Hillcrest High School 2016-2017
AP AMERICAN HISTORY SYLLABUS
I. SCHOOL PROFILE
Hillcrest High School is located in Country Club Hills, IL. It is a public high school that serves 1100 students from grades 9-12. My email is .
II. OVERVIEW OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT U. S. HISTORY
A. Program: Advanced Placement U.S. History is offered to high school juniors. The school has opened enrollment in its honors classes, as well as to students that show aptitude in history classes. The school recommends that students earn at least an A- B in an honors course or an A-B in a regular social studies course when she or he elects the AP course.
B. AP Class Size: 25-30 students per class
C. Curricular Requirements
This course includes
a. College-level U.S. history textbook.
b. Diverse primary sources consisting of written documents, maps, images, quantitative data (charts, graphs, tables), and works of art.
c. Secondary sources written by historians or scholars interpreting the past.
d. Provides opportunities for students to apply detailed and specific knowledge (such as names, chronology, facts, and events) to broader historical understandings.
e. Provides students with opportunities for instruction in the learning objectives in each of the seven themes throughout the course, as described in the AP U.S. History curriculum framework.
f. Provides opportunities for students to develop coherent written arguments that have a thesis supported by relevant historical evidence. — Historical argumentation
g. Provides opportunities for students to identify and evaluate diverse historical interpretations. —Interpretation
h. Provides opportunities for students to analyze evidence about the past from diverse sources, such as written documents, maps, images, quantitative data (charts, graphs, tables), and works of art. — Appropriate use of historical evidence
i. Provides opportunities for students to examine relationships between causes and consequences of events or processes. — Historical causation
j. Provides opportunities for students to investigate and construct different models of historical periodization. — Periodization
k. Provides opportunities for students to compare historical developments across or within societies in various chronological and geographical contexts. — Comparison
l. Provides opportunities for students to connect historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place, and to broader regional, national, or global processes. — Contextualization
m. Provides opportunities for students to combine disparate, sometimes contradictory evidence from primary sources and secondary works in order to create a persuasive understanding of the past.
n. Provides opportunities for students to apply insights about the past to other historical contexts or circumstances, including the present.
D. Course Description: AP US History covers the spectrum of American History from Pre-Columbian to the present day. Using chronological and thematic approaches to the historic material, the class exposes students to extensive primary and secondary sources and the interpretation of various historians. Class participation, class discussions and debates, homework and essay and multiple choice exams will help the students prepare for the AP examination. AP U.S. History is a challenging course that is meant to be the equivalent of a freshman college course and can earn students college credit if they do well on the AP Exam given in May. It is a two- semester survey of American history from the age of exploration and discovery to the present. Solid reading and writing skills, along with a willingness to devote considerable time to homework and study, are necessary to succeed. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills, essay writing, interpretation of original documents, and historiography.
E. Key Themes: The course is structured both chronologically and thematically. The themes include: Identity, Work, Exchange and Technology, Peopling, Politics and Power, America in the World, Environment and Geography, and Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture. Students will see elements of these themes in everything that we do for this class.
F. Skills Developed: In each unit, students will get practice developing the following
Content-driven skills: Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence, Chronological Reasoning, Comparison and Contextualization, and Historical Interpretation and Synthesis. In addition, class activities and assignments will address the following academic skills: Reading for comprehension and recall, improving study
Skills in preparation for assessments, improving formal writing skills (addressed below),
Improving public speaking skills in class discussions and debates, and improving skills of map reading and interpretation.
G. Writing Focus: Historical work at a collegiate level requires students to write proficiently.
For this reason, writing is emphasized in every unit of this course. Students receive
DBQs and FRQ essays, they are graded on the basis of the degree to which a significant number of the documents have been used to support the thesis, and the amount and quality of outside information included in the response.
H. Grading:
1. Chapter assignment sheets or Reading Guides will be provided and due at the end of every unit of study. These chapter sheets are to coincide with the daily readings.
2. Outside readings from other sources (primary and secondary), along with reading questions will be due at the end of the unit of study.
