Syllabus: Advanced Placement U.S. History
Students who are looking forward to the Advanced Placement U.S. History class should think ahead about
the goals and challenges of the course. Please remember that it is a college level class, and expectations are
higher than for other high school courses. Students are expected to accept responsibility for completing
assignments independently, and to come to class prepared to contribute. Goals of the class include the
following:
I.
Understanding of American history from pre-Columbian times to the present
II.
Development of skills in evaluating historical materials, both primary and secondary, including an
understanding of differing historical interpretations.
III. Improvement of skills in test-taking and essay-writing
IV. Development of ability to see history in the context of the following themes: politics, world events, and
economic and social changes
The purpose of the APUS Course is to develop critical thinking, analytical skills and factual knowledge about
United States History. Students are expected to also develop an understanding of the themes persistent
throughout the history of the U.S. connecting past and present and illustrate an understanding of change over
time within these themes.
A major portion of the course is devoted to developing writing skills for both free response essays as well as
Document Based Questions. As such, within the course students will learn to assess historical materials,
evidence and differing interpretations of historical scholars. Students will thus be prepared in the skills of
developing a thesis, presenting evidence and drawing conclusions.
The AP Exam is given in May by the College Board, and offers students the opportunity to earn college credit
for what they have learned. Not all colleges accept AP credits, but most colleges do give favorable
consideration to student applicants who have succeeded in AP classes. The exam is REQUIRED of all
students in AP classes, and is paid for by the school system.
Course Materials
Boyer, The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Fifth Edition (Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company, 2004)
David Kennedy & Thomas A. Bailey, The American Spirit Volumes I & II, Tenth Edition (Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company, 2002)
Michael Shaara, The Killer Angels, (New York: Ballantine Books, 1974)
Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, (New York: Bantam Books, 1981)
David S. Wyman, The Abandonment of the Jews: America and the Holocaust 1941-1945 (New York: The
New Press, 1984) {Selected chapters}
Themes
Development of American Identity: Tracing regional development and discord from Colonization through
Reconstruction
Economic Transformation
Politics, Citizenship & Reform: Expanding Democracy, Equality and Civil Rights in America
Course Requirements
As established by the College Board the following are basic Course Requirements (CR) for APUS History.
CR-1 The course includes the study of political institutions, social and cultural developments, diplomacy and
economic trends in U.S. History.
CR-2 The course uses themes as broad parameters for structuring the course. Themes are designed to
encourage students to think conceptually and to focus on historical change over time.
CR-3 The course teaches students to analyze evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship
CR-4 The course includes extensive instruction in analysis and interpretation of a wide variety of primary
sources.
CR-5 The course provides students with frequent practice in writing analytical and interpretive essays
including document based essay questions as well as thematic essay questions.
Required activities for each unit of study include the following:
1. Completion of independent reading assignments in text and supplementary materials. In addition to the
text readings students are required to read other works of history including historical fiction, biographies and
historical commentaries.
2. Essay writing. Students will write in class, about 4 times during each 9 weeks. Writing in class is planned
to help students learn to organize ideas and express thoughts clearly within a time limit. Some essays will be
on document-based questions (DBQ's), which will involve reading and evaluating primary sources.
3. Participation in class discussion. All students will have opportunity for class leadership through
presentations, debates, role-playing, and various group assignments and in-class simulations. Many of these
activities will include a study of historiography of the given unit of study with students’ taking a particular
scholarly thesis/ interpretation and defending that interpretation via class discussion, debate or persuasive
essay writing.
4. Preparation for multiple-choice quizzes. Practice with tough multiple- choice questions will help students
prepare for the AP exam and for other standardized tests.
5. Primary Resources Journal. Each student will be required to maintain a PR journal for each unit of study.
Students will be required to analyze one-two documents per week which are relevant to the unit of study.
Some documents will be provided by the teacher, others the students must find on their own. Students will be
required to identify bias, point of view, relevance, and critical analysis of each document submitted in their
PR journals.
