Students must have obtained the grade level of 11 th or 12 th grade and secured at least a 3.7 Grade Point
Average (GPA) or a parental waiver. Both the current grade Social Studies and English teachers must sign the course registration. Students must also successfully complete a summer research project that will be returned at the start of the school year in order to be accepted into the class.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States History. The course prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands equal to those of a full year level 1 college course. The course may enable a student to earn college credit. It may or may not be accepted at all institutions without a minimum of 3 or more on the National AP Exam. The student should make the determination on whether he or she is applying to a college that accepts completion of the course or the examination for credit.
Classes will meet for a 42 minute time period 5 days a week. Students will be required to complete a summer reading and research project. They must also keep a portfolio of all summaries of assigned readings and documents given throughout the course. All tests, essays, and position papers must be kept in their unit folder during the course of the year. This will be helpful in preparing for the National
AP Exam in May.
Students taking the course will learn to assess historical materials, their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their importance. They must then weigh the evidence and interpretations in historical scholarship. The student will be able to develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of informed judgment and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students will:
-Have an appreciation of the complexities of history as a compilation of the social sciences.
-Understand the rights and responsibilities of U.S. Citizenship.
-Have the ability to analyze primary and secondary source materials.
-Be able to utilize effective communication skills.
-Gain the ability to read maps, charts, and graphs.
-Develop skills in reading for content as well as concept.
-Be able to separate fact from opinion.
-Develop effective note taking skills from both reading and class discussion.

-Have an appreciation of U.S. History from the perspective of minority groups.
-Gain a comprehensive knowledge of factual information in U.S. History.
-Prepare for, and successfully pass, the National AP Exam.
STUDENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:
Analyze the role of conflicts, compromises, and resolutions in U.S. History
Synthesize how individuals, ideas, decisions, and events can impact history.
Analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources to understand history.
Analyze how institutions were, and are, forces for change in past and future American society.
Compare and contrast the presidential administrations over the course of American History.
Assess the contributions of various cultures and subcultures to American society.
Analyze the cause and effect relationships between the economy and American historical events.
Synthesize questions and hypothesis regarding events and research data to answer questions and test hypothesis.
Examine themes in American history that intersect science, culture, and society.
Analyze how beliefs, values, and behaviors in America have changed over the course of our nation’s history.
Demonstrate expository writing skills to verify knowledge and mastery of American history.
Demonstrate learned knowledge and comprehension by successfully writing essays and position papers to utilize research, documents, and interpretations of specific historical themes. Especially social, political, economic, and diplomatic history.
COURSE TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
Bailey, Thomas and Kennedy, David The American Pagent
Davidson and Lytle After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection
Oates, Stephen Portrait of America 2 Volumes
Colbert, David Eyewitness to America
Commanger, Henry Steele Documents of American History 2 Volumes

Students will also be required to read other assigned works during the course of the year. Remember to take notes on all of the reading assignments as well as taking notes in class. One of the keys to success is good note taking and organization. It is essential to work as efficiently as possible, prioritize, and sacrifice to be successful in AP History. Remain focused for the long range goal which is the AP Exam.
The summer research Project will be a three part project. The project will be distributed to the students before the end of the preceding school year. It will have a due date approximately two weeks before the start of the new school year.
ORGANIZATION AND GRADING PROCEDURES:
Students will be expected to be prepared for each class with notes and an understanding of materials and readings. Students will be assigned summaries regularly. Tests are noted on the syllabus and will take place over two days following each unit. Day 1 will be the essay examination where students will be asked to respond to one of the themes covered in the unit. The essay may also be a document based question. Day 2 will be an objective test covering terms, events, and the people from the unit. At the end of the first and second semesters students will take comprehensive final examinations. The end of the year exam will cover the entire year’s content.
COURSE CONTENT:
UNIT 1 EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION CHAPTERS 1-5 (11 DAYS)
Examining the exploration of the New World and American colonization.
Day 1 Introduction
Day 2 Overview of the course and instruction and techniques for good note taking
Day 3 Chapter 1 New World Beginnings
Objective: Understand how Western Europe emerged from the medieval period into the modern era.
Reading: Text pages 2-26 After The Fact Prologue “The Strange Death of Silas Dean” Summary
Day 4 Chapter 2 The Planting of English America
Objective: Analyze the impact that religion had on the development of the American Experience .
Reading: Text pages 27-45 After the Fact “Serving Time in Virginia” WIKI: Jamestown 1-4
Day 5 Chapter 3 Settling the Northern Colonies
Objective: Compare and Contrast the early exploration and settlement of Plymouth with Jamestown.
Reading: Text pages 47-56 WIKI: Pilgrims 1-4
Day 6 Chapter 3 Continued
Objective: Examine the founding of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Reading: Text pages 57-67

