Political Science 101-13



Section 9975 Online

August 24–December 12, 2020

Office hours via Zoom—by appointment

R. Vanden Bosch, Instructor

Email: vandenboschr@mjc.edu

Website:

Course Outline

U. S. history from pre-colonial indigenous America to the late 19th century. The causes, variations, and impacts of colonialism on the Indigenous, African and European Americans will be examined, as will the movement toward national independence and the Revolutionary War. The United States Constitution and resulting institutions will be analyzed, as well as national expansion, reform, and resulting regional/sectional social and political developments through the U. S. Civil War. This course uses the early evolution of the relationships between local, state, and national governments as a comparative framework for understanding contemporary relationships between local, state, and national governments.

Course Learning Outcomes

Outcome #1: Students will be able to demonstrate factual knowledge of key political, economic, social and cultural events and issues in United States history through 1877.

Outcome #2: Students will be able to apply critical thinking (including causal analysis and skeptical inquiry) to historical concepts and developments in history.

Outcome #3: Students will be able to evaluate, analyze and interpret primary and secondary historical sources and make historical arguments based on these sources.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

A. Identify and apply historiographic analysis.

B. Compare historiographic analysis with analytic methods of other social sciences.

C. Compare regional cultural developments between Eastern Woodland, Central Mexican, and California Indigenous Americans with those of Spain, France and England in the 17th century.

D. Identify and describe political, social, economic and technological implications of French, Spanish, and English colonialism.

E. Contrast regional and sectional developments in the American colonies.

F. Analyze the movement toward American nationalism and the resulting Revolutionary War.

G. Analyze the political, social, and economic issues involved in the development of the U. S. Constitution. Identify crucial Supreme Court Constitutional interpretation and analyze its societal impact.

H. Evaluate the character of the culture of the U.S. in the early nationalist period.

I. Analyze the issues of war, revolution, race, class, sex discrimination, and governance found in this period of the American experience.

J. Identify the political, economic, and cultural elements of pre-Civil War regional sectionalism.

K. Define reconstruction in terms of Civil War events.

L. Examine contemporary local, State, and Federal relationships as a product of historic relationships of political cooperative conflict resolution.

M. Analyze the political, social, and economic issues in regarding the 1849 California State Constitution.

N. Define reconstruction in terms of Civil War events.

O. Evaluate the political, economic, and cultural impact of urban industrialization and westward expansion.

1. You will need to check your MJC e-mail and Canvas frequently. All assignments and discussion groups are done through Canvas (the Pearson Revel link to the textbook is located here), so make sure you check in and complete the activities for each chapter. Each chapter concludes with a quiz in Revel that will test what you have learned.

2. You are expected to complete class assignments regularly, to keep up with the reading assignments, and to participate in online discussions. Be realistic with your schedule—I only want the class populated by students who intend to complete the class.

3. [pic] Zoom instructional time and support will be offered for each week. Days and times t.b.d.

4. Copying material/answers from another source or student (i.e. quizzes in Revel, tests, information for the essays and discussion posts off the Internet) without authorization and citation is cheating. You are expected to be honest and honorable in your fulfillment of all activities. Plagiarism and cheating are serious forms of academic misconduct. Cheating may result in an automatic grade of "F" for the course, no matter what the quality of your other class work is. You may also be referred to the Division Office for further disciplinary action. At the very least you will be given a “O” on the assignment without any opportunity to make it up. Please be knowledgeable of MJC’s policy on Academic Freedom and Academic Integrity: . If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Grading (subject to change)

Revel Activities 100 pts.

Discussion Group Questions 100 pts. (10 entries x 10 pts. each)

• Writing Assignments in U.S. History 100 pts. (4 essays x 25 points each)

• Final (waved if all work in and you have an A) 40 pts.

Total 340 pts. (approximately)

Grades vary according to what has been exempted

• A = 90 to 100%

• B = 80 to 89.9%

• C = 70 to 79.9%

• D = 60 to 69.9%

• F = below 59.9%

All activities and due dates are posted in Canvas

Weeks #1–3: August 24–September 13, 2020

[pic] REVEL Registration due Saturday, 8/29/20 by 11:59 P.M.

