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Course Syllabus

History 130-85731
Social/Culture History of the United States

Course Start Date: 02/06/112
Course End Date: 05/31/12
Campus/Learning Center: College of the Canyons, Canyon Country Campus

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Workshop 1 – February 06 & 08 2012

Workshop 2 – February 13 & 15, 2012

Workshop 3 – February 20 & 22 2012

Workshop 4 – February 27 & 29 2012

Workshop 5 – March 05 & 07 2012

Workshop 6 – March 12 & 14 2012

Workshop 7 – March 19 & 21 2012

Workshop 8 – March 26 & 28 2012

Workshop 9 – April 02 & 04 2012 (Spring Break No Class)

Workshop 10 – April 09 & 11 2012

Workshop 11 – April 16 & 18 2012

Workshop 12 – April 23 & 25 2012

Workshop 13 – April 30, May 02 2012

Workshop 14 – May 07 & 09 2012

Workshop 15 – May 14 & 16 2012

Workshop 16 – May 21 & 23 2012

Workshop 17 – May 28 (No Class) & 30 2012
COURSE LOCATION, DAY AND TIME: College of the Canyons, Canyon Country Campus- Monday & Wednesday, 11:00AM-12:20PM

REQUIRED READING:　

Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character by Claude S. Fisher

Kindle Edition $7.96

American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century by Michael G. Kammen

Hardcover Edition $12.99

The Frontier in American Culture by Richard White, Patricia Nelson Limelock, James R. Grossman

Kindle Edition $15.92

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course surveys the social, ethnic, and cultural history of the United States, from the 15th Century to the present, including consideration of changes in society, immigration, ethnicity, race, gender, and culture. This course is also designed to raise and explore some of the ideas, values, and competing interests that characterize the American democratic experiment and have influenced social relations in this country. Beginning with the pre-colonial experience, we will examine the extent to which the American Revolution, based as it was on inherently mutable values and ideas, is unfinished. We will also explore the economic, social, intellectual, and cultural forces that help make up a shared American identity and culture.

We will examine how American society has struggled to express and to preserve a complex cultural fabric through political theory, legal history, and government regulation, as well as through literature, music, art, public speeches, and private writings. Throughout this course, we will be guided by Alexis de Tocqueville's observation that democracy is an irresistible force of history that shapes and is shaped by the unique circumstances of American life.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Analyze the contributions of the major presidents of the United States in their responses and contributions to the social, ethnic, economic, and cultural issues of their times.

2. Evaluate the contributions and impact of Native Americans and successive waves of immigration on the issues and patterns of American history.

3. Assess the leading women in American history, and give reasons for their importance.

4. Appraise the social, ethnic, and cultural achievements and conflicts of major developments in American history, such as the American Revolution, the Constitution, the Age of Jackson, the Civil War, the Era of Reconstruction, the Industrial Revolution, Populism, Progressivism, the New Deal, World Wars I and II, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, Feminism, Environmentalism, and other developments.

5. Analyze the civil rights movement in American history as it affected Native Americans, women, African Americans, and the various immigrant groups, and how Americans dealt with the concept of equality in each instance.

6. Delineate the contours of America's cultural diversity, attributable to immigration, internal migrations, and other historical factors, during colonial times and in the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.

Whenever there is a question about what assignments are due, please remember this syllabus is considered the ruling document.
Facilitator　Information　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Gregory W Shrout
gregoryshrout@yahoo.com　(Personal)
gregoryshrout@yahoo.com (Personal)
661-993-6730　(Pacific Standard Time)

Facilitator Availability

I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Central Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve Sunday for my family. On Saturdays, I tend to be online in the morning only. If these times are not convenient for you, please let me know. I will be happy to accommodate your schedule, if possible. I provide you with these times to make it easier to communicate with me, and not to limit our contact.
I want you to know that, should you need to contact me outside these time frames, you should not hesitate to do so.

Where to Go to Class: Your Course Forums　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Main: This is the main forum for the class and is where you may ask questions between class meetings. It has read-and-write access for everyone.

Chat-Room: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to discuss issues not related to the course content.

Course-Materials: This is a read-only forum, which means you can read messages here but cannot send any. This is where I will post the course syllabus and materials.

Learning-Team-A, B, C, D, E and F: These six Learning Team forums will be used as workrooms for the learning teams. You will be assigned to one of these learning teams.

Individual Forum: You will see one forum with your name on it. This is a private forum, shared only by you and me, the facilitator. Your classmates will not have access to this forum. You can ask questions here. However, if you have general questions about instructions of assignments, please post those in the Main forum, since other students may benefit by that exchange as well.

