HIST 111 - United States History 1 - Michael Felix, M.A.

Course:	United States History 1
Professor:	Michael Felix, M.A.
Email:	michael.felix@canyons.edu
Format:	Online
Course Length:	Applies to All Course Lengths

Introduction

My name is Michael Felix and I teach History courses for College of the Canyons. I am an experienced veteran History instructor and I look forward to helping you achieve your goals. If you have questions, you can contact me at michael.felix@canyons.edu

 

Course Description

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

• Surveys American civilization, from the Pre-Columbian era through Reconstruction, emphasizing the political, cultural, economic, and social history of the United States. Meets Title V American Institutions U.S. History requirement for the associate degree. UC credit limitation: HIST-111, 111H, 112, 112H and 115 combined, maximum credit, two courses.

 COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. Analyze the diversity, complexity, and contributions to world history of Pre-Columbian North America.
2. Evaluate the historical impact of early contact between American Indian, African, and European peoples.
3. Trace the evolution of English colonization in the Chesapeake and New England.
4. Judge the importance of colonial conflicts – both internal and with Great Britain.
5. Identify the key causes of the American Revolution in terms of social, economic, political, and diplomatic factors, and demonstrate understanding of the consequences of American Independence.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the creation of the Articles of Confederation and the the U.S. Constitution through current analytical categories of race, class, gender and ethnicity.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of America’s growth in a global context, with emphasis placed on the early republic's political parties, economic and geographical expansion.
8. Explain the major economic, political, and social developments of the antebellum slave system.
9. Analyze major political trends, attitudes, conflicts and events—including reform efforts, westward expansion, and the Mexican-American War—and explain their historical significance.
10. Explain the major social and cultural developments of Antebellum America, their causes and effects, and their historical significance.
11. Evaluate the political, cultural, economic, and regional differences that led to disunion, and the Civil War.
12. Analyze the major legislative achievements, social upheaval, and political unrest of the Reconstruction era.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Assess the history of America and the United States from the Colonial period through Reconstruction.
2. Analyze the cultural, social, and political diversity embodied in the American experience from the sixteenth century through 1877.
3. Examine the origins of the United States Constitution and the milestone events associated with that document from the ratification process through the Civil War and Reconstruction, including the implementation of federalism and the Bill of Rights.

What to Expect in this Course

When this course is offered in a short-term, late-start, 5 or 8 week course, major time commitment will be required for success. In those cases, we must fit 16 weeks of material and learning into a 5 or 8 week format.

COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS:

• This course is held 100% online, asynchronous, and requires a secure computer connection with a compatible web browser because we use a learning management system called Canvas. Canvas collects assignments, stores assignments, grades exams for me, allows me to provide you with instant feedback, distributes copies for me, stores files, and documents, keeps your grades for you.
• Canvas works best when viewed through Firefox or Chrome web browsers. Most students who use Mac/Apple devices and the Safari web browser on laptops, iPads, iPhones, tend to have random technical glitches and issues at random times. If you experience technical issues or glitches, always first try switching to a PC device or if you can’t, try downloading a more compatible web browser instead of safari to view Canvas through. Try Firefox or Chrome.
• Some of the documents in this course will be available to you in PDF form. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader software on your computer, you can download it by going to http://get.adobe.com/reader/

 

COURSE STRUCTURE:

• This course is 100% online format, which means this course does not require any on-campus meetings or contact. Also, this course does not require any zoom meetings for instructional purposes or lectures. I am always available for help and assistance through e-mail, zoom, or in person on campus. See page 1 for details or Canvas homepage for zoom links and options.  
• While this course is primarily self-paced, self-directed, and requires mostly independent learning, I am available for consultation and guidance and provide extensive written feedback, evaluation, and assessment of writing skills. There are weekly opportunities for you and I to interact and communicate regarding your progress and performance.
• The way this course works is through weekly modules that I have set up for you in Canvas to follow at a weekly pace that works to your liking and preference. Your journey begins by following the weekly module pages in sequential order.
• Please check into each weekly module every Monday at the start of each week. Then you should plan and map out a strategy to complete the weekly assignments by the stated deadlines. Final weekly deadlines are usually, generally, though not always, on Sunday nights @ 11:59 pm. Always read instructions and directions thoroughly and carefully.  