In addition to the requirements for each unit of study, students in APUS will be required to embark on
an independent research project.
Preparation of an individual project. Students will spend at least 15 hours during the 4th quarter doing
research of primary and secondary resources on a topic of his/ her choice. The final project will be a
reflection of a thesis, research embarked upon and conclusions draw. During the final month of school,
students will present their projects to the class.
Grading Policy & Expectations:
Because this class is taught and graded on the college level, most students will find that it is harder to make
A's. The final grade is slightly weighted in figuring the students' GPA. It is extremely important that students
have good attendance; and work goes on every day.
Prompt make up work when absent is necessary so that students do not fall behind. Students are expected to
turn assigned work in on the due date. Late work will not be accepted unless the student has a legitimate
absence from class. If absent from class on the due date of an assignment the student should make every
effort to see that the assignment is turned in regardless of their absence. If this cannot be accomplished the
work must be submitted upon the day the student returns to school, regardless of weather or not their
particular section of APUS meets that day.
Tests, quizzes or in-class activities that are missed as a result of excused absences must be made up in a
timely fashion. No more then one week will be allowed to elapse for these make-up grades. The responsibility
is with to student to arrange the make-up of such missed class activities/ tests & quizzes. If more then one
week elapses the student will not be allowed to make- up the grade.
Assessment of Students will break down as follows:
Tests/ Essay: 40%
Class participation: 25%
Homework: 20%
Quizzes: 15%
Course Outline: APUS
Every unit of study will include a combination of the following elements:
 Reading from text with homework assignments of identifications, discussion questions and/ or
creating graphic organizers. The purpose of which is to encourage independent study, critical
thinking and analysis as well as building a body of factual knowledge.
 Outside of text readings of primary and secondary sources
 Daily Quizzes on Homework assignments
 Lectures, Class activities, Simulations & Discussion Seminar
 Unit Exam
Semester I: Pre-Colonial America through Civil War & Reconstruction
Semester Theme: Development of American Identity: Tracing regional development and discord from
Colonization through Reconstruction
Unit 1: The First Americans and Colonization
Unit Objective: Begin development of skills to identify kinds of primary resources, their relevance,
bias and use for interpretation and historical evidence.
Unit Theme: Why did the New England and Chesapeake regions evolve into two distinct societies
and what foundations were set for America in these developments?
Unit of Study includes:
 Homework assignments of reading and identifications of key historical terms, people
and events as well as short answer discussion questions and/ or creation of graphic
organizers to classify, analyze and compare information.
o Enduring Vision (EV) chapters 1-4
o PR Journal
 Lectures
o
o
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The Impact of European Exploration and English Settlement
Shaping the Republic: 1600-1760--- social, economic, political and religious foundations
Document Study: The Jamestown Mystery--- students will be given a series of
historical documents from Jamestown with the task of examining the clues to construct
a theory that determines the causes of the 75% death rate in the colony.
 Discussion Seminar: Students will be provided with a series of questions for
discussion and debate based on knowledge gained in the unit of study. (See Sample
below)
Sample of A Discussion Seminar Questions Activity & Prep
Discussion Seminar and Unit Exam Prep
Why did the New England and Chesapeake regions evolve into two distinct societies and what foundations were set for America in these developments?
1)
Complete the Colonial America Chart
2)
Complete the Inductive reasoning for DBQ Question
Questions for Discussion
1) New England:
a.
b.
c.
What kind of Society developed in New England?
Why did New England shift from a highly religious community to a society characterized by secularism and competition?
How do the following fit into the development of the New England Region: Anne Hutchinson, Rodger Williams, Salem Witch Trials,
Halfway Covenant?
2) The Chesapeake:
d.
What kind of Society developed in the Chesapeake region?
e.
Was Bacon a Hero or a villain? How does he fit into the development of the Chesapeake region?
f.
What did the shift from indentured servants to slavery do to impact the Chesapeake region?
3)
How were the colonial regions different or similar in the following areas:
i. Economics
ii. Politics
iii. Religion
iv. Social structure
v. Relations w/ Native Americans
4)
Other Important colonial Developments
a.
