Honors / AP United States History
2013-2014
Course Description: AP/Honors U.S. History is yearlong course for highly motivated and responsible students that meets
every day for 90 minutes. It is offered in conjunction with the College Board’s Advanced Placement ® program, and offers a
challenging and excelled curriculum equivalent to an introductory college course in U.S. history. In accordance with the demanding
nature of the course, at the conclusion of the course students will have an opportunity to complete an exam offered by the College
Board in which they may earn college credit for the course. The course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and
factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. history. The course provides an understanding
of the chronological development of the American people through analysis of the following themes: American diversity, American
identity, culture, demographic change, economic transformations, environmental change, globalization, politics and citizenship,
reform movements, religion, slavery and its legacies, and war and diplomacy. In addition, the course trains students to analyze and
interpret primary sources, develop an awareness of multiple interpretations of historical issues in secondary sources, recognize
causation and trends, evaluate change over time, and compare developments from one period to another.
Course Materials:
TEXT
Brinkley, Alan. American History: Connecting with the Past(14 th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2012.
STUDENT REVIEW
Metzer, Tom and Bennett, Jean Hofheimer. The Princeton Review: Cracking the AP U.S. History Exam. New York, NY:
Random House, Inc.2006.
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS: Additional supplements will be provided from, but not limited to the following resources:
Binder, Frederick and Reimers, David. The Way We Lived: Essays and Documents in American Social History (5th ed.).
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2004.
Johnson, Michael P. Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents. Boston, MA: Bedford/ St. Martin’s,
2005.
Lamb, Brian. Booknotes: Stories form American History. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2002.
Shi, David and Mayer, Holly. For the Record: A Documentary History of America. New York, NY: WW Norton & Co.,
1999.
Quinn, Frederick. The Federalist Papers Reader and Historical Documents of Our American Heritage. Santa Ana, CA:
Seven Locks Press, 1997.
Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States: 1492 – Present. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, 2005.
REQUIRED STUDENT RESOURCES: Students will be responsible for having the following items with them during
all class periods, unless otherwise noted.
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1” Portfolio Binder
Blue or Black Pens or Pencils
Lined Notebook Paper
Highlighters (at least 4 colors)
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4 section dividers
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
Course Design:
AP U.S. History is designed to be taught at the college level and is difficult and demanding for many high school students. It is
designed for highly motivated and responsible students who have a keen and thoughtful interest in U.S. History. The course attempts
to develop higher level critical thinking skills by emphasizing analysis and evaluation, largely through the writing of formal essays.
This course will differ from traditional courses and honor courses in the following ways:
-Individual tests will cover a significantly greater body of information.
-A higher percentage of the grade is based on formal essays.
-There are fewer graded assignments which increases the need for adequate preparation for each.
-Responsibility for mastering the material rests with the student.
-Grades are based on the quality of the end product, not as “effort” grades.
-Homework consists primarily of reading assignments in which the student is responsible for mastery of the factual
information.
-At the end of the school year there will be an exam by the College Board in which the student may earn college credit if they
pass the exam.
Keeping up-to-date: Two websites you should visit very often are Skyward Grade book to check to make sure your grade is correct
and the class website (http://narutaapush.wikispaces.com). The class website will have a calendar and many of the handouts/Power
Points attached. If you are absent be sure to check it.
Notebook: By the end of August, you need to have a 1” or 2” 3-ring binder with dividers. Divide it into the following sections: Note
Packets, Assessments, Handouts, Class Work. This notebook will be used the first 3 quarters and then as a review source in the 4 th
quarter. There will be a notebook tests for a grade at the end of each quarter. Don’t lose it!
Unit Plan: Each Unit students will be given reading assignments from Alan Brinkley American History, Connecting with the Past
textbook. They are expected to have read and taken notes on the pages assigned by the due date. There will be discussions, essays,
and/or pop quizzes (Pearl Harbors) over the assigned pages. There will also be additional reading assignments outside of the base
textbook. There will be a facts quiz in class and an in-class timed AP exam-like test over the unit as well as an AP-style Essay at the
completion of each unit. As the year progresses there will also be an AP style Document Based Essay Question in each unit. There
will be a list of Significant Factual Information for each unit given to the student to assist in reading and studying the material.
Research and Presentations: There will be a variety of small research assignments throughout the course. Some will require the
student to present the information to the rest of the class. Others will just require the assignment to be turned in. In the 1 st semester
there will be People Reports in which you must not only do the research, but will also present the material in front of the class. In the
