Course Outline for US History I Accelerated
2015-16
Overview:
This course is the first segment of a two part epic known as American History. We
cover things beginning around the time of the French and Indian War up until around 1900. For
the most part, everything you learn in this class has some sort of direct impact on our nation today,
which of course means everything covered will have relevance to your life beyond your years at
Watchung Hills.
My Expectations: As previously mentioned, this class moves fast, so that means that
every day is important for one reason or another. Accordingly, that means attentiveness and
punctuality are vital to your chances for success in the course. So every day will be a grade for
you, good or bad. You will be rewarded for good participation, and penalized for disruptive or
bad participation. At the end of each week, you will get a quiz grade, usually around 10 points or
so, that can be a great help, or a great detriment, to your marking period grade. Every student
will start with an 7/10 for the week, or approximate equivalent for a shorter week, and your grade
will go up or down depending on your participation.
Classroom Rules:
1. Enjoy the class and have fun. I want this class to be a ‘break’ from the routine.
If we don’t laugh at something, whether it at me or something said during the
period, then the class has not achieved its goal.
2. Respect each other’s opinions. We are all human, and have our own opinions
about things, but you must be mature enough to deal with that, and in how you
respond to the disagreement. The louder your response to something, the less
intelligent you will sound and the less importance your opinion will have. In other
words, you will lose any respect that you had.
3. No complaining… it does not achieve anything, and it won’t be listened to.
Sometimes life is not fair, learn to deal with it. If you have a serious concern, you
can talk to me before or after class.
4. No food of any kind will be consumed in the classroom. If you have a
medical condition of some kind that requires eating, talk to me either before or
after class. Water bottles are OK, but if left in the room, that privilege will be
revoked as well.
5. Be on time to class. I understand that some of you come from the far reaches
of the school, but hustle to my class. Three tardies will result in a detention after
school or during lunch, as per the school discipline code. I like giving pop quizzes
after the bell rings, and if you are late you will miss questions from the quiz. Of
course, valid passes will excuse you from those questions.
6. You are to have a notebook and a writing utensil every day. If you do not,
I am not giving you either one. On test days, I will pass out pencils to those of
you who need one. The notebooks will be checked periodically.
7. Obviously, no cell phones, iphones, ipods, etc. in the classroom… I will
confiscate them after the first warning… if you refuse you will be
ROM’ed and assigned three detentions.
8. Discipline/points will be prescribed as per the school discipline code.
* After school detentions when I say they are, usually the day after the infraction.
PLEASE CONSULT THE SYLLABUS AND/OR WEBSITE IF YOU ARE ABSENT SO YOU KNOW WHAT
YOU MISSED.
Units for the Year:
Colonization – Pre-Columbian Native Americans, mostly English settlement of the 13 colonies,
regional differences between the colonies, etc. This one will go quickly, less than a week.
Pre-Revolutionary War – the French and Indian War, Various ‘Acts’, beginning of hostilities towards
Britain
Declaration of Independence/Revolutionary War- Step by Step analysis of the Declaration, along
with some key battles and events of the Revolution
Constitutional Crisis- Articles of Confederation, debate over the Constitution, its significance, and a
step by step analysis of the Bill of Rights and the Articles
First Four Presidents: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison
Thematic Units: Presidents 1800-1856, Economics 1812-1900, Politics 1800-1854, Society 18001900
Civil War/Reconstruction – battles, people, importance, and how it has not all been solved
Gilded Age/The West – post Reconstruction problems, Grant as President, Election of 1876,
Westward expansion, important inventions, Robber Barons, modern Industrialization
Grading:
Test/Quizzes: 40%
Homework: 15%
Classwork (Participation, etc.)
Writing Assignments (DBQs, Research Papers, Projects): 30%
LATE POLICY:
IF YOU ARE ABSENT, YOU HAVE 2 CALENDAR DAYS TO MAKE UP MISSING WORK. IT’S
2 DAYS FOR EVERY DAY YOU’RE OUT OF SCHOOL (INCLUDES WEEKEND DAYS)
LATE HOMEWORK WILL RECEIVE HALF CREDIT ONLY IF TURNED IN THE NEXT
CALENDAR DAY (THAT INCLUDES WEEKEND DAYS) – AFTER THAT IT’S A ZERO.
LONG TERM PROJECTS: 20% REDUCTION FOR EVERY CALENDAR DAY LATE. AFTER
FIVE CALENDAR DAYS, IT’S A ZERO
Assignments:
Revolutionary Figures Research Assignment/Facebook page- this will be your first big grade for the
class
Revolutionary War battle project: present a battle of the Revolutionary War with some ‘flair’
Constitutional Convention Debate: a two day event where you will debate Constitutional issues as
an actual member of the convention
Unit tests/quizzes- usually two or three per marking period.