History 40743

Texas History

Fall 2007

Professor Gregg Cantrell

Office: 116 Reed Hall

Phone: 257-7035 (office)

E-mail: g.cantrell@tcu.edu

Office Hours: Tues.-Thurs. 8:30-9:30, 11:00-11:30, and by appointment. I will be here many other hours and will be happy to meet with you any time. You’re welcome to drop by; however, if it’s not during my official office hours, it’s a good idea to call first and make sure I’m there.

Course Objectives: The purpose of this is course is to teach basic facts and examine important events and people in Texas history; to develop critical thinking skills; to become more enlightened citizens by achieving an understanding of the forces that have shaped our state's history. The course will be conducted as a lecture-and-discussion course, supplemented by a significant amount of outside reading. We will discuss readings in class, and you can expect to be called upon to answer questions over the readings.

Course Format and Grading: There will be three major in-class exams, each counting one-third of your semester grade. Each exam will consist of ten multiple-choice questions (worth 4 points each), five short-answer questions (worth 5 points each), and one essay question (worth 35 points). One the essay, you will have two questions, of which you will choose one to write on. The exams cover material presented in the lectures and readings. You do not get to drop an exam, but I will take into account improvement over the course of the semester.

Attendance Policy: I will take attendance each class. 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 TCU 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.

Miscellaneous Classroom Rules: 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!) I do not allow you to use laptop computers in class--they are too much of a distraction to others (including the professor). 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. Bad traffic is not an excuse for tardiness or absence--leave home early enough to allow time for it.

Special Accommodation Request Procedure: If you require accommodations for a disability, please contact the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities, Center for Academic Services, Sadler Hall 11, TCU Box 297710, 817-257-7486. Once you have met with me to deliver and discuss an official accommodations letter from TCU's Academic Services, I will be able to arrange for your modifications related to this course. If you have emergency medical information or need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please discuss this with me as soon as possible.

Required Readings:

Textbook: Calvert, DeLeon, & Cantrell, The History of Texas (4th edition)

Supplementary reading: Haynes and Wintz, Major Problems in Texas History

Key Dates and Topics:

  Sept. 18: First exam: Prehistory through the Republic.
  Oct. 25: Second exam:  Antebellum Texas through Progressive Era.
  Dec. 13 Third exam:  Texas from 1920 to the present.
 

Reading assignments from Major Problems in Texas History will be provided on a separate sheet.

*Please note that this schedule is tentative; dates of topics, assignments, or exams 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 exams are being given.

Words of advice and warning:

This is a heavy reading load only if you put if off until the night before the esam. The key to doing well is to read some every day. That will also enable you to participate in class discussions and understand the readings better. You cannot do well on the exams without doing your 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!