AMH 2010 – History of the United States
Course Syllabus
Fall 2016
Instructor and Course Meeting Information
Instructor: Mr. Gary Henkel
Cell Phone: (727) 418-0682
Office Hours:
Tuesday and Thursday 8:15am - 9am and after class
Course Location: SA 324
Meeting Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Class Time(s): 11:00AM – 12:15PM
Important Dates
Drop/Add: 10/20/2016
Course Dates: This course begins 8/16 and ends 12/8
Final Exam: 12/8/2016
Academic Department
Dean: Dr. Joseph Smiley
Office Location: LY 150, 727-712-5851
Academic Chair: Dr. Roberto Loureiro
Office Location: SA 205, 727-341-3556
Discipline Information
Generally defined as the study of human society and human relationships in and to society, the
discipline of social and behavioral sciences includes psychology, sociology, anthropology,
history, political science, economics, and education. Additionally, the discipline employs
qualitative and quantitative research methods, using questionnaires, focus groups, case studies,
laboratory-based data collection, statistical sampling, ethnography, archival retrieval, and
comparative approaches to the study of societies. Finally, theoretical frameworks in the
discipline include a broad range of established and more recent contributions, all of which seek
to explain and predict future human phenomena based on a body of reliable data.
Course Description and Content
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This course addresses history in the land that becomes the United States of America, beginning with the
migration of the Western Hemisphere’s original inhabitants. It briefly surveys the pre-Columbian Native
American cultures. It also examines the impacts of the European “discovery” and settlement of North
America on various groups of Native Americans, on Europeans at home and in the colonies, and on
Africans forced into slavery in the New World. The course emphasizes the political, economic, social,
cultural and religious aspects of life in the English North American colonies through their evolution into
the United States, from the country’s developmental years through the end of the Civil War. This course
partially satisfies the writing requirements outlined in the General Education Requirements. 47 contact
hours.
NOTE: A listing of class meeting dates, lecture titles, and pages to be read for each lecture appears
at the end of this syllabus.
Course Objectives
1. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the early migration and gradual settlement of
the Western Hemisphere by Native Americans, the European "discovery" of the New
World and its impacts, including the massive forced African immigration (to 1588).
2. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the British entry into the New World (1603 1752).
3. The student will demonstrate knowledge of life in the English colonies of North America
(1700-1763).
4. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the aftermath of the French and Indian War
and the mounting rebellion British demands incited in the colonies (1763 - 1776).
5. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the American independence movement, the
Revolutionary War, and the emergence of a new nation (1775-1783).
6. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the competing visions of "republic," the
creation and contents of the Articles of Confederation and of the original United States
Constitution, and the major divergence in Alexander Hamilton's and Thomas Jefferson's
views of government (1776-1796).
7. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the early republic, the limited war with
France, the emergence of a two-party system, and the impacts of the Jeffersonian era
(1796-1804).
8. The student will demonstrate knowledge of America's renewal of independence (18051814) and the effects of the War of 1812.
9. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Era of Good Feelings, of the changing
regional economies, of African Americans' lives in the South, and of the technological
and political changes in America (1815-1819).
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10. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the United States' dynamic growth and the
consequences of that growth from 1820-1827.
11. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the politics and change in Jacksonian
America (1828-1840).
12. The student will demonstrate knowledge of America's Westward Expansion and Manifest
Destiny (1841-1849).
13. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the sectional conflict that shattered the
American union (1850-1860).
14. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, events, outcomes and impacts of
the Civil War (1861-1865).
15. The student will demonstrate increased ability in writing.
16. The student will demonstrate critical thinking skills in writing assignments and in
classroom discussion.
Required Course Textbook & Other Resource Information
1) Of the People: A History of the United States, Vol I to 1877, Second Edition; Boydston,
Cullather, Lewis, McGerr, Oakes; Oxford University Press; ISBN-13: 978-0-19-5370942
2) Journal Articles and Primary Source documents—the required reading for this class
includes the following twenty (20) journal articles and primary source documents:
1. Gorn, Elliott J. ""Gouge and Bite, Pull Hair and Scratch": The Social Significance of
Fighting in the Southern Backcountry." The American Historical Review 90, no. 1
(1985): 18-43.
2. Butler, Jon. "Enthusiasm Described and Decried: The Great Awakening as
Interpretative Fiction." The Journal of American History 69, no. 2 (1982): 305-325.
3. Bonomi, Patricia and Peter Eisenstadt. “Church Adherence in the Eighteenth-Century
British Empire.” The William and Mary Quarterly 39, no. 2 (1982):245-287.
4. Benjamin Franklin, Testimony Against the Stamp Act (1766)
5. The Boston “Massacre” or Victims of Circumstance? (1770)
6. John Dickinson, from Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania (1768)
7. Peter Oliver, Origin and Progress of the American Rebellion: A Tory View (1781)
8. Shays’s Rebellion: Letters of Generals William Shepard and Benjamin Lincoln to
Governor James Bowdoin of Massachusetts (1787)
9. Divergent Reactions to Shays’s Rebellion (1787)
10. Patrick Henry Speaks Against Ratification of the Constitution (1787)
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11. James Madison Defends the Constitution (1788)
12. Mahon, John K. "The First Seminole War, November 21, 1817-May 24, 1818." The
Florida Historical Quarterly 77, no. 1 (1998): 62-67.
13. Prucha, F. P.. "Andrew Jackson's Indian Policy: A Reassessment." The Journal of
American History 56, no. 3 (1969): 527-539.
14. Andrew Jackson, First Annual Message to Congress (1829)
15. William Lloyd Garrison, First Issue of The Liberator (1831)
16. George Fitzhugh, Slavery Justified (1854)
17. A Black Abolitionist Speaks Out (1829)
18. John L. O’Sullivan, "Annexation" (1845)
19. Across the Plains With Catherine Sager Pringle in 1844
20. McPherson, James M. "The Hedgehog and the Foxes." Journal of the Abraham
Lincoln Association 12 (1991): 49-65.
21. McPherson, James M. "Who Freed the Slaves?." Proceedings of the American
Philosophical Society 139, no. 1 (1995): 1-10.
(Copies can be found on my web page in MyCourses)
Expectations/Course Etiquette & Netiquette
These classes will be primarily lectures. An outline for each lecture is posted on my website in
MyCourses to guide you and help you organize your notes and reading. I expect you to listen
carefully and take notes on these lectures and to ask me questions about anything you do not
understand or need to have clarified.
It is important that you complete the reading assignments BEFORE each lecture so that you can
make sense of what I talk about. My lectures do not simply repeat the textbook (much of the
material in the lectures is not in the textbook). Instead they are intended to supplement and explain
the reading material. Only by doing the reading ahead of time and then integrating the lecture
material with it, can you gain a good understanding of the topics presented.
You should:

Bring the assigned reading with you to each class meeting (both the textbook and any
supplementary readings that have been distributed).

Be punctual: come to class on time and stay for the entire class period. Occasionally, we
may all be late to a class for unavoidable reason, but do not make it a habit. Walking in
late or leaving early is always disruptive to your classmates and the instructor.

The use of all electronic devices is not permitted in the classroom; laptops will be
allowed with special permission.
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In turn, my modus operandi for teaching American History is to: display a high level of energy;
demonstrate a passion as well as intellect for the material to engage your emotions; make the
course challenging; be highly available for the students, and; make the course enjoyable.