Day 7 Chapter 4 American Life in the 17 th Century
Objective: Compare the various regions of the American colonies on the basis of social, economic, and political development.
Reading: Text pages 68-87
Day 8 Chapter 5 Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution
Objective: Compare the expectations of government by colonists with those of Englishmen.
Reading: Text pages 88-98 After the Fact “Salem Witch Trials” Summary
Day 9 Chapter 5 Continued
Objective: Examine how the Great Awakening was not only a religious movement.
Reading: Text pages 99-108 WIKI “John Peter Zenger”
Day 10 Examination: Essay and Historical Significance
Day 11 Examination: Objective
UNIT 2 REVOLUTION AND INDEPENDENCE CHAPTERS 6-8 (9 DAYS)
Day 1 Chapter 6 The Duel for North America
Objective: Compare and contrast the French colonial experience with the British American colonies.
Reading: Text 109-124 Washington’s Journal
Day 2 Chapter 6 The French and Indian War
Objective: Causes and effects of the French and Indian War on American and British relations
Reading:
Day 3 Chapter 7 Road to Revolution
Objective: Define Mercantilism and describe how it affected the colonial economies and their future.
Reading: Text pages 126-145 Portrait of America “Sam Adams: Firebrand of the American
Revolution” Written Summary
Day 4 Chapter 7 Rebels Take Arms
Objective: List and analyze the events that led to armed action by colonial rebels.
Reading: WIKI “Stamp Act” 1-4 “Boston Massacre and Tea Party” 1-3 “First Continental Congress” 1-3
“Lexington Concord” 1-5
Day 5 Chapter 8 America Secedes from the Empire
Objective: Analyze the importance of Thomas Paine and Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence in determining America’s fate.
Reading: Text 146-171 After the Fact “Declaring Independence” Written Summary

Day 6 Chapter 8 Howe and Burgoyne Calamity in War
Objective: Analyze whether the British lost the war more than the American’s “won” it.
Reading: Portrait of America “ Thomas Jefferson and the Meaning of Liberty”
Day 7 Chapter 8 Victory at Yorktown and Paris
Objective: Analyze in what way the Peace Treaty at Paris was more than what America could have hoped.
Reading: WIKI “ Revolution” 1-6
Day 8 Examination: Essay and Historical Significance
Day 9 Examination: Multiple Choice
UNIT 3 FORGING A NEW GOVERNMENT Chapters 9-12 (12 DAYS)
Day 1 Chapter 9 The Confederation and the Constitution
Objective: Analyze the weaknesses of The Articles of Confederation and explain why they would have doomed America if not amended.
Reading: Text 174-197 Portrait of America “ Sunrise at Philadelphia” Written Summary
Day 2 Chapter 9 Another Revolution or a Counter Revolution?
Objective: In what ways was the Constitutional Convention revolutionary and what compromises were necessary to bring the nation toward a “more perfect union”?
Reading: WIKI “Constitution” 1-4
Day 3 Chapter 10 Launching the New Ship of State
Objective: Analyze the character of George Washington and explain why he is so important to America’s future.
Reading: Text 199-223 Portrait of America “ The Greatness of George Washington” Quiz WIKI George
Washington Biography
Day 4 Chapter 10 The Bout: Hamilton Vs. Jefferson
Objective: Analyze the importance of these two men in the creation of modern political parties.
Reading: WIKI John Adams Biography
Day 5 Chapter 11 Triumphs and Travails of the Jeffersonian Republic
Objective: Analyze the importance of the French revolution and the European wars. Explain what impact the foreign problems had on American unity and politics.
Reading: Text 224-247 WIKI Thomas Jefferson Biography

