Advanced Placement United States History: Summer Assignment
You will be reading and responding to two essential questions. The assignment will require you to read the
essential question and complete a variety of assignments. First you must analyze each document provided
utilizing the S.O.A.P.S strategy (Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker and Significance). An
explanation of S.O.A.P.S can be found on page 3 of this document. Then you will use your analysis to answer
each essential question. Your responses must be 750-900 words typed in length for each essential question. The
assignment is due on your arrival to class on the first day of school.
Grade:
You will receive a formative grade for all eight S.O.A.P.S responses combined and a summative grade for each
essay response. Rubrics are included at the end of this document to show how your essay responses will be
scored.
Essential Question 1: (Scored using the Informational/Explanatory Writing Rubric)
After researching the documents provided on the colonial period, write an essay that describes how these people
who came to the New World for “Gold, Glory and/or God” justified their treatment of Native Americans, African
slaves, and indentured servants. Support your discussion with evidence from your research.
Be sure to include discussion of the following topics in your response:
-
Democracy
Servitude (slave and indentured servants)
Treatment of African-Americans and Native Americans
Essential Question 2: (Scored using the Argumentative Writing Rubric)
Were there discrepancies between agreed upon political ideals and the treatment of these minority groups? After
reading the informational texts provided, write an essay that argues your position on the topic. Support your
position with evidence from the text.
Be sure to include discussion of the following topics in your response
-
Democracy
Servitude (slave and indentured servants)
Treatment of African-Americans and Native Americans
Documents:
1. “They Live Well in the Time of Their Service”: George Alsop Writes of Servants in Maryland, 1663
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5815
2. Slavery and Indentured Servants
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awlaw3/slavery.html
3. The Stono Rebellion
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p284.html
Cecil County Public Schools
2013 - 2014
1
AP US History
Summer Assignment
4. Government 1600-1775 Colonial Authority
http://www.understandingrace.org/history/gov/colonial_authority.html
5. Mary Rowlandson, The Narrative of the Captivity and the Restoration
of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682)
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/851/851-h/851-h.htm
6. Indian Affairs
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=96
7. The Mayflower Compact
http://www.nationalcenter.org/MayflowerCompact.html
8. Peter Zenger and Freedom of Press
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/bookmarks/zenger/
Optional Reading:
If you would like to read more on the topic visit the following site:
http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/introduction
Using the search option, look for the following suggested articles to read:
Navigating the Age of Exploration, by Ted Widmer
The Columbian Exchange, by Alfred Crosby
Native American Discoveries of Europe, by Daniel Richter
Jamestown and the Founding of English America, by James Horn
Information from these articles could be used to support your essay but please cite the writing in your work.
Academic Integrity:
Like any historian, referencing primary and secondary resources is critical. However, plagiarizing and cheating is
unacceptable. The following information on plagiarism and cheating comes from the Cecil County Public
Schools Academic Integrity Regulation.
related Entries: IKAE, IKAF, IKAG
Office: Associate Superintendent for Education Services
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Integrity is at the heart of a sound academic policy. The integrity of a school course and program depends on the
honest completion of student work. Cheating and plagiarism violate the most basic understanding between a
student and a teacher that a student's work is his/her own.

Cheating occurs when a student:
o copies someone else's work.
o allows someone else to copy his/her work.
o allows someone to complete his/her work.

If a student is caught cheating, he/she:
o may fail the assignment without opportunity for retake.
o may be referred for disciplinary action.
Cecil County Public Schools
2013 - 2014
2
AP US History
Summer Assignment
Plagiarism is the representation of someone else's ideas, statements, or words as one's own without giving
credit. Any material used in a completed assignment that includes the words, ideas, and statements from a
traditional or electronic source must be documented using a standard format such as MLA or APA. This includes
interviews, television shows, movies, computer media, and Internet sources.

Students found to have plagiarized may:
o receive additional counseling and instruction on how to avoid plagiarism.
o fail the assignment or be required to redo the assignment for reduced credit.
The teacher may refer the student for additional disciplinary action depending on the individual circumstances.
S.O.A.P.S Strategy for Analyzing Documents
As you read each article or document, use the S.O.A.P.S strategy to analyze the documents. This strategy is a
way to help you understand the context of the text in order to generate a focused and valid response. For each of
the 8 documents you analyze, you will complete a S.O.A.P.S document and submit it for a grade. A template for
this document is provided for your reference. Below is a general description of S.O.A.P.S adapted from the
College Board website:
Who is the Speaker?
