I.  COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

Our AP American History (APUSH) Course is a college level course designed to facilitate the acquirement of analytical skills, factual knowledge, and writing abilities necessary to effectively comprehend and integrate the history of America to include all relevant people, events, issues and movements which shaped the American nation as exists today.

 

The following are required exam dates; there are NO make-ups

The APUSH Course Final is on a Saturday, April 19, 2008.

The APUSH Exam is Friday, May 9, 2008.

 

 

II.    COURSE MATERIALS: 

 

·        TEXTBOOK:   The American Pageant   Bailey/Kennedy  12th Edition

                               

·        SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS: The Boisterous Sea of Liberty  Davis/Mintz

The Metaphysical Club  Louis Menand

U.S. History I & II  Cliffs Quick Review

Voices in Our Blood  Jon Meacham

                                                            We are the People   May/Willis

·        INTERNET RESOURCES:          

1) AP U.S. History (official website): http://www.collegeboard.org/ap/history

2) The American Pageant: Chapter Outlines:  http://www.course-notes.org/us_history/outlines/

3) U.S. History for AP students: http://www.apstudent.com/ushistory/cards.html

4) USQuizMainPage: http://www.historyteacher.net/USQuizMainPage.htm

5) U.S. History Curriculum:

http://www.jmu.edu/madison/center/main_pages/teacher/curriculum/curriculum.htm

6) Lecture Notes: 1865 to present: http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/html/notes.html

7) Mr. Terry Jordan’s Review Questions:

http://www.orange.k12.oh.us/teachers/ohs/TJordan/Pages/unittestquestions.html

 

·        NOTEBOOK:  2”, 3-Ring Binder, tabbed dividers, plenty of lined notebook  

paper for note taking, and all materials received in class to include quizzes, essays, practice tests and assignments.

 

·        Two #2 pencils, two pens (blue/black), one red pen, one yellow highlighter

 

 

III.  EVALUATION: 

 

·        EXAMS:

1)      We will have difficult, cumulative two-hour exams approximately every six weeks.  These exams will be similar in content and appearance to the actual APUSH exam.  Course standards and exam evaluation will be maintained at the college level.

2)      Do not be discouraged if your receive D’s and F’s.  The quality and timeliness of your classwork and homework will supplement your initial grades.  The amount of grade “aide” will decrease with each exam.

3)      Focus primarily on the growth of your essay writing abilities.  Concentrate on your progress more than your grade!

 

 

·        ATTENDANCE and PARTICIPATION

1)      Short (5-10 minutes) quizzes will be given each week   NO make up quizzes will be permitted. 

2)      Attendance and participation are crucial to your success in APUSH.  A maximum of three absences will be permitted the fall 2007 semester and two absences (before the AP Exam)  the spring 2008 semester.  This includes activities.  After the maximum absences are reached, grades will be lowered by ten points per absence.

 

·        CLASS PRESENTATIONS

Each student will be responsible for developing and teaching a 45 minute PowerPoint lesson plan on a particular part of history to be determined by a lottery in the third week of class. 

 

IV.  GRADES

 

1)  Grade Construction:

 

Summer Assignments:            (3: 10+20+30)                   =  50  points

APUSH Monthly Exams:       (5: 50+70+90+110+130)   = 450  points

      APUSH Final Exam:                                                        = 150  points

      AP Exam                                                                         =   50  points

      Individual Presentation                                                     =  100 points

      Homework / Classwork/Quizzes                                      =  100 points

      Absences                              (2:  1stSem 3=0 – n(10))

                                                          2ndSem 2=0 –n(10)    = -(n(10))points

     __________________________________________________________

 

     TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS:                                         =  900 points

 

 

2)       Grade Scale:                90-100%  = A

80-89.9% = B

70-79.9% = C

60-69.9% = D

  0-59.9% = F                     No Rounding

 

 

3)      Grades will directly correlate with the amount of points earned.  No grades will be given; do not ask for a grade you did not earn.  However, I do make mistakes from time to time, so if you have questions or need clarification regarding a grade, feel free to come and talk to me during before or after class/school. 

 

4)      Cheating is extremely hazardous to your APUSH existence, and is likely to be fatal. 

Ø      Presenting work that you did not do with you name on it is cheating.

Ø      Using another person’s words or thoughts without giving them credit is called PLAGERISM.  Plagiarism is cheating.  (and it is illegal)

Ø      When in a partnership or group, not doing your share of the work is cheating…  yourself and others.

