Instructor: Charles Jehlen

Email: jehlencr@lamarpa.edu

Phone: (409) 984-6102

Office Hours: Office Hours by appointment M-W-Th, 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM in the Bob Hope High School Cafeteria. 

Additional Contact Information: As an adjunct instructor, I do not have an office on the LSCPA campus. The phone listed is for Mr. Bruce Hodge in the Dual Credit office. Please contact me via email.

A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual history of the United States from the Civil War/Reconstruction era to the present. United States History II examines industrialization, immigration, world wars, the Great Depression, Cold War and post-Cold War eras. Themes that may be addressed in United States History II include: American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, urbanization and suburbanization, the expansion of the federal government, and the study of U.S. foreign policy.

Textbook: OpenStax US History.

All course materials are available online.

Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

The American Yawp

Instructional videos from Internet.

TSIA2 complete in English Language Arts and Reading.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

Create an argument using historical evidence.

Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.

Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of United States history. 

Critical Thinking Skills: Uses creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.

Communication Skills: Demonstrates effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and/or visual communication.

Social Responsibility Skills: Expresses intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Personal Responsibility Skills: Integrates choices, actions, and consequences in ethical decision-making.

Unit – Westward and Industrial Expansions: “Go West, Young Man! Westward Expansion, 1840 - 1900”. “Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business, 1870 - 1900”.

Unit – The Gilded Age: “The Growing Pains of Urbanization, 1870 - 1900”. “Politics in the Gilded Age, 1870 - 1900”.

Unit – Progressivism and Rise of a World Power: “Leading the Way: The Progressive Movement, 1890 - 1920”. “Age of Empire: American Foreign Policy, 1890 - 1914”.

Unit – The Great War and the Roaring Twenties: “Americans and the Great War, 1914 - 1919”. “The Jazz Age: Redefining the Nation, 1919 - 1929”.

Unit – The Great Depression and the New Deal: “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The Great Depression, 1929 - 1932”. “Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932 - 1941”.

Unit – World War II and the Cold War: “Fighting the Good Fight in World War II, 1941 - 1945”. “Post-War Prosperity and Cold War Fears, 1945 - 1960”.

Unit – The 60s and 70s: “Contesting Futures, America in the 1960s”. “Political Storms at Home and Abroad, 1968 - 1980”.

Unit – Into the 21st Century: “From Cold War to Culture Wars, 1980 - 2000”. “The Challenges of the Twenty-First Century”. 

Unit – Westward and Industrial Expansions

Week of 8/24: History 1302 Pre-Test;

Week of 8/31: Unit Quiz.

Unit – The Gilded Age

Week of 9/14: Unit Quiz.

Unit – Progressivism and Rise of a World Power

Week of 9/28: Unit Quiz.

Unit – The Great War and the Roaring Twenties Week of 3/17: Unit Quiz. Unit – The Great Depression and the New Deal Week of 3/24: Core Project Essay. Week of 10/12: Unit Quiz.

Unit – World War II and the Cold War

Week of 10/19: Core Project Script.

Week of 10/26: Unit Quiz.

Unit – The 60s and 70s

Week of 11/16: Core Project Video.

Week of 11/23: Unit Quiz.

Unit – Into the 21st Century

Week of 12/7: Unit Quiz. 

December 10, 2026.

90 and Above =A 

80 - 89=B

70 - 79=C

60 - 69=D

59 and Below = F

Quizzes: Each is worth 500 points.

Core Project: Three parts worth 1,000 points total.

Assignments: Each is worth 100 points.

After all quizzes and the Core Project are submitted, the Final Average is determined by dividing points earned by points possible. 

Time Requirements for this Course: Organization will save you. The standard expectation for a college level class is approximately 10-12 hours a week. A class that is a 3-hour credit class will require 3 hours outside study time for each hour in class. Our class is considered a 3-hour credit class and therefore the additional study/working on assignments time is applicable. Please make sure to adjust your schedule accordingly.

Technology Responsibility: It is assumed that students registered for an online class are proficient with the technological/computer requirements and the Blackboard system. A lack of computer proficiency is not an excuse for the failure to submit assignments, etc. It is your responsibility to understand how to navigate Blackboard, upload files, view video, etc.

