AP US History Summer Reading Assignment
2015-2016 School Year
Welcome
You are to be commended for stepping up to the plate and accepting this awesome challenge! AP US History is
jam-packed with information about our past…all our past, from pre-Columbian civilizations to the election of
Barack Obama. We will “push” through over five hundred years of American History, and hopefully have a
little fun while we’re doing it. We’ll find many American historical figures to admire, and we’ll find plenty of
others to despise too. Our past is not always pretty, but we will study it all. In order to get off to a running start
we must begin our study during the summer months.
Background to Summer Reading Assignment
Although many people feel that history is simply lists of names, places, and dates, I believe that the
discipline of history is interpretation of evidence. Documents and artifacts can only be understood
through the lens of personal knowledge and experience. Every piece of evidence is capable of
varying interpretations. Nevertheless, the story of American history was generally told from one
point of view throughout most of the existence of our country.
History is generally written by the winners. The victors of wars and battles generally write their own
tails. This began to change in 1980 with the publication of A People’s History of the United States.
Professor Howard Zinn set out to tell the story of America from the point of view of the poor and the
powerless. Beginning with the arrival of Columbus and continuing through America’s long war in
Vietnam.
We will look into his, as well as several other historians’ points of view on numerous historical
events. We will examine the winner’s views as well as the “losers” viewpoints to make a true
comparison of historical events.
For your summer reading assignment you will be expected to read the first three chapters of Howard Zinn’s
Peoples History of The United States. The good thing is, many websites have online copies just Google it! I use
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html
Assignment Part 1
Read the following chapters in A People’s History of the United States.
 Chapter 1 – “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress”
 Chapter 2- “Drawing the Color Line”
 Chapter 3 – “Persons of Mean and Vile Condition”
Part one is to outline the first three chapters. This does not mean simply copy the text into a notebook. I want
to see what type of outlines you use for reading so I can better help and understand you!
Assignment Part 2
ZINN CHAPTER 1; Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress
1. According to Zinn, what is his main purpose for writing A People’s History of the United States?
2. According to Zinn, how is Columbus portrayed in traditional history books?
3. Identify one early and one subsequent motive that drove Columbus to oppress indigenous peoples.
4. Discuss the significance of Powhatan’s statement, "Why will you take by force what you may have
quietly by love?"
5. Explain Governor John Winthrop’s legal and biblical justification for seizingIndian land.
6. Do you agree with Zinn’s portrayal of Columbus? Why or why not?
ZINN CHAPTER 2; Drawing the Color Line
1. According to Zinn, what is the root of racism in America?
2. Why were Africans considered "better" slaves than Indians in Virginia?
3. How did slavery in Africa differ from slavery in Europe and the Americas?
4. Describe the conditions that slaves on ships experienced coming to America ("Middle Passage").
5. What evidence exists that America’s slaves did not accept their fate easily?
6. Why did slave owners fear poor whites?
7. Do you agree with Zinn’s portrayal of Slavery and the root of racism in America? Why or Why not?
ZINN CHAPTER 3; Persons of Mean and Vile Condition
1. What was the underlying cause of Bacon’s Rebellion?
2. Explain indentured servitude (also known as the "headright system").
3. How did the voyage of indentured servants to America compare with the "Middle Passage."
4. What generally happened to indentured servants after they became free?
5. Explain the statement: "The country therefore was not "born free" but born slave and free, servant
and master, tenant and landlord, poor and rich."
6. Do you think Zinn’s comparison of Slavery and Indentured Servitude was historically accurate?
Why or Why not?
Part three: Map Activity (use the blank maps on last two pages)
Maps Directions: Label the following maps of the United States with the states, cities,
landforms, and bodies of water below. Also, color in the maps according to the directions
below.
Map 1: States, Regions, and Countries
 Label all 50 states correctly
 Label the neighboring countries of Mexico and Canada
 Color in all the different Regions of the US:
o New England – Maine, NH, Vermont, RI, Mass., Conn. (BLUE)
o Mid-Atlantic – NY, NJ, Penn., Maryland, Delaware (YELLOW)
o South Atlantic – Florida, Georgia, Virginia, WV, NC, SC (PURPLE)
o South – Texas, Louisiana, Ark., Miss., Ala., Kent, Tenn., OK (RED)
o Midwest – Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin (GREEN)
o Great Plains – Neb., Kan., ND, SD, Missouri, Iowa, Minn. (PINK)
o Rocky Mountain – CO, WY, NM, MT, NV, ID, AZ, UT (GRAY)
o West/Pacific – Cali., Oregon, Wash., Hawaii, Alaska (ORANGE)
Map 2: Landforms, Bodies of Water, and Cities
 Label and draw (where necessary) the landforms and bodies of water: Rocky
Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
Lake Michigan
Mississippi River
Lake Superior
Ohio River
Lake Ontario
Missouri River
Lake Huron
Erie Canal Lake Erie
Rio
Grande Pacific Ocean
Great Salt Lake Atlantic
Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
 Label the following major cities in the US:
Chicago, IL
New York, NY St. Louis,
MO
Boston, MA
Philadelphia, PA
Los Angeles, CA Detroit, MI
New Orleans, LA Seattle, WA
Washington,
DC
Baltimore, MD
Salt Lake City, UT Dallas, TX
San Francisco, CA Atlanta, GA
Denver, CO
Phoenix, AZ
Richmond, VA
Part Four: Easiest one! Write me a thesis statement on the following question, “What were the three best parts of
your summer?” Please write only a thesis (I am trying to gauge where you are and what we need to work on.
All four parts will be due when school begins in August. You will have a test on the US map the first
week of school when you come back, so be sure you are prepared. Have a great summer!