TABLE OF CONTENTS
Within the table of contents, any heading that is highlighted designates an "active" link to its location within this document.

A. INTRODUCTION
Letter from the instructor
Course description

B. COURSE ADMINISTRATION

Communications with instructor
Course assistance
Prerequisite
Pre-course survey
Textbooks
Grading policy
Written assignments
Proctor requirements
Testing
Returning graded exams
Library services
Videotapes and audiotapes
Computer conferencing and electronic mail
Getting on-line
User ID and password
Modems
Listserv
Mailing list
Teleconferences
On-campus sessions

C. COURSE OUTLINE:

Learning objectives
Reading, writing, viewing and listening assignments

D. UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Time limit to complete course
Drop/status change policy
Refund policy
Transcript requests
Copyright policy
ADA policy
Statement on plagiarism

E. FORMS:

Textbook buy back form
Petition for a grade of incomplete
KSU on-line systems access request form
Proctors agreement form
Pre-course survey

INTRODUCTION

Dear Students:

Welcome to HISTORY 533, The Civil War! In this course we will study the era which, in my admittedly biased opinion, is the most important and interesting in American history. Your study of the American Civil War in this course will be exciting as well as informative. This course will not be a review of dry and lifeless facts. As will become evident from your readings and your viewings of the videotapes, this is a period of much drama, humor and sadness. It is a time of great achievements and unspeakable horrors. In short, it is the era of our nation's most staggering trials and its greatest triumphs. The combination of readings and tapes selected for this course will offer you that type of history which Bruce Catton has described as "history with the blood in it." The objective of this sort of history is to capture the "feel" of the era as well as the "facts."

The best formula for obtaining the most from this course (to include a satisfactory grade) is quite simple - be an active participant in every component. As is the case in all distance learning classes, what you get out of this course will be determined largely by the effort you put into it. The tapes from the Ken Burns series are excellent, and the assigned readings have been selected specifically to compliment and expand upon the subjects each of the tapes addresses. If you fully apply yourself in the completion of the assignments, I can assure you that you will gain not only a detailed knowledge of the major characters and events of the war, but also an understanding of how the history of this era continues to influence our nation today. I look forward to our study together.

Sincerely,

Charles W. Sanders, Jr.
Department of History
Kansas State University

Course Description:
In this course we will study the ideas and events that led to the American Civil War, the progress of the conflict, and its economic, social and political legacy. The course will contrast the differences in the societies of the antebellum North and South, determine how these differences resulted in secession and war, and explore the major events and personalities of that devastating ordeal. The video series captures the entire sweep of the war, from the battlefields to the homefronts, and from the opening shots at Ft. Sumter to the stillness at Appomattox. The programs address not only the familiar topics of the war, but, through the use of such sources as personal diaries, letters and newspaper accounts, clearly demonstrate how the conflict impacted the lives of ordinary Americans of the era.

Communications with the instructor:
Since most of your work in this course is done independently, it is important that you have access to the instructor when needed. The following are ways to contact the instructor:
Instructor's Telephone Number:

(785) 776-4931. This is my home phone number. Calls may be placed to this number only between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM CST. The primary means of instructor-student contact for this course will be through the class electronic list (listserv). I will check for messages on our list twice daily. Telephone contact should be employed only when listserv access is impossible.

Department Telephone:


(785) 532-6730

Mail:


Charles W. Sanders, Jr.
Department of History
Kansas State University
208 Eisenhower
Manhattan, KS 66506

Fax:


(785) 532-7004 (This is the Department of History Fax number. Be sure to clearly indicate on your messages that they are to be passed to Mr. Charles W. Sanders, Jr.)

E-mail:


chassan@ksu.edu (through Internet).

Messages may also be sent through my HOMEPAGE address: http://www- personal.ksu.edu/~chassan/. My HOMEPAGE will also contain a copy of the syllabus for this course.

