AP US History – Mr. Roe
University School of Jackson
2014-2015
Course Objectives:
Provide a college-level survey of American history.
Prepare students for success on the May 2015 AP Exam.
Teach students about themselves, principles of citizenship, and strategies that will
improve them as students.
Emphasize historical skills such as interpreting documents, reading critically, writing
well-organized essays, analysis of political cartoons, reading charts and graphs,
organizing information and materials, note taking, and study skills.
Grading:
Daily 50% - Daily grades is a general umbrella that includes homework(most
homework will be in the form of daily READING/responses or quizzes), classroom
assignments, document responses, video questions, reading/notes quizzes. Reading
quizzes from the text and primary source readings will be assigned regularly. There are
times where essays, major quizzes, etc. will count multiple daily grades. These will be
clarified by the instructor prior to the assignment being given.
Tests 50% - Tests will be given at the end of every unit and generally patterned after
the AP Test with several multiple choice questions and some discussion/short essay to
simulate/prepare for the Free Response element of AP, but may also include matching
and fill-in-the-blank questions. While tests may include short discussion questions, major
FRQ/DBQ essays will normally be given as homework due to time constraints. 9-week
notebook checks and research presentations may also be scored as test grades.
Grading Scale- Every assignment is based on 100-pt. format and follows the USJ
grading scale:
A+ 98-100
A 93-97
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D 65-69
F 64 and below
Figuring the final grade for the course:
1st semester avg. = 1st 9 weeks (40%), 2nd 9 weeks (40%), Mid-Term Exam
(20%)
2nd semester avg. = 3rd 9weeks (50%), 4th 9weeks (50%)
Final Grade = 1st semester (50%), 2nd semester (50%)
* The AP Exam is required to be taken by all students enrolled to receive course credit.
Classroom Rule – Respect Others at all Times
Examples – Courtesy to others as it applies to speaking in turn, respecting property
of others, daily preparation for class, punctuality, bringing materials, maturity, following
all school rules(dress code, electronic devices, etc.)
Honor Code -Students will abide by the honor code statement “My name affirms my honor.”
by the signing of their name for all assignments unless specifically exempted by the instructor.
Violations of the honor code pledge will result in a zero for the assignment, parental contact and
a disciplinary referral to the office for action consistent with the school policy on cheating.
Examples of violations of this policy include (but are not limited to) giving or receiving help on
any in-class or take-home test, essay, or quiz, plagiarism of material on take-home essays, and
discussion of any quiz, test, or essay questions with students who have not yet completed that
assignment.
Academic Standards – AP US History is a challenging opportunity which requires all to
do their jobs daily, stay “on top” of all assignments and READings, study notes regularly,
and LEARN the daily objectives as we go. All students are expected to carry themselves
as scholarly young adults with regards to regular attendance, completing one’s work and
turning it in on time, upholding the highest standards in the areas of honesty and
scholarship, and being responsible for all missed assignments and materials. Assignments
will be announced in class, posted on-line and are due on the announced due date, period.
Assignments are only accepted late in the case of an excused absence or school-related
absence, and, in most instances, those cases can be pre-arranged where assignments can
be completed on time. In short, it is the student’s responsibility to take care of their
academic business as PRIORITY ONE. Failure to comply with these standards will result
in negative consequences as it relates to grades, course credit, and AP Test score.
Organization – A Key to Success
Every student will keep an AP US Notebook, which will contain exclusively all of
our assignments, notes and materials organized by unit. This will allow the student to
keep up with all grades, assignments, notes, and study materials. All of the contents will
be labeled, dated and organized by unit in the following order so that the instructor and
student can easily check and/or use for assessment preparation.
1) Grade Sheet
2) Daily Objectives by Unit
3) Notes(A MUST)/Assignments
4) Study Guides at the end of each Unit
5) New Units begin with a new objective sheet

Notebooks will be taken up and assessed at the end of each 9-weeks and kept
on file in the classroom for review by instructor/parent and study purposes in
class.
Teacher Contact – Instructor is available regularly after-school and responds daily to
student/parent emails. I am also available before school by appointment.