Students should be aware that much of the responsibility in mastering the material falls to the student. Please keep up with your grades. Students should keep all copies of graded and ungraded work until course grades have been submitted at the end of the semester. A current running average is always available to you in the Current Average tab in the Blackboard Grade Center.

Your grade will be based solely on your performance on the above listed grades. Additionally, all grades will be posted in Blackboard in a timely manner. Please make sure to read the comments sections included with your grade and, additionally, read the comments on your submitted assignments as I make comments in both places. It is your responsibility to read comments and assessment notes and to make the suggested changes in the future. Graded submissions are timed and will be completed in Blackboard. All graded submissions are due by 11:59 pm on the due date. Make sure you have a stable internet connection before you begin a graded submission. Quizzes will consist of discussion/essay questions and multiple choice/short answer questions.

Quizzes will cover material from your textbook, reading materials, and video presentations. I will not contact you to find out why you missed an exam. If you try to take a quiz having neither read the material or taken notes on the video lectures nor studied the material thoroughly you will not be successful. Additionally, please plan accordingly when allowing time to complete your quizzes. Quizzes consist of three 1 to 2-page essay questions with short answer and multiple-choice sections. Students are expected to follow the directions given for the quiz regarding submission, formatting, length, etc.

Quiz Prep with essay topics are distributed at the start of each unit. The Core Project will be a research assignment on the need for a Balanced Budget Amendment. Each student will research and craft an essay summarizing the arguments for and against this legislation. Students will form groups to create a play of two historical figures debating the proposal. Each group will submit a video of their play. Specific details will be discussed in the second week of the course. Assignments are usually worksheets associated with a video or a reading. Assignments will vary based on the source material, so it is very important that you read the directions for each assignment carefully. 

Late work is not accepted without approval by your school district. The most recent example occurred during a hurricane in Fall 2020 when public schools and LSCPA were closed.

Failure is not an option. Any failed assignment may be redone within a deadline set by me. The maximum grade given on a redo is 60%. Email me if you want to take advantage of this opportunity.

Effort is always rewarded. There will be extra credit opportunities in each unit. To receive extra credit, you must meet the standards set out in the assignment and rubric to a level that illustrates diligence and excellence.

Identifying your class and section is a good practice in communicating with any instructor. Students should put the class name and the section number in the subject line of any email. Since we will communicate extensively through email, it is important that you be aware of the tone and structure of their correspondence. All emails should include a greeting, a clear statement of the question or inquiry, your name, and include proper spelling and grammar. 'Texting' abbreviations, lack of punctuation and 'i' are not acceptable. I enjoy getting to know my students through email so please do not hesitate to contact me. All email must come from the student's assigned Lamarpa.edu email address. Emails received in the evening will not get a response until the next day. I do strive to reply within 24 hours.

The reading and video links included in the Content tab are an integral part of the course. They provide students with a resource to gain a deeper understanding of the material. I have chosen selections that I feel will aid in deepening your understanding related to a person, era, event, experience, etc. Some are documentaries or films, some standard lectures from other universities, and others - book discussion by authors - address the subject they have written about but also help you to understand the historians' craft. You should take notes while viewing/reading just as if you were sitting in a classroom listening to a presentation.

Currently, all video links are working but sometimes they may, without notice, get moved to a new server, expire or an organization may decide to take down a link. If you notice a broken link during the semester, please let me know and I will investigate and update the selection with a new link or a replacement selection. Students should make sure that they view and read the material on schedule and take notes just as if you were in a lecture class. Material from the provided videos and readings will be included on quizzes.

This class moves very quickly and there is very little time to catch up if you get behind. Deadlines are firm. Make it a priority to read daily and to stay on schedule with the readings, videos, quizzes, and assignments. These take time. Additionally, remember that you not only have to read the material, but you also must make time to study the material. I recommend that students print out the assignment schedule and refer to it daily and plan their schedules accordingly.

Attendance is expected. Please arrive at class on time and sign in. Students are required to log-on to Blackboard daily to stay current regarding emails, class announcements, assignment, and quiz dates, and to complete readings.

None.

Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.

Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.

This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.

LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.

For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.