HAWKEYE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HIS152 U.S. HISTORY SINCE 1877

COURSE SYLLABUS

SECTION HIS 152-4 20237	SPRING 2009
INSTRUCTOR: Patrick Ashwood Ph.D.	OFFICE: BH 225A	PHONE 296-4430
OFFICE HOURS: T 1-2; W 10-12, 1-2; R 1-2
E-MAIL: pashwood@hawkeyecollege.edu Textbook Link		the link to ANGEL
Department Webpage: Social Science, Education and Wellness		HISTORY COURSE WEBLINKS

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This United States history course examines the period from the end of reconstruction to the present. Emphasis is placed upon industrialization and its impact, the development of a strong federal government, an aggressive foreign policy, and a growing involvement in an international economy. The course includes political, economic, and social history of this period, as well as the development of American thought. The theme we will be using for this particular class will be folk music. We will sample folk music from throughout this period and examine its role in the 1960s and 1970s.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. Provide a narrative survey of American history from 1877 to the present.

2. Analyze the key events, people, ideas and institutions of American history from 1877 to the present.

3. Emphasize the impact of the industrialization process upon American society since 1877.

4. Study the development of a strong federal government in American society since 1877.

5. Identify how an aggressive U.S. foreign policy has altered American presence in the world community in the period since 1877.

6. Study the growing involvement of the U.S. in an international economy.

7. Explore the variety and multitude of contributors to American society in the period since 1877--in particular, it will study the contributions made by women and other groups that have been politically and economically marginalized.

REQUIRED READINGS

The Text:

Roark, James, and others. The American Promise Volume 2. Bedford/St Martin (2009) ISBN: 0312-45293-4

Additional Readings:

Neihardt & Black Elk, Black Elk Speaks U of Nebraska 2004

Langston Hughes, The Big Sea Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Mildred Armstrong Kalish, Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression, Bantam, 2007

There will be additional readings on folk music.

Black Elk	Langston Hughes	Little Heathens	Folk Music

GRADES AND ASSIGNMENTS

There will be four major exams over lecture materials and readings. The lowest score will be "dropped". However, the last exam cannot be dropped. Unannounced quizzes will occur throughout the semester. There are no make ups for exams or quizzes. There will be several out of class projects. There will also be a number of required in class activities.

Exam #1	2/5
Exam #2	3/5
Exam #3	4/9
Exam #4	5/7 8AM	Exams = 45% of total grade
Projects (four)		Projects = 40%
In class activities		15%
GRADING SCALE 90-100% A 80-89.99% B 70-79.99% C 60-69.99% D

STUDENT HELP FOR THIS CLASS (and others)

1. LINK TO TEXTBOOK

2. SQ3R STUDY METHOD

3. STUDENT DEVELOPMENT (Available in Bremer 116, tutors and help)

4. A HELP PAGE FOR EXAM TAKING, WRITING PAPERS, STUDYING http://www.studygs.net/index.htm

CLASS POLICIES

• Participation is the only "extra credit" available in this course. Disruption of lecture will result in penalties toward your total grade. Do not "chitchat" or come and go out of the classroom during lecture. College policy is no food or beverage in the classroom. This is not your home or a movie theater.
• Attendance will be taken regularly. If you are not in class, it will directly influence your grade.
• To receive full credit for assignments and tests, they must be presented when due. Late assignments will lose a letter grade for every school day they are late. They will receive no credit after one week. There are no make-ups except for extraordinary circumstances.
• Cheating: Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will be dealt with severely. Do not use others' works without crediting the source. You will receive a zero for assignments that are plagiarized. Depending on the circumstances you may receive an F for this course and have a letter describing your cheating in your permanent student file. Check the student handbook for more information on plagiarism and cheating.
• I will not provide lecture notes for missed classes. Please complete your notes with assistance from your peers.

WEATHER CLOSINGS: If this class is not held due to a weather closing, we will continue where we left off. If weather hits a test day, the test will be the next day back, etc. I will post a message on the Angel page and send out emails to your Hawkeye email addresses.

STUDENTS’ SPECIAL NEEDS: Hawkeye Community College strives for student-centered, quality education with flexibility to allow for student’s special needs. Students with disabilities or special needs should feel free to contact the instructor privately if there are services or adaptations which can be made to accommodate specific needs.

HAWKEYE EMAIL: As a Hawkeye student you are provided an email account. Hawkeye sends important college information including your grades, attendance, graduation, etc by email only. You are expected to check it once a week.

C O U R S E C A L E N D A R

US HISTORY SINCE 1877

WEEK	Themes	ASSIGNMENT
1 UNIT ONE	Introduction Reconstruction	Read Text CH 16 Read Black Elk Speaks There is a project on this book. Due 1/29
2	The Old West and the Railroad	Read Text CH 17
3	Industrialization	Read Text CH 18
4	The City	Read Text CH 19 2/5 UNIT EXAM Chapters 16-19
5 UNIT TWO	Dissent & Building an Empire	Read Text CH 20
6	Progressivism & National Reform	Read Text CH 21 Read The Big Sea. There is a project on this book. Due 2/26
7	First World War	Read Text CH 22
8	The Wild 1920s	Read Text CH 23 3/5 UNIT EXAM 2 Chapters 20-23
9 UNIT THREE	The Great Depression	Read Text CH 23 Read Little Heathens. There is a project on this book. Due 4/2
10	The New Deal	Read Text CH 24
11	Global Crisis and the Second World War	Read Text CH 25
12	The Cold War	Read Text CH 26 4/9 UNIT EXAM 3 Chapters 23-26
13 UNIT FOUR	Wealthy Conformity - 1950s	Read Text CH 27
14	Rise of the Left - 1960s Rock & Roll	Read Text CH 28 There will be a project on folk music of this era. Due 4/30
15	Crisis of Authority	Read Text CH 29
16	Rise of the Rich and Globalization	Read Text CH 30-31
17		5/7 8-10 AM UNIT EXAM 4 Chapters 27-31

Disclaimer: All information on calendar except exam dates is tentative

Go to Patrick Ashwood Homepage

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