Dr. Cathy McDonnell Schultz
     Office: S317
     Office Phone: 740-3595
          e-mail: cschultz@stfrancis.edu
     Office Hours:  T  Th 10:30 - 12:00; M W 12:30-1:30
   Other times by appointment       

As a Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts, we are a welcoming community of learners challenged by Franciscan values and charism, engaged in a continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice, and ever mindful of a tradition that emphasizes reverence for creation, compassion, and peacemaking. We strive for academic excellence in all programs, preparing women and men to contribute to the world through service and leadership.

Course Description:
A survey of American history from pre-contact America, through first European-Indian encounters, covering among other themes, the colonial period, the Revolution, society and politics in the early Republic, westward expansion, slavery, and the Civil War.

Course Outcomes:
At the end of this course, you should have accomplished the following: A. Understand and be able to discuss the main persons, movements, events, and ideas which shaped early U.S. history. Particular attention will be paid to the history of our own region and state.
B. Understand and be able to discuss some of the historiography of  American history, that  is, the way the interpretation of American history has changed in different eras, and why.
C. Gained some sophistication in your  historical analysis of this era.
D. Have your critical thinking, and writing skills sharpened through exams, and papers.
E. Be better equipped to understand and analyze the events of today in light of the country's history.
F. Have a greater enthusiasm for history!

Required Texts :                                                            
     Please purchase the following from the University Book Store:

• Textbook: Robert Divine, et. al. America, Past and Present, Vol. I, 7th brief edition.
• Reader: John Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past: A Critical Thinking Approach to U.S. History, Vol. I
• Michael Sharra: Killer Angels
  

Requirements and Grading Precentages       

Grading Scale: A = 90 - 100         (900 - 1000 points)
                             B  = 80 - 89           (800 -  900 points)
                             C  = 70 - 79           (700 -  800 points)
                             D  = 60 - 69           (600 -  700 points)
                             F  = below 60       (below 600 points)

A. Attendance and class participation are worth 5%. (or 50 points)

B. Quizzes: You will be given a quiz every week---usually on Friday. though it varies, so check the reading schedule---on the assigned reading--from the Hollitz book only. The quizzes collectively will be worth 10%. (or 100 points total) I do not give makeup quizzes, but I will throw out the worst quiz grade at the end of the semester.

C. Cultural Experiences: 6% of your final grade. (60 points)
   As part of this class experience, you are asked to participate in three cultural experiences outside of the classroom that have some relation to American history, politics or culture. Each one you do will add 2% (or 20  points) to your final  grade. I ask for three, the most I will accept for points is four.
    Cultural experiences can be lectures, concerts, a film in a college film series, or discussion groups, sponsored on-campus or off. You may also listen to 2 hours of cultural programming on NPR (National Public Radio--91.5 FM--WBEZ) in lieu of an event.
    To get credit, you must attend, take notes, and hand in a ticket stub and a two paragraph typed synopsis of the event. One paragraph will give a summary,and the next paragraph will give your response to it.

D. Tests: There will be three tests, including the final. The first two will count for 20% (200 points each) of the final grade; the final for 25%.(250 points)  The final will have a cumulative element.
N.B.  Tests CANNOT be made up unless there was a clear, documented  EMERGENCY that caused you to miss the scheduled test. In the unusual circumstance that such an emergency has occurred, you must contact me as soon as possible!

E. Writing assignments: Worth 14% (140 points) of final grade. These consist of a review essay on Hollitz, and a final essay due at the end of the semester. To help the environment, please try to use both sides of the paper, or use recycled paper--- paper that has already been printed on one side.

 1) Review essay on Hollitz book:
Each student will write an essay based on a chapter from Hollitz.  These will be 3-4 pages long and will explore a theme about the selected readings discussed in each chapter. The theme of your essay should focus on answering the main question(s) posed in the "investigation" section of the chapter. You may use the follow-up questions the author poses as a guide for answering the main question. Your  essay should not merely summarize the readings, or merely consist of a " question and answer" format., but instead should be a well organized, well argued, creative answer to the main question Hollitz poses for that chapter. You should make reference to the readings, but you do not need to discuss every source presented in the chapter. You need to (as Hollitz suggests) read the section of our textbook (Divine, et.al.) that discusses the event or era explored in the Hollitz chapter. You need to read this in order to give you background and context for the sources discussed in Hollitz.

Guidelines for the Hollitz review essays:
a.  Think carefully about the main question and the readings and write an essay that answers the question well . You should organize your thoughts into clear, defensible arguments.

b.  Papers must be typed, double-spaced; 3-4 pages long.

c.  I grade for content and writing skills. I recommend taking the paper to the Writing Center for help a few days before it is due. I also recommend carefully reading over your paper before printing it out. If there are too many spelling mistakes or typos, your grade will be severely reduced.

d.  The essay can have a title, but it must also have the chapter and book title with Hollitz's name cited at the top of the essay e.g.  "Grand Theory and History: Democracy and the Frontier," Chapter 8 in Thinking Through the Past by John Hollitz.

e.  Quotations: Since the paper is short, you should use relatively short quotations, if you use them at all.  If you do use a direct quote, it  must  be enclosed in quotation marks, and should cite the page number in parenthesis after it.: for example:  (p. 121).

f. Due Date: No later than 11/2, though earlier is better.
You may choose which chapter to write about, depending on interest and work load.  There are three stipulations:
A) Papers MUST be handed in the day the chapter is assigned. 
B) You CANNOT do a chapter that we've already read and discussed in class.
C) Also, every student MUST submit their  paper by November 2. I do mark down for lateness.