2nd Semester there will be Event Reports that will also be presented in front of the class. Each semester there will be required
Documentary Summaries and over the winter holiday break there is a Historical Movie Report and two interviews that must be
completed.
Course Grading: Grades will be calculated based on the following percentages:
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Unit Exams
Interactive Portfolios
Quizzes/Participation
Homework
Essays
Activities
30 %
25%
*In accordance with the state’s standard, 0-59% = F; 60-69% = D; 7079% = C; 80-89% = B; and 90-100% = A.
10%
10%
10%
**County policy dictates that a Quarter Exam will count 20% of the
Quarter Grade for this course.
15%
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
Unit Exams are given at the end of each unit and at the end of each quarter and include multiple choice and essay components.
Each exam will build on material and skills covered in the previous units. Starting with the second test, each test will have a large
section covering new material in addition to a smaller section of material from previous units. This cumulative approach is designed to
help students review and retain material in preparation for the AP Exam in the spring.
Interactive Portfolios will be assigned throughout the course to ensure that students are thinking critically and fully using the
information that they learn. There is no substitute for student mastery of factual content. However, to succeed students must do more
than memorize isolated facts—the heart and soul of the course is to increase the facility of students in making connections between
bits of specific information. Getting students to see the “big picture” and focus on concepts and themes enhances their potential for
success both on the AP Exam and in college. Merely taking reading or lecture notes does not illustrate any level of critical thinking or
understanding. Rather, organizing, evaluating, and consistently interacting with such notes requires that students apply the information
with a deeper level of understanding. Within each unit, students will be asked to chose from a variety of activities to demonstrate their
understanding of their reading and lecture notes. These activities will be completed and organized with the student’s notes and
submitted on the day of the unit examination.
Quizzes / Participation grades often are the best indicator of student commitment to the course, and therefore student success.
Regular quizzes will be given to evaluate student understanding. Generally, these are short, multiple-choice quizzes designed to hold
students accountable for assigned reading and class discussions. Quizzes may be given without prior warning. Participation grades
may come in a variety of forms ranging from active involvement class activities to satisfactory completion of vocabulary note cards.
Participation is essential for success in any AP course. Not only does it help the individual student focus on the curriculum and fully
use their time in class, it enriches the quality of instruction and discussion for the entire class. Students may lose participation points
for the following infractions: sleeping in class (categorized as having one’s head down or eyes closed), failure to bring required
materials to class, tardiness, or other classroom disruptions. There are many details that must be learned in History. There will be
small quizzes throughout the class that you will have to show that you have mastered the basic material. If you do not have enough
correct, you will have to retake the quiz. If you do not, it will stay as a zero. Each time you take the quiz after the first time, you will
have 15% Deducted.
Homework and document analysis activities are designed to build up the vital skill of analysis and familiarize students with the
process of identifying tone, point of view, categorization, and context. Homework assignments will also include map labeling,
timeline, reading comprehension, research, and critical thinking skills.
Essays are assigned on a regular basis to develop skills necessary to do well on the AP U.S. History Exam. With three different
writing formats presented on the AP exam, writing timed essays tends to put students under tremendous stress. The best way to
alleviate this stress and build writing confidence is through regular reinforcement of writing structure, format, and organization.
Essays are to be hand-written, original works. Students are to strive to produce their best work on each essay—no plagiarism,
adequate position, complete sentences, appropriate voice, and proper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. All writing must be
readable.
Activities and projects will be assigned periodically throughout each quarter. These will vary in length and format, including
cooperative activities, individual research, and presentations. All activities will be assessed by rubrics provided when the activity is
assigned. Activities are designed to draw students deeper into themes and content, beyond just “knowing” the information.
Make-Up / Absence Work is the responsibility of the student. Students are expected to seek out and pick up any missed work at
the beginning or end of class on the day they return. At the same time, it is expected of the student to be current on the reading
assignments whether they are in class or not. Assignments turned in after the due date will be deducted an automatic 50% for being
late whether it is only minutes late or up to 2 weeks late. Students may NOT submit late work after the assignment has been returned
to the rest of the class. Absence in a previous class does not defer a quiz or test date unless arrangements have been made due to an
exceptional circumstance.
Classroom Policies and Procedures:
CLASSROOM RULES
1) No food or drink in class. Students will not be allowed to carry any visible food into the classroom. Any sealed food that
the student may have must be concealed in their bag or left in their locker. Gum, candy, and mints are also forbidden.