Room - 1123
7:45am-3:30pm
School email – droe@usjbruins.org
Tutorial/After-school study sessions-Required tutorials are on Monday afternoons for
students who currently have a 69 average or below and for students who are failing to
meet the standard of excellence that a USJ student should maintain. Mr. Roe will let you
know if you are required for any other reason than overall average. This can also be
assigned for ANY DAY if needed. Students are to check their averages on Netclassroom
or ask if they are required. Not knowing is no excuse for not showing!
Readings/Texts – It is crucial in the AP classroom that the student is exposed to many
historical sources, primary and secondary readings and multiple interpretations of
historical scholarship, therefore independent reading is a MUST and is assigned
regularly. To facilitate this, we will be using our text along with document collections,
the following secondary sources which are illustrative of differing historical analyses, and
many other teacher-provided excerpts from various sources (There is a more
comprehensive list of primary docs in the Unit organization section).
Primary Texts:
David M. Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen and Thomas Bailey, The American Pageant, 15th
Edition, Wadsworth Publishing, 2012.
David M. Kennedy and Thomas Bailey, The American Spirit, Volumes I and II, 10th
Edition, 2002 (Supplemental Readings)
Secondary Sources:
Larry Madaras and James Sorelle, Taking Sides in American History, Vols.I and II, 14th
Edition, McGraw Hill/Dushkin, 2010.
Kerry Candaele, American Voices:Opposing Viewpoints on Significant Issues, Scott
Foresman and Co., 1992.
Additional Support Materials:
Stacie Berman and Mark Epstein, Fast Track to a 5: Preparing for the AP United States
History Examination, 2013.
Additional Primary and Secondary Sources provided by instructor.
Multiple on-line and video sources, including Peter Jennings’ The Century: America’s
Time, 2000.
Historical Scholarship/Interpretation Readings: Students will be reading differing
perspectives on historical issues from contemporary historians. Some of these books will
be excerpts from popular history such as works by Stephen Ambrose(Undaunted
Courage), Robert Remini(Andrew Jackson), H.W. Brands(TR:The Last Romantic), and
David McCullough(John Adams and Truman). Others will include arguments/essays
which will examine historical analyses concerning key historical questions. Samples of
these can be found in the Unit Organization section under “historical interpretation” and
will come from various sources, not limited to the following:
John Garraty, Historical Viewpoints(New York: Longman, 2002).
James W. Loewen, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History
Textbook Got Wrong(Touchstone, 2007).
Francis G. Couvares, Martha Saxton, Gerald N. Grob and George Athan Billias,
Interpretations of American History, Vols. 1 and 2:Patterns and Perspectives(Free Press,
1991).
Patrick Gerster and Nicholas Cords, Myth America, Vols. 1 and 2(Brandywine Press,
1997).
Tentative Organization by Unit (Correlated by Chapter(s) of Pageant) - Duration
For each unit, we will stress key concepts, or organizing principles connected to each
period.
Fall Semester
Unit 1: Beginnings to Colonial America (Ch. 1-5) 3 weeks
Unit 2: The Revolutionary Era (Ch. 6-9) 2 weeks
Unit 3: The New Nation (Ch. 10-12) 3 weeks
Unit 4: The Age of Jackson (Ch. 13-15, 17) 3 weeks
Unit 5: The Worlds of North and South (Ch. 16, 18-19) 3 weeks
Unit 6: Civil War and Reconstruction (Ch. 20-22) 3 weeks
Mid-Term Examination (cumulative)
Spring Semester
Unit 7: The Gilded Age/The West/Industrialization/Intro to Imperialism (Ch. 23-27) 3 wk
Unit 8: Progressivism (Ch. 28-29) 2 weeks
Unit 9: Imperialism/WWI (Ch. 27,30) 3 weeks
Unit 10: 1920s-1930s (Ch. 31-33) 2 weeks
Unit 11: WWII (Ch. 34-35) 2 weeks
Unit 12: The Cold War(Truman, Ike, JFK-Ch. 36-38) 3 weeks
Unit 13: 1970s-1980s (Post Cold War) (Ch. 39-42) 3 weeks
Review/AP EXAM
* See course organization section for specific examples of primary document readings,
FRQ and DBQ writing assignments, and details on thematic/conceptual topics.
