Syllabus
History
2053 History of
A survey of the history of
social, economic, and political
processes that have interacted to create the state's distinct character. The course will follow a directed readings
approach with classtime being devoted to
seminar-style discussions and to one-on-one conferences with the instructor.
Instructor: Dr. Richard A. Bland
Email: rbland@nwacc.edu
(I can also be reached at
rbland@rhs.k12.ar.us and at rbland@cox-internet.com, but please don't send
assignments
to either of
these addresses.)
Course Objectives:
1. Recognize the names of significant Arkansans
and their contributions to the development of the state.
2. Evaluate the more significant events as to
their impact on the direction of
3. Understand the common thread that binds us
all together to become more informed citizens
4. Further develop the skills of critical
thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation),
communication (listening, reading,
writing, speaking), and lifelong learning (curiosity,
initiative, openness, research).
Course Requirements:
Four
books, available in paperback at the NWACC bookstore, and five articles from
the Arkansas Historical Review (copies of which are available for copying
in the library or may accessed online from the
instructor's
website)
make up the required reading. When
assignments are due dates the entire class does not meet together, the student
is responsible for either transmitting his or her work to the instructor's
NWACC email address or delivering it to the instructor's
mailbox
at the social sciences office in Burns Hall.
Each student will have at least one or more one-on-one conferences with
the instructor. Attendance is expected
on the dates the entire class meets.
Instruction Methods: This is primarily a
readings course. however,
the entire class will meet from time to time (see dates below) for whole-class
of the readings. These will NOT be
lecture times, so come prepared to participate.
Classtimes not used for meetings of the whole
class will be used for student-teacher conferences when needed.
Grading: Each major review (3-5
typed pages, double-spaced) is worth 100 points. Minor reviews (one page minimum) are worth 10
points each. Participation in
whole-class discussions and oral discussion of the reading in
student-instructor conferences has a total of 100 points.
Late work: Late work will NOT be
accepted.
Drop Date: April 8 is the last date
to drop and received a "W."
Attendance: Absences from required
whole-class meeting will result in the lowering the student's participation
grade.
Grievance Procedure: The Social Science
Department follows the NWACC Student Handbook regarding proper steps to be
taken should grievance occur between fellow students or between the student and
instructor. The first step in resolving
any grievance is to bring the complaint to the attention of the
instructor. If the issue is not
satisfactorily resolved, the student (and/or instructor) contacts the
instructor's department head. Please
refer to the College Catalog and Student Handbook.
Course Materials:
BOOKS
·
Charles Bolton,
·
Thomas A. DeBlack,
With Fire and Sword:
·
Carl Moneyhon,
·
Ben F. Johnson,
ARTICLES
·
E. E. Dale,
"Arkansas, The Myth and The State," Arkansas Historical Quarterly, 12
(1953), pp. 8-29.
·
Elsie M. Lewis,
"Economic Conditions in Ante-Bellum Arkansas: 1850-1861," AHQ 6 (1947), pp. 256-74.
·
Bobby Lovett,
"African Americans, Civil War, and Aftermath in Arkansas," AHQ 54 (1995), pp. 304-58.
·
Roy Reed, "Orval E. Faubus: Out of Socialism into Realism," AHQ 28 (1959), pp. 13-29.
Meeting Schedule:
January 19. Orientation meeting.
January 26. Whole-class meeting to
discuss progress; introductory lecture on early Arkansas.
February 2. No meeting.
Turn in first minor review (Dale).
February 9. No meeting.
February 16. First major review (Bolton)
due. Whole-class
meeting.
February 23. Second minor review (Lewis)
due.
March 2. No meeting.
March 9. Second major review (DeBlack) due.
Mo meeting.
March 16. Third minor review (Lovett)
due. Whole-class
meeting.
March 23. Spring break.
March 30. Third major review (Moneyhon)
due.
April 6. Fourth minor review (Dew)
due. Whole-class
meeting.
April 13. No meeting.
Conferences.
April 20. Fifth minor review (Reed)
due. Conferences.
April 28. Conferences.
May 4. Fourth major review
(Johnson) due. Whole-class
meeting.