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Hudson Valley Community College Troy, New York 12180

Syllabus for Fall 2016

HIST 135 - History of the Twentieth Century

Course Description:

This course focuses on the totalitarian regimes of

the 30’s and 40’s; World War II and post-war

settlements; Third World development; and the

intellectual response of the West to political and

social turbulence of a nuclear war.

Department: History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences

Course/Section: HIST 135 03 History of the 20th Century MWR 8-8:50 AM

Credit Hours: Three (3)

Instructor: Dr. E.R. Rugenstein, Cultural History

Office Location & Hours: Marvin Library Faculty Office Wing: Office 101

Tuesday 11:000am – 1:00pm, Wednesday 12:50pm

– 3:30pm, and by appointment

Text: Duiker,William J., Contemporary World History,

6th ed. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage

Learning, 2015.

Course Objective:

Students will:

1) Demonstrate an understanding the historical

background of events in their own time and century.

2) Show insight into the major forces, ideas, events,

and personalities that have shaped the 20th century/

3) Examine the tensions between traditional and

modern values and different technologies as well as

the ideas that have affected the split between these

two positions; and

4) Use measurable and general objectives to show

the role that geography plays in the shaping of

historical events

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Tests, Annotated Bibliography,

Oral Presentation & Final:

DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA AS A SOURCE ON

ANY ASSIGNMENT, TEST OR ESSAY IN THIS

CLASS. Wikipedia is a non-scholarly source

without any form of peer review. If you use

Wikipedia for a source you will lose 15 points from

the assignment automatically.

Tests – The course tests are in two parts with an

essay section, and a short answer section from the

readings in Contemporary World History and the

class lectures. One portion of the test is an essay.

This is the take-home portion and must be at least

600 words, double-spaced, using times typestyle. It

must have citations and a corresponding

bibliography/works-cited page/reference page. I

require 12 pt. Type with 1 inch margins, numbered

pages, and stapled – NO HAND WRITTEN

ESSAYS !), The essay is DUE the day of the

exam. The other portion of the test is the short

answer section. For full credit on the short answer

portion you must include 6 (six) major points or

facts. You may use one information sheet (8 1/2”X

11” - both sides) during each test. Also all work

for the test will be due at the end of the test time.

No part of the test will be accepted after the test

time, ie. if you did not bring the essay to the test it

will not be accepted by e-mail.

Annotated Bibliography – This assignment is an

Annotated Bibliography of at least 5 sources with

an annotation length of 300-500 words per source

on a topic approved by the Instructor. Two sources

must be books (2000 or newer and not a tertiary

source) and two sources must be journal articles

(any date). The fifth source may be either a journal

article or a book. The annotated bibliography must

be double-spaced, (with single spaced annotations)

using times typestyle, 12 pt. with 1 inch margins,

numbered pages, and stapled – NO HAND

WRITTEN BIBLIOGRAPHIES! Another

important point – The Annotated Bibliography is

due on the assigned date. Fifty points (50) will be

deducted each day it is late past the due date.

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Emailed annotated bibliographies will not be

accepted.

Oral Presentation – Each student will give a seven

(7) minute oral presentation on some aspect on

the topic of their annotated bibliography. Separate

instructions will be given on the important points on

this assignment. It is important that you pick a date

and practice. If you miss your chosen time slot you

will be give a second chance to make it up if the

time is available. Understand it is important that

you do not miss your time slot.

Final – The Final will be a comprehensive Short

Answer & Essay exam. For the final exam you

may use all the information sheets from the

previous tests.

Grade Breakdown:

Test #1 100 pts

Test #2 100 pts.

Test #3 100 pts.

Annotated Bibliography 100 pts.

Oral Presentation 100 pts.

Final 300 pts.

Participation/Attendance 100 pts.

Total Points 900 pts. Max

Possible Extra Credit 80 pts.

A Excellent (4.0) 810 points and above B Very Good (3.0) 720-809

C Average (2.0) 630-719

D Passing (1.0) 540-629

F Failure (0.0) Below 539

Reading Assignments:

Week Week of: Reading

1 August 29 Introduction & Chapter 1

2 September 5 Chapter 2&3

• No Classes September 5

3 September 12 Chapter 4

4 September 19 Chapter 4

5 October 3 Chapter 5

6 October 10 Chapter 5

• No Classes October 10

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October 13 TEST #1

7 October 17 Chapter 6

8 October 24 Chapter 6&7

9 October 31 Chapter 8

10 November 7 Chapter 9

11 November 14 Chapter 10

November 17 TEST #2

12 November 21 Chapter 11&12

• No Classes November 23-26

13 November 28 Chapter 13&14

November 28 (Due Date) Extra-Credit

November 29 Annotated Bibliography Due

December 1 TEST #3 14 December 5 Chapter 13 & 14

December 6 Oral Presentations Begins

15 December 12 Chapter 15 &16

December 12 Oral Presentations

December 15 FINAL

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is offering someone else's work as your

own, whether one sentence or whole paragraphs,

and whether from an internet source, book,

periodical, or the writing of other students. It is also

dishonest to submit your own paper as original

work in more than one course. Penalties for

plagiarism range from failing the assignment to

failing the course or suspension from HVCC,

depending on the seriousness of the breach of

academic integrity. You will be turned into the

school administration if you are caught

plagiarizing or cheating. Even the first time.

Attendance:

Attendance is a part of classroom participation

and is required for the course and includes all

classes, the tests, and the final. Every time you

attend class you earn 2 attendance points. If you

do not miss any classes you will earn 100 points.

