SYLLABUS History 101: United States History to 1877 Section 2339 Wednesday, 6:00 to 9:10 p.m. in Social Sciences 117 Fall 2015 El Camino College

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1 SYLLABUS History 101: United States History to 1877 Section 2339 Wednesday, 6:00 to 9:10 p.m. in Social Sciences 117 Fall 2015 El Camino College General Information Instructor: Arne A. Jaaska, PhD Office Hours and Place: Monday and Wednesday, 11: :00 noon in ARTS 320. E- mail: ajaaska@elcamino.edu Voice mail or text: (562) Required Textbook: Keene, Jennifer D., Saul Cornell, and Edward T. O Donnell, Visions of America: A History of the United States. Volume 1: To Prentice Hall, ISBN: See image of book cover below. Course Description This course is a chronological survey of American history from the first Americans to 1877, focusing on American social, intellectual, political, economic, and diplomatic institutions. Major topics in the course include colonization, slavery, the American Revolution, Native Americans, the Civil War and Reconstruction. 1

2 . Course Objectives The learning objectives for this course are: 1. Compare and contrast the cultural traditions, values and life styles of Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans in the early colonial period. 2. Assess the American colonial experience under English domination through the political, social, economic, and cultural forces that shaped its development. 3. Describe the institution of slavery and the experience of enslaved peoples during the colonial era; and explain why slavery became the dominant labor system in the southern colonies and how it impacted American social, political and economic systems. 4. Compare and contrast the Spanish, French, and British colonies in North America. 5. Analyze the major events and ideas that gave rise to the American Revolution against English rule and assess the outcome of the war. 6. Identify the competing political philosophies in the early national period and explain how they impacted the creation of the Constitution and the expansion of democracy. 7. Define the basic principles of American foreign policy from 1789 through the Civil War era, and explain how those principles were applied to American interactions with foreign nations, including Native Americans in the West. 8. Evaluate the evolution of the institutions of family, school, workplace, and community from the colonial era through the Civil War period. 9. Identify and describe the impact of early nineteenth century European immigration on American culture, society, politics, and the economy. 10. Define the concept of Manifest Destiny and evaluate the process and consequences of westward expansion, including the impact of westward expansion on Native Americans and Mexicans. 11. Identify the nineteenth century reform movements aimed at the eradication of social ills in American society and assess how they influenced racial relations, gender roles and the social hierarchy. 12. Discuss the following issues in regards to the expansion of slavery in the nineteenth century: the evolving experiences and culture of enslaved peoples, the northern reaction to slavery, and the impact of slavery on southern economic and social systems. 13. Analyze the causes, course, and outcome of the Civil War. 14. Determine how political conflicts after the Civil War led to the creation of federal 2

3 and state reconstruction programs and assess the successes and failures of those programs. Student Learning Outcomes Upon completion of United States History to 1877, students will be able to develop and persuasively argue a historical thesis in a written assignment that identifies and explains major social, economic, political and/or cultural historical themes or patterns in United States history up to 1877 and apply appropriate historical methods to analyze and use primary and/or secondary sources as evidence to support the thesis. Americans with Disabilities Act Statement El Camino College is committed to providing educational accommodations for students with disabilities upon the timely request by the student to the instructor. A student with a disability, who would like to request an academic accommodation, is responsible for identifying herself/himself to the instructor and to the Special Resources Center. To make arrangements for academic accommodations, contact the Special Resource Center. Online Access to Course Materials The course utilizes a website in the Etudes course platform, accessible through All materials relating to the course will be posted to this website. Components of Overall Grade in Course Quiz I, 10% of course grade, available in Blackboard beginning Wednesday, September 9, due Saturday, September 12. Quiz II, 10% of course grade, available in Etudes beginning Wednesday, September 30, due Saturday, October 3. Midterm, 20% of course grade, available in Etudes beginning Wednesday, October 21, due Saturday, October 24. Quiz III, 10% of course grade, available in Etudes beginning Wednesday, November 4, due Saturday, November 7. Book Review, 20% of course grade, submitted through Blackboard by Wednesday, November 25. 3

4 Final, 20% of course grade, available in Etudes beginning Wednesday, December 9, due Saturday, December 12. Course Participation, 10% of course grade, assessed throughout the semester. Schedule of Weekly Textbook Readings, Assessments, and Class Meetings Course presentations and assignments will reference and expand upon material presented in the weekly readings from Jennifer D. Keene and others, Visions of America: A History of the United States. Volume 1: To 1877 (Prentice Hall, 2009) outlined below. The instructor reserves the right to adjust the dates of assigned readings and assessments to fit course needs. Any adjustments will be announced. Week 1 (August 26) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 1, People in Motion: The Atlantic World to 1590 Week 2 (September 2) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 1, People in Motion: The Atlantic World to 1590 Week 3 (September 9) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 2, Models of Settlement: English Colonial Societies, Week 4 (September 16) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 3, Growth, Slavery, and Conflict: Colonial America, Week 5 (September 23) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 4, Revolutionary America: Change and Transformation, Week 6 (September 30) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 5, A Virtuous Republic: Creating a Workable Government,

5 Week 7 (October 7) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 6, The New Republic: An Age of Political Passion, Week 8 (October 14) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 7, Jeffersonian America: An Expanding Empire of Liberty, Week 9 (October 21) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 8, Democrats and Whigs: Democracy and American Culture, Week 10 (October 28) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 9, Workers, Farmers, and Slaves: The Transformation of the American Economy, Week 11 (November 4) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 10, Revivalism, Reform, and Artistic Renaissance, , and Chapter 11, To Overspread the Continent : Westward Expansion and Political Conflict, Week 12 (November 11) Veterans Day. No class meeting. Week 13 (November 18) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 12, Slavery and Sectionalism: The Political Crisis of Week 14 (November 25) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 13, A Nation Torn Apart: The Civil War, Week 15 (December 2) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 13, A Nation Torn Apart: The Civil War,

6 Week 16 (December 9) Reading to complete this week: Chapter 14, Now That We Are Free: Reconstruction and the New South, Constantino Brumidi, George Washington Rising to the Heavens, fresco, Capitol rotunda, Washington, DC,