Ø      Lying to me or to your classmates, or allowing others to lie for you, is cheating.

Ø      Cheating is unacceptable; cheating is wrong; cheating will result in a non-recoverable “0” grade and automatic “U”.  DON’T DO IT.

 

 

V.                 EXPECTATIONS / REQUIREMENTS

 

q    Check out textbook and attend meeting to receive summer agenda and group assignments.

 

q    Complete 4-part summer assignment and turn in to my box on or before due dates.

 

q    Immense amount of reading and writing throughout the year to build content, skills and historiography abilities.

 

q    Each 5-6 weeks there will be 2-hour exams:  multiple choice questions, free response essay questions, and DBQ essay question.

 

q    Individual Presentation: Teach assigned history topic complete with lecture, time period music, audio and/or video clips, graphics, political cartoons/drawings, and maps, quiz, outline/study guide, sample free response essays sample DBQ’s, and applicable supplemental readings.

 

q    Completion of Winter Break Individual Study Packet

 

q    Completion of Spring Break Individual Study Packet

 

q    Minimum 3-5 (depending on your progress at this point) evening/Saturday study sessions prior to AP Exam in May.

 

q    Completion of Final Exam (3 hrs, two Saturdays prior to AP Exam) 

 

q    Completion of APUSH Exam

 

q    Completion of course assessment questionnaire (after AP Exam)

 

q    Contribution to APUSH website

 

q    Completion of AP US Government / AP Economics preparation package.

 

 

 

VI.              HOMEWORK / ASSIGNMENTS

 

All assignments should be:

1)      ON TIME.  Late work will be marked down 10% each day it is late.

2)      Ready to turn in when the bell rings. Papers turned in after the bell rings will be considered late.

3)      Neatly and legibly typewritten on standard white paper.

4)      10-12 normal size font and single-spaced.

5)      Labeled with your name, date, and period in the top right hand corner of each page.

6)      Paper clipped or stapled at the top left corner.

 

 

VII.           COMMUNICATION

 

TALK TO ME.

1)      In person is best!  7:30am any morning 

By arrangement:  7:00-7:30am, after school

2)      A note in my box with a coversheet containing my name, the date and time.

3)      Email to:                (I check this 2x per week)

 

·        Keep the lines of communication open.  You will get frustrated.  You may get lost.  Talk to me before you get angry. 

·        Procrastination will be your worst enemy.

·        Self-control, motivation, organization, and discipline will be your best friends.

·        Necessities will be:  Study partners and the ability to contribute to and utilize study groups.

 

 

VIII.        PARENTS

 

While I am happy to talk to your parents and/or guardians and welcome them to visit our class anytime (prior notice required), YOU and ONLY YOU are RESPONSIBLE for your assignments, attendance, timeliness, and grades.  No notes/excuses from parents will be accepted.  If you choose to give your responsibility to your parents, friends, or others; you alone, will be subject to the consequences of their actions.  Again, this course is designed at the college level.  YOU are completely responsible for meeting its requirements

 

 

IX.              POTENTIAL

 

Each and every one of you has the potential to receive an “A” in AP American History and pass the APUSH Exam.  More importantly, you each have the opportunity to experience the fascinating journey of our country’s history.   Roll up your sleeves, open your mind, and let’s begin.


 

AP U.S. History Course Timeline

 

Date

Topic

Timeline

(Aprox.)

 

 

 Jul/Aug

 UNIT 1:  Pre-Columbian Societies / Transatlantic Encounters/ Colonial Beginnings/Colonial North America  *see Summer Assgn

Beginning-

1754

Sep

18-19

Exam 1 : Beginning - 1754

 

 

UNIT 2:  American Revolution Era / The Early Republic

1754-1815

Sep 25

French Indian War / Conflict with Britain/ Revolutionary War

 

Oct 3

Articles of Confederation / US Constitution

 

Oct 10

Political Parties /  National Bank / Hamilton

1789-1800

Oct 16

Second Great Awaking / Jeffersonian Republic / Expansion / Native American Resistance

1800-1812

Oct 18

The War of 1812 / The end of the Federalist Party / Marshall Court / Slavery & Sectional balance / / Nationalism /The American system/

1812-1824

Oct 20

Jacksonian Democracy / Bank Wars / Tariff Controversy / The Two Party System / Whig Party / Texas / Indian Removal

1824-1820

Oct 25

Antebellum America / Westward Expansion / Republican Family / Cult of Domesticity / Urbanization / Transportation

