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

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

History 7H


COURSE DESCRIPTION
7H 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 1877 to the present; the evolution of American thought and institution; 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-7 and HIS-7H. 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 1877 to the present.
 
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 1877 to the present.

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Identify, cite, state and evaluate the significance of primary historical documents and (contemporary) historians evaluations of such documents.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 1877 to the present.

Demonstrate ability to think creatively and independently.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 
  1. Introduction  - The Nature of History, Historical Documents and Historical
  2. Arguments
  3. The Rise and Regulation of Business
  4. The Rise of Organized Labor
  5. The Farmer and Agricultural Problems
  6. The Reform Movements
  7. Populists
  8. Progressives
  9. WWI
  10. Reaction, Depression, and the New Deal
  11. WWII
  12. The Cold War
  13. The New Frontier
  14. The Great Society
  15. Vietnam War
  16. Post-Vietnam America
  17. US Foreign Affairs
  18. 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, and other outside assignments that exceed the equivalent of the regular two hours per one hour of class time.
 
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 resources
  • Instructional media as provided by the current technology
  • Small group discussions to further explore issues from readings and lectures
  • 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 from 1877 to the present
  • Questions on topics and content designed to evaluate students’ understanding of the key approaches to understanding US history from 1877 to the present
  • 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 projects
  • 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 II) by Raymond M. Hyser and J. Chris Arndt
    4. A More Perfect Union: Documents in US History (Volume II) by Paul F. Boller, Jr. and Ronald Story
    5. Thinking Through the Past: A Critical Thinking Approach to US History (Volume II) 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 II) by P. Scott Corbett and Ronald C. Naugle
    10. Harvest Poems by Carl Sandburg
    11. Souls of Black Folk by WEB DuBois
    12. The Great Depression by Michael A. Bernstein
    13. Race Riot by William M. Tuttle
    14. Oil! by Upton Sinclair
    15. It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
    16. There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
    17. The Populist Moment by Lawrence Kazin
    18. Chants Democratic by Sean Wilentz
    19. City of Women by Christine Stansell
    20. Decade of Betrayal by Francisco Balderrama and Raymond Rodriquez
    21. The Vietnam Wars by Marilyn B. Young
    22. Young, White and Miserable by Wini Breinis
    23. The End of Victory Culture by Tom Englehardt
    24. The Way We Never Were by Elaine Tyler May
    25. The Sixties by Todd Gitlin
    26. Dark Sweat, White Gold by Devra Weber
    27. Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody
    28. Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley
    29. This Little Light of Mine – autobiography of Fanny Lou Hamer
    30. Port Huron Statement – SDS
    31. Youth, Identity, Power by Carlos Munoz
    32. Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver
04/06
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