Course Information
Advanced Placement U.S. History
Course Purpose:
Despite the AP format, first and foremost, our goal is college
preparation. A detailed examination of U.S. history will help us
reach our dual goals of preparation for both the rigors of academic
life at the college level and the College Board's AP exam.
Students will be introduced to the larger themes of the American
past as well as the nature of historical research and historiography,
and become familiar with source materials useful for the study
of America's heritage.
Great attention is paid to a student's ability to read and digest
materials and analyze them critically in order to make sensible
judgments while writing analytical essays. In addition to the text
book we will read journal articles from leading scholars and will
familiarize ourselves with writing the infamous DBQ's - document
based questions.
The pace of the course is rapid. This is meant to be a college level
course taught at a preparatory school pace. You will have some
sort of homework every night so please plan accordingly. In a
college classroom, you are responsible for remembering due dates,
tracking down missed assignments and seeking extra help. The
same holds true for this course. Your syllabus is your manual for the
course and should be read thoroughly. You will be instructed to do
so and I will operate under the assumption that this has been
done.
Course Objectives:
- create a highly interactive, discussion-based classroom driven by
the students.
- develop an appreciation for the study of history
- develop an appreciation for and understanding of the process of
historical inquiry
- develop a better understanding of the history of the United States
in political, economic, social, ethnic, and cultural terms.
- develop a better understanding of the great issues at the heart of
American history
- improve writing, research, and critical reading and writing skills
- improve thinking skills - specifically to develop the ability to
analyze historical arguments
- develop on understanding of the present-day United States and
our relationship to this country
- develop the ability to think historically (understanding in
context)
- thorough preparation for the Advanced Placement exam in May.
Basic Course Units:
1. Colonial America: 1490s-1756
2. Revolutionary America: 1756-1783
3. The Articles of Confederation Era: 1783-1788
4. The Federalist and Jeffersonian Eras: 1788-1808
5. Nationalism and Sectionalism: 1808-1828
6. Age of Jackson: 1828-1844
7. Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War: 1844-1850
8. The 1850s & Prelude to Civil War: 1850-1861
9. The Civil War: 1861-1865
10. Reconstruction and Western Development: 1865-1896
11. The Age of Big Business: 1865-1890
12. Politics and Society in the 1890s
13.The Age of Imperialism: 1865-1916
14. The Progressive Era: 1900-1916
15. World War I and the 1920s: 1916-1929
16. The Thirties and World War II: 1929-1945
17. The Cold War and the Fifties: 1944-1960
18. The Sixties, Vietnam, and the Seventies.
19. End of the Cold War and Beyond
Daily Assignments:
A daily schedule will be posted on my website. As complications
arise during the year some assignments will change. However, the
sequence of assignments as posted on the first day of class will
essentially hold true. If we have a snow day or class is not held we
will discuss both sets of readings (the one for the day we return and
one for the class we missed). Stay on task.
Course Readings:
We will have an assortment of primary and secondary readings. If
you do not know how to access the Online Course Reserve, see me
or one of our fantastic librarians. You are responsible for making
sure you have all readings with you the day they are discussed. Plan
ahead and print ahead.
Nightly Reading:
You will be assigned approximately 9 pages of text and a short
document on reading nights. If you see a reading assignment that is
much longer, keep in mind that I have accounted for maps and
pictures. Some essays from outside sources are a little longer but
read much faster than the textbook. All reading assignments have
been posted for the entire year. Plan ahead!
Tests:
After we read and discuss three or four chapters in the text, we
(meaning you) will take a multiple choice and short essay exam.
On each exam you will be required to answer all questions.
However, you will also be able to **** a few multiple choice
questions for extra credit. We will review this procedure
on exam day. Most of the multiple choice questions will come
from previously administered AP exams in order to familiarize you
with their format. Unit exams will also be used to give you practice
writing DBQ's and FRQ's. Unannounced DBQ and FRQ essays will
pop up throughout the year. Stay on pace with the readings and
these will not pose a problem.
Discussion:
Every class is discussion based. You MUST complete the reading
before class. UNANNOUNCED QUIZZES covering assigned
readings may be given at any time. They tend to appear when I
suspect students are not keeping up with their assignments. In the
event that a reading quiz is administered, you may use any reading
notes you took when completing your homework.