How will I accomplish the above? I will bring a high level of energy to the classroom. Second, I
will include topics that are of interest and importance and/or controversial that I believe will
capture the interest of the students, and where applicable, relate it to current events. Included
topics will be: matters concerning native-Americans; slavery and gender issues; states’ rights
versus slavery arguments; and, controversial persons including Jefferson and Jackson. Third,
during classroom sessions, I will compliment the required reading with maps, videos, websites,
and artifacts that will enhance your learning experience. Fourth, for the students, I will (1)
answer your emails promptly, (2) enable you to contact me via cell phone, (3) establish office
hours that are convenient for you to meet with me, and (4) engage your help in making the
coursework an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Student/Teacher Meetings
Since I am a part-time instructor, I will only be on campus on Tuesday and Thursday from
8:00am until 12:30pm. If you would like to meet with me outside of those times, I will be happy
to arrange a time to meet with you at a convenient location. Please contact me via email or my
cell phone to set up a meeting.
Attendance and the Withdrawal Date
Without you, the class does not work well!
You are expected to attend class. Absences should be avoided if at all possible. If an absence
should occur, the material missed is the responsibility of the student. Notification of any
anticipated absences that may conflict with a scheduled exam must be given to me prior to the
absence so that a make-up exam can be scheduled. If you wish to withdraw, you can do so
through Oct 20, 2016. After this date, I am prohibited by the College to approve withdrawals,
though you may receive a grade of “WF” if you fail to complete the course or violate the
attendance policy after the voluntary withdrawal date.
Academic Dishonesty
Cheating during tests and quizzes or intentional plagiarism in essays or class projects will result
in an “F” on that assignment and a referral to my academic chair, Mr. Joseph Leopold. Please
refer to the SPC policy regarding this issue. Here is the link:
http://www.spcollege.edu/central/botrules/R4/4_461.doc.
Instructional Continuity Plan
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In the event of a weather emergency or natural disaster that prevents students from attending
class for a period of time, your instructor will email you with instructions on how to complete
this course in an online modality.
Syllabus Addendum
http://www.spcollege.edu/addendum/
Student Survey of Instruction
The Student Survey of Instruction (SSI) is administered in courses each semester. It is designed
to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are
confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance
improvement. The SSI will be given online using the MyCourses Learning Management
System.
Requirements and Grading
1. Exams
a. Students will be required to take four exams, each worth 100 points for a total of
400 points
b. Exams 1-3
i. Will be administered online (MyCourses) and must be completed by a
certain date as shown in the class schedule at the end of the syllabus
ii. Will consist of eighty (80) multiple-choice or TRUE/FALSE questions
that will account for one hundred (100) points
c. Final Exam
i. Will be given in class during Final Exam week
ii. Will not be cumulative—will cover material since the third exam only
iii. Will consist of eighty multiple-choice and TRUE/FALSE questions that
will account for one hundred (100) points
2. Book Reading Quizzes (140 total points)
a. There will be fourteen (14) quizzes on the required reading assignments from the
textbook
b. The quizzes will be administered online in MyCourses and each must be
completed by a certain date as shown in the class schedule at the end of the
syllabus
c. Each quiz will consist of twenty (20) multiple-choice questions worth ½ point for
a total of 10 points
3. Journal Article/Primary Source Document Quizzes (80 total points)
a. There will be eight (8) quizzes on the assigned Journal Article/Primary Source
documents
b. Will be administered in class
c. Each quiz will consist of five (5) multiple-choice and TRUE/FALSE questions
worth 2 points each for a total of 10 points
4. Presentation (20 points)
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a. Each student will be required to make one presentation covering the main points
from the Journal Articles/Primary Source Documents assigned for a selected class
b. This will be a group assignment with 2 or more students sharing in the
presentation
5. Research Paper (100 points)
6. Participation (attendance): 60 points
Grade Points Summary
Exams
Book Reading Quizzes
Journal Article/Primary Source Document Quizzes
Presentation
Research Paper
Participation (attendance)
Total
Points
400
140
80
20
100
60
800
NOTE: Exam or Quiz Make-ups: ONLY ONE MAKE-UP WILL BE PERMITTED FOR
ANY OF THE THREE ONLINE EXAMS OR FOURTEEN BOOK READING QUIZZES.
FOR THE MAKE-UP, YOU WILL RECEIVE 50% OF YOUR ACTUAL SCORE. ANY
ADDITIONAL MISSED EXAMS OR BOOK READING QUIZZES WILL RECEIVE A
GRADE OF ZERO.
