ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY
COURSE SYLLABUS
Instructor: Mrs. Sauer Email:
COURSE DESCRIPTION
AP US History is designed to be a challenging course and the equivalent of a freshman college course in history. Students can earn college credit by receiving a score of three or higher on the AP US History Exam. The course surveys American history from the age of exploration to the present. Solid reading, writing, and note-taking skills, along with a willingness to devote a great deal of time to homework and study, are necessary to succeed in the course. Emphasis will be placed on critical thinking skills, essay writing, and interpretation of primary source documents. [CR6, CR7, CR8]
COURSE PURPOSE
The first purpose of the course is to study and learn US history. An additional purpose of the course is to prepare students to take the AP US History Exam, which all students are encouraged to take in May.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will:
• master a broad range of historical knowledge. [CR5]
• demonstrate an understanding of historical chronology. [CR5]
• use historical data to support an argument or position. [CR6]
• interpret and apply information from primary source documents. [CR7]
• effectively use analytical skills of evaluation, cause and effect, and compare and contrast. [CR6]
• work effectively with others to solve problems and produce an end product.
• prepare for and successfully pass the AP US History Exam.
COURSE TEXTS AND READINGS
· Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Bailey. The American Pageant. 13th ed. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006.
· Newman, John J. and John M. Schmalbach. United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination. New York: Amsco School Publications, Inc., 1998.
· Various other readings will be assigned within units (primary source documents, debate documents, etc.)
COURSE SUPPLIES (Students need to purchase these items)
· Spiral/wire-bound notebook for taking notes; should be used for this class only
· Sturdy folder with pockets for handouts; should be used for this class only
· Yellow legal pads (8 ½ x 11) for essay and DBQ writing
· Post-it notes
· Note cards (3 x 5)
.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
• Time
This course will be very time-consuming; it requires a great deal of study time on your own. You
will be required to spend time outside of class reading, writing, studying and preparing for the AP
exam in May. Budgeting your time well is critical! Do not procrastinate; putting off assignments
and study time will put you far behind.
• Reading
The reading load for the course will be very heavy. You will have reading homework nearly every night (including weekends and holidays!), as well as be required to keep a reading activities folder. You will frequently have quizzes over the reading material; these quizzes may be unannounced so you must be prepared. Reading assignments will come from your textbook as well as primary source documents from the internet and other sources.
• Note-taking
Lecture and note-taking will be a part of the class several times a week. Notes must be kept in a wire-bound notebook and will be a required grade. Good notes are essential for review of the course material. Notes, as well as all class work, should be completed in blue/black ink or pencil only.
• Writing
Writing assignments for the course will consist of free-response essays and Document-Based Questions (DBQs). These assignments will be graded using the nine-point AP rubric. All essays and DBQs will be written on yellow legal-pad paper in blue or black ink. Assignments turned in any other way will not be graded and will receive a zero. We will also complete the required portfolio pieces, as well as other special projects related to the course’s content. [CR8]
• Exams
All exams for the course will be modeled on the AP US History Exam. The questions will be multiple-choice and essay. Final exams will be given at the end of each semester, covering material from that semester only. [CR8] *All make-up exams will be comprised entirely of essay questions.
• Study habits and attitude
The class will be difficult and strenuous at times; therefore, students are encouraged to form study groups for review of the class readings and materials. In addition, you should pair with a ‘study buddy’; obtain this person’s phone number and help one another. This will also help you stay caught up if you should be absent or have questions when you are working at home.
It is important to not become discouraged. If you are feeling overstressed by the course, please talk with me. We can incorporate strategies that can help you succeed. Remember that you have your classmates and me to turn to for help and encouragement.
COURSE INFORMATION AND UPDATES
Course information, including the syllabus and homework assignments, can be found on my wiki at www.mrssauerushistory.pbwiki.com. The wiki will be updated frequently, and students will be expected to check it often for class information and assignments. Students who must be absent can also check the wiki for make-up assignments when the absence is excused.
