HIST 2010

American History I

OVERVIEW

The goal of HIST 2010, as indicated above, is to produce students who are informed about the essential events of their past and equipped with some of the basic analytical skills and methods applied by historians. The course is intended not only to present "history" as a body of knowledge but also to provide students with basic tools for assessing the historical claims of others and formulating arguments of their own.

COURSE GOALS

(1) to work together with other General Education courses in realizing the University's Philosophy of General Education;

(2) to foster a historical perspective, including chronology, continuity and change over time, and an understanding of the present in its relationship to the past;

(3) to provide historical context for important topics and issues, including the other disciplines represented in the General Education Core;

(4) to promote citizenship through an understanding of U.S. political institutions and their history;

(5) to promote global responsibility through an understanding of American history in an international context;

(6) to foster an understanding of history as interpretation; and

(7) to equip students to evaluate claims about the past critically.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students completing HIST 2010 should be able to:

(1) recognize and correctly identify persons, institutions, and events of importance in American history through the end of Reconstruction in 1877;

(2) discuss major themes in the development of American politics, society, and culture during this period;

(3) demonstrate an understanding of the global context of American history;

(4) apply historical perspective to contemporary issues;

(5) recognize and critically evaluate historical interpretations;

(6) analyze documents in their historical context; and

(7) construct well-written essays using basic academic writing conventions.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY

(1) Guided Reading:

The regular reading of the textbook according to the course schedule (see below) is essential to learning in HIST 2010. The textbook provides foundational knowledge for lectures and class discussion, and familiarity with the information in the textbook is tested on examinations. Students are responsible for preparing for class by reading the textbook thoroughly and attentively.

(2) Lectures:

Lectures in HIST 2010 build on the content of the textbook by exploring issues of significance and interpretation. History is not merely information about the past but rather a way of thinking about what is important and how it should be understood. Lectures address this aspect of history by asking interpretive questions and presenting the alternative perspectives of historians.

(3) Class Discussion:

Class discussion is a vital part of learning in HIST 2010. In some sections, entire class periods may be set aside for class discussion. In others, times for discussion may be incorporated into lectures. In either case, students are encouraged to participate actively in class, introducing their own questions, expressing their own viewpoints, and interacting constructively with other students.

(4) Document Analysis:

HIST 2010 provides a basic introduction to the analysis of historical documents (i.e., primary sources). For this purpose, some sections use the collection of documents on the textbook web site, and others use sources selected by individual instructors. By reading and analyzing these sources, students learn some of the basic methods used by historians in considering evidence.

(5) Essay Writing:

Students in HIST 2010 develop writing skills through essay writing both in and outside of class. Instruction in grammar, organization, clarity, and effectiveness is provided by written feedback on these essays and, if requested, conferences outside of class.




 

 

 

 





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