YOU CANNOT PARTICIPATE IF YOU ARE NOT
PREPARED.
Grading Standards for Discussion Sections
Students often have questions about how their participation in
discussion sections will be evaluated and assessed. Students should
use these guidelines to track their own performance in class.
0 = Absent
1 = Present. Does not voluntarily contribute. Has difficulty
responding when called on. Shows little interest and gives no clear
evidence of having completed the assigned reading.
2 = Occasionally participates voluntarily. Can respond minimally if
called on. Demonstrates very basic preparation of essential facts
but gives no evidence of careful, critical thought about the reading
and the problems it raises. Shows modest interest and gives
evidence of having completed only some of the reading.
3 = Participates often. Offers to participate and/or responds
effectively when called on. Knows basic information but can offer
interpretations, analysis, and critical reflections. Responds to other
students' points. Shows real interest and gives evidence of having
completed the reading with a high degree of understanding and
comprehension.
4 = Participates all the time, without having to be called on.
Responds both to issues raised by the discussion leader and points
raised by other students. Knows how to work in a discussion-based
environment: Keeps to the point; helps to keep others (even the
teacher!) on the point; sees when it is time to move to a new issue.
Consistently displays careful, critical, analytical reading of
the weekly assignments.
Basically, students can assume that the numbers on this chart can
be translated into letter grades ranging from F (0) to A (4). I
assume that students will improve over the course of the term, that
anyone can have a bad day, and that even the most diligent student
will find some readings easier to understand and discuss than others.
Thus, these numbers are objective guidelines more than hard and
fast rules. (I found this rubric online so many years ago I lost the
original citation. It is not, however, my own creation.)
At the end of each grading period I will use your performance in
class when calculating your grade. If you have consistently
performed to the 3 or 4 level, your grade will receive a bump of
one increment (i.e. from B+ to A-). If you have not been a
consistent contributor, your grade stays where it is calculated based
on the other assessments for the quarter. For example, if
you have an 89.4 but have not been prepared daily for class, your
grade will stay at 89.
As we read and discuss thousands of pages of American history, you
will become more insightful thinkers. The "how" and "why" of
American history is just as, if not more, important than the who,
when, where. Class discussion is devoted to unraveling the how and
why. You are responsible for mastering the details. I will provide
direction as to the crucial information to master, but the
grunt work of remembering the who, when, where falls on your
shoulders.
Research Papers:
Each student is required to complete a research paper. Under no
circumstances is it possible to earn credit for this course without
completing the research paper. The written report will be 10 -12
typed pages of text, plus foot notes. Use Times New Roman font,
double spaced, one inch margins.
Research Paper Timeline
Last Day of November - Topic for research paper
Last Day of January - Annotated Bibliography, outline for research
paper and thesis statement
Last Day of February - First Draft of research paper
May 15 - Second Draft of research paper
June 1st - FINAL VERSION OF RESEARCH PAPER
Each of these deadlines is worth three points toward the final paper
grade. If you miss the deadline, the points are gone. If you miss
five deadlines, a total of 15 points will be lost. If the final paper
grade is a 90, the fifteen lost points turn the paper into a 75.
In addition to familiarizing you with historical research, the format
for the research paper requirement for this course is designed to
demonstrate the importance of editing and revising your work.
Once the final paper is submitted you should have a rather polished
piece of writing that you can then use as a writing sample during
the college application process.
Oral Defense of Research Paper
Some of our time after the AP exam will be set aside for
presentations to the class about your papers. Your presentation
should be polished with supporting visuals.
Grading:
All daily and unit assignments will be graded. A rough estimate of
the breakdown for the year grade is as follows.
1st trimester - 25%
2nd trimester - 25%
3rd trimester - 25%
November exam - 10%
Research paper & Defense- 15%
** If you post a grade below a B- in any quarter or on the midterm
or research paper, you may be required to take a final exam. The
decision whether or not a local final exam will be given is mine. **
Late Assignments:
One day late = maximum grade, B
2 days late = maximum grade, C
3 days late = maximum grade D
4 days late =