U.S. History | 2015-16 Academic Year
Mr. Michael Jezewak
MJezewak@chsla.org | Voice Mailbox: (323) 441-3196 | Room 301
Office Hours: 7:30-8:00 am, Tues. – Thurs. 2:30-3:15 pm, Fri. by appointment only.
Course Description:
Junior U.S. History will provide an overview of American history from the pre-colonial
period prior to 1492 all the way through the present day. Through formal assessments, a
thorough reading of The Americans textbook as well as other primary and secondary
sources, interaction with other students, and real-world civic engagement, students will
understand the sequence and importance of major events, characters, movements, and
themes in American history. With the subject of U.S. history as its tool, this course aims
to develop students’ critical thinking, reading, writing, and speaking skills. These skills
combined with the content matter will, hopefully, inspire healthy political dialogue with
others and cultivate the seeds of active citizenship in Cathedral’s Class of 2017.
Course Expectations:
For the smooth functioning of this course, each Cathedral High School student is
expected to...
1. …demonstrate respect for his classmates, Mr. Jezewak, the classroom, and
himself at all times. Students ought to expect the same level of respect from Mr.
Jezewak.
2. …arrive mentally prepared to learn and engage the subject matter each day.
Students ought to expect the same mental preparation for the day from Mr.
Jezewak.
3. …act with academic integrity when completing all coursework. You guessed it!
Students ought to expect the same level of academic integrity from Mr. Jezewak.
Academic Content Standards:
Students will…
 …analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its attempts to
realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration of
Independence.
 …examine the role religion played in the founding of America, its lasting moral,
social, and political impacts, and issues regarding religious liberty.
 …trace the rise of the United States to its role as a world power in the twentieth
century.
 …isolate and connect the major political, social, economic, technological, and
cultural developments of the 1920s.
U.S. History – Mr. Jezewak
1






…analyze the different explanations for the Great Depression and how the New
Deal fundamentally changed the role of the federal government.
…analyze America’s participation in World War II.
…examine the economic boom and social transformation of post–World War II
America.
…analyze U.S. foreign policy since World War II, especially as it relates to global
political structures, the Cold War, and the Middle East.
…map and understand the development of federal civil rights and voting rights.
…investigate the major social problems and domestic policy issues in
contemporary American society through current events projects and discussions.
Required Materials:
A student comes prepared in body, mind, soul, and backpack. Each U.S. History student
is expected to bring each of the following items to class every day to facilitate his
learning and develop responsible academic habits:
 The text: The Americans by
 Folder for loose papers.
Gerald A. Danzer, J. Jorge Klor
 Two No. 2 pencils.
de Alva, Larry S. Krieger, Louis
 Black pen.
E. Wilson, and Nancy Woloch.
 Blue or red pen.
Holt McDougal.
 Highlighter.
 Charged iPad (including the
 Assignments due that day
purchased digital copy of The
(stapled, if necessary).
Americans).
 College-ruled notebook
Students may purchase pencils or rent scissors, a stapler, a hole-punch, and other useful
items in class. Each item can be used for a $0.25 donation put in the Coin Jar, the profit
from which will go to the Lasallian Youth’s activities.
Required Apps and iPad Resources:
 (Notability)

