Course Syllabus

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History 103: Political and Social History of the United States, since 1865

Summer 2020
Sections #20280 and #20375
Cerritos College

Professor Jarrett's face

Prof. George Jarrett's Zoom "Office"

Welcome and Course Description

Welcome to History 103! This course covers the development of American institutions and society from Reconstruction to the present. In that time, the United States grew from a rural and disconnected nation with little influence in world affairs, to an integrated and urban nation that dominated the world. Along the way, daily life changed dramatically for all Americans.

My role as your professor is to create opportunities for you to learn about history. I will do this by assigning you readings, writings, discussion board, and tests and quizzes, as well as leading lectures, choosing video clips, and posing discussion questions. These assignments will also give you to opportunities to show your understanding of the historical events, concepts and skills we study. In discussions, my role is to facilitate interaction between students, not to provide the answers to discussion questions. When we all work together to search for the truth, we reach a deeper understanding.

We will also stress the ways that history is an argument about the meaning of the past. A central goal for this class is to develop your ability to think like a historian. Historians use evidence from the past (what we call primary sources) to explain the meaning and significance of past events (what we call interpretations). Especially in our work with Going to the Source, you will have many opportunities to do this yourself and in collaboration with other students. Think of this collection of sources, and the discussions and assignments we will do with it, like a laboratory for historical understanding.

Working with historical sources will help develop your abilities to express yourself clearly and persuasively, in speech and writing. These abilities are useful far beyond the history classroom. Furthermore, knowledge of American history and historical thinking should help make you a more thoughtful member of our society.

Required Texts

Two textbooks are required for the class. There will be readings and other assignments from both books every week of the class:

  • Book 1: Rebecca Edwards et al., America's History, Volume 2: Since 1865, Value Edition, 9th Edition, with Achieve Read & Practice access
  • Book 2: Victoria Bissell Brown and Timothy J. Shannon, Going to the Source: The Bedford Reader in American History, Vol. 2: Since 1865, 5th edition.
  • Document readings on Canvas

Please see this note about buying the books before you make a purchase.

Required Equipment and Software/Services

  • To take the required Objective Exams you must use a computer (desktop/laptop/notebook) with a camera (most laptops have one built in) that can run the Google Chrome browser.
    • You cannot complete the required exams using a phone or tablet, nor can you use a computer that does not have a camera.
    • For the assignments other than the exams, you should be able to use a tablet, phone, or computer without a camera.
    • You should be able to use a PC, Mac, or Chromebook, or computer running Linux, so long as it meets the above requirements.
    • If you do not have a laptop/computer, you can request to borrow one from the college via the Cerritos CARES web page.
  • Access to the textbook publisher's website Achieve for LearningCurve assignments (included with cost of the ebook or a new print copy of the Edwards textbook).
  • For the six Objective Exams, you will need to install and use the free Proctorio Chrome extension.
  • For the term paper assignment, you will need to use a word processing application capable of producing footnotes, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Google Docs is available to use for free on the web. Microsoft offers Microsoft Office free to college students.
    • To get Office 365 for free, and other perks available to college students, you may need to set up a @student.cerritos.edu email account. Follow these instructions.

Prerequisite Recommendation

The college in the past has required, and still recommends, satisfactory completion of the English placement process or ENGL 52 or equivalent with a grade of Credit or "C" or higher, for students before they take this class. As the course requires you to read and comprehend a large amount of complex material, we also recommend satisfactory completion of the Reading placement process or READ 54.

Workload Expectations

A traditional college class on an 18-week schedule is expected to take 3 hours/week in lecture time, and 6 hours/week in outside work (reading, writing, planning group activities, etc.), for a total of 9 hours per week on average. This course compresses that schedule into just 6 weeks: that means you should expect to spend 27 hours per week completing the assignments for this class, between watching lectures and videos, reading the textbooks and posted documents, and writing discussion posts, response paragraphs, exams, and the paper.

Get a planner or calendar app, and write down the times when you will do your (minimum) of 27 hours each week of homework for the next 6 weeks, then stick to it. If you've ever passed a college class before, you know that the effort you put into the class determines your level of success.