AP US History – A REDESIGNED Skills-based, Thematic Approach
In addition to the narrative of American History, replete with the major
personalities, events, and the chronology that has shaped the story of America, we will
also weave into every Unit nine(9) overarching historical thinking skills and seven(7)
major themes emphasized by the College Board with which students must be proficient to
perform well on the AP Exam. The instructor will also interject other significant concepts
students need to apply these themes to their study.
HISTORICAL SKILLS(9)
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Historical Causation
Patterns of Continuity and Change
Periodization
Comparison
Contextualization
Historical Argumentation
Appropriate Use of Relevant Historical Evidence
Interpretation
Synthesis
KEY AP THEMES(7)
1) Identity – understanding the American character
2) Work, Exchange and Technology – tracing the development of the American economy
3) Peopling – who moved to, from and within the US
4) Politics and Power- the changing role of the state in American society
5) America in the World – diplomacy and military action
6) Environment and Geography – interaction between the environment and Americans
7) Ideas, Beliefs and Culture – the impact of religion, culture, science and philosophy on
the American people
*Rationale/Details on Thematic Approach: It is imperative that students are exposed to
American history through a conceptual approach, and not simply a chronological survey
of people and events, so throughout our AP experience we will emphasize how major
historical themes such as diplomacy(America’s place in the world), economic trends(how
the changing trends in business and the dynamic role of government in the U.S.
economy), political institutions(the evolution of the U.S. Constitution and role of the
federal government, for example), and social and cultural aspects of history(race, gender,
media, technology) have changed over time. This thematic view of “change over time”
will guide much of our instruction. Several examples of these recurring themes will be
pointed out in the Unit organization section. For example, it will be clear through our
studies how the concepts of Race and Political Institutions have been both inter-related
and evolving “over time” through American history.
A Word on the AP Approach to Reading, Primary Documents and Assessments
The ability to understand, compare and analyze historical documents is integral
both to truly learning how to do history and to perform well on the Advanced Placement
examination. We will extensively use first-hand accounts of events, speeches, letters,
essays, cartoons, editorials, laws and other primary sources to support classroom lectures,
text assignments(students WILL READ most of the textbook – LEARN TO LOVE IT!),
and additional readings of secondary sources. These documents will be used for shorter
writing assignments and responses as well as for document-based essays which will be
assigned regularly. Reading additional documents and primary/secondary sources are
routine exercises in an AP classroom. Many of these will come from The American Spirit
as well as from other texts and websites. The following detailed course organization with
specific documents provides examples of this. Student learning will be assessed through
regular reading and notes quizzes (usually announced, but always fair game), and writing
will be practiced on a regular basis. Short document responses will be assigned often,
short discussion questions will be asked on every unit assessment, and a sample DBQ
(document-based question) or FRQ(free-response question) will be assigned or reviewed
about once a month. In addition, regularly assigned outside reading is a vital component
of AP preparation. The instructor will assign/adjust which documents will be used for
which type of assessment as they arise and students will be notified of specific
assignments and instructions, due date, etc. during class time and through the school
website. The instructor also reserves the right to adjust the reading list and assignments
based on our schedule, course objectives and student progress. As you read through the
Unit topics and readings, understand that every Unit will culminate with a Unit
Examination consisting of Multiple Choice, Matching, Fill in the Blank and Short
Discussion questions. A study guide with specific terms, people, and readings of
emphasis and general reminders will be provided two school days before the Unit Exam.
AP Required Meetings – We will have mandatory weekly meetings during lunch to teach
writing and how to address AP-specific skills for test preparation. This is a requirement
of AP as our regular class time content instruction must be supplemented with prep time
together and much independent work to be successful at this level. We will also hold at
least two Saturday meetings in the Spring(TBA) which are required for AP test prep. AP
success requires MORE, and thus, these additional meetings and assignments are not
optional for AP students.