Day 6 Chapter 11 Another Revolution?
Objective: Analyze in what ways the election of 1800 was revolutionary
Reading: Portrait of America “ The Duel” Written Summary WIKI Watch Aaron Burr Commercial
Day 7 Chapter 11 This is Jeffersonian Democracy?
Objective: Critique Jefferson as a philosopher and as a president. Analyze the importance of the
Louisiana Purchase in American History.
Reading: WIKI “ Louisiana Purchase” 1-2 “Lewis and Clark” 1-5 Written Summary
Day 8 Chapter 11 The Jefferson Legacy.
Objective: Critique the Jefferson role in the Wooden Gun Diplomacy with England and France. Analyze the success of the Embargo Act.
Reading: WIKI James Madison Biography
Day 9 Chapter 12 The Second War for Independence
Objective: Analyze the impact of the War Hawks from the West and their desire for land in Canada that propelled Madison to take the nation to war.
Reading: Text 248-255 WIKI “War of 1812” 1-3
Day 10 Chapter 12 A War for Independence From Europe
Objective: Although it was one of America’s worst fought wars it was a resounding international victory that would propel America towards a strong nationalism.
Reading: WIKI “War of 1812” conclusion 1-4
Day 11 Examination: Essay and Historical Significance
Day 12 Examination: Multiple Choice
UNIT 4 JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY Chapters 12-13 (9 Days)
Day 1 Chapter 12 The Upsurge of Nationalism
Objective: Explain how strong nationalism destroyed the Federalist Party but led to sectionalist strife among Democratic-Republicans.
Reading: Text 255-271 WIKI “The Missouri Compromise” and the James Monroe Biography
Day 2 Chapter 12 The Uneasy Missouri Compromise
Objective: What was the Importance of the Missouri Compromise and why did Jefferson see it as a
“Fireball in the Night”? In what ways did Marbury V. Madison fulfill the Checks and Balances of the
Constitution?
Reading: WIKI John Quincy Adams Biography

Day 3 Chapter 13 The Rise of Mass Democracy
Objective: Explain the outcome of the 1824 election and how the “Corrupt Bargain” destroyed Adams’ presidency. What new style would Andrew Jackson bring to America?
Reading: Text 272-304 WIKI “Jackson’s Rowdy Inauguration” Written Summary
Day 4 Chapter 13 King Andrew: Old Hickory
Objective: In what ways did Jackson’s personality dominate both the Congress and the nation?
Reading: WIKI Andrew Jackson Biography
Day 5 Chapter 13 The Tariff and The Bank
Objective: Analyze the outcomes of the battle between Nicholas Biddle and Andrew Jackson over the
National Bank.
Reading: Portrait of America “ Andrew Jackson: Flamboyant Hero of the Common Man”
WIKI “Trail of Tears”
Day 6 Chapter 13 The Lone Star Rebellion
Objective: Explain the fight for Texas independence and the stance America took upon its request to join the Union.
Reading: Portrait of America “A Giant Contradiction: The Irrepressible Sam Houston” Written Summary
WIKI “The Alamo”
Day 7 Chapter 13 Will History Be Repeated?
Objective: Explain what caused the emergence of the Whig Party. What was to be Jackson’s legacy?
Reading: WIKI Martin Van Buren Biography
Day 8 Examination: Essay and Historical Significance
Day 9 Examination: Multiple Choice
UNIT 5 THE ANTEBELLUM PERIOD AND MANIFEST DESTINY Chapters 16-18 (9 Days)
Day 1 Chapter 16 The South and the Slavery Controversy
Objective: Students will be able to describe plantation life and the life of a slave.
Reading: Text pages 372-395
Day 2 Chapter 16 Shame on All of Us
Objective: Analyze the Abolition Movement, its leadership, and the reaction by the South.
Reading: Portrait of America “I Will Be Heard; William Lloyd Garrison and the Struggle Against Slavery”
Written Summary

Day 3 Chapter 16 Abolition; Is it Morality with a Purpose?
Objective: Analyze the importance of Black abolitionists and slave revolts.
Reading: Portrait of America “The Fires of Jubilee; Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” Written Summary
WIKI William Henry Harrison Biography
Day 4 Chapter 17 Manifest Destiny and its Legacy
Objective: Define Manifest Destiny and whether it was the mandate of the Polk election.
Reading: Text pages 396-415 WIKI John Tyler Biography
Day 5 Chapter 17 Polk and Mexico
Objective: Analyze and critique the reasons for going to war with Mexico. Was it related to Manifest
Destiny?
Reading: WIKI The Mexican War WIKI James Polk Biography
Day 6 Chapter 18 Renewing the Sectional Struggle
Objective: Explain how the Wilmot Proviso lit up the debate and encouraged the split in the sectional battles in Congress. How did the discovery of gold in California impact this division?
Reading: Text pages 416-436 WIKI Zachary Taylor Biography
Day 7 Chapter 18 Compromise or Calamity?
Objective: Analyze the differing views of Webster, Calhoun, Clay, and Seward in debating the terms of the Compromise of 1850. Did the Compromise of 1850 create an even bigger divide in the nation?
Reading: WIKI Millard Fillmore Biography WIKI Franklin Pierce Biography
Day 8 Examination Essay and Historical Significance
Day 9 Examination Multiple Choice
UNIT 6 THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES Chapters 19-21 (13 Days)
Day 1 Chapter 19 Drifting Toward Disunion
Objective: Analyze the root causes of the Civil War
Video: Ken Burns Civil War Volume 1 “Causes of the Civil War”
Reading: Text pages 437-461 WIKI John Brown’s Raid Written Summary
Day 2 Chapter 19 So Much for Compromise
Objective: Analyze in what ways the Compromise of 1850 failed in dealing with Kansas. Examine the
Underground Railroad.
Reading: Portrait of America “ Let My People Go: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad”

