Advanced Placement United States History

Room 301, Academic Year 2007-08

 

Instructor:  Jim Cartnal                                           Office Hours: 2:45-3:45 PM, MWTH

Email: jcartnal@lcusd.net                                            Telephone:     (818) 952-4243

 

Course Description:  This course will survey the history of the United States of America from approximately 1492 to modern times: from the “discovery” and settlement of the New World to the very recent past.  The primary focus of the course will be to provide students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of some of the major themes in American history, to train students to analyze historical evidence, and to develop in students their ability to analyze and express historical understanding in writing.  The course is intended to approximate an introductory lecture and discussion seminar typically taken within the first two years of one’s college or university study.  AP US History will provide you with an opportunity to further develop your skills of critical thinking, writing, and expression.  In addition, this course seeks to prepare students to successfully complete the AP US History exam scheduled for May 2008.

 

The current Advanced Placement Program in United States History corresponds to the most recent developments in history curricula at the undergraduate level.  At colleges and universities, American history is increasingly seen in broad perspective, with teaching methods geared toward incorporating a broad range of material, including literature and art, to tell, in dramatic fashion, the unfolding of a history so fundamentally important to understanding the world in which we live.  This class will emphasize certain themes: political institutions and behavior and public policy, social and economic change, diplomacy and international relations, and cultural and intellectual developments.

 

The course will be conducted in a lecture/discussion format.  Students will be frequently responsible for presenting independently gathered information and opinions in class.  All students will be expected to keep up with the reading assignments and demonstrate their preparedness by active participation in class discussions.

 

Course Bibliography:

 

Kennedy, David, M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Bailey. The American Pageant. 12^th Edition. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2002.

 

Various handouts throughout the academic year.

Course Learning Objectives:

1.      Students will evaluate historical material to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented by historical research.

2.      The students will analyze themes in American history and interrelate categories or trace developments in a particular category through several chronological periods.

3.      The students will employ and analyze primary sources, including documentary materials, maps, statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic evidence, to study historical events.

4.      Students will take notes from printed materials, lectures, and discussions.

5.      The students will practice expressing themselves orally and in writing with clarity and precision.

6.  Students will prepare for the United States History Advanced Placement exam.

 7.  Students will develop an understanding that historical events have multiple causes and effects and that historical interpretation of these causal relationships is open to change, through careful research and thinking BY YOU, the historian.

 

Course Rules:

Respect

Show respect for your fellow students, the instructor, the school, and the subject under study.  When one person is talking, everyone is listening.  Only one discussion will go on at a time.  No “put downs” of any comment will be tolerated.

 

Effort

Make use of every opportunity to learn.  Try to relate your understanding of the subject matter under examination to help better explain the historical period in which YOU currently live. You and I are embarking on an exciting, interesting, and enriching intellectual journey.  Each of you will share this excitement and sense of discovery in direct proportion to the amount of effort you expend.

 

Self- Control

Control all of your actions, words, and emotions.  Take responsibility for your actions!

 

Academic Honesty

Your commitment to academic honesty forms the corner stone of your intellectual development.  If you are to develop the skills necessary to succeed in this rigorous academic course and in later academic and professional experiences, you must assume the responsibility of challenging yourself intellectually and academically.  To this end, this course will evaluate YOUR understanding of a variety of historical periods, concepts, and trends.  Cheating and plagiarism are considered serious offenses and will not be tolerated.  Please be advised that using the Internet and claiming another’s work found through such information technologies is a fundamental betrayal of the ideal of academic honesty. DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION TO HAVE TO CUT AND PACE INFORMATION FOUND ELSEWHERE, LIKE WIKIPEDIA, AND CLAIM IT AS YOUR OWN. THIS IS NOT ALLOWED.  Students who are found cheating or plagiarizing will receive no credit for the assignment and your parents will be contacted.  Your citizenship grade will also suffer.  Multiple offences will be cause for removal from the course or other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the instructor, working in consultation with the school administration, and the parent(s) of the student. See me in office hours or after school if you have any questions related to plagiarism or cheating.

 

Additional Rules ?? – As Suggested By Students

 

Class and Homework Assignments:

1.   All written assignments must be either typed using a font size of 12 point or written in blue or black ink only.  Assignments written in pencil will not be accepted.  I will emphasize NEAT penmanship in all written work, in addition to the content and quality of thought presented in your assignment.  Penmanship is an essential life skill that you will work on in this course.  Assignments not adhering to these rules, including hastily written, illegible work, will be returned ungraded and considered late.  Students not able to comply with these stipulations should speak with me immediately.

