Overview of AP US History
2014-2015
Instructor: Mr. Tod G. Wolfgram
E-mail: twolfgram@nhav.misd.net
Course Design:
Advanced Placement United States History is a challenging course meant to emulate the rigor of
an entry-level college course. An AP Examination is offered in May and provides students with
an opportunity to earn college credit. The course is a two-semester survey of American history
from the age of exploration to present. Having a strong work ethic coupled with solid reading and
writing skills are essential to succeeding. An emphasis in critical thinking and evaluating skills,
timed essay writing, and interpretation of primary and secondary documents will be evident
throughout the year.
Course Objectives:
 Master a broad body of historical knowledge
 Use historical data to support a thesis
 Interpret and apply data from original documents, cartoons, graphs, letters, etc.
 Effectively use analytical skills of evaluation, cause and effect, compare and contrast, etc.
 Understanding of interpretations of historical events and people through supplemental
readings by historians
 Prepare for and successfully pass the AP examination on May 8th
Course Themes: These themes will be evident throughout class discussion, reading assignments,
primary source analysis, secondary source analysis, and assessments. The goal will be to
understand American History along a continuum of historical developments.
 Identity (ID)
 Work, Exchange, and Technology (WXT)
 Peopling (PEO)
 Politics and Power (POL)
 America in the World (WOR)
 Environment and Geography- Physical and Human (ENV)
 Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture (CUL)
Historical Thinking Skills: The following skills will be emphasized and incorporated into
instructional practices throughout the school year. Students will explore these skills in order to
develop a more thorough understanding of the material as well as develop skills of an historian.
Skill I: Chronological Reasoning
 Historical Causation
 Patterns of Continuity and Change over Time
 Periodization
Skill II: Comparison and Contextualization
 Comparison
 Contextualization
Skill III: Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence
 Historical Argumentation
 Appropriate Use of Relevant Historical Evidence
Skill IV: Historical Interpretation and Synthesis
 Interpretation
 Synthesis
Course Textbook:
The American Pageant, David M. Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey, 15th ed.,
Wadsworth/Cengage, 2013.
Primary Source Books:
American Issues: A Documentary Reader, Charles M. Dollar and Gary W. Reichard, 1st ed.,
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2002.
A History of Our Time: Readings on Postwar America, William H. Chafe and Harvard Sitkoff, 5th
ed., Oxford University Press, 1999.
The American Spirit: Vol. I and II, Thomas A. Bailey and David M. Kennedy, 12h ed.,
Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010.
Secondary Source Books:
A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn.
Historical Moments: Changing Interpretations of America’s Past, Vol. I and II, Jim R.
McClellan, 2nd ed., Dushkin McGraw-Hill, 2000.
Historical Viewpoints, Vol I and II, edited by John A. Garraty, 9th ed., Longman Publishers, 2003.
History in the Making, Kyle Ward, New Press, 2006.
Portrait of America, Vol. I and II, Stephen B. Oates, 6th ed., 1995.
Red, White and Black: The Peoples of Early North America, Gary B. Nash, 3rd ed., Prentice Hall,
1992.
The American Political Tradition and The Men Who Made It, Richard Hofstadter, Vintage Books,
Random House, 1989.
Course Organization:
Provided in the syllabus is a course outline that breaks the class down into units that will cover
two-three chapters from the textbook. At the beginning of each unit, you will be given a specific
daily reading schedule that covers approximately two-three weeks. This schedule will also
provide you with the Big Idea questions of the day. The intent is to avoid the notion that history is
just….. “ODTAA”(One Dang Thing After Another). Each unit will last approximately two weeks
with a summative assessment at the end of the unit. During the course of each unit students will
be responsible for textbook readings. In class, students will be guided through various readings,
discussions, essays, thesis statements and DBQ’s.
Seminar Format:
This class will function best if it is done in a seminar format. You and I would be best served if
we are discussing the history vs. me repeating what you have read in your textbook. We need to
explore the subject together; therefore, I am planning on you having your reading done for each
day. The classroom discussions will revolve around the unit objectives and primary sources that
we interpret/discuss each day. The important thing is to make connections that go beyond
chronological associations; the themes of the course will help you make the necessary links that
allow you to deepen your understanding of US history. Moreover, when we can discuss what has
happened as well as what is happening in US history we further our ownership of the society we
live in. Engage yourselves daily.
Supplemental Reading:
Students will be given 1-2 outside readings each week that will correlate with the topic being
studied. These will be essays from various historians that will help stimulate discussions in class.
Writing in AP US History:
There will be a considerable amount of time devoted to learning how to write essays that
critically analyze various historical questions.
Assessments: Your assessments will consist of the following: formative reading quizzes,
summative objective tests, short-answer questions, document-based questions, long essay
questions, and a variety of assessments intended to evaluate your development as an “apprentice
historian”.
Student-As-Historian: The following are brief summaries of activities and assignments aimed at
developing the historical thinking skills required in APUSH; each of the activities will help
students explore the themes in APUSH (ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV):
 Support, Modify, or Refute: Students will be given a prompt, statement, or an
historian’s position and will write a coherent, persuasive essay that will assess either
chronological reasoning or crafting historical arguments. [Writing Assessments]
 The Beginning and The End: Students will craft an argument that delineates the
rationale for selecting a specific time period as a beginning or end for an
event/phenomenon/idea/concept, etc. in American history.
 You Be the Judge: [Attribution to, Thomas F. Sleete-reprinted with his permission]
Students analyze disparate primary source documents on the same topic. Students then
compare and contrast the viewpoints expressed in the documents, and-supported by the
evidence presented, and in the context of the historical period-determine which authors
made the better case.
 In-Class Debate: Students will utilize a variety of historical evidence (primary sources)
and historical interpretations (secondary sources) to analyze, contextualize, and better
understand the processes needed to evaluate an historical topic. Students will be asked to
write a reflection on the merits of the conclusions they reached as a result of the debate.
 The Theory Qualifier: Students will be given opposing secondary sources. They will
analyze the validity of each argument by exploring the evidence the historian utilizes as
well as the credibility of the claims presented to determine which source better accounts
for the causation of an event/phenomenon/idea, etc.
 Six Degrees of Separation: [Attribution to, John Struck and Thomas F. Sleete-reprinted
with his permission] Students will be provided with two events spanning decades, but
related by their theme. They will select six events in chronological order that link the first
even in the series with the last. Students will write the name of each selected event, and
use their research and knowledge of the time period to create an argument to support the
events selected. Students must emphasize both cause and effect and/or demonstrate
continuity or change over time in their linking. There will be at least one Six Degrees
assignment per unit. Some events can and will include environmental impact data. This
assignment provides students with the opportunity to observe continuity and change over
time.
 Role Play: Students will take the position of historical figures to garner support of their
positions based on the research and selection of primary sources that will require students
to use appropriate use of historical evidence. Students must stay within the context of the
time period and are not allowed to introduce ‘presentism’ into their positions. Students
will be required to use a variety of sources including; speeches, charts, maps, quantitative
data, images, and works of art germane to the time period.
 Portfolio: Students will engage in three longitudinal studies (African-Americans,
Women, and American Indians) to further infuse the relevancy of social history in the
classroom. They will trace the progress, change, or developments across time and space
and at various points in the curriculum will respond in writing to prompt-driven stimuli to
assess change over time of these groups.
A Final Note:
In his book, Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, Dr. Richard Hofstadter examined the
differences between intelligence and intellect“Intelligence works within the framework of limited but clearly stated goals, and may be quick to
shear away questions of thought that do not seem to help in reaching them. Finally, it is of such
universal use that it can daily be seen at work and admired alike by simple or complex minds.
Intellect, on the other hand, is the critical, creative, and contemplative side of mind. Whereas
intelligence seeks to grasp, manipulate, re-order, adjust, intellect examines, ponders, wonders,
theorizes, criticizes, imagines. Intelligence will seize the immediate meaning in a situation and
evaluate it. Intellect evaluates evaluations, and looks for the meanings of situations as a whole.”
While we are here to further your intelligence, please remember in this class we are also
embracing the unknown, questioning the past and pondering the present. Please don’t be afraid to
admit there is not a finite answer. Take solace in the fact that this class seeks to develop layers of
understanding; not formulas to meet that end.
*Special Notation on Thematic Learning Objectives: When a summative assessment
specifically references a thematic learning objective, the course syllabus will give the
question in its entirety. However, if not specifically addressing a thematic objective, the
summative assessment will only include the objective of the question.
Time Period One: 1491-1607 (September 2-3)
Unit One: 1491-1607: September 2-3
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 1, 2 Brinkley Chapter 1
Content: Impact of geography on social, political, and economic customs of Native American
populations; impact of religion on cultural interaction between settlers and natives; demographic shifts as
a result of the Spanish Empire; the development of the Americas through conflict and exchange with
West Africa; French, Dutch, and English settlement patterns and motivations for these patterns; shifting
of perceptions of Africans, American Indians and Europeans from exploration through settlement
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: “Their manner of fishing in Virginia”, John White; Bartolome de Las Casas
Defends the Indians; Columbus Reports on a Voyage; Map of native population in North America pre1492; Richard Hakluyt Calls for an Empire (1582); Two paintings of Jamestown
Secondary Source Analysis: Excerpt from 1491, Charles Mann; excerpt from Howard Zinn’s, A People’s
History of the United States, “Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress”
Student-As-Historian:



Six Degrees of Separation: Pre-Columbian to Jamestown
You Be the Judge: Columbus Reports on a Voyage vs. Bartolome de Las Casas Defends
the Indians
Portfolio (American Indians): Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History of the United States,
“Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress”

Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of ten multiple choice questions.
One Short-Answer Question: [taken from Curriculum Framework]
1. Answer a, b, and c. [CUL-1-Summative Assessment of Theme]
a) Briefly explain ONE example of how contact between Native Americans and
Europeans brought changes to Native American societies in the period 1492 to
1700.
b) Briefly explain a SECOND example of how contact between Native Americans
and Europeans brought changes to Native American societies in the same period.
c) Briefly explain ONE example of how Native American societies resisted change
brought by contact with Europeans in the same period.
Time Period Two: 1607-1754 (September 4-18)
Unit Two: 1607-1754: September 4 – September 18
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 3, 4, 5
Content: Varying goals, methods, and outcomes of Western European colonization; development of
slavery from indentured servitude through chattel slavery in British North America; regional differences
of British North American colonies; Conflict over settlement between European nations and the resulting
conflict between Europeans and American Indians; Atlantic Trade system creating divergent social,
political, religious, and economic systems; religious, political, and social (including gender) changes as a
result of the end of salutary neglect
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: A Map of Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676; Copy of Bacon’s Declaration in the Name
of the People, 1676; Bacon’s Appeal to the people of Accomack; A Slave is Taken to Barbados (1750);
Framing the Mayflower Compact (1620); The Starving Time (1609); A West Indian Planter Reflects on
Slavery in Barbados (1673); Anne Hutchinson is Banished (1637); The Blue Laws of Connecticut (1672);
Plymouth Plantation-William Bradford, Poster detailing the costs for an Indentured Servant; Virginia
Laws for Blacks-1662-1705; Indian Warfare in New England—Increase Mather; Join or Die Cartoon—
Ben Franklin; George Whitefield Fascinates Franklin (1739); Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God—
Jonathan Edwards; The Epochal Zenger Trial (1735)
Secondary Source Analysis: “The Puritans and Sex”, Edmund S. Morgan; “Were the Puritans
Puritanical?”, Carl N. Degler; “Patterns of Indian-European Interaction”, Gary B. Nash
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees Separation: Jamestown to the start of French and Indian War
The Beginning and the End: Students will craft an historical argument delineating the
following: What time period would best explain when indentured servitude was no longer
the primary source of forced labor in the colonies?
Portfolio (women/African-Americans/American Indians): “The Puritans and Sex”,
Edmund S. Morgan; Anne Hutchinson is banished (1637); The Blue Laws of
Connecticut; Bacon’s Rebellion Documents; “Patterns of Indian-European Interaction”,
Gary B. Nash
Role Play: Students will answer the following question using the aforementioned
requirements of the role play activity: In a well-crafted essay students will respond to the
following question: How did your geography influence your economic, political, and
social pursuits? *Students will choose between Chesapeake and New England. [ENV-2Summative Assessment of Theme]
Assessments:



Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty multiple choice questions.
One Short-Answer Question: Students are given the Ben Franklin, “Join or Die” cartoon
and be asked a series of three questions relating to message, short-term effects, and longterms effects.
Long-Essay Question: Students will be given an essay on the origins and development of
slavery in British North America
Time Period Three: 1754-1800 (September 19- October 16)
Unit Three: 1754-1776: September 19- October 3
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 6, 7, 8
Content: British, French, and colonial relations and alliances altered as a result of European colonial wars;
concurrent phenomenon of establishing an American identity and colonial unity as a result of British
imperial policies; early foreign policy as a result of internal desires and external influences; Effects of
Enlightenment on American intellectual, cultural, and political ideas
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Painting of Paul Revere’s Engraving, The Boston Massacre; John Singleton
Copley Painting, Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mifflin (Sarah Morris); Copy of Thomas Jefferson’s
Original and Actual Declaration of Independence; Thomas Paine, Common Sense; Pontiac Rallies His
Warriors (1763); The Proclamation of 1763; Benjamin Franklin Testifies against the Stamp Act (1766);
Philadelphia Threatens Tea Men (1773); Patrick Henry Demands Boldness (1775); Virginia Resolves
Secondary Source Analysis: “The Transformation of European Society”, Gary B. Nash; “A New Kind of
Revolution”, Carl N. Degler; “A Kind of Revolution”, Howard Zinn
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: “Join or Die” Cartoon to Declaration of Independence
You Be the Judge: Students will be given Thomas Paine’s, Common Sense as well as
Thomas Jefferson’s, Declaration of Independence and will have to answer the following
question: Which document best serves the purpose of agitating for Independence?
Theory Qualifier: Students will read Gary B. Nash, “A New Kind of Revolution” and
Howard Zinn, “A Kind of Revolution” and answer the following question: Which author
best delineates the causation and definition of what the Revolution represented?
Portfolio: (women): John Singleton Copley Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mifflin
Assessment:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty multiple choice questions.
Long-Essay Question [taken from Curriculum Framework]: Some historians have argued
that the American Revolution was not revolutionary in nature. Support, modify, or refute
this interpretation, providing specific evidence to justify your answer.
Unit Four: 1776-1800: October 6- October 16
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 9, 10
Content: Rationale and process of moving from Articles of Confederation to Constitution; varying
interpretations of Revolutionary ideals within the United States and around the globe; migrant patterns
leading to internal conflict; Westward American settlement/organization and its impact on Native
relations; role of race and gender in creating varying economic and social norms
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation; Daniel Gray Explains the Shaysites’
Grievances (1786); George Washington reacts to Shay’s Rebellion; Federalist Papers No. 47, No. 48, No.
84, No. 85, No. 10; Hamilton and Jefferson debate—Popular Rule, States’ Rights, Bank and Whiskey
Rebellion; Hamilton defends Assumption; Washington’s Farewell Address
Secondary Source Analysis: “Women in the American Revolution”, Mary Beth Norton; “A Midwife’s
Tale: The Life of Martha Moore Ballard 1785-1812”, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich; “Sunrise at Philadelphia”,
Brian McGinty; “Opposition to the Idea of Party”, Richard Hofstadter
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: Declaration of Independence to The “Revolution of 1800”
You Be the Judge: Students will be given primary sources of Hamilton’s defense of an
incorporation of a National Bank and Jefferson’s rebuttal and defense of a strict
interpretation of the Constitution. Students will write a response to the following
question: Who best interprets Article I, Section 8?
In-Class Debate: Students will follow the evidence and contextualization requirements
and select documents to take one of two positions on the Constitution of 1787 as framed
by the Federalist and Anti-Federalist perspective.
Portfolio (women/African-Americans): Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation; “Women in the
American Revolution”, Mary Beth Norton; “A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha
Moore Ballard 1785-1812”, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Assessment:

Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty multiple choice questions.

Short-Answer Question: [taken from Curriculum Framework Resources] [ID-1Summative Assessment of Theme]
1. United States historians have proposed various events to mark the beginning of an
American identity.
a) Choose ONE of the events listed below, and explain why your choice best
represents the beginning of an American identity. Provide at least ONE piece of
evidence to support your explanation.
 End of the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War) in 1763
 Signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776
 Ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788
b) Contrast your choice against ONE of the other options, demonstrating why that
option is not as good as your choice.
Time Period Four: 1800-1848 (October 17- November 13)
Unit Five: 1800-1824: October 17-October 30
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 11, 12, 13
Content: The formation and acceptance of the two-party system and the different interpretations of the
powers of the three branches of government; sectionalism as a result of regional economic differences and
the resulting debate over the respective powers of the federal government and state governments; how the
growth of the nation affects foreign policy and leads the U.S. into global conflicts; political turmoil and
conflict with Native American groups over westward expansion; Sectional conflict as a result of slavery,
compromise, and expansion
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: “Emily Nash: A Girl’s View of Growing Up on the Frontier, 1812-1820”;
“Emily Nash: A Teenager in New Connecticut, 1820-1826” Excerpts from Marbury v. Madison, 1803
and McCullough v. Maryland, 1819; The Hartford Convention Fulminates; The Missouri Compromisetwo documents detailing the agreement; James Monroe launches The Monroe Doctrine; A Disgusting
Spirit of Equality;
Secondary Source Analysis: “Thomas Jefferson and the Meanings of Liberty”, Douglas Wilson; “The
Louisiana Purchase: A Dangerous Precedent”, Brian McGinty; “Henry Clay, the American System, and
the Sectional Controversy”, Stephen B. Oates; “Indian Tribes and the American Constitution”, Charles F.
Wilkinson
Student-As-Historian:


Six Degrees of Separation: “Revolution of 1800” to “Corrupt Bargain”
You Be the Judge: Students will be given two disparate political cartoons about the War
of 1812. Students will be asked the following question: Which cartoon is the more
credible explanation for the causation of the War of 1812?

