History C1001
U.S. History Through Reconstruction
Spring 2027
Prof. Kristen Marjanovic
Course Info and Expectations:
Modality:
This is an online course requiring the use of email, internet access, and a reliable computer or laptop. This course is asynchronous, meaning there are no live meetings. Students can work at their own pace each week, while adhering to due dates.
Content is delivered through video lectures. In addition, any readings assigned will be provided within Canvas. There are no texts required for purchase.
In-Person Exams:
While all instruction for this course is delivered asynchronously online, students will be required to come to campus three times to take three (3) in-person exams at Palomar College in San Marcos:
- Exam 1 can be taken on March 1st, March 3rd, or March 5th.
- Exam 2 can be taken on April 12th, April 14th, or April 16th.
- Exam 3 can be taken on May 24th, May 26th, or May 28th.
Each day students can sign up on a first come first serve basis to take their exam in the morning time slot of 9:00 am – 11:00 am or the afternoon time slot of 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. Exams will be in room MD-104. If these dates do not work, separate arrangements might be made.
On the day of an exam, students must first check-in with the instructor with their 5-digit course # and photo ID.
Contact Instructor:
- Office MD-379
- Office phone ext. 2418
- Canvas Inbox
- Email: kmarjanovic@palomar.edu
- Include your full name and course #
Office hours:
- Tuesdays/Thursdays 8:30 – 9:30 am
- Tuesdays 12:45 – 1:45 pm
- Wednesdays 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Or by appointment
Subject to Changes and Updates:
Students are entirely responsible for reading and understanding the content in this syllabus. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor with any questions or concerns.
This syllabus is subject to changes throughout the semester as deemed necessary by the instructor for the purposes of ensuring student learning, equity, academic integrity, adherence to College and Department policies and standards, and submission and grading logistics.
Course Description:
This course will cover political, economic, social, and cultural development of the American people through Reconstruction with particular emphasis on the colonial period; the Revolution; constitutional development; westward expansion with emphasis on California and frontier influences; emergence of sectionalism; the Civil War and Reconstruction. This course plus 102 meets the state requirement in American History and Institutions, including the Constitution of the State of California.
Pre-requisites and Expectations:
There are no pre-req courses. However, collegiate level reading, writing and organizational skills are expected. Because this is an online class, continuous and reliable access to a computer/laptop and the internet are also required. Because our exams are in-person, transportation access to Palomar College at San Marcos is also a necessity.
Time Expectations:
Students should expect to devote at least 5+ hours of work each week. This includes viewing lectures (average is two hours per week) as well as completing any reading and assignments.
Canvas and Course Announcements:
Except for the exams, all instructions and assignments are accessed and submitted in Canvas.
Course updates, reminders, and other important information will be posted in Announcements throughout the semester. Students are responsible for ensuring they receive announcements.
Canvas announcements typically go to your Palomar student email. If you are not checking that frequently, either do so or change your preferred email. You can adjust this in your student registration profile. Follow these instructions to change your preferred email.
Important Palomar Dates: Spring 2027
- Last day for refund: February 14th
- Last day to drop for no grade on record: February 15th
- Census date: (Rosters Finalized and Last Day to Add) February 16th
- Last day to Withdraw/Drop the course, for a W: April 4th
- Last day to change course to Pass/No Pass: May 28th
Assessments and Grades:
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
- Interpret American history using primary and secondary sources.
- Demonstrate college level writing in assessing and interpreting American history.
- Accurately recall knowledge of major events and themes in early American history
- Demonstrate knowledge of nature and development of the United States Constitution.
- Identify, use, and cite reliable primary and secondary sources in American history.
Grading Scale:
Grades are based on the total percentage of points you earn. Because our grades are weighted, it may be easier to keep up with your grades using the “What-If” grades feature in Canvas Grades. This feature allows you to enter hypothetical grades to determine what you need to score to achieve your grade goals. Use this link for more information on how to use “What-If” grades
A: 100-90% Exceeding Standards
B: 89-80% Meeting Standards
C: 79-70% Approaching Standards
D: 69-60% Not Yet Met Standards/Not Passing
F: –59% Insufficient Evidence/Not Passing
FW: -59% and pattern of non, or low, participation; Failure to Withdraw
To ensure competency, however, students must achieve an average score of 65% or higher across the three exams to pass the course. This does not mean you must earn 65% or higher on each exam, but only an average of 65%. You can score less than 65% on one exam, if you make that up with a higher score in the next exams. Here are some scenarios:
| Exam Scenarios/Examples to Earn A 65% Average: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario 1: · Exam 1: 65% · Exam 2: 65% · Exam 3: 65% | Scenario 2: · Exam 1: 45% · Exam 2: 70% · Exam 3: 80% | Scenario 3: · Exam 1: 77% · Exam 2: 38% · Exam 3: 80% | Scenario 4: · Exam 1: 55% · Exam 2: 55% · Exam 3: 85% | Scenario 5 · Exam 1: 0% · Exam 2: 98% · Exam 3: 97% |
If your exam average is 65% or higher: Your final grade would be calculated using the standard weighting shown below.
