APUSH Summer Assignment
This is due on the FIRST FULL DAY of school in September.
- Reading–Periods 1 (1491-1607) and 2 (1607 -1754). The text for the Summer Assignment is
Newman, John J., and John M. Schmalbach. United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination. New York, N.Y: Amsco School Publications, 2014. Print.
It can be found online at:
***PLEASE NOTE - the numbered pages in the assignment are based off of the “PDF” numbering in the upper left of the open file. It is NOT based off of the paged numbering. You’ll notice that the PDF numbering goes to page 105, whereas the paged numbering only goes to 67. Use the PDF numbering for all aspects of this assignment.***
We strongly suggest that you take notes on the important information as you read each chapter. One example of taking notes is to write down each bold heading as you read and summarize what you read/learn from each section in 1-2 sentences. You should not just copy down sentences as you read. Stop, think about what you are reading, and write down the main idea that is being expressed in that particular section. If you don’t know what the main idea is, then re-read the passage and try to figure it out. Too often students just look at all the words on the page but do not fully understand what it is that they’re reading. Take the time to learn and remember what you are reading.
Think of it this way: If you read the dosage on a medicine bottle you read the words differently, and with more focus, than if you’re reading information from a web site – where most people just skim to find what they’re looking for on the page. Some people read the medicine bottle two or three times to make sure they have the dosage correct before taking the medicine. As you read assignments in this class, remember the “medicine bottle” analogy. Pay attention and think about the material as you’re reading it. You will find that you retain the information better.
One method for note-taking is called the Cornell Method. More information on the Cornell Method can be found online at:
The Cornell Method Explained:
II.Questions to Answer
Complete the Questions on the following pages of the online text:
PDF PAGE NUMBERINGPages 53-56andPages 78-80
In addition to the questions above, complete the following questions (you may need the Internet or other sources):
1.What conditions shaped the character of English settlements in America?
2.Explain the importance of tobacco in the development of the Virginia colony.
3.What did the Puritans believe to be their purpose in coming to America (their "mission") and how did church and state cooperate to achieve this goal?
4.What beliefs and practices characterized the Quakers and how did their influence make Pennsylvania a unique colony?
5.What attempts did England make to regulate its colonies between 1660 and 1700?
6.What moved the mother country to consider regulation at this time and how was it enforced?
7.Explain the system of indentured servitude that developed in the American colonies.
8.How and why did the status of women in colonial America differ from region to region?
9.Explain the debate among historians over how and why white Americans created a system of slave labor using African Americans.
10.Why did the northern colonies turn to economic pursuits other thanagriculture? What obstacles did these new pursuits have to overcome?
11.How was the family central to the Puritan community?
12.What caused the witchcraft hysteria of the 1680s and 1690s, and what did these incidents reveal about the nature of Massachusetts society?
13.What was the Great Awakening? Who brought it about and what groupssupported or opposed it?
III.Content Packet
Complete each page of the content packet. The pages of the packet do not directly correspond with the text (by Chapter or page number). These pages will reinforce the important information from those chapters that are more likely to appear on the AP Test.
The packet can be found at
(6MB)
V.APUSH Terms - Review the terms from Periods 1 and 2 on the Summer Assignment web site. These terms will help to prepare you for the test in September.
VI.Test – There will be a multiple-choice question test on the Summer Assignment (Periods 1 and 2, 1491-1754) at the beginning of the first full week of school in September. The test is worth 100 points.