United States History I with Bethany Bird
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Hi, I’m professor Bird and thanks for checking out my Professor Direct course description for a self paced version of US History I. In this course we will journey through American history from its inception through Civil War Reconstruction, but we will do it on your time table.The benefit of signing up for Professor Direct is access to a professor to help you with content, to provide opportunities for online discussions, and access to additional information, such as primary and secondary source weblinks and videos to enhance your learning experience. So hold on to your computer as we take this American adventure together. See you online!
Buy the course for only $109 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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This course is full of additional videos and information other than the presentation available.
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Course Objectives
After completing this Online American History Course, you will be able to:
- Apply historical research skills to major themes in American History to 1877.
- Analyze the characteristics of societies existing in the Americas before 1492.
- Detect the causes of European exploration and colonization in the New World and assess the impact of these activities on Europe, Africa, and the New World.
- Describe how political, religious, economic, and social institutions emerged in the American Colonies.
- Specify the causes of the American Revolution and evaluate the impact of the Revolution on politics, the economy, and society.
- Analyze how the institutions and practices of government evolved to create the foundation of the American political system.
- Analyze territorial expansion from 1801 to 1877 and assess its effects on relations with Native Americans and external powers.
- Synthesize and assess developments in political democracy after 1800.
- Describe how the Industrial Revolution and Western movement changed the lives of Americans.
- Specify the major causes and events of the Civil War and assess the impact of the war on the American people.
- Describe the sources and character of cultural, religious, and social reform movements in the antebellum period.
- Evaluate how various Reconstruction plans succeeded or failed.
Topic | Lesson Topic | Subtopics | Objectives |
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1 |
Old and New Worlds Meet |
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2 |
Early Settlements |
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3 | Living in Colonial America |
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4 | Road to Revolution |
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5 | The American Revolution |
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6 | The Constitution |
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7 |
The New Republic |
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8 | Jeffersonian Era |
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9 | Jacksonian Era |
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10 | Economic Revolution |
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11 | The Old South |
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12 | Antebellum Period |
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13 | Build Up to War |
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14 | The Civil War |
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15 | Reconstruction |
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16 | Course Review |
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There are no prerequisites to take United States History I.
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
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 |
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4 |
Graded Exam #1 |
125 |
8 | Graded Exam #2 | 125 |
8 | Midterm Exam | 250 |
12 | Graded Exam #3 | 125 |
15 | Graded Exam #4 | 125 |
16 | Graded 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.
Hi, I’m professor Bird and thanks for checking out my Professor Direct course description for a self paced version of US History I. In this course we will journey through American history from its inception through Civil War Reconstruction, but we will do it on your time table.The benefit of signing up for Professor Direct is access to a professor to help you with content, to provide opportunities for online discussions, and access to additional information, such as primary and secondary source weblinks and videos to enhance your learning experience. So hold on to your computer as we take this American adventure together. See you online!