AP
Syllabus:
Course
Description:
A.P. US History is offered as
a college level course. Successful
completion should enable the student to
pass the national exam,
held in May. This will then
fulfill the core US History requirements
for most undergraduate programs
and will allow students to earn
college credit for this course. With
the skills developed herein and a
mastery of the content, students
will be ready for intermediate and
advanced college level history
courses.
Course
objectives & goals
We will explore the themes of
diversity and religion in the
development of culture and identity. We
will trace the resulting
demographic, economic and environmental
transformations of a
nation in motion. We will examine
the impact of politics on
citizenship, diplomacy, war and
globalization. Students will also
develop writing and analytical
skills as well as some experience in
historiography.
Materials:
Skills
& Testing
Course
Outline
Quarter
One:
Project:
Gore Vidal, Burr and writing an historiography.
Unit
1: Colonial History to 1763
(3 Weeks)
Themes: Religion & Economics in
developing cultures
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
1-4
American Spirit, Vol. I: Packet of primary sources
from
Beginnings, Planting of
English
Colonies and American
Life17th Century, Colonial Society on Eve
of Revolution, Duel for
Activities
Include:
Skills: Writing the Essay,
Writing the DBQ
Essay topic: Comparing and
contrasting Northern, Middle and Southern Colonies
Charts: Comparative colonial
establishment, development.
Geography focus:
environmental contributions to colonial development
DBQ: Cult of Domesticity or
Content:
Exploration,
political, social and cultural organization of plantings.
Labor,
education, regional and religious differences.
French, Spanish and English
colonies: relations with natives and with each other.
Unit
2: Independence1763 – 1789
(3 weeks)
Themes:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
5-8
American Spirit, Vol. I: Packet from The Road to Revolution,
Activities Include:
Skills: Map analysis
Essay topic: How
revolutionary is the Revolution?
Charts: Shifting British
Colonial Policies, Early sectional interests
Geographic focus: course of
the war
DBQ: American Revolution; a
civil war? Or: Comparative colonial policies toward Native Americans
Content:
Mercantilism,
British Policy changes.
Colonial cooperation, Military strategies, Outcomes, Treaty of Paris, Republicanism
Unit
3: The New Nation
(3 weeks)
Themes: Republicanism,
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
9-12
American Spirit, Vol I:
A packet from Confederation and Constitution, New Ship
of State,
Activities Include:
Essay, topic: War as an
instrument for social change, or Issues of the 17th century were
mostly theological, Issues of the 18th century: Political; assess.
Charts: Federalists and Anti
Federalists; Early Political parties
Geography focus:
DBQ: Ratifying the
constitution or Growth of Political Parties
Content:
The Confederation, Shays'
Rebellion and the Constitutional Convention
Issues at Debate: Banks and
Debts, Representation, Ratification process.
The Bill of
Rights,
Jeffersonian
Revolution,
Second
Quarter:
Project:
Reading Approaching Fury,
Stephen B. Oates; writing an historiography.
Unit
4: Age of
Themes: Rise of Democracy
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 13-15
American Spirit, Vol I:
A packet of sources from The Rise of Mass Democracy,
Forging the National Economy
and
The Ferment of Reform and
Culture
Activities Include:
Essay, topic:
Charts: Reforms and Reformers
Geography focus: Trail of
Tears, Canals & shipping of goods
DBQ:
Content:
The Corrupt Bargain,
Expanding the Franchise, Nullification Issue The Two
Party
System,
Indian Removal,
Immigration, Reforms,
Religious Revivals,
Rise of the Factory System
and the Transportation Revolution
Unit
5: Toward Disunion
( 3 weeks)
Theme: Civil Liberties &
Expansion
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
16-19
American Spirit, Vol. I: A packet of sources from
the South and Slavery
Controversy, Manifest Destiny
and Its Legacy, Renewing the Sectional Struggle
and Drifting toward Disunion
Activities Include:
Essay, topic:
Charts: the plantation system
and social structure. Steps toward Civil War, From
Compromise of 1820 to
Compromise of 1850
Geography focus: War With
DBQ: Causes of Secession
Content:
The
Secession
Unit
6: Civil War and Reconstruction (2 weeks)
Themes: Geographic impact on the war,
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
20- 22
American Spirit Vol. 1: A packet of sources from
Girding for War, The Furnace
of War, Ordeal of
Reconstruction
Activities Include:
Essay, topic: The effect of
Southern policies on the war, or Slavery as a response to economic conditions
in the South.