If your exam average falls below 65%: Regardless of your scores on other coursework, you would receive a D in the course if your overall grade is 60% or higher. You would receive an F in your overall grade is below 60%.
You can find and track your exam average towards the bottom of your gradebook in Canvas. You can test out different scores using the “what-if” feature in gradebook.
Grade Breakdown:
| Assessment | Percent of Grade |
|---|---|
| Orientation Syllabus Quiz Orientation Discussion | 1% Required to begin course. Syllabus quiz requires a score of 100%. |
| Discussion · Three (3) Discussions | 6% (2% each) |
| Lecture Quizzes Quizzes in the lectures Lowest two (2) are dropped Late submissions are not accepted. | 5% (~.2% each) Required for attendance purposes. Missing six videos/quizzes can result in being dropped for lack of attendance. |
| Lecture Reviews Students are assigned one written response based on lecture material. Six (6) Reviews total; lowest one (1) is dropped Late submissions are accepted with a loss of 20% per day. | 17% (5.6% each) |
| Source Annotations Three annotation assignments based on primary and secondary source readings. None are dropped. Late work is accepted with a loss of 20% per day. | 17% (5.6% each) |
| Exams In-person, written exams based on lecture material and analyses. 3 Exams; none can be dropped. Late work is accepted with a loss of 20% per day; see instructions for details. Exam # 3 is only accepted two days late, by the last Friday. Students must earn an average of 70% between the three exams to pass the class, regardless of their overall score. | 54% (18% per exam) |
Course Schedule:
All online assignments (Quizzes, Reviews, Discussions, Annotations) are due on Sundays to accommodate your diverse work and life schedules. Any online assignments that can be submitted late (Annotations, Reviews, Discussion) will automatically drop 20% each day. Quizzes are not accepted late.
Exams are taken in-person in MD-103 at the San Marcos campus. If you cannot make an exam date, you must contact me immediately. Exams may be scheduled at another time. Late exams beyond the corresponding Friday may be taken at the Palomar proctoring center but will lose 20% per day.
| Week/Dates: (Monday – Sunday) | Work/Assignments: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Feb. 1 – 7 | Due Thursday, February 4: Orientation Discussion Syllabus Quiz Lecture: Discovery: 1 hour 49 minutes Due Sunday, February 7: Practice Annotation (optional; from Orientation) Quiz: Discovery | |
| 2: Feb. 8 – 14 | Lecture: The Southern Colonies: 1 hour 30 minutes Due Sunday, February 14: Quiz: The Southern Colonies Review 1 | |
| 3: Feb. 15 – 21 Monday, President’s Day | Lecture: The Northern Colonies: 1 hour 37 minutes Due Sunday, February 21: Quiz: The Northern Colonies Annotation # 1 | |
| 4: Feb. 22 – 28 | Lecture: Leading toward Revolution: 2 hours 10 minutes Due Sunday, February 28: Quiz: Leading toward Revolution Review 2 | |
| 5: March 1 – 7 | Exam # 1 · Exam in MD-103 · Exam options: o Monday, March 1st @ 9:00 – 11:00 am o Monday, March 1st @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm o Wednesday, March 3rd @ 9:00 – 11:00 am o Wednesday, March 3rd @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm · Bring photo ID and course # Due Sunday, March 7: · Discussion # 1 | |
| 6: March 8 – 14 | Lecture: The American Revolution: 2 hours 34 minutes Due Sunday, March 7th: · Quiz: The American Revolution | |
| 7: March 15 – 21 | Lecture: The Constitution: 2 hours 16 minutes Due Sunday, March 21: Quiz: The Constitution Review 3 | |
| 8: March 22 – 28 | Lecture: Early Republic: 2 hours 15 minutes Due Sunday, March 28: · Quiz: Early Republic · Annotation # 2 | |
| 9: March 29 – April 4 Spring Break | Spring Break | |
| 10: April 5 – 11 | Lecture: Market Economy/Jackson: 1 hour 30 minutes Due Sunday, April 11: Quiz: Market Economy/Jackson Review 4 | |
| 11: April 12 – 18 | Exam # 2 Exam in MD-103 Exam options: o Monday, April 12th @ 9:00 – 11:00 am o Monday, April 12th @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm o Wednesday, April 14th @ 9:00 – 11:00 am o Wednesday, April 14th @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm · Bring photo ID and course # Due Sunday, April 18: · Discussion # 2 | |
| 12: April 19 – 25 | Lecture: Westward Expansion: 1 hour 20 minutes Due Sunday, April 25: Quiz: Westward Expansion | |
