U.S. History 17A Online

Information and

Course Syllabus

Tom Gallup, Instructor
 

 
 
 
 
 

 How to register for this course
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 Sample Assignment

 

U.S. History 17A Online
Instructor:  Tom Gallup
3 Semester Units
Sprng 2008
Days and Time: online
Required Reading:
   Textbook:
      Davidson, Nation of Nations, vol. I, 6th ed. (available from the
         college bookstore. This book can be purchased over the phone and shipped to
         you for an additional charge for shipping and postage. (408) 741-2015.
   Readings and Study Guide:  available online.
 

United States History, 17A Online
U.S. History 17A Online is a survey of the political, economic, social and cultural history of the United States from the pre-colonial period through the Civil War. Topics covered include indigenous and European influences on the development of the colonies, the causes and consequences of the War of Independence, the origin and principles of the U.S. Constitution, westward expansion, sectional conflict and the Civil War. This course is acceptable for credit at the University of California, California State University as well as other colleges and universities nationwide.


Course Objectives
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1.) Locate on a map of the United States important historical and geographical sites.
2.) Identify the dates of important historical events from 1600 to 1865.
3.) Explain the reasons for important historical events, identify and explain the contributions of key historical figures, and describe the major ideas/movements of the period from1500 to 1865.
4.) Describe the origin and structure of the Constitution, and its historical applicability in United States history before the Civil War.


Required Reading and Study Guide
   The class is divided into twelve (12) assignments corresponding roughly to twelve (12) chapters in the textbook, Nation of Nations. For each assignment there is reading from one or more chapters in this textbook and usually other readings available online.
    For each of the twelve (12) assignments there are questions in twelve (12) Study Guides. The questions on each Study Guide are designed to focus your reading for that assignment. The questions themselves are short -- sometimes a few sentences, sometimes only a date or a name or a term. They are set up to be found in the reading as you do it. They are not conceptual questions that require a lot of analyzing, comparing and contrasting. They are straight-forward questions designed to elicit factual responses.
   The amount of time that each assignment should take will vary from person to person, but should be about the same amount of time as required for a traditional class. For an idea of the kinds of questions you will need to answer, go to the sample assignment page.
   The questions on the two (2) midterms and the final will be based on the twelve (12) Study Guides. In order to prepare for these exams, you should do the reading and answer the questions on the Study Guides.  The answers to these questions are for you to study for the exams. When you are finished answering the questions, e-mail the answers to me using the correct double-spaced format.  The formatting will be explained in an introductory email that I will send out at the beginning of the class. There will be a due date for each of these emailed assignments. The due dates are listed on the assignments page. You will receive 10 points for turning in a completed assignment. Points will be deducted for incomplete assignments, incomplete answers or wrong answers. No points will be awarded for late assignments. You may send the completed assignments to me at any time before the due date.  On these assignments, you must DO YOUR OWN WORK. Collaboration on assignments is not allowed.  If I discover that you are collaborating with another student on these assignments, or that you are using material previously assigned, YOU WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE CLASS IMMEDIATELY.


Tests
After every four (4) assignments, you will take a test based on the questions you have written out from the Study Guides. Each test will consist of some questions from each of the four (4) previous assignments. The tests will be due back to me within 24 hours. The dates when I will send these tests and their due dates are listed on the assignments page. Altogether there will be two (2) midterm tests and one (1) final test during the class. The tests will count 300 points each.  They will consist of 100 multiple choice and essay questions. There are no makeups for these tests.



Grading Scale, Points and Semester Grades
Your grade for the course will be determined according to the following scale:

 
   90- 100%   A 900+
   80 - 89%    B 800 - 899
   70 - 79%    C 700 - 799
   60 - 69%    D 600 - 699
   59 - 0         F 599 and below

Credit/No Credit
This course may be taken on a Credit/No Credit basis. (A minimum equivalent grade of C is required for a credit.) However, you must notify me via e-mail before the end of the sixth (6th) week of the semester (second week in summer) if you wish to do so,.


Drop Policy
If your name appears on my class roster, you are officially enrolled in the class and will receive the grade you earn. If, for some reason, you need to drop the class, you must do so officially through the office of Admissions & Records.


Contact Me
e-mail: tom_gallup@westvalley.edu

 

 
 
 
 
 
 


 

Revised January 14, 2008

by Tom Gallup, e-mail address: tom_gallup@westvalley.edu
West Valley College
http://www.westvalley.edu/wvc/ss/gallup/gallup.html