writers for assistance with
drafting their papers. The writing consultants will not write your paper; they will help you improve your
writing skills. If you use the Center, please plan ahead. They can only help you if you see them in advance
and have time to incorporate their suggestions into the final paper. More information can be found at
http://www.ndsu.edu/cfwriters/
Blackboard Quizzes: There will be five blackboard quizzes during the semester. Each quiz will evaluate
student comprehension of assigned readings from The American Promise and Slave Narratives. Blackboard
quizzes will open on Tuesday at 12:15 pm and close on Friday at 6pm. Students will be able to take the
quizzes twice (best score kept). Due to the nature of blackboard, there are no make-ups once the quiz window
closes, it will not be re-opened for students. Contact the all the instructors ASAP if any problems do arise.
The average of your quizzes will comprise 10% (100 points) of your final course grade. The lowest of the five
quiz grades will be dropped. All the quizzes will consist of 15 questions. The quizzes are timed for 20
minutes. Quizzes that include Slave Narratives will have a series of questions from the textbook and a
dedicated section from the assigned readings in Slave Narratives. Each question is worth two points. There
will be no make-up quizzes given unless otherwise approved by the instructor in advance.
Primary Source Analysis: Student will complete three analysis worksheets on primary sources pertinent to the
time period being studied. Acceptable sources will be provided by the instructor and available under Course
Content on Blackboard. Each analysis will be due in class as hard copies on the dates listed in the course
calendar. These primary source worksheets will be worth 15% (150 points) of your final grade.
Midterm Exams: There are two midterm examinations in this course. The first midterm exam is worth 10%
(100 points) of the final grade; the second exam is worth 10% (100 points) of the final grade. Neither exam is
cumulative. The first will evaluate students understanding of course materials from the beginning of the class
up to the date of the exam (end of the American Revolution). The second will test students knowledge of the
material covered after the first midterm exam. The exams will consist of matching, sequencing, fill-in the
blank, map labeling, essay and multiple choice questions. Make-ups must be arranged with the instructor. All
make-ups need to be completed within a week of the exam and may be a different version than one from the
original test date.
Final Exam: There will be one cumulative final exam in this course. The final exam will consist of matching,
sequencing, fill-in the blank, map labeling, essay, and multiple choice questions. This exam constitutes 20%
(200 points) of the final grade. The Final Exam will focus upon the final third of the class but will include
questions from the entire course. The Final Exam will be on Friday December 19 th from 10:30-12:30 PM in
Quentin Burdick 106.
Grade Breakdown: Your grade for the class will be composed of the above elements, broken down as follows:
Attendance 10% (100 points)
Midterm Exam#1 (9/30) 10% (100 points)
Midterm Exam #2 (11/4) 10% (100 points)
Written Papers 25% (250 points)
Primary Source Analyses 15% (150 points)
Blackboard Quizzes 10% (100 points)
Final Exam (12/19) 20% (200 points)
Your grades for written work will be determined based on the following rubric:
Please note: To pass this class, all assignments must be turned in. Failure to turn in any assignment listed
above (not including unscheduled quizzes) by the end of the semester will result in a failing grade on that
assignment. All assignments are due on the date listed in the Course Schedule below. Late assignments may
be accepted only with the advance approval of the instructors and will be assessed a penalty of 5 points for the
first late day and 10 points per additional business day. If you have a problem with a due date because of a
specific emergency, please notify the professor in advance or plan to turn it in early. I can be very
understanding and flexible with you, but only if you come to talk to me in advance.
Course Schedule:
Week 12
No Class Tues.
11/11Veterans Quiz 4 (Available
Roark 12
Day Expansion and the 11/13-11/18)
Politics of Expansion
Mexican War (Roark 10-12, Douglass
California Gold Rush
(Thur. 11/13) and Jacobs)
ACE Tutoring and Quiet Study will provide tutoring for HIST 103. A detailed tutor schedule is available
at http://www.ndsu.edu/studentsuccess/tutoring_schedule/ Note that tutoring services begin on Tuesday,
September 2nd. Please contact your instructor or ACE Tutoring services for more information.