HIUS 221 Survey of American History I

As part of Liberty University’s liberal arts education, this course seeks to develop the student’s capacity to think and act creatively and critically within the context of Christian values. Therefore, this course’s purpose goes beyond a mere study of names and dates to developing the student’s historical consciousness, which provides insight into the complex realities of modern living. Understanding history in this grand manner, then, is a vital prerequisite to responsible citizenship.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

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Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

The American Experiment: Source Analysis Assignment

The student will choose a topic from the list provided, evaluate the corresponding primary and secondary sources, and answer a series of questions. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4)

The student will research a historical character from the list provided and write a 300-350 word summary explaining the historical character’s accomplishments and why he or she should be remembered today. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Museum or National Park Visit: Proposal Assignment

The student will write a proposal for an in-person visit of a historical museum or national park pertaining to American History from 1500-1865, addressing a series of prompts. If an in-person tour is not possible, a virtual tour may be selected from the list of resources provided. The student must receive instructor approval before pursuing the visit and writing the follow-up assignment. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Topics in American History: Essay Assignment

The student will select an essay question from the list provided, research the topic, and write a 700-800-word essay that persuasively answers the question and explains how God’s hand was at work during this history. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Museum or National Park Visit: Paper Assignment

The student will write a 700-800-word follow up paper that provides an overview of the museum or national park in-person visit or virtual tour. The student will explain how the historical site is relevant to American history from 1500-1865, highlight the information learned from the visit or virtual tour, and point out which artifacts and other displayed items were most interesting. The student will also ascertain how the in-person visit or virtual tour helped foster a greater appreciation for history. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4)

MindTap Quizzes (34)

The student will complete various activities in MindTap. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Quizzes (8)

The student will complete quizzes that cover the specified materials from the Module in which they are assigned. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes. The student will have 30-45 minutes to choose the correct answers to 10 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay question for select quizzes. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Primary Source Quizzes (2)

For primary source quizzes, a short passage from a primary source is embedded in each quiz. The student will read the passage and answer 5 multiple-choice questions within a time limit of 30 minutes. At the discretion of the instructor, 10% may be deducted for every 5 minutes the student exceeds the time limit. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F; CIL: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)