Discipline: History Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

History 6H


COURSE DESCRIPTION
6H Honors Pol Soc Hist of US Units: 3.00
 
Prerequisite(s): None.

Advisory: Qualification for ENG-1A.
Limitation on Enrollment: Enrollment in the Honors Program.
Political, social and economic development of the United States from colonial foundations to 1877; the evolution of American thought and institutions; principles of national, state, and local government. This Honors course offers an enriched experience for accelerated students by limited class size, seminar format, student generated and led discussions and projects, the application of higher level thinking, reading, and writing skills – analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Students may not receive credit for both HIS-6 and HIS-6H. 54 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
Offers students in the Honors Program an enriched introduction to the history of the United States from colonial time to 1877.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
Before entering the course, students will be able to:
  1. Critically discuss and analyze primary and secondary texts, recognizing key ideas and responding to both oral and written form;

  2. Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate concepts studied in primary and secondary texts using intermediate to advanced critical thinking skills;

  3. Compose developed, unified, stylistically competent writing assignments and adjust writing to the target audience with intermediate to advanced skill.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

Understand, describe, and evaluate the origins, development and influence of the political, economic, cultural and social movements and ideas in American life from the colonial era to 1877.

Describe, interpret, analyze and evaluate historical information.

Identify and apply the various sources of historical information and research methodologies.

Compare and contrast different historical ideas and traditions.

Identify, cite, state and evaluate the significance of primary historical documents and (contemporary) historians evaluations of such documents.

Comprehend, evaluate, and discuss contemporary issues and problems in American society in light of their roots in the past.

Apply college-level methods of analysis and evaluation to discussing and writing about American history from the colonial era to 1877.

Demonstrate ability to think creatively and independently.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 
  1. Introduction  - The Nature of History, Historical Documents and Historical
  2. Arguments
  3. Precolonial Native Americans
  4. European Background
  5. Establishment, economic, and political development of colonies to 1763
  6. The American Revolution (1763-1783)
  7. The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
  8. The Federalist and Republican Administrations
  9. The Rise of Sectionalism
  10. The Slavery Controversy and Territorial Expansion
  11. The Civil War and Reconstruction
  12. Honors courses include a focus on primary texts from the era under study; active student involvement in a seminar format – with student generated discussions, presentations, and projects. Honors students may be assigned reading, writing. 
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Class lectures outlining key historical movements and examples of historical arguments.
  • Class discussions about disputed issues and differing interpretations of historical events.
  • Reading assignments involving both primary and secondary sources; oral histories/interviews; web-based resource.
  • Instructional media as provided by the current technology.
  • Small group discussions to further explore issues from readings and lecture.
  • Reports and papers.
  • Field Trips.
  • Handouts.
  • Cooperative learning tasks.
  • Guest lectures and/or attendance at lectures, symposiums, museums, and historical events in order to further facilitate the stated learning objectives and develop the students appreciation for history.
  • The Honors class will place special attention on activities that require critical and  dialectical thinking, reading and writing and student initiative, preparation and participation, including class discussions, presentations, research, and group work.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • The writing of a minimum of 5000 words (approximately 20 pages) of formal interpretive/analytical prose; additional informal written assignments designed to assess “on the spot” understanding of historical concepts and arguments.
  • Individual and group assignments designed to demonstrate successful understanding and application of basic concepts and definitions of historical periods, events, and movements in US history to 1877.
  • Questions on topics and content designed to evaluate students’ understanding of the key approaches to understanding US history to 1877.
  • Quizzes/examinations designed to assess students’ ability to recall, critically analyze and apply key concepts and course content.
  • Participation and regular attendance as required by instructor to ensure progress in mastering the course content and participation in collaborative learning project.
  • Final essay designed to assess students’ mastery of the essential concepts explored in the course.
  • The Honors class will place special attention on activities that require critical and analytical thinking; a dialectical approach to discussion; and student initiative, preparation, and participation, including class-led discussions, presentations, peer review of writing, independent research, and responsible group work.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • Possible texts may include, but are not limited to the following:

    1. Major Problems in US History: Documents and Essays in US History (Series)
    2. The Bedford Series in History and Culture
    3. Voices of the American Past Documents in US History (Volume I) by Raymond M. Hyser and J. Chris Arndt
    4. A More Perfect Union: Documents in US History (Volume I) by Paul F. Boller, Jr. and Ronald Story
    5. Thinking Through the Past: A Critical Thinking Approach to US History (Volume I) by John Hollitz
    6. Voices of a People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove
    7. Our Nation’s Archives: The History of the United States in Documents by Bruun & Crosby
    8. Letters of a Nation by Andrew Carroll
    9. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness: Documents in American History (Volume I) by P. Scott Corbett and Ronald C. Naugle
    10. A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
    11. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself by Harriet A. Jacobs (Linda Brent)
    12. Life and Times of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
    13. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen
    14. American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson and the Woman Who Defied the Puritans by Eve LaPlante
    15. Tobacco Culture: The Mentality of the Great Tidewater Planters on the Eve of Revolution by Timothy Breen
    16. Charlotte Temple by Susanna Rowson
    17. Works by Herman Melville, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, etc
    18. Poems of Phillis Wheatley
    19. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
    20. Diary of Christopher Columbus
    21. Native American Creation Stories (ie “Woman Who Fell From the Sky”)
    22. Indentured Servant contracts
    23. Colonial Court Records (ie The Execution of Mary Dyer, MA Court Records, 1660)
    24. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon by Jonathan Edwards
    25. Plan of Union by Benjamin Franklin
    26. Olaudah Equiano’s Slave Narrative
    27. The Stamp Act
    28. The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson
    29. “Remember the Ladies” letter by Abigail Adams
    30. The Federalist Papers
    31. Marbury v. Madison (any applicable Supreme Court decisions)
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