The voice that tells the story. As students read they must decide whose voice is being heard. Whether this voice
belongs to a fictional character or to the writers themselves, students should determine who has created the
document
What is the Occasion?
The time and the place of the piece; the context that prompted the writing. Writing does not occur in a
vacuum. All writers are influenced by the larger occasion: an environment of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that
swirl around a broad issue. Then there is the immediate occasion: an event or situation that catches the writer's
attention and triggers a response.
Who is the Audience?
The group of readers to whom this piece is directed. Students must determine who the audience is that the
author intends to address. It may be one person or a specific group. This choice of audience will affect how and
why particular text is written.
What is the Purpose?
The reason behind the text. Students need to consider the purpose of the text in order to understand the thesis or
the argument and its logic. They should ask themselves, "What does the author want the audience to think or do as
a result of reading the text?"
What is the Subject?
Students should be able to state the subject in a few words or phrases. This step helps them to focus on the
intended task of the text.
The full explanation of S.O.A.P.S can be found at the following link:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/preap/teachers_corner/45200.html
Cecil County Public Schools
2013 - 2014
3
AP US History
Summer Assignment
S.O.A.P.S Analysis
Title of Document: _____________________________________________________________
S-
O-
A-
P-
S-
Cecil County Public Schools
2013 - 2014
4
AP US History
Summer Assignment
Teaching Task Rubric (Informational or Explanatory)
Scoring
Novice
1
Elements
Focus
Controlling
Idea
Reading/
Research
Development
Organization
Conventions
Content
Understanding
Apprentice
2
Practitioner
3
Expert
4
Addresses prompt appropriately,
but with a weak or uneven focus.
Addresses prompt appropriately and
maintains a clear, steady focus.
Attempts to establish a
controlling idea, but lacks a clear
purpose.
Establishes a controlling idea with
a general purpose.
Establishes a controlling idea with a
clear purpose maintained throughout
the response.
Attempts to present information
in response to the prompt, but
lacks connections or relevance to
the purpose of the prompt. (L2)
Does not address the credibility
of sources as prompted.
Presents information from reading
materials relevant to the purpose
of the prompt with minor lapses in
accuracy or completeness. (L2)
Begins to address the credibility of
sources when prompted.
Presents information from reading
materials relevant to the prompt with
accuracy and sufficient detail. (L2)
Addresses the credibility of sources
when prompted.
Attempts to provide details in
response to the prompt, including
retelling, but lacks sufficient
development or relevancy. (L2)
Implication is missing, irrelevant,
illogical. (L3) Gap/ unanswered
question is missing or irrelevant.
Presents appropriate details to
support the focus and controlling
idea. (L2) Briefly notes a relevant
implication or (L3) a relevant gap/
unanswered question.
Attempts to organize ideas, but
lacks control of structure.
Uses an appropriate organizational
structure to address the specific
requirements of the prompt, with
some lapses in coherence or
awkward use of the organizational
structure
Maintains an appropriate organizational
structure to address the specific
requirements of the prompt.
Maintains an organizational structure
that intentionally and effectively
enhances the presentation of information
as required by the specific prompt.
Attempts to demonstrate standard
English conventions, but lacks
cohesion and control of grammar,
usage, and mechanics. Sources
are used without citation.
Demonstrates an uneven command
of standard English conventions
and cohesion. Uses language and
tone with some inaccurate,
inappropriate, or uneven features.
Inconsistently cites sources.
Demonstrates a command of standard
English conventions and cohesion, with
few errors. Response includes language
and tone appropriate to the audience,
purpose, and specific requirements of
the prompt. Cites sources using an
appropriate format with only minor
errors.
Demonstrates and maintains a welldeveloped command of standard English
conventions and cohesion, with few
errors. Response includes language and
tone consistently appropriate to the
audience, purpose, and specific
requirements of the prompt. Consistently
cites sources using an appropriate
format.
Attempts to include disciplinary
content in explanations, but
understanding of content is weak;
content is irrelevant,
inappropriate, or inaccurate.
Briefly notes disciplinary content
relevant to the prompt; shows
basic or uneven understanding of
content; minor errors in
explanation.
Accurately presents disciplinary content
relevant to the prompt with sufficient
explanations that demonstrate
understanding.
Integrates relevant and accurate
disciplinary content with thorough
explanations that demonstrate in-depth
understanding.
Attempts to address prompt, but
lacks focus or is off-task.
