W.R. Miller                                                                                                    Before and After Class
History 523/623                                                                                               and by appointment
Strong Hall 419                                                                            BobMiller@MissouriState.edu

Fall, 2017

Nineteenth Century America

 
 Required Books

Ronald G. Walters, American Reformers:1815-1860  
Harold Livesay, Andrew Carnegie and the Rise of Big Business

Other Required Readings

The instructor will provide the other required readings at the first class period.

Grades

There will be two exams. Each will count 40% of the student's course grade.  Participation in class discussion over the required readings will count 20%.  Graduate students will read and write reviews on four books.  Unacceptable book reviews will lower the student’s final course grade by as much as one letter grade.  The book reviews are due on September 13, October 11, November 15, and December 13.

Attendance

Attendance for this class is mandatory.  The instructor will hand out a roll sheet at the beginning and after the break of each class. It is the student's responsibility to sign the roll sheet.  If a student fails to sign the roll sheet, the student will be counted absent (no exceptions).  Skipping out during class or the break without permission from the instructor will be counted as an absence.  A student's course grade will be reduced by a letter grade on the second unexcused absence, and by another letter grade for every subsequent unexcused absence.  An absence will be counted as excused only if the student has an acceptable documented excuse (letter from a doctor, towing bill, bail ticket, etc.). 

Tardiness

Your instructor hates tardiness.  Please make every effort to get to class on time.  There will be a 10 minute break at approximately 7 pm.  Please return to your seats and be prepared for class on time.  Remember, when grading exams even the most senile professors have an excellent memory for those who have irritated them!

English as a Second Language

If English is not your native language, please see the instructor immediately after class.

Cheating

Anyone caught cheating will receive an F for the work involved.

Course Objectives

 By the end of this course, each student will:

 1. Have learned to write clearly, concisely and critically.  This will be assessed on essay exams.  
  2. Have demonstrated the ability to think critically and to analyze historical developments and interpretations.
                     This will be assessed on essay exams and in class discussions.  
  3. Have demonstrated the ability to take historical facts and make a general conclusion from those facts.  
                     This will be assessed on the essay exams and in class discussion.  
 4. Have demonstrated an understanding of how present-day situations have grown out of past events, which is essential to popular
                      participation in America's democratic experiment.  This will be assessed on essay exams and in class discussions.  
  5. Have demonstrated a content knowledge of Nineteenth Century America.  This will be assessed on essay exams and in
                      class discussions.

University Policies

The instructor adopts all of the university's "suggested" wording at http://www.missouristate.edu/provost/syllabi.htm