Academic Catalog

HIST 17B: HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1812 TO 1914

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2023
Units: 4
Hours: 4 lecture per week (48 total per quarter)
Advisory: Demonstrated proficiency in English by placement via multiple measures OR through an equivalent placement process OR completion of ESLL 125 & ESLL 249.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Area IV: Social & Behavioral Sciences
Transferable: CSU/UC
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate factual knowledge of important public figures, social, economic, cultural, political and intellectual developments in 19th century United States history.
  • Develop a historical analysis and support it using details and examples.
  • Relate important historical events and patterns to current events and patterns and identify significant similarities and differences.

Description

History of the United States from 1812 to 1914. Survey of the political, economic, cultural, and social development of the United States with emphasis on its contentious expansion into the North American west, its evolution as an economic world power, and the conflict over the application of the ideals of freedom and equality across race, class, and gender lines.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a broad factual knowledge of important social, economic, cultural, political, and intellectual movements in 19th century American history
  2. Analyze issues which have a direct bearing and influence on American life today
  3. Explain the principal historical debates and problems within the field of American historiography concerning the sources and verification of historical evidence
  4. Recognize the impact of different ethnic groups and other minorities on the evolution of American values and society in the 19th century
  5. Utilize the skills of historiographical analysis and interpretative exposition to explain and evaluate important developments in American history
  6. Use primary and secondary sources effectively to articulate sound historical analysis

Course Content

  1. How do we know what we know—primary and secondary sources and their importance and use
  2. Analysis of the development of the United States as a new nation
    1. The causes and impact of the War of 1812
    2. Economic growth and expansion
    3. Market revolution
  3. Changes under Andrew Jackson
    1. Expansion of democracy among white men
    2. Consideration of contemporary arguments over presidential abuse of power
    3. Expansion into the South and Indian removal
  4. Southern society
    1. Development of African American community
    2. The slave system and analysis of impact on white and black society
    3. Impact of slavery on economic and technological development in the South
  5. Western expansion
    1. U.S. and European interests in the far west
    2. Analysis of contemporary justifications for the Mexican War
    3. Race, class, and gender aspects of gold rush society
    4. Sectionalism and westward expansion
    5. American development of California
  6. Secession and Civil War
    1. Moral and political significance of abolitionism
    2. Sectional differences
    3. Political shifts—rise of Republican Party
    4. The course and impact of the Civil War
    5. The end of slavery
  7. Southern Reconstruction
    1. Radical Republicans and the plans for free Africans
    2. Amending the Constitution and impeachment
    3. Southern resistance and the end of Reconstruction
    4. Analysis of the early African American civil rights movement
  8. American expansion into the west
    1. Assessment of the impact of the railroads
    2. Shifting Native American policy and resistance
    3. Federal land acts and settlement
    4. Industry in the west
  9. The rise of business and labor
    1. Capitalism and big business
    2. Evaluating the role of government
    3. Labor unionism
    4. Radical movements
  10. Urban growth and agrarian revolt
    1. Immigration and the new ethnic minorities
    2. Rise of big cities
    3. Farmers and Populism
    4. Women's rights movement
  11. American imperialism
    1. Assessing reasons for and arguments against imperialism
    2. Spanish American War in Cuba and the Philippines
    3. American interests in Central America
    4. Expansion into the Pacific and interests in China
  12. The Progressive movement
    1. Social workers and muckrakers
    2. Women's Movement
    3. Regulation of business and industry
    4. Democratic reform of government
    5. Progressive social reform

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. When taught on campus, no special facilities or equipment needed.
2. When taught as an online distance learning section, students and faculty need ongoing and continuous internet and email access.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Midterm exams featuring written essays
Final examination featuring written essays
Research paper based on analysis of primary and secondary historical sources
Class discussion and participation
Short in-class written assignments and quizzes

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Electronic discussions
Multimedia presentations

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Faragher, John Mack, et al.. Out of Many: A History of the American People, 9th ed.. 2019.

Henretta, James A., et al.. America's History, 10th ed.. 2021.

Schultz, Kevin M.. HIST, 5th ed.. 2017.

Additional wide-ranging use of web-based primary sources.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Midterm exams consisting of objective questions requiring understanding and assessment of important people, events, and concepts, and written essays asking for explanation and analysis of major themes and periods
  2. One two-hour long final examination with written and objective questions in the style noted above
  3. Research paper requiring development of a thesis, collection and analysis of primary and/or secondary sources, and organization and presentation of a quality written product
  4. Class discussion and participation focusing on understanding content, analyzing point of view and competency of sources, and identifying important thematic connections to present day topics and events
  5. Written questions and assignments requiring evaluation of particular documents, ideas, or incidents from the period

HISTORY PROGRAM LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to critically analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources and draw valid historical interpretations from them.

Discipline(s)

History