HIST C1001 - United States History to 1877

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is a historical survey of the United States, from Indigenous North America to the end of Reconstruction. The course also introduces students to historical reasoning skills. The course encompasses important economic, political, cultural and social developments. (C-ID HIST 130).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Analyze the relevance of Early American History to the present day.
2. Analyze economic, political, and cultural developments as well as social movements and assess their historical significance.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of U.S. History through analytical categories such as race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity.
4. Demonstrate the ability to interpret primary and secondary sources and to compose an argument which uses supportive evidence.
5. Employ knowledge of the past and ability to analyze information to think critically about self, society, and the world.
6. Explain historical events and developments in chronological and contextual relation to one another.
7. Recognize the diversity of historical experiences and the contributions of major social and ethnic groups.
8. Discuss America's growth in a global context.
9. Examine how American institutions and culture have changed over time and how they have remained the same.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Class Activities
2. Collaborative Group Work
3. Guest Speakers
4. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
5. Lecture
6. Homework: A major part of that time will be spent reading both primary and secondary sources, including but not limited to monographs, articles, course readers, textbooks, literature and/or websites.

1. Methods of formative and summative evaluation used to observe or measure students’ achievement of course outcomes and objectives must include academic writing and research.
   
   Additional methods of evaluation are encouraged and at the discretion of local faculty and may incorporate assessments and exercises such as journals, quizzes, discussions, group work, and presentations.

Reading Assignments

1. Read the essay, "Why Study History," by Peter Stearns. Rank the six reasons that he provides, with the reason you find most convincing first and descending to the reason you find least compelling. Arrive in class prepared to discuss the reading and your thoughts.
2. Read the excerpt from the book, Until Justice Be Done. Arrive in class ready to discuss author Kate Masur's thoughts on why the antebellum civil rights movement has received relatively little attention in textbooks and classrooms, the achievements of the movement, and her approach to exploring the topic.

Writing Assignments

1. Compose a 750-1000 word essay in response to the question: Should John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry be considered the act of a freedom fighter determined to liberate slaves? Or was the raid the act of a terrorist aiming to spread panic throughout the South? The essay should include specific references to primary sources. It should also reflect accurate knowledge of John Brown and the issues/circumstances surrounding the raid.
2. The writing of the Constitution was a balancing act by the authors. In creating a new system of government, the founders strove to balance conflicting concerns. A central challenge was to create a national government that is powerful enough to be effective, while protecting against governmental tyranny. A second challenge was to create a government of and for the people, while protecting against popular tyranny. In a 750-1000 word essay, describe how the Constitution's overall structure and specific provisions reflect this balancing act.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Go to the "How to Use Primary Sources" page of the Primary Source Village website. Read through each page of the tutorial, examining the examples as you read. Then search online for a primary source on something specific that you encountered in this week's assigned reading. a. Write a full description of your primary source, following the steps outlined in the tutorial. b. Briefly describe how the primary source adds to your understanding of the topic. c. Provide a source citation for where you found the primary source, as well as citations for any other materials used to complete the assignment.
2. From the History Skills website, read through the tutorial on "Motives and Historical Empathy." Then, listen to the "Why They Fought" episode of the Backstory podcast. In a 500-word essay, explain how the segment reflects an approach that uses historical empathy. Be precise, providing specific details from the podcast.

Gonzales, Manuel G. (2019). Mexicanos: A History of Mexicans in the United States. Indiana University Press, 3rd. 978-0253041722.

Ling, H. (2023). Asian American History. Rutgers University Press, 1st. 978-1978826236.

Choy, C., et al. (2023). Asian American Histories of the United States. Beacon Press, 1st. 978-0807012710.

Kendi, I., et al. (2017). Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. Bold Type Books, 1st. 978-1568584645.

White, D., et al. (2020). Freedom on My Mind: A History of African Americans, with Documents. Macmillan, 3rd. 9781319210151.

DuBois, E., & Lynn D. (2024). Through Women’s Eyes, Combined Volume: An American History with Documents. Macmillan, 6th. 9781319244569.

Brown, L., et al. (2017). U.S. Women’s History: Untangling the Threads of Sisterhood. Rutgers University Press, 1st. 978-0813575841.

Calloway, C. (2024). First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of Native American History. Macmillan, 6th. 9781319244576.

Shi, D. (2022). America: A Narrative History. W.W. Norton & Company, 13th. 9781324084280.

Roark, J., et al. (2022). The American Promise. Macmillan, 1st. 9781319329914.

Nash, G., et al. (2019). The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society. Pearson, 8th. 9780135571019.

Murrin, J., et al. (2020). Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People. Cengage, 7th. 9781305492899.

Kennedy, D., et al. (2025). The American Pageant. Cengage, 18th. 9780357898864.

Kamensky, Jane., et al. (2019). A People and a Nation: A History of the United States. Cengage, 11th. 9781337402712.

Goldfield, D., et al. (2019). The American Journey: A History of the United States. Pearson, 8th. 9780135496794.

Foner, E., et al. (2025). Give Me Liberty!. W.W. Norton Company, 8th. 9781324103943.

Faragher, J., et al. (2021). Out of Many: A History of the American People. Pearson, 9th. 9780135179550.

Carnes, M. C. and Garraty, J. A. (2021). The American Nation. Pearson, 15th. 9780135570791.

Zero Cost Textbook

Corbett, P., et al. (2025). U.S. History. (OER). https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history.

Locke, J. and Wright, B. (2019). American Yawp. Stanford University Press, 1st ed. https://www.americanyawp.com/text/wp-content/uploads/Locke_American-Yawp_V1.pdf.

Other Learning Materials

Instructor discretion to choose scholarly and primary sources that enable an academic interrogation of history. Types of Course Materials: textbook; classics; document reader; scholarly articles; and/or monograph

History (Masters Required)