Instructor: Mitchell Dutch                                            Office: 319S
    Web site:   http://cfcc.edu/dutch/His132Syl.html      E-mail:  mldutch05@email.cfcc.edu

Text: The American Journey by Goldfield et al Vol. II  

Course Description: This course is a survey of American history from the Civil War era to the present.  Topics include industrialization, immigration, the Great Depression, the major American wars, the Cold War, and social conflict.  Upon completion, students should be able to analyze significant political, socioeconomic, and cultural developments in American history since the Civil War.
Semester Hours Credit: 3 

Course Objectives: Upon completing the course, students should be able to: 
1. Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of historical events and their impact on society
2. Analyze the relationship between people, the changing environment, and their interdependence
3. Describe the cultural contacts and conflicts during the conquest of the western Indian Nations
4. Demonstrate a knowledge of the effects of American expansion on the native population
5. describe agriculture and rural America in the late 1800s
6. explain the process of industrialization in America and its effects on American society from the 1880s to the 1920s
7. list examples of American imperialism and expansion around the turn of the century
8. discuss the conflict between the Progressives and the industrial capitalists
9. summarize World War I, America's role, and effects of war on the home front 

Grading : (92 - 100) A   (68 - 75)D      WP is not computed in the grade point average 
Scale       (84 - 91)  B    (0 - 67)  F       WF computed as an F 
                (76 - 83)  C    I Incomplete     Excessive absences, computed as an F 

Course Requirements: Students are required to complete all assigned readings and to bring the required text to class. 

Testing: Students are responsible for everything in the textbook and everything covered in class. Anything covered in class or in the textbook may appear on an exam. Exams may combine multiple choice, identification, and essay questions. Make-up exams may be given before the scheduled date with the instructor's approval. Unless prior arrangements are made, late make-ups will only be given under the following circumstances: an absence due to a military function, a school function, or an illness accompanied by a written doctor's excuse for the day of the exam. Make-ups must be taken within one week of the original exam date. Failure to take an exam or make-up will result in a grade of "0." Each exam will usually cover two chapters. There should be 5 chapter exams and possibly a map exam.  Exams will be announced at least a week in advance. Expect at least 1 quiz for each chapter. The quizzes will be added together to make up another exam grade.

Students will be able to drop one exam grade.

If a student does not take an exam, he or she will receive a zero.

If a student takes an exam and fails, the lowest he or she will make is a 55.

Cheating will result in a grade of zero. This grade will not be dropped.

If a student takes a quiz and then leaves, he or she will be counted absent.

Students arriving late will not be able to take quizzes. There will be no make-ups for quizzes.

If a student increases his or her grade 10 points, there will be a 5 point bonus. (one time only)

There will be no extra credit assignments. If you do not do well on the first test, you should begin studying earlier and perhaps improve your note taking.

I plan to schedule 5 tests during the semester. There will also be several quizzes. These quizzes will be added together and will be used as a sixth exam grade. The 10 highest quiz grades will be used to make an exam grade. This grade will not be dropped. Since these quizzes will influence the final grade, you should take them seriously and be prepared for class every day. Students who habitually cram for exams may not be prepared for quizzes, and their grades may reflect their lack of preparation. Students who miss a quiz will not be allowed to take a makeup, so be careful about missing class.

Cheating Policy: Neither plagiarism nor cheating will be tolerated. If a student is caught cheating on a test or plagiarizing a paper, he or she will receive a grade of zero for the assignment.

Classroom Expectations: Classroom Expectations: As noted earlier: Students are responsible for everything in the textbook and everything covered in class. Anything covered in class or in the textbook may appear on an exam. This is an important point. There are a great many unfamiliar names and terms that will be included in the text and in tests. When students are not thoroughly familiar with these names and terms, they generally have serious problems understanding the events discussed in the class. Students who are not familiar with the names and terms in the text are often unprepared for tests. You should already know that some students do not use textbooks effectively and stubbornly hold on to the habit of cramming for exams. Those who choose to procrastinate must accept responsibility for the results. 

Be prepared to discuss assigned readings. Generally, the most interesting classes I have taken or have taught have been those in which students discussed and shared ideas. Feel free to speak your mind and ask questions when you are not clear about something; I'm not going to lower someone's grade just because his or her opinion is different from mine. However, during the course of our discussions, please remember that there is no need to insult, attack, or belittle anyone in class. If someone disagrees with you, try to explain your point of view. If you need to meet with me outside of class to discuss anything, please let me know. 

