Email address arevalos@miracosta.edu
Home page address www.miracosta.edu/home/arevalos
 

Readings: Goldfield, The American Journey, Vol. II

Bellamy, LOOKING BACKWARD
Friedman, THE WORLD IS FLAT
 
 

A final grade for this course is derived from five Identification exams (each 20 points); three Lecture exams (each 20 points); Bellamy book discussion (25 points); Bonus questions consisting of states and capitals (10 points); Friedman's  book (30 points); and 15 points for completing a take home state and local government assignment. However, 10 points can be earned with three or fewer absences that are above the 240 points for class work.

Therefore the grading scale is as follows:

240 - 216 = A 191 - 168 = C

215 - 192 = B 167 - 144 = D

Students are responsible for withdrawal dates. Those failing to drop before the 75% attendance date will receive a letter grade. Students requesting special grades such as Credit/No Credit must meet with the instructor during the first ten days. An Incomplete is given upon request.

I expect regular attendance. Please note it is the responsibility of the student to withdraw. There is no instructor-initiated withdrawal after the tenth day of classes.

A student with verified disability may be entitled to appropriate academic accommodations.

Please contact one of the following: Your instructor, the Disable Students Program and Services Office ( at ext. 6658 at the Oceanside campus and at ext 7888 at the San Elijo campus), or the Office of the ADA Coordinator ( at ext. 6866).

Tentative topics and Textbook Readings: Each lecture topic will be an historical interpretation(s), which hopefully will create strong student responses. The idea is not to create conflicting views on controversial issues in American history, but rather to understand how these interpretations are made. We will also determine if these interpretations hold up to scrutiny. Students will be asked to respond to questions asked after each topic and to provide a personal assessment/analysis for each topic.

Tentative topics:

Topic: Reconstruction
                Presidential Plan
                Congressional Plans
                Steven's Eco. Plan
                Grant's Presidency
Read pages 497-525 and 529-558

Topic: Native Americans on the Great Plains
Read pages 599-626

Topic: The Conquest of the Great West
            Gold and Cattle Fever
            Farmers' Last Frontier
Read Chapter 19

Topic: Becoming a Great Industrial Power
               The Railroad Era
               Industrialization and Consolidation
Read pages 563-594

Topic: The Social and Economic Responses to Industrialization
                The New Immigration and the Urban Nation
                Labor
Read pages 629-654 and Chapter 22

Topic: Politics in the Gilded Age
                Conservative Control
                Politics of Agriculture
Read pages 629-654 and Chapter 22

Topic World War I
 Read pages 723-779

Topic: The Progressive Era
            Progressives in Cities and State
            Mood for Reform
            Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson
Read pages 659-690

Topic: The 1920's and 1930's
Read pages 723-779 and 783-814

Topic: American Intervention - World War II
Read pages 820-851

Topic: Post War America
Read pages 855-881 and 885-915

Topic: America in the 1960's
Read 919-951

Topic: Shaping a New America
Read pages 955-987

Topic: California State and Local Government