HIST 124 Syllabus

Course Description: 

This course is a survey of Mexican American history in the U.S. from the Pre-Columbian period to the present. Emphasis on Mexican American contributions to the political, social, economic, and cultural development of the U.S. Will also examine the relationship of Mexican Americans to other cultural groups. You will be required to work in assigned groups on a regular basis, participate in presentations and discussions, and be an active learner in this class. Some assignments, mostly writing, will be ungraded, but are still required. Being able to convey your thoughts verbally and in essay format is a skill that takes time and practice thus you will have ample opportunity to practice. Come prepared to participate: we all need to be physically and mentally present!

Textbook Information: 

The required course texts are:

MEXICANOS: A HISTORY OF MEXICANS IN THE UNITED STATES, 2^nd Ed., by Manuel Gonzales   ISBN: 978-0-253-22125-4

MANIFEST DESTINIES: THE MAKING OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN RACE, by Laura E. Gómez   ISBN: 978-0-814-73205-2

I highly recommend and encourage you to purchase the text, as it makes classroom discussion assignments that much easier. You may find that you want to review passages of either text for later exams and assignments as well. There is only 1 copy of Manifest Destinies in the Nealley Library, not on reserve, and three copies of Mexicanos on reserve. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.  

Additional Course Information:  Each week you will be assigned to read a chapter or chapters of a text. Any readings that do not come from the required texts will be posted in Canvas, which you will need to download, print, read, and bring to class (see above for required texts). The files are labeled by author last name and chapter number, as they are listed on the calendar. Take notes! If there is no official assignment, you will need to be ready to discuss the reading - notes, as well as a hard copy of the text, will be invaluable to you in class. For all other assignments, explicit instructions, including rubrics, will be made available in class. You will be assigned to a group and your group will work together in class regularly. Get to know your group-mates and classmates; I try to post all materials in Canvas, but if you missed an instruction in class you’ll want a human back-up to confirm for you what’s due and when.

Student Learning Objectives: 

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

• Critically analyzeand interpret primary documents and secondary sources, and will be able to interpret qualitative and quantitative data in order to evaluate historical events;
• Develop communicationskills through oral and written exercises, and develop analytical skills by critically interpreting historical events;
• Analyze howlocal, national, and international policies and practices developed in the past continue to impact their contemporary lives.

Meet Your Instructor: 

Megan Lange          

714.564.6543          

lange_megan@sac.edu OR saclangemegan@gmail.com

Office Hours:            D-407

Mondays:       6:30-7:30pm

Tuesdays:     3:30-5:30pm

Wednesdays:1:00-3:00pm

Thursdays or early a.m. by appointment

www.langemegan.com

Course Syllabus:  Syllabus_HIST 124_FA17_38876_UPDATE1.pdf