Modern American History

AMH 1020 Fall 2011 M 1:00 3:45 pm Reference No. 15163 BACA 108 Instructor: Office: Phone No.: Office Hrs: E-mail: Dr. Chris Seiler BACA 212 C 253-7836 TBA & by appointment cseiler@hccfl.edu

Course Description:
Provides a study of United States development from the period of reconstruction to the present. Topic includes politics, economic, geography, social issues and reforms as related to contemporary society. Prerequisites: college level reading and writing skills are required. (3 credit hours).

Required Texts:
Keene, Jennifer D., Saul Cornell and Edward T. ODonnell. Visions of America: A History of the United States, Volume II, Pearson Custom Printing, 2011. Oates, Stephen B. and Charles J. Errico. Portrait of America, Volume II: from 1865, Tenth Edition. NY: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2012.

Course Requirements: 1. Weekly Reading Assignments. 2. Writing Across the Curriculum Assignments:
The WAC writing requirement will be fulfilled through in-class writing assignments. The writing requirement will be worth twenty-five percent (25%) of your final grade. There will be six (6) in-class essays given during the semester, each worth five percent (5%) of your final grade. The lowest essay grade will be dropped, so only the five (5) highest grades will be counted for a total of twenty-five percent (25%) of your final grade. Each essay will consist of one (1) five-hundred (500) word essay, excluding your notes, based on the assigned readings from the Portrait of America. Any essay that is submitted that does not have at least 500 words, excluding your notes, will automatically receive a grade of F (0 points) for that essay. You will not be allowed to use your book while writing your essay.

Writing Across the Curriculum Assignments (Continued):

Each writing assignment must include typed notes that are in bulleted format of a length of a minimum of one full page and a maximum of two pages per article. Therefore, if you are assigned to read three articles you are required to bring at least three full pages of notes (one per article) and no more than six pages of notes (two pages per article). Any essay that is submitted without typed, bulleted notes of the required length will automatic receive a grade of F (0 points) for that essay. The essays must be written in the standard five paragraph format style and be single spaced. Any paper that is not written in five paragraph format style, is not single spaced, is not hand written, and does not have a descriptive title will automatically receive a grade of F (0 points) for that essay. Your essays will be graded not only on a factual basis, but also on grammar, spelling, punctuation, construction, etc. No make-ups will be given for WAC assignments.

Essay Schedule and Reading Assignments:

o Essay # 1 Portrait of America Articles # 5, 6, and 8 5. Robert L. Heilbroner, The Master of Steel: Andrew Carnegie 6. David McCullough, The Brooklyn Bridge: A Momument to American Ingenuity and Daring 8. David R. Kohler and James W. Wensyel, America's First Southeast Asian War: The Philippine Insurrection o Essay # 2 Portrait of America Articles # 7, 9, and 11 7. Paula A. Treckel, The Lady Versus Goliath: Ida Tarbell Takes on the Standard Oil Co. 9. Edmund Morris, Theodore Roosevelt, President 11. William Lavender and Mary Lavender, Suffragists' Storm Over Washington

Essay Schedule and Reading Assignments (Continued):

o Essay # 3 Portrait of America Articles # 15, 16, and 17 15. T.H. Watkins, The Shame and Misery of the Depression 16. William E. Leuchtenburg, Unleashing a Thunderbolt: FDR Launches a Court-Packing Scheme to Save the New Deal 17. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Franklin and Eleanor: The Early Wartime White House o Essay # 4 Portrait of America Articles # 18, 19, and 20 18. William J. vanden Heuvel, America and the Holocaust 19. Michael Korda, Ike at D-Day 20. Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Oppenheimer: The Father of the Atomic Bomb o Essay # 5 Portrait of America Articles # 21, 22, and 25 21. David McCullough, Harry Truman: "One Tough Son-of-a-Bitch of a Man" 22. Michael Dobbs, Lost in Space: A Story of the Cuban Missile Crisis 25. Larry L. King, Trapped: Lyndon Johnson and the Nightmare of Vietnam o Essay # 6 Portrait of America Articles # 23, 26, 27, and 30 23. Stephen B. Oates, Trumpet of Conscience: Martin Luther King, Jr. 26. Otto Friedrich, I Have Never Been a Quitter: A Portrait of Richard Nixon 27. Richard Brookhiser, Reagan: His Place in History 30. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., Some Lessons from the Cold War

3.

Exams:
There will be three non-cumulative tests based on lecture material and assigned readings. Each exam will be fifty multiple choice questions, worth two points each, for a maximum total of one hundred (100) points. Each exam will be worth twentyfive percent (25%) of your final grade. Make-up examinations will only be given in the case of a documented illness or a verifiable family emergency. The make-up exam will be two (2) three hundred and fifty (350) word essays. All make-up tests will be given on Monday, December 5, 2011. There is no make-up for Exam #3.

Grading Breakdown:
Exam #1: Exam #2: Exam # 3: Writing Across The Curriculum Assignments 25% 25% 25% 25% Monday, 9/26/11 Monday, 10/24/11 Monday, 12/5/11 Monday 8/29, Monday 9/12, Monday 10/3, Monday 10/17, Monday 11/7, Monday 11/14/2011.

Grading Scale:
A = 90% - 100% B = 80% - 89% C = 70% - 79% D = 60% - 69% F = 59% or below No extra credit will be given in this course. No test grades will be dropped.

Attendance:
Students are strongly urged to attend all classes. The majority of test material will be drawn directly from lecture material so it is to your advantage to attend every class. If you stop attending class on a regular basis you will receive a FX grade.