Day 3 Chapter 19 Politics and the Supreme Court
Objective: Explain the issues and the importance of the Dred Scott case.
Reading: After the Fact “The Madness of John Brown” Written Summary WIKI James Buchanan
Biography
Day 4 Chapter 19 Crisis Beyond Control
Objective: Explain the issues in the 1860 election. Examine the importance of Lincoln’s election and the failure to find middle ground.
Reading: Handout “The Lincoln Douglas Debate” WIKI Abraham Lincoln Biography
Day 5 Chapter 20 Girding for War: The North and the South
Objective: Compare and Contrast the strengths and weaknesses of both sides at the start of the Civil
War.
Reading: Text pages 462-480 WIKI “Fort Sumter is Attacked” 1-4 WIKI “War News Reaches the North”
Day 6 Chapter 20 Dollars and Dictators
Objective: Compare and contrast the leadership of Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.
Reading: Portrait of America “ Journey to Emancipation” Written Summary
Day 7 Chapter 21 The Furnace of the Civil War
Objective: Explain the importance of the Emancipation Proclamation and how it added a “moral ground” to the war.
Video Clip: “Glory”
Reading: Text pages 481-512 Portrait Of America “The Ravages of War” WIKI “Lincoln Proclaims
Emancipation”
Day 8 Chapter 21 High Tide of the Confederacy
Objective: Examine the historical significance of the Battle of Gettysburg
Video Clip: “Gettysburg”
Reading: WIKI “Gettysburg”
Day 9 Chapter 21 The Turning Point of the War
Objective: Analyze how the outcome of Gettysburg and the events of Vicksburg changed the war.
Reading: WIKI “Lincoln Delivers the Gettysburg Address”
Day 10 Chapter 21 The Union Takes Control
Objective: Analyze how Sherman’s March to the Sea would change the focus of the war in both the
North and the South.
Reading: WIKI “Lee Surrenders to Grant”

Day 11 Chapter 21 Now He Belongs to the Ages
Objective: Examine the events associated with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Reading: Hand-out “Manhunt” WIKI “Lincoln is Shot” WIKI “The Death of Lincoln”
Day 12 Examination Essay and Historical Significance
Day 13 Examination Multiple Choice
UNIT 7 RECONSTRUCTION Chapters 22-23 (7 Days)
Day 1 Chapter 22 The Ordeal of Reconstruction
Objective: Analyze the questions facing the nation in bringing back unity.
Reading: Text pages 513-535 After the Fact “View from the Bottom Rail” Written Summary
WIKI Andrew Johnson Biography
Day 2 Chapter 22 Black Codes and a Return to Slavery
Objective: Explain how the Black Codes and the failure of national leadership pushed freedmen back into a position of “slavery”.
Reading: Hand-out “Freedom”
Day 3 Chapter 22 Saving the Presidency
Objective: Analyze why the Radical Repubicans felt it necessary to impeach President Johnson.
Reading: Hand-out “Why They Impeached President Johnson” Written summary (Focus Questions: In what ways did A. Johnson fail to act as a party leader while serving as President? How did that directly or indirectly lead to the impeachment proceedings?)
Day 4 Chapter 23 Grant and Scandal
Objective: Explain how political faults and corruption tainted the Grant presidency.
Reading: Text pages 538-548 WIKI U.S. Grant Biography
Day 5 Chapter 23 The End of Reconstruction
Objective: Analyze the disputed election of 1876 and how the outcome would change the lives of blacks in the South for more than a century.
Reading: WIKI Rutherford Hayes Biography
Day 6 Examination Essay and Historical Significance
Day 7 Examination Multiple Choice
THIS CONCLUDES THE MATERIAL FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER. STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN A LIST OF
ESSAYS TO TAKE HOME IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR MID-TERM EXAM. PART TWO OF THE MID-TERM
WILL BE MULTIPLE CHOICE.