1. 1
Hudson Valley Community College
Troy, New York 12180
Syllabus for Fall 2016
HIST 135 - History of the Twentieth Century
Course Description:
This course focuses on the totalitarian regimes of
the 30’s and 40’s; World War II and post-war
settlements; Third World development; and the
intellectual response of the West to political and
social turbulence of a nuclear war.
Department: History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences
Course/Section: HIST 135 03 History of the 20th Century MWR 8-8:50 AM
Credit Hours: Three (3)
Instructor: Dr. E.R. Rugenstein, Cultural History
Office Location & Hours: Marvin Library Faculty Office Wing: Office 101
Tuesday 11:000am – 1:00pm, Wednesday 12:50pm
– 3:30pm, and by appointment
Text:
Duiker,William J., Contemporary World History,
6th ed. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning, 2015.
Course Objective:
Students will:
1) Demonstrate an understanding the historical
background of events in their own time and century.
2) Show insight into the major forces, ideas, events,
and personalities that have shaped the 20th century/
3) Examine the tensions between traditional and
modern values and different technologies as well as
the ideas that have affected the split between these
two positions; and
4) Use measurable and general objectives to show
the role that geography plays in the shaping of
historical events

2. 2
Tests, Annotated Bibliography,
Oral Presentation & Final:
DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA AS A SOURCE ON
ANY ASSIGNMENT, TEST OR ESSAY IN THIS
CLASS. Wikipedia is a non-scholarly source
without any form of peer review. If you use
Wikipedia for a source you will lose 15 points from
the assignment automatically.
Tests – The course tests are in two parts with an
essay section, and a short answer section from the
readings in Contemporary World History and the
class lectures. One portion of the test is an essay.
This is the take-home portion and must be at least
600 words, double-spaced, using times typestyle. It
must have citations and a corresponding
bibliography/works-cited page/reference page. I
require 12 pt. Type with 1 inch margins, numbered
pages, and stapled – NO HAND WRITTEN
ESSAYS !), The essay is DUE the day of the
exam. The other portion of the test is the short
answer section. For full credit on the short answer
portion you must include 6 (six) major points or
facts. You may use one information sheet (8 1/2”X
11” - both sides) during each test. Also all work
for the test will be due at the end of the test time.
No part of the test will be accepted after the test
time, ie. if you did not bring the essay to the test it
will not be accepted by e-mail.
Annotated Bibliography – This assignment is an
Annotated Bibliography of at least 5 sources with
an annotation length of 300-500 words per source
on a topic approved by the Instructor. Two sources
must be books (2000 or newer and not a tertiary
source) and two sources must be journal articles
(any date). The fifth source may be either a journal
article or a book. The annotated bibliography must
be double-spaced, (with single spaced annotations)
using times typestyle, 12 pt. with 1 inch margins,
numbered pages, and stapled – NO HAND
WRITTEN BIBLIOGRAPHIES! Another
important point – The Annotated Bibliography is
due on the assigned date. Fifty points (50) will be
deducted each day it is late past the due date.

3. 3
Emailed annotated bibliographies will not be
accepted.
Oral Presentation – Each student will give a seven
(7) minute oral presentation on some aspect on
the topic of their annotated bibliography. Separate
instructions will be given on the important points on
this assignment. It is important that you pick a date
and practice. If you miss your chosen time slot you
will be give a second chance to make it up if the
time is available. Understand it is important that
you do not miss your time slot.
Final – The Final will be a comprehensive Short
Answer & Essay exam. For the final exam you
may use all the information sheets from the
previous tests.
Grade Breakdown:
Test #1 100 pts
Test #2 100 pts.
Test #3 100 pts.
Annotated Bibliography 100 pts.
Oral Presentation 100 pts.
Final 300 pts.
Participation/Attendance 100 pts.
Total Points 900 pts. Max
Possible Extra Credit 80 pts.
A Excellent (4.0) 810 points and above
B Very Good (3.0) 720-809
C Average (2.0) 630-719
D Passing (1.0) 540-629
F Failure (0.0) Below 539
Reading Assignments:
Week Week of: Reading
1 August 29 Introduction & Chapter 1
2 September 5 Chapter 2&3
• No Classes September 5
3 September 12 Chapter 4
4 September 19 Chapter 4
5 October 3 Chapter 5
6 October 10 Chapter 5
• No Classes October 10

4. 4
October 13 TEST #1
7 October 17 Chapter 6
8 October 24 Chapter 6&7
9 October 31 Chapter 8
10 November 7 Chapter 9
11 November 14 Chapter 10
November 17 TEST #2
12 November 21 Chapter 11&12
• No Classes November 23-26
13 November 28 Chapter 13&14
November 28 (Due Date) Extra-Credit
November 29 Annotated Bibliography Due
December 1 TEST #3
14 December 5 Chapter 13 & 14
December 6 Oral Presentations Begins
15 December 12 Chapter 15 &16
December 12 Oral Presentations
December 15 FINAL
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is offering someone else's work as your
own, whether one sentence or whole paragraphs,
and whether from an internet source, book,
periodical, or the writing of other students. It is also
dishonest to submit your own paper as original
work in more than one course. Penalties for
plagiarism range from failing the assignment to
failing the course or suspension from HVCC,
depending on the seriousness of the breach of
academic integrity. You will be turned into the
school administration if you are caught
plagiarizing or cheating. Even the first time.
Attendance:
Attendance is a part of classroom participation
and is required for the course and includes all
classes, the tests, and the final. Every time you
attend class you earn 2 attendance points. If you
do not miss any classes you will earn 100 points.
In order to meet the minimum qualifications to be
considered attending you must accumulate at least
58 attendance points and have taken at least two
(2) of the three course test. If you have less than 58
attendance points and have not taken at least two
(2) course tests you have not participated