Portfolio (women/American Indians): “Emily Nash: A Girl’s View of Growing Up on the
Frontier, 1812-1820”; “Emily Nash: A Teenager in New Connecticut, 1820-1826”;
“Indian Tribes and the American Constitution”, Charles F. Wilkinson
Assessment:



Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty multiple choice questions.
Short-Answer Question: [WOR-5-Summative Assessment of Theme]
Some historians have marked the expansion of U.S power in the world through various
events.
a) Choose ONE of the following events listed below, and explain why your choice best
represents the expansion of U.S. power in the world.
o The Louisiana Purchase
o The War of 1812
o The issuance of the Monroe Doctrine
b) Explain ONE outcome of the event you chose with specific evidence and reference to
the years 1800-1824.
c) Briefly explain why ONE of the other options does not best represent the expansion of
U.S. power in the world.

Document-Based Question [Taken from 1998 DBQ] [POL-2-Summative Assessment of
Theme]: Students will be given documents from this DBQ to craft as an essay response
with the infusion of primary/secondary sources.
With respect to the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans are usually
characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad constructionist of
the Federalists. To what extent was this characterization of the two parties accurate
during the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison?
Unit Six: 1824-1848: October 31- November 13
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 14, 15, 16
Content: Second Great Awakening and its impact on the eastern elite as well as the backcountry
commoners in response to changing moral obligations and democratic ideals; rise of the embrace of the
“Common Man” definition and its resulting democratic reforms; the expression new ideas through art and
literature within the context of demographic interests and ideals; technological developments result from
and influence regional differences; Market Revolution and its effects on the changing demographics;
Market Revolution effects on the political and economic debates as well as transforming gender roles
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861), Harriet Brent Jacobs; William
Lloyd Garrison Launches, The Liberator (1831); Manifesto of the Anti-Slavery Society (1833); Theodore
Dwight Weld Pillories Slavery (1839); Slavery and the Family (1840)—illustration depicting a slave trade
auction; Sojourner Truth: Ain’t I a Woman?; Henry David Thoreau Praises Spiritual Wealth (1854);
Dorothea Dix Succors the Insane (1843); William Ellery Channing Preachers Reformism (1831); T.S.
Arthur’s Ten Nights in a Ballroom (1854); New Yorkers Ridicule Feminists (1856); Lucy Stone Protests
Traditional Marriage (1855); Selections from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass-An American
Slave; Document detailing the Bill of Estate for a slave owner; Maps of the development of the “Cotton
Belt” (1820/1860); The Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Conference (1848); The Indian Removal
Act of 1830; Multiple Hudson River School paintings; The Coming of the Irish (1836); Chattel Slavery
vs. Wage Slavery (1840)
Secondary Source Analysis: “The Lords and the Mill Girls”, Mary Klein “A Troublesome Property”,
Kenneth M. Stampp; “The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion”, Stephen B. Oates
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: “Corrupt Bargain” to Seneca Falls Conference
In-Class Debate: Students will follow the evidence and contextualization requirements
and select documents to take one of two positions on the significance and impact of the
Market Revolution. Students will select a position in either support of or opposition in
regards to labor, industry, or regional developments as a result of the Market Revolution.
The Beginning and The End: Students will craft an historical argument delineating the
following: What time period would best explain the beginning of white Americans
resistance to chattel slavery?
Portfolio (women / African-Americans): Dorothea Dix Succors the Insane (1843); New
Yorkers Ridicule Feminists (1856); Lucy Stone Protests Traditional Marriage (1855);
Selections from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass-An American Slave;
Document detailing the Bill of Estate for a slave owner; Maps of the development of the
“Cotton Belt” (1820/1860); The Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Conference
(1848); “The Lords and the Mill Girls”, Mary Klein “A Troublesome Property”, Kenneth
M. Stampp; “The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion”, Stephen B. Oates
Assessment:



Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions.
Long-Essay Question: The tacit acceptance of the “Cult Of Domesticity” ended with the
Seneca Falls Conference. Support, modify, or refute this interpretation, providing specific
evidence to justify your answer.
Document-Based Question: [Inspired by the 2002 DBQ]: Analyze major continuities and
changes in reform movements which sought to expand democratic ideals in the United
States between 1825 and 1850. (Documents, disparate, sometimes contradictory will be
used)
Time Period Five: 1844-1877 (November 14- December 19)
Unit Seven: 1844- 1861 November 14- December 3
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 17, 18, 19
Content: Motivations for and methods of Manifest Destiny; Effects of Manifest Destiny on internal and
external migration patterns; Expansion intensifies conflict over slavery and Native American policies;
Intellectual, cultural, political, and economic debates and failed efforts at compromise culminating in the
start of the Civil War
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: John Gast Painting of Manifest Destiny; Map of Manifest Destiny; Map of
1860 Election; Maps detailing votes for Annexation of Texas and Kansas-Nebraska Act; President Polk
Justifies the Texas Coup (1845); David Wilmot Appeals for Free Soil (1847); John Calhoun Demands
Southern Rights (1850); Daniel Webster Urges Concessions (1850); Joshua Giddings Rejects SlaveCatching (1850); Robert Rhett Resents a Hoax (1851); Stephen Douglas’s Popular-Sovereignty Plea
(1854); The Ostend Manifesto (1854); The South Scorns Mrs. Stowe (1852); Mrs. Stowe Inflames the
Southern Imagination (1853); Excerpts from Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857; Excerpts from LincolnDouglas Debates (1858); A Map delineating Southern secession
Secondary Source Analysis: “Why the War Came: The Sectional Struggle over Slavery in the
Territories”, David Herbert Donald; “The Other Civil War”, Howard Zinn
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: Polk’s Election to Secession
You Be the Judge: Students will be given speeches about the Compromise of 1850 by
John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster. Students will respond in writing to the following
question: Who makes the most convincing case for their cause and why?
The Beginning and The End: Students will craft an historical argument delineating the
following: What would best illustrate the beginning of slavery as the defining sectional
issue and what would best represent the end of that debate?
Portfolio (Women/American Indians): The South Scorns Mrs. Stowe (1852); Mrs. Stowe
Inflames the Southern Imagination (1853); John Gast Painting of Manifest Destiny; Map
of Manifest Destiny
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions.
Two Short-Answer Questions:
o 1.
a) Briefly explain why ONE of the following options most clearly marks the
beginning of the sectional crisis that led to the outbreak of the Civil War
 Northwest Ordinance (1787)
 Missouri Compromise (1820)
 Acquisition of Mexican Territory (1848)
b) Provide an example of an event or development to support your explanation.
c) Briefly explain why one of the other options is not as useful to mark the
beginning of the sectional crisis.
o
2.
[Taken from Curriculum Framework Resource] [WXT-2-Summative
Assessment of Theme] Use the image (John Gast painting American Progress
1872) and your knowledge of United States History to answer parts a, b, c
a) Explain the point of view reflected in the image above regarding ONE of the
following:
 Migration
 Technology
 American Indians
b) Explain how ONE element of the image expresses the point of view you
identified in Part A.
c) Explain how the point of view you identified in Part A helped to shape ONE
specific United States government action between 1845 and 1900.
Unit Eight: 1861-1877: December 4- December 19
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 20, 21, 22, 26
Content: Goals, strategies, and resources of the Union and Confederacy; Initial Confederate successes
offset by improved military leadership, Lincoln’s political leadership, and use of Northern resources;
Northern leadership during Reconstruction defines powers of the federal government; political decisions
made during Reconstruction outline freedoms of African-Americans yet fail to deliver access to or
protection of freedoms; Constitutional decisions about African-Americans influences the women’s
movement.
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Abraham Lincoln Defines the need to preserve the Union; Lincoln’s First and
Second Inaugural; The Emancipation Proclamation; Map of the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation;
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address; Carl Schurz Reports Southern Defiance; The Radical Republicans Take a
Hard Line (1866); President Andrew Johnson Tries to Restrain Congress (1867); Testimony from United
States Congress on the Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States—testimony on the activities of the Ku
Klux Klan—Report of the Committee, South Carolina, Vol. 2, Alabama; Sitting Bull, a chief of the
Hunkpapa Sioux (1875); Uncle Sam’s Crook: Will He straighten the Sinuous Sioux of the Yellowstone?
(1876); Chief Joseph’s Lament (1879)
Secondary Source Analysis: “Black Reconstruction”, W.E.B. DuBois, “Reconstruction: America’s
Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877”, Eric Foner; “Reconstruction: The Revolution That Failed”, James
MacGregor Burns; “Abraham Lincoln and the Self-Made Myth”, Richard Hofstadter
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: Ft. Sumter-Compromise of 1877
Role Play: Students will answer the following question using the aforementioned
requirements of the role play activity: In a well-crafted essay students will prepare
documents that demonstrate Southern or Northern war aims in 1861 and 1863.
Documents should highlight the significant shift in respective war aims.
The Theory Qualifier: Students will read, “Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished
Revolution, 1863-1877”, Eric Foner; as well as, “Reconstruction: The Revolution That
Failed”, James MacGregor Burns. Students will craft a response detailing which historian
has the more accurate portrayal of Reconstruction.
Portfolio (African-Americans/American Indians): “Black Reconstruction”, W.E.B.
DuBois; Sitting Bull, a chief of the Hunkpapa Sioux (1875); Uncle Sam’s Crook: Will He
straighten the Sinuous Sioux of the Yellowstone? (1876); Chief Joseph’s Lament (1879)
Assessments:

Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of fifteen multiple choice questions.

Long-Essay Question: Compare and contrast the impact of the Civil War on political and
economic developments in TWO of the following regions.
o
o
o
The North
The South
The West
Time Period Six: 1865-1898 (January 5- January 16)
Unit Nine: 1865-1898: January 5- January 16
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 23, 24, 25
Content: Influenced by the experience and end of the Civil War, the “Gilded Age” witnessed a growth of
big business; the growth of big business as a result of government/social protection; the dispossessed
organized to create a political/economic voice; Farmers and Laborers were ineffective as a result of
internal division; Urbanization, Immigration, and Industrialization illuminate opportunities for and
restrictions on various minority groups; increased mobility and attempted assimilation lead to greater
conflict with Native Americans; the rise of big business spawned a national debate over economic
policies of the federal government; the beginning of a new debate over the role of women and AfricanAmericans in American society
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Excerpts from Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896; Booker T. Washington
Accommodates to Segregation (1895); Tom Watson Supports a Black-White Political Alliance (1892);
Table that details U.S. Trade (1870-1910); Tables that detail Exports of American goods (1869-1908);
Table that details long-term foreign investments in the U.S. (1803-1880); A Defense of Long-Haul Rates;
General James Weaver Deplores Stock Watering (1892); John Rockefeller Justifies Rebates; Andrew
Carnegies Gospel of Wealth; Life of a Sweatshop Girl; The Knights of Labor Champion Reform (1887)
Thomas Nast Cartoons contrasting Labor and Capital; Multiple Jacob Riis Photographs for students to
analyze; Multiple Lewis Hine Photographs for students to analyze; Table from Jacob Riis documenting
the tenement problem; Map of Federal Land Grants to Railroads; architectural plan of dumbbell
tenements; four view of the Statue of Liberty—Thomas Nast, Puck, two from Judge; table detailing
demographics of Immigrants from 1870-1910; Frances Willard Prays in a Saloon (1874); Editorial “The
Chicago Murders”, New York Times (1886);
Secondary Source Analysis: “The Spoilsmen: An Age of Cynicism”, Richard Hofstadter; “Robber Barons
and Rebels”, Howard Zinn; “The History of the Haymarket Affair”, Henry David
Student-As-Historian:



Six Degrees of Separation: Appomattox to McKinley’s 1896 Election
The Beginning and The End: Students will craft an historical argument delineating the
following: When did African-Americans begin the movement from the desire for
freedom to the pressing for Civil Rights and equality of opportunity?
The Theory Qualifier: Students will be given two sets of photographs. One set will
consist of 20th century photography of the estates of various Captains of Industry and the
other will consist of Lewis Hine photography. Students will examine the photographs and
answer the following question: Which of the two sets represent a greater flaw in the
American capitalist economy of the ‘Gilded Age’?
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of fifteen multiple choice questions.
Short-Answer Question [Taken from the Curriculum Framework Resources]:
1. Using the 1883 image (The Protectors of our Industries, Puck) above, answer a, b,
and c.
a. Briefly explain the point of view about the economy expressed by the artist.
b. Briefly explain ONE development in the period 1865 to 1910 that could be
used to support the point of view expressed by the artist.
c. Briefly explain ONE development in the period 1865 to 1910 that could be
used to challenge the point of view expressed by the artist.
Please Note: Semester Exams are January 14, 15, 16
Time Period Seven 1890-1945 (January 19-March 26)
Unit Ten: 1890-1902: January 19- January 23
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 27
Content: American as an economic and political world power; The Spanish-American War as a turning
point in foreign policy; moral and economic arguments over external expansion; debates between
jingoists and isolationists
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Our Country, Josiah Strong; Albert Beveridge Trumpets Imperialism (1898);
Mark Twain Denounces Imperialism (1900); Joseph Pulitzer Demands Intervention (1897); William
Randolph Hearst Stages a Rescue (1897); The Nation Denounces Atrocities (1902); Cartoonists take on
the Spanish-American War- Judge and Puck
Secondary Source Analysis: “A Diplomatic History of the American People”, Thomas A. Bailey
Student-As-Historian:



Six Degrees of Separation: Turner Thesis to The Roosevelt Corollary
The Theory Qualifier: Students will be given brief excerpts from two historical essays on
the subject of the U.S. acquisition of the Philippines; “American Diplomacy”, George F.
Kennan and “Oxford History of the American People”, Samuel Eliot Morison. They will
be asked to decide whether or not the acquisition of the Philippines was a positive
reflection of American values in American foreign policy.
Role Play: Students will answer the following question using the aforementioned
requirements of the role play activity: Did the American government’s changes to
Filipino culture justify the war against the Filipino insurrectionaries? Students will bring
in documents to represent either the Jingoist or Anti-Imperialist perspective.
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of fifteen multiple choice questions.
Long-Essay Question: [Taken from Curriculum Framework] Some historians have
argued that the Spanish-American War was a turning point in American foreign policy.
Support, modify, or refute this interpretation, providing specific evidence to justify your
answer.
Unit Eleven: 1890-1916: January 26- February 6
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 28, 29
Content: Increased business production and profit furthers opportunities for urban dwellers while
simultaneously increasing the stratification of wealth; Increased call for government
intervention/regulation at the state/local level; reform movements led by the urban middle class; Federal
reform, especially economic and social
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: NAWSA, Carrie Chapman Catt; National Women’s Party, Alice Paul;
Excerpts from The Jungle, Upton Sinclair; “The Shame of our Cities”, Lincoln Steffens; “History of the
Standard Oil Company”, Ida Tarbell; Painting from William Balfour Ker- From the Depths (1906);
Divine Right of the Plutocrats, George Baer; The Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire (1911); Painting
from Herbert Johnson, “Beauty as Against Use”; Multiple political posters supporting and opposing
woman suffrage (1900-1915)
Secondary Source Analysis: “After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection- USDA Government
Inspected”, J.W. Davidson, Mark Lytle; “Woodrow Wilson: The Conservative as Liberal”, Richard
Hofstadter; “Jane Addams: Urban Crusader”, Anne Firor Scott
Student-As-Historian:





Six Degrees of Separation: Populist Party Platform(Omaha) to Wilson’s re-election
You Be the Judge: Students will be given two documents from the 1912 Election; Teddy
Roosevelt’s proposal for government regulation and Woodrow Wilson’s proposal for
government regulation. In a well-crafted response, students will respond to the following
question: Given the economic circumstances of 1912, who makes the better argument?
You Be the Judge: Students will be given juxtaposed documents about the Hetch Hetchy
Valley Dam by Gifford Pinchot and John Muir. In a well-crafted response, students will
answer the following question: Which progressive makes the better argument?
The Beginning and The End: Students will craft an historical argument delineating the
following: When did the Progressive movement change from a State/Local push for
reform into a national push for reform?
Portfolio(women): “Jane Addams: Urban Crusader”, Anne Firor Scott
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of fifteen multiple choice questions.
Two Short-Answer Questions: One [taken from the Curriculum Framework] will address
the goals of the progressive movement, including women, middle-class reformers. The
other short-answer will be focused on comparing, contrasting and selecting the
progressive leader who best represents the goals of the progressives (Woodrow Wilson,
Jane Addams, Samuel McClure)
Unit Twelve: 1916-1920: February 9- February 19
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 29, 30
Content: wartime hysteria, the suppression of civil liberties, and xenophobia; patterns of external an
internal migration; movement from isolationism to intervention; consternation over the treaty process and
America’s role in the world
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Table illustrating the results of Immigration Restriction-Emergency Quota of
1920 and National Origins Act 1924; Abusing Pro-Germans (1918); Robert LaFollette Demands His
Rights (1917); The Supreme Court Throttles Free Speech-Schenck case excerpt; George Creel Spreads
Fear Propaganda;
Secondary Source Analysis: “Wilson and the League”, Thomas A. Bailey; “American Diplomacy during
the War”, Charles Seymour; “American Diplomacy”, Robert Ferrrell; “A New River of Black Protest”,
Lerone Bennett, Jr.
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: Wilson’s Election to Harding’s Election
The Theory Qualifier: Students will read, “American Diplomacy during the War”,
Charles Seymour and “American Diplomacy”, Robert Ferrell in order to answer the
following question: For what reason(s) did the United States enter World War I in 1917?
You Be the Judge: Students will be given juxtaposed documents that cover the battle
over the Treaty of Versailles, specifically, Article X. One document will be from
Wilson’s perspective (Sen. Hitchcock) and the other will be Henry Cabot Lodge’s
reservations to Article 10. Students will answer the following prompt: Which historical
figure makes the more convincing argument over the meaning of Article X?
Portfolio (African-Americans): “A New River of Black Protest”, Lerone Bennett, Jr.
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of fifteen multiple choice questions.
Document-Based Question [Taken from Curriculum Framework]: [PEO-3-Summative
Assessment of Theme]Analyze major changes and continuities in the social and
economic experiences of African Americans who migrated from the rural South to urban
areas in the North in the period 1910-1930.
Unit Thirteen: 1920-1937: February 20- March 13
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 31, 32, 33
Content: Technological developments lead to a more mobile, advance society while highlighting the
differences between the modernists and fundamentalists; celebration of ethnic diversity in urban centers;
causes and effects of the Great Depression; the New Deal’s approach to addressing the social, economic,
and political problems caused by the depression; debates about the New Deal programs along the political
spectrum; New Deal legacy
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Painting of Thomas Hart Benton’s, City Life; Poetry by Langston Hughes;
Illustrations by John Held, Jr.,; Franklin Roosevelt’s First Inaugural; Huey Long- Share our Wealth
(1935); Father Charles E. Coughlin- A Third Party (1936); Documents contrasting Hoover and FDR on
how to best combat depression; Franklin Roosevelt creates the Tennessee Valley Authority (1933);
various political cartoons depicting the Court Packing scheme; The Battle for Birth Control—Documents
from Emma Goldman and Margaret Sanger; scene from Modern Times with Charlie Chaplin
Secondary Source Analysis: “Revolution in Manners and Morals”, Frederick Lewis Allen; Chapter One
from, “Babbitt”, Sinclair Lewis; “The Causes of the Great Crash”, John Kenneth Galbraith; Selections
from “The Worst Hard Time”, Timothy Egan; “Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Patrician as Opportunist”,
Richard Hofstadter
Student-As-Historian:




Six Degrees of Separation: Harding’s Election to The “Roosevelt Recession”
You Be the Judge: Students will receive juxtaposed documents by Herbert Hoover and
Franklin Roosevelt covering the debate about government’s oversight role in business. In
a well-crafted response, students will delineate who makes a more compelling argument,
given the circumstances of the depression.
The Theory Qualifier: Students will read, “The Roosevelt Myth”, John T. Flynn and “The
American Nation”, John A. Garraty and Robert A. McCaughey in order to answer the
following question: Which historian makes the better argument about what the legacy of
the New Deal is today?
In-Class Debate: Students will follow the evidence and contextualization requirements
and select documents to take one of two positions on the whether or not the New Deal
was conservative or liberal in nature.
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions.
Long-Essay Question [Taken from Curriculum Framework]: Some historians have
argued that the New Deal was ultimately conservative in nature. Support, modify, or
refute this interpretation, providing specific evidence to justify your answer.
Unit Fourteen: 1920-1945: March 16- March 26
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 34, 35
Content: the movement from isolationism to intervention; mobilization coupled with migration patterns
north and west altered population centers; moral and political debates involving the ethics of war; civil
liberty debates within the U.S.; the U.S. as a Superpower
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: William Randolph Hearst Blasts Disarmament at Washington (1922); A
plethora of Dr. Seuss political cartoons from Neutrality to Intervention; two political cartoons about
isolationism; FDR Drops the Dollar Sign (1940); Framing the Atlantic Charter (1941); Excerpts from
Korematsu v. US, 1944; A Black American Ponders the War’s Meaning (1942); A Woman Remembers
the War (1984)
Secondary Source Analysis: “American Women at War”, Sara M. Evans
Student-As-Historian:

Six Degrees of Separation: The Treaty of Versailles to V-J Day


You Be the Judge: Students will be given juxtaposed documents about Lend-Lease; one
document will be an excerpt from a press conference of Franklin Roosevelt and the other
will be a radio speech by Senator Burton Wheeler. In a well-crafted response, students
will decide who makes the more compelling argument.
Role Play: Students will answer the following question by taking on the persona of a
well-known isolationist or a well-known internationalist: What historical reasons do you
have for taking the position you have, given the global circumstances of 1939?
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions
Two Short-Answer Questions: One question will focus on what major event changed
foreign policy the most before Pearl Harbor (Washington Conference, Neutrality Acts,
Lend-Lease controversy) The other will give two historical accounts for the meaning and
aftermath of Japanese Internment. Students will have to respond to a series of three
questions; focusing on: historical interpretation and strength of evidence.
Time Period Eight: 1945-1980 (March 27-April 21)
Unit Fifteen: 1945-1961: March 27- April 2
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 36, 37
Content: Early stages and interpretation of Containment; examples of and differences between direct
confrontation and proxy wars; attempts at ideological manipulation and political alliances across the
global spectrum; U.S. economic interest and Middle East stability; Impact of Cold War hysteria on
domestic politics; postwar optimism and affluence leads to an age of conformity; Popular culture as an
outlet to convey dissatisfaction with conformity among the youth; the genesis of the modern civil rights
movement
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: The Necessity for Containment-George Kennan; The Truman Doctrine Speech;
NSC-68 Report; The Internal Communist Menace-Joseph McCarthy; Dr. Spock Advises the Parents of
the Baby-Boom Generation; George Marshall’s Speech at Harvard-Marshall Plan: John Foster Dulles and
Massive Retaliation; Eisenhower Doctrine; Military-Industrial Complex Speech; John Kenneth Galbraith
Criticizes the Affluent Society (1958); Agnes Meyer Defends Women’s Traditional Role (1950); a
collection of advertisement images to illustrate the misogyny in corporate America during the 1950s;
Excerpts from Brown v. Board of Education, 1954;
Secondary Source Analysis: Excerpts from “The Fifties”, David Halberstam; “A Revisionist View of
Eisenhower”, Stephen E. Ambrose; “Truman vs. MacArthur”, Walter Karp
Student-As-Historian:

Six Degrees of Separation: Yalta to Kennedy’s Inaugural


You Be the Judge: Students will be given juxtaposed documents about the Affluent
Society’s promise in America. The Editors of Fortune magazine celebrate the age of
consumerism while John Kenneth Galbraith criticizes American affluence. Students will
respond in writing as to which author makes the more compelling argument and which
author provides more foresight about the American economy.
Role Play: Students will answer the following question using the aforementioned
requirements of the role play activity. Should the U.S. support the goals outlined in the
Truman Doctrine? (graphs/charts delineating European economic circumstances are
required.
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions
Document-Based Question: This DBQ will ask students to track the changes in the U.S.
foreign policy of Containment from 1947-1960.
Spring Break April 3-12
Unit Sixteen: 1961-1980: April 13- April 21
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 38, 39
Content: Goals, strategies, and outcomes of the African-American Civil Rights Movement; Feminism,
Gay/Lesbian challenge traditional gender/sexual assumptions; American Indian, Asian-American, and
Latino movements for economic opportunity and social acceptance; prevalence and visibility of poverty;
Liberal ideas exemplified by the Great Society and Supreme Court decisions attempt to combat issues of
poverty and race; the backlash on the left and right to Great Society legislation; External and internal
migration patterns; continued debate over direct confrontation and proxy wars with Communist nations;
environmental movement as a result of energy crises and a growing awareness of human interaction with
the environment; growing sense of cultural empowerment as a result of the disillusionment over Vietnam;
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: Lyndon B. Johnson, Commencement Address at Howard University (1965);
Excerpt from Michael Harrington’s “The Other America”; Betty Friedan –The Problem That Has No
Name (1963); NOWs Statement of Purpose (1966); Redstockings Manifesto (1969); Excerpts from Roe v.
Wade, 1973; map of the state vote for ERA; Phyllis Schlafly Upholds Traditional Gender Roles (1977);
President Johnson Declares War on Poverty (1964); SDS Manifesto (1962); Defense Secretary Robert
McNamara Foresees a Stalemate (1965); Nixon’s Grand Plan in Foreign Policy (1968-1969); multiple
cartoons about the Oil Crisis in the 1970s; Martin Luther King, Jr.- Letter From a Birmingham Jail;
Riders for Freedom (1961); Nixon accepts a Presidential Pardon (1974);
Secondary Source Analysis: “Shattering the Feminine Mystique”, Marcia Cohen; “The Vietnam War, the
Liberals, and the overthrow of LBJ, Allen J. Matusow; Tim O’Brien, “The Rainy River” from “The
Things They Carried”
Student-As-Historian:





Six Degrees of Separation: Freedom Riders to Reagan’s Election
You Be the Judge: Students will be given juxtaposed documents about The Little Rock
Nine. A southern newspaper will protest the ‘federal intervention’, while a northern
newspaper will praise the bravery of the nine students. Students will be asked who made
the better argument about the meaning of what happened at Little Rock Central High
School
You Be the Judge: Students will be given juxtaposed documents about the feminist
movement. Students will read NOWs Statement of Purpose and Phyllis Schlafly’s
defense of traditional gender roles. Students will be asked the following: Which
document provides a stronger argument and why is your choice stronger than the
opposing document?
In-Class Debate: Students will follow the evidence and contextualization requirements
and select documents to take one of two positions on the significance and impact of the
Vietnam War. Students will take the position of a person in support of escalation in
Vietnam in 1965 or in opposition to escalation.
Portfolio (Women/African Americans): Betty Friedan –The Problem That Has No Name
(1963); NOWs Statement of Purpose (1966); Redstockings Manifesto (1969); Excerpts
from Roe v. Wade, 1973; map of the state vote for ERA; Phyllis Schlafly Upholds
Traditional Gender Roles (1977); Martin Luther King, Jr.- Letter From a Birmingham
Jail; Riders for Freedom (1961); “Shattering the Feminine Mystique”, Marcia Cohen
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of twenty-five multiple choice questions
Long-Essay Question: Students will be asked to answer an essay question that focuses on
the extent to which the modern civil rights movement addressed the failures of
Reconstruction. (Inspired by 2002 FRQ)
Time Period Nine: 1980-Present (April 21- April 24)
Unit Seventeen: 1980-Present: April 22-April 24
Textbook: The American Pageant Chapters 40, 41, 42
Content: Conservative resurgence; coalition of the New Right; economic and political successes along
with social limitations; continuation of big government, despite conservative rhetoric; Ronald Reagan’s
role in ending the Cold War; American global police; Economic, political, and social developments in the
1990s; 9/11 and the effects on foreign and domestic policy; energy dependence and the impact of fossil
fuels on climate change debates; social change as a result of technological developments; economic and
social changes as a result of new migration patterns
Themes: [Covered through content / Formative Assessment] ID, WXT, PEO, POL, WOR, ENV
Primary Source Analysis: President Reagan asks for a Tax Cut (1981); Ronald Reagan—The Second
American Revolution; Map of Regional Migration patterns 1970-1985; Table of GNP and Federal Debt
1980-1989; Chart Detailing the effects of the Tax Reform Act of 1986; An editor analyzes the Iran-Contra
Affair (1987); Reagan Speeches detailing his Cold War rhetoric- Star Wars and Brandenburg Gate
Speech; Reagan sees Red in Nicaragua; Era of Big Government Speech – Bill Clinton; President Bush
describes an “Axis of Evil” (2002); Excerpts from the 9/11 Commission; Paul Krugman Blasts the New
Gilded Age (2007); David Brooks Fears for the Middle Class (2008)
Secondary Source Analysis: “Summing Up the Reagan Era”, Karl Zinsmeister; “Some Lessons from the
Cold War”, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
Student-As-Historian:



Six Degrees of Separation: Reagan’s Election to Obama’s Election
Role Play: Students will answer the following question using the aforementioned
requirements of the role play activity: To what extent did President Reagan’s economic
policies bring prosperity to the U.S. economy in the 1980s?
In-Class Debate: Students will follow the evidence and contextualization requirements
and select documents to take one of two positions on the significance and impact of the
Immigration policies from 1965 to 2008. Students will select and defend a position either
for comprehensive immigration, with its centerpiece being the Dream Act, or in
opposition to that plan.
Assessments:


Multiple-Choice: Test will consist of fifteen multiple choice questions
Short-Answer Questions: Students will write two short-answer questions; one centering
on the successes and setbacks of Reagan’s foreign policy initiatives and the other
centering on the successes and setbacks of Reagan’s social/economic initiatives.