HIST 101 — ONLINE
United States History to 1877
📄 Course Syllabus
Download the complete syllabus for detailed course policies, schedule, and requirements.
Download Syllabus (PDF)📅 Schedule
Section: V1 (Online)
Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENGL 101
Format: Online / Canvas
📚 Credits
Credit Hours: 4
IAI Number: S2 900
Textbook: Give Me Liberty!, Vol. 1 — Foner
👨🏫 Instructor
Professor: Steven Austin
Email: [email protected]
Office: S226
Phone: 875-7211, x6392
Course Description
This course covers the development of the United States from the colonial era through the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. Particular attention is given to the founding of the Colonies, Puritan thought and culture, Anglo-French rivalry, the political and economic background of the War of Independence, the formation of the American government, the Federalists, the Jeffersonians, the settlement of the West, Jacksonian democracy, "Manifest Destiny," sectional issues, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.
Through primary source analysis, scholarly readings, and class discussions, students will develop critical thinking skills and gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shaped early American society. Special attention will be given to the experiences of diverse groups including Native Americans, African Americans, women, and immigrants.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, a student should be able to:
Historical Concepts
Demonstrate a firm grasp of fundamental American historical concepts through 1877.
Document Analysis
Critically analyze documents and apply historical methods to demonstrate and enhance historical thinking and analytical skills.
Historical Context
Understand, analyze, and compare relationships between historical American events, issues, values, and conflicting ideals, and their relevance to the present.
Multicultural Perspectives
Appreciate the multicultural contributions of different ethnic groups — including Native Americans, African Americans, women, and immigrants — to U.S. history.
Historical Perspectives
Critique and analyze differing historical perspectives and paradigms in U.S. history.
The Meaning of Liberty
Trace how the concept of freedom — its promises and its contradictions — was defined, contested, and transformed across American history to 1877.
Major Topics Covered
🏛️ Colonial America
European colonization, Native American societies, and the development of distinct regional cultures in the English colonies.
⚔️ Revolution & Independence
Causes of the American Revolution, the War for Independence, and the social upheaval the Revolution unleashed.
📜 Constitutional Era
Federalism, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the competing visions for the new American republic.
🌾 Market Revolution & Reform
Industrial transformation, westward expansion, Jacksonian democracy, and the antebellum reform movements.
⛓️ Slavery & Sectionalism
The peculiar institution, abolitionist movements, and the deepening sectional crisis between North and South.
🪖 Civil War & Reconstruction
Causes and consequences of the Civil War, emancipation, and the unfinished promise of Reconstruction.
Textbook Reading Guides
Guided reading worksheets for each chapter of Give Me Liberty!, Vol. 1 by Eric Foner. Complete each guide before the corresponding quiz. Your answers auto-save in your browser.
Chapters 2–7 · Colonial Era & Revolution
European Colonies and Native Nations
The founding of English colonies, Puritan culture, and early relations between settlers and Native peoples.
Open GuideCreating Anglo-America
The Navigation Acts, Bacon's Rebellion, the growth of slavery, and the emerging Atlantic economy.
Open GuideSlavery, Freedom, and the Struggle for Empire
The Great Awakening, the Seven Years' War, and how slavery shaped colonial society and freedom's meaning.
Open GuideThe American Revolution
From the Stamp Act crisis through independence — the causes, course, and contradictions of the Revolution.
Open GuideThe Revolution Within
How the Revolution transformed — and limited — the rights of women, enslaved people, and the poor.
Open GuideFounding a Nation
The Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention, and the ratification debates.
Open GuideChapters 8–11 · The Early Republic
Securing the Republic
Federalists vs. Republicans, the Haitian Revolution, the Louisiana Purchase, and the War of 1812.
Open GuideThe Market Revolution
Industrialization, the transportation revolution, westward migration, and the rise of free labor ideology.
Open GuideDemocracy in America
Jacksonian democracy, Indian Removal, the Bank War, and the expansion of white male suffrage.
Open GuideThe Peculiar Institution
Slavery in the Old South — its economy, culture, and the daily lives and resistance of enslaved people.
Open GuideChapters 12–14 · Crisis, War & Reconstruction
An Age of Reform
Abolitionism, women's rights, temperance, and the utopian impulse in antebellum America.
Open GuideA House Divided
Manifest Destiny, the Compromise of 1850, Bleeding Kansas, and the collapse of the second party system.
Open GuideA New Birth of Freedom
The Civil War — emancipation, the home front, and Lincoln's vision of a reconstructed union.
Open GuideRequired Materials
📖 Required Textbook
- Give Me Liberty! An American History, Volume 1: To 1877
- Author: Eric Foner
- Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
- Note: Any recent edition is acceptable. eBook available through the bookstore.
📄 Additional Resources
- Primary source documents (provided on Canvas)
- Video documentaries (available through Canvas)
- Chapter reading guides (linked above — no printing required)
🖥️ Technology Requirements
- Access to Canvas Learning Management System
- Word processing software (Microsoft Word recommended)
- Reliable internet connection for online course activities
Grading & Assessment
This course follows a points-based system. Your final grade is determined by the total points you earn across all graded activities.
Grading Scale
Note: Point totals are subject to change based on actual coursework assigned. Late work accepted up to 48 hours with a 10% penalty per day.
Course Policies
📧 Participation
Regular engagement with course materials is essential. Students are expected to complete all readings, view assigned documentaries, and submit work on time. Online discussion participation counts toward your engagement grade.
⏰ Late Work
Assignments are due on the specified Canvas deadline. Late submissions will be accepted up to 48 hours after the deadline with a 10% penalty per day. Extensions may be granted for documented emergencies — contact the instructor before the deadline.
🎓 Academic Integrity
All students are expected to adhere to Richland Community College's academic integrity policy. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty — including unauthorized use of AI tools on assessed work — will result in disciplinary action including possible failure of the course.
♿ Accessibility
Students with disabilities who need accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Services and inform the instructor as soon as possible to arrange appropriate support.
Ready to Explore American History?
Join us on a journey through the founding and development of the United States — from colonial encounters to the unfinished work of Reconstruction.
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