In order to meet the minimum qualifications to be

considered attending you must accumulate at least

58 attendance points and have taken at least two

(2) of the three course test. If you have less than 58

attendance points and have not taken at least two

(2) course tests you have not participated

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satisfactorily in the course and will earn an

administrative withdrawal, a "Z"

grade. Attendance will be taken the beginning of

class. If you arrive late or leave early from class

you are considered absent. It is also rude to get up

and walk out of the class once it has started.

Classroom Behavior: Classroom behavior is another component of

classroom participation. I expect that you will

show respect to fellow students and to myself.

Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Examples

include talking, snapping gum, playing on laptops,

using electronic devices, passing notes, throwing

things, getting up and walking out of class

excessively, walking around the room to throw

things into the trash, etc. If you cause such

disturbances you will be asked to leave and it will

result in loss of points for classroom participation.

Except for laptops all electronic devices must be

turned off during class especially cell-phones,

beepers, and CD Players. The classroom is a freethinking zone – you can

express yourselves freely as long as you are

respectful of others and their views. Name-calling

will not be tolerated.

Make-up Work & Late Work:

There is no make-up work. If you miss a test or if

you hand work in late, you get a zero unless special

personal experiences have been communicated to

me within 24 hours of the test/assignment and we

have worked out a solution. If a make up date is

made for a test or an alternate due date is needed

you will get one attempt for a make up test or an

alternate due date. E-mail me at

r.rugenstein@hvcc.edu or call and leave a

message at message at (518) 629-7690. I prefer

email.

Course Correspondence:

All official correspondence and announcements for

this course will be made in class or through the

HVCC server only. No response will be made to

private e-mail addresses only to hvcc.edu

addresses.

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Course Requirement

Signature Form: The syllabus is a contract between the instructor and

the student. It is important that you understand what

is required for the course. Therefore you must sign

the Course Requirement Signature Form after you

fully understand the requirements of this course. If

after the in class instruction time concerning the

syllabus and the other course requirements you

still do not understand the information presented

you will have the opportunity for a one-on-one

meeting with the professor.

This is a mandatory failure to sign this

form will incur a deduction of one letter grade from

your final grade.

Statement of College Policy

regarding Accommodations

for Students with Disabilities: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities

Act of 1990 and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation

Act, Hudson Valley Community College is committed to

ensuring educational access and accommodations for all

its registered students, in order to fully participate in

programs and course activities or to meet course

requirements. Hudson Valley Community College's

students with documented disabilities and medical

conditions are encouraged to access these services by

registering with the Center for Access and Assistive

Technology or the Learning Disabilities Specialist to

discuss their particular needs for accommodations. For

information or an appointment contact the Center for

Access and Assistive Technology, located in room 130 of

the Siek Campus Center or call518-629-7154/TDD:518-

629-7596 or contact the Learning Disabilities Specialist

located in the Learning Assistance Center, in the lower

level of the Marvin Library, phone number 629-7552

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EXTRA CREDIT

There are a number of opportunities to receive extra credit for this course. The maximum

number of extra credit points that you will be able to earn is 80. All review forms,

essays, and opinion papers must be turned in no later than November 28, 2016. NO

EMAIL

I) Cultural Events 20 points (either A and/or B) :

A) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free

Admission) Review the exhibits concerning New York City. This includes the

World Trade Center Exhibit, Harlem in the 1920s, Skyscraper City, The Port, Fifth

Ave., etc. Write a 250-word essay of your impression of the exhibits.

B) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free

Admission) Review the exhibit Hudson Valley Ruins. Write a 250-word essay of

your impression of the exhibit. Ends December 31, 2017.

II) Historic Movie Reviews Ten (10) points for each movie review. (maximum of 30 points) For each movie

download the review form from blackboard, watch any of the following movies, fill

out the form while you are watching the movie, and turn it in before the end of the

semester as stated above.

•Evita: 1926-1952 (2010)

• The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 (1962)

•The Last King of Scotland: 1971-1976 (2006)

•The Killing Fields: 1973-1979 (1994)

•Doctor Zhivago: 1912-1923 (1965)

•Great Balls of Fire: 1956-1958 (1989)

•Apocalypse Now: 1970 (1979)

III) Historic Movie Reflection Paper (either A and/or B)

Sixty (60) points for writing a reflection paper on one of the movies

specified below. Pick either movie and write a 1500 word reflection paper. The

reflection paper should have a short (200 word) recap of what the movie was about

and then 1300 words on what you thought. Specific examples are encouraged. You

must cite any additional sources used in the paper.

Pick either:

The Atomic Café (1982) http://youtu.be/NOUtZOqgSG8

Or

Birth of a Nation (1915) http://youtu.be/iEznh2JZvrI

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Course Requirement Signature Form

I understand the requirements for the course HIST 135 -03 and the various points of

the syllabus specifically the following:

Course Objective: _______________________________

initial

Tests, Annotated Bib., _______________________________

Oral Presentation & Final: initial

Grade Breakdown: _______________________________

initial

Reading Assignments: _______________________________

initial

Plagiarism: _______________________________

initial

Attendance: _______________________________

initial

Classroom Behavior: _______________________________

initial

Make-up Work & Late Work: _______________________________

initial

Course Correspondence: _______________________________

Initial

Extra Credit: _______________________________

initial

Name: ___________________________________

print

___________________________________

signature

Date: _________________________