Dr. Libby
American History.....H-105

Office:............... CA-527
Office Phone:...........274-3981
History Office:.........CA-504M
History Office Phone:...274-3811

(MARK TWAIN)

This course is designed to correct, in some small way, Twain's theory and introduce the student to the broad spectrum of American history from the 16th century until the termination of Reconstruction in 1877.

The emphasis in my class is on POLITICAL-DIPLOMATIC events that have altered and changed our early foundings so if you are looking for an H-105 class that emphasizes CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, ETHNIC, SOCIAL OR OTHER DOMESTIC ISSUES, then this is not the course for you.

The textbook is a supplement to my lectures, thus if you miss class and the lectures, you are hurting your chances for a higher grade in this class.

SO BE SURE YOU HAVE THE TIME AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY THE INTEREST TO TAKE MY CLASS.

IF YOUR WORK SCHEDULE OR OTHER ACTIVITIES WILL KEEP YOU FROM LECTURE THEN BY ALL MEANS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER WITHDRAWING FROM THE CLASS BEFORE THE WORK OVERWHELMS YOU AND FRUSTRATION SETS IN FOR THE SEMESTER.

I do not allow tape recordings of my classes; this is a private conversation between you and me and since lectures were recorded years ago and then sold to students, I adopted this procedure.

If you are a hearing impaired or, in any other way cannot take notes without a tape recorder, please see me and we will make arrangements through the office of Adaptive Educational Services in CA-001C. If you need to call that office the phone number is 274-3241 or 274-3242.

I would also like to state that the grade of incomplete is rarely given. Indiana University policy states that incompletes are given only when a student has fulfilled over 75 percent of the work required for the semester and for a reason beyond his or her control in which the final 25 percent of the course cannot be completed successfully.

THE INCOMPLETE IS NOT GIVEN BECAUSE YOU DECIDED NOT TO ATTEND CLASS AND NOW WISH AN INCOMPLETE TO FINISH THE COURSE AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.

The grade of incomplete has become the most abused grade in the history of university education and you are put on notice at the outset of the class, that the incomplete will be given only for dire circumstances with the consultation of the Dean of Students, Professor Miriam Langsam in CA-401.

Indiana University policy also requires that cheating is not to be tolerated.

I encourage students to ask questions in class so do not be embarrassed. You have paid for this course and I have emphasized for years that students should not let confusion continue to hinder their learning of American history.

Your questions might be on the minds of your colleagues who are too timid to ask and please .....NO QUESTION IS STUPID IF ASKED HONESTLY.

If a student plans on leaving the course I would recommend that you withdraw officially by visiting the Registrar's Office on the first floor or the Recorders Office (CA-401).

Please DO NOT assume that I know you left the course because you have chosen to no longer attend the class. Many students find out much later that they are not officially withdrawn from the class and there is no way I can be of assistance.

Should you call my office I have an answering machine which records time and date of the call...please speak precisely, especially when giving your phone number. The textbook for the course is by:

David M. Kennedy, Thomas A. Bailey (Deceased) and Mel Piehl entitled:

The Brief American Pageant:Volume 1

THERE WILL BE TWO EXAMINATIONS:

The first examination will cover the years from Henry VIII until the election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800:

Pages 1-137 (Chapters 1-10).

The second examination will cover the years from 1800 until the Civil War until the end of Reconstruction in 1877.

Pages 139-294 (Chapters 11-21).

and any subsequent pages covering the years until 1877.

THE DATE WHEN THE PAPER IS DUE IS:

NOVEMBER 16, 2000.

 

YOU HAVE AMPLE TIME TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENT ON SCHEDULE.

THE DATE OF THE FIRST EXAMINATION, HOWEVER HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED BUT WHEN WE GET TO THE ELECTION OF THE THIRD PRESIDENT, THOMAS JEFFERSON.

I WILL EXPLAIN THE TESTING POLICES AND THE DATES OF THE DATES OF THE EXAMINATIONS IN CLASS.

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Over the years students have made a major error in writing examinations for my classes.

For some reason, students do not write full answers but somehow believe that mere mentioning is explaining. It is also evident that no matter many times I will request students to write complete answers including:

BACKGROUND, MAJOR THEMES (OR PROVISIONS IF A TREATY) AND THE IMPACT ON AMERICAN HISTORY, THEY REFUSE TO DO SO. AFTER THIRTY YEARS OF TEACHING IT REMAINS A MYSTERY AS TO WHY FULL ANSWERS ARE NOT FULFILLED.

When you write your essays (and all my examination questions are essays) write as if the person reading your words has no knowledge of the events, the people, or the time frame involved.

By doing so, you will be less likely to leave out important aspects of your examination answer.

If you have not written essay examinations in your high school and/or college career, you will need seek assistance at the Writing Center (CA-427-Hours are Posted) in order to overcome past deficiencies.

How to write essay examinations should have been a part of your high school curriculum but more likely it was not done so.

Nonetheless, you and your family members should have demanded that these fundamentals of an educated person be taught to you, but, it was easier not to make such demands.

Each examination is worth 35% of your grade. I average the two examination grades to determine the final semester grade.

