Course Syllabus

 

Cino, History 118, syllabus.docx

History 118

American Government

Fall Semester, 2025  (Online -Subterm 2)

Section OM

Lackawanna College

3 credits



Prof. Charlie Cino, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (abd)

Office:   Remote

Office Hours:    Remote/via Email

cinoc@lackawanna.edu

 

 

REQUIRED TEXT:  

Krutz, Glen, and Sylvie Waskiewicz. American Government 3e. OpenStax. Digital version available at no cost online at https://openstax.org/details/books/american-government-3e

(Information about purchasing a print version can also be found at the above address.)

ISBN (Digital): 978-1-951693-38-1

ISBN (Print): 978-1-711493-96-1

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:    

This three-credit introductory course surveys the rise, development, structure, operations, and problems of American government. It offers an analysis of the historical and intellectual forces shaping government in America, as well as providing an analytical framework to help the student understand the structure, functions, and problems of the American federal government.

 

OFFICIAL COLLEGE LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of this course are to:

  1. To analyze the rise, development, structure, operations, and problems of American government, with an emphasis on American national government
  2. To offer an analysis of the historical and intellectual forces which have shaped the formation of government in America from the colonial era to modern America
  3. To analyze the framework supporting the structure of government in America, as well as review the many functions of government, from the local level to the national level
  4. To review and analyze the major documents creating government, including the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, in order to identify and understand the philosophical and intellectual influences shaping these documents; included in this review is the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 – the Constitutional Convention – and the dynamics of that gathering which gave the Constitution its unique structure, powers, and controversy
  5. To analyze the origins and development of political parties and their appeal and impact upon the whole spectrum of American political history
  6. To critique the varied issues confronting Americans today, derived from such topics as civil liberties, civil rights, and what they mean; the separation of powers and the concomitant issue of the balance of powers among the three branches of government – as well as the balance of power between federal government and state government
  7. To practice reading/comprehension skills essential for successful work both inside and outside of college
  8. To practice writing/communication skills demanded by today’s world, regardless of where an individual chooses to go
  9. To conduct critical thinking and analytical skills; to enable one to identify and understand the cognitive and causal relationships existing among many of the components of knowledge and to apply these skills with confidence as one journeys through life
  10. To cultivate the literacy expected from individuals, regardless of the path one chooses

 

COURSE PHILOSOPHY:   I realize that at times, the material being presented in this course might seem  distant and irrelevant.  However, it is responsible for shaping our current society, politics, and culture (and you will learn to see those connections!).  

 

I also know that many students, unfortunately, “hate” history.  One of my goals this semester is to hopefully change that view!!  I believe that one of the main reasons that students “hate” history is because of how it may have been presented to you in your previous schooling.  History classes that require students to endlessly memorize names, dates, and events (without any sense of context) are, to me, deadly.  That being said, you will obviously have to do some memorizing of names, dates, and events.  However, due to the expanse of the course, only the most important and/or influential people and events will be covered and/or stressed.  

 

If anything, I’d like you to see the “story” part of history –i.e. how the story of America unfolds –as well as to understand and analyze how and why things happened in context.  Context is very important –without it, it’s just a lot of the same old names, dates, and events that make many students want to vomit at even the thought of learning history.  I’m more interested in the story and context aspects.  Like I said, endless, mindless memorizing of dates, names, and facts is what makes students “hate” history.  You can look up all of the stuff you want to later on in your life if you are so inclined!  With that said --get into it, stay with it, and come along for the ride…



COURSE METHOD:    As you are enrolled in a history course, you will be expected to read the text and any sources provided, and be actively engaged in course activities, particularly discussion forums.  More importantly, though, you will be expected to think.  History is much more than memorizing names, dates, and facts, and it is only through critical thought that true learning can take place. 

 

Please remember that everyone is entitled to an opinion. As such, no one has the right to attack others (myself included) or insult others’ opinions. Disagreements and arguments are likely to arise, but these must occur in a professional manner.  I do not tolerate attacks and/or disrespectful behavior, and behaving in such a manner will result in appropriate action. 