Assignments

Pie chart of assignment values by points

List of assignments and point values
Assignment Points
Objective Exams (5 best of 6) 200
Interpretive Exams (2) 200
Term Paper 120
LearningCurve 70
Discussion Boards (6) 84
"Check Your Understanding" Quizzes (21) 42
Response Paragraphs (6) 84
Total 800 pts.
Extra Credit no more than:
 		25 pts.

Objective Exams (6 at 40 points/each, lowest score dropped, 200 points total)

Objective: Develop understanding of significant events in American history.

Format: Multiple-choice questions, from textbook readings. LearningCurve quizzes will serve as study guides for each exam. Tests must be taken on a computer (not a tablet or phone) with (1) a camera (most laptops have one) and (2) the Google Chrome browser, to allow remote proctoring with Proctorio. The last Objective Exam counts as part of the final examination for the class. 

Interpretive Exams (2 at 100 points/each, 200 points total)

Objective: Demonstrate your ability to interpret and judge broad changes and major turning points in American history.

Format: Take-home essay of about five paragraphs, your own synthesis of lecture content and textbook material. Study questions given in advance. The second Interpretive Exam counts as part of the final examination for the class.

Term Paper (120 points)

Objective: Develop your ability to make valid claims based on historical evidence, express yourself clearly in writing, and handle scholarly sources.

Format: 3-5 page paper that makes a historical argument based on the material in the "Capstone" chapter of Brown and Shannon, Going to the Source. You will be guided to analyze the sources, frame your argument, and handle the sources in writing. Papers will be evaluated for quality of analysis, clarity of writing, and accuracy of quotations and citations.

LearningCurve Online Quizzes (17 at 5 points each, 3 lowest scores dropped, total 70 points)

For each assigned chapter from Edwards, America’s History, there will be an online LearningCurve quiz assignment to help you review and learn the material. You either get all 5 class points, or 0, for each LearningCurve exercise.

Collaborative Assignment: Discussion Boards (6 at 14 points each, total 84 points)

Objective: Develop ability to interpret historical primary sources; develop ability to communicate and collaborate in a scholarly fashion.

Format: You will be assigned to a group of students that will participate in one online discussion per week. You will make an initial post in response to the week's question, and two follow-up posts in response to posts by other students in the group.

Check Your Understanding (CYU) Quizzes (21, at 2 points each, total 42 points)

For most modules, you will have a short quiz or other activity, worth 2 points. It is meant to be a tool for you to see if you grasped a key concept or fact from the reading or video. You will receive instant feedback on your answers, and can repeat the quiz as many times as you wish. Only your highest score on each quiz will be counted.

Response Paragraphs (6 best of 7, at 14 points each, total 84 points)

For each chapter read in Brown, Going to the Source, you will write a one-paragraph response to a question on Canvas. There are 7 paragraphs assigned; the lowest score (or one zero) will be dropped.

Extra Credit (Maximum 25 points additional)

There may be extra credit offered for exam review, or other additional opportunities to learn about history. There is a maximum of 25 points extra credit for the term.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete History 103 will develop knowledge of American history, including but not limited to:

  • Students will understand the impact of post Civil War Industrial Revolution and the immigration on the social, economic, and political transformation of the U.S.
  • Students will understand the causes and effects of the Great Depression and the policies of the Hoover and Roosevelt administrations to address the crisis.
  • Students will understand the basic policies of the U.S. during the Cold War and its impact in Korea, Guatemala, and Vietnam.
  • Students will understand the origins, course, and impact of the Civil Rights Movement.

In addition, students will learn to distinguish between sources and interpretations, and to weigh the significance of evidence and claims.

