NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title:	United States History II
Course Prefix & Number:		HIST1302	Section Number:	0347	Semester/Year:	Fall 20
Semester Credit Hours:		3	Lecture Hours:	3	Lab Hours:	0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual history of the United States from the Civil War/Reconstruction era to the present.  United States History II examines industrialization, immigration, world wars, the Great Depression, Cold War and post-Cold War eras.  Themes that may be addressed in United States History II include:  American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, urbanization and suburbanization, the expansion of the federal government, and the study of U.S. foreign Policy.
Course Prerequisite(s): None
Required Course Materials: Brinkley, Alan.  The Unfinished Nation:  A Concise History of the American People. 9th edition. McGraw-Hill. 2019 ISBN 978-1264031924   The Web-based material is unique to NCTC.  You must purchase it from the NCTC bookstore or directly through Canvas, to the McGraw-Hill publishing Connect website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Instructor:	Kevin Pyle
Campus/Office Location:	Remote – Chat/Webex
Telephone Number:	940 668-3350
E-mail Address:	All correspondences through Canvas

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

 

OFFICE HOURS

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:00-10:00 A.M.				8:00-10:00 A.M.
5:00-6:30 P.M.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
	Create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
	Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
	Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of the United States History.

 

 

 

 

“History is not the exact recitation of truth, it is a story shaped and sculpted by those in control.”                                                                           Ted Koppel

 

 

“History isn't really about the past - settling old scores. It's about defining the present and who we are.”                                                                                    Ken Burn

 

“There is no present or future-only the past, happening over and over again-now.”
― Eugene O'Neill

 

“We can be almost certain of being wrong about the future, if we are wrong about the past.”                                                                     C. K. Chesterton

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Percentage or Point Values
5	Primary/Secondary Sources and Maps	100x3 = 300
6	Reading Discussion Forums	100x6 = 600
1	Research Essay	200
5	Quizzes	10x5 = 50
1	Final	50

 

GRADE BREAKDOWN: We will be using points!

 A = 1200 – 1080                  B = 1079 – 959                    C = 958 – 838

                           D = 837 – 717                         F = 716 – 0

 

 

Turn-Around Time for Grades

The turn-around time for grades is as follows;

For discussions or activities, 2-3 days.

For papers, 7-10 days.

 

Discussions and Assignments

You will notice that there are six Discussion Forums and five Primary/Secondary Assignments. All of the Discussion Forums are required, but you may select any three of the five Primary/Secondary Assignments you wish.

 

Discussions Forum Requirements and Netiquette

Participation in Discussion Forums is a very important part of the learning process in this course.  You will be evaluated on the QUALITY of your contributions and insights.  Quality comments possess one or more of the following properties:

 

    Analyzes the material presented during the week (Posts must include references to the textbook, assigned readings, and the materials given.  You must show a mastery of the material.);

    Offers a different and unique, but relevant, perspective;

    Contributes to moving the discussion and analysis forward;

    Builds on other comments;

    Transcends the “I feel” syndrome. That is, it includes some evidence or argumentation.  In other words, the comment demonstrates some reflective thinking.

 

The reply posts should not be yes or no kinds of answers.  You are expected to analyze your fellow classmates responses and add relevant information. You may also pose questions to your colleagues.

 

Original posts must be a minimum of 150 words.  Reply posts must be a minimum of 50 words.

 

Three points will be deducted for every late original post.  Late reply posts will not be accepted.

"Netiquette"

Distance conveys a degree of anonymity, and as a result, many people feel less inhibited in online situations than in their everyday lives. This lessening of inhibitions sometimes leads people to drop their normal standards of decorum when communicating online. Become familiar with the following guidelines regarding both online discussions and email messages.

 

• Use appropriate language. Use of “chat” or “texting” or “instant messaging” jargon is not acceptable for class discussions.
• Read existing follow-up postings and don’t repeat what has already been said.
• Inappropriate and/or offensive language, especially comments that might be construed as racist or sexist, are not appropriate and will be dealt with on an individual basis.
• Be careful with humor and sarcasm. One person’s humorous comment can be another person’s degrading remark.
• Do not use all caps in an online environment. Using all caps is considered SHOUTING.
• Use proper spelling, capitalization, grammar, and punctuation. Utilize the Spell Check feature.
• Remember that there are other human beings reading your postings, so treat everyone with respect. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t be willing to communicate face to face.