Did religious freedom and toleration truly exist in Maryland, the home of the Act of Religious Toleration?
b.
What was Penn’s vision for Pennsylvania? What did Pennsylvania become? Why did he consider the venture a failure and was this an
accurate view?
c.
What was Ogelthorp’s vision in creating Georgia? What did Georgia become? Was his vision a success?
5)
Overall
a.
Why might slavery have developed more forcefully in the South?
b.
What impact did colonial development have on Native Americans?
c.
What foundations for the future of America can be seen in this period?
Seminar and unit exam:
All are required to participate. You must participate in a meaningful way at least one time in order to earn at least a “C,” the more you offer, the better your grade might be.
You must offer meaningful discussion comments and questions. You must be respectful of others even if you disagree. You should use the above guide to prepare yourself
for the seminar and the unit exam. Seminar prep will be checked in your notebook and count as a homework grade.

Unit ends with essay test--- DBQ 1993- Although New England and the Chesapeake
region were both settled largely by people of English origin; by 1700 the regions had
evolved into two distinct societies. Why did this difference in development occur?
________________________________________________________________________________
Unit 2: The Colonial Experience and The American Revolution
Unit Objective: For students to begin to analyze and understand differing points of view in context
of the people and events within a time period.
Unit Theme: Was the American Revolution Economic or Political in origin?
Unit of Study includes:
 Homework Assignments from EV Chapters 5 & 6 and PR Journal
 Lectures--- Lectures in this unit are lectures which are broken up with analysis of
documents, maps, political cartoons, and period writings.
o
o
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Student Centered Learning Activity: The Path to War---- students are paired up and
assigned topics on the Path to war/ tensions leading to the American Revolution. It is the student’s job to
become an expert on this topic. Students will have to perform research on the topic and be prepared to
present their information to classmates. Each presentation should include a description of the issue,
England’s point of view on the issue, the colonists’ point of view on the topic and an analysis with
persuasive presentation of weather the main debate on this issue was political or economic in origin.
Topics to include: Foundations of Colonial Government from English Tradition, Proclamation of 1763,
Writs of Assistance and other major English Acts, Boston Massacre & Tea party, Letters from a PA
farmer, 1st Continental Congress & Committees of Correspondence.
Discussion Seminar: Was the American Revolution economic or political in origin?
o
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“Show me the money!” --- British Colonial Policy and the impact of the French &
Indian War from England’s point of view.
“Give me Liberty or Give me death!”--- British Colonial Policy and the impact of the
French & Indian War from the Colonists’ point of view
“The British are coming!”--- Major battles and events of the Revolution
Complete Seminar discussion prep and Inductive reasoning
Unit Exam: Multiple choice questions and Essay on the causes of the American
Revolution.
Unit 3: The New Nation
Unit Objectives: Establish the foundations of American political & economic systems and ideals
Unit Theme: What was the foundation and evolution of political parties in America, link these with
the first signs of sectionalism.
Unit of Study Includes
 Homework EV chapters 7 & 8 (See Sample of one chapter assignment below)
APUS Sample Text Homework Assignments
Chapter 7 Assignment
IDS
1. Judiciary Act of 1789
2. Bill of Rights
3. Alexander Hamilton
4. Whiskey Rebellion
5. Citizen Genet
6. Treaty of Greenville
7. Jay’s Treaty
8. Pickney’s Treaty
9. Republicans
10. Election of 1796
11. XYZ Affair
12. Alien & Sedition Acts
13. Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions
14. Election of 1800
15. Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin & The Fugitive Slave Law
Discussion Questions & Activities
1. Describe the differences in economy and issues important to the west, south and north. How would these differences impact
national unity?
2. Describe & explain Hamilton’s financial plan? What were the political and economic results of his plan?
Choose ONE of the Following Activities
3. Create a pictorial “T” chart that illustrates the differing political philosophies of Federalists and Republicans. Be sure to
illustrate the issues that clearly separate them.