Drinks (sealed or not) will not be allowed in the classroom. Special exceptions will be made for sealable water bottles.
This rule is in compliance with school policies and is designed to maintain the quality of school facilities.
2) Students respect themselves and each other. All students are expected to show the utmost respect for themselves and
their fellow classmates at all times. In order to maintain an open and encouraging classroom environment, students
must be free from worrying about being made fun of, interrupted, or mocked. Students will not disrupt class, interrupt
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
another speaker, openly criticize or mock fellow students, tease, or in any way disrupt another student’s belongings.
Similarly, students are expected to fully respect themselves by maintaining a mature attitude in class and adhering to
the schools dress code and conduct policy. Finally, in the interest of respect, students are to observe the highest level
of academic integrity at all times. Students found to be cheating, copying, or plagiarizing will receive disciplinary action
in addition to a zero on that assignment.
No profanity or negativity. Students must be mindful that we are tasked with an academic goal to achieve. That is why
we are here. There is no room for inappropriate language or negative attitudes in the classroom. Often these lead to
violations of the districts code of conduct and bullying policy and will not be tolerated.
Students will be prepared for class. In acknowledging that each student has four classes, each with multiple materials,
students are still expected to be fully prepared each time they come to class. To elaborate, students must have their
textbook, portfolio, proper writing utensil, colored pencils, and paper each class period (unless otherwise noted). In
addition, students must be academically prepared for each class, having read the assigned reading and completed any
assigned work. Students will lose participation points for retrieving materials or homework assignments from their
locker during class.
Students will use all of their time in class. With approximately 15 weeks to learn 10,000 years of history there is no
time to spare in this course. Students are expected to work bell to bell during class. This means that students packing
up early at the end of class or failing to use their full class time to complete work will be reminded about the
expectation and then face disciplinary action.
No cell phones or electronic devices. In accordance with school and district policies, students may not have a cell
phone or other electronic appliance on in class. Any such appliances must be turned off and stored safely at all times
before and during school hours. All cell phone disruptions (intentional or not) will result in a referral. Students found to
be in violation of the cell phone policy on a test, quiz, or exam will receive a zero for the assignment in addition to their
referral. In addition, students must remain in compliance with the school’s acceptable use policy regarding computer
use.
Nothing goes airborne. This rule applies to both physical items and germs. Students are not to throw, toss, or propel
anything in the classroom. In addition, as a courtesy to their peers, students are asked to maintain thoughtful behaviors
regarding their germs (hand-washing, sneezing into sleeves, etc.).
ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is absolutely necessary for success in a course of this pace and rigor. There is simply no replacement for lost class
time. However, certain situations do arise that require students to miss class time. When this happens, it is the student’s responsibility
to acquire any missed work. Aside from tests, quizzes, and long-term projects, students will have 2 class periods (including the day
they return) to make up any missed work.
At the same time, tardiness is an unfortunate disruption to the entire classes time. Students are deemed tardy for class if they are not
seated in their designated spot and prepared to begin class when the final bell rings beginning the period. Upon entering class tardy,
each student is to sign in on the tardy sign-in sheet and deposit their pass into the green clipboard. Students arriving tardy to class
(excused or not) should make their best effort to enter class in the least disruptive manner.
Hall passes will be administered for appropriate purposes: bathroom functions, water, appropriate locker stops, and for administrative
uses. Students will not be allowed to use a pass for the bathroom or water in the first or last 10 minutes of class, except in the case of
emergency. Additionally, students found to be using a pass inappropriately (to wander the halls, go to a vending machine, etc.) will
lose the privilege permanently. In using a pass, students must first acquire permission from the instructor at an appropriate time in
class (please make every effort to avoid disrupting the entire class). The instructor will then give a pass to the student who is expected
to sign in and out and return quietly to class in a reasonable amount of time.
Course Scope and Sequence: This outline will serve as the basic guide for instruction throughout the year. Topics and
timeframes will vary based on instructional depth, school functions, etc. This outline is not set in stone and is therefore subject to
variation.
UNIT 1
ANTEBELLUM – RECONSTRUCTION (1830 – 1877)
c. 2 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: The Civil War was caused by historic economic, social, and political sectionalism that was further enflamed
by the issue of slavery. The Civil War effectively determined the nature of the Union, the economic direction of the United States, and
political control of the country.
Themes: American Identity; American Diversity; Politics and Citizenship; Slavery and Its Legacy; War / Diplomacy; Reform
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
Essential Questions:

Slavery seems like such a black-and-white issue? Why then was it so divisive to the nation?
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Can any one issue divide a nation enough to cause a Civil War on its own? What issue might come closest today?
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What does it take to diffuse racism? What areas of society does it affect?
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Historically speaking, what place does corruption have in American politics?
Topics: Abolition; Pro-slavery arguments; sectionalism; Compromise of 1850; popular sovereignty; Kansas-Nebraska Act; the
Republican party forms; sectional economic development; Election of 1860; Abraham Lincoln; secession; formation of the
Confederate States of America; the Civil War and its social, political, and economic consequences; emancipation; sectionalism during
the war; Presidential and Radical Reconstruction; aspirations and failures of Southern state governments; role of African-Americans in
the emancipated nation; Compromise of 1877; reconfiguration of southern agriculture; Jim Crow laws; and disenfranchisement.
Readings: Brinkley Chapters 12 – 15 (pgs. 355 – 437); Gooding, James Henry. “A Black Soldier Writes to President Lincoln,” A
Documentary History of the Negro People in the U.S.; Lamb, Brian. “Differing Perspectives on Abraham Lincoln,” Booknotes:
Stories from American History; Wicker, Tom. “If Lincoln had Not Freed the Slaves,” What If? 2: Eminent Historians Imagine
What Might Have Been; Whitman, Walt. “Recollections of War,” The Complete Works of Walt Whitman; Child, L. Maria. “A
Letter to My Old Master,” The Freedmen’s Book; Dred Scott v. Sanford, ourdocuments.gov; Stevens, Thaddeus. “Senate Speech
on Reconstruction,” U.S. History and Government: Readings and Documents; Nordhoff, Charles. “A Northern Republican’s
Report on Reconstruction,” The Cotton States in the Spring and Summer of 1875; Johnson, Michael P. “Advertisements from the
Christian Recorder, 1865-1870, “ Reading the American Past.
UNIT 2
GILDED AGE / POPULISM (1877-1900)
c. 2 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: The Gilded Age fostered the consolidation of business, the beginnings of government involvement in the
economy, and the organization of disadvantaged economic and social classes.
Themes: Culture; Demographic Change; Economic Transformations; American Diversity; Politics and Citizenship
Essential Questions:

Why and how has the romantic vision of the frontier been perpetuated in American culture?
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Is there an American culture today? Or are there American cultures? How many legitimately exist today and how did they
develop?
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What industries was the United States built upon? How and why has this changed with time? What are the industries of the
future?
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Was America’s rise to world power status more politically, economically, or militarily induced?
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Has urbanization benefitted the United States?
Topics: Western expansion; government policy toward Native Americans; Demographic change on the frontier; environmental
impacts of Western settlement; Grantism; political corruption; rise of Big Business; Corporate consolidation of business; labor
movements; technological development; migration and immigration; the cattle and mining frontiers; urbanization; Social Gospel
Movement; Social Darwinism; the changing function of government; intellectual and cultural movements; and agrarian reform.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 16 –19 (pgs. 441-550); Moran, Margaret. “Farmers Speak Out,” U.S.History and Government:
Readings and Documents; Carnegie, Andrew. “The Gospel of Wealth,” North American Review; Gompers, Samuel. “What Does
the Working Man Want?” American Federation of Labor (Speech); Jackson, Helen Hunt. A Century of Dishonor; Rockefeller,
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
John D. “Testimony to the U.S. Industrial Commission, 1899,” Preliminary Report on Trusts and Industrial Combinations;
Sumner, William Graham. What Social Classes Owe to Each Other; Pratt, Richard. “Kill the Indian…and Save the Man,”
Americanizing the American Indians: Writings by the “Friends of the Indians”; O’Donnell, Thomas. “Testimony before a U.S.
Senate Committee,” Report of the Senate Committee upon the Relations between Labor and Capital; Pollack, Norman. “Populist
Party Platform,” The Populist Mind; Riordon, William L. “Plunkitt of Tammany Hall,” Plunkitt of Tammany Hall;
UNIT 3
NEW IMPERIALISM / PROGRESSIVISM (1890-1920)
c. 2 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: From 1890 to 1920, the United States became increasingly active and aggressive in world affairs. The
Progressive movement partially succeeded in improving life for average Americans by curbing big business, making the government
more responsive to the will of the people, and enacting social welfare.
Themes: Economic Transformations; Politics and Citizenship; Globalization; War / Diplomacy; Reform
Essential Questions:
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How can those “left behind” by government effectively bring about change? Is this still true today?
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Is it worth it to be a world power? What changes has this status forced on the nation?
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Is it the governments responsibility or duty to actively solve all of the problems in society?
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Is the government today the same as it was envisioned by our “Founding Fathers?” If not, how and when did it change?
Why?
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Why do you think the United States has almost always revolved around a two-party political system?
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Should the United States intervene in world affairs?
Topics: New Imperialism; Spanish-American War; Big Stick policy / jingoism; Roosevelt Corollary; Progressive reform; civil rights
initiatives; muckrakers; regulatory agencies; the Square Deal; Old Guard vs. Insurgents; New Nationalism; New Freedom; the
Supreme Court and social welfare; World War I at home and abroad; Red Scare; Wilson’s Fourteen Points; Treaty of Versailles; the
Temperance movement; Dollar Diplomacy; and women and reform.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 20 – 22 (pgs. 553-646); Brands, H.W. “The Events of the 1890s,” The Reckless Decade: America in
the 1890s: McMurray, Linda O. “The Crusades of Ida B. Wells,” To Keep the Waters Troubled: The Life of Ida B. Wells; Kolata,
Gina. “The 1918 Influenza Pandemic,” Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918and the Search for the Virus that
Caused It; Lukacs, John. “The Election of Theodore Roosevelt, 1912,” What If? 2: Eminent Historian Imagine What Might Have
Been; Adams, Jane. “The Subjective Necessity for Social Settlements,” Twenty Years at Hull House; Du Bois, W.E.B. “Booker T.
Washington and Others,” The Souls of Black Folk; Wilson, Woodrow. “Speech to Congress, April 2, 1917,” Congressional
Record; Debs, Eugene. “Speech Delivered in Canton, Ohio, June 16, 1918,” Eugene V. Debs Speaks; Carrol, Andrew. “Letter to
Elmer J. Sutters,” War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars; National Popular Government League,
Report on Illegal Practices of the Department of Justice.
UNIT 4
1920S & NEW DEAL (1920-1940)
c. 2 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: Disillusionment with the idealism of World War I led Americans to fear change and differences and to retreat
into a superficial shell of self-satisfaction. The Great Depression and New Deal led to the expectation of government intervention to
maintain the economic stability of the nation.
Themes: Economic Transformations; Politics and Citizenship; Culture; Religion; American Diversity
Essential Questions:
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson

What is most responsible for the formation of American culture: diversity, innovation, religion, or a combination of each?

At what point did it become as good politically, socially, and economically to be a woman as it is to be a man in the United
States?
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What traditionally have been the strongest forces of social change in the country? What are they today?

What makes the United States the wealthiest country in the world? Is it infallible?

How has an active government specifically helped its citizens in the past? Should there be limitations on how liberal the
government should be? If so, outline the boundaries.
Topics: The consumer economy; Republican politics; Modernism; religious fundamentalism; nativism; Prohibition; social inequality;
mass society; technological and cultural development; normalcy; the Great Depression (cause and effect); the New Deal; economic
policy during the Hoover Administration; Labor and Union recognition; social and cultural change during the Great Depression; the
Dust Bowl; minorities during the Depression; political realignment; and the changing function of government.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 23-24 (pgs. 641-739); Roosevelt, Franklin. “ Radio Address unveiling the second half of the New
Deal,” ourdocuments.gov; Larson, Edward. “The Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial,” Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s
Continuing Debate over Science and Religion; Berg, A Scott. “Charles Lindbergh’s Reluctant Public Life,” Lindbergh; Collier,
Peter. “The Roosevelt Dynasty,” The Roosevelts: An American Saga; Garvey, Marcus. “The Negro’s Greatest Enemy,” Current
History 18; Markowitz, Gerald and Rosner, David. “Letter to Frances Perkins,” Slaves of the Depression: Workers’ Letters about
Life on the Job; Long, Huey. “Speech to Members of the Share Our Wealth Society,” Congressional Record; Stokes, Frank. “Let
the Mexicans Organize,” The Nation; Hoover, Herbert. “Anti-New Deal Campaign Speech,” New York Times.
UNIT 5
WORLD WAR 2 – 1960 (1938 –1960)
c. 2 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: Between World War II and 1960, the New Deal philosophy that the government was a legitimate agent of
social welfare became firmly embedded in the American mind. The Cold War led the United States to pursue an ambivalent policy of
confrontation, negotiation, and preventative maintenance between 1945 and 1970.
Themes: Economic Transformations; Demographic Change; Globalization; War / Diplomacy; Culture; Politics and Citizenship;
Reform
Essential Questions:

What are the benefits and limitations to isolationism?

What does American culture reveal about the nation at any given point in time?

Overall, in what way has the United States benefitted from the business of war?

Who was responsible for the Cold War?

Is America the good or bad guy? How does geography impact the answer to this question?

What led to the suburbanization of America?

If slavery ended in the 1860s, why was the civil rights movement not really addressed until the 1950s?
Topics: Fascism and militarism abroad; causes of WWII; American neutrality; Pearl Harbor attack; World War II at home and
abroad; war mobilization; urban migration and demographic change; civil liberties and rights during WWII; expansion of government
power; Red Scare; social change during WWII; Fair Deal; containment; origins of the Cold War; American diplomacy; NSC 68;
Korean War; McCarthyism; social and cultural impact of the Cold War; affluent society vs. “the other America”; rise of suburbia;
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
civil rights movements; medical, scientific, and technological change; consumerism; massive retaliation; politics of the 1950s; and
social critics and rebels.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 25-27 (pgs. 739-829); Frank, Richard. “No Bomb: No End,” What If? 2: Eminent Historians
Imagine What Might Have Been; Weinstein, Allen. “The Early Days of Soviet Espionage,” The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage
in America; Lemann, Nicholas. “The Great Black Migration,” The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It
Changed America; Herman, Arthur. “The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy,” Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and
Legacy of America’s Most Hated Senator; Marshall, George. “Economic Recovery Act of 1948,”ourdocuments.gov; Executive
Order 9981: Desegregation of the Armed Services, ourdocuments.gov; Warren, Earl. “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka,
Kansas,” ourdocuments.gov; Waller, Willard. “The Coming War on Women,” San Francisco Chronicle; Kennan, George. “The
Long Telegram, February 22, 1946,” Foreign Relations of the United States; U.S. State Department. “NSC-68: U.S. Objectives
and Programs for National Security,” Foreign Relations of the United States; Stern, Edith. “Women are Household Slaves,”
American Mercury; Ginsberg, Allen. “America,” Collected Poems.
UNIT 6
1960S, 1970S, & 1980S (1960 – 1988)
c. 3 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: Disillusionment with the increasingly violent protests of the 1960s led to the entrenchment of conservative
ideology.
Themes: Politics and Citizenship; Globalization; War / Diplomacy; Reform; Environment; Culture; Religion; American Diversity;
Demographic Change; Economic Transformation
Essential Questions:

Which is most powerful in the U.S. government: the President, Congress, or the Supreme Court? How has this seemed to
change over time?

What was the “heart of the problem” in Vietnam that made military victory so difficult, if not impossible? Is this true of all
modern wars?

How has popular music reflected the ideals, desires, and anxieties of Americans, especially young Americans?

Looking back at history, what single election appears most pivotal? How did it show both continuity and change in both
sectional and national views of government?

When did the environment become an issue in American life? Why had it not been earlier?