| 13: April 26 – May 2 | Lecture: Road to Civil War: 2 hours Due Sunday, May 2: Quiz: Road to Civil War Review 5 | |
| 14: May 3 – 9 | Lecture: The Civil War: 1 hour 48 minutes Due Sunday, May 9: · Quiz: The Civil War | |
| 15: May 10 – 16 | Lecture: The Civil War continued: 36 minutes Due Sunday, May 16: Quiz: The Civil War Annotation # 3 | |
| 16: May 17 – 23 | Lecture: Reconstruction: 2 hours Due Sunday, May 23: Quiz: Reconstruction Review 6 | |
| 17: May 24 – Friday, May 28 | Exam # 3 · Exam in MD-103 · Exam options: o Monday, May 24th @ 9:00 – 11:00 am o Monday, May 24th @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm o Wednesday, May 26th @ 9:00 – 11:00 am o Wednesday, May 26th @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm · Bring photo ID and course # Due Friday, May 28th: · Discussion # 3 | |
Submitting Work:
Online assignments of any kind are never accepted nor considered “turned in” in any of these cases:
- Submitted as a link
- Emailed to the instructor
- Placed into the comments sections
Submitting assignments in unapproved forms does not relieve the student of point loss for lateness.
Assignments are only considered submitted at the time they are appropriately submitted. Having an assignment “done” is not the same as having it submitted.
Student Resources and Support:
DRC Accommodations:
If you require accommodation, please notify me at your earliest convenience. The Disability Resource Center offers accommodations to include note-takers, testing accommodations, and tutoring.
To explore the technology/opportunities available to students with disabilities, see a counselor in the Disability Resource Center (760) 744-1150 ext. 2375.
Palomar Services:
Tech Support:
- Palomar Academic Technology
- The Academic Technology Resource Center (ATRC) can help with issues you may have when using Canvas and Zoom, such as uploading assignments, trouble viewing content, etc.
- Help Desk – Information Services
- Information Services can help with technical support for your computers, Palomar networks, audio-visual equipment, software applications, etc.
Pronouns Statement:
Palomar College, the EHPS Department, and your professor support an inclusive environment to include shard spaces for different voices and experiences.
Preferred names and pronouns: If you have a preferred name or pronoun, please let me know or provide your preferred name in the orientation discussion.
You are also encouraged to include your preferred pronouns in Canvas. Under “Account” in the global navigation bar, click on “Settings.” Click “Edit Settings.” Under “Pronouns” click the drop-down menu to select your preference.
Our Super Serious Policies:
Communication policy:
In time-critical cases (i.e. submitting work), students are expected to respond to instructor’s emails within 24 hours. The student takes responsibility for all consequences due to slow communication on their part.
When emailing me, please introduce yourself and let me know what class you are in.
Use complete sentences, explain what you need help with, and use appropriate language.
Emails to your professor are not texts to your friend. Always use professional and respectful language.
Emails or Canvas comments which lack respect may be ignored. If you do not hear back from me, reconsider your message. Continued instances may result in the student’s suspension and removal from the class.
I will communicate with you through your assignments and grading comments. It is the student’s responsibility to check their grades, view the instructor’s comments, and contact the instructor with any questions or concerns.
If a student is told they will be dropped from the class, (typically for cheating or other behavior issues) they will then have three business days to contact the instructor before being dropped from the course.
Students who are missing from class (not submitting work, not viewing lecture, etc.) will be dropped without a warning. It is the student’s responsibility to know how much of class they have missed and if this puts them in danger of being dropped based on our class policies.
Attendance Policy:
Students are required to “attend class” by viewing lectures and completing assignments.
In our class, an “absence” counts as any of the following:
- Not submitting work as assigned.
- Not viewing or completing a majority (60%) of a week’s lecture and/or assignments.
- Submitted work without evidence that relevant materials were sufficiently (60%+) viewed/read will be given a zero.
