F. Douglass portrait

HIST2265Sitting Bull porotrait

Minorities in American History

In Minorities in American History we will use  a combination of lectures, discussions and videos  to examine the role of African-Americans, Indians, and various ethnic minorities in the history of the United States.

Throughout the course you will have opportunities to expand and refine your basic factual knowledge of U.S. history with regard to the roles of minority persons and events involving them; to develop deeper understanding of the mentalities found in various groups and eras; to understand and apply some methods and standards of professional historians, using precise  reading and effective writing.

Go to Part I of this syllabus 

Special provisos:

Open-mindedness:

We will understand that history is not a simple tale of good guys and bad guys.  We will remain open to complexity, paradox and contradiction. When opinions are expressed we will assume good intentions unless strong evidence to the contrary appears. We will state our reactions or objections courteously and we will listen with equal courtesy to the views of others.

Nomenclature: 

We will attempt to be polite and we will avoid pejoratives, but no one should become unduly exercised over words used to describe any given group. Example:  We may say Indian, American Indian, Native American, or Amerind; we won’t under normal circumstances use redskin.

Reading

Selected readings will be posted in GeorgiaVIEW.  They will be announced in class.

Important policies:
bulletAt least one college-level survey of US history is a prerequisite for HIST2265
bulletAll homework will be submitted using GeorgiaVIEW.
Nothing will be accepted by email or other means, without advance permission
bulletAny instance of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty can result in serious penalties.  All offences will be referred to the University administration. See link to details at the bottom of this page.
bulletAll absences must be explained in writing to be excused. Unexcused absences will result in loss of course points.
bulletSee "Syllabus All" for other course policies.
Class procedure:  Reading discussions, lectures. 

Requirement

Comments

Class meetings

Be prompt.  If you are more than 5 minutes  late, see me after class.  If you miss 20% of classes or are chronically late, you may suffer a serious grade penalty.

Prompt attendance and thoughtful attention are expected.  Questions and occasional comments are welcome.
Click here for the planned lecture topics--but remember that this is an intention, not a contract!  Things may change a bit as we go along.  It is a pdf--you can print out a copy.  Numbers in brackets refer to pages in the textbook.

U.S. quizzes
[5%]
These multiple choice quizzes test your general knowledge of US history for a given period of time.  They are for your benefit­-to discover whether or not  you need to read-up on the background of the period  under discussion. Take them on your own time until you can pass with a grade of 80% or better.
Objective: motivate the student to grasp fundamental aspects of US history that are essential for full appreciation of other materials presented in lectures and readings.

Book Review
[15%]
 

  Prepare and submit (via GeorgiaVIEW) a 250-500 word review of a book related to the course. Choose from the  Pre-approved book list.  or propose a similar book. As books are chosen, the reader's name will be posted on the list.
Objective: broaden knowledge base; encourage good reading habits; develop critical reading, thinking and writing skills.

Major Exams:

Midterm (includes essay 1) [40%]

Final (includes essay 2)  [40%]

In the middle and near the end of the course, you will prepare a 1-2 page opinion essay (soundly based in evidence!) on your choice of assigned topics. Prepared out of class.

These exams will be fact-based (not opinion) tests of lectures and reading.   Taken online, in class. May include multiple choice, matching, short answer, and map questions.  No long essays.

A failing grade on the final exam may result in an F for the course, if your average is below 65 course points.


Objective: both student and instructor evaluate the quality of the body of knowledge developed by the student; opportunity to evaluate study methods, and adjust if necessary,  

UNGRADED QUIZZES For your own information; ungraded; optional.

Optional:
Museum visit   

0-5 bonus points added to Major exams before averaging.

Visit Stately Oaks, King Memorial District, Carter Center, High Museum of Art (look for exhibits that pertain to the course), New Echota or Atlanta History Center. Other museums require advance approval.  Submit 1-2 page report via GaVIEW.
Objective: exposure to materials not available in a classroom; develop critical thinking and writing skills

Warning!

 

Click here to read to the plagiarism warning.  This will be tested in GeorgiaVIEW