Academic Integrity:
Cheating, plagiarism, copying, and/or any behavior contrary to college standards will not be tolerated. Any student found in violation of college standards will be dealt with in accordance with college procedures regarding such actions.

Dropping/Withdrawing:
If you wish to drop this course, it is your responsibility to do so. The last day to withdraw from this course without a grade is October 31, 2011.

Class Rules:
All cellular phones must be turned OFF while in the classroom. Anyone who answers their phone, text, or surfs while in the classroom will be immediately dismissed from class. No laptops are allowed in class.

Request for Accommodation:

Any student whose disability falls within the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations should contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. The Brandon office is located in the Student Service Building Room 109. You may also reach the office by phone at (813) 253-7914. Requests for accommodations should be submitted to the instructor within the first two weeks of the course.

Religious Observances:
HCC will reasonably accommodate the religious observances, practices, and beliefs of students in its admissions, class attendance, and examination policies and work assignments. Students must notify instructors at least one week prior to a religious observance.

Recording of Class Sessions:

A student shall not, without my express authorization, make or receive any recording, including but not limited to audio and video recordings, of any class, co-curricular meeting, organizational meeting, or meeting with me. Further, it is not permissible to post my class lectures/course materials on the web.

Equity/Equal Access Policy:

Hillsborough Community College is an equal access/equal opportunity employer that makes employment and education-related decisions without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or any other bias that is or may be prohibited by laws. In addition, the college does not discriminate in employment practices or in the admission and treatment of students. HCC is committed to equitable treatment for all students and employees and to a learning and working environment free of discrimination and harassment for current as well as future students and employees. The college provides equal educational opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities and complies with, as well as, supports the Americans with Disabilities Act. HCCs Equity Officer ensures compliance with federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination and sexual harassment. Employees and students who believe they have been a victim of discrimination or sexual harassment should contact: Dr. Joan B. Holmes, Special Assistant to the President for Equity and Special Programs, District Administrative Offices, 39 Columbia Drive, Room 718, Tampa, FL 33606, 813-2537043, jholmes16@hccfl.edu.

Course Objectives:
The student in this course should be able to: Describe the reasons Reconstruction was an era of conflict and controversy. Describe the major issues and results of the political elections of the Gilded Era (1876-1900). Describe the impact of the transcontinental railroads and industrialization on American life during the Gilded Age. Describe the major factors in the rapid westward expansion and closing of the Western frontier in the last half of the 19th century. Explain the causes and goals for the Populist Movement and other farm groups. Describe the causes and results of the Spanish-American War. Describe the rise of labor unions and the influence of rapid immigration into the United States. Describe the achievements of the Progressive Movement. Explain the causes and results of World War I. Describe the contrasts of political conservatism and social conflict in the 1920s. Describe the major programs of the New Deal and their impact upon the American people. Describe the causes and results of World War II. Describe the changing role of the United States as a world leader in the Cold War Era. Compare the achievements and goals of Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Describe the Civil Rights Movement its major laws and events. Describe the impact of the Vietnam War on American society.

Course Objectives (Continued):

Describe the impact of the Watergate Crisis upon American politics. Describe the end of the Cold War and the changing role of the United States in face of terrorism. Compare the Republican and Democratic Parties in the last thirty years. Describe the Election of 2000.

Course Outline:
Topic I: Post Civil War America The Frontier West and the New South Rise of Industrial America Urban America Gilded Age Politics Agrarian Revolt

Topic II: Modern American An American Empire Progressivism World War I The Roaring Twenties The Great Depression

Topic III: Contemporary America The New Deal World War II The Cold War The Fifties and the Sixties Vietnam to Iraq

Other Elements: Instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus if necessary.

Tentative Course Schedule:

WEEK 9 M 10/17 After Break WEEK 10 M- 10/24 WEEK 11 M 10/31 After Break WAR WORLD II Chapter 23 (Continued) Essay # 4

WEEK 1

INTRODUCTION And BECOMING A MODERN SOCIETY

M 8/22 Introduction and Syllabus Review After Break 20th Century America Chapter 16-18 WEEK 2 AN AMERICAN EMPIRE

Exam # 2
THE COLD WAR Chapter 24 Chapter 24 (Continued) CONTENTMENT AND DISCORD, 19451960 Chapter 25 Essay # 5 THE VIETNAM WAR Chapter 26 Essay # 6 THE SIXTIES And RIGHTING A NATION ADRIFT: America in the 1970s and 1980s Chapter 27 Chapter 28 BUILDING A NEW WORLD ORDER, 19892010 Chapter 28 (Continued) and 29 Chapter 29 EXAM WEEK

M 8/29 Chapter 19 After Break Essay # 1 WEEK 3 M - 9/5 WEEK 4 Labor Day [No Class] THE PROGRESSIVE ERA WEEK 12 M 11/7 After Break WEEK 13 M 11/14 After Break WEEK 14

M 9/12 Chapter 17 and 18 After Break Essay # 2 WEEK 5 AMERICA AND THE GREAT WAR And THE ROARING TWENTIES

M 9/19 Chapter 20 After Break Chapter 21 WEEK 6 REPUBLICAN RESURGENCE AND DECLINE And THE GREAT DEPRESSION M 11/21 After Break WEEK 15

M 9/26 Exam # 1 After Break Chapter 22 WEEK 7 THE NEW DEAL

M 11/28 After Break WEEK 16/17 M 12/5 After Break M 12/12

M 10/3 Chapter 22 (Continued) After Break Essay # 3 WEEK 8 FROM ISLOATION TO GLOBAL WAR Chapter 23

Exam # 3 Make-up Exam

Group Discussion Historical Lessons Learned

M - 10/10

After Break Chapter 23 (Continued)