4. Create a political cartoon that illustrates the significance of the Whiskey Rebellion.
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Lectures:
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Problems with the Articles of Confederation & The Constitutional Convention
Dear Old Dad: Establishing the New Republic--- George Washington as the father of
our country and establishing the role of the executive branch
o Adam’s Administration and the solidification of the two-party system
Simulation Activity: Washington’s Cabinet--- Students will be assigned to take on the
persona of either Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson. As such persona they will research
a given issue of debate within the Washington Administration. At a “Cabinet meeting” each will
present his arguments to the “president” (teacher & class). Students will take notes on all issues,
teacher will facilitate discussion of various points of view including the main concepts of
interpretation of the Constitution and the evolution of political parties. The teacher will also help
students to draw conclusions, ending with the ultimate decision taken by Washington in his
administration.
Simulation Activity: Bad Money--- Through this activity students will get a first hand
experience of the economic situation in the U.S. following the Revolution and in the early days
of the republic. In this simulation students will also have the opportunity to critically analyze
and discuss Hamilton’s financial program, its effects and the various reasons for supporting or
opposing the program based on which role the student is assigned.
Student Centered Learning Activity: The Jeffersonian Era--- Students will be given an
issue of the Jeffersonian Era and present the issue from two opposing historical perspectives/
thesis. Topics include: Jefferson as a strict Constructionist, Jefferson: Lover of Peace, Jefferson
the Imperialist, War of 1812 as 2nd American Revolution, “Supreme” Court, Hartford
Convention, Era of Good Feelings?, Missouri Compromise: The Compromise that divided, The
Monroe Doctrine.
Discussion Seminar: Seminar Prep questions & Inductive reasoning for 1998 DBQ
Unit Exam: Multiple choice questions and 1998 DBQ on Federalists vs. Republicans
and strict vs. loose construction of the Constitution
Unit 4: The Age of Jackson and Reform
Unit Objective: Hone in on students skills in: analyzing documents, understanding historical
perspectives, as well as historical interpretations and writing DBQs.
Unit Theme: Reform--- Was this the Age of the Common man?
Unit of Study Includes
 Homework EV chapters 9-11 and PR Journal
 Article excerpt: “Was Jackson wise to Dismantle the Bank?” John Garraty, Historical
Viewpoints (New York: Longman, 1997)
 Lectures and media
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The Age of Jackson--- more or less democratic?
Video: United States History--- Democracy & Reform (Schlessinger Media, 1995)
Documents Activity: Students will be given a series of documents selections and
secondary resource readings pertaining to the Age of Reform. In analyzing the
documents students will then draw conclusions to the following questions:
o Did the reform movements create more democracy and equality in America?
o How successful were the reform movements in gaining their goals?
o Were the reformers of this era truly reformists or conformists?
o What role did the reform era have in transforming the role and position of
women in American society?
Discussion Seminar: Jackson- Tyrant King or Champion of the Common Man?
Complete Deductive reasoning form.
Unit Exam: DBQ 1990 Age of Jackson
Unit 5: Expansion & Sectionalism
Unit Objective: Examine the cause and effect relationships to show a theme/ change over time that
students will be able to articulate in DBQ essay form.
Unit Theme: As the U.S. became increasingly motivated in the policy of expansion the nation as a
whole began to sow the seeds of sectional strife that would lead to the Civil war. A special focus on
slavery as the peculiar institution of the South.
Unit of Study includes:
 Homework EV chapters 12-14 and PR Journal
 Lectures
o
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Organizational Chart: Political Parties of the 1850s, issues and stances
Simulation: The Sectionalism Game---- This simulation sets the class up as the U.S. House of
Representatives and divides the class into three sections representing the interests of that section. The goal
for students is to get legislation through the House that will most benefit their region/ section of the
country without giving in to the interests of the other regions. Topics include: internal improvements,
slavery, expansion of slavery into new territories, the slave trade, National tariffs, etc.
Document and Historiography study: The South and the Controversy over Slavery:
The American Spirit, Vol 1.