Where to Submit Your Assignments　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Discussion Section: This is the main forum for the class and is where you may ask questions between class meetings. It has read-and-write access for everyone.

Chat-Room: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to discuss issues not related to the course content.

My Personal E-mail: This is where you will submit all formal assignments.

Learning Teams　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

College of the Canyons students are expected to work effectively in diverse groups and teams to achieve tasks. They must collaborate and function well in team settings as both leaders and followers. They should respect human diversity and behave in a tolerant manner toward colleagues and peers. If you experience difficulties working with your team, you are expected to resolve them within the team if possible. However, please feel free to contact me for guidance if you have concerns in this area. Because Learning Team projects are outcome-based, all members of your Learning Team will generally earn the same grade for Learning Team projects. However, I reserve the right to report different grades for different Learning Team members if I see a substantial imbalance in individual contribution.

Learning Team Charters and Peer Evaluation forms are required. Please see the instructions in the weekly sections for more information.

It is expected that you will actively participate with your learning team and contribute to the team discussions by a) contributing original work that is accepted and used by the team with proof of originality b) participating in the project from assignment organizing through meaningful final review of the team project for submission, and c) ensuring to your team that your contributions are your original work and properly quoted, cited, and referenced.

Classroom　Management　Policies　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Classroom Management Policies PARTICIPATION: Participation in all workshops is required. An absence for whatever reason will result in the loss of the participation points for participation that night. If a student is absent, he or she does not gain the benefit of class involvement and is not contributing to the learning of other students in the class.

ABSENCE FROM CLASS

Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis. Any student absent for any reason, for one more time than that class meets in one week, may be dropped from the class, providing the withdrawal deadline for the semester/term has not passed.

CELL PHONES AND PAGERS: Out of consideration for others, please turn your cell phone and pagers to the silent mode. If they do not have a silent or vibratory mode, please turn them off. No texting is allowed while class is in session. These items tend to distract the other students during class discussions or learning team activities.

USE OF LAPTOP COMPUTERS IN THE CLASSROOM: College of the Canyons encourages students to use their laptop computers in our Learning Centers for classroom research support. However, laptop computers should only be used in the classroom with the permission of the instructor. No electronic equipment is allowed in my classroom.

LATE ARRIVAL/EARLY DEPARTURE: Late arrival or early departure will result in a loss of participation points at the rate of one participation point for each 10 minute increment of class.

FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM Students are allowed to eat and drink in class as long as the eating is not disruptive and drinking is not alcoholic.

STUDENT CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY By virtue of membership in the College academic community, students accepts a responsibility to abide by the Student Code of Academic Integrity, which is a part of the Student Code of Conduct. APA FORMAT: American Psychological Association (APA) format is required for all individual and team papers. The instructor provides a sample paper in Blackboard. However, it is the students’ responsibility to make sure all papers are properly formatted.

ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION TIME: All written assignments are due on their due date by the beginning of the workshop in which they are due (e.g. 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time) and must be submitted electronically to the instructors e-mail.

LATE WORK: Late work will not earn the full points possible. Students will lose one full grade for each day the assignment is late. NO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE FINAL WORKSHOP (e.g., 6:00 pm PDT). FEEDBACK Each week, the faculty member will provide grades or scores and comments on assignments within 6 days of when they were submitted.

Feedback 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Each week, I will provide grades or scores and comments on assignments within 7 days of when they were submitted. After I send feedback each week, I will email to the student.

Grading Formula 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Letter Grade	Criteria	Numeric Range
A	Far exceeds the standard for all required work	950-1000
A-	Far exceeds the standard for all required work	900-949
B+	Exceeds the standard for all required work	870-899
B	Exceeds the standard for all required work	840-869
B-	Exceeds the standard for all required work	800-839
C+	Met the standard for all required work	770-799
C	Met the standard for all required work	740-769
C-	Met the standard for all required work	700-739
D+	Did not meet the standard for all required work	670-699
D	Did not meet the standard for all required work	640-669
D-	Did not meet the standard for all required work	600-639
F	Did not meet the standard all required work; must retake the course	599 or lower

GRADING RUBRIC:

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Item	Description	Percents
1	Content and Conceptualization	50%
2	Mechanics (punctuation, grammar, spelling, and format)	50%
	Total	100%
INDIVIDUAL ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Item	Description	Percents
1	Relevancy to class objectives	30%
2	Clarity and conciseness of principles stated	30%
3	Evidence of preparation, including the ability to field questions	20%
4	Presentation skills, including compliance with time limits	20%
	Total	100%
LEARNING TEAM ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Item	Description	Percents
1	Relevancy to stated objectives	20%
2	Appropriateness of examples as an illustrative vehicle	10%
3	Evidence of contribution of each team member	10%
4	Creativity	10%
5	Presentation skills including compliance with time limits	10%
6	Evidence of substantive research	10%
7	Identification of principles	10%
8	Practical applications	10%
9	Mechanics of presentation	10%
	Total	100%