 

Types of Assessments

GRADES:

Your final grade will be based on the total number of points you have accumulated / earned out of the total points possible for the following:

• Course Check-In Assignment                                              complete/incomplete
• InQuizitive activities  [14 chapters] + tutorials                   10 pts each
• Various Primary Source Document Reflection writing      10 or 15 pts each
• Weekly Chapter quizzes [14 Chapters]                               20 pts each
• Constitution Quiz                                                                 40 pts
• Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Exam                        50 pts
• Various online discussion boards                                        30 pts each
• Various public comment pages                                            1 pt to 5 pts

           

INQUIZITIVE:

• The InQuizitive adaptive activities will help you learn the textbook material at your own pace, and the History Skills Tutorials will help you critically read and analyze like a historian.
• You must access these activities through my Canvas course modules in order for your scores to report to the gradebook in a synchronized manner. The first time you click on any InQuizitive link you will be prompted to create an account and register a code [unless you are completing a direct access purchase where no access code will be necessary]. New textbooks purchased from the campus bookstore come with an access code which gives you access to all of these digital resources. Access codes are usually 9 digits and a combination of capital letters and numbers, and they appear in a 3 by 3 format [for example: XXX – XXX - XXX].
• You may also sign up for a free 3-week trial access and then enter a code at a later time in order to continue. Or you can conduct a direct purchase access [no code needed] in order to continue once the 3-week trial is over. 
• If you have any technical trouble open a helpdesk ticket at support.wwnorton.com. If you do not see your scores in your Canvas Grades, or if you are prompted to enter a Student Set ID, that means that you are not enrolled correctly. You must always click on each link here in my Canvas course and sign in, and your account will sync up correctly.

 

QUIZZES AND EXAMS:

• All quizzes/exams are open books/ open notes. 
• I do provide you with some study guides for the Constitution quiz and the Incidents in the Life of Slave Girl exams only to help you prepare and study.  
• All quizzes/exams are multiple choice format and taken on canvas in your own study space.
• All quizzes/exams are timed – usually 60 minutes.   
• All settings are randomized for testing security purposes. These quizzes/exams are set to shuffle up the order of the questions and to mix up the choices as well. Each is unique to each individual. No two are exactly alike in any way. Only the questions from the question pools are the same and the questions do not change. But the order and how questions appear on an exam are randomized experiences. 
• Weekly chapter quizzes are usually 20 questions, so these are worth 20 points each. 
• Canvas is set to grade the quizzes/exams for you and provide brief and limited access to the correct answers only once so that you can review your answers and learn material. Breeches in testing security may cause me to make alternate decisions about releasing correct answers at later designated times.    
• You only get one opportunity to complete each quiz/exam.

 

DISCUSSIONS, COMMENT PAGES:

• You can also expect periodic online discussion boards on Canvas involving posts and replies to thematic prompts for participation points. Point values will vary depending on time and topic.
• There are also lower stakes comment pages for less points where you are invited to leave comments and replies for anywhere from 1 point per comment to 5 points per comment.

 

 

PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENT REFLECTION WRITING ASSIGNMENTS [PSR’S]

• You can also expect periodic writing assignments on assigned primary source excerpts. The full details, instructions, guidelines, rubrics, expectations and student samples can all be accessed and viewed in the modules after PSR #1. See page titled “Primary Source Document Reflection Expectations for Future Reference.”

Textbook Information

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

1. Dr. Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty, 7th Seagull Edition: Volume 1 Paperback with Inquizitive Access Card/code: ISBN: 978-1-324-04134-4

 

Or choose the E-book option with Inquizitive Access Card/code: [see links in Canvas to purchase direct E-book access or see campus bookstore for access card]. 

