Dr. Libby                                                                                    

American History-106

CA 527

274-3981

e-mail: jhlibby@iupui.edu

 

 

 

History is the witness of truth,

The Life of Memory;

The Teacher of Life,

The Messenger of Antiquity

  (Cicero)

 

 

The Study of One's Nation's

History makes one a better

and moral loyal citizen.

  (Voltaire)

 

 

 

But perhaps Mark Twain said it best

and most accurately when he commented:

 

 

The trouble of the world

is not that people know

so little;

 

But that they know so many

things that ain't so.

 

 

In our course, perhaps we shall not

only become better citizens (Voltaire),

learn many things that are so (Twain),

be reminded of our antiquity (Cicero)

but as Plato once commented:

 

 

WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPLE THING;

THEREFORE GET WISDOM.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

 

This course is designed to introduce the student to the broad spectrum of American history from the end of the Civil War in 1865 until the termination of World War II in 1945 with additional comments regarding themes and events following that conflict.

 

The emphasis in my class is on political-diplomatic events that have altered and changed our late nineteenth and twentieth century history thus, if you are looking for a course concentrating on cultural, economic, ethnic, industrial, labor or other domestic issues, then this is not the course for you.

 

If you are hearing impaired or, in any other way cannot take lecture notes without a tape recorder (for example because English is not your native language), please visit the Office of Adaptive Educational Services in CA-001C and have them contact me.

 

If you need to call that office the phone number is:

274-3241 or 274-3242.

 

Indiana University has a policy regarding cheating and plagarism.  I ask you not to do either as no one wins.

 

If a student plans on leaving the course I would recommend that you withdraw officially by visiting the Registrar's Office.

 

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Many students find out much later that they are not officially withdrawn from the class and there is no way I can be of assistance.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 the time and date of the call...for some reason students will speak clearly when talking to such machines but then give their phone numbers too rapidly for the mechanism to record.

 

Please speak slowly and precisely so the machine can pick up your whole messsage.

 

If you are a first year student or have never had a good experience in a history course (presuming you were taught by an historian) I would recommend staying current with your reading in the textbook and the Chronology to avoid that sense of being overwhelmed and frustrated by the course's requirements.

 

There is no daily nor weekly reading assignment.  By the time you have arrived at the college-university level educational process, you should be able to make such judgements for yourself.

 

The textbook is a supplement to my lecture but it cannot serve as a substitute for learning the material required for the course.

In addition, the grade of incomplete is rarely given, usually for deaths in the family or hospitalization...I do check.  Do not rely on the possibility of an incomplete to save you if you have not completed the work.

 

If you have any questions regarding the grade of incomplete please see Dean Miriam Langsam in her office (CA-401) for a more detailed explanation.  The number is 274-3976.

 

I encourage students to ask questions in class so do not feel embarrassed.  If the question is an honest inquiry then there is no reason not to clear up any confusing aspects of the course or its content.

 

An extensive Chronology has been prepared for this course and is for sale in the Bookstore as is the textbook.

 

The main information you will need for the examinations will come from my lectures...the Chronology will give you an overall panorama of the information contained in our course and the textbook is a supplement. 

 

TEXTBOOK:

 

                        David M. .Kennedy, Thomas A. Bailey (Deceased)

                        And Mel Piehl entitled:

 

                                    The Brief American Pageant

 

                                                VOLUME II, SINCE 1865

______________________________________________________________________________

 

            THE FIRST EXAMINATION WILL TAKE PLACE WHEN

            WE REACH THE ELECTION OF WOODROW WILSON IN 1912

 

           

______________________________________________________________________________

 

            THE FINAL EXAMINATION WILL COVER THE COURSE

            FROM THE ELECTION OF WOODROW WILSON 1N 1912

            TO THE END OF THE LECTURE IN EARLY DECEMBER 2002.

 

            There will be two examinations and I will  explain

             the format of the examinations during class lecture.

 

            There will also be a paper which I shall explain in class.

 

 

           

 

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 DISCUSS ANY PERSONAL ISSUES WITH

            THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE.

 

**********PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE SEATS

                        ONCE THE SEATING CHART IS

                        FINALIZED.

 

 

 

 

Office Hours:

 

SATURDAY MORNING FROM 10:00 A.M. UNTIL TEN MINUTES BEFORE CLASS TIME.

 

 

MY WEEKDAY OFFICE HOURS ARE ON MY DOOR....CA-527                                   

 

 

AND BY APPOINTMENT IF THOSE HOURS ARE INCONVENIENT.