Areas Being Covered

1: Old Worlds and New, 40,000 BCE to 1400 CE

2: Exploration and Conquest, 1400 to 1600

3: The English Colonial Enterprise, 1600 to 1689

What to Do

1. Read each section in each chapter, watch the videos, engage in the activities, and take a quiz at the end of each section.

2. If you choose to journal, I will select random sections at the end of the semester, and if you have completed it you will earned extra credit. This not required. This will be the same for all chapters.

3. Go to the “Summary” section for each chapter and Read “The Chronology Review,” Study “The Vocabulary Flashcards,” Review “The Chapter Videos” and Browse “The Chapter Images” to prepare for the chapter quiz.

4. REVEL activities (above) and Chapter 1 - 3 Quizzes are due by Sunday, 9/13/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

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Discussion Group Questions: Answer the following questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts. Two other students will automatically be assigned to you, but you are always welcome to reply to other people.  Make sure you include the names of the people to whom you are replying and be thorough in your analysis of their posts.

The initial post (of at least 150 words of substance) is due on or before Thursday, 9/3/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each of substance) are due by Sunday, 9/6/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

What was the Columbian Exchange, how did it affect societies in the Americas and Europe, and in what ways has the Columbian Exchange impacted the world in which you live today?

Discussion Group Questions: Answer the following questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 9/10/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 9/13/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

How did tobacco agriculture shape the evolution of Chesapeake societies? How did the religious ideals of New England society shape its early history?

Weeks #4–6: September 14–October 4, 2020

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Areas Being Covered

4: The English and the Americans, 1689 to 1763

5: Declaring Independence, 1763 to 1776

6: The Revolutionary War, 1776 to 1783

7: The Constitution, 1783 to 1789

What to Do

1. Read each section in each chapter, watch the videos, engage in the activities, and take a quiz.

2. Go to the “Summary” section for each chapter and Read “The Chronology Review,” Study “The Vocabulary Flashcards,” Review “The Chapter Videos” and Browse “The Chapter Images” to prepare for the chapter quiz.

3. REVEL activities (above) and Chapter 4 - 7 Quizzes are due by Sunday, 10/4/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

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Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 9/24/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 9/27/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

How did British policy toward the colonies change after the French and Indian War? How did the Revolution’s ideals of liberty and equality influence American politics and society?

Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 10/1/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 10/4/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

What major problems did America face during the Confederation period? What were the main differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #1: The American Revolution—due Sunday, 10/4/2020 by 5:00 P.M. Instructions below.

Weeks #7–9: October 5–October 25, 2020

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Areas Being Covered

8: Federalists and Republicans, 1789 to 1800

9: Republicans Take Over, 1800 to 1810

10: The Second War of Independence, 1810 to 1820

What to Do

1. Read each section in each chapter, watch the videos, engage in the activities, and take a quiz.

2. Go to the “Summary” section for each chapter and Read “The Chronology Review,” Study “The Vocabulary Flashcards,” Review “The Chapter Videos” and Browse “The Chapter Images” to prepare for the chapter quiz.

3. REVEL activities (above) and Chapter 8 - 10 Quizzes are due by Sunday, 10/25/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

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Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 10/15/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 10/18/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

Did the Washington administration and the first Congress neutralize or exacerbate Anti-Federalist fears? What were the main features of Hamilton’s economic program?

Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 10/22/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 10/25/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

What political, constitutional, and racial ideas defined Jefferson’s presidency and the nature of democracy in the Jeffersonian era?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #2: The Lewis & Clark Expedition—due Sunday, 10/25/2020 by 5:00 P.M. Instructions below.

Weeks #10–12: October 26–November 15, 2020

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Areas Being Covered

11: Jacksonian Democracy, 1820 to 1840

12: Manifest Destiny, 1840 to 1850

13: The Sectional Crisis, 1850 to 1860

What to Do

1. Read each section in each chapter, watch the videos, engage in the activities, and take a quiz.

2. Go to the “Summary” section for each chapter and Read “The Chronology Review,” Study “The Vocabulary Flashcards,” Review “The Chapter Videos” and Browse “The Chapter Images” to prepare for the chapter quiz.