The course electronic list (listserve) will be our primary means of contact. All contact between the instructor and members of the course should be passed through the course listserv.

Course assistance:

If you have questions concerning the course content, please contact the course instructor on the class electronic list. If you have questions concerning course facilitation, i.e., tapes, teleconferences, print materials, or testing, please contact the Distance Learning Office in one of the following ways:

Telephone: (785) 532-5686 or 1-800-622-2KSU

Mail:


Distance Learning Office
Division of Continuing Education
Kansas State University
231 College Court Building
Manhattan, KS 66506-6007

Fax: (785) 532-5637

E-mail: distance@dce.ksu.edu (through Internet)

Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. central time.

Prerequisites:

The completion of at least one undergraduate survey course covering the history of the United States through 1865 is strongly recommended. Students must be able to complete substantial reading requirements independently and compose detailed written reviews of assigned works.

Pre-course survey:

Enclosed in the forms section of this packet is a pre-course survey. Please complete the form and return it promptly in the business reply envelope provided. This information will be forwarded to your instructor, who will use it to get acquainted with you.

Textbooks:

Required:
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era, James McPherson, First Ed., 1989, N.Y. Ballentine Books.

Major Problems in the Civil War and Reconstruction, Michael Perman, ed., 1991, Lexington, MA: DC Heath & Co.

The Civil War Telecourse Study Guide, Staff of WETA, First Ed., 1990, WETA.

Optional:
Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, Joseph Williams, 5th edition, 1997, Scott, Foresman.

Grading policy:

One of the first things most students want to know about a new course is how their grade will be determined. In this course, grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

A = 90-100 points
B = 80-90 points
C = 70-80 points
D = 60-70 points
F = 0-59 points
Individual course requirements will be weighted as follows:
Review 1: 15%
Review 2: 15%
Review 3: 15%
Mid-Term Examination: 25%
Final Examination: 30%

Proctor requirements:

A proctor agreement form is enclosed in the Forms section of this packet. It is your responsibility to locate your own proctor. The following people would be appropriate to select as proctors: public school or community college teachers or administrators, librarians, counselors at public schools or community colleges or universities. Please do not ask a personal friend or relative to serve as your proctor. Proctors who do not fit the above description will be refused.

When you have located a proctor, have that person complete and sign the proctor agreement and return it to our office using the enclosed business reply envelope. Students living in Manhattan, Kansas or within a 30 mile radius will need to make arrangements to take their exams in the Distance Learning Office. Special weekend and evening times can be arranged.

Testing:

There will be two examinations in this course. Both will be essay examinations in which students will be required to provide answers to specific questions. Students will be provided a number of questions from which they will select a specified number on which to write. Tests will be sent directly to your proctor to arrive approximately one week prior to the due date listed in the Reading, Writing, and Viewing section of this packet.

Your proctor will give you the test in his/her presence and will then return it to us in the envelope provided. Allow time for the instructor to grade it before calling. Receipt of the exams will be announced by the instructoe on the class electronic list as will the grading and returnm schedule.

Returning student examinations and reviews:

All examinations and student reviews will be returned to the student within two weeks after receipt. Students will receive a numerical score, a letter grade for the exercise, and comments from the instructor.

Written assignments:

I have endeavored to keep the assignments as reasonable as possible, but, as in all upper-level courses, the work required is substantial. Some weeks the assignments are heavier than others. Study the schedule and plan ahead. Note especially the due dates for your reviews. I strongly suggest that you select the three books you wish to review and obtain them immediately. Each of the books listed below should be available in your local libraries or book stores. If a book you wish to review is not available, ask if your library can arrange a timely interlibrary loan.

Make sure you submit your written requirements on time. All requirements must be postmarked by the date indicated. This is necessary if I am to provide you a timely evaluation of your work. Those assignments which are postmarked after the assigned date will incur a penalty. Five points will be deducted for each day you exceed the assigned postmark date. For example, the first review must be postmarked not later than 15 September. If it is postmarked 17 September, ten points will be deducted from the grade the student earns on the review. Take care to submit all your assignments on time!

