GE 215: American History II
Students will learn about political, cultural, economic, foreign policy, and other changes that have shaped the United States between the early twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
- Improve their reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills by means of historical analysis
- Understand the importance of studying history in terms of better comprehending the current condition of the United States
- Appreciate history as an edifying, enjoyable pursuit.
- Recognize economic, political, and social factors that significantly influenced each decade of twentieth-century America.
- Explain factors leading to American involvement in major wars since the early twentieth century and identify unique aspects of such periods of American history as the Great Depression, Cold War, and Civil Rights.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the founding principles of the United States governmental system.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the United States governmental system has evolved over time.
- Compare and contrast the various intents of the various founders for how the government should operate to how it operates today.
- Differentiate between the three branches of government in the United States.
- Apply their knowledge of the American governmental system to issues we are facing today.
General Education Objective(s):
- This course will help students improve their reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills by means of historical analysis; understand the importance of studying history in terms of better comprehending the current condition of the United States; and, hopefully, appreciate history as an edifying, enjoyable pursuit.
John M. Faragher, et al., Out of Many: A History of the American People, vol. 2, 9th ed. (2020) (see VitalSource Course Materials in the Course Information module). For the other assigned sources, click the hyperlinks in each module.
The main text for this course is also linked in PDF format in the General Course Information module on the course page. It is also free for students to download as it is an open-online resource.
When supplemental resources are needed within specific modules, these resources will be linked within a specific assignment, or a PDF version will be attached, for ease of access by students.
As this course is asynchronous in its delivery, students will need a reliable internet connection to access course materials.
This course is also designed so that students who participate will pass while students who desire an “A” will have to truly challenge themselves, enthusiastically participate, and work hard. Students can submit answers to the discussion and multiple-choice questions for each module until the end of the semester, but they will incur a late penalty for each such submission (the answers for each module are due at the end of each respective week).
Discussion assignments, when posted in respective modules, require students to make an original post, and to respond to other students’ posts to create discourse and expand the paths of learning and understanding, in lieu of the traditional face-to-face classroom environment. Specific discussion assignment requirements are posted in the assignment descriptions within the respective modules.
Student Evaluations:
Each weekly module will require students to perform one, or more, evaluation assignments. For each module, this will likely be a review quiz, discussion assignment(s), or an assignment specific to a topic within the week; or a combination of. Answers to review quiz questions will be opened for student review once all students have completed the assignment.
In the final week of the course, students will have a final assignment or exam to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of course materials.
Grading Scales
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 60% - 69%
F = below 60%
Communication:
Emails will be responded to no later than 48 hours, or by the end of business on Monday for mail received over the weekend.
| Module | Topics | Assignments |
|---|---|---|
Module 1 - Progressive era to World War I
| Origins of Progressive era in America; philosophies of Progressive motivations (Booker T Washington and Jane Addams); main social movements of the era; origins of Women’s Rights Movement; early African American civil rights movements |
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Module 2 - America in World War I
| America’s developing foreign policy and involvement in World War I; Progressive connections to war mobilization; Washington’s connections to American foreign policy foundations |
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Module 3 - 1920’s America
| Outcomes of American involvement in World War I; origins of the 1920’s and subsequent economic collapse ushering in the Great Depression. |
|
Module 4 - Great Depression and New Deal
| Origins of the Great Depression and America’s economic collapse prior to World War II; major events of the Great Depression; Roosevelt’s New Deal programs and America’s climb out of economic collapse. |
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Module 5 - World War II America
| America’s climb out of the Great Depression; America’s role as a European ally prior to Pearl Harbor; bombing of Pearl Harbor and America’s involvement and role in World War II and its outcomes. |
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Module 6 - Cold War and 1950’s America
| Transition from the end of World War II into the greater decades-long conflicts of the Cold War; US and Soviet Union relations and vying for global power; 1950’s America and changing demographic dynamics. |
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Module 7 - The Civil Rights Movement
| Origins, impacts, and outcomes of the African American civil rights movement; Martin Luther King Jr, and prominent leader’s philosophies and actions; Latino, Japanese, and American Indian civil rights movements within the time period. |
|
Module 8 - American in Vietnam, and the Great Society
| Continued focus on the events of the Cold War - Vietnam specifically, and the political, economic, and social movements occurring during the time period; 1960’s social revolution and counterculture; election of Nixon and the impact of Watergate. |
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Module 9 - 1970’s America to the Present
| Changes in the US economy - Reaganomics; political criticism and change; presidencies of Clinton, Bush, Obama, and the impact of their foreign and domestic policies; America’s future prospectives into the 2000s. |
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Module 10/11 - Final Week
| Value of History assignment |
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Emails will be responded to no later than 48 hours or by the end of business on Monday for mail received over the weekend.