2.      Homework, typically in the form of reading, will be given every day including weekends and holidays.  In addition to reading, students will be required to complete essay questions and gather information for in-class and take home projects.

3.   Late assignments will be accepted.  Late work is defined as an assignment not handed in on the day it is due or any assignment which is deemed by the instructor as substantially incomplete. The penalty for handing in work late is 50%.  The assignments will be graded for accuracy and any errors will be deducted from the (already reduced) total.  Example:  If a 10 point assignment is late and two of the ten answers are wrong, you will receive 3 out of 10.

4.   Students are responsible for making up and handing in all work missed due to absences.  Students will be given the amount of time to complete the assignment(s) equal to the number of days absent.

5. Student Redos. Correcting work is an integral component of the learning process. Therefore I allow you to redo any homework assignment as many times as you wish until you get the grade you desire.  Further details given in class. There will be three redo deadlines, each approximately 10 school days before the end of each quarter.  There will be no redo opportunities offered in fourth quarter. 

Class Procedure:

Class participation: Students will be required to participate actively in class discussions and group activities.  Class participation should demonstrate you are actively listening, willing to offer thoughtful questions, comments, or answers to the relevant class discussion or group activity.  Regular class attendance is the first important step to meaningful class participation and is necessary in maintaining quality work.  Class participation is graded weekly (10 points, or 2 points/day/period).  Tardies, no book, no homework, or disruptive behavior will affect your class participation grade.  Be on time to class and bring your book!

 

Punctuality and Class Citizenship: Class begins when the tardy bell rings.  If you are not in your seat when the tardy bell rings, an unexcused tardy will be recorded.  5 unexcused tardies will result in a “U” in citizenship.  4 unexcused tardies will result in an “N” in citizenship.  Citizenship grades of “O” and “S” will be determined by the contribution each student makes to the learning community of which s/he is a part.  See separate citizenship definition sheet for further detail.

 

Readings: Careful reading of the textbook, handouts, and other related materials is critically important for the successful and enriching study of history.  In order to complete the required course material, you will be required to read about two chapters a week. You should take notes on readings and keep them for reference and study guides.  Pop quizzes may be given to monitor completion of reading assignments.  The textbook needs to be brought to class daily unless explicitly stated otherwise.

 

Notebooks: You will be required to keep a notebook for this course.  You need to acquire a large 3 ring spiral binder. Since this is an academic year project, acquire or reuse a 3 inch binder or larger. You need to insert 5 section separators labeled as follows: Class Notes, Handouts/Homework, Exams/Quizzes , Essays/Projects, and Vocabulary. This will be a critically important resource in your preparation for the AP exam.  If you keep an organized, detailed, neat, and complete binder, you will find studying for the exam much easier.  Please spend time setting up your notebook, and maintaining it throughout the year.  I may collect the notebooks for review and evaluation. 

 

Evaluation:

1.      Examinations:  There will be an examination on the chapters of American Pageant, typically at the conclusion of each unit.  Exams will consist of 35 questions.  You will have 25 minutes to complete each exam.  This is the approximate pace you will experience during the AP exam.  When deemed appropriate, quizzes will be given to reinforce certain concepts or information.  Most quizzes will be announced, with students receiving notice one day prior to the intended quiz.  To monitor readings and comprehension, pop quizzes also may be given. For many exams, students will also be given a opportunity to complete test corrections. Returned exams will be kept in the exams/quizzes sections of the notebook.

2.      Essays:  You will be required to write a series of essays and will be guided in your work.  I will evaluate your essays on both content and style. 

3.      Homework:  You will be responsible for completing study guide questions, vocabulary building exercises, worksheets, readings, and projects.

4.      Class Participation: Class participation will be graded on a weekly basis.  See description above regarding effective class participation.

5.      Final Exam: A final exam will be given at the conclusion of both first and second semester.  It will be a comprehensive exam based upon the course of study completed during the year.

 

Grades:

All work will be assigned a point value, although not all work will receive a letter grade.  Grades are based on total points accumulated during each grading period.  I have structured the class in such a way to approximate your grade breaking down into the following percentages:

Examinations:                        20%

Essays:                                   20%

Homework:                             20%

Class Participation:              20%

Final Exam:                            20%

Course Outline:

First Semester:

Unit 1.  Colonial History                        Chapters 1-4                                                   Week 1-2

Themes:  1.  The emergence of American cultural traits and the factors that contributed to them.      2. Emerging regional patterns and how they evolved.