Point Values for Course Assignments　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

ASSIGNMENTS	Points
Individual (90%)
Individual Assignment: European Colonization Paper (Week 1 Due Feb 8)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 1 Due Feb 6)	30
Individual Assignment: English Colonization Short Essays (Week 2 Due Feb 15)	20
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 2 Due Feb 13)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 3 Due Feb 20)	30
Individual Assignment: Colonial Life Letters (Week 3 Due Feb 22)	20
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 4 Due Feb 27)	30
Individual Assignment: British Legislation Analysis (Week 4 Due Feb 29)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 5 Due March 5)	30
Individual Assignment: A New Government Short Essays (Week 5 Due March 7)	20
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 6 Due March 12)	50
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 7 Due March 19)	50
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 8 Due March 26)	30
Individual Assignment: Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper (Week 8 Due March 28)	30
Individual Assignment: Reflections on the First Amendment Paper (Week 10 Due April 11)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 10 Due April 9)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 11 Due April 16)	30
Individual Assignment: Function of Art Paper (Week 12 Due April 25)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 12 Due April 23)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 13 Due April 30)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 14 Due May 7)	30
Individual Assignment: Music Paper (Week 14 Due May 7)	15
Individual Assignment: Romanticism Paper (Week 15 Due May 16)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 15 Due May 14)	30
Individual Assignment: Discussion Questions (Week 16 Due May 21)	30
Individual Assignment: Final (Week 17 Due May 30)	35
Participation (8 points per week) 8points times 15 weeks	120
Learning Team (10%)
Learning Team Assignment: Early Colonial Governments Presentation (Week 2 Due Feb 15)	20
Learning Team Assignment: Revolutionary War Presentation (Week 4 Due Feb 29)	20
Learning Team Assignment: U.S. Constitutional Amendment Proposal and Presentation (Week 11 Due April 16 )	20
Learning Team Assignment: Renaissance Painting Presentation (Week 14 Due May 9)	20
Learning Team Assignment: Theater and Cinema Comparison Presentation (Week 16 Due May 21)	20
Total	1000

Week One: Worlds Collide: The Peoples of Europe, North America, and Africa
		Details	Due		Points
Objectives		Describe the cultures of North America prior to contact with Europeans. Analyze the social, economic, and political conditions that led to European exploration and colonization of America. Explain progressive European colonization of North America.
Reading		Read Ch. 1 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading		Read Ch. 2 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading		Read Ch. 3 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading		Read Ch. 4 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading		Read Ch. 5 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character.
Participation		Participate in class discussion.			8
Discussion Questions		Respond to weekly discussion questions.			30
Learning Team Instructions Learning Team Charter	Resource: Learning Team Toolkit Complete the Learning Team Charter. Can be found at blackboard
Individual European Colonization Paper	Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper that analyzes European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Address the following: Describe the cultures of North America prior to contact with Europeans. Describe the social, political, and economic conditions that led to European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Compare at least two European country’s reasons for exploring and colonizing the Americas. Discuss how colonization evolved from the 1400s to the colonial period of the 1700s. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.			30

　

　

Discussion Questions

Responses to the discussion questions must be at least　400 to 500 words PER-QUESTION and apply the concepts and teachings from the weekly readings. Discussion Question responses do not count toward participation and are evaluated separately. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week One Discussion Questions

What was the motivation for colonizing the New World? What were the most compelling reasons for Europeans? What were some of the other factors that contributed to their reasons for expanding their interests?
What were the Spanish conquests in the New World? What was the settlement pattern? Why were they successful? How was the French and English experience of colonization different?
In what ways is the study of colonial American history more than the study of the original 13 colonies? How would you explain to a friend that there is more to early American history than just the European discovery?
What were some of the more remarkable events that occurred before the Pilgrims arrived in America? Why are the civilizations of native peoples prior to 1621 often overshadowed?
What attracted the Old World to the New World? What compelled the Old World to progress from exploration of the New World to colonization?