1. Review #1: Must be postmarked no later than 15 September.
Students will select one of the following works to read and review:

Kenneth Stampp, America in 1857: A Nation on the Brink(New York: Oxford University Press, 1990).

Stephen B. Oates, The Approaching Fury: Voices of the Storm, 1820-1861(New York: Harper Collins, 1997).

Kenneth Stampp, The Causes of the Civil War(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1986).

David M. Potter, The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861(New York: Harper and Row, 1976).

2. Review #2: Must be postmarked no later than 9 October.

Students will select one of the following works to read and review:

Stephen W. Sears, Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983).

William Marvel, Andersonville: The Last Depot (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1994).

Noah Andre Trudeau, Bloody Roads South: The Wilderness to Cold Harbor, May-June 1864 (Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1989).

John J. Hennessy, Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993).

3. Mid-Term exam: 22 October.

4. Review #3: Must be postmarked NLT 17 November.


Students will select one of the following works to read and review:

Robert Brent Toplin, editor, Ken Burn's `The Civil War': Historians Respond (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996).

David Herbert Donald, Lincoln (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995).

William C. Davis, Jefferson Davis: The Man and His Hour (New York: Harper Collins, 1991).

5. Final Exam: 10 December.

Reviews are to be at least 1,500 words in length, typed and double- spaced. Please remember that the assignment does not call for a book report. Simply recounting the contents of the work will not satisfy this requirement. There are a number of ways reviews might be constructed, but, in general terms, the first third of your essay should summarize the events covered in the book. The second third should state clearly the main arguments and interpretations of the author and the evidence he supplies to support his case. The final third should be your assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the book. Are the arguments and interpretations the author presents convincing? Is the evidence he offers sufficient to make his case? Are there other arguments or interpretations that are more plausible? Does the book have other particular strengths or weaknesses, such as editing, maps, appendixes or charts?

In composing your reviews, I suggest you consult examples of book reviews in such academic journals as The Journal of American History, The Journal of Southern History, The Journal of Military History, American Historical Review or the journal published by the state historical society of your state.

Library services:

As a distance learning student, you are entitled to K-State library services, even though you can not come to the campus. If you need library services or materials, a staff person in KSU's Academic Services will assist you in using resources such as:

• performing searches of periodical indexes and abstracts and bibliographic services
  
• retrieving, copying, and delivering specified articles or government documents (user will pay for copying and mailing)
  
• checking out books and assisting with other kinds of library access
  
• providing information on library use specifically tailored for off-campus students.

If you did not receive your Library Services Information packet with these materials, contact the Distance Learning Office at 1-800-622-2KSU and one will be sent.

Videotapes:

This course includes nine videotaped episodes. Please follow the Reading, Writing, Viewing and Listening Assignment section, which describes the integration of readings, videotapes, reviews, teleconferences and examinations.

Included in this package is a complete set of materials. All tapes for this course must be returned to the Distance Learning Office by the end of the semester before a grade for the course will be issued.

Computer conferencing and electronic mail:

This course requires the use of computer conferencing (listserv) and electronic mail. By use of computer conferencing, we will create an "electronic classroom" which allows students and faculty to interact in a timely manner without being bound to a specific meeting day and time. Through the use of a computer, modem, and software, students are able to send and receive electronic mail to faculty and other students; participate in the computer conferencing listserv for the course; submit assignments via electronic file transfers; and use on-line library catalogs and information service. With the aid of electronic mail, we envision highly interactive problem-solving dialogues among isolated learners across the country.

This "electronic community" will be further strengthened through live audio teleconferences to provide advising, additional course information and review for exams. See additional information on teleconferencing in this packet.

