2015-2016 Advanced Placement U.S. History Course Outline and Syllabus
Mr. Eric Boos
Course Overview
I appreciate you for accepting the challenge of Advanced Placement United States History.
You can expect the pace of APUSH to be fast and at the same time you will be required to meet all standards. If those two do not go hand-in-hand for you, please reconsider your decision.
Otherwise, welcome!
Teacher Information
If you need to reach me for APUSH-related questions or concerns outside school, do not hesitate to
contact me at:
- email:
- @MrBoosGCHS
What You Need for the Course:
You are required to bring to class each day:
-basic supplies (paper and pen, black or blue only)
-a notebook - your notebook will be a three-ring binder (1 ½ to 2 inches is ideal)
AP Test Information
In May 06, 2016 you will take the AP U.S. History exam.
The test is 3 hours and 5 minutes in length.
Section / Question Type / Number of Questions / Timing / Percentage of Total Exam ScoreI / Part A: Multiple-choice questions / 55 questions / 55 minutes / 40%
Part B: Short-answer questions / 4 questions / 50 minutes / 20%
II / Part A: Document-based question / 1 question / 55 minutes / 25%
Part B: Long essay question / 1 question
(chosen from a pair) / 35 minutes / 15%
Main Texts
You will be assigned the following textbook:
Kennedy, D.M., Cohen, L. and Bailey, T.A., The American Pageant, 12th edition, (2002).
Houghton Mifflin Company
Grading Scale
A - 90-100%
B - 80-89% C - 70-79% D - 60-69%
F - 59% and below
I. Historical thinking Skills
Skill Type / Historical Thinking SkillI. Chronological Reasoning / 1. Historical Causation
2. Patterns of Continuity and Change over Time
3. Periodization
II. Comparison and Contextualization / 4. Comparison
5. Contextualization
III. Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence / 6. Historical Argumentation
7. Appropriate Use of Relevant Historical Evidence
IV. Historical Interpretation and Synthesis / 8. Interpretation
9. Synthesis
II. Thematic Learning objectives
The content learning objectives for the AP U.S. History course and exam are organized under seven themes, which are topics of historical inquiry to explore throughout the AP U.S. History course.
- Identity
- Work, exchange, and technology
- Peopling
- Politics and power
- America in the world
- Environment and geography — physical and human
- Ideas, beliefs, and culture
III. The Concept outline
PERIOD 1: 1491–1607
On a North American continent controlled by American Indians, contact among the peoples of Europe, the Americas, and West Africa created a new world.
PERIOD 2: 1607–1754
Europeans and American Indians maneuvered and fought for dominance, control, and security in North America, and distinctive colonial and native societies emerged.
PERIOD 3: 1754–1800
British imperial attempts to reassert control over its colonies and the colonial reaction to these attempts produced a new American republic, along with struggles over the new nation’s social, political, and economic identity.
PERIOD 4: 1800–1848
The new republic struggled to define and extend democratic ideals in the face of rapid economic, territorial, and demographic changes.
PERIOD 5: 1844–1877
As the nation expanded and its population grew, regional tensions, especially over slavery, led to a civil war — the course and aftermath of which transformed American society.
PERIOD 6: 1865–1898
The transformation of the United States from an agricultural to an increasingly industrialized and urbanized society brought about significant economic, political, diplomatic, social, environmental, and cultural changes.
PERIOD 7: 1890–1945
An increasingly pluralistic United States faced profound domestic and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism, and sought to define its international role.
PERIOD 8: 1945–1980
After World War II, the United States grappled with prosperity and unfamiliar international responsibilities while struggling to live up to its ideals.
PERIOD 9: 1980–Present
As the United States transitioned to a new century filled with challenges and possibilities, it experienced renewed ideological and cultural debates, sought to redefine its foreign policy, and adapted to economic globalization and revolutionary changes in science and technology.
2015 SCORING GUIDELINES
Document-Based Question
A. Thesis: 0–1 point
Skills assessed: Argumentation + Causation
States a thesis that directly addresses all parts of the question. The thesis must do more than restate the question.
1 point
Does not state a thesis that directly addresses all parts of the question or has a thesis that merely restates the question.
0 points
Response is completely blank.
—
B. Analysis of historical evidence and support of argument: 0–4 points
Skills assessed: Use of Evidence, Argumentation, + Causation
Analysis of documents (0–3 points)Offers plausible analysis of the content of a majority of the documents, explicitly using this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument.
1 point / OR / Offers plausible analysis of BOTH the content of a majority of the documents, explicitly using this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument;
AND
at least one of the following for the majority of the documents:
- intended audience,
- purpose,
- historical context,
- the author’s point of
2 points / OR / Offers plausible analysis of BOTH the content of all or all but one of the documents, explicitly using this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument;
AND
at least one of the following for all or all but one of the documents:
- intended audience,
- purpose,
- historical context,
- the author’s point of
3 points
AND/OR
Analysis of outside examples to support thesis/argument (0–1 point)
Offers plausible analysis of historical examples beyond/outside the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument.
1 point
Response does not offer plausible analysis of a majority of the documents or does not use this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument. Response does not offer plausible analysis of historical examples beyond/outside the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument.
0 points
Response is completely blank.
—
C. Contextualization: 0–1 point
Skill assessed: Contextualization
Accurately and explicitly connects historical phenomena relevant to the argument to broader historical events and/or processes.
1 point
Response does not accurately and explicitly connect historical phenomena relevant to the argument to broader historical events and/or processes.
0 points
Response is completely blank.
—
D. Synthesis: 0–1 point
Skill assessed: Synthesis
Response synthesizes the argument, evidence, an analysis of documents, and context into a coherent and persuasive essay by accomplishing one or more of the following as relevant to the question.Appropriately extends or modifies the stated thesis or argument.
1 point / OR / Recognizes and effectively accounts for disparate, sometimes contradictory, evidence from primary sources and/or secondary works in crafting a coherent argument. 1 point / OR / Appropriately connects the topic of the question to other historical periods, geographical areas, contexts, or circumstances.
1 point
Response does not synthesize the argument, evidence, analysis of documents, and context into a coherent and persuasive essay.
0 points
Response is completely blank.
—
Formal Assessments
90% of your grade is based on tests and essays. If you do not earn an A or B on each test, you will complete correctives and retake the test.
If you do not meet the standards for APUSH essays, you will complete correctives and rewrite part or all of the essay.
Assignments and Make-Up Work
Attendance in any class is critically important. In APUSH it is essential. If your attendance is less than exemplary, I will request a parent/guardian conference and possibly recommend your removal from the course.
Academic Honesty
All forms of academic dishonesty - cheating, copying, plagiarism - will not be tolerated. The
consequences of violating the county and school policy are outlined in the Code of Student Conduct and
may include a failing grade for the assignment, a parental/guardian conference or removal from the course.