- Not completing work in “good faith,” meaning work was submitted but with evidence that little effort was put forward or there was cheating involved.
Consequences:
In cases of absence, as defined above, all corresponding work submitted will not be accepted and will receive a zero. For example, if a student submits a Quiz, Review, or Discussion, but the corresponding lecture was not fully viewed (less than 60%), or relevant sections of lecture/reading were not viewed, the assignment will not be accepted and it will be given a zero grade to reflect the student’s lack of attendance. If the submission includes outside sources or information, the assignment could be considered a violation of our academic integrity policy.
Students can be dropped or failed for “excessive absences” as defined below.
In our class, “excessive absences” is defined as:
- Three (3) individual, consecutive assignments of any kind.
- Four (4) individual, non-consecutive assignments of any kind.
- This includes submitting assignments where the corresponding lecture and/or reading were not fully (less than 05%) completed. Simply submitting assignments without engaging in required lecture and reading is still considered an absence.
- Four (4) individual, consecutive lecture videos were not viewed, or work demonstrates lack of lecture.
- Six (6) individual lecture videos were not viewed, or work demonstrates lack of lecture.
- Each week typically contains two lecture videos. Note that “excessive” refers to six videos, not six weeks.
- Evidence of cheating in one (1), and up to two (2), individual assignments of any kind.
Please Note:
You will not necessarily be informed on a week-to-week basis if you have been “absent” or cheating. It is the student’s responsibility to know what work they have completed, what assignments they have submitted, and the general extent of their participation. It is not the instructor’s responsibility to frequently check in on student absences and “good faith” submissions and provide warnings.
The instructor will not send a “warning notice” to the student informing them of their absences and/or missed work. Hence, students can be dropped without warning.
If you know you will be out for a few days, it is the responsibility of the student to let the instructor know to avoid being dropped. Once dropped, you will not be allowed back in.
Academic Integrity Policy:
The increasing student dependency on AI will impact student critical thinking skills. There is already an abundance of evidence, as well as common sense, that supports this. While AI has its place in assisting us with certain tasks, we should not offload thinking entirely to AI. In this brave new, pre-apocalypse world, when and how to use AI can be confusing and contradictory. So, to be clear, here is the policy regarding AI for this course:
- The use of AI, or any outside, unapproved source or tool, is strictly prohibited. Students should demonstrate to me how they understood and applied the material. This is also true for any grammar or wording checks. Use of Grammarly and the like is using AI, and this use is strictly prohibited. Any assignments that reveal the use of AI in any way will be considered cheating and the student will be dropped from the course and reported to the College.
In this course, cheating is defined as:
- Using unapproved sources or tools and/or artificial intelligence in any fraction of work submitted in this course in an attempt to pass is off as your own or as required/approved sources. This includes:
- Other people, others’ work, the internet, AI, and all other sources not explicitly allowed in the instructions.
- Allowing others to use your work or support their acquiring unapproved sources is also considered cheating. Thus, even if you are not the benefactor, you are still considered to be cheating.
- Dishonesty in all cases regarding submitted work. (i.e. If you lie and/or pretend to be unaware of your cheating; if you submit work without having sufficiently read/viewed relevant materials, thus purporting to have read/viewed the materials.)
Note: If submitted work demonstrates little or no understanding or application of course materials, or if the corresponding lecture/reading were not substantially viewed, the student is not necessarily considered to be “cheating” but may still receive a zero due to lack of course content/attendance. This would instead be considered “lacking evidence of course material” or an “absence.” In these cases, the following consequences would not apply; however repeated patterns of submitted work which lack required course materials may result in the student being dropped as evidence of non-attendance.
Consequences for cheating:
Any fraction of a student’s response which incorporates unapproved sources or tools will be considered cheating and will either result in a negative one (-1) for the entire assessment or being dropped from the class.
In the first instance of cheating, depending on the level and context of the cheating, one of the following will occur:
- Because this syllabus and our course honor code is considered the first warning, the student may be dropped from the course immediately.
- Or the assessment will receive a negative one (-1), but the student can remain in the class. A warning will be provided in the assignment comments, and will simply read something to the effect of, “review our course policies on academic honesty/course ethics.” This is considered a second warning. The aim of a -1 is not meant to be symbolically punitive, but rather to allow me to track cheating. It is the student’s responsibility to check all comments immediately after work is graded and contact the instructor with any questions.
- Students who cheat will not be eligible for any potential extra credit or extension opportunities.