Attendance Policy

  • Per the Cerritos College Attendance Policy, students who miss 10% or more of class time (for this class, failing to do any work in more than 3 modules) are subject to drop. Students who are absent during the Add period (first two days of a six-week class) are subject to drop.
  • Excused absences are allowed only for medical necessity, school-sanctioned events (tournaments, field trips, etc.), and military service. Even if you are excused for not participating during a given time, you still have the necessity of making up any missing work.
  • The burden of communication is on you, if you have some compelling reason to miss class, turn in an assignment late, take an incomplete, or have a medical or military reason to withdraw: Always, email me ahead of time, or in the case of an unexpected event, as soon as practical after the event. If you just ghost the class, don't be surprised to find an "F" on your transcript--the responsibility to withdraw from the class is on the student.
  • Attendance will be determined by active participation in the class on a weekly basis: If you post in the online discussion, take the online quiz, or otherwise meaningfully contribute to the class in a given week, you will be considered to have attended class that week. 

Grading Policy

Grades are based on an absolute standard of expectation, not a curve. Each assignment will earn a letter grade (A through F) and a point value. The course grade will be calculated from the total of all points earned:

Grade Cut-offs for HIST 103

Grade

Minimum

Maximum

A

721

800+

B

741

720

C

561

640

D

481

560

F

0

480

A failing paper turned in on time may be rewritten for partial credit. Late papers, plagiarized papers, and other assignments cannot be rewritten for credit.

Secrets for Success

To pass this class:

  1. Read the assigned chapters, making sure you understand them;
  2. Use LearningCurve to review each chapter after you read it, and again before each exam;
  3. Come to the website ready to learn by engaging with the lecture, discussions, and other activities; and
  4. Turn in every single assignment, on time.

iFalcon: Successful students share particular habits of mind that help them learn. Here at Cerritos College, we encourage these habits with the key terms of the iFalcon mnemonic: focus, advance, link up, comprehend, organize, and new ideas. Find out more about iFalcon on the web at http://www.cerritos.edu/ifalcon

Student Success Center: Throughout the semester, the Student Success Center offers workshops, many on topics relevant to successful study of history. Topics include skills such as note-taking, reading a textbook, and writing essay exams. You can look for events and tutoring opportunities at http://www.cerritos.edu/sc

Learning Accommodations Policy

Any student who has a learning disability or a physical disability that requires special accommodation should inform me at the beginning of the term. Please also contact the Student Accessibility Services at (562) 860-2451 ext. 2335, as early as possible in the term. Use of Student Accessibility Services (SAS), including testing accommodations, requires prior authorization by SAS and compliance with approved procedures.

Additional Policies

  • All assignments are due at the indicated date and time. Late assignments will be penalized by a 50% reduction in grade, except as described below. Exceptions will be made only in the case of medical necessity, verified by a signed note from a healthcare provider. Don't wait to turn in a late paper—submit it in as soon as it is done.
  • Make-ups. There can be NO late submissions or make-ups for group discussion posts. If you miss a deadline for a LearningCurve assignment, you can still access the questions for study, but you will NOT earn any points. Plan accordingly. For exams only, in the event of a valid reason for your absence, you may schedule a make-up. If you know you will have an unavoidable commitment, such as a tournament or out of town travel, on the day of a scheduled exam, you must make arrangements in advance for a make-up.
  • Plagiarism & Cheating. All assignments should be your own ideas, expressed in your own words. You may quote briefly from other works, but you MUST cite the source. Do not copy from other writers' works, whether from another student, a published book, or sources on the internet. You also may not turn in the same paper for two different classes. Providing your work (such as a test, paper, or homework assignment) for another student to copy will be penalized as cheating. Cheating on exams will not be tolerated. Students who cheat or plagiarize will be dealt with through college-mandated procedures. At minimum, you will receive no credit for the assignment, which may result in failure of the class. Please see the college academic honesty policy.
  • Turnitin.com. Writing assignments (interpretive exam essays and the term paper) will be submitted through the anti-plagiarism service, turnitin.com, through an upload link in Canvas.
  • Discussion Etiquette. Discussion works best when we respect each other's opinions. In good discussions, disagreement is accepted, even encouraged. We will not look for the "right" answer, but for signs that you have thought about the material and take into account what other students have to say
  • Safe Zone. I support the campus "Safe Zone" committee, and as an ally, promise to help make this class, and our campus, a safe and supportive environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) people. If you have any issues you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to talk to me.

Campus Resources and Support

Course Summary:

For a convenient, printable pdf version of all reading and assignment due dates, download this FILE TBA.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due