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HIST2265
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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. |
At least one college-level survey of US history is a prerequisite for HIST2265 |
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Special provisos: |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Mutual respect: 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.
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Important policies:
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| Class procedure: Reading discussions, lectures. |
| You will earn your grade by performing the following activities: | ||
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| activity | %value | Description |
Online discussions |
10 | Required participation: discuss readings available in WebCT. Discussions
should demonstrate ability to communicate clearly and think critically.
Posts should be concise--not over 250 words. Objective: expose student to a variety of opinions, primary source documents, and a variety of course information; encourage critical reading and thinking; expression in writing. |
Essays |
10 |
...on your choice from a list of items listed in assigned topic sets.
They should demonstrate factual accuracy, clear thinking and ability to
use standard English. |
| 10 | ||
Book Review |
10 | Prepare and submit
(via WebCT) a 250-500 word review of a book related to the course. Pre-approved
book list. Objective: broaden knowledge base; encourage good reading habits; develop critical reading, thinking and writing skills. |
Museum visit |
5 | Visit Stately Oaks, King Memorial District,
Carter Center, High Museum of Art, New Echota or Atlanta
History Center. [Other museums require advance approval.] Submit 250-500
word report
via WebCT. Objective: exposure to materials not available in a classroom; develop critical thinking and writing skills |
Exams |
15 | 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. Objective: both student and instructor evaluate the quality of the body of knowledge developed by the student; opportunity to evaluates tudy methods, and adjust if necessary, |
| 15 | ||
| 15 | ||
U.S. quizzes |
6 | 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 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. |
Participation |
4 | Perfect
attendance will earn 2 points. There is a 1-point deduction for each
unexcused
absence. Objective: encourage timely and regular attendance {also encouraged in the conduct of class meetings.). |
Optional reports |
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You will have opportunities to earn
1-5 bonus points for your exams by attending and reporting in
writing on certain campus events. These will be announced in class and
may also be posted on this site or in WebCT. Objective: expose students to a variety of opportunities for intellectual growth outside of the classroom; encourage initiative. |
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Information on the "Syllabus
All" page also applies to this
class. |
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