3. Students will be responsible for keeping up with readings and be aware of, and ready for, quizzes and tests.
4. Terms- Students will be given historic terms to define
5. Class will be a combination of lecture, coverage of discussion questions and answering student questions. This will require student participation for discussion and debates.
6. All tests will mirror the AP Exam; there will be multiple choice exams, essay exams, and DBQ exams.
7. These exams will be given at the end of every unit of study.
I. Study Techniques:
1. The reading load is considerable; it is the responsibility of the student to keep up.
2. Time management is an essential skill for this class.
3. Students will get used to the workload, DO NOT GIVE UP.
4. Keep working to get better, if you need help come and see me.
J. Grading: The grading scale is as follows:
1. A= 100%- 90%
2. B= 89%-80%
3. C= 79%-70%
4. D= 69%-60%
5. E= 59%-0%
6. This scale applies to tests, quizzes and assignments, on a 5.0 scale.
K. Advanced Placement Exam: The AP Exam is given in May. Registration for the exam takes place in January- February. Although taking the exam is not required, it is highly recommended and may earn you college credit.
L. Assignments
1. Chapter Sheets
2. Primary Source Sheets
3. Terms
4. Multiple Choice Exams
5. Document Based Question Essay Exams
6. Free Response Essay Exams
7. Mid-term and Final Exams
8. Constitution Test
9. Class participation and class debates with classmates
M. Course Texts:
1. Our Textbook: Norton, Mary Beth and Carol Sheriff. A People and a Nation, 9th edition. CR1a- This course includes a college level US History textbook.
2. Prep Book: Newman, John J. U.S. History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Exam: 2016 Edition
III. COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER ONE
A. Unit 1: Pre-Columbian America and the Expansion of Colonial America- CR2 Each of the course historical periods receives explicit attention. CR1b- The course includes diverse primary sources consisting of written documents, maps, images and data.
1. Readings:
a. Newman: Period 1&2: Norton, Chapters 1-4
b. Primary Source Documents
2. Themes
a. The emergence of American cultural traits and the factors that contributed to them
b. Emerging regional patterns and how they evolved
c. ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
3. Content
a. Motives and methods of colonization: Spain, France, and Great Britain
b. Push-pull factors bringing colonists to the New World
c. Comparison and contrast of Southern, Middle and New England political, economic, social, and religious patterns
d. Cultural differences between Americans and Europeans
e. Early contacts among groups in North America, and North American
societies in the context of the Atlantic World; Spanish exploration and the development of colonies in the Americas; the rise of the English as an imperial power, including the conflict with the Spanish; initial English colonial settlements, including successes and failures, and the unique attributes of each of the colonies; the evolution of relations between the colonies and England, including the debate over citizenship and representation; and the military conflicts with the French, culminating in the French and Indian War.
4. Assignments-Assessment-Activities (FOR ALL FOLLOWING UNITS)
a. Chapter worksheets due
b. Multiple Choice Test- CR13a the course provides opportunities for students to combine disparate, sometimes contradictory evidence from primary and secondary works in order to create a persuasive understanding of the past.
c. Essay Test- CR5- The course provides opportunities for students to develop coherent written assignments that have a thesis supported by relevant historical evidence.
d. DBQ Test: Colonial Society- CR5- The course provides opportunities for students to develop coherent written assignments that have a thesis supported by relevant historical evidence.
e. Students will complete a Columbian Exchange Chart and participate in a discussion about the process. CR12- The course provides opportunities for students to connect historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place- Contextualization.
B. Unit 2: The Birth of a New Nation- CR2 Each of the course historical periods receives explicit attention. CR1b- The course includes diverse primary sources consisting of written documents, maps, images and data.