Grading Scale
A= 100-90%
B= 89-80%
C= 79-70%
D= 69-60%
F= 59% and below
Research Paper
[Note: This course requires that students complete at least 1,200 written words in order to receive
a passing grade. Furthermore, a passing grade of "C" must be accomplished if you are an A.A.
degree-seeking student. A grade below "C" will not count toward graduation and you must repeat
the course.]
You are required to write a research paper on any topic you choose related to the content of the
course and approved by me. The requirements are as follows:
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I.
Topic
a. Choose a topic of interest to you and then narrow it so you can completely cover
your subject within the 1,200-word requirement (even if you choose to have more
than 1,200 words, the topic will still need to be narrowly focused).
b. The topic must be relative to United States history from the period of history
appropriate to the class as follows:
i. AMH2010: from 1400 to the end of the Civil War
ii. AMH2020: from the end of the Civil War to present
c. The topic should be appropriate to historical investigation requiring research.
II.
Resources
a. Research for the paper will be based on a minimum of three scholarly resources.
The sources may be comprised of any combination of books, journals,
newspapers, videos, websites, or any other applicable media, but cannot be
websites only. Do not use textbooks, encyclopedias, or encyclopedia-type
websites such as Wikipedia.
b. NOTE: AT LEAST ONE RESOURCE MUST BE A BOOK.
c. Websites:
i. Do not use Wikipedia since the information contained on this site cannot be
trusted.
ii. Other websites that should not be used: history.howstuffworks.com,
answers.com and others.
iii. Most .edu and .gov sites will probably be fine.
d. Encyclopedias should not be used.
e. Documentation of Sources
i. The format of the paper and references must conform to specified MLA
format.
ii. References: must conform to specified MLA format and appear at the end
of the paper and arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.
iii. Citing Sources in the Text: as stated in the MLA format, whenever you
incorporate another’s words, facts, or ideas, you should insert in the text
the author’s last name, and page number (when applicable), within
parentheses.
III.
Writing
a. Develop a thesis in the first paragraph; prove it in the body of your paper by
providing supporting evidence; and state your conclusions at the end.
b. Do not use the first person (such as “I conclude”) to state your opinions. Your
opinions and conclusions are presumed to be yours unless they are properly cited
as coming from your sources.
c. Attempt to be objective about your subject and information. One good way to do
this is by examining sources that present a variety of perspectives, and draw your
own conclusions.
d. Use active instead of passive voice as much as possible.
IV.
Mechanics
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a. The paper must be a minimum of 1,200 words not including the Works Cited
page(s).
b. Page numbers: number all pages including the first page at the top-right of the
page.
c. Double space all text.
d. Text Formatting: use 12-point type and the Times New Roman typeface.
e. Staple the paper in the upper left corner.
V.
VI.
VII.
Paper Submission
a. Submit a hardcopy as well as a softcopy to me on or before the due date stated in
the syllabus.
Late Papers
a. LATE PAPERS WILL RECEIVE A ZERO GRADE
Important dates
a. Sept 22, 2016: Select and have topic approved by me on or before this date.
b. Oct. 20, 2016: Finalized paper submitted.
c. Anytime: to give you a second chance, you may turn in your paper early so that I
can review it and make recommendations for changes to make before you submit
your finalized paper.
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Weekly Assignments
Lecture
Number
1
Date
Aug 16
Topic
(1) Introduction to the class
Assignment
Chapters in
Of the
People
1
(2) The Discovery of America: “We walked over here long ago!
What took you so long?”
2
Aug 18
3
Aug 22
Aug 23
(3) The Spanish in the Americas: They “suffered from a disease of
the heart that only gold could cure.”
(1) England’s and France’s Colonization Efforts: “We didn’t know
our soldiers couldn’t fend for themselves.”
