History 106 is a survey of American history from the end of the Civil War (1865) until the present. There are a number of ways that different historians approach the study of history. This class focuses on what is known as Asocial history.@ Sometimes referred to as Ahistory from the bottom up,@ this approach looks at the daily lives of average people to understand the larger social forces that shaped their lives and the history of the United States. It also examines how those Aaverage@ people affected those larger social forces. We will examine the historical trends of industrialization, urbanization, expansion, extension of legal and civil rights, immigration, and migration.

Survey courses can feel overwhelming because of the amount of material covered in the course. Someone once complained that AHistory is just one darn thing after another.@ The emphasis in this course, however, is less on memorizing dates and names and more on using that information to develop reading and writing skills to explain why things happened as a way to understand the present as well as the past.

These can be purchased at the bookstore in Cavanaugh Hall or at Follett=s. In a pinch, there is a copy of each on Reserve in the Library. I expect you to bring W&B or 1^st PERSON to class when they appear on the syllabus for that session. You may also want to bring the TEXT.

A 12 to 2 page biographical essay (typed, double-spaced, approximately 300-500 words) about Black Elk. This is due Tuesday, January 23^rd. We will discuss this assignment in more depth, but the purpose is to think about the life and times of this individual and situate him in his historical context. Papers are due at the start of the class (5% of your final grade for the course).

Midterm examination, scheduled for Tuesday, March 6^th (25% of final grade).

Final examination, scheduled for Tuesday, May 1^st (20% of final grade).

Both exams will include an essay portion asking you to incorporate information from the reading, class lectures, and discussions into an analysis of a larger question. There will also be a portion with IDs or short answers. There will be a study guide handed out ahead of time and we will discuss the exams as they approach.

Short assignment based on the chapters from W&B that will be discussed in class; see the syllabus below for 1/30, 2/6, 2/22, 2/27, 3/8, 4/5, and 4/12.

There will be a separate explanation for this assignment and we will discuss this assignment in greater depth. Here is a brief overview. The assignments will progressively ask you to provide more information for, or analysis of, the historical question and evidence in seven of the chapters in W&B. Four of them will only require 3 to 4 sentences to answer, while the other three will entail between 1 and 2 pages (typed). These are due at the beginning of class (for a total of 20% of final grade).

PLEASE NOTE: The four short assignments cannot be handed in late; in other words, if you do not have it at the beginning of class, you will receive a A0" for the assignment. There will be a grading penalty if one of the three longer ones is handed in late, but each must be handed in.

One longer paper (approximately 5-6 pages, i.e., 1250 to 1500 words), based on two of the individuals in 1^st PERSON, supplemented by other class materials. We will discuss this further in class. The paper is due Thursday, March 29^th at the start of class (20% of your final grade).

While I do not require that you call or e-mail me if you are going to miss a class, it is a courtesy for you to do so. It is particularly helpful if your schedule requires you to miss more than two classes in a row. This may prevent me from reporting you as having withdrawn from the class when the registrar asks me to submit one of the many attendance reports that they require.

BE ADVISED: If, however, you do decide to leave my class, please note that you must submit an official Adrop slip@ to the registrar (signed by the appropriate people). University policy requires that I assign an AF@ to a student who stops showing up even if that student has told me that he or she plans to withdraw. You should know that the University is making it harder to get these F=s turned into W=s after the class is over.

More than three (3) absences will reduce your grade for class participation. In the case of a severe illness or other prolonged difficulty, I will need official documentation. It is your responsibility to contact me as soon as possible to make arrangements for you to make up missed work.

Developing your intellectual skills is possible only when you actually do the work assigned. We will have a longer discussion of intellectual work, intellectual dishonesty, and plagiarism. Plagiarism and cheating will result in an AF@ for the work in question and possible disciplinary action by the University. See the Indiana University Academic Handbook (p. 123) or the IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2000-2002 (p. 36) or talk with me if you have questions about what is or is not permissible.

A grade of Aincomplete@ is troublesome for everyone. The University=s policy is that they are only for students who have completed almost all course requirements and have been prevented by significant or unanticipated circumstances from finishing them.

More than anything else, my goal in this course is to ensure that we have a classroom that promotes academic excellence in an atmosphere of freedom that protects our collective commitment to mutual respect. To enhance the learning process for all students in this course, there are a few basic policies that will govern classroom etiquette. Naturally, all students are expected to be in compliance with IUPUI=s Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct. By listing these policies I am not adjusting the Code, but simply emphasizing or elaborating some key points. Please note that in accordance with IUPUI=s Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, Part III.A.5, you are bound to comply with these policies.

I welcome questions at any time (although I may sometimes put you Aon hold@ until I conclude a particular point or topic). I do not, however, welcome private conversations between class members while I am lecturing or your classmates are talking. In addition to being rude and disrespectful, such conversations are distracting for other members of the class.

Come to class. You may have to miss a class very occasionally (see above for my attendance policy). I strongly encourage you to find someone who will share notes with you if you miss class. You should check ONCOURSE for announcements, handouts, etc. for the class. You will often find that other people=s notes are rarely a replacement for being in class yourself.

The textbook is more supplemental to the class sessions. You may find it help to read the textbook carefully once and skim it once. If you read it before the class session, it will help you understand what is going to be covered. Skimming it after the class lecture or discussion will give you additional information related to the issues and themes covered during class. As we will see, textbooks do not simply recount Athe facts,@ but rather present an interpretation of history. While sometimes dry, a textbook can be a useful tool for organizing a lot of information (using its index may help you find an answer quickly, for instance).

Get to know some of your fellow students. They will be able to tell you about a class that you miss. You can also review each other=s work or study together for examinations.

Information for this class will be posted on ONCOURSE. This will include announcements to the class, changes in the syllabus or due dates, some handouts, etc. This is particularly helpful when you have to miss a class. If you miss a class, you are still advised to contact a classmate about what happened in class. I will not be using the Achat room@ or discussion features of ONCOURSE, but will use it for e-mail and announcements.

I expect that all students in this class will access ONCOURSE regularly. Generally, I will post materials for Tuesday=s class by 5pm the preceding Friday and for Thursday=s class by 7pm the preceding Tuesday. If you are in Section, C359 (attached to the Critical Inquiry course), I will add you to the C358 ONCOURSE roster and you should log onto that class. Normally, I will respond to e-mail within 48 hours (except for messages sent after 12:00 noon on Friday, to which I may not respond until sometime late Monday).

I have voice mail that is on twenty-four hours a day. You are welcome to call me should you need to do so. Note, however, that I will not play Aphone tag.@ If you leave a phone message, speak slowly and clearly, provide a phone number where you can be reached, and state when you will be at that number.