Discussion Seminar: Problems of the 1850’s
o
o
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Our Manifest Destiny--- U.S. Expansion West
Sectionalism--- A Constitutional Debate among regions
In what ways did Manifest Destiny contribute to the events leading to the Civil War?
In What ways was slavery responsible for events leading to the Civil War?
Was the Constitution a failure in preventing sectional discord? Could the nation exist under the
Constitution without addressing the issue of slavery?
Complete deductive reasoning form for Unit Essay Test
Unit Exam: 1987 DBQ
Unit 6: Civil War & Reconstruction
Unit objective: Prepare student skills for critical evaluation of government policies and their
impact on economic, social, cultural foundations in America.
Unit Themes: Reform
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Should Lincoln be given the credit for saving the union and ending slavery?
How successful was the era of Reconstruction--- in what ways and to what extent did the Era of
Reconstruction create Constitutional and/ or social revolution?
Unit of Study Includes
 Homework: EV Chapters 15 & 16 and PR Journal
 Outside Reading assignment and report: Killer Angels
 Lectures on Civil War issues and Reconstruction Policies

Lincoln Assessment/ Paper and Seminar--- Students will read selected articles and primary
resources to develop their own evaluation of Lincoln’s leadership. Students will submit a persuasive essay
with factual information and analysis as well as analysis and reference to primary resources to evaluate his
leadership from the following prompt: Often held on a pedestal, Lincoln is credited as the Great
Emancipator and the savior of the Union. Assess the validity of this view of our 16th president. Essays
should give a comprehensive analysis of topics such as: the border states, martial law, suspension of
habeas corpus, emancipation and the use of Black troops, Lincoln’s interactions with his generals, etc.
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Special readings and selections
o Jim Crow Laws of Mississippi
o Kratzman & Tuttle, Plain Folk: The Life Stories of undistinguished
Americans: The Life of a Georgia Peon (Chicago: University of Illinois Press,
1982)
Discussion Seminar: How revolutionary was the age of Reconstruction? Complete
Deductive reasoning form.
Unit Exam: Multiple Choice and Free Response Essay--- may be included as part of 1st
semester exam
Semester II: The Gilded Age through Contemporary America
Semester Theme: Expanding Democracy, Equality and Civil Rights in America
Unit 7: Closing the Frontier & The Gilded Age
Unit objective: Continue to develop students Inductive and deductive reasoning skills through essay
preparation and writing for topics on western development and the success of early unions.
Unit Themes: Political Institutions, Economic Development and Reform
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The significance and impact of settling the West in American Economic development
Urbanization & Immigration impact on economic development
Impact of Unions on U.S. government policy, capitalist ideology and reform
Political stagnation of the Gilded Age and the birth of Modern Politics centered on the Gold Standard
Debate
Unit Study Includes:
 Homework EV Chapters: 17-20 and PR Journal
 Special Readings excerpts--- Comparing Historical perspectives:
o
o
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Essay topic: How the West was won… Hardy individualism or aid of the federal
Government? Class time spent on developing use of inductive reasoning skills in essay
development.
Robber barons or Captains of Industry Chart: A comprehensive evaluation of
Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, and Morgan.
Lectures
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Fredrick Jackson Turner, The Significance of the Frontier in American History (1893)
William Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis (1991)
Land of Golden Opportunity: The key ingredients to American Industrialization
Unions: Successes and failures 1875-1900
Immigration, Urbanization and Early Reform
Gilded Age Politics: Stagnation until 1896
Class Simulation—STRIKE! In this simulation the class is divided with a small group acting as
management and a larger group as the union. Each is given a briefing based on the Pullman strike of 1894.
Each group must organize and choose leaders as well as define their goals. In the simulation each side
takes turns making choices for the course of action to best attaint heir goals. The effectiveness of decisions
taken moves the team’s pawn forward or backward on the “game board” at the teacher’s discretion.
