This course will examine the social, political, and economic history of the United States to the post-Civil War period. Topics include, but are not limited to, colonial settlement, the American Revolution and the Constitution, antebellum expansion, slavery and the plantation economy, sectional conflict and the Civil War, and Reconstruction. This course includes study of Georgia history during this period.
Students will identify the major themes in United States history to 1877, and will analyze the roles of men and women of different races and ethnicities in shaping American culture, the processes of conflict and accommodation involved in building a democratic society, and the global context in which the history and culture of the United States has evolved.
Paul S. Boyer, American History: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2012), ISBN 978-0-19-538914-2
Theda Perdue, The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents, 3rd ed. (Bedford/St Martin’s, 2016), ISBN 978-1-319-04902-7
There will be four examinations in this course, including the final exam. Each exam will count for 25% of the course grade.
Grading scale: A=89.50 or above; B=79.50-89.49; C=69.50-79.49; D=59.50-69.49; F=59.49 or below.
According to policy, grades at Georgia Tech are interpreted as follows:
A Excellent (4 quality points per credit hour)
B Good (3 quality points per credit hour)
C Satisfactory (2 quality points per credit hour)
D Passing (1 quality point per credit hour)
F Failure (0 quality points per credit hour)
See http://registrar.gatech.edu/info/grading-system for more information about the grading system at Georgia Tech.
This course does not have a mandatory attendance policy, except on the days of exams, but students are strongly encouraged to attend class on a regular basis. The exams will cover material presented in class as well as in reading assignments, and much of the material presented in class will not be covered in the reading assignments.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences Area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help students master course content and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
• How do I understand human experiences and connections?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
• Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
• Intercultural Competence
• Perspective-Taking
• Persuasion
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Political Science & US History Area.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
• How do I prepare for my responsibilities as an engaged citizen?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history of the United States and the history of Georgia.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
• Critical Thinking
• Intercultural Competence
• Persuasion