 

Due to the condensed nature of this online course, a large amount of material will be covered every week.  I strongly advise you to be in the practice of completing some coursework (including logging into Canvas and participating in discussion forums) on a daily basis. Additionally, you must check your Lackawanna College email and Canvas messages daily; this is the only  method by which I will be able to communicate with you!!  That being said, you are 100% responsible for being aware of ANY changes, course announcements, and so on.

 

It is imperative that you dedicate enough time to proofreading and making corrections to writing assignments.  Do not simply submit the first version that you type.  Instead, review, reflect upon, and make appropriate corrections to your writing assignments. Be sure you are electronically saving all assignments via a USB drive, cloud-based storage program, etc.

 

Finally, your success can depend a great deal on communication. I like to think I am very open and understanding, but I am not a mind-reader; I cannot help you if I don’t know that you need    I will do what I can to help you overcome the obstacle(s) you face, or I will connect you with someone who can help in ways I cannot.  



REQUIREMENTS/EVALUATION:    Student progress will be assessed through a combination of online discussion forums, online orientation activities, content quizzes, and writing assignments. Assignments are required to be uploaded electronically to Canvas; files must be uploaded as a Microsoft Word document (.doc, .docx) or a PDF.  No Google docs!  Assignments are not accepted via email under any circumstances.

 

Writing assignments are to be typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman, double-spaced, with 1” margins.  Be sure you are electronically saving all assignments submitted for this course via a USB drive, cloud-based storage program, etc.



MAKE-UP POLICY/MISSED ASSIGNMENT POLICY:     Due to the heavily condensed nature of the class, there are no make-ups on any assignment and/or quiz.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS:    See above/same as above.



GRADING:    The breakdown of grades is as follows:





Assignment

Point Value

Chapter Quizzes (varying point values)

385 points

Writing Assignments (15 points each)

105 points

Discussion Forums (15 points each)

210 points

Introductory Assignments (varying point values)

70  points

Possible Point Total

770 points



In determining final grades, the following guidelines will be utilized:



Letter Grade

Numeric Range

Quality Points

A

96-100

4.0

A-

90-95

3.67

B+

87-89

3.33

B

83-86

3.0

B-

80-82

2.67

C+

77-79

2.33

C

73-76

2.0

C-

70-72

1.67

D+

67-69

1.33

D

60-66

1.0

F

0-59

0.0




ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY:

 

Simply put: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is prohibited in all forms.

 

Within this course, any student work written, created, or inspired by AI is considered a violation of the Lackawanna College Academic Integrity Policy, and will not be tolerated. While AI plays a critical role in the evolving nature of the workforce and our personal lives, this technology is not appropriate for achieving this course’s stated learning objectives.

 

If I suspect a student has used AI in the creation of content for any of our assessments, I will  require a one-on-one meeting wherein I will explain my concerns and the student may be required to complete an identical verbal assessment (wherein their understanding of their submitted work will be made evident).

 

***All assignments can be found under the assignment links and in the 7 modules.  These links can be found at the left side of your Canvas page.  I think it is much easier to keep track of all of the course assignments by following the weekly Modules on Canvas.  Failure to complete any assignment by the due date will result in a grade of zero.



FINALLY:     For many, if not all of you, this might be your first online college class.   Even if you’re an online veteran, I think the following advice will be of assistance to you.  This is an asynchronous course, which means that it does not “meet” at a regularly scheduled time, but instead, you will complete the coursework independently week by week.

You will choose/decide when to complete the class assignments based on your own schedule and other commitments, but one of the misconceptions about online learning is that you can just “turn everything in at the end.”   That is not how it works.   Modules must be completed in order and on time.  So, for example, if you decided to skip Modules 2 and 3 (for whatever reason -don’t skip anything!), you cannot go back to complete it when we’re up to Module 5.   Moreover, inactivity for a full week will result in you being dropped from the course (College policy).