Decisions taken by each side will directly correspond to decisions of the opponent. The first team to reach
their “goals” wins. Students must use problem solving and critical thinking skills in their decision making
and have intricate knowledge of the options available to each side as well as the consequences that could
result under a particular course of action. Options include decisions such as protest, negotiation, strike,
violence, and backlists, injunctions, troops, lockouts and scabs. Simulation ends with a discussion of a
comparison of tactics and effectiveness for labor & management and to illustrate the advantages of
management over labor in this period as preparation for Labor DBQ.
Special reading: Kratzman & Tuttle, Plain Folk: The Life Stories of Undistinguished
Americans: “The Story of a sweatshop girl” (Chicago: University of Illinois Press,
1982)
Special Study--- Thomas Nast: A study of the American Political Cartoon & Boss Tweed
Special Reading Article: A Hundred years Ago: Crusaders vs. Conservatives in a Furious
Campaign, (Social Education, October 1996)
Unit Exam: DBQ on the success of the Labor movement 1875-1900. Pre-Class time spent on
developing use of deductive reasoning skills in essay development.
Unit 8: The Progressive Era
Unit Objective: Students will use their skills of evaluation and reasoning to compare the success of
different aspects and groups of the Progressive movement.
Unit Theme: Reform: Economic, Political and Social
Unit of Study Includes
 Homework: EV Chapter 21 and PR Journal
 Outside reading and report: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
 Lectures:
o
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The Progressive Era: Origins
Progressive Presidents: TR to Wilson
Progressivism and Social Reform: Women & African Americans
Discussion Seminar: How progressive were the Progressives? To what extent where
the Progressives successful in attaining their goals politically, economically & socially?
 Unit exam: Multiple Choice and Free Response essay question evaluating the success
of Progressive movement political, social & economic.
________________________________________________________________________________
Unit 9: American Foreign Policy & Diplomacy
Unit Objective: Students will be able to give critical analysis of U.S. foreign policy and
intervention and be able to support such evaluations in essay form.
Unit Theme: America on the World Stage---Evaluate the success of U.S foreign policy and
intervention and the New Manifest Destiny. Students will begin to trace patterns of U.S.
involvement and intervention in World Affairs.
Unit of Study Includes:
 Homework: EV Chapter 22 and PR Journal
 Lectures:
o
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American Imperialism--- this lecture includes stopping points of analysis on various
political cartoons commenting on American Expansion & Foreign Policy.
World War I: At Home and Abroad
Wilson’s World: The League of Nations and the 14 points
Special Project: Political Cartoon presentations. Students will be given a topic on American
Imperialism and expansion and be expected to present factual information and historical analysis of the
significance on the said topic. Each student will also present two political cartoons of their own creation
that represent the opposing view points on each topic.
Discussion Seminar: Evaluate how Wilson’s 14 points addressed the issues that
caused World War I and evaluate its success.
Unit Exam: Multiple choice and Free Response Essay
Unit 10: The 1920’s and 1930’s--- Boom and Bust
Unit Objective: Students will be able to make a stark comparison between the 20s and 30s and
illustrate paradigm shifts in American political, cultural and social thinking.
Unit Theme: Economic development and trends through the 20s and 30s, government policy and
economic reform.
Unit of Study Includes
 Homework: EV Chapters 23 & 24 and PR Journal
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Lectures & media:
o
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The 1920s: Fun and ferocious
Media: View first hand interviews Bill Moyers Walk through the 20th Century--- The
1920s
Hoover: Too little too late
The Great Depression and FDR
Media: King Vidor’s The Crowd, analysis of silent film as commentary on changing
culture
At home essay: Compare the 1920s as an age of Tradition vs. Change.
Graphic Organizer Assignment: New Deal Chart--- students compare New Deal programs
giving facts, purpose, and effectiveness of each.
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In class activity: Meeting of the minds--- each student is assigned to be a person of the New Deal
Era. They must research that person and “be” them at an in class “dinner party” where guests must share
their points of view on the issues of the day. The focus is to present all forms of support and opposition for
the New Deal as well as alternative solutions offered in desperate times.