Was America’s “upbeat mood” of the 1980s justified? In what ways was it a departure from the 60s and 70s?
Topics: New Frontier; the Great Society; Civil Rights movement; Election of 1968 and the “Silent Majority”; the Kennedy Years;
liberalism; reform movements; political activism; Bay of Pigs; Cuban Missile Crisis; foreign policy in Asia, Latin America, and
Europe; youth culture; Vietnam War; feminism; poverty; conservative resurgence; energy crisis; Détente; antiwar movement;
counterculture; challenges during the Nixon Years; deindustrialism/service economy; Watergate; SDI; post-Cold War foreign policy;
the Computer Revolution; demographic change; political shifts; the New Right and Reagan Revolution; the Middle East; technological
change; and globalization.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 28-30 (pgs. 831-915); Judge, Edward and Langdon, John. “Excerpts from Kennedy’s Inaugural
Address,” The Cold War: A History through Documents; Judge, Edward and Langdon, John.. “Johnson’s Speech at Johns
Hopkins University, April 7, 1965,” The Cold War: A History through Documents; Judge, Edward and Langdon, John. “Excerpt
from Reagan’s ‘Evil Empire’ Speech,” The Cold War: A History through Documents; Young, Andrew. “Martin Luther King
Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” A Way out of No Way: The Spiritual Memoirs of Andrew Young; Margolis, Jon. “Stories
from 1964,” The Last Innocent Year: America in 1964; Garment, Leonard. “Getting to Know Richard M. Nixon,” Crazy Rhythm:
My Journey from Brooklyn, Jazz, and Wall Street to Nixon’s White House; Friedan, Betty. “National Organization for Women
Statement of Purpose,” It Changed My Life: Writings on the Women’s Movement; Report on the National Advisory Commission,
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
Kerner Commission; Woodley Jr., Arthur. “Oral History of a Special Forces Ranger,” An Oral History of the Vietnam War by
Black Veterans; Blackman, Harry A. “Supreme Court Decision, Roe v. Wade,” ourdocuments.gov; Reagan, Ronald. “Inaugural
Address, January 20, 1981,” ourdocuments.gov.
UNIT 7
1980S TO PRESENT (1980 – PRESENT)
c. 2 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, America’s foreign policy groped for ways to promote world peace
with minimal U.S. involvement. Technological developments radically altered the economic, social, and moral fiber of the nation.
Themes: Globalization; Culture; Environment; Economic Transformation; Demographic Change; War / Diplomacy; Politics and
Citizenship; American Diversity
Essential Questions:

Where is the United States in its “course of empire” today?

What impact will demographic change have on American politics and economics over the next 20 years?

How has the growing ethnic diversity of the United States contributed to the debate over “what is American?”

What forces have been at work since 1945 to make Americans more homogenous in taste, thought, and lifestyle? What have
been the forces for diversity and change in those areas?

What have been the advantages and disadvantages of globalization?

What forces created and continue to drive the global economy? How has the United States responded to the challenges of
doing business internationally?
Topics: Revolutions in biotechnology, mass communication, and computers; domestic and foreign terrorism; globalization;
Unilateralism vs. multilateralism in foreign policy; environmental issues; political change; sunbelt migration, the graying of America;
multiculturalism; Clinton scandals; the Persian Gulf Wars; 9-11; economic recession; and global warming and the Green Revolution.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapter 30 (pgs. 919-950); Greenfield, Jeff and Nader, Ralph. “The 2000 Election,” Oh, Waiter! One Order
of Crow: Inside the Strangest Presidential Election Finish in American History; Lewis, Bernard. “September 11 and the Roots of
Islamic Terrorism, “ What Went Wrong?: Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response; Uchitelle, Louis. “Globalization
Marches On,” The New York Times; “Climate Change Impacts on the United States,” Report of the National Assessment Synthesis
Team, December 2000; Robinson, Arthur and Robinson, Zachary W. “Global Warming is a Myth,” Wall Street Journal; Bush,
George W. “Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People, September 20, 2001,” New York Times; United
States Department of Justice. “Declaration of Jihad against the Country’s Tyrants,” Al Qaeda Training Manual.
UNIT 8
PRE-COLUMBIAN – COLONIAL AMERICA (1400-1763)
c. 2.5 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: Between 1607 and 1763, the British North American colonies developed experience in, and the expectation of
self-government in the political, religious, economic, and social aspects of life.
Themes: American Identity; American Diversity; Demographic Changes; Environment; Religion
Essential Questions:

How did the diverse backgrounds of Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans both enhance and limit the development of
an American society?