3. REVEL activities (above) and Chapter 11 - 13 Quizzes are due by Sunday, 11/15/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

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Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 11/5/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 11/8/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

How did Manifest Destiny influence American ideas about the West? How did the Mexican War affect American politics?

Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 11/12/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 11/15/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

What were the major differences between the North and South in the 1850s? Why did Southerners interpret the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 as cause for secession?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #3: Drinking and the Temperance Movement—due Sunday, 11/15/2020 by 5:00 P.M. Instructions below.

Weeks #13–15: November 16–December 6, 2020

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Areas Being Covered

14: The Civil War, 1861 to 1865

15: Reconstruction, 1865 to 1877

What to Do

1. Read each section in each chapter, watch the videos, engage in the activities, and journal at the end of each section.

2. Go to the “Summary” section for each chapter and Read “The Chronology Review,” Study “The Vocabulary Flashcards,” Review “The Chapter Videos” and Browse “The Chapter Images” to prepare for the chapter quiz.

3. REVEL activities (above) and Chapter 14 - 15 Quizzes are due by Friday, 12/6/2020.

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Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Wednesday, 11/25/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 11/29/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

What advantages and disadvantages did the North and South possess at the outbreak of the war? How did the demands of war lead to changes in government policy and lifestyle on the home front?

Discussion Group Questions: Answer the questions in your initial post, and then post comments on two other posts that are assigned to you. The initial post (of at least 150 words) is due on or before Thursday, 12/3/2020 (11:59 P.M.); the two follow-up posts (at least 75 words each) are due by Sunday, 12/6/2020 (11:59 P.M.).

How did Reconstruction efforts during the war reveal conflicting visions over the kind of freedoms former slaves would be granted? How did changing Northern attitudes affect the end of Reconstruction?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #4: Causes of the Civil War—due Sunday, 12/6/2020 by 5:00 P.M. Instructions below.

Week 16: December 7–December 12, 2020

Final exam on all the chapters. Opens: Tuesday, 12/8/2020 at 5:30 A.M. and ends at 10:30 P.M. Once you open it you have 50 minutes to complete it. If you have completed all of your work and have earned an A in class at the time of the final exam, you may skip the final.

Discussion Group Assessment Rubric

Participation in the discussion forums is critical for maximizing your learning experiences in this course. You are required to be an active part of an online community who interact to enhance and support the professional development of the group. Part of the assessment criteria for the course includes assessing the timeliness, quality, and quantity of your participation in the discussion forum. Some characteristics considered to be part of excellent discussion contributions are outlined below.

• You should submit your initial post early in the session, and your subsequent responses to the posts of other learners at timely intervals within the duration of the session. The goal is to have a dynamic discussion that lasts throughout the entire session, so do not procrastinate. Make sure you revisit the discussion forum and respond (if necessary) to what other learners have posted to your initial responses.

• Do not ever “borrow” other people’s ideas, especially from the Internet. Everything you type must be your ideas, and not those of another person. Plagiarism will be closely monitored through .

• Your posts and responses should be thorough and thoughtful. Just posting an "I agree" or "Good ideas" will not be considered adequate. Support your statements with examples, experiences, or historical references. Stay within the topic.

• Discussions occur when there is dialogue. Late work is not accepted so please do not ask. Dialogue cannot occur without your thoughts being present.

• Your contributions to the discussions (posts and responses) should be complete and free of grammatical or structural errors. Proofread your responses carefully before submitting them.

This rubric point scale will be used to assess your contribution to the discussion groups.

| |Unsatisfactory |Satisfactory |Exemplary |

| |0 points |1-3 points |4-6 points |

|1st Visit: Initial Post |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |

|(1 post—at least 150 words in length)|* Does not create an initial post on |*Creates an initial post. |*Creates an initial post. |

| |time. |*Post is insufficient in length. |*Submits early in the session. |

| |* Post is insufficient in length, | |*Post is sufficient in length. |

| |and/or does not submit early in the | | |

| |session. | | |

| |Criteria: Knowledge |Criteria: Knowledge |Criteria: Knowledge |

| |*Post does not demonstrate evidence |*Post demonstrates some evidence of |*Post demonstrates clear evidence of |

| |of knowledge and understanding of the|knowledge and understanding of the |knowledge and understanding of the |