 

2. Harriet Jacobs, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” ISBN: 9780486419312

 

Other Relevant Course Information

COURSE PARTICIPATION AND DROP POLICIES:

• Participation is essential to your success in this class. In distance education courses you are required to participate just as if you were in a face-to-face course. This means that in order to get full credit for participation, you will have to complete your discussion assignments, lesson assignments and quizzes on a timely basis.
• Students who stop participating in all assignments for more than a week without communicating with the instructor can be dropped and removed from the roster for lack of participation. This is known as an “Instructor Drop/withdrawal.”
• All distance education courses currently follow the College of the Canyons Policy for Add and Drop. 
• I am required by college policy to drop and remove any enrolled students who do not complete the required Check-In Activity by the stated deadlines. 

ACCESSIBILITY/MODIFICATIONS:

• Students who need accommodations and/or modifications for this class are encouraged to contact the Academic Accessibility Center as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. I can provide reasonable accommodations to meet diverse learning needs such as extended time on quizzes and exams, but I need verified forms and paperwork from the AAC before any accommodation can be provided.
• The Academic Accessibility Center can be contacted at 661-362-3341 or in person by visiting the Seco Hall, Room 103.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY, PLAGIARISM, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

I don't give credit for plagiarized or AI generated writings. Faculty are now equipped with AI detector software. 

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Additional Resources

Canvas

This course can be accessed on the first day of class via Canvas at https://coc.instructure.com. Log into Canvas using your CanyonsID single sign-on:

• CanyonsID Username is your COC student email address (Ex: username@my.canyons.edu)
• CanyonsID Password is your COC student email password

Please visit the Get to Know Your Online Classroom page for help logging into Canvas and for tips on using Canvas and Zoom. Canvas Chat Support is also available 24/7 for any Canvas related issues.

Online Education

Check out the Online Education website for more information on a variety of topics that can help you be a successful online student such as: exam proctoring, learning styles, computer skills, and tips for student success. If this is your first online course, feel free to take our online learning readiness assessment to assess your skills.

The Learning Center (TLC)

The TLC provides FREE online tutoring resources to COC students!

Academic Accommodation Center (AAC)

College of the Canyons AAC provides educational services and access for eligible students with documented disabilities who intend to pursue coursework at COC. A variety of programs and services are available which afford eligible students with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the college programs and activities through appropriate and reasonable accommodations. For more information on their services visit the Academic Accomodation Center website.

Online Counseling

The Counseling Department offers appointments online. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Online Counseling website. Counselors can help you map out a plan to reach your educational goals as well as advise you on course selection and registration.

Management of Stress and Mental Health

Often the pressure on our students is very strong, involving academic commitments, relationships, outside jobs and family pressure to name a few. The staff and faculty of College of the Canyons are here to see you succeed academically and care about your emotional and physical health. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential student services, including counseling and mental health services available on campus by visiting the Student Health & Wellness Center in the Student Services Building (across from the bookstore). The phone number is 661-362-3259 that you can call 24/7. You can also e mail for an appointment at StudentHealthCenter@canyons.edu. At the Canyon Country Campus the Health Center will be in the new Student Services Building.

Also, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number is now 988. All students at COC are encouraged to enter that phone number in their cells. You can call it when you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide or is in severe distress.

You can also now use the Crisis Text Line: Just text "Courage" to 741741. Someone will get back to you immediately. Its free, 24/7, and confidential.

Veterans Resource Center

The College of the Canyons Veterans Resource Center is a department within the Student Services Division at the college, created to help veterans and veteran dependents with applying to College of the Canyons, enrolling in classes, and requesting VA Education or Vocational Benefits. For more information please visit the Veterans Resource Center website, email veterans@canyons.edu or phone (661) 362-3469.

Library

The Library provides live online and in-person research help, access to a full range of e-resources and physical materials that support the curriculum, individual and group study areas, and much more!

Last updated: 08/10/2023 Sub#: 1095