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HIST 2110 Georgia Southern University SPRING 2010

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Department of History

US History: A Comprehensive Survey (delivered online asynchronously)

Drop – Add: 1/11/2010 to 1/14/2010

Instructor: Ms. Melissa M. Merritt / Forest Drive Bldg 1142 / 912-478-5872

Virtual Office Hours: Monday / Wednesday / Friday 9 to 10 AM

E-mail: mmerritt@georgiasouthern.edu

You may also contact me through Blackboard e-mail or the Discussion boards.

I will check my mail and the discussion board at least twice a day on weekdays.

March 8th, 2010– Last Day to Withdraw without academic penalty.

Dropping by this date will not affect your GPA. However, the "W" will appear on your grade
report and transcript. Hope Scholarship: Hope reviews all hours attempted in a degree
program, including classes that were dropped or failed (University Catalog, 26-7).

It is advised that you go to the registrar’s website to read about the new policy regarding
dropping classes.

This syllabus contains information about assignments, requirements, and grading:

please refer to it often, and ask me for another copy immediately if you lose it. If
you elect to remain registered for the class, I regard that as your agreement to abide by the
policies set out in the syllabus, and your acceptance of responsibility for knowing and
following those policies.

Credit Hours: 3, HIST 2110 fulfills part of Area E of the Core Curriculum.
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Course Description: HIST 2110 is a survey course that covers a selection of topics in
American History from pre-colonial times to the present.

Learning Outcomes / Goals:

The History Department has identified several learning outcomes that the core survey
classes should have:

1) Students will become familiar with the major developments in American history and
the ways in which they influence the world we live in today.

2) Students will employ the content of the American history course to develop their
analytical and communication skills.

3) Through the study of American history, students will employ independent and
objective reasoning and cultivate the ability to organize and synthesize information
(including proper use and citation of sources).

4) Students will evaluate societies and historical eras within their own chronological and
cultural contexts.

5) Students will develop an understanding of historical events as complex issues

subject to multiple interpretations.

Required Texts:

You have two options for your text book depending on your preference:

America: A Narrative History Brief 8th Edition

ISBN: 978-0-393-93408-3

Or

U.S.: Liberty and Justice for All? Volume 1 and Volume 2

ISBN: 978-0-07-338546-4

ISBN: 978-0-07-723621-2

(You must buy both volumes if you choose this option)

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Course Requirements:

Your grade will be based on the following assignments. Weekly modules will include a
PowerPoint presentation, assigned readings, external links to examine and a discussion
question. Weekly quizzes will be given, unless otherwise announced. Quizzes will be over
the week’s lecture as well as reading assignments. These multiple choice quizzes are
intended to motivate students to study and to serve as preparation for exams. You have
until Saturday at midnight each week to complete the weekly quizzes.

Exams will primarily consist of multiple choice questions and short answer, identification,
essay etc.

Assignments / Quizzes / Participation 20%

First exam 20% (February 1)

Second exam 20% (March 3)

Third exam 20% (April 7)

Comprehensive final exam 20% (May 7)

Preparing for Exams:

Students should not wait until the day before the test to begin studying. Ideally, students
should spend two hours each week outside of class studying for every one hour spent in the
classroom. Test questions will be drawn from both lectures and the textbook. A study
session will be held during the class period that falls prior to the exam date so please attend
this session and feel free to ask questions.

Grading:

A = 90 – 100 B = 80 – 89 C = 70-79 D = 60 – 69 F = 59 or below

Multiple Choice:

The multiple choice and matching parts of the test will include a question and several
possible answers, one of which is correct. You must answer correctly to receive credit.
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Written assignments

Because this is a college level course, writing assignments are expected to be well-written,
well-organized, and thorough. The study of history includes far more than simply
memorizing and listing names and dates. Analyze the material and utilize critical thinking
skills when constructing your writing assignments and use proper grammar.

Interaction / Participation Policy:

You are strongly encouraged to log into class on a regular basis. Part of your participation
grade is based on completion of assignments by the allotted due date and interaction with
the instructor and other students on the Discussion board on a weekly basis. You are
expected to make at least one new post and at least two meaningful replies to your
classmates’ posts each week. The instructor will also comment on your posts and you are
expected to reply by the end of the module.

Students with disabilities:

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodations must 1) register with and
provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), and 2) provide a
letter to the instructor from SDRC indicating their needs for academic accommodation. This
should be done within the first week of class. The SDRC is located in Building 805 on Forest
Drive. The phone number is (912) 871-1566 or checks their website at
http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/disability

Academic Honesty:

One’s first cheating offense will result in a “0” (zero) for the assignment, with no
opportunity to make it up. A second offense will result in a failing grade for the course.
Instances of cheating include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, or presenting another’s
work as one’s own, copying from another student’s work, or turning in an assignment that
looks like someone else’s work.
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Topics of Course Lectures:

Early Contact / Age of Discovery

English Colonization

Origins of the American Revolution

Test 1

The American Revolution

Building a Nation

The Market Revolution

Origins of the Civil War

The Civil War

Test 2

Reconstruction

The Gilded Age

Progressivism

Test 3

World War I

1920’s / The Great Depression

World War II

The Cold War

The Civil Rights Movement

Modern America

Final Exam
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