Week Two: English Colonization of the New World
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Evaluate the influence of trade in the New World. Analyze the role of religion in relation to New England colonization. Describe late 17th- and early 18th-century colonial governments.
Reading	Read Ch. 3. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 4 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 5 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 6 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 7 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual English Colonization Short Essays	Write a 350- to 700-word essay response to each of the following questions: Question 1: How was trade in the New World a source of revenue for monarchies and for the colonies? Question 2: What are the similarities and differences between early colonial and contemporary American beliefs about religious freedom and tolerance? Question 3: Examine Bacon’s Rebellion or Leisler’s Rebellion and address the following questions: What were its causes and consequences? Do you think the rebellion is best viewed as a precursor to the revolutionary war or as an unrelated event? Cite at least one primary source in each of your short essays. Format your essays consistent with APA guidelines. Submit your essays in a single Microsoft^® Word document.		20
Learning Team Early Colonial Governments Presentation	Prepare an 8- to 14-slide Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® presentation on a late 17th-century colonial government and an early 18th-century colonial government. Address the following questions: What aspects of American colonial government were similar to royal British government? What aspects were different? What were the social, political, and economic challenges faced by colonists? Would you consider the early English colonies truly representative? Why or why not? Use appropriate text and media to create an engaging presentation. Format your essays consistent with APA guidelines.		20

Discussion Questions

Week Two Discussion Questions

What was the impact of tobacco in the New and Old Worlds? How was it produced? Where was it produced? Who were the people involved in its production? Who benefited from the production of this crop?
Besides tobacco, how did other colonial products affect trade in the New World? Of these products, which one do you think is the most important? Which product is the least important? Explain your answers.
What were the motivations for the settlement of New England? How were the Puritans and the Separatists different in their faith? How were they similar?
Why did religion play a greater role in New England than in the other colonies? Provide examples of how religion affected the middle and southern colonies.
What were Bacon’s Rebellion and Leisler’s Rebellion? Were they precursors to the American Revolution itself? Explain your answer.

What economic, political, religious, and social controls did European countries place on their early American colonies? In your opinion, which controls were the most harsh? Which controls were the least intrusive? Explain your answers.

Week Three: Living in the New World Colonies
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Describe the experience of living in the southern colonies, in the middle colonies, and in New England. Describe how colonists met labor challenges.
Reading	Read Ch. 1 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 2. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 3 Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 4. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 5. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 6. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 7. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual Colonial Life Letters	Write three 350- to 700-word letters; one written from the point of view of each of the following people: Research the internet for these type of letters: Letter 1: A merchant living in a New England urban center Letter 2: The wife of a religious leader living in Pennsylvania Letter 3: A plantation worker living in South Carolina Assume in each letter the audience is a friend or relative living in another colony, in Europe, or in the Caribbean. Describe in each letter at least two of the following aspects of colonial life: Industry, commerce, and trade Agriculture Politics Religion Family life Immigration The colonial town Servitude or slavery Discuss at least one historical event, circumstance, or challenge. Refer, in at least one letter, to one or more primary-source documents. This may be any historical document to which your letter- writer might have had access. It may be a map, personal letter, legal document, political or religious publication, shipping manifest, bill of trade, and so on. To allow for authenticity, you are not required to include an APA-consistent citation within the body of the letter. Rather, use a footnote for each source and include the full citations on a separate page. Submit your three letters as a single Microsoft^® Word document.		20

　

　

　

　

Discussion Questions

Week Three Discussion Questions

How was daily life in the southern colonies, in the middle colonies, and in New England different during the colonial period? How was daily life the same?
What major similarities did the northern cities of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Newport share? What set them apart? What features made the southern city of Charleston similar to its northern counterparts? What set it apart from them?
How are gender roles today different from those in early America? How are they similar?
Why were immigrants attracted to certain colonies over others? What incentives did the colonies offer to attract immigrants? How did the colonies try to keep certain immigrants out?
How did education differ between the colonies? Compare New England to the middle and southern colonies. What was the significance of the hornbook? How was education similar between the colonies?

Week Four: The Path to Revolution and War
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Identify the causes of colonial unrest. Trace the progression from colonial government to the Continental Congress. Contrast the experience of war in the northern and southern theaters.
Reading	Read Ch. 2. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 3. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 4. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 5. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 6. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 7. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual British Legislation Analysis	Select two pieces of British legislation that effected social, economic, or political life in the colonies. Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper that analyzes the effects of the selected legislation on American colonial life. Use at least two primary documents to support your analysis. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.		30
Learning Team Revolutionary War Presentation	Prepare a 10- to 14-slide Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® presentation on the experience of the Revolutionary War. Select three major periods of the Revolutionary War to use as points of comparison. Compare how the war was experienced in the northern theater with how it was experienced in the southern theater during these periods. Use appropriate text and media to create an engaging presentation.		20

