APUSH Heasman Assignments (POL)
AP U. S. History – Summer Reading/Writing Assignment
Welcome to AP US History. The goals of this course are to survey the evolution of the United
States from the “discovery” and settlement of the New World by Europeans to the globally connected multicultural society we live in today; to help you see the relevance of US history your lives present and future; to develop critical thinking skills through analysis of historical evidence; and to develop the ability to express your understanding and analysis of this history in writing. And of course, it prepares you to do well on the AP Exam next May.
History at the AP level, unlike much of math and science, is open to interpretation and debate
– that’s why some students like it a lot and others get frustrated that they can’t just take notes and regurgitate answers on exams. One big difference between AP and regular classes is that we mirror a freshman-level college class, which means much of the responsibility for learning is on YOU. Independent studies are essential for covering the necessary content in
AP courses, and you should expect a minimum of 4-5 hours of homework readings a week.
That includes over Challenge Week, Holiday Break, and Spring Break too.
Why the summer work? Two reasons. First, it is a test of your work ethic and organization. To successfully pass an AP or Honors course you need to be the kind of student who is prepared to undertake more than the standard workload of regular classes. Failure to complete 50% of the summer assignments by July 1st and 100% by the first meeting of APUSH and Hamlit next term will be a sign that you may well struggle with the pace of work next year.
Second, we hit the ground running in August, and we have eight months to cover almost 400 years of this nation's story. However, history is not just about knowing stuff and facts and dates, but is a way of using the past as a mirror in which we define our modern identities, values, and norms. In Lies My Teacher Told Me, author James Loewen does a pretty engaging job critiquing the way high school history often misleads future citizens about what they and their country really are about. In reading his book, I want YOU to think critically about HIS apparent biases and HIS unique point of view. Think hard, and be wary, for our path through the past is threatened by uncertainties and haunted by misconceptions. . .
Here is your summer reading and writing assignment:
You must read all the chapters listed overleaf. Then, for six of the selected chapters, write a coherent and cohesive 1- 1½ page written reflection. You should use some brief, carefully selected quotes from the text to support your answer, but not extensive blocks of text. I'm interested in reading your thoughtful analysis, not Loewen's words.
Rubric: o MLA format, 12-point font, double-spaced. o Summarizes the main argument of each chapter. o Thoughtful analysis of Loewen's arguments. What kids of source material does he use?
How convincing is his analysis of that material? What biases are evident in his work? o Includes an intelligent answer to the prompt. o Uses a high level of academic writing, grammar, word choice. o Expertly uses brief, carefully selected quotes to support analysis.

APUSH Heasman Assignments (POL)
Writing Assignment: Choose from the chapters below. In your written reflection, make sure you also address the prompts provided.
(FIRST TWO ARE MANDATORY)

Introduction. What does Loewen argue has gone so very wrong with the way we teach
history?

Chapter 1 - Handicapped By History. o In what ways can the process of heroification distort the relevance of history for subsequent generations?
(CHOOSE 2 OF NEXT 4)

Chapter 2 - 1493 & Columbus o For what reasons is the first expedition of
Christopher Columbus a misleading starting
point for a study of US History?

Chapter 3 - Truth About Thanksgiving o If the story of Thanksgiving is based on myths and misrepresentations, why do we continue to
celebrate the "feel good" version of the story?

Chapter 4 - Red Eyes o How would the popular view of American civilization be altered if high school history took a different perspective on the actions of Native
Americans?

Chapter 5 - Gone With The Wind o Why have history textbooks had such a difficult time confronting the racial divisions of
America's past?
(CHOOSE 2 OF NEXT 4)

Chapter 8 - Watching Big Brother. o In what ways can high school history teach a distorted view of the US role in global affairs? Do you think this distortion is necessarily a bad thing?

Chapter 10 - Down The Memory Hole. o Why does the passing of time since an event occurred affect our perspective of
what actually happened?

Chapter 11 - Progress is our Product. o To what extent is the story of the United
States one of onward progress?

Chapter 12 - Why is History Taught Like
This? o What factors have contributed to the uniformity of how high school history is taught? How do you think we can change the way we look at our nation's past?
Half of your APUSH/Hamlit summer work is due by midnight on July 1st. You may choose to do 50% of Hamlit and 50% of APUSH assignments; or 100% of Hamlit; or 100% of APUSH by this date. Your completed assignments for both classes are due as hard copies at the first class meetings in August. o Failure to submit 50% of your summer assignment by midnight, July 1st will result in you being dropped from the class. o Failure to turn in a completed hard copy at the first class meeting will also result in you being dropped from the class. o The APUSH assignment must be shared with Mr. Heasman as a Google doc, with the
'Access' set to 'Can edit'. This is very important - all APUSH essays need to be shared with me at this setting. APUSH work should be shared with Mr. Heasman at pheasman@gatewayhigh.org o This assignment is worth 60 POL points (10 per chapter)
A brief note on academic dishonesty - One instance of this will get you kicked from both the
AP and Hamlit courses. No second chances. Do your own original work, always!