United States History II with Jerry Israel, PhD
Are you interest in US History but stumped by questions like these?
- When was Pearl Harbor attacked
- When was the Gulf War
- Who was Adolf Hitler?
- Who were our allies in WWII?
Learn these answers and more with Professor Israel!
This self-paced professor-led course provides an overview of the history of the United States from Reconstruction following the Civil War to the post-9/11 era. Students apply historical research skills to major themes in American history and evaluate various Reconstruction plans, the rise of Populism, America's emerging role in world affairs, the development of Progressivism, the causes of America's entrance into World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. The major economic, social, and diplomatic developments of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations are investigated. The causes, events, and consequences of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s are examined, as well as U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the impact of the war on American society. The major domestic and international developments of recent presidential administrations are analyzed and assessed, as is the significance of major domestic and international developments since 1990.
A personal note from The Professor aka Jerry Israel or even better just Jerry:
I love the interaction possible by use of lively discussion boards in our online learning setting. There are so many interesting issues and questions to explore on our own and together. You will be among the very few who figure out things concerning very important subjects about which most people have no idea such as: How WWII was ended? How did Reconstruction affect southern blacks? Plus together we can discuss questions about cataclysmic events such as Pearl Harbor, the dropping of the Atomic Bombs in Japan, the Kennedy and King assassinations and 9-11.
Buy the course for only $0 and get a copy of "The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People" at no additional cost
By including eTextbooks in our courses, StraighterLine is helping students achieve their academic goals by providing best-in-class tools to make studying more convenient.
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Dr. Jerry Israel is the former president of the University of Indianapolis and Morningside College and a veteran higher education leader with a wide array of expertise. Prior to his college and university presidencies, Dr. Israel held multiple academic and administrative posts, from chair of the history department at Illinois Wesleyan University where he was awarded for Teaching Excellence to Academic Dean of that institution and Simpson College.
As president of the University of Indianapolis from 1998 to 2005, Dr. Israel successfully led the institutions first comprehensive strategic planning and fund-raising campaign efforts. Under his aegis, the University raised more than $100 million, supported by major eight-figure grants from the Lilly Endowment and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and introduced Centers of Excellence in both teacher education and health care. The Universitys enrollment, at both its home campus and international branches, doubled during his tenure as president. At Morningside from 1993 to 1998, Dr. Israel inherited a series of challenges resulting from compliance problems with athletic programs that he successfully resolved. By facing legal and NCAA issues head-on, Morningside, under Dr. Israels leadership, regained its prestige and advanced its enrollment and fund-raising opportunities. Dr. Israel used Morningsides 1994 Centennial to launch a comprehensive redesign of its physical campus.
He also has extensive experience with college and university accreditation issues have served for more than a decade as a peer evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
His work now centers on sharing his expertise in presidential strategy, board relations and accreditation. He focuses, in particular, on effective board communications, institutional strategic planning, fundraising and alumni affairs, crisis communications and accreditation. Dr. Israel frequently helps new presidents map out their first and most critical 100 days, six months and first year in office, assisting them in developing an evaluation tool to ensure board relations are positive and effective.
Dr. Israel is a prolific writer and speaker on higher education issues, and has served on a host of education boards and commissions focusing on developing innovative and progressive approaches in higher education leadership.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Apply historical research skills to major themes in American history since the end of the Civil War.
- Evaluate how various Reconstruction plans succeeded or failed.
- Describe and assess the growth and changes that took place in the South and the West following the Civil War.
- Analyze the factors involved in the rise of corporations and heavy industry in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and assess the effects of these trends on American society in general and workers in particular.
- Explain the growth of cities in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and assess the impact of this growth on urban life.
- Identify the factors that led to the rise of Populism in the 1880s and 1890s and assess the impact of Populism on American society.
- Investigate the causes and consequences of American expansionist policy in the 1880s and 1890s.
- Explain the development of the Progressive movement and assess the impact of the movement at the local, state, and national levels.
- Investigate the causes of World War I, examine U.S. reasons for intervention, and evaluate the consequences of the war and the subsequent peace.
- Analyze and assess the social and economic developments that characterized the period between World War I and the Great Depression.
- Explain the causes of the Great Depression and evaluate the successes and failures of the New Deal as a response to the Great Depression.
- Examine the causes of World War II, describe the course of the war, and assess the consequences of the war for the U.S. and the world.
- Explain the causes, events, and consequences of the Cold War, including the Korean War.
- Investigate and assess the major economic, social, and diplomatic developments of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations.
- Explain the causes, events, and consequences of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
- Analyze and assess the significance of the major domestic and international developments of the Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and the first Bush administrations.
- Deduce and evaluate the significance of the major domestic and international developments since 1990.
- Examine U.S. involvement in Vietnam and assess the impact of the war, the youth counterculture, environmentalists, minority groups, feminists, and gay movements of the 1960s and 1970s on American society.
Topic |
Topic |
Subtopics |
Objectives |
1 |
Reconstruction |
|
|
2 |
The New South and the Far West |
|
|
3 |
Industrial and Urban Growth |
|
|
4 |
Politics and Empire |
|
|
5 |
The Progressive Era |
|
|
6 |
The Great War |
|
|
7 |
The New Era |
|
|
8 |
The Great Depression and the New Deal |
|
|
9 |
World War II |
|
|
10 |
The Cold War |
|
|
11 |
Affluence and Change |
|
|
12 |
Vietnam Era |
|
|
13 |
The Age of Limits and Promise |
|
|
14 |
The Global Age |
|
|
15 |
Review |
|
|
There are no prerequisites to take U.S. History II but StraighterLine does recommend that students complete U.S. History I first.
The required eTextbook for this course is included with your course purchase at no additional cost. More information on StraighterLine eTextbooks
Prefer the hard copy? Simply purchase from your favorite textbook retailer; you will still get the eTextbook for free.

Known for its clear narrative voice, impeccable scholarship, and affordability, Alan Brinkley's The Unfinished Nation offers a concise but comprehensive examination of American History. Balancing social and cultural history with traditional political and diplomatic themes, it tells the story of the diversity and complexity of the United States and the forces that have enabled it to survive and flourish despite division. This fifth edition features eight new essays and enhanced coverage of recent events and developments in the continuing American story.
Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People, 5th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2004. ISBN: 9780073513232
StraighterLine provides a percentage score and letter grade for each course. A passing percentage is 70% or higher.
If you have chosen a Partner College to award credit for this course, your final grade will be based upon that college's grading scale. Only passing scores will be considered by Partner Colleges for an award of credit.
There are a total of 1000 points in the course:
Topic |
Assessment |
Points Available |
3 |
Graded Exam 1 |
125 |
7 |
Graded Exam 2 |
125 |
7 |
Midterm Exam |
250 |
10 |
Graded Exam 3 |
125 |
14 |
Graded Exam 4 |
125 |
15 |
Final Exam |
250 |
Total |
|
1000 |
Final Proctored Exam
The final exam is developed to assess the knowledge you learned taking this course. All students are required to take an online proctored final exam in order complete the course and be eligible for transfer credit.
Are you interest in US History but stumped by questions like these?
- When was Pearl Harbor attacked
- When was the Gulf War
- Who was Adolf Hitler?
- Who were our allies in WWII?
Learn these answers and more with Professor Israel!
This self-paced professor-led course provides an overview of the history of the United States from Reconstruction following the Civil War to the post-9/11 era. Students apply historical research skills to major themes in American history and evaluate various Reconstruction plans, the rise of Populism, America's emerging role in world affairs, the development of Progressivism, the causes of America's entrance into World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. The major economic, social, and diplomatic developments of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations are investigated. The causes, events, and consequences of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s are examined, as well as U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the impact of the war on American society. The major domestic and international developments of recent presidential administrations are analyzed and assessed, as is the significance of major domestic and international developments since 1990.
A personal note from The Professor aka Jerry Israel or even better just Jerry:
I love the interaction possible by use of lively discussion boards in our online learning setting. There are so many interesting issues and questions to explore on our own and together. You will be among the very few who figure out things concerning very important subjects about which most people have no idea such as: How WWII was ended? How did Reconstruction affect southern blacks? Plus together we can discuss questions about cataclysmic events such as Pearl Harbor, the dropping of the Atomic Bombs in Japan, the Kennedy and King assassinations and 9-11.