Discussion Questions

Week Four Discussion Questions

Describe the progressive imperial legislation that preceded the American Revolution. How were both pro-religion and anti-religion colonists angered by the laws?
In your opinion, which restriction was the most detrimental to American colonists? Explain your answer. How did this restriction affect daily life? If you had been alive during this time, how might you have reacted to this restriction?
What were the different forms of government in the original 13 colonies? Why did the colonies agree to send representatives to the First and Second Continental Congresses? What were the colonial governments giving up by establishing a Continental Congress? What were they gaining?
What aspects of colonial government did the participants discuss at the Continental Congress? Which colonial government had the most influence at the Congress? Explain your answer.
Discuss the major events of the American Revolutionary War. Who were the leaders? Who were the allies of the colonists and the British? What role did the intervention of France play in the war?
Which American Revolutionary War battle was the most decisive in the northern theater? Which battle was the most decisive in the southern theater? Why?

Week Five: The New Nation
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Explain why the U.S. Constitution was chosen to replace the Articles of Confederation. Analyze the controversies and compromises in the creation of the new government. Explain the significance of the election of 1800.
Reading	Read Ch. 1. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Reading	Read Ch. 2. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Reading	Read Ch. 3. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 4. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 5. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 6. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Reading	Read Ch. 7. Made in American: A Social History of American Culture and Character
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual A New Government Short Essays	Write a 350- to 700-word essay response to each of the following questions: Question 1: Why it was necessary to create the U.S. Constitution? Consider the following: What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? What improvements did the new Constitution offer over the Articles of Confederation? Question 2: What were the major issues of contention in the creation of the new government? Consider the following: What compromises were made in the creation of the Constitution? What made these compromises necessary? What were the arguments made by federalists and anti-federalists during the ratification of the Constitution? Question 3: What is the historical significance of the election of 1800? Consider the following: Which values prevailed with the Republican–Democrat presidential win in 1800? In the years after the election, how did the policies and decisions of the Republican- and Democrat-controlled government reflect those values? What was the historical significance of those policies and decisions? Cite at least one primary source in each of your short essays. Format your essays consistent with APA guidelines. Submit your essays in a single Microsoft^® Word^®		20

　

　

　

Discussion Questions

Week Five Discussion Questions

What were some of the seminal events at the Constitutional Convention? Who were the leaders? Who was enfranchised? Which groups were disenfranchised?
Looking back on the events and discussions that took place at the Constitutional Convention, what are some of the most important decisions still affecting us today? Are there any events or discussions that have no relevance today? Why or why not?
How do the views of the Federalists and Antifederalists differ? At which point in history was one group dominant?
How did the election of 1800 change the balance of power? In what ways was the election of 1800 similar to contemporary elections? How was it different? Why?
How were issues concerning slavery and women’s rights addressed—or not addressed—at the Constitutional Convention and during the early years of the new nation?

Week Six: Historical and Philosophical Roots of the U.S. Constitution
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Identify the influence that earlier governing documents had on the development of the Constitution of the United States. Compare the different philosophies on governmental structure as related to the social compact.
Reading	Read The Constitution of the United States. American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		50

Discussion Questions

Week Six Discussion Questions

How did earlier documents influence the authors of the U.S. Constitution to divide political power and choose officers, in order to limit government power?

Why are elections in the United States longer, more expensive, and more candidate-centered than in European democracies?

What contributions to government came from the Age of Enlightenment?

What is the purpose of a written Constitution?

Which groups were left out of the franchise of government after the Constitution was ratified? How have those groups managed to achieve the same guarantees?

Knowing that the right to vote has been such a hard-fought entitlement, why do so few Americans participate in elections?

What influences do constitutionalism, capitalism, and democracy have on Americans’ beliefs about liberty, equality, and self-government?

What factors have contributed to the influence of special interest groups in the United States compared to other democracies?

Why is America a republic?

How has Western culture and Christianity contributed to American government?

How have other cultural influences, such as the Iroquois Indian Confederation, affected the

Construction of the American government?

How have American suffrage and citizen participation evolved over time?

Are there any circumstances when America could or should suspend the rights guaranteed in the Constitution? If so, might it be difficult to recapture those rights once suspended?

Why was slavery initially allowed in a democratic America?

Week Seven: The Three Branches of Government
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Identify the reasons for and the realities of interaction between the three branches of the U.S. government created by the Constitution. Describe the conflict between supporters of a strong federal government and champions of states’ rights historically and currently.
Reading	Read The Constitution of the United States. American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		50

Discussion Questions

Week Seven Discussion Questions

What effect might the composition of Congress and public opinion have on presidential power?