 

RESEARCH PAPERS

Stylesheet for Papers

 Introduction

       Paper writing has its own conventions.  Learning good writing habits is essential to success in college and in your profession.  The style recommended is MLA.  You can find a MLA guide on the NCTC Link (Links to an external site.) page.

• Typing and Presentation

            Papers must be typed, double-spaces, using Microsoft Word.  Use one inch margins all round.  Use Times New Roman and 12 point font for this paper.  Do not use right-hand justification as it leads to oddly spaced words.  There is a Paper Dropbox where you will upload your papers. The due date is November 29th and the Dropbox is open from November 1st till that date. Long quotations of more than four lines should be single-spaced and indented five spaces, but do not use more than one such quote. The paper should be written in paragraph form.  The first line of each paragraph should be indented five spaces.  There is no gap between paragraphs.  Do not use sub-headings (as used in this handout).  It is considered poor style. Keep a copy other than the one you submit. Keep the length of the paper no more or less than EXACTLY 800 words

 

• Title Page

       The following information should be included on the title (front) page of all papers, centered top-bottom/right-left (in the center!):

            Your name

            The course name and number

            The due date of the paper

            The title of the paper

            Nothing else!

 

III. The Text

       Good grammar usage is expected of all students.  Those new to writing papers should pay special attention to the following.

1)      Spelling-Spelling should follow the generally accepted conventions.  If you do not have one, buy a good dictionary.  Also, use spell-check on your computer.

2)      Correct use of tenses-In general you should refer to actions people did in the past

in the past tense (Thucydides wrote The Peloponnesian War.).  Refer to quotations from authors in the present tense, even if the author is a historical person (Thucydides believes the Peloponnesian War was more important and interesting than any war that had gone before it.)

3)      Uses of apostrophes-Apostrophes are not used in the plurals of words (telephones

not telephone’s).  Apostrophes are used to indicate possession of one thing by another thing (the man’s hat).  If the word that possesses is plural, the apostrophe goes after the “s” (the Students’ Association).

4)      Its and It’s-Its indicates possession, like his or her (the book’s cover=its cover). 

It’s is a contraction of the words it and is.

5)      Capitalization-Capitalize the first word in a sentence, proper nouns, words like

King (only when referring to a particular person, not the office in general), and words in titles (except conjunctions, propositions, or articles).

6)      Use of first person pronouns-When writing formal papers do not use the words

“I” or “me”.  A term paper is not meant to sound like a letter to a friend.

7)      Words to avoid-Try to avoid words like incredible, unbelievable, always, never,

people, and they.

8)      Passive construction-It is bad style to use passive construction.  Instead of “The King was lynched” one should write, “The Parisian mob lynched the King.”  Instead of “The White House had been burned down” one should write, “The British burned down the White House.”

9)      Contractions- Do not use contractions in formal papers.  Always spell out the words.

 

• Citations and Notes

       You must indicate from where you are taking any quotations used in your paper, not just when you quote directly, but also when you get ideas or arguments from a source. It is better to cite too much than not enough.  The way to cite material is in parenthetical notes.

       Avoid over use of quotations.  Quotations should only be used when an author makes a particularly unique discovery or uses an unusual turn of phrase.  It is YOUR words and thoughts that are required and on which you will be graded.

      

       Single author- (last name page number)

       Two authors- (last name of both authors page number)

       Two sources by same author or with same last name-(last name abbreviation of title

            page number)

       No author-(short title page number)

 

Examples:

(Cobban 17)

(Harrison, Sullivan, and Sherman 257)

(Limb “Alliance” 23)

(“Roman Military” 7)

 

• Bibliography

       For a college paper your bibliography should list all the books, articles, and websites you have consulted in writing your paper.  In a bibliography, books and articles are listed alphabetically in order of the author’s last name.  The style recommended is MLA.  You can find a MLA guide on the NCTC Link (Links to an external site.) page.

