HIS 122 -- The United States Since 1865

Course Document

Instructor:  David H. McGee

Office:  2105 Amherst Hall                   E-Mail Address: mcgeed@cvcc.vccs.edu  Or dhmcgee@adelphia.net

Office Phone:  434-832-7782                Website for Course at:  http://courses.cvcc.vccs.edu/history_mcgee

Office Hours:             Monday 8:30-9, 10-11, 12:00-1:30, 6:30-7:00         Tuesday 12:30-2:00

                                Wednesday  8:30-9, 10:00-11:00, 12:00-1:30        Thursday 12:30-1:00

                                Friday 8:30-9, 10-11

                                Other times by appointment (or whenever I may be in the office)

PURPOSE:  HIS 121 provides a narrative of U.S. history from the end of the Civil War through the Reagan Presidency.  Emphasis will be placed on the society and culture of the people as well as their political, economic, and diplomatic activities.  To make the course more comprehensible, we will focus on several key themes.  These include:  1) how different groups have struggled to achieve equal status in American society, 2) how the everyday living experiences of different communities of people have changed, and 3) how Americans have worked to create some form of order in their world in the face of economic, technological, and demographic changes.  One of these themes will show up in most of everything we do this term. 

In addition, this course seeks to help students develop skills that will help you better understand history and that will also be useful to you throughout college and in the "real" world.  These skills include:  1) learning to interpret historical evidence from a variety of forms, 2) evaluating different, and sometimes conflicting, interpretations of the past and using them to form judgments on your own, and 3) effectively conveying your own understanding of the past in writing and orally.

READINGS:

                Required Texts:

Nash, et al.  The American People, Brief 4^th edition

                        Marcus and Burner, American Firsthand, 5th ed., vol. 2

Movies:  As part of your outside "reading" assignments, students will view a select list of movies during the quarter.  There will be a scheduled viewing time for each movie.  If you cannot make the scheduled viewing time, you may rent the movie from a local video store.  However, each movie is a required assignment.  There will be questions provided before each movie to aid your understanding of the movie's key historical points.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:                              

                                Tests (2)                                                 40%

                                Final Exam                                             30%

                                Short Quizzes (5)                                    15%

                                Class Participation                                  15%

GRADING SCALE:                 A                90-100

                                            B                80-89

                                            C                70-79

                                             D                60-69

                                             F             Below 60

CLASS PARTICIPATION:  Students are expected to participate in class discussion on a regular basis.  You may expect to be called upon to answer questions relevant to the lecture or discussion.  To fully participate in class discussion, you must complete the reading assignments in a timely manner. 

ATTENDANCE:  Class attendance is required.  Roll will be taken daily.  Missing more than three classes will have a detrimental effect on your class participation grade.

EXAMS:  There will be two tests and a cumulative final exam in this course.  These exams will consist of a combination of short answer and essay questions.  The exams will cover both material discussed in the classroom and the assigned readings.  You may make up a missed exam, but only if you notify me before the scheduled time for the exam that you have a valid reason for being absent.  It is your responsibility to schedule a time for a makeup immediately after returning to class--otherwise no makeup.

QUIZZES:  You will have five short quizzes during the quarter.  Each quiz will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.  The questions will be drawn from the assigned readings (drawn from America Firsthand) and maps.  You must take a quiz at the time it is scheduled (or before).  No makeup quizzes will be given.

INTERNET:  There is an internet site that goes along with this textbook.  On occasion,  you may be asked to read selections from this site.  In addition, there are sample test questions, a glossary, and other information that can help you in this course.  The address of the site is:  http://wps.ablongman.com/long_nash_apbrief_4

SOME BASIC CLASS RULES:

1)       No cell phones/pagers to be on during class.  If you must have one (potential emergency, etc.—let me know about it), you need to set it to vibrate/buzz and leave the classroom to answer a call.

2)       No food in the classroom.  Drinks are okay, just don’t spill them.

3)       Keep the private conversations outside the classroom

4)       Stay seated during the class unless you absolutely have to leave.

     Course Outline

1.  Introduction/Reconstruction

                Nash,  Chapter 16

                America Firsthand, chs. 1-5

-          Introduction

-          Emancipation

-          Government activities during Reconstruction

-          Redemption

2.  Birth of Modern America

                Nash, Chapter 18

                America Firsthand, chs. 8-11, 17

-          America industrializes

-          Organized labor

                -- Quiz 1 --

3.        Urbanizing America

                Nash, Chapter 19

                America Firsthand, chs. 12, 18-19

-          Urbanization

-          The new landscape

-          The Consumer Society

-          Culture(s) of America

                -- Quiz 2 --

4.  The "Ins and Outs" of American Society                

                Nash, Chapters 17, 20

                America Firsthand, chs. 6-7, 13

-          American Imperialism

-          Settling of the West

-          The New South

-          The Agrarian movement

                -- Test # 1 --

5.  Searching for Order

                Nash,  Chapters 21 & 22

                America Firsthand, chs. 14-16, 20-21

-          Progressive movement

-          World War I and efforts at a new world order

                -- Quiz 3 (Map) --

6.  Postwar America                                                

                Nash,  Chapter 23

                America Firsthand, chs. 22-25

-          A New Way of Living

-          Reactions against the New Ways of Living

-          Depression strikes

7.  Transforming American Society

                Nash,  Chapter 24

                America Firsthand, ch. 26-27

                Grapes of Wrath or It Happened One Night movie

-          The New Deal

-          Life during the Depression

-          Threat of war grows

                -- Quiz 4 --

8.  Two Wars--Hot and Cold                                                       

                Nash,  chapters 25 & 27

                America Firsthand, chs. 28-33

-          World War II

-          Origins of the Cold War

-          Korean War

                -- Test # 2 --

9.        Life in the Nuclear Age

                Nash,  chapter 26

                Movie, The Apartment or High Noon

-          Growth of the American Economy

-          A People of Plenty

-          Eisenhower Republicanism

10.     Struggles for Equality                                                        

                Nash,  Chapter 29

                America Firsthand, chs. 34-35, 39, & 41

-          Civil Rights Movement

-          Other minority groups

-          Beginnings of Feminist Movement

11.  The Big Muddy:  Unraveling American Dreams

                Nash,  Chapter 28

                America Firsthand, chs. 36-38, 40

                Movie, The Graduate or Easy Rider

-          Vietnam

-          The Rock and Roll generation 

-          1968

                -Quiz 5 --

12.  Watergate and the Return to Normalcy                              

                Nash, Chapter 30

                American Firsthand, ch. 42

                Movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off  or Roger and Me

-          The Watergate era

-          Feminist and Civil Rights movements in the 1970s and 1980s

-          "Return to Normalcy"

-          The Reagan Revolution

                ------ Final Exam ------

                Wednesday, May 7, 8:00 a.m.