Template Task Collection 1 | © Literacy Design Collaborative, November 2011
Presents appropriate and sufficient
details to support the focus and
controlling idea. ( L2) Explains relevant
and plausible implications, and (L3) a
relevant gap/ unanswered question.
Addresses all aspects of prompt
appropriately and maintains a strongly
developed focus.
Establishes a strong controlling idea with
a clear purpose maintained throughout
the response.
Accurately presents information relevant
to all parts of the prompt with effective
selection of sources and details from
reading materials. (L2) Addresses the
credibility of sources and identifies
salient sources when prompted.
Presents thorough and detailed
information to strongly support the focus
and controlling idea. (L2) Thoroughly
discusses relevant and salient
implications or consequences, and (L3)
one or more significant gaps/
unanswered questions.
Teaching Task Rubric (Argumentation)
Expert
Novice
Apprentice
1
2
Practitioner
3
Meets Expectations
Attempts to address prompt, but
lacks focus or is off-task.
Addresses prompt appropriately and
establishes a position, but focus is
uneven.
Addresses prompt appropriately and
maintains a clear, steady focus. Provides
a generally convincing position.
Addresses all aspects of prompt
appropriately with a consistently strong
focus and convincing position.
Controlling Idea
Attempts to establish a claim, but
lacks a clear purpose. (L2) Makes
no mention of counter claims.
Establishes a claim. (L2) Makes
note of counter claims.
Establishes a credible claim. (L2)
Develops claim and counter claims
fairly.
Establishes and maintains a substantive
and credible claim or proposal. (L2)
Develops claims and counter claims fairly
and thoroughly.
Reading/
Research
Attempts to reference reading
materials to develop response, but
lacks connections or relevance to
the purpose of the prompt.
Presents information from reading
materials relevant to the purpose of
the prompt with minor lapses in
accuracy or completeness.
Accurately presents details from reading
materials relevant to the purpose of the
prompt development, argument or claim.
Attempts to provide details in
response to the prompt, but lacks
sufficient development or
relevance to the purpose of the
prompt. (L3) Makes no
connections or a connection that is
irrelevant to argument or claim.
Presents appropriate details to
support and develop the focus,
controlling idea, or claim, with
minor lapses in the reasoning,
examples, or explanations. (L3)
Makes a connection with a weak or
unclear relationship to argument or
claim.
Attempts to organize ideas, but
lacks control of structure.
Uses an appropriate organizational
structure for development of
reasoning and logic, with minor
lapses in structure and/or coherence.
Maintains an appropriate organizational
structure to address specific requirements
of the prompt. Structure reveals the
reasoning and logic of the argument.
Maintains an organizational structure that
intentionally and effectively enhances the
presentation of information as required by
the specific prompt. Structure enhances
development of the reasoning and logic of
the argument.
Attempts to demonstrate standard
English conventions, but lacks
cohesion and control of grammar,
usage, and mechanics. Sources are
used without citation.
Demonstrates an uneven command
of standard English conventions and
cohesion. Uses language and tone
with some inaccurate, inappropriate,
or uneven features. Inconsistently
cites sources.
Demonstrates a command of standard
English conventions and cohesion, with
few errors. Response includes language
and tone appropriate to the audience,
purpose, and specific requirements of
the prompt. Cites sources using
appropriate format with only minor
errors.
Demonstrates and maintains a
well-developed command of standard
English conventions and cohesion, with
few errors. Response includes language
and tone consistently appropriate to the
audience, purpose, and specific
requirements of the prompt. Consistently
cites sources using appropriate format.
Attempts to include disciplinary
content in argument, but
understanding of content is weak;
content is irrelevant, inappropriate,
or inaccurate.
Briefly notes disciplinary content
relevant to the prompt; shows basic
or uneven understanding of content;
minor errors in explanation.
Accurately presents disciplinary content
relevant to the prompt with sufficient
explanations that demonstrate
understanding.
Integrates relevant and accurate
disciplinary content with thorough
explanations that demonstrate in-depth
understanding.
Scoring
Elements
Focus
Development
Organization
Conventions
Content
Understanding
Template Task Collection 1 | © Literacy Design Collaborative, November 2011
Presents appropriate and sufficient
details to support and develop the
focus, controlling idea, claim. Makes a
relevant connection to clarify argument
or claim.
4
Accurately and effectively presents
important details from reading materials
to develop argument or claim.
Presents thorough and detailed
information to effectively support and
develop the focus, controlling idea, or
claim. (L3) Makes a clarifying
connection(s) that illuminates argument
and adds depth to reasoning.