Academic Honesty Policy
The college has a firm policy against academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism. Students guilty of academic dishonesty will be administratively dropped from the course with a grade of ‘F’ and subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension and dismissal.
Please refer to the Academic Honesty Policy for detailed information.
Late Assignment Policy
Meeting deadlines, being dependable, and applying appropriate time management are all foundational elements of professional behavior. These same attributes are also required while participating in college courses because the skills, knowledge, and student learning outcomes must be obtained in a specific order and within a certain amount of time.
We at Amerion College understand that sometimes students encounter circumstances that make it difficult to always meet the required course deadlines. This Late Work Policy is in place to accommodate that. In all circumstances, whenever possible, contact your instructor when you anticipate that you will be submitting work late.
The deadlines for most courses typically follow the pattern below, but it is your responsibility to confirm this and be aware if there are any assignments that may have different deadlines for one reason or another.
The first post in each Discussion Board is usually due on the Wednesday night of each module/week.
Most other assignments are due by 11:59 pm on Sunday evening of each module/week.
- All assignments must be submitted by the required due date.
- Missing assignments due to absence must be submitted within 1 week of return.
- Late submissions of assignments will result in a reduction of 10% of the total points possible per day (e.g., 1 day late = -10%, 2 days late = 20%, etc.) up to one week. Anything over 1 week late will result in a grade of 0.
- To receive full credit for late work, students must provide documentation for an excused absence, or it will be subject to the same treatment as any other late work. Documentation examples include court documents, hospitalization, etc.
Instructors may also choose to deduct less points at their discretion.
If for some reason a student temporarily loses the ability to connect to Canvas due to technical issues it is the student’s obligation to submit assignments by the original due dates. Temporary remedies can be connecting via a public WiFi spot, using school facilities to connect, or use of private networks through friends and family.
In extreme cases, when none of these solutions are available, the student may contact their instructors through other means and ask permission to submit their work directly, in a method that can be received by the instructor. Under no circumstances can methods of delivery outside of Canvas be used without explicit instructor permission. (If this ever happens the instructor should somehow note it).
Minimum Technology Requirements
Having access to a reliable desktop or laptop is required for Amerion College online courses. This requirement ensures students have the essential technologies to complete online courses successfully. Mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets may be utilized as additional tools to assist with completing online courses.
Online video conferences and calls are often the best way for instructors to assist students in many situations. A web camera and microphone are necessary for successful online conferences.
Safari and Chrome: Office 365 is designed to work with the current version of the Safari and Chrome browsers. Microsoft Edge: Office 365 is designed to work with the latest version of the Microsoft Edge browser.
Internet Explorer: Office 365 is designed to work with Internet Explorer 11. We recommend that you upgrade to Internet Explorer 11 if you are using an earlier version. Office might continue to work with versions of Internet Explorer other than Internet Explorer 11, but Office can’t provide any guarantees.
Firefox: Most Office 365 apps are designed to work with the current version of Firefox.
Some courses may have additional technology requirements beyond those listed here. Additional requirements will be listed in your Canvas course room.
Basic Office 365 apps are free and available to students with their Amerion College Outlook account. For additional questions and help with the required technologies, please contact support@amerion.edu
Minimum Technical Skills Requirements
To complete online courses successfully, you must be able to perform the following basic technical skills before starting the class
- Use the learning management system, Canvas
- Use Amerion College email with attachments
- Download, save, and upload files in Canvas
For additional questions regarding the required technologies, please contact support@amerion.edu
Technology Support
To be a successful online learner, certain technologies are necessary. Please keep in mind that certain classes may have additional technical requirements. You should be able to find additional technical requirements in your syllabus or your canvas course room. If you have any questions about the technology requirement, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or support@amerion.edu
Accessibility Information
Amerion College is committed to full compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For additional information, please access accessibility policy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or pjustice@amerion.edu if you have any additional questions.
Copyright Policy
As an institution of higher education, Amerion College strongly believes in intellectual property. As such, Amerion College respects intellectual property and has made it a priority to ensure all employees and students respect the copyrights of others. If you have any questions about our copyright policy, please access the copyright policy.
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This information is standard for each course but specifics may vary based on the delivery method of the course you are taking. Please follow the information provided by your instructor.
This syllabus is subject to change.