GRADING SCALE
The following grading scale will be used:
A 93—100
B 86—92
C 79—85
D 70—78
U Below 70
COURSE OUTLINE
(Note: The last date for each unit indicates the proposed exam date for that unit.)
UNIT 1: Discovery, Settlement and Colonial Beginnings (August 12-September 5) [CR1, CR2, CR5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 1-4
o New World Beginnings
o The Planting of English America
o Settling the Northern Colonies
o American Life in the Seventeenth Century
· Newman: Introduction to Chapter 3
o Introduction: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination in U.S. History
o Exploration, Discovery and Settlement
o The Thirteen Colonies and the British Empire
o Colonial Society in the Eighteenth Century
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Identity (Views of the American national character and ideas about American exceptionalism. Recognizing regional differences within the context of what it means to be an American.)
o Economic Transformations (Changes in trade, commerce, and technology across time. The effects of capitalist development, labor and unions, and consumerism.)
o Globalization (Engagement with the rest of the world from the fifteenth century to the present: colonialism, mercantilism, global hegemony, development of markets, imperialism, cultural exchange.)
o Politics and Citizenship (Colonial and revolutionary legacies, American political traditions, growth of democracy, and the development of the modern state. Defining citizenship; struggles for civil rights.)
o Religion (The variety of religious beliefs and practices in America from prehistory to the twenty-first century; influence of religion on politics, economics, and society.)
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on Settlement, the Thirteen Colonies and the French and Indian War
o Primary source readings/discussions: Maryland Toleration Act, Mayflower Compact, Winthrop’s Modell of Christian Charity, Salem Testimony against Bridget Bishop [CR1, CR7]
o Unit 1 Essay [CR8]
o DBQ 1: The Transformation of Colonial Virginia, 1606-1700 (Kennedy) [CR8]
o Portfolio Writing Assignment: Historical Book Review (or other assigned writing project) [CR6]
UNIT 2: Revolution and Independence (September 8-26) [CR1, CR3, CR5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 5-8
o Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution
o The Duel for North America
o The Road to Revolution
o America Secedes from the Empire
· Newman: Chapters 4 and 5
o Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest
o The American Revolution
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Identity
o Politics and Citizenship
o Religion
o War and Diplomacy (Armed conflict from the pre-colonial period to the twenty-first century; impact of war on American foreign policy and politics, economy, and society.)
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on the Road to Revolution and the Revolutionary War
o Primary source readings/discussions: Stamp Act Congress, Patrick Henry speech, Declaration of Independence [CR1, CR7]
o Unit 2 Essay [CR8]
o DBQ 2: Charges Against the King, 1754-1776 (Kennedy) [CR8]
UNIT 3: Birth of a New Nation (September 29-October 17) [CR1, CR5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 9-11
o The Confederation and the Constitution
o Launching the New Ship of State
o The Triumphs and Travails of the Jeffersonian Republic
· Newman: Chapter 6, Chapter 7 to page 127
o The Constitution and the New Republic
o The Age of Jefferson
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Identity
o Economic Transformations
o Globalization
o Politics and Citizenship
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on Presidents Washington, Adams and Jefferson
o Primary source readings/discussions: The Federalist Papers; Constitution debate; Marshall court [CR1, CR6, CR7]
o Unit 3 Essay[CR8]
o DBQ 3: Thomas Jefferson and Philosophical Consistency, 1790-1809 (Kennedy) [CR8]
UNIT 4: Nationalism and Expansionism in a New Nation (October 17-November 10) [CR1, CR2, CR3, CR4, C5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 12-15
o The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism
o The Rise of a Mass Democracy
o Forging the National Economy
o The Ferment of Reform and Culture
· Newman: remainder of Chapter 7; Chapters 8, 10, and 11
o The Age of Jefferson
o Nationalism and Economic Development
o The Age of Jackson
o The Ferment of Reform
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Diversity (The diversity of the American people and the relationships among different groups. The roles of race, class, ethnicity, and gender in the history of the United States.)