 Edmodo

 Google Drive or

Pages
Purdue Owl
TurnItIn for iPad
QR Code
Scanner

Tumblr account
(created w/ CHS
email address)
Homework Policies:
 All assignments are due by the bell at the start of the class in the slot labeled
“_________________________.” No homework, for this class or any other, will
be completed in class without the teacher’s verbal permission.
 All make-up assignments should be placed in the assignment box that is _______.
 The “_____________________” Policy: Students should ask three of their
classmates before coming to Mr. Jezewak with any assignment questions.
 All assigned notes must be taken by hand (in pen or pencil), and as long as they
are taken by the student himself, those notes may be used on open-note quizzes.
Excused Absences
 Students with an excused absence will be responsible for contact Mr. Jezewak to
find out what to make up. They will have one extra class day to complete the
assignment(s) for each class they miss.
U.S. History – Mr. Jezewak
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Unexcused Absences & Late Work
 Late assignments will be marked down 10% for each class day they are late. Late
assignments will not be accepted if they are turned in more than 3 class days after
their due date.
Assignment Instructions:
All assignments for this course should be completed in Times New Roman 12-point
black font with standard 1” margins. If the assignment has more than one page, students
must put the page number at the bottom right-hand side of each page. Each assignment
should have an appropriate academic title underlined below the heading. The heading is
the only text that should be single-spaced, and it should appear in the following format at
the upper left-hand side for all assignments:
[Student Name]
[Due date of the assignment in MM/DD/YYYY format}
Period ___ – U.S. History
Appropriate
Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve
academic title;
centered; underlined
Assignment Example: (Pretend as if the box is a full sheet of paper.)
Singlespaced,
4-part
heading
Thomas Jefferson
07/04/1776
Period ___ – U.S. History
Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve
The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people
Properly
formatted
text: doublespaced,
indentions, &
aligned left
to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them…yada, yada, yada.
Page 1 of 3
Academic Integrity:
As men of principle following the model of Christ, Cathedral students are expected to
demonstrate intellectual honesty in all that they do, whether answering questions in class,
completing a homework assignment, taking an exam, or writing an essay. All work
should be the student’s own, unless assigned otherwise by Mr. Jezewak or cited using the
Chicago Manual citation method. (For more on the Chicago format, see
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/.) A student’s failure to act with
academic integrity may result in failure of the course and expulsion from Cathedral.
Exam Return Policy:
All exams will be distributed to the students in class and collected before they leave the
classroom that same day. No student is to leave the classroom with a U.S. History exam,
graded or ungraded.
U.S. History – Mr. Jezewak
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Times
New
Roman
12-point
font; &
standard
1”
margins
Page
numbers
in bottom
right-hand
corner
Restroom Breaks and Other Classroom Rules and Expectations:
Bathroom breaks will not be granted during class. Use the five (5) minutes you have
between classes, the break period, and lunch, to use the restroom. All classroom
rules and expectations regarding conduct, attendance, dress code, grading,
plagiarism, etc. shall be implemented and followed as stated in the school handbook.
Types of Assignments and Their Percentage of Students’ Final Grades:
I.
iPad Protocol:
III.
Homework &
VI.
5%
Quizzes: 30%
II.
Classwork &
IV.
Tests, Projects,
Participation:
Essays: 40%
10%
V.
Final Exam: 15%
Extra Credit
(applies to Tests
or Quizzes
categories)
Grading Policy:
A+
A
A-
97-100
93-96.99
90-92.99
B+
B
B-
87-89.99
83-86.99
80-82.99
C+
77-79.99
D+
67-69.99
C
73-76.99
D
63-66.99
C-
70-72.99
D-
60-62.99
Course Chronology:
First Semester
 What is history? What is a citizen?
 Background of the New World
 Colonial America and the
Revolutionary War
 Founding the Nation and
Establishing a Political System
 Industrialization and the Challenges
to a New Democracy
 Slavery’s Expansion, the War with
Mexico, the Civil War, and
Reconstruction
 U.S. Imperialism and the SpanishAmerican War
F
0-59.99
Second Semester
 Early 20th Century Political
Movements and Urban Growth
 WWI and the Roaring Twenties
 The Great Depression
 World War II and the Postwar
Social and Economic Shift
 International Politics During the
Cold War
 A Generation of Protest: Civil
Rights and Vietnam
 The Conservative Push and a New
Era of American Politics
 *If time: Contemporary Social,
Economic, Cultural, and Political
Issues
**The instructor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus during the year as deemed
necessary. He will inform the students of any adjustments, should he make any.**
U.S. History – Mr. Jezewak
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Dear Cathedral parent or guardian,
I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to review the U.S. History syllabus
with your son. Your involvement in his education today and in the coming academic
year will undoubtedly assist both your son and me as we investigate America’s past and
present with an eye to her future. Using the historical content as a tool, I hope to foster
healthy political dialogue between the students and introduce them to a life of active
citizenship in our American political system.
Should you or your student require my direct assistance at any point this year, I
encourage you to contact me at mjezewak@chsla.org or through my Cathedral voice
mailbox at (323) 441-3196, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. I look
forward to spending another year in this wonderful Cathedral community, working with
your student, and meeting you at the Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Peace and blessings,
Mr. Michael Jezewak
History & English Instructor
Cathedral High School
----------------------------------------------------------------__________________________________
08/21/2015
Period __ – U.S. History
Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve
Signatures for the Course Syllabus
I, ____________________________________ (print student’s first and last name), have
reviewed the 2015-16 Cathedral High School U.S. History course syllabus in its
entirety with my parent or guardian, _____________________________________ (print parent’s
or guardian’s first and last name), and agree to the course rules, expectations, and
standards set forth by Mr. Jezewak. I acknowledge that my failure to abide by these
rules, expectations, and standards may result in a lower course grade than the one I
am capable of earning. Should I have any questions or concerns, I will raise them in
a timely and respectful manner with Mr. Jezewak.
___________________________________________
Student’s Signature
Date
________________________________________________
Parent’s or Guardian’s Signature Date
**This completed half sheet is due by your last U.S. History class of the week ending
Friday, August 28, 2015 (this Thursday or Friday).**
U.S. History – Mr. Jezewak
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