Charts: the Civil War
Geography focus: Civil War
DBQ: The Failure of
Reconstruction
Content:
Civil War,
Assassination and legacy of
the war, Black codes, Military Reconstruction, Impeachment of Johnson
Unit
7: The Gilded Age
(3 weeks)
Theme: Free Market vs. Regulation
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
23 -26
American Spirit, Vol. II: A packet of sources from
The Gilded Age,
Industry Comes of Age,
American Moves to the City and The West and
Agricultural Revolution
Activities Include:
Essay, topic: The Industrial
Boom or The Transportation Revolution
of 18201860
Charts: Corruption and
Reforms
Geography focus: Disappearing
Frontier
DBQ: W.E.B. Du Bois and
Booker T. Washington or Immigration
or Farmer's Revolt
Content:
The Grant Era, Jim Crow,
Populists, Railroads & Robber Barons,
Gospel of Wealth, Urban
growth and problems, Mining and
Ranching in the West, plight
of the Indians, Agrarian revolt
Midterm
Exams Given in
the format of the National AP Exam:
Essays and DBQ given prior to
the actual Exam period and Multiple
Choice
portion done during the school's exam schedule.
Evaluation given for understanding of
topics covered thus far in the
year.
This forms the basis for the
first half of the review in early May.
3
rd Quarter:
Project:
William Riordan, Honest
Graft; The World of George Washington:
Plunkitt on
Tammany Hall.
Unit
8: Imperialism & Progressivism (3 weeks)
Theme: Reform and Social
Responsibility
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
27-30
American Spirit, Vol II:
A packet of sources from The Path of
Empire;
Progressivism
and
Activities Include:
Essay, topic:
Charts:
Geography focus: New Markets
and American Imperialism, WWI
DBQ: Progressivism or
American Imperialism
Content:
The growing need for foreign
markets, the transition from isolationism to becoming a world power,
campaigning against social injustice at home, New Freedom vs. New Nationalism,
Tariff, banks, trusts; the US role on the world stage during WWI. Influencing the war and the peace.
Unit
9: The Interwar years
(3 weeks)
Themes: Boom and Bust; Reforms,
Government assumes Social Responsibility.
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
31-33
American Spirit, Vol II:
A packet of sources from the Roaring Twenties,
Politics and Boom and Bust,
Great Depression and New Deal
Activities Include:
Essay, topic: Comparing
Federal Policy in dealing with the economic
Crises of the Panic of 93 vs.
the Great Depression
Charts: The New Deal
Geography focus: Dust Bowl
DBQ: Clash of cultures of the
1920s or New Deal Opponents
Content:
The Red Scare, Prohibition,
Modernism and Reaction, Republican Ascendancy,
Boom and
Unit
10: WWII (2
Weeks)
Themes: Human Rights and Civil
Liberties
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
34-35
American Spirit, Vol II:
A packet of sources from FDR and the Shadow of
War and
Activities include:
Essay, topic: Japanese
Internment and Civil Liberties, Did we err with Stalin?
Charts: Economic impact of
the war
Geographic Focus: 3 theaters
of war, Japanese Aggression
DBQ: The Home front, The decision to drop the bomb
Content:
From
Neutrality to Involvement,
The Home
Front and the Dawn of the Atomic Age.
4th
Quarter
Project: Review guides assigned on
Themes in History
Unit
II: Cold War
(3 weeks)
Themes: Fear, Globalism, Conflict and
Consensus
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
36-39
American Spirit, Vol II:
a packet of sources from the beginning of
the cold war, Eisenhower Era and
the Stormy Sixties and the
Stalemated Seventies
Activities Include:
Essay, topic: Eisenhower: a
New Deal Backlash? Or 1968: Pivotal year
Charts: Shifts in Latin
American Policies, Asian Policies
Geographic Focus: Middle East
& Oil;
DBQ: Civil Rights, or The Great Society
Content:
Postwar prosperity, origins
of the cold war, Truman Doctrine and
Eisenhower Doctrine, fighting
Communism at home and Abroad,
Mass Consumerism, Camelot and
Social programs, Johnson and
cultural upheavals
Unit
12: Resurgence of Conservatism and Post Cold War (2 weeks)
Theme: Property vs. Civil Liberties
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters
40- 42
American Spirit, Vol II:
a packet of sources from The Resurgence of
Conservatism and End of the
Century Issues
Activities Include:
Essay, topic: The Regan
Revolution; a tax revolt?
Charts: Scandals, The Courts
go Conservative
Geographic Focus: Fall of the
DBQ: Modern Conservatism, or
the Controversial Election of 2000
Content:
The Regan Revolution, End of
the Cold War, Courts, Rise of the
Religious Right,