 

 The following advice appeared in the school newspaper at Fordham University in the fall of 1988.  Needless to say it is meant to be humorous, but it makes some good points.

 

HOW TO WRITE GOOD PAPERS

• Avoid alliteration.  Always.
• Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
• Avoid clichés like the plague. They’re old hat.
• Employ the vernacular.
• Avoid ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
• Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
• It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
• Don’t use contractions.
• Foreign words or phrases are not apropos.
• One should never generalize.
• Eliminate quotations.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I hate quotations.  Tell me what you know.”
• Do not be redundant; in other words, do not use more words than are necessary, it’s highly unnecessary.
• Profanity sucks.
• Be more or less specific.
• Understatement is always best. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

Defining the Issue in a Position Paper

The purpose of a position paper is to generate support on an issue. It describes a position on an issue and the rational for that position. The position paper is based on facts that provide a solid foundation for your argument. Choose an issue where there is a clear division of opinion and which is arguable with facts and inductive reasoning. You may choose an issue on which you have already formed an opinion. However, in writing about this issue you must examine your opinion of the issue critically.

Prior to writing your full position paper (final paper), define and limit your issue carefully. Social issues are complex with multiple solutions. Narrow the topic of your position paper to something that is manageable. Research your issue thoroughly, consulting experts and obtaining primary documents. Consider political/social climate when evaluating the issue.

The following structure is typical of a position paper – defining the issue (beginning):

• An introduction
• Identification of the issue
• Background information
• Supporting evidence or facts
• A discussion of both sides of the issue

The introduction should clearly identify the issue. It should be written in a way that catches the reader’s attention. The beginning of the position paper may contain several paragraphs and pages. Each paragraph should present an idea or main concept that clarifies a portion of the issue and is supported by evidence or facts. Evidence can be primary source quotations, statistical data, interviews with experts, and indisputable dates or events. The body may begin with some background information and should incorporate a discussion of both sides of the issue.

Defining the Problem in a Proposal Paper

Proposal claims ask the audience to act in a certain way – to do something based on the information you provide and the argument you make, and the claims are often stated as “should/should not” statements. You can, however, use a more sophisticated verb construction that will carry more weight than “should/should not.” For example, “Offering more courses via the Internet offers innumerable benefits for GCC students.” The claim of a proposal argument urges an action to occur, usually in response to a problem. The reasons in the argument justify why the action is to be taken.

In most cases, getting people to act on your claims means that your argument must have “presence” as well as intellectual force. An argument is said to have “presence” when the reader or listener senses the immediacy of the speaker/ writer’s words. To achieve your writer’s presence in your argument, you can appeal to your readers’ emotions through the use of compelling details, examples, and brief scenes that illustrate the seriousness of the problem or the consequences of not acting on your proposal. However, don’t underestimate the power of a straight-forward, concisely written argument. Many people are put off by writer manipulation. Should you choose to use an appeal to emotion, consider limiting it to your introduction or conclusion.

Prior to writing your full proposal paper (final paper), define and limit your problem carefully. Convince your reader that a problem exists. This can occur in one of two places:

• either in the introduction before the claim is given, or
• in the body of the paper as the first reason why the proposal for change is necessary.

You will need to establish your writers’ presence, also known as pathos from the Rhetorical Triangle. Know what your underlying assumptions are so that you may effectively address them in your essay. If your reader sees the problem as “just the way things are” rather than issues that need to be changed, you will need to be able to challenge the underlying assumptions.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Why is the problem a problem? 
• For whom is the problem a problem? 
• How will these people suffer if the problem is not solved? (details)
• Who has the power to solve the problem? 
• Why hasn’t the problem been solved up to this point? 

Defining the Issue in a Position Paper

The purpose of a position paper is to generate support on an issue. It describes a position on an issue and the rational for that position. The position paper is based on facts that provide a solid foundation for your argument. Choose an issue where there is a clear division of opinion and which is arguable with facts and inductive reasoning. You may choose an issue on which you have already formed an opinion. However, in writing about this issue you must examine your opinion of the issue critically.