A Final  Essay is also due on the question: "What do you feel to be the key themes in American history until 1865  and why?"  Should be 3-4 pages, typed, double spaced.This is not an assignment that will touch on everything or even most things, in early  American history. Discuss what you feel to be some interesting themes in U.S. history. Don't simply list names or events, but come up with some key themes and discuss them, using key events, persons, trends etc. to support your arguments. Due 12/3.

Week One:
8/20: Syllabus and course introduction. Handout of "1491" by Charles C. Mann. Atlantic Monthly, March 2002, Volume 289, No. 3; pp. 41-53.
8/22: Hand in one page of notes on "1491" Must include thesis (main point) of article.
8/24: Quiz: Hollitz, chapter 1

Week Two :
8/27:   Divine, chapter 1.
8/29:   Continue above
8/31:   Read handout on creation myths, and be prepared to discuss. No Hollitz Reading.

Week Three:
9/3: Labor Day; no class
9/5: Read Divine, chapter 2.
9/7:  Quiz:  Hollitz, chapter 2

Week Four:
9/10:    Divine,  Chapter 3 
9/13:   Divine, Chapter 4, first half.
9/15:   Quiz on Alexander Falconbridge's "Treatment of the Slaves" handout.

Week Five
9/17:   Divine,  Chapter 4, second half:
9/19: Divine, chapter 5, first half
9/21: TEST #1

Week Six:
9/24:  Continue American Revolution
9/26:    "              "               "
9/28:  Quiz: Hollitz, chapter 4

Week Seven:
10/1:  Divine, Chapter 5 second half:
10/3: Continue above.
10/5: Continue above
           
Week Eight:
10/8:   Divine,  Chapter 6, first half. 
10/10: Continue Divine chapter 6, second half.
10/12:  Quiz, chapter 5 of Hollitz. 

Week of 10/15-10/21 is Fall Break; Enjoy!

Week Nine:
10/22: Divine,  Chapter 7, first 10 pages
10/24:  Divine, chapter 8, first  10 pages
10/26: Continued. Also, review for test.

Week Ten:
10/29: TEST #2  
10/31:  Divine,  Chapter 9,
11/2: Quiz Hollitz, chapter 8.  
Deadline for review essay 

Week Eleven:
11/5: Divine, chapter 10, first 7 pages.
11/7: Divine, chapter 11,
11/9: Quiz  Hollitz, chapter 11.     

Week Twelve:
11/12:  Divine, chapter 12:
11/14:Divine, chapter 13
11/16: Quiz Hollitz, chapter 10.           

Week Thirteen
11/19:  Divine, chapter 14
11/21: Continue above.
11/23:   No class -  Thanksgiving Break

Week Fourteen:
11/26: Quiz: First half of Killer Angles
11/28: Divine,  Chapter 15
11/30: Continue  Civil War

Week Fifteen:
12/3:  Essay Due on the question of "What do you feel to be the key themes in American history to 1865 and why?"  Should be 3-4 pages, typed, double spaced. Remember, don't simply list names or events, but come up with some key themes and discuss them, using key events, persons, trends etc. to support your arguments. This is not an assignment that will touch on everything or even most things, in early American history. Discuss what you feel to be some interesting themes in U.S. history.
12/5: Continue Civil War '
12/7:  Quiz: Last half of Killer Angels

Final exam: 10:00 class  Monday, Dec. 10, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
                    11:00 class  Wednesday, Dec. 12, 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Academic Integrity: Academic integrity requires that all academic work be wholly the product of an identified individual or individuals. Collaboration is only acceptable when it is explicitly acknowledged. Ethical conduct is the obligation of every member of the University community, and breaches of academic integrity constitute serious offenses. Since a lack of integrity hinders the student's academic development, it cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Violations include but are not limited to: cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and denying others access to information or material. See USF Catalog for further clarification and information on grievance procedures.

Special Needs: The University strives to be in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. To this end, a student who requires special support or arrangements due to a disability should contact the Office of Disability Services Administrator, Pat Vivio at 815-740-3204 in the Academic Resource Center (Library) to coordinate accommodations. This contact should occur no later than the first week of classes in order to allow for sufficient time to provide accommodations. Should a need arrive after the start of a semester, the student is encouraged to contact the ADA coordinator as soon as possible. Each case will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Academic Support Services: Various types of academic services offered by the Academic Resource
Center (ARC) 815-740-5060 located in Room 214 in the Library. Online
and distance learning students can contact ARC for appropriate resources.
Library services include a number of online services and full text databases. Call the Library at 815-740-5041 for additional information.

The instructor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus and class schedule as circumstances may warrant during the semester.

Students are expected to follow all policies in the USF Catalog and Student Handbook.