Getting on-line:

Students can sign-up for the KSU Unix system or subscribe to a local computer Internet access service in their area. Some of the better known services are America On-Line, Prodigy, and CompuServe, and there may be other local services also available in you area. Shop around to get the best price.

Access to e-mail through the KSU central Unix system data switches is available via personal computer and modem. This service is available at no charge to students (students pay own long distance telephone charges) but does require a Unix user ID and password also at no cost. (See user ID and password information below.)

Phone numbers for the KSU Unix system data switches for e-mail access only are: 913-532-7770, 2-7780, 2-5370, or 2-5390.

For students needing or wanting access to graphics and other multimedia on the Internet and World Wide Web, additional access and support is needed. Information on KSU services and costs are included in the "Dial-In Service at K- State" brochure. You can receive a copy of this brochure by calling 1-800-622- 2KSU.

User ID and password:

If you elect to use KSU's services instead of a commercial service, you will need a User ID and password to access the KSU Unix system. To receive a user ID and password complete and return the KSU On-Line Systems Access Request form in the forms section of this packet.

Modems:

Recognizing that some students are not electronic mail users and may not have access to modems, a limited supply of modems are available for rent during the length of the course. The modems are IBM compatible and rent for $25. If you need to rent a modem, complete and return the KSU On-Line Systems Access Request form in the forms section of this packet.

Listserv:

As noted above, an electronic discussion group (listserv) has been created to provide timely communication between the student and instructor and among students. All students must subscribe and participate actively on this listserv.

This will be our primary form of communication, and will be used to transmit assignments, course schedule changes, class discussions, and other vital information. Only through use of the listserv will students be able to keep abreast of activities in the course.

The service is simple to use with only a minimum of practice. The following page titled "Using a Listserv Mailing List" explains how you subscribe yourself to the listserv and additional information on how to retrieve archives and e-mail etiquette.

Teleconferences:

The instructor has set up three discussion and review sessions during the semester. These sessions will be from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, CST.

Fall, 1997 Teleconferences
27 September
25 October
06 December
I expect all students to participate in each of the three sessions. I have deliberately kept the number of texts you will be required to purchase low so as to balance out the expense you will incur as a result of the teleconferences. Informed participation by each student is required. If you have studied the videotapes and the readings, you will be prepared.

To participate in these sessions, call 1-913-532-5001 and inform the operator that you are calling to participate in the HIST 533: The Civil War review session.

Following are guidelines to make this a positive learning experience:


1) Use a telephone in a quiet location. Background noise can interfere with the conference call quality for all participants.

2) Call the conference operator a few minutes ahead of the scheduled time. Your call will be answered by music followed by the conference operator. You will be asked to stand by until the class begins. Remember that all times are for the central time zone.

3) If you have line noise that interferes with your reception, please hang up and place your call again.

4) If you have trouble getting through to the number above, please call the back-up number (785) 532-5995.

Participating in these sessions (by teleconference or on-campus) is your responsibility. Obviously I feel that the content of the meetings is important, or else the sessions would not be scheduled. The benefits to you are substantial:
1) a guaranteed time to reach the instructor;

2) an opportunity to talk with other students in the class, to feel part of a group, to overcome some of the isolation that comes with learning at a distance; and

3) timely and intensive review.

Students who are unable to come to the on-campus sessions or participate by telephone need to call the Distance Learning Office at (785)532-5686 or toll free at 1-800-622-2KSU to make other arrangements.

On-campus sessions:

Students on-campus and within driving distance are encouraged to come on-campus to participate in these sessions. They will be held in the TELENET classroom in Dole Hall on the Kansas State University campus at the same dates and times as listed in the Teleconference section above.

Learning objectives:

History 533 is designed to accomplish the following objectives:

1. Examine the characteristics of the antebellum North and South and determine how and why the two sections had "grown apart" in the years prior to the war.

2. Determine why and how the social, political and economic differences between the two sections culminated in the Civil War.