Now that you have defined the issue in paper II, it is time to state your position and argue that position in paper III.

This paper has three sections for the position paper:

Section 1: State Your Position and preview your arguments

· State your thesis, which is your position statement. Make sure it’s clear.

· You should have between 3-6 arguments to support your position.

· List those arguments in this thesis paragraph.

· Don’t argue yet, just preview what you will argue in the paper

· This section should be 1 paragraph in length.

Section 2: Argue Your 1st Argument. Use a minimum of one source to make your argument convincing.

· Introduce your first argument using a strong topic sentence that relates back to the thesis statement.

· Explain the argument as best you can.

· Make it convincing by using solid evidence and sound reasoning.

· Use an anecdote, expert opinion or facts/statistics to support your argument, and be sure to cite the source in the paper using parenthetical notation.

· This section should be 1-2 paragraphs in length.

Section 3: Argue Your 2nd Argument. Use a minimum of one source to make your argument convincing.

· Introduce your argument using a strong topic sentence that relates back to the thesis statement.

· Explain the argument as best you can.

· Make it convincing by using solid evidence and sound reasoning.

· Use an anecdote, expert opinion or facts/statistics to support your argument, and be sure to cite the source in the paper using parenthetical notation.

· This section should be 1-2 paragraphs in length.

Defining the Problem in a Proposal Paper

Proposal claims ask the audience to act in a certain way – to do something based on the information you provide and the argument you make, and the claims are often stated as “should/should not” statements. You can, however, use a more sophisticated verb construction that will carry more weight than “should/should not.” For example, “Offering more courses via the Internet offers innumerable benefits for SMCC students.” The claim of a proposal argument urges an action to occur, usually in response to a problem. The reasons in the argument justifywhy the action is to be taken.

Now that you have defined the problem in paper II, it is time to state your proposal and argue your proposed solution in paper III.

This paper has four sections for the proposal paper:

Section I. Present the proposal – proposed solution to the problem.

A. Present your claim (thesis)

B. Explain the specifics of the proposal, but do not argue yet. (1 paragraph)

Body Sections include the Justification: Convince the reader that the proposal should be adopted. This is accomplished by doing the following:

• Section II. Solution is Feasible: Reason 1, presented and developed. Write 1-2 paragraphs arguing that your proposed solution is feasible. Feasible means doable financially, legally, and morally. Is it capable of being carried out. Use a minimum of one source to support your arguments.
• Section III. Solution Solves the Problem: Reason 2, presented and developed. Write 1-2 paragraphs that argues how your solution will solve the problem. Use a minimum of one source to support your arguments.
• Section IV. Solution is the Best Solution: Reason 3, presented and developed. Write 1-2 paragraph that shows your solution is better than other. Explain what has been done previously and how your solution is better. Use a minimum of one source to support your arguments.

 

TOPICS

Choose one of the following topics from the  US History from 1865 Research Topics.docx tab found in the REASEARCH MATERIALS Tab in the HOME section of this course for your research paper.  Notify me of your choice, then begin the research process. (I strongly recommend you start this process immediately).  You are required to have at least three outside sources.  The sources must be peer-reviewed journal articles or books.  You may not use any website, wiki page, or encyclopedia.  Be sure to read all the instructions listed under the Research Materials tab on Canvas.

 

Make-up Policy

The Course Calendar gives you a comprehensive look at your assignment dates, so be sure to turn in your work in on time. 

Since there is ample time allotted for the completion of all your assignments and exams, there will be no makeups on Reading Discussions, Exams, Research Essay, or Primary Source Activities. 

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy:

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 23rd 2020.

 

“None of us can help the things life has done to us. They’re done before you realize it, and once they’re done they make you do other things until at last everything comes between you and what you’d like to be, and you’ve lost your true self forever.”
― Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey into Night

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______     

       Communication

       Mathematics               

       Life and Physical Science

       Language, Philosophy & Culture

       Creative Arts

 

       Government/Political Science

       Social and Behavioral Sciences

       Component Area Option

X       American History

 

X       Critical Thinking

X       Communication

        Empirical and Quantitative

 

        Teamwork

X       Personal Responsibility

X        Social Responsibility