Professor: Dr. Gregg Cantrell
Office: 233 Wooten Hall
Phone: 565-3340 (office)
Office Hours:T-Th 9:30-11:00, 1:30-2:30, and by appointment. I will be here many other hours and will be happy to meet with you any time. However, if it's not during my official office hours, it's a good idea to call first and make sure I'm there. I am in class T-Th 8:00-9:20 and 11:00-12:20.

Teaching Assistant: Ms. Stacey Sprague
Office hours: Wednesdays, 12:00-6:00
Phone: (940) 565-4772
e-mail: sas0086@unt.edu

Statement of Intent: The purpose of this is course is to teach basic facts and examine important events and people in American history; to develop critical thinking skills; to become more enlightened citizens of the United States by achieving an understanding of the forces that have shaped our nation's history. The course will be conducted as a lecture-and-discussion course, supplemented by a significant amount of outside reading.

Exams and Attendance: There will be three major exams during the semester. The first exam counts 20% of your semester grade; the two subsequent exams count 25% each. Each exam will consist of two essay questions and six short “I.D.”-type questions. You will also take three readings quizzes covering selected readings in the Nation’s Heritage reader. Each readings quiz counts 10% of your semester grade. Attendance will be taken each day. Although points are not deducted for absences, in borderline cases good or bad attendance will be the decisive factor in determining whether to assign the lower or higher grade. Make-up exams will be administered at the professor's convenience for those who miss an exam for a university-approved reason (see UNT regulations). In the case of an exam missed due to illness, you must document your illness with a written doctor's excuse. If you are going to miss an exam for ANY reason, you must let me know ahead of time unless you are too ill to use a telephone. I will be very flexible about make-up exams if you let me know of your absence in advance; I will be very inflexible if you do not notify me in advance of a missed exam.

Grading System on Major Exams: Grading history essays is a subjective and imprecise art. On the major exams, you will receive a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F), with pluses or minuses when appropriate. An exam which is excellent overall receives an "A"; one which is good receives a "B"; one which is average receives a "C"; one which is poor receives a "D"; one which is failing receives an "F".  I will explain in class how these letter grades can be converted to numerical grades for purposes of calculating final course grades.

Miscellaneous Classroom Rules: Loud talking (unless you are called on) and other disruptive behavior has no place in a university classroom and will not be tolerated. Cell phones and beepers must be turned off before class. Cell phones or beepers going off in class will result in a warning the first time; the second time, you will be required to leave the classroom for the duration of the period. You are welcome to tape-record my lectures, on the conditions that your taping does not distract others (including the professor) and that you still take notes as if you did not have a recorder. No one will be allowed to leave the classroom during an exam unless you have received prior permission from the professor or it is a true medical emergency. (That means go to the restroom before the exam!) Extra time will not be allowed for students arriving late for an exam or quiz. If you wish to have the full amount of time to work on your exam or quiz, get to class on time.

Books: The following books are required reading:

Litwack and Jordan, The United States: Conquering a Continent, Vol. I (textbook)
Campbell and Smith, Our Nation’s Heritage, Vol. I, 4th ed. (reader)

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES, TOPICS, AND ASSIGNMENTS *

           Dates                                                                              Activities and Topics                                            Required Reading

Jan. 14-Feb. 11	Lectures over Exploration, Discovery,         Colonization; Colonial society
Feb. 6	First quiz (10% of course grade)	Nation's Heritage, Chaps. 1, 2, 3, 4
Feb. 13	First major exam (20% of course grade)	(See handout for required  reading in textbook)
Feb. 18- Mar. 25	Lectures over the Revolution and the new         nation; America transformed;         the Age of the Common Man
March 13	Second quiz (10% of course grade)	Nation's Heritage, Chaps. 5, 6, 8, 11, 12
March 20	Second major exam (25% of course grade)	(See handout for required  reading in textbook)
Apr. 1-May 1	Lectures over religion and reform;    Slavery and a nation divided
April 29	Third quiz (10% of course grade)	Nation's Heritage, Chaps. 14, 15, 18, 19, 20
May 6	Third exam (25 % of course grade)      Tuesday, 10:30-12:30	(See handout for required reading in textbook)

* Please note that this schedule is tentative; dates of exams or quizzes could change if we get ahead or behind. Any changes in the printed schedule will be announced at least a week (two class periods) in advance. It is your responsibility to know when quizzes and exams are being given.

Words of advice and warning: This is only a heavy reading load if you put if off until the night before the quizzes or tests. The key to doing well is to read some every day. That will also enable you to participate in class discussions and understand the material better. You cannot do well on the exams and quizzes without having done your required reading. The second key to doing well is to come to class faithfully; the exams draw heavily from the lectures, and much of the lecture material is not to be found in your books. The third key to doing well in this class is to ask questions when you don't understand something. The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask! If the question can't be answered to your satisfaction in the class period, come see me in my office. I'll be happy to explain something that was unclear the first time around. And please don't hestitate to challenge something I've said in class--I may be wrong!

Special Accommodation Request Procedure

Any person with special circumstances covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Office of Disability Accommodation, Suite 318A, University Union Building, and also inform the intrsuctor. Reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate the special needs of students with disabilities where such adjustments are necessary to provide equality of educational access. Professor Harland Hagler is the History Department's liaison to the Office of Disability Accommodation and can provide further information and/or assistance.