August 3, 2009

Hello Potential Students of History 111,

Welcome to History 111-71158, which is a course taught entirely online.  This sixteen-week course in Early American History begins August 24, 2009 and concludes on December 12, 2009, and the course contents will be available to you 24 hours a day during that period.

History 111 is a journey into more than 400 years of American History.  In fact, this story began long before there was a British colony in North America, so our survey will focus first on the western hemisphere just prior to European invasion.  The meeting and blending of Europeans and Native Americans from the fifteenth century onward truly created a totally New World, one unprecedented in previous history.  If you are unfamiliar with the differing roles of the multitude of Native Americans scattered from North America’s eastern woodlands to the southwestern pueblos and the Pacific Northwest, you will be delighted to know that this is where our journey begins.

I am excited, as always, about the prospect of a new semester of classes, making new acquaintances and—most importantly—helping you become more familiar with the dramatic and sometimes little known stories of the varied cultures which helped create our nation.  I will be your leader on this journey, so let me give you a glimpse into my background.

I received both my Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in History from California State University (in 1994 and 1996 respectively).  I have been teaching History at the college level since 1995, and this section of history in particular, since the start of my teaching career.  I have written and published both scholarly articles and historical fiction, in the area of gender and race relations.  In fact, the works of historical fiction are placed within the colonial period, and bring free Europeans (English and Scottish), indentures and African slaves together in Jamestown, Virginia during the 1630s and 1640s.  The impact of settlement upon those within the indenture and slave cabins varies markedly from the owning classes; and all of the early colonies participated in the trade in indentured and permanent servants (from England first, then from Africa).

I mention the foregoing only because I want you to know how involved and passionate I am about this particular period of history.  You may find more information on my career by visiting my websites:  http://www.history4sale.com and http://www.matildaofargyll.com.

Here is a brief overview of what to expect during our class.  History 111 is a survey course in the history of all American cultures, from the 15th century to Post Civil War Reconstruction.  During our sixteen week semester, we will be studying the following distinct periods:

• Pre-Columbian Era
• Renaissance/Reformation Europe
• Disease and Conquest in the Western Hemisphere
• English Colonization:  Virginia and New England
• New France and New Spain
• British Colonial Experience Through 1700
• French and Indian War
• The Enlightenment in North America
• The Great Awakening
• The American Revolution
• Creating a New Constitution
• The Early Republic
• Growth of African Slavery
• Westward Expansion and Territorial Conflicts
• Antebellum America
• The American Civil War
• Post Civil War Reconstruction

Are there benefits to taking this course?  Many!  Of course, if you are perusing this Orientation Letter, you are already aware that this course is being taught entirely online.  What that means for you is that you will be taking this course and meeting your fellow classmates through the written word, in the virtual world.  You will not have to leave the comfort of your home (or whatever venue you use for computer access).  Think of how much you will save in gas expenses and lost time in commuting.  Entering the online college community obviously offers many time-saving advantages.  However, there are certain things you need to be aware of:

• This is a three-unit course, and you will still be expected to dedicate as much time to the course as a normal in-class course.
• Three units represents three hours per week of class time; double that time for the amount of reading and productive work outside of the classroom (six hours).  Total=9 hours.
• While there is just one textbook required for this course, there will be much additional work through the web.  You will be reading numerous primary documents and historical articles online, provided by leading universities and scholars.

Some important websites you can preview in order to become more familiar with this course, the Blackboard software, and gain access to tutoring and counseling assistance are as follows:

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/henretta6e/default.asp?uid=0&rau=0#  (textbook companion site)

http://www.canyons.edu/offices/css/webmaster/web_resources/Blackboard/Student (Blackboard tutorial)

http://www.canyons.edu/offices/distance_learning (Distance Learning Center)

http://www.canyons.edu/offices/distance_learning/info/COUNS070.asp (Counseling 070)

There are other requirements for this course which you will need to be aware of in order to get started.  You will need to have:

• At-home, or regular access to a computer
• Microsoft Word or compatible program
• Email Address
• Web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox
• Computer knowledge in word processing programs, creating files, emailing with attachments, copying, pasting, etc.
• Good time management skills, in order to remain current with weekly class activities.

The textbook you will be required to use for this course is:

America’s History, Sixth Edition, by Henretta, Brody et. al.

Publisher:  Bedford St. Martin’s (Boston)

ISBN:  0-312-45285-3

ISBN-13:  978-0-312-45285-8

I hope that this introduction to History 111 answers all of the questions you may have.  If not, please feel free to contact me at the phone numbers or email addresses I have provided below.  And…I hope to “see” you in my virtual classroom later this month.

My Very Best,

Sarah Chloe Burns

661-259-7800, X-26074 (Voice Mail)

661-496-7114 (Cell)

sarah.burns@canyons.edu

scburns@bak.rr.com