In what ways does the doctrine of judicial review interfere with the right of "we the people" to pass laws that "seem most likely to affect our safety and happiness?" What are the strengths and weaknesses of such a doctrine?

How did Chief Justice John Marshall manage to make the Supreme Court a viable, powerful branch of government?

How does the Supreme Court affect U.S. society today?

Why does constitutional interpretation change from court to court?

How do presidential elections affect the Supreme Court?

How has the federal government expanded its role by interdependency, the commerce clause, and its taxing power?

How do having two chambers and a committee system affect Congress’s policymaking role?

Which side would you take in the debates between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists? Why did the Federalists win in 1788?

Why did people fear the establishment of a strong federal government in the late 18th century? Why do some fear a strong federal government today?

How has American government followed the path that the Framers would have prescribed? How has the government deviated?

How did the States react to the increasing power of the federal government in the 19th century?

How are States' rights issues seen in the United States today?

Week Eight: The Bill of Rights and Later Amendments
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Identify changes in society and problems with the original Constitution that motivated amendments. Evaluate the effect of the amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights on American society. Analyze the effect of later constitutional amendments.
Reading	Read Article V of the Constitution and Amendments I–XXVII in the U.S. Constitution.
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper	Resource: Article V of the Constitution and the 27 amendments. Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you answer the following questions: How and why do amendments become part of the Constitution? What problems with the original document motivated the adoption of the Bill of Rights? What have been the effects of the Bill of Rights? What problems with the original document, or changes in society, led to later amendments? Choose one of the following groups to discuss: Thirteenth through Fifteenth Amendments Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Third, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments Twelfth, Twenty-Second, and Twenty-Fifth Amendments What have been the effects of these later Amendments? Cite at least three sources to support the content of your paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.		30

Discussion Questions

Week Eight Discussion Questions

Are American rights being endangered by new interpretations of the Bill of Rights, or are these interpretations proper reactions to modern cultural evolution?

Is gun control a violation of the Bill of Rights? How can public safety and personal rights coexist?

Should a person be tried a second time if compelling evidence of guilt can be shown?

Consider this scenario: International terrorists might use the entitlements and rights of the Constitution as a protection in their conflict with America. What, if anything, can be done about this?

How is public safety endangered by elements of the Bill of Rights? Is this worth the risk?

What attempts were made to contain slavery to the South prior to the Civil War? Were those efforts successful?

How did the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican War contribute to the crisis that led to the Civil War?

Who was emancipated in Lincoln's proclamation? Which slaves were not freed, and why were they not freed?

Can there be such a thing as separate yet equal conditions? Why did people claim such conditions could coexist?

Week Nine: Spring Break Campus closed
	Details
Objectives	Spring Break
Week Ten: Citizen Rights and Responsibilities
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Identify significant Supreme Court decisions on First Amendment rights. Analyze the current status of First Amendment rights as applied to individuals and society. Assess the current rights and responsibilities of a citizen of the United States, including the right of privacy.
Reading	Read: American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture .
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual Reflections on the First Amendment Paper	Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you discuss at least two significant cases related to three of the provisions of the First Amendment. Evaluate the rights and responsibilities that the Constitution gives American citizens. Answer the following questions in your paper: To what extent does the Constitution protect the right of privacy? Why did each case need to be heard and interpreted by the Supreme Court? How does the Supreme Court’s decision in each case continue to affect the rights of American citizens today? Cite at least three sources to support the content of your paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.		30

Discussion Questions

Week Ten Discussion Questions

What is selective incorporation, and how has it affected citizens’ rights?

How has technology complicated the issues presented for Constitutional adjudication?

How has the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of speech been influenced by the Internet?

Anti-pornography laws have frequently been challenged in court under First Amendment protections. What is your position on this issue?

Has the Supreme Court taken liberties in using the First, Fourth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution to justify privacy protection decisions?

How have American and international press agencies reacted to war-reporting restrictions since World War I?

What is sedition?

Can press reporting in wartime be treasonous?

What is the responsibility of the press in a democratic society?

Is there a difference between government establishment of a religion and the freedom to worship? How has this issue played out in public schools?

How has religious schooling influenced American culture?

What are some examples of legislation advanced by political movements to secure the rights of disadvantaged groups?

When does an individuals’ right to privacy end?

How have the war on drugs and the war on terrorism undermined personal rights?

Should people who are not citizens be entitled to rights in America? If so, to what rights should they be entitled? Should people be entitled to rights if they are illegally living in America?

What are the privacy rights of individuals running for or serving in public office?