3. Establish the chronology of the war, analyze the conduct and importance of its key military campaigns, and examine the major military and civilian personalities who directed and participated in them.

4. Explore the important political events in both sections during the war and establish how the societies of the North and the South were transformed by the conflict.

5. Determine the legacy of the war and its importance in the history of the United States.

Reading, Writing, and Viewing Assignments:

This is the planned course schedule. Any changes will be announced in advance via the class electronic list.

As indicated above, I place great importance on the timely completion of assignments and full participation in our three teleconference sessions. Note especially the due dates for your reviews and the dates of the three teleconference sessions. Study the schedule and plan ahead.

Week	Videotape Viewings*	Readings
Aug. 25-29	None	McPherson: Chapters 1-2 Student Guide: pp. 1-5 Perman: Chapter 1	ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT: During this week all students must post an introductory message to the class electronic list. The message should contain your name, e-mail address, the city in which you live, why you have scheduled History 533, and what you expect to gain from the course.
Sep. 1-5	None	McPherson: Chapters 3-4; Perman: Chapter 2
Sep. 8-12	Episode 1: Beginning - Sumter	McPherson: Chapters 5-6 Perman: Chapter 3
Sep. 15-19	Episode 1: Sumter - Manassas	McPherson: Chapters 7-8 Student Guide: pp.6-14 Perman: Chapter 4	REMINDER: Review #1 must be postmarked no later than 15 September.
Sep. 22-26	None	McPherson: Chapters 9-10 Perman: Chapter 5	REMINDER: Teleconference #1: 27 September, 9:30 AM-11:30 AM, CST.
Sep. 29-Oct 3	Episode 1, Manassas - Episode 2, The Peninsula	McPherson: Chapters 11-12 Perman: Chapter 6 Student Guide: pp. 14-23
Oct. 6-10	None	McPherson: Chapters 13-14 Perman: None	REMINDER: Review #2 must be postmarked no later than 9 October.
Oct. 13-17	Episode 2, The Peninsula - Episode 3, 2d Manassas	McPherson: Chapters 15-16 Perman: None Student Guide: pp. 24-26
Oct. 20-24	Episode 3, 2d Manassas - The Higher Object	McPherson: Chapters 17-18 Perman: Chapter 10 Student Guide: pp. 26-27	REMINDER: Mid-Term Exam on 22 October.
Oct. 27-31	Episode 3, The Higher Object - Episode 4, Shade of the Trees	McPherson: Chapters 19-20 Perman: Chapter 7 Student Guide: pp. 27-34	REMINDER: Teleconference #2: 25 October, 9:30 AM-11:30 AM, CST.
Nov. 3-7	Episode 4, Shade of the Trees - Episode 5, Bottom Rail on Top	McPherson: Chapters 21-22 Perman: Chapter 9 Student Guide: pp. 35-47
Nov. 10-14	Episode 5, Bottom Rail on Top to end of Episode 5	McPherson: Chapters 22-23 Perman: Chapter 8 Student Guide: None
Nov. 17-21	Episode 6, Beginning - Episode 7, Age of Shoddy	McPherson:Chapters 24-25 Perman: None Student Guide: pp. 48-54	REMINDER: Review #3 must be postmarked NLT 17 November.
Nov. 24-28	Episode 7, Age of Shoddy to end of Episode 7, All of Episodes 8 and 9	McPherson:Chapters 26- 27, Epilogue Perman: None Student Guide: pp. 55-73
Dec. 1-5	Review for Final		REMINDER: Teleconference #3: 6 December, 9:30 AM-11:30 AM, CST.
Dec. 10	Final Examination.
Dec. 19	Submission of final grades to the registrar.

* The chronology followed in the texts cannot be coordinated exactly with that found on the tapes. The schedule above provides the closest matching possible. Feel free to go forward or backward in the episodes as required.

Time limit to complete course:

You are enrolled in the Fall 1997 semester which ends December 19, 1997. If you realize that you cannot complete your coursework by the end of the semester or term in which you are enrolled, you will need to make a formal petition to your professor for a grade of "Incomplete." You will need to complete the Petition for Incomplete form located in the forms section of this packet, and submit it to the Distance Learning Office, Division of Continuing Education, 231 College Court Building, Manhattan, KS 66506-6007, no later than two weeks before the semester or term ends. Except when precluded by documented emergencies, students are expected to complete the course on time. A grade of Incomplete will be granted only in the most extreme circumstances.

The K-State Policy on Incompletes (I) states that unless the work is made up, a grade of IX will replace the I at the end of the next semester in which the student is enrolled. The IX will count as zero grade points (same as an F) for calculation of the Grade Point Average. Blank or NR grades will be treated the same way.

Drop/status change policy:

The last date to drop this course will be listed in the syllabus you recieve in the mail. This is also the last date that any status change (i.e., credit to non- credit) can be made. Students dropping the course or making status changes must send written notification to the Distance Learning Office postmarked no later than this date.

Refund policy:

Students may receive a full tuition refund if it is requested in writing within 14 days of the date the initial materials were mailed. Students may receive a 50 percent tuition refund if it is requested in writing within 30 days of the date the initial materials were mailed. No refund will be issued if it is requested after 30 days. Additional fees are non-refundable (i.e., fees for books, handouts, or tapes fees).

Transcript requests:

Please allow four to six weeks after the official ending date of a course before requesting a copy of your transcript. Transcripts may be requested from the KSU Registrar's Office using the enclosed Request for Transcript form. Telephone requests are not accepted. You will need to complete the form, enclose $3.00 for each transcript requested, and mail to the address on the form. Checks or money orders should be made payable to Kansas State University.

Copyright policy:

All our videotapes are copyrighted. You may duplicate the tapes only for your own use in this course, and you must erase any duplicated tapes as soon as you complete the course requirements. You may not make any of our tapes available to other people, unless you have our explicit written permission to share them with certain individuals.

ADA policy:

The Kansas State University Division of Continuing Education is committed to making courses accessible to all students. If you have any condition, such as a physical or learning disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as outlined or which will require academic accommodations, please notify the Division of Continuing Education Registrar at 1-800-432-8222.

Student Statement on Plagiarism

The Student Life Handbook of Kansas State University defines plagiarism as follows:

1. "Plagiarism is the academic and literary equivalent of robbery, taking someone else's property. If you copy somebody's test answers, take an essay from a magazine and pass it off as your own, lift a well-phrased sentence or two and include them without crediting the author or using quotation marks, or even pass off somebody's good ideas as examples of your own genius, you are guilty of intellectual thievery. If you are caught you should expect punishment or contempt or both." Robert M. Gorrell and Charlton Laird, Modern English Handbook , 6th edition, (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1976), p. 71.

2. Plagiarism covers unpublished as well as published sources; borrowing another's term paper, handing in as one's own work a paper purchased from an individual or agency, or submitting as one's own papers from a living group, club or organization files, are all punishable as plagiarism.

To avoid plagiarism, the Student Life Handbook states that you should "acknowledge indebtedness":
1. Whenever you quote another person's actual words;

2. Whenever you use another person's idea, opinion, or theory, even if it is completely paraphrased in your own words; and

3. Whenever you borrow facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials-- unless the information is common knowledge. William W. Watt, An American Rhetoric, 4th edition (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1970), p. 8.

If it is proven that you plagiarized a paper or exam at Kansas State University, you will receive at a minimum an F for the plagiarized paper or exam and an explanatory report will be put in your university file. If your plagiarism was severe enough or if you plagiarize continually, you may be dismissed from the University.

Return to Mr. Charles W. Sanders's Hompage.

Return to DCE's Distance Learning Homepage.

Return to KSU History Department Homepage.