United States History—145

Mon/Wed

2:00-3:15

Linthicum Hall Rm. 13

Instructor: Dr. Omar H. Ali                                        E-mail: oali@towson.edu

Office:       Linthicum 119-K                                       Hours: Weds. 3:30-4:30

OVERVIEW: This is a survey of American history from the colonial period through U.S. Reconstruction. The course will examine the development of democracy in the nation through a combination of lectures, textbook readings, primary source analyses, documentary screenings, and class discussion. Students will have three quizzes, a midterm, and a final paper.

REQUIRED TEXTS: Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! An American History, Vol. 1 (New York: W.W. Norton, 2^nd Edition, 2009) and Eric Foner, Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History (New York: W.W. Norton, 2^nd Edition, 2008) NOTE: Students must bring Give Me Liberty! to every class.

GRADING: Quiz #1 (10%), Quiz #2 (10%), Quiz #3 (10%), Midterm (25%), Final Paper (25%), Reviews (10%), Participation (10%) Grade Scale: A=94-100; A-=90-93; B+=87-89; B=84-86; B-=80-83; C+=77-79; C=70-76; D=63-69; F (below 62)

Quizzes These short exams will consist of a single identification and a series of fill-in-the blanks primarily drawn from the readings and lectures.

Midterm The exam is cumulative and will include an essay which students will prepare in advance of the exam but is to be written in class in addition to a series of fill-in the blanks. Midterm essay question: “How did democracy develop from the colonial period through the Abolitionist movement?” Prepare approximately a 1,200-word essay; provide a clear thesis (to be underlined) in the opening paragraph; six detailed examples should be given (including names, years, events, relevant statistics, and significance), equally divided between the colonial period, the Revolution, and the Abolitionist movement (in that order).

Final Paper This is a 12-page paper due at the beginning of class on December 9 (or before). FAILURE TO MEET THE DEADLINE WILL RESULT IN NO CREDIT FOR THE PAPER. NO EXCEPTIONS Students have more than three months to complete the assignment. The essay question is the following: “How did democracy develop from the colonial period through Reconstruction?” The 12 pages include footnotes and a bibliography. The paper must be stapled, paginated, with name, course title, and date at the top left-corner of the first page (there should not be a title page). The paper must have a clear thesis (underlined) in the opening paragraph; provide quotes drawn from Voices of Freedom. The quotes should be at least one sentence long, and should not exceed a single paragraph. A total of ten examples should be given (along the lines of the Midterm essay requirement, except with an additional four examples for the Civil War and Reconstruction periods).

Reviews Three pages, typed, paginated, stapled, bullet points. Two percentage points will be given for each quiz review (to be handed in at the beginning of the class preceding quizzes—except the third, which will be due at the beginning of the class when the quiz will be given) and four points for the Midterm review (again, to be handed in at the beginning of the class preceding the Midterm). These reviews are for students to use to help study for the quizzes and the Midterm, as well as lay the groundwork for the Final Paper.

Participation Students are expected to actively participate in class (asking and responding to questions and volunteering to read in-class primary sources). Students are also required to check with the professor if they come after attendance is called (a single percentage point will be taken off each time a student is late beyond the first class of the semester; two percentage points will be taken off for each absence beyond the first class of the semester (see end of document for details of university policy) unless the student turns in a three-page, double-spaced paper answering two of the review questions at the end of that week’s reading, to be turned in at the beginning of the class following the one in which the student was absent.

Weekly Schedule

August 31 - Introduction

September 2 – Reading: Chapter 1

September 7 (Mon) – No class (Labor Day)

September 9 (Wed) – Reading: Chapter 2

September 14-16 – Reading: Chapter 3

September 21 – Review (Quiz Review due at the beginning of class)

September 23 – Quiz #1 (Covers Chapters 1-3)

September 28-30 – Reading: Chapter 4-5

October 5-7 – Reading: Chapter 6-7

October 12-14 – Reading: Chapter 8

October 19 – Review (Quiz Review due at the beginning of class)

October 21 - Quiz #2 (Covers Chapters 4-8)

October 26-28 – Reading: Chapter 9

November 2-4 – Reading: Chapter 10

November 9-11 – Reading: Chapter 11

November 16-18 – Reading: Chapter 12

November 23 – Review (Midterm Review due at beginning of class)

November 25 – MIDTERM (Covers Chapters 1-12)

November 26-29 (Thursday-Sunday) – Thanksgiving

November 30-December 2 - Reading: Chapter 13-15

December 7- Quiz #3 (Covers Chapters 13-15) Quiz Review due at beginning of class.

December 9 – FINAL PAPER DUE

This course is in compliance with Towson University’s policies for students with disabilities.  Accommodations can be made on exams and assignments for students with disabilities.  Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with Disability Support Services (DSS), 7720 York Road, Suite 2132, 410-704-2638. Students who expect that they have a disability but do not have documentation are encouraged to contact DSS for advice on how to obtain appropriate evaluation.  A memo from DDS authorizing your accommodation is required before any arrangements can be made.

Policy regarding missed exams, tests, and other in-class assignments: All authorized makeup work of History courses is completed in department-wide proctored sessions, which are held  in LI 106 on Fridays from 1 to 4p.m. throughout the semester and on the first and third Thursdays of each months, from 5 to 7 p.m.  I will give the proctor a copy of the test or assignment to administer to you (but not necessarily the test or specific assignment taken earlier by the class).  Thursday sessions will be held in LI 107, and Friday sessions in LI 112.  Students must bring a photo ID to the session.  Make up sessions are not negotiable, unless you receive consent from the chair of the Department of History.

Any student found to be cheating will automatically receive an F in the course.  This includes plagiarism, copying from another student’s paper or crib notes.  Please refer to the University’s Student Academic Integrity Policy, Appendix F of the University Catalog, Part V.  No student will be allowed to repeat this course without written permission from the instructor.

TOWSON UNIVERSITY POLICY: Students should not attend classes or other university events from the onset of flu-like symptoms until at least 24 hours after the fever subsides without the use of fever reducing medications. Such absences will be considered excused absences; however, students are responsible for the material covered during the period of their absence.