o American Identity
o Culture (Diverse individual and collective expressions through literature, art, philosophy, music, theater, and film throughout US History. Popular culture and the dimensions of cultural conflict within American society.)
o Demographic Changes (Changes in birth, marriage, and death rates; life expectancy and family patterns; population size and density. The economic, social, and political effects of immigration, internal migration, and migration networks.)
o Economic Transformations
o Politics and Citizenship
o Slavery and Its Legacies in North America (Systems of slave labor and other forms of unfree labor (e.g., indentured servitude, contract labor) in Native American societies, the Atlantic World, and the American South and West. The economics of slavery and its racial dimensions. Patterns of resistance and the long-term economic, political and social effects of slavery.)
o War and Diplomacy
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on Presidents Madison, Monroe, JQA, Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison and Tyler; War of 1812
o Primary source readings/discussions: Antebellum Reformers research/discussion; “The Star-Spangled Banner”; Bank of the United States debate [CR2, CR4, CR6, CR7]
o Unit 4 Essay [CR8]
o DBQ 4: The Changing Place of Women, 1815-1860 (Kennedy) [CR2, CR8]
UNIT 5: Sectionalism and Crises (November 11-December 3) [CR1, CR3, CR4, CR5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 16-19
o The South and the Slavery Controversy
o Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy
o Renewing the Sectional Struggle
o Drifting Toward Disunion
· Newman: Chapters 9, 12, and 13
o Sectionalism
o Territorial and Economic Expansion
o The Union in Peril
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Identity
o Globalization
o Reform (Diverse movements focusing on a broad range of issues, including anti-slavery, education, labor, temperance, women’s rights, civil rights, gay rights, war, public health, and government.)
o Slavery and Its Legacies in North America
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on Presidents Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce and Buchanan; Mexican War
o Primary source readings/discussions: Mexican War debate, Slavery debate, abolitionist readings [CR2, CR4, CR6, CR7]
o Unit 5 Essay [CR8]
o DBQ 5: Slavery and Sectional Attitudes, 1830-1860 (Kennedy) [CR2, CR8]
UNIT 6: Civil War and Reconstruction (December 4-19) [CR1, CR3, CR4, CR5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 20-22
o Girding for War: The North and the South
o The Furnace of War
o The Ordeal of Reconstruction
· Newman: Chapters 14 and 15
o The Civil War
o Reconstruction
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Diversity
o American Identity
o Demographic Changes
o Economic transformations
o Politics and Citizenship
o Reform
o Slavery and Its Legacies in North America
o War and Diplomacy
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on Presidents Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hayes; Civil War; Reconstruction Plans
o Primary source readings/discussions: The Gettysburg Address; The Emancipation Proclamation; the impeachment of Andrew Johnson (readings and debate) [CR1, CR6, CR7]
o Unit 6 Essay [CR8]
o DBQ 6: Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Union and Emancipation, 1861-1865 (Kennedy) [CR1, CR3, CR8]
END OF SEMESTER I
Final Exam Review
SEMESTER I EXAM (Cumulative: Chapters 1-22)
UNIT 7: Life in an Industrial Age: Urbanization, Immigration and Expansion (January 6-30) [CR1, CR2, CR3, CR4, CR5]
· American Pageant: Chapters 23-27
o Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age
o Industry Comes of Age
o America Moves to the City
o The Great West and the Agricultural Revolution
o Empire and Expansion
· Newman: Chapters 16-20
o The Last West and the New South
o The Rise of Industrial America
o The Growth of Cities and American Culture
o National Politics in the Gilded Age
o Foreign Policy, 1865-1914
· Themes in AP US History [CR5]
o American Diversity
o American Identity
o Demographic Changes
o Economic Transformations
o Environment (Ideas about the consumption and conservation of natural resources. The impact of population growth, industrialization, pollution, and urban and suburban expansion.)
o Reform
o Religion
o War and Diplomacy
· Activities
o Completion of Key Terms
o Completion of graphic organizers on Presidents Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison, McKinley; Spanish-American War