| |prompt. |prompt. |prompt. |

| |Criteria: Professionalism |Criteria: Professionalism |Criteria: Professionalism |

| |*Post does not use acceptable |*Post generally uses acceptable |*Post uses acceptable American |

| |American English. |American English. |English |

|Note: A reply is made in visits 2 and 3 by using the 'reply' function. |

| |0 points |1 point |2 points |

|2nd Visit: Reply to other learner(s) |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |

|(At least 1 post early in the |*Does not reply to another student, |*Replies to another learner. |*Replies to another learner. |

|session—at least 75 words in length) |is insufficient in length, and/or |Post is insufficient in length. |*Post is sufficient in length. |

| |does not submit the reply reply on | |*Submits within the time parameters. |

| |time. | | |

| |Criteria: Knowledge |Criteria: Knowledge |Criteria: Knowledge |

| |*Response does not demonstrate |*Response demonstrates some evidence |*Response demonstrates clear evidence|

| |evidence of knowledge and |of knowledge and understanding of the|of knowledge and understanding of the|

| |understanding of the prompt. |prompt. |prompt. |

| |Criteria: Professionalism |Criteria: Professionalism |Criteria: Professionalism |

| |Post does not use acceptable American|Post generally uses acceptable |*Post uses acceptable American |

| |English. |American English. |English, integrates multiple views, |

| | | |and/or provides outside resources |

| | | |from others to take the discussion |

| | | |deeper. |

| |0 points |1 point |2 points |

|3rd Visit: Reply to other learner(s),|Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness second |Criteria: Quantity/timeliness |

|not someone’s initial post. |*Does not reply to a second student, |learner. |*Replies to a second learner. |

|(At least 1 post later in the |is insufficient in length, and/or |*Post is insufficient in length. |*Post is sufficient in length. |

|session—at least 75 words in length) |does not submit the reply on time. | |*Continues to participate in |

| | | |discussion threads until the end of |

| | | |the session. |

| |Criteria: Knowledge |Criteria: Knowledge |Criteria: Knowledge |

| |*Response does not demonstrate |*Response demonstrates some evidence |*Response demonstrates clear evidence|

| |evidence of knowledge and |of knowledge and understanding of the|of knowledge and understanding of the|

| |understanding of the prompt. |prompt. |prompt. |

| |Criteria: Professionalism |Criteria: Professionalism |Criteria: Professionalism |

| |Post does not use acceptable American|Post generally uses acceptable |*Post uses acceptable American |

| |English. |American English. |English, integrates multiple views, |

| | | |and/or provides outside resources |

| | | |from others to take the discussion |

| | | |deeper. |

Writing Assignments in U.S. History Format

Your essay must follow the standard writing formula:

– Thesis/introductory paragraph

• Introductory sentence where you rephrase the question and introduce your arguments. Avoid phrases like “I think” or I believe.”

– Body paragraphs

• At least 3 full-length paragraphs. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence, and when possible, use a transition sentence at the end of each paragraph that leads into the next paragraph.

– Conclusion paragraph. Summarize your argument.

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #1: The American Revolution

After more than a century and a half of English colonial settlement in North America, a coalition of British colonies along the east coast declared their independence from the British crown in the summer of 1776. In the seven years that followed, a bloody war raged, pitting British soldiers and loyal colonists against revolutionary colonists who identified themselves as American. The American Revolution took shape not immediately in the mid-1770s, but over the course of many years. The path to revolution was laid out clearly in 1763 with the end of the Seven Years War between Britain and France, in which many American colonists had fought for Britain. Over the next 13 years, a series of policy decisions by the British Parliament alienated and enraged various groups of colonists, who slowly crafted a distinct national identity.

Consider the challenges anti-British colonists faced in cultivating a new national identity in the 1760s and 1770s. Since the early 1600s, English colonies in North America had been home to a wide variety of people, from different economic classes, ethnic and religious traditions, races, and regions. Think about ways that class, religious, and ethnic identity inhibited the formation of an anti-British coalition.