Unit Organization with Specific (Tentative) List of Primary Readings, Assigned DBQs
and FRQs by Unit and Examples of Specific Themes (and related topics) by Unit to
demonstrate our overarching theme of “change over time”
Fall Semester
Unit 1: Beginnings to Colonial America (Ch. 1-5) 3 Weeks
Documents/Readings:
Sepulveda Belittles the Indians v. Las Casas Defends the Indians
Hakluyt Sees England’s Salvation in America (1584)
The Starving Time (1609)
Act of Toleration (1649)
Mayflower Compact (1620)
Abandoning Communism at Plymouth (1623)
The Blue Laws of Connecticut (1672)
Mary Rowlandson is captured by Indians (1675)
The Governor Upholds the Law/The Baconite Grievances (1676-1677)
Benjamin Franklin Analyzes the Population (1751)
George Whitefield Fascinates Franklin (1739)
Jonathan Edwards Paints the Horrors of Hell (1741)
Thematic topic examples: Peopling (role and rise of slavery in colonial regions), Politics
and Power (structure of colonial administrations, evolution of salutary neglect, colonists’
approach to British rule), Work, Exchange and Technology(Mercantilism, Navigation
Acts)
Writing Exercises: FRQ- Compare and contrast the ways in which religion shaped the
development of colonial society (to 1740) in two of the following regions: New England,
Middle and Southern.
DBQ – AP 2010 – In what ways did values held by Puritans influence
the political, economic and social development of the New England colonies from 1630s
to 1660s?
Document Assessment Exercise- Compare the accounts of Las Casas
and Sepulveda on the issue of encomienda and weight the merits of their arguments.
Historical Interpretation: Columbus: Hero or Villain? (From Loewen book)
The Truth About the Pilgrims (Loewen)
The Puritans :Orthodoxy or Diversity? (Miller essay)
Unit 2: The Revolutionary Era (Ch. 6-9) 2 Weeks
Documents/Readings:
Francis Parkman Analyzes the Conflict (F and I War)(1884)
Pontiac Rallies the Warriors (1763)
Proclamation of 1763
Franklin Testifies Against the Stamp Act (1765)
Adam Smith Criticizes Empire (1776)
Patrick Henry “Give Me Liberty” (1775)
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (1776)
Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence (1776)
Madison’s Federalist Number 10(excerpt)
Bill of Rights (1791)
Thematic Topic examples: Identity (role of blacks and women in the Revolution), Politics
and Power (weaknesses of the Articles, Constitutional Convention and ratification)
Writing Exercises: FRQ – The Bill of Rights did not come from a desire to protect the
liberties won in the American Revolution, but rather from a fear of the powers of the new
federal government. Assess the validity of the statement.
Reading Exercise: Were the founders Democratic reformers
(American voices)?
DBQ- AP 1985 – From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation
provided the U.S. with an effective government. Evaluate this statement.
Historical Interpretation: The American Revolution: Social or Ideological? (Nash)
The Constitution: Conflict or Consensus? (Gordon Wood)
Unit 3: The New Nation (Ch. 10-12) 3 Weeks
Documents:
Hamilton v. Jefferson excerpts on Popular Rule, Assumption of Debts, Bank, French
Revolution, etc.
Washington’s Farewell Address (1797)
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Lewis and Clark vs. Grizzly (1805)
Tecumseh v. Harrison (1810)
Madison’s War Message (1812)
Hartford Convention and JQA Response (1814)
Monroe Doctrine (1823)
Thematic Examples: Peopling (rise and expansion of Cotton Kingdom slavery), Work,
Exchange and Technology (debates over assumption, National bank – see docs),
America in the World(issues of impressment, Jay’s Treaty, War of 1812, Native
American unrest on frontier), Politics and Power(debates over federalism-Kentucky and
Virginia Resolutions, Hartford Convention)
Writing Exercises: FRQ: Analyze the contributions of TWO of the following in helping
establish a stable government after the adoption of the Constitution: George Washington,
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson
DBQ: AP 1998 – With regard to the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans
are usually characterized as strict constructionists who were opposed to the broad
constructionism of the Federalists. To what extent is this characterization of the two
parties accurate during the Presidencies of Jefferson and Madison?
Historical Interpretation: Reading from Ambrose on Lewis
“How Revolutionary was the Revolution of 1800?”
