History 105 - American
History I Dr.
David G. Vanderstel
Required Text George Tindall & David
Required
Thomas
Paine, Common Sense
Harriet
Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave
Girl
Office Location I
am
sharing the office of Dr. Didier Gondola, Cavanaugh
503P.
and Hours Since our class
meets in the
Telephone & E-mail I do not have an office phone. If you wish to reach me, I suggest that you
call the History Department office at 317-274-3811
and leave a message. The best way
to reach me is via email at the Oncourse site or at dvanders@iupui.edu I will
check them regularly.
Course
Requirements
and
Expectations
History l05 covers the
period from pre-discovery through the American Civil War. It is intended to introduce you—through
lectures, class discussions, and readings—to the themes, topics, events, and
personalities of the colonies and the emerging American nation. In order for you to understand the lectures
and to participate in class discussions, you should complete the assigned
readings before each class. While
I enjoy lecturing, I encourage you to participate in the class through
questions and comments that may lead to further discussions and deeper
examination of the issues at hand.
[Please note that I do NOT lecture from the book. Lectures and readings complement each other,
so it is essential to rely upon both for content.]
Course Objectives The study of history is often
misunderstood. People generally believe
that history involves only 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
These objectives relate to the History
Department’s “Principles of Undergraduate Learning,” which may be found at www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm.
These
abilities 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 -- 25%
2)
final examination -- 25%
3)
three written assignments (15% each) -- 45%
4)
attendance and classroom 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 exam will
result in a “zero,” which will affect your overall course grade.
NOTE: Due to departmental and school policies, I can
not give “incompletes” unless the student has completed 75% of the course
requirements and has experienced “extreme situations” that prevent him/her from
completing course requirements within the expected time period. Any “incomplete” will require an agreement to
finish course work within a certain period of time. Failure to comply with that agreement will
result in a grade of “F” for the course.
Oncourse The syllabus is posted on Oncourse. I will post ALL assignments to this site as
well. You may visit the site at: https://original-oncourse.iu.edu and proceed to the appropriate H105
section.
Exams Exams
consist of essays and identification questions. I will distribute study
questions one week before the exams.
Exams will draw upon the content of lectures, class discussions, and
course readings. Exams must be taken on the assigned day, unless other arrangements
have been made at least three (3) days in advance. In other words, plan your schedules accordingly;
there will be no last minute reprieves.
Papers Written assignments must be
submitted on the assigned day. Those
submitted after the due date will be subject to a half grade (5%) 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. Refer to the last page for paper guidelines.
Attendance I expect you to attend
class regularly. If you miss class, it
will be your responsibility to obtain notes and assignments. It is my policy not to photocopy my
notes. Your presence and participation
in class may affect borderline grades at semester’s end.
Ethics Cell
phones and pagers: In order to
maintain proper classroom decorum, I ask that all cell phones and beepers be
turned off prior to the beginning of class.
Interruptions by these devices during the class are cause for immediate
dismissal from the classroom.
Cheating
and Plagiarism: The University has strict 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. 20), 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 suggested outline of lecture
topics and discussions for the semester.
To stay on top of the class, 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. Each topic covers approximately one week.
l.
What is History and Why Study It?
Collision of the Worlds in the Age of
Exploration
2. Colonizing the New World: Transplantation of
3. Mastering the Land and Maturing of Colonial
Society
4. Bursting Colonial Bonds: Road to Revolution
Tindall, Chs. 4-5
5. Years of Revolution and
6. Towards a New Nation: Confederation and
Constitution
7. Launching the
MIDTERM
8. The “Jeffersonian Revolution”: Political
Parties and the “Empire of
9. The “Age of the Common Man”: Politics and
Andrew Jackson
Tindall, Chs. 10-11
10. Reforming the American Experiment
Tindall, Chs. 12-13
11. The South and Slavery
12. Upheaval in the Nation: Territorial
Controversies, Sectionalism, and
the
Road to Disunion
Tindall, Chs. 14, 16
13. The Civil War/The War of Rebellion/The War
Between the States
Tindall, Chs. 16, 17
IMPORTANT
DATES: Midterm
– late February/early March
No
Class – March 14 & 16 (Spring Break)
Final
Exam – May 4
Style Guide for Written Assignments
1. Papers
must be neatly generated on a word processor/computer. Your name and course name (H105) should be in
an upper corner of the first page or on a title page.
2. Papers
should use proper grammar and spelling.
Excessive mistakes and sloppiness will result in a lower grade.
3. Respond
to each question separately and designate each question by its appropriate
number. If, however, you see a creative
way to address all of the questions within the context of an entire essay, feel
free to try your hand at it; just make sure that you address all of the
questions.
4. Your
answers should consist of your own thoughts on the questions. You should also incorporate elements of or
references to the book when appropriate, such as to support an argument or
point. Your essay should NOT be a string
of quotes from the book; that does not constitute original or acceptable
work.
5. If
you wish to quote something from the book, always enclose the passage in
quotation marks AND provide a page reference in parentheses (page 23). If you should choose to include a quotation
from another source, then you should provide a complete reference to the book
in parentheses following the quotation.
EXAMPLE: (James Axtell, The Invasion Within, New York, 1985, p.
10)
6. To
assist you in preparing your papers, I would be happy to read over a draft of
your essays before you submit them in final form. To do that, however, I need some time to read
them and to make my comments. If you
intend to take advantage of this, please make an appointment with me or
provide me with a copy well in advance of the paper’s deadline. For additional assistance in writing, I
encourage you to contact the
7. Any
questions or problems, please email me on the Oncourse site or at dvanders@iupui.edu
DGV
1/2006