United States History 2
Mr. Knox Period 2 (D233) & Period 4 (D234)
Phone 732.981.0700 ext. 2243
E-mail: jknox@pway.org
Extra Help: Before school in D219 or by appointment
Course
Description:
Textbook:
United States History 2 is a full-year course designed to fulfill 5 credits of the United States
History 2 graduation requirement. The United States History 2 program will provide
Piscataway High School students with a comprehensive understanding of United States
history from the American imperial period to modern times. Students will understand
various cultural, economic, geographic, intellectual, political, psychological, and social
factors that contributed to the development of the United States. Students will interpret
historical events, empathize and sympathize to the issues raised in each unit, and research
major events that occurred in each unit.
The Americans. Textbook must be covered at all times and brought to class, unless
otherwise specified. I urge you to opt for the e-edition. See my website for access
to the online textbook.
Materials
Needed:
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Three-ring binder with dividers
Pen (blue or black) and pencils at all times
Hi-lighters
markers/colored pencils
Folder
Classroom
Expectations:
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BE ON TIME to class with all class materials
Be respectful in class
Be an active participant in your learning.
Complete all assigned work ON TIME.
Grade
Distribution:
The following grading scheme will remain the same for each of the four marking
periods:
15% - Homework
25% - Class Participation and Preparedness
25% - Term Projects & In-Class Activities (Do Now’s & Exit Tickets)
35% - Quizzes, DBQs, and Tests
Grading Policy:
In accordance with school policy, the following grade distribution will be used to
calculate the final grade for this course:
22% - First Marking Period
22% - Second Marking Period
22% - Third Marking Period
22% - Fourth Marking Period
12% - Final Examination
Course Schedule: Scope and Sequence
Approximate Time Frame
September/October –
Marking Period 1
November/December/
January –
Marking Period 2
February/March/April –
Marking Period 3
April/May/June–
Marking Period 4
End of June –
Final Examination
Topics/Skills/Areas of Study
Turn of the Century: Modern America Emerges (Chapters 16-19)
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Life at the Turn of the Century, 1877-1917
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The Progressive Era, 1890-1920
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America Claims an Empire, 1890-1920
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The First World War, 1914-1920
Skills:Projects
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Organization-Notebook Check
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Cornell Notes
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Immigration: Illustrated Time Line project
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Geography and Map Skills
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Document Analysis and DBQ essay
The 1920s and the Great Depression (Chapters 20-24)
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Politics of the Roaring Twenties, 1919-1929
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The Roaring Life of the 1920s, 1920-1929
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The Great Depression Begins, 1929-1933
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The New Deal, 1933-1940
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World War Looms, 1931-1941
Skills:
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Organization-Notebook Check
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Cornell Notes
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1920’s Speakeasy Project; Bio-Boards
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Geography and Map Skills
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Document Analysis and DBQ essays
World War II and Its Aftermath (Chapters 25-27)
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The United States in World War II, 1941-1945
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Cold War Conflicts, 1945-1960
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The Postwar Boom, 1946-1960
Living with Great Turmoil (Chapters 28-29)
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The New Frontier and the Great Society, 1960-1968
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Civil Rights, 1954-1968
Skills:
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Organization-Notebook Check
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Cornell Notes
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Simulation Roundtable: The decision to drop the Atomic Bomb
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Geography and Map Skills
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Reading Like a Historian SHEG Assessment
Living with Great Turmoil (Chapters 30-31)
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The Vietnam War Years, 1954-1975
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An Era of Social Change, 1960-1975
Passage to a New Century (Chapters 32-34)
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An Age of Limits
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The Conservative Tide
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The United States in Today’s World
Skills/Projects:
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Organization-Notebook Check
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Cornell Notes
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Propaganda Project: War and Protest
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Geography and Map Skills
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Document Analysis and DBQ essays
The Final exam will cover
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Chapters 16-34