1. Readings
a. Newman, Period 3: Norton, Chapters 4-6
b. Primary Source Documents
2. Themes
a. Colonists reevaluate their relationship with Great Britain and with each other
b. The American Revolution as conservative, economic, social or radical movement
c. Birth of a Republic
d. ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, CUL
3. Content
a. Political and social causes of the French and Indian War; military
engagements and consequences of the French and Indian War; growing tensions between the colonies and Parliament over taxation and representation; diplomatic relations between the colonies, the British Parliament, and the French strategies of both sides in the Revolutionary war, and the course of the battles; origins and structure of the Articles of Confederation; political, social and economic challenges of the Critical Period; circumstances surrounding the Constitutional Convention and the structure of the Constitution; and argument over ratification and the development of the Bill of Rights
b. Mercantilism, costs and benefits for Britain and colonies
c. British policy changes, post 1763
d. Emerging colonial cooperation and decision for independence
e. Outcome of the war
C. Unit 3: The Early National Period (1789-1812) - CR2 Each of the course historical periods receives explicit attention. CR1b- The course includes diverse primary sources consisting of written documents, maps, images and data.
1. Readings:
a. Newman Period 3: Norton, Chapters 7-8
b. Primary Source Documents
2. Themes
a. Impact of colonial experience on post-independence American government
b. Development of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights
c. The emergence of political parties and the dividing factors
d. The development of sectional specialization and interdependence
e. The conflict between national power and states’ rights
f. ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
3. Content
a. Positives and negatives of the Articles of Confederation
b. Constitutional Convention
c. Hamilton vs. Jefferson
d. Presidencies of Washington and Adams
e. Birth of a new nation and struggle for identity; growing pains of the New
Republic; George Washington and the development of the role of the President; the debate over the Bank of the United States, and the emergence of political parties; foreign relations, including the Jay Treaty, the Pinckney Treaty, the XYZ Affair, the conflict with the Barbary Pirates, and the growing tensions with Europe during the Napoleonic Wars; Marbury v. Madison and the development of the role of the Supreme Court; Jeffersonian Republicanism, including policies regarding the Bank, Louisiana, Aaron Burr, and foreign relations; and elections from 1789 to 1812.
D. UNIT FOUR: From Jefferson-Jackson (1800-1848) CR2 each of the course historical periods receives explicit attention. CR1b- The course includes diverse primary sources consisting of written documents, maps, images and data.
1. Readings:
a. Newman Period 4: Norton, Chapters 9-12
b. Primary Source Documents
2. Themes
a. The peaceful transfer of power from one party to another
b. Changes in party positions
c. National growth and the growth of nationalism
d. ID, WXT, POL, CUL, WOR
3. Content
a. Jefferson’s “Revolution of 1800”
b. Federalists vs. Democratic Republicans
c. Louisiana Purchase
d. War of 1812
e. Era of Good Feelings
f. Rise of Nationalism
g. Diplomatic Achievements
h. Marshall Court
i. Monroe Doctrine
j. Elections of 1824 and 1828 and the founding of Jacksonian Democracy
k. Jackson’s Presidency
· Spoils system
· Nullification
· Destruction of the Second Bank
· Native American policies
l. Manifest Destiny
m. Immigration; social, political and economic developments; and reform movements, 1820-1850
n. Growing pains of the New Republic; foreign relations between the United
States and France and Britain; causes and course of the War of 1812; political, social, and economic aftermath of the War of 1812, including the death of the Federalist Party, the emergence of the Second Bank of the United States, and the conflict over internal improvements; the contested election of 1824 and the end of the Era of Good Feeling; tariffs and the specter of nullification; major decisions of the Marshall Court; the Monroe Doctrine and the growth of the United States in regional politics; and the rise of immigration and nativism.
E. UNIT FIVE: Union in Peril (1850--1900) CR2 each of the course historical periods receives explicit attention. CR1b- The course includes diverse primary sources consisting of written documents, maps, images and data.
1. Readings:
a. Newman Period 5: Norton Chapters 13-17
b. Assorted readings and speeches from Abraham Lincoln from the Library of America
2. Themes
a. Sectionalism
b. Slavery and the causes of the Civil War
c. Secession and war
d. Reconstruction issues and plans