WELCOME!

Welcome to History 207-B-CRN 50026. My name is Ben Arrona and I will be your history professor this summer! I have quite the interesting background. Born and raised in SLO, I attended Cuesta College and earned an AA in criminal justice and an AA in general studies. Soon after completing my time at Cuesta, I was hired as a probation officer here in SLO County. While working for the probation department, I earned my undergraduate in criminal justice administration. From there I attended Cal Poly SLO and earned a MA in history. After Cal Poly I attended Columbia University in New York City and earned a MA in Islamic studies. After Columbia University I started a PhD program at Rutgers University in New Jersey. After only 6 months at Rutgers, I moved back to SLO for family reasons. I have been teaching at Cuesta College since 2016 and have taught American history, before and after the civil war, World History, and the history of Western Civilization. This fall I will be attending Oxford University in England where I will be finishing my PhD in history.  If you have questions regarding this course, it is best to contact me at Benjamin_arrona@cuesta.edu. Please include HST 207B in the email subject. I am pretty good at returning email promptly and I will respond as soon as I possibly can which is usually within 24 hours.

FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: I WILL NOT ANSWER ANY EMAILS FROM YOUR PARENTS. LEGALLY I CAN ONLY TALK TO MY REGISTERED STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF AGE. BE AWARE THAT I WILL ONLY RESPOND TO THE STUDENT VIA A CUESTA COLLEGE EMAIL

COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

For Summer 2020, we will be using Canvas learning management system. To log on to Canvas, simply logon to your My.Cuesta account. A link to canvas will be located there. Clicking on that link will take you to your online classes in Canvas.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

History 207B survey’s United States History from 1865 to the present. 207B analyzes many of America's political, social, economic, and intellectual institutions, as they impact ethnic, racial, gender, and class relations, and how these influence contemporary life. This course also examines this nation's increasing involvement in world affairs. These analyses are set within the context of such historical concepts as cause and effect, multiple causation, and historical interpretation.

The textbook you will be using is Eric Foner’s Give Me Liberty!, Vol. 2, 6th Edition. Here is a link: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393614190. I highly recommend purchasing the digital version of the textbook.

CLASS LENGTH

This class begins on Monday, June 15, 2020 and it will end on Friday, July 24, 2020. This class is fully online which means all class activities, including exams, are done online. The schedule is below. Please mark your calendars for the exam dates below. Lectures via Canvas conferences will accompany each chapter. Group work via discussion threads will also be part of your grade.

Monday 6/15- Friday 6/19, Orientation, HW1 (CH15&16) Due 6/19

Monday 6/22-Friday 6/26, HW2 (CH 17&18) due & Midterm 1 (CH15-18) 6/26

Monday 6/29- Friday 7/3, HW3 (CH 19-21) due 7/3

Monday 7/6- Friday 7/10, HW4 (CH 22&23) & Mid Term 2 (CH 19-23) due 7/10

Monday 7/13-Friday 7/17, HW5 (CH 24&25) Due 7/17

Monday 7/20-Friday 7/24, HW6 (CH26-28) and Final Exam (CH24-28) due 7/24

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Identify and correctly use basic historical terminology, and distinguish between primary and secondary sources as historical evidence.

Identify various interpretations used by historians to explain United States history since the Civil War. 

Analyze multiple causes for, and properly evaluate why a historical event happened.

Identify the major time periods and relevant geography of United States history since the Civil War.

Analyze and evaluate the major economic, social, political, and cultural developments in United States history since the Civil War.

 Analyze and evaluate the experiences and conflicts between and within diverse groups taking into account issues such as race, gender, class, and age.

Make connections between different time periods and regions in United States history, including the present, and discuss the value of historical study for understanding change and continuity over time.

Analyze and evaluate the increasing role of the United States in a global context since the Civil War.

Demonstrate an understanding of history as a discipline characterized by the application of critical analysis to factual evidence.

THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT

Because this class is fully online, you must be able to access the internet and have a computer capable of accessing the internet, downloading files, word processing, and the ability to watch and listen to online lectures.  Online classes also demand dedication in time to reading posted materials and writing independently and in discussion forums. In many ways it is more than an online class. You will be a part of a community and you need to participate and be a part of the community to be successful. Also because this class is fully online, you will be able to access the class materials and work at your own pace, demanding time management skills and the ability to complete assignments before moving onto the next assignment. Each week will require 8-12 hours of participation to be successful.

EVERYONE LEARNS DIFFERENTLY

We all have different ways of learning. Some are visual learners while others are more auditory and still others may have additional ways they learn. Still others need a little help finding ways of learning. If you need additional assistance please contact me. I’m here to help in that regard. Additionally, you can contact the Cuesta College DSPS office at 805-546-3148 or you can go to their website at http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/dsps/0INFO.HTM Links to an external site.as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements for all needed accommodations.

JOIN ME FOR CLASS ORIENTATION!

Once you have logged in and checked out the class on canvas (before the start of the semester), I invite you to join my live class orientation via canvas. On Tuesday June 16^th @ 3pm I will be hosting a 60 minute live class orientation on canvas conferences. If you are not familiar with Canvas conferences, don’t worry, you will get an email inviting you to the conference. During the conference I will go over the class syllabus, the assignments, and the lectures, as well as the level of work expected in the class. Can make it on June 16^th at 3pm? Don’t worry, the orientation will be saved on canvas conferences and you can watch until the end of the month. If you can join, please do, it’s a great opportunity to talk to me via canvas where you will be able to actually speak to me and ask questions as well as type questions. I look forward to teaching all of you American history this summer! 

Ben Arrona

benjamin_arrona@cuesta.edu