History 105 - American
History Dr.
David G. Vanderstel
13
May –
Required Text George Tindall and David Shi,
Required
Harriet
Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Office Hours
I will be in my office both before
and after class. You may also make an
appointment to see me.
Office Location My office
is located in Cavanaugh 327
(National Council on Public History). I
am there most of the time and may be contacted in person, by telephone, or by
email. If I am not there, you may leave
messages on the door or with my assistant.
Telephone & E-mail You are welcome to call me at 317-274-2718 to discuss class
matters. I have voice mail so you may
leave messages if I’m not present. My
email address is: dvanders@iupui.edu
Course
Requirements
and
Expectations
History l05 covers the period from the pre-discovery era through the
American Civil War. It is intended to
introduce you--through lectures, class discussions, and readings--to the themes
and topics pertaining to the colonization and settling of
Course Objectives The study of history is often
misunderstood. People generally believe
that history is simply the memorization of names, dates, and important
events. This course is designed to
expose students to the usefulness of historical studies by helping them learn
to: (1) examine, assess, and understand the past and its relevance for
contemporary society; (2) understand the role of historians and history in
society; (3) analyze information and ideas that represent multiple
perspectives; (4) assess and critique historical writings; (5) develop
well-reasoned and well-supported positions on historical questions; and (6)
express one’s opinions in a logical and factually supported manner. The course will emphasize the richness and
complexity, the good points as well as the bad, of the human experience in the
emergence and maturation of the United States.
The course objectives relate to the
Department of History’s “Principles of Undergraduate Learning,” which may be
found at www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm. These principles will help the student to
understand and appreciate American history more fully and to improve critical
thinking and communication skills, which are essential to one’s academic
studies and future career, as well as for personal growth and development.
Grades Course
grades will be based upon the following:
l) midterm examination -- 20%
2) final examination -- 25%
3) two written assignments (25% each) -- 50%
4) class attendance and participation – 5%
Grading is
on a straight scale--90 & above, A; 80-89, B; etc. with pluses/minuses 3
points above/below the grade cutoff.
There is NO extra credit.
It is
important to complete all work for this course. Failure to submit an assignment or complete
an exam will result in a “zero,” which will affect seriously your overall
course grade.
Incompletes The grade of “Incomplete” may be assigned
ONLY when the student has successfully completed with passing grades at
least three-fourths (75%) of the course work AND unusual circumstances prevent
the completion of the work within the semester.
Oncourse The syllabus and all assignments are
posted on Oncourse. Visit the site at: http://oncourse.iu.edu , click on IUPUI, and
go to the appropriate H105 section. If
you have not used Oncourse before, the website has a tutorial to assist you in
learning how to use this valuable resource, which you should do since the university
is relying more heavily on this electronic tool for improved communications and
to reduce copying costs. It is your responsibility to check Oncourse on a
regular basis. I suggest that you check
the Oncourse site for any possible course announcements.
Exams Exams
consist of identifications and essays.
Given our intense schedule, exams
must be taken on the assigned day, unless other arrangements have been made
at least three (3) days in advance.
I will distribute study questions approximately one week before the
exams. Exams will draw upon both
lectures and readings.
Papers
Written assignments must be submitted by the
assigned day; early papers are welcome.
Those submitted after the due date will be subject to a full grade reduction for each week or
portion thereof late. Papers must
utilize proper spelling and grammar. Any
paper filled with what I consider to be excessive mistakes will be returned
ungraded for corrections and resubmission.
The last paper must be submitted no later than the last regular day of
class.
Attendance Attendance for this
class is required. Due to
university and federal government policies regarding financial aid, I must
report to the registrar and admissions offices those students who are not
attending class. Remember,
non-attendance can indeed affect your financial standing and eligibility.
If you miss
class, it will be your responsibility to obtain notes and assignments. It is my policy not to copy or distribute my
notes for students. Your presence and
participation in class ultimately can affect borderline grades at semester’s
end.
**If, during the
semester, you find yourself having difficulties with the class or facing
personal problems that may affect your work and participation in the class,
please see me. I would prefer to work
with you or encourage you to drop the class rather than issue a failing grade
for your non-participation and on-attendance.
Ethics Cell
phones and pagers: In order to
maintain a proper learning environment and appropriate classroom decorum, all
cell phones and beepers are to be turned off prior to the beginning of class. Interruptions by these devices during the
class are cause for immediate dismissal from the classroom for the day.
Cheating
and Plagiarism: The University has
guidelines for proper academic behavior.
Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of intellectual dishonesty will
not be tolerated, will be handled in the manner prescribed by the University
(see IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2000-2002,
p. 36), and, depending upon the extent of the incident(s), may result in a
failing grade for the work and/or the course.
“Cheating
is dishonesty of any kind with respect to examinations, course assignments,
alteration of records, or illegal possession of examinations. It is the responsibility of the student not
only to abstain from cheating, but, in addition, to avoid the appearance of
cheating and to guard against making it possible for others to cheat.” (IU
Bulletin, 1998-2000, p. 20)
“Plagiarism
is the offering of the work of someone else as one’s own. Honesty requires that any ideas or materials
taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully
acknowledged. The language or ideas
taken from another may range from isolated formulas, sentences, or paragraphs,
to entire articles copied from books, periodicals, speeches, or the writings of
other students. . . . Any student who fails to give credit for ideas or
materials taken from another source is guilty of plagiarism.” (IU
Bulletin, 1998-2000, p. 20)
Lecture Schedule This is a proposed outline of lecture
topics and discussions and is subject to revision. We have about 17 class days to cover an
entire semester’s work. So, to stay
ahead, I suggest that you follow the schedule by reading through the text. My lectures generally follow the
chronological and thematic outline of the book, but will not always adhere to a
specific chapter. If we need to devote
more time on a given subject, we will do so.
l. Course Introduction: What is History and Why Study It?
Collision of the Worlds in the Age of
Exploration
Tindall, Ch. 1
2. Colonizing the New World: Transplantation of
Europe
Tindall,
Ch. 2
3. Mastering the Land and The Maturing of
Colonial Society
Tindall, Ch. 3
4. Breaking Colonial Bonds: The Road to
Revolution
Tindall, Ch. 4
5. Years of Revolution and Independence
Tindall, Chs. 5-6
6. Towards a New Nation: Confederation and
Constitution
Tindall, Ch. 7
7. Launching the National Republic: The
Federalists
Tindall, Ch. 8
8. The “Jeffersonian Revolution”: Political
Parties and the “Empire of Liberty”
Tindall,
Ch. 9
9. The “Era of Good Feelings”: Economic Growth and Emerging Sectionalism
10. The “Age of the Common Man”: Politics and
Andrew Jackson
Tindall, Chs. 11-12
10. Reforming the American Experiment
Tindall, Ch. 13
10. Slavery, the South, and the American
Nation
Tindall, Ch. 15
12. Upheaval in the Nation: Territorial
Controversies, Sectionalism, and
the
Road to Disunion
Tindall, Chs. 14, 16
13. The War of the Union
Tindall, Chs. 16, 17
IMPORTANT
DATES: No
Class – Memorial Day - Monday 31 May 2004
Midterm
– to be announced
Final
Exam – Tuesday 22 June 2004