Discussion Seminar: Evaluating the Success of the New Deal in expanding economic,
democratic and social reform
Unit Exam: Multiple choice and Free Response Essay
Unit 11: America Rise to World Power
Unit Objective: Students will be able to trace the political changes in U.S. foreign policy. Students
will evaluate special topics in depth to analyze U.S. government policy.
Unit Themes:
 Transition of the U.S. from isolationism to involvement.
 Special Topics in US History
Unit of Study includes
 Homework: EV Chapters 25 & 26 and PR Journal
 Various Lectures on World War II and Cold War Politics
 Special Study: America’s response to the Holocaust
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David Wyman, The Abandonment of the Jews; America and the Holocaust
PBS Media: America and the Holocaust
Special Study: How did WWII & the Atomic Bomb transform America’s role as a
world power?
Special Study: Japanese Internment
Graphic Organizer Assignment: The Cold War Crusade--- Students plot out events in
cause and effect fashion to illustrate the Cold War tensions between the U.S. & USSR.
Special Study: My Lai--- How could it have happened?
Unit Exam
**** Special Study topics include in depth look at the topic with selected primary and secondary resources as well as
historiographies on the topic. Students will be expected to analyze and evaluate the historical data and resources to draw
conclusions about U.S. government policy and its impact. Documents will include a selection of documentary material,
maps, statistical tables, works of art, newspaper publications, political cartoons, first hand commentaries, and scholarly
historical interpretations. Selections will come from The American Spirit reader as well as individual handouts provided
by the teacher. ****
Unit 12: From the Fabulous Fifties to Malaise of the 70s and the “Regan Revolution” in the 80s
Unit Objective: Students will be able to evaluate and trace the success and/ or impact of modern
culture and reform movements
Unit Themes:
Reform: economic, social and political.
American Culture: Reflection and transition
Unit Study includes:
 Homework: EV Chapters 27-30 and PR Journal
 Lectures:
o
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How Fabulous were the Fifties? Post WWII Economic boom and 50s Culture
The Legacy of Johnson’s Great Society & War on Poverty
Watergate: Did the American system fail?
Reform Movements: Tracing movements in Civil Rights, and the rights of women &
minorities through culture and activism
Special Study: Civil Rights Movement
Unit Project: Make your own DBQ--- students will be given a question related to the Civil Rights
movements of this period and must create their own DBQ that fits with the question. After creating the
DBQ using primary resource documents appropriate to the time period and topic students will be set up to
do a random trade of their DBQs and be given in class time of 45 minutes to answer the DBQ of another
classmate. Students will also do evaluations of each other’s DBQ created and essays written.
Special Study: America and the Middle East 1945-1990, students will study the relationship
of the US with the Middle East and attempts to foster peace as well as rising tensions over terrorism in the
Carter through Regan Era.
Unit Exam: Multiple Choice and Free Response Essay
**** Special Study topics include in depth look at the topic with selected primary and secondary resources as well as
historiographies on the topic. Students will be expected to analyze and evaluate the historical data and resources to draw
conclusions about U.S. government policy and its impact. Documents will include a selection of documentary material,
maps, statistical tables, works of art, newspaper publications, political cartoons, first hand commentaries, and scholarly
historical interpretations.
Unit 13: Review for APUS Exam
Unit Objectives:
- To review materials and content covered from beginning of Course to end
- To review major themes in US History
- To review major skills in essay and DBQ writing as well as skills for answering
multiple choice questions
Unit of Study Includes:
 Content Review Games
 Thematic Review Sessions where students must categorize events, terms and people of
a time period to find a trend and develop a thesis
 Skills Review
Unit 14: Independent Projects
Preparation of an individual project. Students will spend at least 15 hours during the 4 th quarter doing
research of primary and secondary resources on a topic of his/ her choice. The final project will be a
reflection of a thesis, research embarked upon and conclusions draw. During the final month of school,
students will present their projects to the class. While a research paper must be written on the topic, the
student’s creativity is not limited in the project’s final form. Exceptional projects will be entered in the
County History Fair.