Course Description: The course examines the social and political events that helped shape modern America. Historiographical studies in the course include Reconstruction, the Industrial Revolution, the last of the Indian Wars, Native Americans, African-Americans, Immigrants, World War I, the Red Scare, the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, Korean War, mass media, Civil Rights, the Counterculture, Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and real/reel life in today’s world. Students are encouraged to research particular areas of American history that interest them to aid in their own education about the time period.

Mission Statement: The course is designed to allow students to acquire, along with their other courses, an educational background that prepares them for their careers. The research and writing assignments students complete should expedite the same procedures in other courses such as business, communication, languages, sociology, theology, etc.

Instructor’s Statement:
* Education - BA, East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma.
MA, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma.
Currently working on Ph.D. at University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

* Home phone - 273-0737
* E-mail - trabla@sgc.edu or trabla@cpn-net.com

* My approach to teaching this course is what some students may call "laid back." I lecture but encourage students to ask questions and allow them to express their opinions about the topics I lecture on during class. My goal is to present history to my students in a fashion that shows them history in a different light----memorizing dates, names, and places are important; but students should find asking the question "why?" and discovering the answer to be the real challenge.

Objectives: By the end of the semester students will have been able to:
* add to their previous knowledge of United States history.
* discover new people in United States history.
* find that historians vary in their interpretations of United States history.
* write an appropriate research paper that should aid in research in other classes.
* read and review one book to gain knowledge about the difference between a book review and book report.
* learn primary/secondary research on the Internet.

* Buhle, Mari Jo, John Mack Faragher, Daniel Czitrom, Susan H. Armitage. Out of Many: A History of the American People. Vol. II. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1994. Prentice Hall, 2000, Third edition. ISBN - 0-13-949752-8.

* Goodman, James. Stories of Scottsboro. New York: Vintage Books, 1994. ISBN -0-679- 76159-4.

* Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc., 1999. ISBN - 0-321-04978-0.

* There will be four exams during the semester with the fourth exam being given during final exam week. There will be no comprehensive exams.

* Exams one and two will consist of an essay and identifications and/or multiple choice questions.
* The third exam will be one essay about Stories of Scottsboro.
* The final exam will consist of a choice by the student of two essays and five identifications or one essay and ten identifications.

* Students must furnish their own SMALL blue book for each exam.
* Students must use a BLACK pen for all exams.
* Each exam will be worth 100 points.

Make-up Exams:
* Make-up exams will be available at the instructor’s convenience.
* Make-up exams will be considerably more difficult than the original exams and will consist of two essays ONLY.
* It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor to take the make- up exam.
* The instructor will wait FIVE minutes for the student. If the student neglects to take the make- up at that time he/she will receive a grade of "0" for that exam.

Book Review:
* Each student will be required to write one book review.
* The book must be approved by the instructor.
* Guidelines for writing a book review will be provided for each student.
* Each book review will be worth 100 points.

Research Paper:
* Each student must write a four to six page research paper.
* Guidelines for writing the research paper will be provided for each student.
* A rubric will be provided for each student.
* Each research paper will be worth 100 points.

Late Papers: Book reviews, research papers, and various other assignments during the semester will only be accepted prior to or on the assigned date. NO PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.

Grades: The class curve will not be used. Grades will be based on a percentage of 100.
90% and over = A
80% - 89% = B
70% - 79% = C
60% - 69% = D
Less than 60%= F

Absence Policy:
* The student is expected to attend class on a regular basis.
* If for any reason a student misses a class he/she has the responsibility of obtaining lecture notes from another student.
* Each student will lose three points for each class missed.
* There are only two exceptions: illness and St. Gregory sponsored activities.
* In the case of illness the student must verify his/her absence.
* In the case of St. Gregory sponsored activities the student must notify the instructor prior to the absence.

ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act: St. Gregory’s University is committed to the goal of achieving equal opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. Consistent with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, St. Gregory’s University ensures that no "qualified individual with a disability" will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability under programs or activity offered by St. Gregory’s University. To ensure access for students with disabilities and varying mobility, visual or learning disabilities, accommodations and services are available through the Dean of Students’ Office. (St. Gregory’s University Catalog, page 8)

Academic Ethics: St. Gregory’s University expects its students to demonstrate integrity in their academic work. Acts violating the expected integrity include:
1) Cheating on examinations, quizzes or other written work;
2) Giving assistance to or receiving assistance from another during an examination or quiz;;
3) Plagiarism, that is:
a. The use of another’s published work wholly or in part without recognition or proper documentation;
b. The use of another student’s work as one’s own;
c. The purchase, use or provision of an already prepared paper;
4) Falsifying an academic record;
5) Obtaining, or attempting to obtain, copies of uncirculated examinations or examination questions.

Students found to have committed one or more of acts 1-3 will receive an F for the examination, written work or quiz in question. Acts 4 or 5 will lead to a hearing with the Dean of Students, since they are major social infractions, the penalty for which may be dismissal. (St. Gregory’s University Catalog, page 25)

Food, drink, gum, tobacco, cell phones, pagers:
* No food.
* No drinks except water.
* Gum is fine, but put in waste container when finished.
* No tobacco.
* No cell phones or pagers; they are distracting.

Course Outline: Outlines will be provided for each student. The instructor reserves the right to adjust the outline as needed.