Unit 4: Age of Jackson (Ch. 13-15, 17) 3 Weeks
Documents:
Davy Crockett Advice (1836)
Hayne v. Webster (1830)
South Carolina v. Jackson on Nullification (1832)
Jackson Bank Veto (1832)
De Tocqueville on Parties (1830)
Chattel Slavery v. Wage Slavery (1840)
Impact of Erie Canal (1853)
Channing on Reform (1831)
Seneca Falls Declaration (1848)
Emerson/Thoreau Quotes
Polk’s War Message (1846)
Thematic Examples: Identity (rights of common man, reform movements – Seneca Falls,
Second Great Awakening, Abolitionism), Ideas, Beliefs and Culture(political press and
popular involvement/interest in politics), Work, Exchange, and Technology(growing
Market economy, early Industrialization, America in the World(Indian Removal,
Manifest Destiny, Texas), Politics and Power (Rise of Democrats and Whigs)
Writing Exercises: FRQ- How did two of the following contribute to the re-emergence of
a two-party system in the period of 1820-1840: Political personality, States’ rights,
Economic Issues?
DBQ- AP 1990 - Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as guardians of the U.S.
Constitution regarding democracy, liberty, and equality. To what extent do you agree?
Historical Scholarship- Reading from Remini on Jackson’s Presidency and Duels
Comparison Chart on Jacksonian Democrats to Jeffersonian
Republicans
Making Connections: Jackson’s Indian Removal?
Unit 5: The Worlds of North and South (Ch. 16, 18-19) 3 Weeks
Documents:
Douglas Exposes Slavery (1850)
Slave Auction (1850)
A Slave Woman’s Tale
The “Blessings” of the Slave (1849)
Garrison’s Liberator (1831)
Webster’s 7th of March Speech (1850)
Douglas on Popular Sovereignty (1854)
Sumner’s “The Crime against Kansas” (1856)
Taney’s Dred Scott Decision (1857)
Excerpts from Lincoln/Douglas Debates (1858)
Charleston Mercury Secession Editorial (1860)
Thematic Examples: Ideas, Beliefs and Culture(Radical Abolitionism vs. Defense of
Slavery) Politics and Power (Heightened arguments on the nature of the federal union,
secession), Work, Exchange, and Technology (growing differences in North and South,
tariff debate), America in the World (Causes of the War)
Writing Exercises: FRQ- Analyze ways in which the supporters of slavery in the
nineteenth century used legal, religious and economic arguments to defend the institution
of slavery.
DBQ – AP 1987 – By the 1850s, the Constitution, originally framed as an instrument of
national unity, had become a source of discord and contributed to the failure of the
Union. Evaluate this statement.
Historical Scholarship: Slavery and the Meaning of America (Davis)
The Anti-Slavery Myth (Woodward)
Unit 6: Civil War and Reconstruction (Ch. 20-22) 3 Weeks
Documents:
Stephens’ Cornerstone Speech (1861)
Vallandigham on Civil Liberties (1863)
Governor Brownlow on the Secessionists (1861)
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (1863)
Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Address (1865)
Lincoln’s letter to Greeley (1862)
Sherman’s Response to Atlanta (1864)
Death of Lincoln documents
BT Washington on Freedom
Richardson Testifies about Reconstruction-Era Georgia (1871)
BT Washington on Reconstruction (1901)
Thematic Examples: Identity(Emancipation and development of sharecropping), Politics
and Power (Impeachment Debate: Power Struggle b/t branches, Changing role of
federalism and involvement of federal government in Reconstruction), Work, Exchange
and Technology (Freedman’s Bureau, Rebuilding of Southern economy)
Writing Exercises: FRQ- Discuss the political, economic and social reforms introduced in
the South between 1864 and 1877. To what extent did these reforms survive the
Compromise of 1877.
DBQ- AP 1996 – In what ways and to what extent did constitutional and social
developments between 1860 and 1877 amount to a revolution?
Historical Scholarship: Civil War: Repressible or Irrepressible? (Nevins)
Reading from Donald on Lincoln
Lincoln and the Self-Made Myth (Hofstadler)
Foner on “Sharecropping”
Mid-Term Examination – Will include Items from First 6 Units and a FRQ!