Book Reading Quiz #1 due by 11:59pm
(1) The Dutch Get into the Act: “All we wanted was to go to China,
but a bunch of land got in our way.”
2
2
3
(2) Pilgrims and Puritans: Those Who Sought Tolerance Were
Intolerant.
4
5
Aug 25
(3) Slavery in Antiquity and the United States
(1) Slavery in Antiquity and the United States (continued)
Aug 29
Aug 30
(2) The Development of Regionally Unique Colonial Societies:
Carolinas, Virginia/Chesapeake, the Middle Colonies, and New
England
Book Reading Quizzes #2 and #3 due by 11:59pm
Quiz #1 – Journal Article
““Gouge and Bite, Pull Hair and Scratch”: The Social Significance
of Fighting in the Southern Backcountry”
(1) The Development of Regionally Unique Colonial Societies:
Pennsylvania and the Backcountry
(2) Mercantilism and the Navigation Acts: The Mother Country
Wants Her Colonies to Succeed but not at Her Expense.
11
4
3 and 4
4
Lecture
Number
6
7
Date
Sept 1
Sept 5
Sept 6
Topic
(1) English Settlements and the Threat to Indian Culture: “Thanks for
the help, but now we want your land, so get out of our way.”
(2) The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening: The Early “It’s all
about me” Movements
Book Reading Quiz #4 due by 11:59pm
Quiz #2 – Journal Articles
Assignment
Chapters in
Of the People
5
5
5
“Enthusiasm Described and Decried: The Great Awakening
as Interpretative Fiction”
“Church Adherence in the Eighteenth-Century British
American Colonies”
8
Sept 8
Sept 8-12
9
Sept 13
10
Sept 15
(1) England and France Duke it Out for Sixty Years While Spain
Hops from Team to Team: Would countries really go to war over
an ear?
(1) Research Paper: Requirements and Expectations
Exam #1: Take on MyCourses anytime from noon on Sept. 8
until 11:59pm on Sept. 12
(1) The French and Indian War: “Since nobody won anything the last
time, let’s try again.”
Quiz #3 – Primary Source Documents
Lectures 1-7
6
6
1. Benjamin Franklin, Testimony Against the Stamp Act
(1766)
2. The Boston “Massacre” or Victims of Circumstance?
(1770)
3. John Dickinson, from Letters from a Farmer in
Pennsylvania (1768)
4. Peter Oliver, Origin and Progress of the American
Rebellion: A Tory View (1781)
Sept 19
(1) The Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, and Colonial Resistance:
Americans Just Don’t Like Taxes of Any Kind.
Book Reading Quizzes #5 and #6 due by 11:59pm
12
6 and 7
Lecture
Number
11
Date
Sept 20
12
Sept 22
13
Sept 26
Sept 27
14
Sept 29
Topic
(1) The Intolerable Acts, the First and Second Continental
Congresses, and Independence
(2) The Revolutionary War: From the “shot heard round the world”
to a Global War.
(1) The Revolutionary War: From the “shot heard round the world”
to a Global War (continued)
NOTE: RESEARCH PAPER TOPIC DUE TODAY
Book Reading Quiz #7 due by 11:59pm
(1) War and Peace: How the Americans Won and What They Got
Out of It
Quiz #4 – Primary Source Documents
Assignment
Chapters in
Of the People
7
7
8
7
8
1. Shays’s Rebellion: Letters of Generals William Shepard
and Benjamin Lincoln to Governor James Bowdoin of
Massachusetts (1787)
2. Divergent Reactions to Shays’s Rebellion (1787)
3. Patrick Henry Speaks Against Ratification of the
Constitution (1788)
4. James Madison Defends the Constitution (1788)
(1) Challenges Facing the New Nation: “We won. Now what?”
Oct 3
Oct 4
(2) A Constitution for the Ages
Book Reading Quiz #8 due by 11:59pm
(1) George Washington and His Presidency: The Greatest Talent
Scout of All Time.
16
Oct 6
Oct 6-12
17
Oct 11
(2) Political Parties: “Uh oh, did we miss something when we wrote
the Constitution?
