FAD Syllabus: UNCA HIST312
Overview
Syllabus shared by a UNC System faculty member.
Sample Syllabus
HIST 312 - U.S. Constitution in Context
[NAME]
MW 3:15 – 4:55
Office: Email:
Office Hours: 11:30 – 2:00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and by appointment.
Texts: The U.S. Constitution https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript The Declaration of Independence https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript The Bill of Rights https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript Amendments to the Constitution 11 – 27
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/amendments-11-27
Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Virginia Declaration of Rights, The Federalist Papers,
Emancipation Proclamation
https://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educational-resources/historical-documents Supreme Court Cases https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-supreme-court Fruchtman, Ame
Course Requirements:
Exams: There will be three exams, one for each major section of the course. Exams will include a choice essays. You will be expected to be prepared to deal with material from lectures, class discussions, and the textbooks. Exam dates and grade weight of each exam are as follows:
Exam #1 – September 25 - 15%
Exam #2 – October 30 - 20%
Exam #3 – December 11, 11:30 a.m. - 20%
Primary Source Research Paper: Choose an important Supreme Court case (up until 1963) and:
- Give the background and major players in the case using secondary sources.
- Using online newspaper sources gauge the reaction among at least five different newspapers to that case. You should choose newspapers from various parts of the country and from various political perspectives. The best places to go are the Library of Congress site Chronicling America, the New York Times – Historical Newspaper Collection (available under Online Resources on the library website), and America’s Historical Newspapers (goes up to 1876 and can also be found at Online Resources).
- Analyze your information and arrive at some conclusions about the way this case was perceived at the time and how that view may have changed over the years. Paper should be 6 to 8 pages with footnotes and bibliography. 20% of course grade and due November 15.
Reflection Journals: Each student will keep a reflection journal which will be submitted to my email address (FACULTY MEMBER EMAIL ADDRESS) every Wednesday before midnight (Except for weeks when we have an exam, comparative essay, or break). Approximately one to three pages in length, each entry should reflect (your entry should not just repeat something you heard or read, but should demonstrate reflection and rumination) on a reading or topic of discussion from the
previous week’s course material that made you think. Feel free to make it light, even funny, to speculate, and let your imagination go, but make sure you make specific connections to course material. I’ll grade each on a one to ten-point scale. You’ll have 13 opportunities and I’ll take the 10 use your 10 best journals to determine your final grade. 25% of course grade.
Professor's Responsibilities
- Arrive at each class meeting on time and well prepared.
- Grade each student's work fairly and promptly (I always attempt to return assignments within one week of the date that they were received--I will notify you if I will be unable to do so).
- Treat each student with respect and courtesy.
- Faithfully meet oﬃce hours and honor appointments with students.
- Communicate with students clearly and listen to students attentively.
Student Responsibilities
- Attend all classes. Students cannot expect to be successful if they miss class. Students will be penalized 2 points on their final average for each unexcused absence in excess of three (3).
- Arrive at class on time. It is very distracting to have students walking in to class late.
- Come to class well prepared. Students should plan on spending at least two hours of preparation for each hour in class in reading, writing, and ruminating.
- Take all exams and turn in all papers at the assigned time. Make-up exams will only be given to students with legitimate, documented excuses. Late papers will be penalized at a rate of five
(5) points per day.
- Do you own work. While students are encouraged to cooperate and study together, each individual is required to do their own work. Cheating and/or plagiarism will not be tolerated.
- Actively participate in the life of the class. I have designed this class as a learning community. Each student should participate in the life of the community by learning other classmates' names, working diligently in groups, studying with others outside of class, and contributing to classroom discussion.
- Treat the professor with respect and courtesy. Turn oﬀ your cell phone before class (or better yet, leave it at home) and avoid other distracting behaviors. Laptops and tablets are only allowed in class when students are instructed to bring them for research and classwork purposes.
- Communicate clearly and promptly with the professor. I am much more sympathetic when students inform me that they must miss class or will be late with an assignment if I am notified well in advance. Students should not hesitate to speak to the professor if they are experiencing diﬃculty in the class or if they have special problems of which the professor needs to be aware.