1790-1860

Oct 30

Age of Reform / The Second Great Awakening / Utopias / Religious Revivalism / Transcendentalism / Women’s Rights Convention / Education / Scientific & Literary Advances

 

Nov

2-3

Exam 2 : Beginning -1860

 

Nov 7

Cotton / Slavery / Abolition

1793-1860

Nov 13

Territorial Expansion / Manifest Destiny / The Mexican War/

1841-1848

Nov 16

Slavery v. Antislavery / Compromise of 1850 / Popular Sovereignty

1848-1854

Nov 21

Kansas-Nebraska Act / Republican Party / Northern Abolitionism / Southern Slave owners / Economic Depression/ Abraham Lincoln / Election of 1860 / Secession

1854-1861

Nov 28

The Civil War / Preservation of the Union / & Foreign diplomacy / War Mobilization, resources, & ideology

1861-1865

Dec 1

Military strategy / Emancipation Proclamation / The 13th Amendment

 

Dec 6

Reconstruction / Presidential v. Radical Reconstruction / 14th & 15th Amendments / African American Politics, Education, Economics / The Compromise of 1877

1865-1877

Dec 

11-12

Exam 3 : Beginning-1877

 

Dec 15

The Guilded Age / Southern sharecropping & lien system  / Jim Crow Laws / Manufacturing & Industrialization / Government corruption

1877-1900

Dec 20

Expansion / Railroads / / Big Corporations

1865-1900

 

WINTER BREAK ASSIGNMENT

 

Jan 10

Urbanization / Migration / Municipal corruption / Immigration / Nativism / Social Darwinism /  Education, Art, Literature

1865-1900

Jan 12

The West: Farming, Ranchers, Mining/ Native American Policy / Indian Wars / Populist Party / Republican Party stronghold

1890-1900

Jan 18

American Imperialism: Political & Economic Expansion / Latin America / Hawaii /Cuba

1890-1898

Jan 24

 Exam 4 : Beginning-1900

 

Jan 31

American Imperialism:  Spanish-American War / Philippines / Latin America / Panama Canal / Open Door Policy in China / Roosevelt Corollary / Anti Imperialism / Bryianism

1899-1914

Feb 5

Progressivism:  Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson / Women’s & Blacks

1901-1912

Feb 8

Wilsonian Progressivism:  Tariffs, Banks, Trusts / Dollar Diplomacy

1912-1914

Feb 15

WWI / American neutrality / Treaty of Versailles / Wilson’s 14 Points

1914-1919

Feb 22

Fundamentalism: nativism, prohibition  v. Modernism: science, arts entertainment / Big Business & Consumer Society / Red Scare / Republican Politics:  Harding, Coolidge, Hoover

1919-1929

Feb 28

The Great Depression: Causes:  Post WWI World Trade / War Debt / US Tariffs / Agricultural discontent / Debt, credit, buying on the margin / 1929 Stock Market Crash

1919-1932

Mar 5

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

FDR / Labor unions / New Deal coalition & Critics / American society

1932-1941

Mar 8

FDR & Isolationist America:  The Rise of fascism London Conference /Pan American Conference / Neutrality Acts / Pearl Harbor /

1933-1941

Mar 12

WWII:  Tehran Conference / European & Pacific Fronts / War mobilization & the homefront / The Atomic bomb

1941-1945

Mar

15-16

Exam 5 : Beginning-

 

Mar 20

The Cold War:  Yalta Conference / Truman: Containment policy / China, Vietnam, Korea Japan

1945-1952

Mar 22

The affluent society / Conformity, suburbia, middle-class/ Red Scare; McCarthyism / Social critics, nonconformists, cultural rebels / Science, technology, medicine / Eisenhower: The Industrial Complex

1952-1960

Mar 27

JFK: The New Frontier, Cuban Missile Crisis

1960-1968

Mar 29

LBJ: Great Society / Vietnam, / Civil Rights / Antiwar, Counterculture Movement

 

Apr 3

Nixon: Silent Majority, end of Vietnam, China diplomacy, Détente wt USSR, Watergate Scandal / Ford, Carter / Middle East / Reagan: The New Right, End of the Cold War

1968-1980

Apr 5

Post Cold War:  Globalization / Unilateralism v. multilateralism in foreign policy / Terrorism / Environment / Mass immigration /

1980-21st C

 

Spring Break Assignment:  Timeline: 1889-Present

 

Apr

 16- 27

REVIEW:  Practice Exams & Essays

 

Apr 19

AP US History FINAL

 

 

 

 

May9

AP US History National EXAM