5. 5
satisfactorily in the course and will earn an
administrative withdrawal, a "Z"
grade. Attendance will be taken the beginning of
class. If you arrive late or leave early from class
you are considered absent. It is also rude to get up
and walk out of the class once it has started.
Classroom Behavior:
Classroom behavior is another component of
classroom participation. I expect that you will
show respect to fellow students and to myself.
Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Examples
include talking, snapping gum, playing on laptops,
using electronic devices, passing notes, throwing
things, getting up and walking out of class
excessively, walking around the room to throw
things into the trash, etc. If you cause such
disturbances you will be asked to leave and it will
result in loss of points for classroom participation.
Except for laptops all electronic devices must be
turned off during class especially cell-phones,
beepers, and CD Players.
The classroom is a freethinking zone – you can
express yourselves freely as long as you are
respectful of others and their views. Name-calling
will not be tolerated.
Make-up Work & Late Work:
There is no make-up work. If you miss a test or if
you hand work in late, you get a zero unless special
personal experiences have been communicated to
me within 24 hours of the test/assignment and we
have worked out a solution. If a make up date is
made for a test or an alternate due date is needed
you will get one attempt for a make up test or an
alternate due date. E-mail me at
r.rugenstein@hvcc.edu or call and leave a
message at message at (518) 629-7690. I prefer
email.
Course Correspondence:
All official correspondence and announcements for
this course will be made in class or through the
HVCC server only. No response will be made to
private e-mail addresses only to hvcc.edu
addresses.

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Course Requirement
Signature Form: The syllabus is a contract between the instructor and
the student. It is important that you understand what
is required for the course. Therefore you must sign
the Course Requirement Signature Form after you
fully understand the requirements of this course. If
after the in class instruction time concerning the
syllabus and the other course requirements you
still do not understand the information presented
you will have the opportunity for a one-on-one
meeting with the professor.
This is a mandatory failure to sign this
form will incur a deduction of one letter grade from
your final grade.
Statement of College Policy
regarding Accommodations
for Students with Disabilities:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act, Hudson Valley Community College is committed to
ensuring educational access and accommodations for all
its registered students, in order to fully participate in
programs and course activities or to meet course
requirements. Hudson Valley Community College's
students with documented disabilities and medical
conditions are encouraged to access these services by
registering with the Center for Access and Assistive
Technology or the Learning Disabilities Specialist to
discuss their particular needs for accommodations. For
information or an appointment contact the Center for
Access and Assistive Technology, located in room 130 of
the Siek Campus Center or call518-629-7154/TDD:518-
629-7596 or contact the Learning Disabilities Specialist
located in the Learning Assistance Center, in the lower
level of the Marvin Library, phone number 629-7552

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EXTRA CREDIT
There are a number of opportunities to receive extra credit for this course. The maximum
number of extra credit points that you will be able to earn is 80. All review forms,
essays, and opinion papers must be turned in no later than November 28, 2016. NO
EMAIL
I) Cultural Events 20 points (either A and/or B) :
A) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free
Admission) Review the exhibits concerning New York City. This includes the
World Trade Center Exhibit, Harlem in the 1920s, Skyscraper City, The Port, Fifth
Ave., etc. Write a 250-word essay of your impression of the exhibits.
B) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free
Admission) Review the exhibit Hudson Valley Ruins. Write a 250-word essay of
your impression of the exhibit. Ends December 31, 2017.
II) Historic Movie Reviews
Ten (10) points for each movie review. (maximum of 30 points) For each movie
download the review form from blackboard, watch any of the following movies, fill
out the form while you are watching the movie, and turn it in before the end of the
semester as stated above.
•Evita: 1926-1952 (2010)
• The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 (1962)
•The Last King of Scotland: 1971-1976 (2006)
•The Killing Fields: 1973-1979 (1994)
•Doctor Zhivago: 1912-1923 (1965)
•Great Balls of Fire: 1956-1958 (1989)
•Apocalypse Now: 1970 (1979)
III) Historic Movie Reflection Paper (either A and/or B)
Sixty (60) points for writing a reflection paper on one of the movies
specified below. Pick either movie and write a 1500 word reflection paper. The
reflection paper should have a short (200 word) recap of what the movie was about
and then 1300 words on what you thought. Specific examples are encouraged. You
must cite any additional sources used in the paper.
Pick either:
The Atomic Café (1982) http://youtu.be/NOUtZOqgSG8
Or
Birth of a Nation (1915) http://youtu.be/iEznh2JZvrI

8. 8
Course Requirement Signature Form
I understand the requirements for the course HIST 135 -03 and the various points of
the syllabus specifically the following:
Course Objective: _______________________________
initial
Tests, Annotated Bib., _______________________________
Oral Presentation & Final: initial
Grade Breakdown: _______________________________
initial
Reading Assignments: _______________________________
initial
Plagiarism: _______________________________
initial
Attendance: _______________________________
initial
Classroom Behavior: _______________________________
initial
Make-up Work & Late Work: _______________________________
initial
Course Correspondence: _______________________________
Initial
Extra Credit: _______________________________
initial
Name: ___________________________________
print
___________________________________
signature
Date: _________________________