All assignments should be linked to in a post on Blackboard. You won’t be doing any writing on Blackboard, but we want a record of when you completed your assignments. So for every assignment, post a link on Blackboard.

Assignments are due at class time on the day they are listed.

I reserve the right to adjust the schedule and assignments as needed throughout the semester. Don’t worry—any adjustment will be to your benefit, not add to your workload.

Grading breakdown

  • Blog posts (15%): You will be asked to write a number of blog posts. I will grade an indeterminate number of these—not all of them. However, you will not know in advance which I’m going to grade and which I’m not, so don’t slack off! Late blog posts will receive no credit.
  • Small projects (40%): There are eight small projects throughout the semester. Each of these will be worth 5%. Small projects may be turned in late, but falling behind on these is a very bad idea. I will announce in class the hard deadline for when all small projects must be turned in in order to receive credit.
    • Update: I have scrapped one small project, so there are seven total. You must complete 5 of the 7 projects–you can choose which 5 to complete.
  • Midterm (15%): Mid-way through the semester you’ll be taking an exam. It will be your only exam of the semester.
  • Final portfolio (20%): Your portfolio of all your work for the semester, brought together in a polished package. This is due on the day of our final exam and you may not turn it in late.
  • Participation (10%): You are expected to attend each class meeting and participate actively. Bring a laptop and power cord, so that you can follow along with instructions in class and work on assignments. Also bring paper and a writing instrument. Bring a copy of readings to class on any day for which they are assigned. Participation means activity both within class and on our class Slack group.
    • Update: Participation now means active discussion within your small groups and taking your turn as spokesperson to the whole class virtually.
    • Additional update: I have removed the penalty for attendance–I still want you to attend but I want you to take care of yourself more than I want you to attend.

Grading scale

  • A: 90-100%
  • B: 80-90%
  • C: 70-80%
  • D: 60-70%
  • F: <60%

Major assignments: Digital projects

Your major work for this semester will be a series of small projects that focus on one particular conflict that the United States was involved in during the antebellum period. All of the work you do for your small projects will relate to the conflict you pick, so consider carefully before you select! If you have questions or doubts about your selection, ask early in the semester!

Barring disastrous failure, you will not be allowed to re-do any part of the small projects for more credit, but I will expect you to correct the mistakes you make in time for the projects to be incorporated into your final project.

You may choose from this list of conflicts:

  • War for American Independence
  • First Barbary War
  • War of 1812
  • Seminole Wars
  • Mexican-American War

At the end of the semester, you’ll be bringing all of these projects together into a unified portfolio. What that portfolio looks like is up to you, but you should think about it from the beginning—think about how all your small projects relate to each other, as you’ll be asked to unify them with some narrative. See the course schedule for more information about this series of linked projects.

Recurring assignments: Blog posts

For every reading you do about history, you will write a blog post. This blog post should include these elements:

  • Bibliographic citation of the source (if you add your reading to Zotero when you do it, this should be straightforward)
  • Three terms you were unfamiliar with when you did the reading, and a definition or explanation of what they mean in relation to our reading
  • Two questions you still have about the topic after doing the reading (do not post questions that are answered in the reading)
  • One additional resource you found about the topic of the reading (with proper citation); this could be an article in JSTOR, a book in the library, a scholarly website (not an online encyclopedia or Wikipedia, for instance)

Participation

I take participation in class very seriously. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking out in class, I expect you to be engaged in our class Slack channel. Participation at its best looks like active listening, contributions past basic rehash of course readings, and helping other students when they are struggling.

Extra credit

You may receive up to three blog posts’ worth of extra credit if you do the following:

  • Go to either the MIX@Fenwick or the MIX@Innovation and make something that relates to your chosen conflict.
  • Write me a short paragraph explaining how it relates to your conflict.
  • Turn in your creation to me by April 20, 2020.
  • Update: You can still do this, just do it with materials you have around you–something material. Sew something! Draw something! Sing something and record it! And either turn it in to me in person, or send me a photo of it.