Spring Semester
Unit 7: Gilded Age/The West/Industrialization/Intro to Imperialism (Ch. 23-27) 3 Weeks
Documents:
BT Washington on tenant farming (1889)
Southern black woman on Jim Crow (1902)
Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896)
Cleveland on the Tariff (1885)
Carnegie speeches – “On Wealth” and “Business Advice”
General Weaver attacks the Trusts (1892)
The Nation Challenges Carnegie (1901)
Russell Conwell’s “Acres of Diamonds” (1900)
In Praise of Mechanization (1897)
Gompers Condemns the Knights (1886)
Carl Schurz on “Civilizing the Indians” (1881)
Walking the White Man’s Road (1890s)
Mrs. Mary Lease Raises More Hell (1890)
WJ Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” (1896)
McKinley Prays for Guidance (1898)
Thematic Examples: Peopling/Identity(Settlement Houses, increased involvement and
services for women, urban poor, immigration, Americanizing Native Americans,
Suffrage extended to Blacks, Jim Crow- see docs), Work, Exchange and
Technology(Rise of Labor Union and farmer organizations, debates about monetary
policy and markets abroad) Politics and Power(Solid South, Gilded Age corruption,
effect of labor and farmers on Electoral Politics, 3rd Party Electoral Politics), Ideas,
Beliefs and Culture(effect of concepts of social Darwinism, Gospel of Wealth on
American public), America in the World(Imperialism, Spanish-American War),
Writing Exercises: FRQ- Analyze the impact of any TWO of the following on the
American industrial worker between 1865 and 1900: Government actions, Immigration,
Labor Unions, Technology changes.
FRQ- How were the lives of the Plains Indians in the second half of
the nineteenth century affected by technological developments and government actions?
DBQ- AP 1983 – Explain reasons for agrarian discontent and evaluate
the validity of the farmers’ complaints.
Historical Scholarship: Black History Since 1865: Representative or Racist? (J.H.
Franklin)
Debate- American Industrialists: Robber Barons or Captains of
Industry?
Excerpt from Bury My Heart…
Reading on Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Unit 8: Progressivism (Ch. 28-29) 2 Weeks
Documents:
Sinclair’s The Jungle excerpt (1906)
TR’s “Muckraker” speech (1906)
Plunkitt on “Honest Graft”(1905)
Spargo’s Bitter Cry of the Children excerpt (1906)
TR’s “New Nationalism” (1910) v. Wilson’s “New Freedom” (1912)
T Roosevelt’s “Strenuous Life” speech (1900)
Dreisler Sister Carrie excerpt (1900)
Cleaning up New York (1897)
Mary Antin on the streets of Boston (1894)
Thematic Examples: Identity(Progressive reforms which affected daily lives of common
men, workers, women; shortcomings on issue of race), Politics and Power(Constitutional
amendments, state reforms, expanded suffrage and democracy), Work, Exchange and
Technology(government regulation of business and labor laws), Ideas, Beliefs and
Culture (technological changes w/ urban development)
DBQ – AP 1989 – Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois offered different strategies
for dealing with poverty and discrimination. Assess the appropriateness of their
strategies, focusing on the years from 1877 to 1915.
Historical Scholarship: Brands’ TR:The Last Romantic
The Progressives: Liberal or Conservative? (Hays)
Unit 9 :Imperialism-WWI (Chs 27, 30) 2 weeks
Documents:
TR Hopes for Revolt (1903)
Roosevelt Corollary (1904)
Zimmerman Telegram
Wilson’s War Message (1917)
14 Points v. TR’s rebuttal (1917)
Thematic Examples: America in the World (isolationism, The Great War),
Peopling(Impact of the War at Home – German-American Nativism, Migration of
African-Americans)
Writing Exercises: FRQ – Assess the relative influence of THREE of the following in the
American decision to declare war on Germany in 1917: German naval policy, American
economic interests, Wilson’s idealism, Allied propaganda, America’s claim to world
power.
DBQ – AP 1994 – To what extent was late 19th Century expansionism
a continuation of past US expansionism and to what extent a departure from prior
policies?