Course Schedule:
August
21 Course Introduction
23 The Roots of the Constitution Chap. 1 -2 Magna Carta
Mayflower Compact
28 Cont.
30 The American Revolution and the Articles of Confederation
September
4 No Class – Labor Day
Chaps 4 – 5
Dec. of Independence
6 Construction and Ratification Chaps. 6 – 7 Federalist Papers, 10, 39, 51
11 The Constitution U.S. Constitution
13 Cont.
18 The Bill of Rights Virginia Declaration of Rights Bill of Rights Federalist 29
20 The Constitution and Religion https://wallbuilders.com/america-christian-nation/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/founding-fathers-we-are-n_b_6761840 https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/evangelical-history/america-as-a
-christian-nation-a-conversation-with-mark-noll-and-george-marsden/
25 Exam #1
27 Marshall Court – Judicial Review and Economic Issues Chaps. 8, 10 – 11 October
2 Marshall – Federal/State Relations and Nullification
4 The Taney Court
9 No Class – Fall Break
11 Slavery and the Constitution Chaps. 14 - 15
16 The Constitution, Civil War, and Reconstruction Chap. 16
18 Cont. 13th, 14th, 15th
Amendments
23 Cont. Chap. 17 -18
25 Exam #2
30 The Constitution and the Industrial Revolution Moodle – “The Constitution in the Age of Industrialization”
November
1 The Constitution and Jim Crow Moodle –“The Court and Civil Rights
6 Cont.
November
8 The Constitution in the Progressive Era
13 The Constitution, Civil Liberties, and War Moodle – “The Development of Modern Civil Liberties Law”
15 The Constitution and the New Deal
20 The Warren Court and Civil Rights
22 No Class - Thanksgiving
27 Cont.
29 Religion, Speech and the Court in the 1960s
December
4 The Environment, Privacy, Marriage, and Political “Speech”
8 Final Exam
Other Important Pieces of Info:
Office of Academic Accessibility
UNC-Asheville values the diversity of our student body as a strength and a critical component of our dynamic community. Students with disabilities or temporary injuries/conditions may require accommodations due to barriers in the structure of facilities, course design, technology used for curricular purposes, or other campus resources.
Students who experience a barrier to full access to this class should let the professor know, and/or make an appointment to meet with the Office of Academic Accessibility as soon as possible. To make an appointment, call 828.232.5050; email academicaccess@unca.edu; use this link https://uncaoaaintake.youcanbook.me/; or drop by the Academic Accessibility Office, room 005 in the One Stop suite (lower level of Ramsey Library). Learn more about the process of registering, and the services available through the Office of Academic Accessibility
here: https://oaa.unca.edu/
While students may disclose disability at any point in the semester, students who receive Letters of Accommodation are strongly encouraged to request, obtain and present these to their professors as early in the semester as possible so that accommodations can be made in a timely manner. It is the student’s responsibility to follow this process each semester.
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct
All members of the University community are expected to engage in conduct that contributes to the culture of integrity and honor upon which the University of North Carolina at Asheville is grounded. Acts of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking jeopardize the health and welfare of our campus community and the larger community as a whole and will not be tolerated. The University has established procedures for preventing and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking that are compliant with Title IX federal regulations. To learn more about these procedures or to report an incident of sexual misconduct, go to titleix.unca.edu. Students may also report incidents to an instructor, faculty or staff member, who are required by law to notify the Title IX Office.
Academic Alerts
Faculty at UNCA are encouraged to use the university's Academic Alert system to communicate with students about their progress in courses. Academic Alerts can reflect that a student’s performance is satisfactory at the time the alert is submitted, or they can indicate concerns (e.g., academic difficulty, attendance problems, or other concerns). Professors use the alert system because they are invested in student success and want to encourage open conversations about how students can improve their learning, and students who respond to alerts quickly are consistently more likely to earn credit for the course. Please note, professors of 100-level courses are required to submit at least one alert about each student on or before the seventh week of classes.
When a faculty member submits an alert that expresses a concern, the student receives an email from Academic Advising notifying them of the alert and subsequent registration hold on their account. To clear the hold, the student must complete a short Google Response Form included in the alert e-mail; the results will be shared with their instructor and advising staff. Instructors may also request to meet with the student to discuss the alert.
Questions about the Academic Alert system can be directed to [STAFF MEMBER NAME] (STAFF MEMBER EMAIL ADDRESS) in OneStop Advising and Learning Support.
University Writing Center
The University Writing Center (UWC) supports writers in one-on-one sessions lasting 10 to 45 minutes. Consultants can help writers organize ideas, document sources, and revise prose. If you visit the UWC, bring a copy of your assignment, any writing or notes you may have, and the sources you are working with. Make an appointment by visiting writingcenter.unca.edu and clicking on "Schedule an Appointment," or drop in during open hours Monday-Friday.