Write an essay (400 words minimum) that explains the origins of the American Revolution by discussing the specific complaints that different groups of Americans had against the British government. Your essay should explain the series of events between the early 1760s and 1776 that culminated in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. How did so many different groups of Americans, who had long considered themselves to be loyal British subjects, reach a point where they desired to be a free and independent people? Was the American Revolution truly revolutionary?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #2: The Lewis & Clark Expedition

From 1804 to 1806, at the request of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the first American expedition across the vast interior of the North American continent. They departed from St. Louis, headed up the Missouri River, and followed an overland route to the Columbia River, which they followed to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, they encountered and negotiated with various Indian tribes, collected wildlife and soil samples, and charted the geography of the land. The Lewis and Clark expedition has taken on mythic proportions in American culture, and the explorers are often invoked to symbolize a spirit of adventure and endeavor.

In the early years of the American republic, when communication and commerce were quite limited, traveling into a vast wilderness inhabited by potentially hostile Indian groups as well as traders and settlers from Spain, Britain, and France entailed great danger and cost. Think about how Thomas Jefferson justified the expense of the trip and the variety of goals Lewis and Clark hoped to accomplish. Consider the risks of disease, injury, starvation, and violence from people they met.

Write an essay (400 words minimum) that explains the reasons behind Lewis and Clark’s expedition and assesses their success in fulfilling their mission. Your essay should describe the specific needs of the United States in the early 19th century in terms of relations with other countries, commerce, relations with Indians, and the advance of science. What role did the Lewis and Clark expedition play in the growth of the young United States?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #3: Drinking and the Temperance Movement

Alcohol was a very prominent part of American life in the Revolutionary period and into the early nineteenth century. Workers and masters would commonly bond over brewed beer and distilled hard spirits, and scholars estimate that Americans, especially men, consumed up to four times as much alcohol in the late 18th century as they do today. During the 1830s and 1840s, however, the “temperance movement,” which opposed the consumption of alcoholic beverages, became increasingly popular around the country, ultimately leading to the passage of “dry laws,” or legal prohibitions on alcohol, in many states. The spread of temperance occurred alongside a broader movement for social reform that included the rise of evangelicalism, commonly called the Second Great Awakening, as well as the prominence of social reform movements, such as abolitionism.

Think about the substantial social and economic changes that the United States experienced in the second quarter of the nineteenth century, as increasing numbers of Americans left rural agriculture to work for wages in cities. Factory production expanded, cities grew in size, and immigration from European countries like Ireland increased. Consider how demographic changes and different relationships between workers and the owners of factories and businesses changed social relationships, and how those changing relationships influenced the drive for social reform.

Write an essay (400 words minimum) that describes the spread of the temperance movement in the 1830s and 1840s. Your essay should explain how social changes, including the rise of industrial production and the breakdown of the traditional apprentice system, contributed to increased opposition to alcohol. In addition to describing the importance of class, your essay should also discuss the role of gender. In particular, why were women particularly strong supporters of the temperance movement?

Writing Assignments in U.S. History #4: Causes of the Civil War

The first African slaves arrived in what would become the United States in 1619, and by the time of American independence from Britain, slavery was practiced throughout the country. By the early 1800s, however, slavery largely disappeared in the North, even as it became more prominent and more entrenched in the South. As the boom in textile manufacturing, both in the Northeast and in Britain, increased the demand for Southern grown cotton, the Southern economy’s dependence on slavery grew ever stronger. At the same time, Southern culture embedded the institution of slavery and a system of racial hierarchy all the more firmly. When Abraham Lincoln was elected president as a Republican, a party that clearly opposed the extension of slavery, many Southerners came to believe that the institution faced immediate existential threat. As a result of Lincoln’s election, South Carolina seceded from the country in December 1860. In the months that followed, growing regional hostility led ten other states to follow.

The decision to secede from the union did not come lightly to the political leaders of the states that joined the Confederacy. They were aware that they would most likely be forced to defend their secession through military conflict with an industrially and numerically superior North. Consider the many obstacles that stood in the way of southern independence, and the conviction required to take that step. Think also about the role of slavery in southern life, on a material level as well as a cultural level.

Write an essay (400 words minimum) that explains how Southern political leaders became convinced that the institution of slavery was under attack by the North, and especially by Lincoln and the Republican party. Your essay should explain how the debates over the future of slavery changed in the generation before the Civil War began in 1861. Why was slavery so important to Southern political leaders that they seceded?

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