- Students may lose access to content instruction material (readings/lectures/videos) while completing corresponding assignments, requiring students to work entirely from their notes. These changes will be on an individual basis so as not to punish the entire class for the actions of one student.
A second instance of cheating will absolutely result in:
- The student being dropped from the course or assigned a failing grade.
- The student being reported to Office of Student Life and Leadership which deals with student conduct and discipline.
Note: Dishonesty and misrepresentation are considered an infraction of our course ethics. For example, if a student cheats on an assessment, and then lies about cheating or pretends to be unaware of cheating, which is considered two offenses and the student will be absolutely dropped from the course.
Drop Policy:
I am legally obligated and encouraged by the College to drop students who are not attending class.
- In addition to being dropped for excessive absences, as outlined in our Attendance Policy, students who cheat in any way are considered to not be genuinely participating in the class and can be dropped after one and up to two instances of cheating. Any work submitted that violates our academic integrity policies or demonstrates very limited effort will be deemed an absence, lacking a “good faith” effort, and the student will be dropped for what will be considered excessive absences or failure to complete assignments, in line with our attendance policies.
- College policies on this issue:
- “Administrative withdrawals may occur for academic or disciplinary reasons, or for non-payment of fees.” Withdrawal Information/Admissions
- “May elect to drop a student for the following reasons: Excessive absences (normally defined as more than the number of times the class is scheduled to meet per week)” AP 5075
- “It is the intention of the Palomar Community College District to encourage matriculating students to make satisfactory academic progress toward their individual educational goals. Students taking courses for credit should do so with the intention of completing the course or courses with a passing grade. Students who do not make satisfactory progress are subject to probation or dismissal in accordance with established District procedures.” Academic Standards and Regulations Section 5
Intellectual Property Statement:
Please respect the integrity and intellectual content of this class. Students may only record video or audio of lectures with the consent of the instructor, and recordings may only be made for personal educational use. (An official accommodation letter from the Disability Resource Center may also permit recording.)
All course content, including slides, videos, handouts, assignments, exams, textbooks, etc., is the intellectual property of its creator; is protected by Palomar’s AP 5500: Standards of Student Conduct; and may be protected by copyright. Unless otherwise indicated, course content may not be copied, captured, altered, sold, or distributed in print or digitally without written permission of the course instructor. This includes sharing course content with others in person, through the mail, or via the internet (including social media, email, etc.). When in doubt, please ask the instructor for clarification.
What this means:
- You do not have permission to submit any material or assignments in this course to third parties such as software/AI tools, other people or services. Not only is this considered cheating, but it is also a violation of intellectual property rights and can result in more severe consequences from the College.
- Submitting the instructor’s content into third-party software is a violation of the instructor’s intellectual property. Inputting any course content into unapproved software, recording it into any unapproved hardware, or providing the instructor’s content to any individual or business outside of this class without the direct consent of the instructor, is a violation of intellectual property rights.
- Students who ignore or abuse intellectual property in this course will be immediately dropped and reported to the Office of Student Life and Leadership to formally record their behavior.
Student Conduct:
This is almost never an issue, but here it is….
- Disrespectful, unprofessional, or overly combative communication with the Professor or with other students in this class will result in a report to the Office of Student Life and Leadership which manages student conduct and discipline. If applicable, the student will also be ineligible to earn extra credit points or assignment extensions.
- If you have a concern or complaint, email or speak with the Professor in a professional manner. Rude, sarcastic, or aggressive language and/or behavior is never acceptable.
- As a “first warning,” the instructor will reply with something to the effect of “please keep all communication respectful.”
- If a second offense occurs, the student will be reported to Student Life and Leadership again and potentially placed on a two-week suspension. During class suspension, all work that occurs or is due during that time will not be accepted. This will include any quiz, discussion, exam, or assignment. Further, student comments and emails may be ignored moving forward.
Student Rights:
- All students have the right to be treated in a professional and respectful manner; to be treated with dignity.
- Students have the right to expect equity, in that no student(s) is given leniency or extensions over other students. All students will be given the same requirements and the same deadlines.
- Students who respectfully reach out with questions will always be heard, and their concerns considered and addressed.
- Students have the right to understand their grade and have any questions or concerns regarding grading addressed. If you feel you have been unfairly graded, please bring it to the attention of the instructor as soon as possible.
- Students have the right to expect responses to their questions and concerns, if requested respectfully, in a timely manner.
- All emails will be responded to within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.
- After speaking with the instructor, if you still have concerns or feel you’ve been graded unfairly, please contact the Department Chair.