Hist 222:  United States History 1877 - Present
Spring 2002

Dr. Daniel Bush,  History
Office: BI 16
Mail Box: BI 16
Email: dbush@greenriver.edu

last update 6/5/02

Textbook:

James West Davidson, et. al. Nation of Nations, Vol. 2. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2000.

Announcements

Assignments

Weekly Schedule

Course Description:

Welcome to History 222 Flex course in US history.  This course combines online teaching with face-to-face classroom instruction.  We will do much of our work and communicating online.  We will also meet every Wednesday on campus in SS-1 5:00-7:00 pm.  Announcements, assignments, and a weekly reading schedule can be accessed using the links above.

Course Objectives:

This course will explore, examine and discuss developments in US history from the end of Reconstruction to recent times. Major themes will include tensions and transformations resulting from issues of race, ethnicity, and gender; the rise of the industrial, technological and organizational age; reform movements; the growth of federal power and the bureaucratic state; the emergence of the US as a world power; and the politics of national memory.

A major task will be to investigate a past marked by conformity and consensus on one hand, and social, political and cultural conflict on the other. We want to understand those elements of the past that tend to reinforce the status quo, as well as those that act as agents of change. We will also ponder some historical myths associated with this period of time.

Finally, we need to keep in mind that the study of history is a dynamic enterprise, one that involves an ongoing search for historical causation and relationships, while also calling for responsible interpretation and critical reappraisal. You will be expected to adopt the guise of a historian, read and consider course materials thoughtfully, form your own well-reasoned assessments of the readings and major themes that characterize this period of history, and present your findings in quizzes, examinations, and in discussion.

Assessment Goals:

Green River College is attempting to implement individual competencies into the curriculum. This course will help to improve your skills in the following areas:

Critical Thinking:

In this course you will read the text, read lectures, use web sites, and discuss information and ideas with your classmates. There are ways to do each of these activities that demand critical thinking and ways that do not. For example, critical thinkers are active rather than passive readers. They read texts closely, note key ideas, look up difficult words, strive to understand difficult passages, and keep up a dialogue with the text in the margins. Critical thinkers are also active rather than passive information gatherers. They gather information form a variety of sources, try to understand this information from the sources’ perspective, and try to understand the assumptions behind that information. Critical thinkers recognize that others may see the world differently than they do and see those perspectives not as threats but as part of the continuing and necessary dialogues that are inherent in civilizations. Critical thinkers think clearly, logically, and specifically about issues, and can refer to specific details and information to support their generalizations.

Written Communication:

Writing in this course will analyze, interpret, and synthesize various readings, lectures, web sites, and other course materials. Additional elements critical to writing clearly and effectively are clear focus and ideas, coherent structure and organization, correct grammar, careful editing, and effective use of language. You will have opportunities to write in this class, and all your writing will be submitted by e-mail.

Responsibility:

Regular participation, submitting assignments on time, taking responsibility for managing your time, exploring the Internet resources available, and working in an atmosphere of mutual respect are all required of you as students of this course.

Your goals as students and mine as an instructor may differ, but our basic responsibilities are essentially the same. I have attempted to structure this course with some flexibility, but it is important that you follow these responsibility guidelines. I understand that your life is busy, and that you probably have a job and other responsibilities beyond school. However, I stand by these responsibilities and expect them to be fulfilled by everyone equally.

Specific Expectations:

Be active in class and complete all weekly assignments on time.

Be scholarly. Spelling, grammatical structures, clear writing, citing sources, etc. are all considered to be basic to scholarly inquiry.

Participate fully: spend significant time reading and thinking about this class.

Participate in discussion.  Discussion time is for you and your fellow students.

Deal with others and me in a direct, honest, and open manner. Visit one of the web sites below to get some insight into web etiquette or what is often termed netiquette:

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

http://www.fau.edu/netiquette/netiquette.html

Differently-abled Students or Students Subject to Provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act:

If you believe you qualify for course adaptations or special accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act, if is your responsibility to contact the Disability Support Services Coordinator, in the Lindbloom Student Center and provide the appropriate documentation. If you already documented a disability or other condition that qualifies you for special accommodations, or if you have emergency medical information or special needs I should know about, please notify me during the first week of class. You can reach me by phone at 206-250-3897, or by email at dbush@greenriver.edu, or you may schedule an office appointment to meet me in BI-16 during my posted office hours or at another mutually determined time. If this location is not convenient for you, we will schedule and alternative place for the meeting. If you use an alternative medium for communicating, let me know well in advance of the meeting (at least one week) so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged.

Student Services:

If you have an questions about your degree, or just about anything else about Green River College, visit this web site to find links to various student services:

http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/Allen/sservices.html

Student Understandings:

1. I understand the standards in this course and that I am responsible for monitoring my own learning.

2. I understand that if at any time during the quarter I feel unsure about my grade, I may request an assessment from the instructor.

3. I understand that every week I will have something due: a quiz, a summary, etc.

4. I understand that I am responsible for my own learning.

5. I understand the use of quizzes in this class is to test my learning each segment.

6. I understand that my grade is based on the assignments listed in this syllabus.

7. I understand that the work of the course requires on-line work each week and my active participation.

8. I understand that the amount of commitment devoted to this course is my choice and not the instructors.

 

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