Unit 10: 1920s-1930s (Ch. 31-33) 2 Weeks
Documents:
Lodge v. Wilson Documents on League of Nations (1919)
Bruce Barton The Man Nobody Knows excerpts (1925)
Laguardia v. WCTU on Prohibition (1926)
Hoover’s “Rugged Individualism” Speech
FDR v. Hoover speech excerpts
Huey P Long’s “Every Man a King”
Thematic Examples: Identity (Harlem Renaissance, Organized Crime, Social Effects of
Prohibition, Changing role of women, birth control), Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture (Scopes
Trial, Modern v. Traditional, rise of advertising and mass media, professional sports),
Politics and Power (Return to Normalcy, Conservative politics), America in the World
(isolationism, armament reduction), Work, Exchange and Technology (tariff, Stock
Market Crash, false prosperity to Great Depression, New Deal programs)
Writing Exercises: FRQ – Compare and contrast the programs and policies designed by
reformers of the Progressive era to those designed by reformers of the New Deal period.
Confine your answers to programs and policies that addressed the needs of those living in
poverty.
DBQ – AP 1984 – FDR has generally characterized as a liberal, while Hoover has been
described as conservative. To what extent are these characterizations valid?
Historical Scholarship: New Deal: Revolutionary or Conservative? (Schlesinger)
The Myth of the Disillusioned Soldier (Kennedy)
Unit 11: WWII (Ch. 34-35) 2 Weeks
Documents:
Isolation (Lindbergh) v. Intervention (NY Times) (1941)
FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech
Atlantic Charter v. Chicago Tribune (1941)
FDR’s War Message (1941)
Stalin on the 2nd Front (1943)
Atom Bomb Pro –Truman v. Con “Christian Century” (1945)
Thematic Examples: Peopling/Identity (Role of Blacks and Women in the “War Effort”,
Japanese Internment Camps, Holocaust), Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture (Role of Media and
propaganda –radio, posters, etc. in the War, new military technology), Work, Exchange
and Technology (rationing, War Production Board – gov’t regulation of economy),
America in the World (appeasement, WWII) Politics and Power (4th Term?, Expanding
powers of Presidency and role of government)
Writing Exercises: FRQ: How significant was WWII’s impact on the American home
front? Consider the issues of race and gender, as well as technological and economic
development.
DBQ – AP 1988 – The U.S. decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was a
diplomatic means to intimidate the Soviet Union rather than military in nature. Evaluate
this statement using documents from 1939 to 1947.
Historical Scholarship: The Coming of WWII: Avoidable or Inevitable?
The Lengthening Shadow of FDR: An Enduring Myth
(Leuchtenburg)
Atom Bomb Debate (Ambrose reading, Truman docs)
Unit 12: Cold War- Truman, Eisenhower, JFK (Ch. 36-38) 3 Weeks
Criticism of Yalta Agreements (1945)
Kennan’s “Containment” (1946)
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Marshall Plan v. Soviet Response (1947)
NSC 68 excerpts (1950)
Dulles on Massive Retaliation (1954)
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS (1954)
Southern Manifesto (1956)
TV is a “Vast Wasteland” (1961)
Eisenhower’s “Military-Industrial Complex” (1961)
Thematic Examples: Identity(desegregation of armed forces, public education), Ideas,
Beliefs and Culture (Television, Rock and Roll, growth of suburbs, McCarthyism),
America in the World (containment, Truman Doctrine, brinksmanship, Korea), Work,
Exchange and Technology (consumerism, Fair Deal)
Writing Exercises: FRQ – Analyze the influence of TWO of the following on AmericanSoviet relations in the decade following the Second World War: Yalta Conference,
Communist Revolution in China, Korean War, McCarthyism.
DBQ – Between 1945 and 1950, the wartime alliance between the United States and the
Soviet Union broke down and the Cold War began. For the next 40 years, relations
between the two superpowers swung between confrontation and détente. Each tried to
increase its worldwide influence and spread its competing economic and political
systems. At times during this period the competitors were at the brink of war. How was
the Cold War fought?
Historical Scholarship: Cold War: Containment or Counterrevolution?