There is also a paper due in this class which is worth 30% of your grade so it is an important project.

This will require that you plan ahead, research accordingly and write your paper without waiting until the end of the semester.

This paper may be written on any American who was BORN BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR and contributed to our national experience.

The man or woman may be a politician, a military leader, an inventor, a writer, poet or essayist, or anyone else of your choosing.

There are many Americans born before the Civil War who contributed to our heritage who are not well known and so the student who finds the important yet obscure individual to write about enhances their chances of a better grade.

Over the years students have found inventors, politicians, military leaders, diplomats, writers, poets, essayists, etc., who were not well known and the papers were extremely interesting.

Rather than all of you reading the same book and writing simple little book reports, my assignment allows you to be a detective and find a prominent person.

I would recommend you visit the Reference Room of the university library, the State Library at Ohio and Senate Avenues, the main branch of the Marion County Library or any satellite branches to begin your assignment.

Should you have any questions regarding the assignment or the individual chosen, please see me during regular hours which are posted and listed at the end of this syllabus.

I would recommend that the paper reveal the background of the individual chosen, the hardships in their life, what they did that we should honor as Americans, and conclude with a paragraph revealing their lasting importance.

The paper should be between 10-15 pages, and do list the sources used during your research.

Please do not just go to an Encyclopedia and scissors and paste a story together.

That is what you did in the earlier years; let us see if we can do a project representing your best efforts and reveal some concept of learning beyond mere copying.

See me if you are confused.

If you are a first year student or have never had a good experience in history classes in your career, I would recommend staying current with your assignments so you do not become overwhelmed and frustrated with the amount of material needed for learn and fulfill all of the requirements of this class.

This is a class of chronological sequence so when we discuss when events occurred (what was always called dates) they need to be known so that in the linear projection of time and space we call history there is a time frame.

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Office Hours:

Please Read Carefully:

Some students have a tendency to write short, choppy and very uninteresting sentences. Try to combine thoughts into a sentence by using a comma, a coordinating conjunction and letting the style flow.

Somewhere in the background of students some teacher taught you to write such sentences or did not correct your tendency to do so but it produces a poorly written essay.

One of the hints I have given students over the years is to read the paper aloud to someone who does not know anything about your topic. If that person understands your essay then you are fulfiling the objective of the assignment.

You and the listener should also hear the short sentence structure as you read and can make corrections at that moment.

When quoting always identify whom the speaker is...for example:

Senator John Crittenden commented:

Mark Twain said:

AND SO FORTH

DO NOT JUST DROP IN LONG QUOTES WITHOUT A SPEAKER BEING IDENTIFIED.

IN FACT, ONLY USE LONG QUOTES WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

IT IS BETTER TO PARAPHRASE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

ANY QUOTE OVER THREE LINES IN DURATION IS TO BE:

CENTERED

INDENTED

NO QUOTATION MARKS USED

PLEASE DO NOT WRITE SUCH WORDS AS:

HE THOUGHT

SHE BELIEVED

HE FELT

AND SO FORTH

 

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OTHER PEOPLE REALLY THINK, FEEL OR BELIEVE. THE MOST WE KNOW ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE IS WHAT THEY HAVE SAID OR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

DO NOT ASSUME FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND FIND APPROPRIATE WORDS TO CONVEY YOUR IDEAS BESIDES PERSONAL TERMS WHICH ARE INAPPROPRIATE AND HISTORICALLY INACCURATE.

Taking your paper to the Writing Center for review can be very helpful in producing a sophisticated and college level paper.

Please do not begin sentences with the word "However" or "But" or "Or" or words of that nature.

These words should be used to separate thoughts and do not initiate thoughts.

 

For example: The American Congress, however, decided to vote for the proposal.

NOT

However, the American Congress decided not to vote for the proposal.

Again, the instructors in the Writing Center (CA-427) can be very helpful in producing a very finely written paper if you give them time to review it with you.

In addition, please do not use contractions:

wasn't....use the full spelling....was not

didn't....use the full spelling....did not

won't.....use the full spelling....will not

Please learn the difference between it's and its.

It's...means it is

Furthermore, it takes a minimum of two sentences to make a paragraph.

The shame of it all is that I have to make these suggestions and comments on how to write a paper. These previously mentioned specifics on how to write an essay should have been taught to you in the earlier years.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS HANDOUT CAREFULLY. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONFUSIONS, PLEASE SEE ME.

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PLEASE NOTE:

UNIVERSITY POLICY NOW REQUIRES THAT I TAKE ATTENDANCE AND IN TIME A FORM WILL COME TO ME WHERE I WILL BE REQUIRED TO NOTE THOSE STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING CLASS TO THE REGISTRARS AND ADMISSIONS OFFICES.THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW MONITORING STUDENT ATTENDANCE IN CLASSES THUS YOUR CONTINUING ABSENCES COULD AFFECT YOUR FINANCIAL STANDING SO I WOULD SUGGEST ATTENDING CLASS OR WITHDRAWING IF IT IS NOT FULFILLING YOUR DESIRED OBJECTIVES.