Please also remember that this is an extremely condensed course.   We are covering the usual 16 weeks of material  in an 8 week session.     Thus, this means that you will have to be very disciplined and diligent so that you can complete your weekly assignments on time.    I suggest that you log in to the class at least once a day.   And, please, please, please…get into the habit of checking your Lackawanna College email at LEAST once a day, if not more.  This is the only way I can communicate information to you.  Ignoring  your email is not an excuse for being ignorant of further information, announcements, changes, and so on.

I want very much for you to be successful in this class!   However, to be successful, you must be very self-directed and have good time management skills.  If you are having any issues with any of this, please just reach out for assistance.  

 

SEQUENCE OF TOPICS/SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:



SEQUENCE OF TOPICS:

The schedule is tentative and subject to change.    Chapter readings should be completed prior to their corresponding modules.    Specific due dates and any additional reading assignments will be found on Canvas.

 

Content Being Covered

Objective

Corresponding Assignments

Week 1

Module 0: Getting Started

7, 8, 9, 10

Warm-Up Assignments

  • Task 1: Class Introductions
  • Task 2: Getting to Know You
  • Task 3: Online Course Agreement
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Getting Started Quiz
  • Warm-Up Assignment

Week 2

Module 1: Our Government and its Origins

1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 1 Quiz
  • Chapter 2 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

Week 3

Module 2: Article I (Congress)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 11 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

Week 4

Module 3: Article II (The Presidency) and Article III (The Courts)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 12 Quiz
  • Chapter 13 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

Week 5

Module 4: Federalism and the Balance of Power

1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 3 Quiz
  • Chapter 14 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

Week 6

Module 5: Political Parties, Elections, and Voting

1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 7 Quiz
  • Chapter 9 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

Week 7

Module 6: Civil Liberties

1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 4 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

Week 8

Module 7: Civil Rights

1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Discussion Question 1
  • Discussion Question 2
  • Chapter 5 Quiz
  • Writing Assignment

 

eLEARNING AND INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES:  

 

Please see Part 2 of the Online Course Syllabus for a review of eLearning and institutional policies. This document contains several important policies to review, including:  

  • Institutional Learning Goals
  • Online Course Attendance Policy
  • Online Course Discussion Policy
  • Withdrawal Policy
  • Grading Scale
  • Academic Integrity Policy
  • Disability Statement
  • Policy on Nondiscrimination
  • Title IX Information
  • Affirmative Action Information

 

 

Fall 2025 Subterm II: October 20th - December 12th 

 

Weeks

Module Covered

Task Due Dates

Week 1

10/20 – 10/26

Module 0

Getting started eLearning tasks (due date): 10/22 @ 11:59pm   

Getting started eLearning tasks (available until): 10/26 @ 11:59pm 

Initial post (due date): 10/22 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 10/26 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 10/26 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 10/26 @ 11:59pm

Week 2

10/27 – 11/2

Module 1

Initial post (due date): 10/29 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 11/2 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 11/2 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 11/2 @ 11:59pm

Week 3

11/3 – 11/9

Module 2

Initial post (due date): 11/5 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 11/9 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 11/9 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 11/9 @ 11:59pm

Week 4

11/10 – 11/16

Module 3

Initial post (due date): 11/12 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 11/16 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 11/16 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 11/16 @ 11:59pm

Week 5

11/17 – 11/23

Module 4

Initial post (due date): 11/19 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 11/23 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 11/23 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 11/23 @ 11:59pm

Week 6

11/24 – 11/30

Module 5

Initial post (due date): 11/26 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 11/30 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 11/30 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 11/30 @ 11:59pm

Week 7

12/1 – 12/7

Module 6

Initial post (due date): 12/3 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 12/7 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 12/7 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 12/7 @ 11:59pm

Week 8

12/8 – 12/12

Module 7

Initial post (due date): 12/10 @ 11:59pm      

Replies (available until): 12/12 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (due date): 12/12 @ 11:59pm      

Assessments (available until): 12/12 @ 11:59pm