Where do our freedoms of expression and speech logically begin and end?

What protections should the government provide people in the Information Age?

How long should a government secret to be held in a protected status?

Who should decide what information is secret and not to be publically released because of national security concerns?

Week Eleven: Reflecting on the Constitution
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Evaluate current issues for constitutional revision. Predict the topic of the next constitutional amendment.
Reading	Read California’s State’s constitution.
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Learning Team U.S. Constitutional Amendment Proposal and Presentation	Constitutional Amendments exist to correct a perceived problem with the existing document. In last week, you examined what has been changed so far. Each team will consider a possible change. If the team wants to write about something other than the assigned topic, the team must obtain the facilitator’s approval. Team A: Should the Constitution be amended to limit representatives, senators, and members of the judiciary to 12 years of total service? Team B: Should the Constitution be amended to give voters the right to recall an officer in the legislative branch, executive branch, or judicial branch, before the officer’s term expires? Team C: Should the Constitution be amended to give voters the power to enact or reject laws by ballot initiative, as a direct method in addition to the legislative authority of Congress? Team D: Should the Constitution be amended to give the president a line-item veto—instead of being required either to sign an entire bill—or veto the entire bill? Team E: Should the Constitution be amended to regulate the proportion of representatives so that each would represent no more than 50,000 citizens? Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you discuss an amendment that responds to the issue presented to the team. Discuss good and bad outcomes if such an amendment were adopted. Cite a minimum of three sources to support the content of your paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® presentation to accompany the paper. Present the U.S. Constitutional Amendment Proposal presentation.		20

Discussion Questions

Week Eleven Discussion Questions

Are America’s freedoms more secure than they were when the country was founded? Explain your response.

How has this class contributed to your understanding of American democracy?

How is your state’s Constitution similar to the national model? How is it different?

What gaps do you see in the Constitution? How popular is the movement to address those gaps?

Is the federal government too strong?

Is the movement toward globalization as a threat to American sovereignty?

Week Twelve: Understanding Art and Its Role in Culture
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Outline concerns, purposes, and functions of art. Identify different forms of art. Identify artistic eras in Western civilization.
Readings	American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual Function of Art Paper	Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you discuss the following questions: Briefly describe your exposure to different types of art forms, such as painting, sculpture, music, literature, theatre, cinema, and dance. Which of the different forms of art from the list above are most interesting or valuable to you? Explain why and provide specific examples. Should art serve some type of societal purpose or function, or should art exist solely for its own sake? Discuss both viewpoints objectively and explain which of the two views you personally favor and why. Include in your paper an introductory paragraph and conclusion. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.		30

Discussion Questions

Week Twelve Discussion Questions

The artist Andy Warhol reportedly said that, "Art is anything you can get away with." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain why.

Some cities require new office buildings to set aside a certain percentage of their cost for artworks, such as sculptures, to be visible on the new premises. Do you think such ordinances are a good or a bad idea? Explain why.

Think about the last time you went to an art museum, saw a play or a ballet performance, or attended a concert. What made the experience special?

Are people more literate in pop culture or fine arts? Is this a positive or negative development? Explain your viewpoint.

Week Thirteen: Art and Architecture in the Pre-Modern World
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Describe artistic innovations associated with Greco-Roman art through medieval times. Outline styles and dynamics of architecture. Discuss architectural and sculptural symbolism.
Readings	Read: American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30

Discussion Questions

Week Thirteen Discussion Questions

Which famous building from any of the architectural eras is most interesting and appealing to you? Explain why.

In your assessment, what was the most influential architectural innovation in recorded history? Support your argument with specific examples.

What can three-dimensional art tell us about the ideals and beliefs of the cultures that created them? Discuss specific examples.

Is architecture always art? Explain why or why not.

How do the dynamics of a building create architectural interest? Support your response with specific examples.

Week Fourteen: Visual Art and Music in the Emerging Modern World
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Describe artistic innovations associated with the Renaissance. Describe the musical innovations associated with the Baroque style of the Enlightenment period. Outline the formal and technical qualities of painting. Summarize the elements of composition in music.
Readings	Read: American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual Music Paper	Write a 350- to 700-word paper outlining the differences between Baroque and Classical music. Listen to several pieces of B period music and Classical period music. Then choose one piece of music from each period to compare. Find and listen to the Baroque period piece Pachelbel’s Canon in D major. ^{Listen to additional Baroque music—such as Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto, or Handel’s Water Music. Listen Classical music—such as by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven.} Address the following aspects: Is there a difference in the size of the orchestra and the use of instruments? Comment on some of the elements of composition in each piece: sound, rhythm, melody, harmony, tonality, and texture. What mood does each piece suggest to you? Conclude with some reflections on how both pieces differ from modern popular music. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.		15
Learning Team Renaissance Painting Presentation	Select any one painting from the Renaissance painters: Michelangelo Masaccio Da Vinci Jan Van Eyck Raphael Titian Hieronymus Bosch Design a 10- to 15-slide Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® presentation that introduces the painting to the class and explains the following: Name of painter, title, and year(s) of painting Brief biography of painter and painter’s significance in art history Content (subject matter) and meaning (symbolic significance of subject matter) Technique (paint medium ) Formal elements, such as composition and design, including color, focal point, perspective, balance and symmetry, chiaroscuro, and so on List any reference used for the presentation consistent with APA guidelines. Present Renaissance Painting Presentation		20