(1) John Adams’s Presidency: He Had a Tough Act to Follow
Exam #2: Take on MyCourses anytime from noon on Oct. 6 until
11:59pm on Oct. 12
(1) Jefferson and the Revolution of 1800
15
13
9
8
8
Lectures 9-16
9
Lecture
Number
18
19
Date
Oct 13
Oct 17
Oct 18
Oct 20
Topic
(1) Jefferson’s Presidency: “You gotta do what it takes to make it
happen.”
(2) Madison’s Presidency and The War of 1812: “We’re gonna do
this one more time just to show the world we’re for real.”
Book Reading Quiz #9 due by 11:59pm
NO CLASS TODAY
(1) The “Era of Good Feelings,” and Some Not So Good
Assignment s
Chapters in
Of the People
9
10
10
(2) John Quincy Adams’s International Stardom
(3) A Revolution of a Different Kind: Economic, Transportation,
Public Schools, and Suffrage
20
21
Oct 25
Oct 27
NOTE: RESEARCH PAPER DUE TODAY
(1) A Revolution of a Different Kind: Economic, Transportation,
Public Schools, and Suffrage (continued)
(2) The Jacksonian Era Begins: “Did anybody see John Quincy
Adams’s presidency along the way?”
Quiz #5 – Journal Articles and Primary Source Document
1. “The First Seminole War, November 21, 1817-May 24,
1818”
2. “Andrew Jackson’s Indian Policy: A Reassessment”
3. Andrew Jackson, First Annual Message to Congress
(1829)
(1) Jackson and the Indians
14
10
10
Lecture
Number
22
Date
Oct 31
Nov 1
Topic
Book Reading Quiz #10 due by 11:59pm
(1) King Andrew: In politics, as in Duels, He Always Wins
Assignment
Chapters in
Of the People
11
11
(2) Society in the Early Republic: What kind of World is Jackson
Governing?
23
24
Nov 3
Nov 7
Nov 8
(3) Reform Movements: “We can make the world a better place,” or,
“We can create our own world.”
(1) Reform Movements: “We can make the world a better place,” or,
“We can create our own world.” (continued)
(2) Abolitionists versus Slavery’s Defenders
Book Reading Quizzes #11 and #12 due by 11:59pm
Quiz #6 – Primary Source Documents
11 and 12
12 and 13
13
1. William Lloyd Garrison, First Issue of The Liberator
(1831)
2. George Fitzhugh, Slavery Justified (1854)
3. A Black Abolitionist Speaks Out (1829)
4. John L. O’Sullivan, "Annexation" (1845)
5. Across the Plains With Catherine Sager Pringle in 1844
Nov 10-14
25
26
Nov 10
Nov 15
(1) Manifest Destiny and the Promise of the West
Exam #3: Take on MyCourses anytime from noon on Nov. 10
until 11:59pm on Nov. 14
(1) James K. Polk: Expansionist Extraordinaire
(1) The United States in 1850-1854: Sectionalism on the Verge of
Explosion—“No way are we going to let you have more states in
your camp than we have in ours!”
15
Questions from
Lectures 17-24
13
14
Lecture
Number
27
Date
Nov 17
Topic
Quiz #7 – Journal Article
Assignment
Chapters in
Of the People
15
“The Hedgehog and the Foxes”
28
29
Nov 21
Nov 22
Nov 29
(1) Secession and Two New Presidents
Book Reading Quizzes #13 and #14 due by 11:59pm
(1) The Civil War’s Early Years and the Need for Nationalistic
Measures
(2) Common Soldier’s Lives
Quiz #8 – Journal Article
14 and 15
15
15
“Who Freed the Slaves?”
(1) Grant and Lee: Unparallel Lives
30
Dec 1
Dec 8
(2) The Final Years of the Civil War
(1) The Civil War: Why the North Won and the South Lost
Final Exam: 10:00am until 11:50am
16
15
Lectures 25-30