HIST& 147, Section B (5 credits)

U.S. History II-CD

Edmonds Community College
Winter 2015

BASIC COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Instructor:
Class meetings:
Office phone:
Office e-mail:
Office location:
Office hours:

Erik Ray, History Department chair

ONLINE
425.640.1751 (DO NOT USEsee below)
eray@edcc.edu
Alderwood Hall 258
Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:30-12:20
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30-12:50
Other days and times by appointment only

***If you need to get a hold of me, there are two main methods:
The first is to come by office hours (days and times listed above). They are drop-in hours (no appointment)
these are not for casual conversations, but rather for clarification and assistance. I might have to cancel
office hours because of an emergency, meeting, or other conflict. If I do so, I will add hours on another day
of the week. This change will be announced on Canvas.
The second option is by sending an e-mail to:
eray@edcc.edu
All e-mails should include the following: a basic greeting (Hi Erik, for example), your first and last
name, the name of this class (US II or 147 is fine), a message (in proper written English with
punctuation and proper capitalization) that clearly states what the problem/question/issue is, and a
closing of some kind.
NOTE: The worst ways to try and contact me this quarter is by calling my office phone number. Use all
other forms of communication before using that one.
NOTE 2: I am not available 24/7 or at your beck and call. I check e-mail regularly from Monday at
noon through Friday at noon. I do not check my e-mail more than once during weekends and on
holidays. I sincerely try to answer your e-mail questions as quickly as I can. But, do not expect an
immediate response.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Through multiple methodologies, we will survey the development of the United States from the election of
Andrew Jackson to the start of World War I, emphasizing those individuals, groups, diverse peoples, events,
issues, and ideas that shaped 19th century American history and civilization.
Prerequisite:

Eligibility for English 100 required

***Thats the official line, but I really want you to do in this class is to think about history. Its more
than just a collection of names and datesit is the cornerstone and the fabric of who we are now, and yet
society as a whole is unbelievably dense about the history of this country. I want you to read carefully,
think critically, discuss with each other in genuine and sincere dialogue, and write thoughtfully.

COURSE OUTCOMES AND COLLEGE-WIDE ABILITIES

The college has identified four college-wide abilities that are the core of our overall curriculum and
mission. Emphasizing these core, college-wide abilities provides a consistent educational focus that
encourages students and members of the college community to develop knowledge, habits and skills for
lifelong learning.
Those abilities are:
1.
2.
3.
4.

COMMUNICATE and interact respectfully through critical and imaginative expression

ACT responsibly, both individually and collaboratively, within changing environments
REASON clearly using varied analytic and creative approaches
EXPLORE critically and creatively the diversity of cultures, ethics, values, and ways of thinking
across communities

Each course on campus is expected to teach (and be able to assess) at least one of these abilities. Upon
successful completion of THIS course, students will be able to:
*Identify seminal events, movements, and institutions in American history from the election of Andrew
Jackson until the start of World War I, along with the key figures, groups, and ideas that contributed to their
creation and development. (REASON)
*Compare/contrast the philosophies, issues, and actions of different geographic regions, time periods,
religions, races, and/or social status. (REASON)
*Identify and analyze the experiences of Americans from different religions, ethnicities, races, and genders.
(EXPLORE)
*Examine and evaluate historical information/arguments from different source forms. (REASON)
*Express their findings in formal/informal writing, classroom discussion, online discussion, research
projects, and/or oral presentation. (COMMUNICATE)
*Apply knowledge, awareness, and/or skills to identify and analyze issues related to diversity. (EXPLORE)
COURSE TEXT (required)
Foner.

Give Me Liberty (brief fourth edition).

NOTE: This book is used for all EdCC sections of HIST 146, 147, and 148.
Buying and borrowing options:
*Buy or rent a new or used copy at the college bookstore (in person or online)
*Buy a new or used copy online.
*A hard copy of each book will be placed on reserve in the college library by no later than the end of week
1 of the quarter. You can check it out for short-term usage in the library (up to 4 hours at a time).
If questions arise on this topic, please e-mail me.
You will have supplementary reading each week, based on the content of each chapter in Foner. I
will provide it on Canvas free of charge.
READING SCHEDULE
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Weeks 5-6
Week 7

Starting January 5
Starting January 12
Starting January 19
Starting January 26
Starting February 2
Starting February 16

Foner, chapter 10
Foner, chapter 11
Foner, chapter 12
Foner, chapter 13
Foner, chapter 14
Foner, chapter 15

Week 8
Week 9
Week 10

Starting February 23
Starting March 2
Starting March 9

Foner, chapter 16
Foner, chapter 17
Foner, chapter 18

***You need to do your reading. If youre not planning on reading, why did you take the class? If you
need an incentive to read, its called learning. Reading is the cornerstone of a quality education.
HOW YOUR COURSE GRADE WILL BE DETERMINED
PRACTICE QUIZ
ONLINE QUIZZES (5)
DOCUMENT DISCUSSION FORUM
VIDEO/WEBSITE DISCUSSION FORUM
TOTAL

Up to 10 points of extra credit

250 points (50 points each)
100 points
100 points
450 points

***Specifics on all of the above come later in the syllabus.

***Your numerical grade (0.0-4.0) in this course will be determined by the percentage of your earned
points in relation to the overall number of points possible.
95% and above
94%
93%
92%
and so on
90%
85%
80%
75%
70%
65%

4.0 grade for the quarter

3.9
3.8
3.7
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0

NOTE: In between each benchmark, each percentage point is generally worth one decimal point (0.1). So,
91% is a 3.6 and 73% is a 1.8.
NOTE 2: I round up final percentages to the next highest whole number. So, an 86.1 will be rounded up to
87 and a 82.8 will be rounded up to an 83.
NOTE 3: The new college policy, as of Summer 2012, is that no grade below 1.0 will be granted. Prior to
this quarter, a student could earn a 0.7, 0.8, or 0.9.
SO, to pass this class, you must earn at least 290 points (out of a total of 450).
***It is your responsibility to earn the magic number. I use the word earn because you earn the grade
I dont give it to you. I fail about 10 students each quarter because THEY DONT DO THE WORK.
This isnt a charity. You are responsible for getting the gradesif you dont have the points, you dont pass
the class.
Do the work necessary to pass. If you do the work, you will pass.
***V grades are only given in the case of student written request. You must e-mail me by no late than
Monday, March 16 at 5:00 pm. Otherwise, you will receive a 0.0 (or whatever grade you would have
earned).
I grades are only given in cases of extreme hardship (as defined by the instructor) and if the student has
completed 50% of the coursework. In extreme cases, a hardship withdrawal can be obtained from

Enrollment Services.
Otherwise, dropping this course is your responsibility if you choose to leave. For more information
about these subjects, click or paste the following URL:
http://policies.edcc.edu/_academic/student_Grades.php
***BESIDES THE PRACTICE QUIZ, THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT IN THIS CLASS. FOCUS
ON THE WORK THAT IS ASSIGNED.***
CANVAS
This course is fully online. What this means is that all course material and assignments will be on Canvas
(https://edcc.instructure.com). WE HAVE NO ON-CAMPUS MEETINGS. If you are signed up for this
classroom, you automatically have a Canvas account.
Our Blackboard site will have the following:
1.
Syllabus
2.
Quizzes and brief study guides for each
3.
Announcements and updates about the course
4.
Course grade book
5.
Discussion forums
You are expected to login to the online classroom throughout the week. You will likely be spending five to
ten hours per week online for this class. That amount might be greater or less, depending on the week and
the particular assignments.
***Your success in this class is linked to your use of the online classroom. Simply put, this is an online
class. There are no on-campus class meetings and no daily schedule for you to follow. Your success in the
class is based upon how much time you put into the discussion forums, the readings, and preparation for the
quizzes. The online classroom is not for everyone. If you are struggling, it is YOUR responsibility to find
solutions. Please contact me if concerns arise. But, it is YOUR responsibility to stay current with readings,
quizzes, discussion boards, and assignments, not mine.
***During the quarter, Canvas might break down. If it does, we will deal with it. But, make sure that your
own computer situation is strong. Are you using a compatible browser? Do you have a full battery, if
using a laptop? Do you have a backup computer that you can use in case your hard drive crashes? These
are questions that YOU need to be prepared for.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME
*I will participate in the online classroom, but
Because this is an online class, I play a much different role than I would if this were a traditional campus
class.
I do not lecture. I do, however, provide content throughout the course on a weekly basis. I will have at
least one commentary on the course content each week.
*I will write quizzes that are fair assessments of what you should know.
*I will treat each student with the respect that they deserve.
*I will admit mistakes and remedy them to students benefit.
*I will do what I can to help you succeed, as long as you meet me halfway.
WHAT I EXPECT FROM YOU