Students are expected to behave in a manner that is conducive to a teaching/learning environment. Students who engage in behavior that is disruptive to the teaching/learning environment will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. Behavior regarded as disruptive to the classroom includes, but is not limited to, the following: cell phones and beepers, verbal or physical abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, possession of controlled substances, possession of alcoholic beverages.

Accommodation of Special Needs Based on Disability
Any student who requests classroom accommodation because of a disability must present documentation to verify his or her disability. The documentation must be furnished to the Disabilities Service Coordinator. On a confidential basis, the student, disabilities services, and the instructor will determine the appropriate accommodations following documentation. These accommodations will be provided in a manner that is consistent with the objectives, outcomes, and academic standards of the course. Absences must not exceed class attendance policy.

Use of the Web Site:  This may be the first time some students have seen the Internet used as an educational tool. In the immediate future, more and more courses will utilize the Internet to provide students with access to such materials as study guides, lecture outlines, and practice exams. Instead of requiring students to purchase two or three extra texts for this class, resources have been provided on the Web to supplement the textbook. You are not required to look at everything. If your notes are incomplete, or if you need more information in order to understand a topic thoroughly, you should access the materials available from the outlines. These are tools which students may or may not choose to use. You should already know that some students do not use textbooks effectively and stubbornly hold on to the habit of cramming for exams. Those who choose to procrastinate must accept responsibility for the results. 

Role of the student: Since you are taking this course, you should be self motivated and actively engaged in the learning process. I assume that one of your primary expectations of this course is to learn more about the content of this course. Learners study course materials at a time and place they choose. Learners need to be highly motivated to be successful. Think of this course as a way to develop skills that you may need to succeed in college. If you plan to transfer during your junior year, you will be expected to take responsibility for your own learning. You will need to know how to select important information from a lecture, how to take notes, how to study, and how to take tests.

Academic Honesty: Any behavior indicating dishonesty, unethical intent or action as specified by CFCC will result in an “F” for the course.  Please read the section on “Cheating” in the CFCC Catalog and Student Handbook.

Plagiarism is using as your own the words or ideas of another, whether written or oral.  When you use material from a source, you must quote or paraphrase accurately and properly cite the information.  Failure to do so is considered plagiarism.  Examples of plagiarism include word-for-word copying without correctly indicating that you are quoting, inaccurate quoting and paraphrasing, and incomplete or missing documentation.  Purchasing a paper or copying someone else’s work and submitting it as your own are also plagiarism.  Any misrepresentation of the source in your writing or speaking would constitute a form of plagiarism.

Whether intentional or unintentional, plagiarism is not acceptable and will result in the student being assigned a grade of zero for the assignment and/or the course, at the instructor’s discretion.

Every student has an official CFCC-provided email account which is to be used for all email correspondence with your instructors and with the CFCC staff.  Some information (such as TRAC registration info) from CFCC will ONLY be emailed to this address, and not sent through postal mail as in the past, so it is very important that you check this account periodically.  To access this account, please visit the CFCC website www.cfcc.edu and click on the CampusCruiser link at the very top of the page, then follow the directions on the CampusCruiser website to log in.  You will use your log in ID as part of your email address (yourloginID@email.cfcc.edu).  This email account is provided to you as long as you are enrolled in classes (summer will not count), and may be used for personal email as well as academic email.

Contingency Plan:  If there is an emergency and the instructor or an appropriate substitute does not meet with the class, wait fifteen minutes.  Then, everyone in the class should sign a roll sheet and designate someone to take it to the Social & Behavioral Sciences Department Chair or Secretary in S-312.

***The instructor reserves the right, acting within the policies and procedures of Cape Fear Community College, to make changes, adjustments, additions, and deletions in course content, first-day handout, or instructional technique, without notice or obligations.

Suggested reading:
Cramming:  http://cfcc.edu/dutch/Cramming.htm
How to Study for History Exams:  http://cfcc.edu/dutch/HowToStudy.htm
Success in College Courses: http://cfcc.edu/dutch/Success.htm
Learning to Listen to University Lectures:    http://www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/skillbuilding/notetaking.html