 

Unit 2.  Independence             Chapters 5-8                                                   Weeks 3-4

            Themes: 1.  Colonists reevaluate their relationship with Great Britain and with each other.  2.  The American Revolution as a conservative or radical movement.  3.  The American Revolution’s place in world developments of the time period.

 

Unit 3.  Post-Independence and the Early Republic            Ch. 9-10                    Weeks 5-6

            Themes: 1. Influence of colonial experience on post-independence government.

                        2. Development of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

                        3. The emergence of political parties and the factors that divided them

                        4.  The development of sectional specialization and interdependence

                        5.  The conflict between national power and states’ rights

 

Unit 4.  Jefferson’s Administration/Growth of Nationalism              Ch. 11-12        Weeks 7-8

Themes: 1. Peaceful transfer of power from one party to another.  2. Changes in party positions.  3. National growth and the growth of nationalism.

 

Unit 5.  The Age of Jackson                                  Chapters 13-15                                   Weeks 9-11

Themes: 1. The emergence of the second party system.  2. The emergence of the “Common Man” in American politics.  3. Geographical and economic expansion.  4. Reform movements and the American character.

 

Unit 6.  Slavery and Sectionalism               Chapters 16-20                                   Weeks 12-15

            Themes: 1. Sectionalism.  2.  Slavery and the causes of the Civil War.

 

Unit 7.   Civil War and Reconstruction          Ch. 21-22                                            Weeks 16-17

Themes: 1. Secession and war.  2. Reconstruction issues and plans.  3. Struggle for equality.  4. Native American relations.

 

Unit 8.  Politics in the Gilded Age/Rise of Industry            Ch. 23-24        Week 18

Themes:  1. Political alignment and corruption in the Gilded Age. 2. Role of government in economic growth and regulation. 3. Inflation/Deflation 4. Rise of Corporations and Corporate Elite. 5. Labor Limps Along.

 

Semester 1 Final

 

Second Semester:            ONLY 13 WEEKS OF CLASS TIME BEFORE REVIEW!

Unit 9.  Gilded Age Social History, Life in the West, and Empire for America               

Chapters 25-28                        Weeks 1-2

Themes: 1. Social, economic, and political impact of industrialization 2. Closing of the Frontier, Anglo-Native Relations.  3. Role and Effectiveness of Third Parties.  4. The changing role of the United States in world affairs.

 

Unit 10.  Progressivism and The Great War            Chapters 29-31                       Weeks 3-5

Themes: 1. Reactions to urbanization, immigration, industrialization, and corruption. 2. What and who are progressives? 3. Progressive Presidents – Comparisons and Contrasts. 4. US motives in WW I and post-war agreements.  3. Presidential and congressional roles in policy development.

 

Unit 11.  1920s –1930s                         Chapters 32-34                                   Weeks 5-7

Themes: 1. The role of government in society and the economy. 2. The growth of mass culture. 3. Crash, Depression,, and the New Deal 4. Political realignment.

 

Unit 12.  World War II and the Origins of the Cold War                    Ch. 35-37        Weeks 8-9

Themes: 1. US motives for entering the war.  2.  Allied partners and post-war planners.  3. Home front conduct during WW2. 4. Causes and Course of Cold War. 5. Changing focus of the Cold War.

 

 

Unit 13. 1960s-1980s               Chapters 39-40                                                           Weeks 10-11

Themes: 1. Continued impact of New Deal in governments role in society. 2. Struggle for civil liberties and civil rights: race and gender. 3. War in Vietnam and Reaction. 4. Watergate and its Legacy. 5. Economic crisis of 1970s.

 

Unit 14: Resurgence of Conservatism             Chapter 41                              Week 12

Themes: 1. Undoing of the Roosevelt Coalition. 2. Reagan Revolution and it Legacy. 3. End of the Cold War. 4. America at the close of the 20^th century.

 

Unit 15: Review for AP Exam.                                                                                Week 13

Post Exam Work: Relax, Reflect, and Learn

 

Student and Parental Signatures

We have reviewed this course syllabus and understand that certain policies will govern this course throughout the academic year. 

 

 

__________________________________                ________________________________

Student                                                             Parent

 

Notes to instructor from student or home: