Course Requirements for U. S. History to 1865 - Patrick Reed - Office LR 306
Office Hours - MR 8:45-9:30a, MR 1:45-2p, W 10:30-11a
(703) 450-2528 - www.nvcc.edu/home/preed
1. Attend class. Attendance and class participation will account for 25% of your final grade. After two absences, each missed class reduces the final grade by one point. You are expected to arrive for class on time or to slip into class as unobtrusively as possible if late arrival is occasionally unavoidable. Habitual latecomers will be embarrassed. Cellular phones must be turned off, while laptops may be used only for class purposes. Because of the large class size, you should be recognized before making comments or asking questions. Students are required to print, and bring with them to class, course outlines from the instructor's website. Food and beverages are not allowed in the classroom unless all debris and recyclables are removed to appropriate receptacles. The "W" grade is not an option after March 26th and, if you remain on the roll after that time, non-completion of the course will earn you an "F" (except in case of an emergency certified as such prior to April 29th). The "I" grade will be given only to a student who has made every effort to complete assignments and requests special consideration on or before April 29th. An "I" grade must be changed before the end of the next semester.
2. Read the assignments below.
Class activities are prepared with the assumption that students are familiar
with the following readings from Volume I of Eric Foner’s Give Me
Week #1 - Old and New Worlds, Liberty! pp. 1-35; Portrait pp. 1-27.
Week #2 - American Paradox: Slavery and Freedom, Liberty! pp. 36-54, 87-89; Portrait pp. 28-40.
Week #3 - Witches and Misfits, Liberty! pp. 54-87, 89-95; Portrait pp. 41-47.
Week #4 - Great Awakenings, Liberty! pp. 95-138; Portrait pp. 48-75.
Week #5 - Revolution in Mind, Liberty! pp. 138-170; Portrait pp. 76-89; then first test, on pp. 1-170 in Liberty! and pp. 1-89 in Portrait.
Week #6 - The External Revolution, Liberty! pp. 170-178.
Week #7 - Confederation Aggravation and Conventional Wisdom, Liberty! pp. 179-231; Portrait pp. 102-116.
Week #8 - Hamilton and Jefferson, Liberty! pp. 231-260; Portrait pp. 117-128.
Week #9 - Revolution's Resolution, Liberty! pp. 260-271; Portrait pp. 89-101, 165-180.
Week #10 - Second test, on pp. 170-271 in Liberty! and pp. 89-128, 165-180 in Portrait.
Week #11 - An American System, Liberty! pp. 310-316; Portrait pp. 181-190.
Week #12 - "Jacksonian Democracy", Liberty! pp. 303-310; Portrait pp. 316-336.
Week #13 - North and South, Liberty! pp. 272-302, 337-366; Portrait pp. 191-214, 242-267, 289-310.
Week #14 - Persistent Nationalism, Liberty! pp. 367-413; Portrait pp. 147-164, 229-241, 277-288.
Week #15 - Uncivil War, Liberty! pp. 413-466; Portrait pp. 311-360.
Week #16 - Third test, on pp. 272-466 in Liberty! and pp. 129-146, 181-360 in Portrait.
Week #17 - "Killer Angels", The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara.
3. Take at least two of three tests. Tests will include a choice of essay questions as well as a number of objective questions. Each test will account for 25% of a student's grade. Students opting to turn in a paper (see guidelines below) may drop their lowest test score or miss a test. No make-up tests will be given, so anyone missing a test must turn in a paper by April 29th. Students can also expect in-class quizzes on readings from Portrait in America. Grades on these quizzes will count toward the Attendance/Participation portion of the final grade. Again no make-up quizzes will be given, and after two missed classes with quizzes, absences on quiz days will count double.
4. Read The Killer Angels and write a(n) optional paper. By the last week of the course, read and, to make up for a missed test or to drop a low
test grade, write a paper about The
Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara. Be prepared to discuss the
book in class and, if you write a paper, focus on a single character and
describe why he says he is fighting in the Civil War. Why is he really
fighting? Is he sure of the reasons that have brought him to