Butler Community College
Humanities and Social Sciences Division
Tim Myers
Revised Spring 2015
Implemented Fall 2015
COURSE OUTLINE
US History I
Course Description:
HS 131. US History I. 3 hours credit. This course will enable the student to analyze
and synthesize facts and concepts from the pre-Columbian era through the Civil War.
Through use of terminology and application of facts and concepts, students will know
America’s past and be able to apply it to the present and future. The learning outcomes
and competencies detailed in this outline meet, or exceed the learning outcomes and
competencies specified by the Kansas Core Outcomes Project for this course, as
sanctioned by the Kansas Board of Regents (Transfers as HIS1010).
Required Materials
Keene, J., et. al. Visions of America: A history of the United States, Vol.1. Boston:
Pearson Education.
For complete textbook information, refer to https://bookstore.butlercc.edu
Supplemental Materials
MyHistoryLab is an on-line LMS that accompanies Visions of America.
Butler-assessed Outcomes
The intention is for the student to be able to:
1. Analyze and synthesize basic historical facts and concepts from the pre-Columbian
era through the Civil War using primary and secondary sources
2. Apply past ideas to current issues
3. Develop an understanding of the basic historical facts and concepts from the early
Republican, Jeffersonian, and Jacksonian eras of US history and be able to
understand how these periods impacted later American society through the MSAT.
Learning PACT Skills that will be developed and documented in this course
Through involvement in this course, the student will develop ability in the following
PACT skill area(s):
Analytical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking - Through written essays, class discussion, and the MSAT, the
student develops critical analysis of the basic historical facts and concepts from the
pre-Columbian era through the Civil War using primary and secondary sources and is
able to apply these past ideas to current issues.
Communication Skills
Creation and delivery of messages - Through the MSAT and written essays, the
student develops effective communication skills.
Technology Skills
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General computer use - Through electronic-facilitated research and preparation of
computer-generated assignments, the student develops basic computer skills.
Major Summative Assessment Task(s)
These Butler-assessed Learning Outcomes and the Learning PACT skills will be
demonstrated by:
1. Completing a computer-generated (T skill) critical analysis (A skill) written essay (C
skill) the student will write an essay using and analyzing primary and/or secondary
sources on a topic relevant to the course at the discretion of the instructor (but a
minimum of 3 to 5 pages in length) and be able to explain how this topic has
impacted American history.
Skills or Competencies
Actions that are essential to achieve the course outcomes:
1. Identify facts and concepts relating to learning units
2. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources
3. Provide evidence for the question asked rather than general information on the
overall topic.
Learning Units
I.
People in Motion: The Atlantic World to 1590
A. The first Americans
B. European civilization in turmoil
C. Columbus and the Columbian exchange
D. West African worlds
E. European Colonization of the Atlantic World
II.
Models of settlement: English colonial societies, 1590-1710
A. The Chesapeake colonies
B. New England
C. The Caribbean colonies
D. The Restoration Era and the proprietary colonies
E. The crises of the late seventeenth century
F. The Whig Ideal and the emergence of political stability
III. Growth, slavery, and conflict: Colonial American, 1710-1763
A. Culture and society in the eighteenth century
B. Enlightenment and awakenings
C. African Americans in the colonial era
D. Immigration, regional economics, and inequality
E. War and the contest over empire
IV. Revolutionary America: Change and transformation, 1764-1763
A. Tightening the reins of empire
B. Patriots versus loyalists
C. American at war
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D. The radicalism of the American Revolution
V.
A virtuous republic: Creating a workable government, 1783-1789
A. Republicanism and the politics of virtue
B. Life under the articles of confederation
C. The movement for constitutional reform
D. The great debate and ratification of the constitution
VI. The New Republic: An age of political passion, 1789-1800
A. Launching the new government
B. Hamilton’s ambitious program
C. Partisanship without parties
D. Conflicts at home and abroad
E. Cultural politics in a passionate age
F. The stormy presidency of John Adams
VII. Jeffersonian America: An expanding empire of liberty, 1800-1824
A. Politics in Jeffersonian America
B. An expanding empire of liberty
C. Dissension at home
D. America confronts a world at war
E. The Republic reborn: Consequences of the war of 1812
F. Crisis and the collapse of the national republican consensus
VIII. Democrats and Whigs: Democracy and American culture, 1820-1840
A. Democracy in America
B. Andrew Jackson and his age
C. White man’s democracy
D. Democrats, Whigs, and the Second Party System
E. Playing the Democrats’ game: Whigs in the election of 1840
IX. Workers, farmers, and slaves: The transformation of the American economy, 18151848
A. The Market Revolution
B. The spread of industrialization
C. The changing urban landscape
D. Southern society
E. Life and labor under slavery
X.
Revivalism, reform, and artistic renaissance, 1820-1850
A. Revivalism and reform
B. Abolitionism and the proslavery response
C. The cult of true womanhood, reform, and women’s rights
D. Religious and secular utopianism
E. Literature and popular culture
F. Nature’s Nation
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XI. “To overspread the continent”: Westward expansion and political conflict, 18401848
A. Manifest Destiny and changing visions of the west
B. American expansionism into the southwest
C. The Mexican War and its consequences
D. The Wilmot Proviso and the realignment of American politics
XII. Slavery and sectionalism: The political crisis of 1848-1861
A. The slavery question in the territories
B. Political realignment
C. Two societies
D. A house divided
XIII. A nation torn apart: The Civil War, 1861-1865
A. Mobilization, strategy, and diplomacy
B. The early campaigns, 1861-1863
C. Behind the lines
D. Toward union victory
XIV. Now that we are free: Reconstruction and the new south, 1863-1890 (Optional if
covered in HS 132)
A. Preparing for reconstruction
B. The fruits of freedom
C. The struggle to define reconstruction
D. Implementing reconstruction
E. Reconstruction abandoned
F.The new south
Learning Activities
Learning activities will assist the student in achieving the intended learning outcomes.
These activities may include lecture, discussion, homework, group projects, an
individual project, quizzes, exams, and class writings.
Grade Determination
The student will be graded on completion of assessment tasks, research papers, tests,
daily work, class participation, out-of-class, assignments and other methods of
evaluation at the discretion of the instructor.
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