AP U.S. HISTORY WINTER ASSIGNMENT 2011
Mrs. Hannah Cosier (Thompson)
Email:
hannah.thompson@sumter.k12.fl.us
Web Site: http://www.sshsapush.weebly.com
Welcome to Advanced Placement U.S. History! AP U.S. History is a college-level course
designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal
critically with the problems and materials in United States history. This course is a survey
course of U.S. History from the Age of Exploration to our present time that can earn a student
up to six college credits. This course is designed to provide a college-level experience and
preparation for the AP US History Examination on May 11, 2012. The AP U.S. History exam
evaluates students in multiple choice and essay formats and much attention is paid to the
writing component in this course. This course is designed to help you make the transition from
high school work to college level expectations.
As part of the preparation process, you will complete the summer assignment detailed below.
Parts 1 and 2 of this assignment are due on the first day of class and Part 3 will be due by the
end of the first week of school. This assignment is worth a total of 150 points.
THE 2011 SUMMER ASSIGNMENT CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR PARTS:
1. “Man on the Street” U.S. Civics and History Quiz
2. Writing a short “Personal History”
3. “Top 40” Notecards
PART 1: “MAN ON THE STREET”
Directions: Answer the questions yourself first and then select 5 teenagers and 5 adults to also
answer the following questions. Construct a typed table to record your results.
These
questions are sample questions from the new U.S. Citizenship Exam. As of Oct. 1, 2008, the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) tests naturalization applicants with questions
such as those listed below. Applicants for citizenship are asked up to 10 of the 100 questions in
the testing bank. The interviewer reads the questions in English and the applicant must answer
in English. In order to pass, at least 6 of the 10 questions must be answered correctly. You will
not be graded on whether you answer these questions accurately so don’t look at the answers
first! The answers will be given to you on the first day of class. This assignment is due on the
first day of class. (25 Points Possible)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
What do the stripes on the flag mean?
Can you name the two senators from your state?
Who becomes President of the U.S. if the President and the vice-president should die?
How many U.S. Supreme Court justices are there?
What is the introduction to the Constitution called?
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
What is one reason colonists came to America?
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
Name one U.S. territory.
Part 2: PERSONAL HISTORY
YOU are the expert on yourself. Put yourself in the role of a historian and write a 2 page
personal history. As the historian you must make the decision on what is important for us to
know about your life. This personal history is due on the first day of class; (25 Possible Points)
There are no further guidelines, so don’t ask. 
Part 3: TOP 40 NOTECARDS
(Adapted from PS Rykken’s 2010-2011 AP Survival Guide)
PREMISE:
The following dates are critical to a sound understanding of the development of American
history. You will be tested several times during the semester on these. The intention here is that
these 40 dates will form the hooks or links that will solidify your sense of the broad sweep of our
chronological development as a nation. Each event was selected due to the fact that they
represent a broad or significant development in our history. You will notice that the focus of this
list is primarily political. Throughout the course, we will fill in important social, cultural, and
intellectual events.
SUPPLIES:
You will need to purchase 2 spiral books of 3x5 index cards (you can find these at Wal-Mart,
Staples, CVS, Walgreens, etc.). If you cannot find a spiral book, you may use standard index
cards, but they must be bound together in some way (i.e. needs to function like a flip book and
should not fall apart throughout the course of the semester). Your cards may be the standard
white or they may be colorful. They may be larger than 3x5, but not smaller. You will need a
minimum of 100 index cards throughout the entirety of this course.
ASSIGNMENT:
The assignment will require some research on your part in order to complete it.
You will be making a single index card for each of the following 40 dates. For each card,
the date will be on the front side of the card. On the back, write the event(s) and a one sentence
summary of the event(s).
You will also be making index cards for 16 of our Presidents. These should be done in
nd
the 2 spiral book. Again, the dates of their presidential term will be on the front of the card. On
the back, list their political party, vice president, and any other pertinent information you deem
necessary.
EVENT FRONT
DATE
PRESIDENT FRONT
DATE – DATE
EVENT BACK
EVENT &
SUMMARY
PRESIDENT BACK
NAME, PARTY,
VP, ETC.
Assignment is due on the Friday you return from winter break; (100 Possible Points). You will
also be given your first Top 40 Quiz that same day (worth 56 Possible Points).
First Voyage of Columbus to “New World”
Defeat of the Spanish Armada by England
English settlement begins with founding of Jamestown
Pilgrim’s arrival at Plymouth in New England
Peace of Paris ends French and Indian War/Proclamation Line
Declaration of American Independence
Critical Period (Articles of Confederation)
Ratification of US Constitution/New Government Established
Election of Jefferson/Transfer of Power to New Political Party
Jefferson Purchases Louisiana from the French
Election of Andrew Jackson
Trail of Tears (Cherokee Indian Removal)
“Manifest Destiny” Reaches Peak
Compromise of 1850 delays Civil War for 10 years
Election of Lincoln/Beginning of Southern Secession
American Civil War
Reconstruction Period in the South
Census Bureau Announces the End of the Frontier
Election of McKinley/End of Populist Movement
Spanish-American War
Progressive Era
World War I
Crash of Stock Market marks beginning of Great Depression
Election of Franklin Roosevelt
Pearl Harbor/US Enters World War II
Yalta Conference; V-E Day & V-J Day; End of WWII in Japan & Europe
Truman Doctrine
Korean Conflict
Sputnik
Assassination of John Kennedy
Civil Rights Act; Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Direct Involvement by US in Vietnam
Tet Offensive in Vietnam; Anti-War Demonstrations; Riots at Democratic Convention;
Assassinations of MLK & RFK
1974
Resignation of Richard Nixon/Watergate
1979
Establishment of Formal Relations with China
1979-81
Americans Held Hostage in Iran for 444 days
1980
Election of Ronald Reagan marks conservative political swing
1989
End of Cold War; Fall of Berlin Wall & Political changes in Eastern Europe
1991
Gulf War
2000
Bush v. Gore Supreme Court Decision
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.1942
1588
1607
1620
1763
1776
1781-87
1789
1800
1803
1828
1838
1845
1850
1860
1861-65
1864-77
1890
1896
1898
1898-1917
1914-1918
1929
1932
1941
1945
1947
1950-53
1957
1963
1964
1964-73
1968
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Abraham Lincoln
William McKinley
Theodore Roosevelt
1789-1797
1801-1809
1829-1837
1861-1865
1897-1901
1901-1909
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin Roosevelt
Dwight Eisenhower
Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
1913-1921
1933-1945
1953-1961
1963-1969
1969-1974
Ronald Reagan
George H.W. Bush
William Clinton
George W. Bush
Barack Obama
1981-1989
1989-1993
1993-2001
2001-2009
2009-Present