Dr. Janet
Professor of History
Faculty Advisor, Phi Alpha Theta
Office: Grant 343
Phone: 968-9918
Email: schmelz@tarleton.edu (preferred mode of
communication)
Web: www.tarleton.edu/faculty/
Office Hours: TR 10:00-10:50am and
1:00-3:00pm. Other times by appointment.
Syllabus United States History 202 All sections
History 2023 covers U. S. History After 1877. This class will study from the end of Reconstruction to the present. Most of the material will be presented in class through lectures. Your reading and class assignments will cover material that we do not cover in lecture. Exams will test your ability to learn information and use that information. This class will also stress such academic skills as note taking and reading text material for comprehension. Because I stress note taking as an academic skill, I do not allow tape recorders. You need to inform me if you need to use a tape recorder. If you need help with this course, you will need to come to my office.
Text: Brands, American Stories (can be purchased at the bookstore or online at pearsoned.com)
Absences: You have 6 absences in this class. These six should be used judiciously because on the seventh absence you have earned an F in the course for a lack of class participation. Only university official functions are excused absences. You must provide official university notification if your absence is an official university function. If you miss class, you are responsible for getting the material that you missed. If you miss an exam, you will have one opportunity to take a makeup exam. I will set up the makeup exam day. If you do not take a test either on the regularly scheduled day or on the makeup day, you will receive a zero for that exam. A zero is not dropped when exam grades are averaged for this class at the end of the semester. If you arrive late to class, you must tell me that you were in class at the end of that class period; I will not change absences after that time.
Grading: Your final course grade will be determined by the
following (if your absence record is 6 or less):
1. Three major exams
2. Each exam will be one hour
3. Your final course grade will be the average of these three
exams.
Grading scale: No curve will be used for any exam. The
standard ten-point scale will always determine your letter grade.
100-90=A 89-80=B 79-70=C
69-60=D 59 or below =F
Exams: Exams are essay and short answer. You will be responsible for lectures and textbook assignments. These exams are designed to test what you have learned and how well you can use that information. Exam dates will be announced two weeks in advance of the exam day. All of your answers to the exam must be in the bluebook. Do not tear pages out from the bluebook.
Seating: A seating chart will be used.
It is the policy of
And remember--no talking, no tobacco, no exiting,
no hats. Thanks.
Course of Study
Reading Assignments for this course:
Chapters 17-32.
Course lectures will be in the following order:
5 weeks will cover approx. U. S. History from 1877-1896 (social, economic,
and political)
5 weeks will cover approx. U.S. History from 1896 to 1929 (social,
economic, political)
5 weeks will cover approx. U.S. History from 1929 to present (social, economic, political)