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Course Syllabus

Course: POLS 1000

Division: Social and Behavioral Science
Department: Social Science
Title: American Heritage

Semester Approved: Fall 2022
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2027
End Semester: Summer 2028

Catalog Description: This course introduces students to the political, historical, and economic foundations of the United States Constitution.; Through examining and critically analyzing primary sources, students will develop a deeper understanding of the varied ideas and forces that founded, reinforces, and challenges our current constitutional system.; This process will enable students to engage in all levels of politics as more informed and deliberate actors.

General Education Requirements: American Institutions (AI)
Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0

Prerequisites: None

Corequisites: None


Justification: This course satisfies the American Institutions (AI) requirement established by the Utah Legislature and USHE. This course is an effort to expand AI offerings at this institution. It provides a cross-discipline understanding of the founding and development of the United States constitution; thus strengthening students' civic awareness.

General Education Outcomes:
1: A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. After completing this course, students are prepared to recognize and appreciate the diversity of ideas that constitute American political and economic institutions. Students read and discuss a variety of primary sources in order to understand these ideas from a variety of perspectives. Essays, essay-exams, and class discussions will ask students to consider readings in a variety of contexts.

2: A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. After completing this course, students are prepared to work competently with a variety of media sources as they engage in American political and economic activity. Students read, watch, and listen to a variety of primary media and are assessed, in discussion and written response, on content. Discussion questions, essays, and essay exams are designed to elicit constructive and critical responses.

3: A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. American Heritage is designed to analyze the history of politics and economics of early and later America. This course's main intent is to understand American Heritage from three disciplines--history, political science, and economics.

4: A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. The founding and perpetuations of American society (historical, political, and economic) is demonstrated by cultural and historical markers. Every issue can be analyzed and/or interpreted in these contexts. Students must demonstrate an understanding of cultural and historical influence to some degree in every class discussion, essay, and essay-exam. Understanding "America" requires reasoning analytically, critically, and creatively about multiple factors.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes:
1: Through the study of primary source documents students will examine a variety of factors that explain the founding, perpetuation, and challenges to the political and economic system of United States. Class discussions, essays, and essay-exams will allow students to demonstrate they can articulate ways in which scholars and critics have addressed these factors; they will also allow students to demonstrate they can participate in the conversation. Through the study of primary source documents students will examine a variety of factors that explain the founding, perpetuation, and challenges to the political and economic system of United States. Class discussions, essays, and essay-exams will allow students to demonstrate they can articulate ways in which scholars and critics have addressed these factors; they will also allow students to demonstrate they can participate in the conversation.

2: Explain and use historically, politically, and economically relevant information. Students will be introduced to the disciplinary standards of History, Political Science, and Economics. Through reading texts within these disciplines, students will understand how to evaluate and use historically, politically, and economically relevant information to make and critique arguments about the political and economic system of United States. Students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to use historically, politically, and economically relevant information in essays and essay-exams.


Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will explain and use historically, politically, and economically relevant information.
 Students will be assessed via examinations that focus on history, political, and economic information.

Students will communicate effectively about the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States. This communication will be demonstrated in written assignments, oral presentations, and class discussions, with feedback provided by both instructor and peer comments.



Students will engage a diversity of viewpoints in a constructive manner that contributes to a dialogue about the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States.

Through reading a broad range of primary source documents, students will understand multiple viewpoints on the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States. They will be able to discuss these viewpoints in historical context and be able to articulate connections with contemporary issues.  Class discussions, written assignments, and exams will allow student to make their own contribution to the dialogue about the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States.

Students will use historical, political, and economic methods to come to an understanding of the United States that integrates diverse viewpoints.

Students will be introduced to the methods of History, Political Science, and Economics. Through reading texts within these disciplines, students will understand how to use these methods to come to an understanding of the United States that reflects the diversity of and within these fields.  Students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to use historical, political, and economic methods in written assignments and exams.


Content:
American Heritage will provide students with content geared toward examining the political, historical, and economic foundations of the United States Constitution and government. The course topics listed below will allow for a class discussion of diverse cultural and social issues in relation to these topics.
Topic outline:
1. Why Study a Founding?
2. Human Nature in Society
3. The First Colonial Communities
4. English Rule of Law
5. Economic Principles and Roots of the Founding
6. The Declaration of Independence
7. The Constitutional Convention
8. The Bill of Rights
9. Founding Parties
10. Early American Politics
11. Slavery and the Politics of Abolition
12. The Progressive Era
13. The Great Depression and New Deal
14. America's Role in the World
15. Civil Rights
16. Modern Politics and Polarization

Key Performance Indicators:
Primary source assignments  15 to 30%

Exams  25 to 40%

Written assignments 20 to 40%

Presentations and discussions 5 to 10%

Attendance 5 to 10%


Representative Text and/or Supplies:
City Upon a Hill: The Legacy of America's Founding, by Fox and Pope (current edition) (relevant text)


Pedagogy Statement:
American Heritage introduces American politics, culture, and history to a diverse audience through a class discussion based pedagogy. Students will be expected to come to class having engaged the material and ready to more critically reflect on and discuss the issues and concepts. The class is not just aimed at American citizens, but it also gives international, minority, and nontraditional students a look at basic American politics, culture, and history. The instructor will be aware that not all students have received American civic education previously and all should feel welcome, whatever their background.

Instructional Mediums:
Lecture

Maximum Class Size: 35
Optimum Class Size: 25