*ATTEND CLASS
This class doesnt work unless you are online. I am amazed at how many students think that online courses
are work at your own pace and turn things in whenever you want. Perhaps, there are some that are like
that. This one is not.
You have weekly discussion boards that are required. You have required reading each week. You have
quizzes every week (from week 3 on) and with very specific open/close dates.
I expect you to invest in this course. That means doing the reading on time, adequately preparing for the
quizzes, and doing whatever it takes to succeed (extrinsically and intrinsically) in this class.
I do not intend the next statement to be ironic or sarcastic or condescending: THIS IS COLLEGE.
College is supposed to be challenging and worthy of effort and energy. This particular course will be
taught with college-level standards for reading, writing, thinking, and overall student responsibility.
Regardless of your academic and personal background, YOU will be expected to rise to these standards.
Your previous GPA is irrelevant to the grade that you will get in this course. Just because you signed up for
this class does not guarantee that you will receive a B (or higher) or even pass. You are not entitled to a
certain grade. YOU MUST DO THE WORK TO EARN THE GRADE THAT YOU DESERVE.
4.0 grades are not a handout in my classtruly exceptional college-level work must be done for that grade
to be earned. That requires exceptional effort and skill. An honor grade is available to every student in
this class, regardless of whether you have a 4.0 cumulative GPA or a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
ALSO, there are no alternative assignments or special considerations UNLESS you have documentation
from SSD OR in case of an extreme emergency, as defined by me.
Online classes are not easier than campus classes. In many ways, they are harder. You need to be online
throughout the week. You need to stay focused and have a clear plan of what your study week is going to
be. Thats your responsibility, not mine.
I fail more students in my online classes than I do in my campus classes. The reason is lack of discipline
and planning. Right now, you know every deadline for this class and every requirement. SO, success or
failure in this course lies at your feet.
*RESPECT MY LEADERSHIP OF THE CLASS
I apologize for the bluntness of this statement, but this course is not a democracy. This is the way that this
course will be run. Other online courses may be run differently, and that is the prerogative of the other
instructor. How I do it is how I do it. It is not necessarily better or worse than how others run their courses
it is different. Signing up for this course does not give you the right to use the digital classroom (or any
other means) to challenge the rules of the class. If you dont like a particular rule or the general way of
how this course is run, then consider whether that disagreement is worth withdrawal from the course.
I expect to be treated with respect in all e-mails and any personal contact AND I expect you to expect the
same from me.
I make mistakes. For example, I have made errors on quizzesclicked the wrong right answer or
miswrote a question. That happens. If it does, please let me know, but do so in a respectful way. I will
correct the error and compensate all that are affected.
Otherwise, my decisions are final and not up for negotiation. I do not negotiate grades. I do not meet with
parents. I do not offer alternative assignments. I do not extend deadlines for one student unless there is a
significant emergency. I do not make exceptions unless the SSD office has suggested an alternative form of
assessment.

I want this class to be a place of mutual respect. You deserve respect, I deserve respect, and every
other student in this course deserves respect.
*IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE TO SUCCEED, ASK FOR HELP
If there are any questions or concerns, please contact me through any of the means listed at the beginning
of the syllabus. I want to see you succeed. Help me help you. Im amazed at the low number of
students that ask for assistance, and yet need it.
Also, if you require an accommodation for a disability, please contact Students for Services with
Disabilities at MLT 159, 425-640-1320, or ssdmail@edcc.edu
Student Services Information:www.edcc.edu/students
Academic Calendar:www.edcc.edu/calendar/academic.html
Advising:www.edcc.edu/advising
Center for Student Engagement and Leadership:www.edcc.edu/csel
College Policies and Procedures:http://catalog.edcc.edu
Counseling and Resource Center:www.edcc.edu/counseling
Diversity Student Center:www.edcc.edu/dsc
eLearning Information:www.edcc.edu/elearning
Enrollment Services: www.edcc.edu/es
Learning Support Center (Tutoring):www.edcc.edu/lsc
Library, including online resources: www.edcc.edu/library
Services for Students with Disabilities:www.edcc.edu/ssd
Student Printing Guidelines:www.edcc.edu/acs/printing
Student Support Resources:www.edcc.edu/support
TRIO:www.edcc.edu/trio
Title IX and Gender Discrimination: http://www.edcc.edu/titleix/what-is-titleix/definitions/genderdiscrimination.html
SPECIFICS ON ASSIGNMENTS
PRACTICE QUIZ (up to 10 points of extra credit)
The first assignment in the course, chronologically, is an online practice quiz that will run from Monday,
January 5 at 12:01 am until Friday, January 16 at 11:59 pm (all Seattle times). It will be a series of truefalse and multiple-choice questions about material in this syllabus and is located in the QUIZZES folder in
the left menu bar of our Canvas classroom.
You must take it during the period stated aboveonce the quiz has closed, you cannot take it again. You
get one chance to take it and it is timed for 30 minutes. Its not a difficult quiz. Its meant to familiarize
you with the quiz format on Canvas and see if youve actually read the syllabus. No trick questions and no
need to study for hours.
If you miss it for whatever reason, you cannot retake it.
QUIZZES (250 points, 50 points each)
There will be 5 online quizzes in this course, each worth 50 points, based upon material in Give Me Liberty.