Discussion Questions

Week Fourteen Discussion Questions

If you were an artist given the choice to go back in time, which of the two eras would you choose to live in: the Renaissance or the Enlightenment? Justify your response.

How is modern music different from the music from a few hundred years ago? What exactly distinguishes it from Baroque or Classical music?

When you compare Renaissance and Baroque paintings, what differences do you see?

In your assessment, what is the single most important artistic innovation of the Renaissance and of the Enlightenment? Explain why.

Many people today consider the arts of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment as peaks of artistic expression of perennial value. In your opinion, what is it that makes the appeal of some art last for centuries as opposed to brief popularity.

Week Fifteen: Art, Literature, and Dance of Romanticism
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Describe artistic innovations associated with Romanticism. Analyze parallel stylistic expressions in different forms of art. Summarize major literary techniques. Analyze the elements of choreography.
Readings	Read American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Individual Romanticism Paper	Review the ideals and emphases of Romanticism as an artistic movement. Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you discuss how these ideals are embodied in three different art forms. Select three specific examples: One example from literature or poetry One example from dance (classical ballet) One example from among music or painting Ensure that each piece comes from the Romanticism era. Analyze how each piece expresses the worldviews of Romanticism in content and artistic innovation and technique—artistic expressions, literary techniques, and elements of choreography. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.		30

Discussion Questions

Week Fifteen Discussion Questions

Have you ever been to a ballet performance? If so, what was the experience like? Can you identify some of the choreographic principles that you have read about for this week?

Have you read any fictional works recently? Which of the technical devices for fiction—point of view, character, plot, tone, theme, and symbolism—stood out to you and why?

Look at Christina Rossetti’s poem "Uphill". What can you say about the poem’s language? Identify some instances of rhythm, imagery, figures, metaphors, symbols, and allegory.

How modern is Romanticism? Do you see some of the Romantic ideals at work today?

How can modern dance be compared to classical ballet? Provide specific examples.

Week Sixteen: Theater, Cinema, and the Arts of Modernism and Postmodernism
	Details	Due	Points
Objectives	Describe artistic innovations associated with Modernism and Postmodernism. Compare the production processes of theater and cinema.
Readings	Read American Culture, American Taste: Social Change and the Twentieth Century The Frontier in American Culture .
Participation	Participate in class discussion.		8
Discussion Questions	Respond to weekly discussion questions.		30
Learning Team Theater and Cinema Comparison	Design a 10- to 15-slide Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® presentation that introduces theater and cinema to the class and explains the following: Review the formal and production elements of both theater and cinema. Analyze how cinema is both a continuation of and a departure from theatrical production elements. Select one specific movie as an example to illustrate your analysis. Include specific illustrative examples of the analysis from your selected film. Summarize your findings. List any reference used for the presentation consistent with APA guidelines. Present Theater and Cinema Comparison		20
Final	The final will based on all 16 weeks of work		35

Discussion Questions

Week Sixteen Discussion Questions

In your opinion, why has cinema surpassed theater in popularity? Defend your position.

Review some of the art styles of Modernism—Expressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Dada, Surrealism, and so on—and Postmodernism—Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, environmental art, and so on. Which styles appeal the most to you and why?

Listen to a music piece by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, or Igor Stravinsky. How does the piece sound different from Baroque, Classical, or Romantic music? Be specific in your response.

How can the arts provide insight into the values and concerns of cultural groups in our society with which we otherwise have only little contact? Provide specific examples.

Can you think of a book, a song, or a movie that taught you a new way of seeing society? Explain.

Are all movies art? When do movies have artistic qualities, and when are movies just for entertainment? Explain and provide specific examples.

Many forms of art have existed throughout recorded history. What can we glean from examining the arts of different eras? What do the art forms tell us about the people who originally produced them? Provide specific examples of eras and art forms.