The Myth of the Placid 1950s(Marcus)
McCullough on Truman
Unit 13: 1960s-Present (Ch. 39-42) 3 Weeks
Documents:
JFK’s “Quarantine of Cuba” (1962)
LBJ’s “War on Poverty” v. Cleveland Plain Dealer (1964)
MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)
LBJ “Selma Speech” (1964)
Robert McNamara on Vietnam (1966)
Port Huron Statement (1962) v. Sharon Statement (1960)
Nixon on Foreign Policy (1968-69)
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Reagan requests a tax cut (1981)
Harpers’ Magazine on Iran-Contra (1987)
Gingrich v. Weicker on school prayer
Gender Gap – Women Voters (1996)
Ralph Reed on Moderation (1996)
Mort Zuckerman on Social Security (1996)
The Economics of Immigration (1996)
Pros/Cons on Affirmative Action (1996)
Thematic Examples: Identity/Peopling (Civil Rights, ERA, Affirmative Action,
Immigration), Ideas, Beliefs and Culture (24 hour news cycle, Internet, Culture Wars),
America in the World (Cold War evolves, ends, Vietnam), Work, Exchange and
Technology(Great Society, Reaganomics), Politics and Power(Watergate, Clinton
Impeachment)
Writing Exercises: FRQ – In what ways did the Great Society resemble the New Deal in
its origins, goals, and social and political legacy? Cite specific programs and policies in
support of your arguments.
DBQ – AP 2011 – Analyze the international and domestic challenges the U.S. faced in
the years from 1968-1974, and evaluate how President Richard Nixon’s administration
responded to them?
Historical Scholarship: The Kennedy Myth (Parmet)
Mythology and the Charismatic Leadership of MLK(Carson)
Final Exam Week – AP Students are required to take AP Exam on specified date(May 8),
but are not to take an additional comprehensive final during exam week. They are
required to attend AP review sessions.
“Presidentation” Research Project – While a traditional research paper is not required as
in many college-level courses, every student will be required to develop and present to
the class, two (one per semester) Presidentations along with a power-point presentation
and evidence of historical research. These will count as a test grade and be presented
during the appropriate unit. See instructions:
Presidential Presentations: Presidentations
Presidents will be assigned randomly through class drawing, and each student will be
assigned a partner. The presentations will be given in the order of their administrations. It
is your responsibility to keep up when your presentation is due! You will be notified
a few days in advance, but the order is obvious, so work ahead.)
Project Requirements:
1) Length – 15 minutes(approximately)
2) You must do your own research (online sources, secondary sources, etc.)
3) You must include a power-point presentation w/ appropriate visuals.
4) Presentation can include role play, class activity, handouts, whatever. Be creative!
5) All students are responsible for information presented- fair game for tests,
assignments, etc.
You MUST turn in a one-half page summary of how you put together, arranged your
“Presidentation”, who did what, etc. including SOURCES.
To Include:
1) Personal Background (i.e. early life, family, education, religion, etc.))
2) Political Career
3) Presidential Administration(events/accomplishments while in office)
4) Interesting Tidbits???
Graded on:
1) Information (were all bases covered?)
2) Quality of visuals and any activity
3) Were instructions followed (time, summary sheet details, sources)?
4) Cooperation
5) Creativity (Did students do anything above and beyond an oral report?)
APUSH Test Structure
3 Hours, 15 minutes
I.
100 minutes Multiple Choice/Short Answer Section(60%)
1) 55 Stimulus-Based Application Type Questions in 55 Minutes (40 %)
Organized in 2-5 Questions per prompt
Tests Knowledge and historical reasoning(reading primary sources,
connecting eras, etc.)
2) 4 Short-Answer Questions(3 parts each) in 45 minutes (20%)
Will require students to use historical thinking skills and apply examples of
historical evidence relevant to the questions.
II.
95 Minute Free Response (DBQ/FRQ) (40 %)
1) Document-based Question – (25%) 60 minutes
Requires student to write a thesis-based essay making a historical
argument using a)provided sources along with the b)students’ own
knowledge of outside information
2) Free Response Long Essay(FRQ) – (15%) 35 minutes
Requires student to choose between two options and write a thesis-based
essay, making a historical argument using outside information.
% of Questions by Historical Period
1491-1607 5%
1607-1754 10%
1754-1800 12%
1800-1848 10%
1844-1877 13%
1865-1898 13%
1890-1945 17%
1945-1980 15%
1980-Present 5%