They will be available for a specific period of time (listed below for each quiz). NOTE: All times are
Seattle time.
QUIZ SCHEDULE:
QUIZ 1

Covers chapters 10 and 11

Opens at 12:01 am on Tuesday, January 20 (because of the holiday)
Closes at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, January 21

QUIZ 2

Covers chapters 12 and 13

Opens at 12:01 am on Monday, February 2
Closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, February 3

QUIZ 3

Covers chapter 14
Opens at 12:01 am on Tuesday, February 17 (because of the holiday)
Closes at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, February 18

QUIZ 4

Covers chapters 15 and 16

Opens at 12:01 am on Monday, March 2
Opens at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 3

QUIZ 5

Covers chapters 17 and 18

Opens at 12:01 am on Monday, March 16
Closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 17

I strongly encourage you to put these dates in your calendar as soon as possible.
A brief study guide will be posted on Canvas (Announcements) 4-6 days prior to the opening of the quiz.
This will list the main topics from each chapter that will be covered.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE QUIZZES:
HOW DO I TAKE THEM?
You take them online at your own computer. You do not need to go to the Testing Center or work with a
proctor.
CAN I USE MY BOOK OR NOTES?
No. Quizzes are closed-book and closed-note.
HOW MANY ATTEMPTS DO I GET FOR EACH QUIZ?
One. I will only allow a second attempt in the case of documented technical issues.
WHAT IS THE FORMAT?
Quizzes will be a combination of true/false, multiple choice, and matching questions. There will generally
be 20-25 questions, worth 2-3 points apiece.
HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE TO TAKE THE QUIZ?
30 minutes, unless you have an accommodation from SSD. If you exceed that time limit, you will be
penalized 1 point for each minute of extra time taken.
WHAT IF I MISS A QUIZ?

If you miss one of the quizzes for any reason, you can retake it on Wednesday, March 18 between 12:01 am
and 11:59 pm. ONLY one quiz can be retaken. If you miss more than one quiz for whatever reason, the
oldest quiz(zes) will be given a zero. You will be required to take the single newest missed quiz. This does
include Quiz 5, which cannot be made up.
CAN I REDO A QUIZ OR DROP MY LOWEST SCORE?
No.
DOCUMENT AND VIDEO/WEBSITE DISCUSSION FORUMS (100 points each)
Each week, you are required to participate in two discussion forumsone that focuses on a posted
document (or documents) and one that focuses on either a posted video or linked website.
To earn full points for each forum, you must post at least THREE TIMES, with the following deadlines:
*Each discussion forum will open at 12:01 am on the Monday of the week.
*Your original thread is due for that forum by 11:59 pm sharp on the Sunday of that week.
*The forum will close for good at 11:59 pm on the Monday of the following week.
The sets of forums will be labeled in the following ways:
WEEK ONEDOCUMENT
WEEK ONEFILM or WEEK ONE--WEBSITE
Each set of forums will be separately graded on a 100-point scale, with the following criteria:
3 posts (with an on-time original thread)
3 posts (without an on-time original thread)
2 posts (no matter what)
1 post (no matter what)
0 posts

10 points
5 points
2 points
1 point
0 points

Its actually not as complicated as I have probably made it out to be. The best thing to do is to pay
particular attention to the specific details and deadlines of each forum, which can be found in the
DISCUSSIONS folder in the left menu bar of our Canvas classroom.
HOW ARE MY POSTINGS SCORED?
This is a participation grade. I do not grade each posting on grammar, etc. However, you should still write
postings that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Promote discussion, NOT simply summarize

Have original ideas (do not copy from other students or others)
Are presented cleanly and clearly. Pay particular attention to spelling, grammar,
capitalization, and sentence structure. Proofread before you submit.
Are at least two paragraphs long (original thread) and one paragraph long (replies)
Are civil and respectful of other students and their opinions. Disagreement is fine, but it
should be civil and not personal. If you abuse the discussion forum in any way, I will remove
you from the discussion forums for the remainder of the course and you will lose those points.

WHAT IF I MISS A FORUM? CAN I MAKE IT UP?

No. Once the deadline for a weekly forum has passed, that forum is closed for good. You cannot submit
replies after the forum has closed. However, even if you missed the deadline for the original thread, you

can still submit it and/or replies and receive partial credit for the week (see scoring above).
WHEN WILL I KNOW MY SCORE?
I do not grade forums throughout the quarter, but rather at the end, based on the formula above.
ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?
The key here is participating fully and consistently. Read the documents, visit the websites, watch the
videos, and participate fully and consistently in discussion forums.
This is a participation grade. If you do your required number of posts per week and theyre legible, you
get your full points for the week. Im not going to read every students every posting every weekI just
cant.
FINAL COMMENTS
HAVE A GREAT QUARTER!!!!! Sincerely, I hope that you have a great quarter and learn something
about this incredibly complex and fascinating subject.
DONT PROCRASTINATE!!!!! In academia, its the deadliest sin. Too often, students get behind and
never catch up.
DO YOUR BEST!!!!! What you put into this class is what you will get out of this.
WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK ERIK!!!!! I will try and help in whatever way I can.