What does it mean to be an “American?”

Were the American Colonies secular? How did this work to their favor and/or as a hindrance?
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson

How might the human and physical environment in North America have been different without the introduction of European
peoples?

Was slavery a “necessary evil” in the successful development of the American colonies?
Topics: Early inhabitants of the Americas; Mesoamerican civilizations; American Indian empires of the Southwest and Mississippi
Valley, and Eastern Woodlands; early European contact with American Indians; European empires in North America; comparative
labor systems; religious diversity in the colonies; colonial rebellion’s against authority; population growth and immigration;
transatlantic trade; regionalism; the Enlightenment and Great Awakening; the formation of Colonial governments; imperialism in
North America.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 1-3 (pgs. 3-96); Arber, Edward. “Of the Naturall Inhabitants of Virginia (1624).” Captain John
Smith Works. ; Hammond, George. “The Indians of New Mexico.” Don Juan de Onate: Colonizer of New Mexico, 1595-1628.;
Breen, T.H. “Looking Out for Number One: Conflicting Cultural Values in Early Seventeenth-Century Virginia,” South
Atlantic Quarterly.; Moody, Elizabeth. “Good Manners for Colonial Children,” The School of Good Manners.; Henning, William
H. “Virginia Statutes Regarding Slavery, 1662, 1669,” The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all Laws of Virginia, from the
First Session of the Legislature in the Year 1619.; – The Indians of New Mexico (1599); Edwards, Jonathan. “Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God, “ Works.
UNIT 9
FRENCH & INDIAN WAR – CONSTITUTION (1756 -1789)
c. 2.5 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: Between the French and Indian War and 1776, British attempts to exert control over the colonies led to
violent, organized, successful resistance. The Articles of Confederation provided a reasonable and workable transition from the system
of British rule to the federal system established under the Constitution.
Themes: National Identity; Politics; Reform; War/Diplomacy
Essential Questions:

Were any of the American colonies a “Utopia?” What allowed them to succeed or caused them to fail in this goal?

Were Americans justified in their revolution?

In what way was the American Revolution not only a war for independence, but also a struggle to determine the nature of the
nation?

Under what circumstances can a weaker nation defeat a stronger nation in war? Is this still true today?
Topics: French and Indian War; British tax policy; resistance to British rule; the War for Independence; state constitutions; the
Articles of Confederation; the Constitutional Convention; and the federal Constitution.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 4-6 (pgs. 96-168); Adams, Charles Francis. “Remember the Ladies,” Familiar Letters of John
Adams and His Wife Abigail During the Revolution; Vernon-Jackson, H.O.H. “Travails of a Loyalist Wife and Mother, 1777,”
History Today.; Lamb, Brain. “Declaring Independence,” Booknotes: Stories from American History; Paine, Thomas, “The
Crisis.”; Lamb, Brian. “Creating the Constitution,” Booknotes: Stories from American History; Hamilton, Alexander.
“Concerning the Dangers from War Between the States,” The Federalist Paper No. 6; Madison, James. “The Same Subject
Continued with a View to the Means of Giving Efficacy in Practice to That Maxim,” The Federalist Paper No. 48.
UNIT 10
EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD – ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS (1789-1824) c. 2.5 WEEKS
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson
Organizing Principle: Between 1789 and 1824, conflict over the increasing power of the national government created intensified
sectional tension. At the same time, geographic isolation allowed the United States to pursue a policy of selective involvement in
world affairs.
Themes: American Diversity; American Identity; Culture; Economic Transformations; War/Diplomacy; Politics and Citizenship
Essential Questions:

At their root, what political ideals can be considered truly “American?”

What works about the American Constitution that failed in the Articles of Confederation? Does these things still hold true
today or have circumstances changed their effectiveness?

Do Americans illustrate cultural independence, or are we just pickpockets of European culture?

What led to the international view of the United States as war-mongerers? Is this a fair assessment?

When and what was the “era of good feelings?” From a modern perspective, is this a fitting title for the period?

What issues divide Americans politically? Do these issues actually affect the daily lives of the citizens?
Topics: Federalism; the 1st American Party System; Hamilton’s economic plan; Election of 1800; XYZ Affair; Jeffersonian
Democracy; landmark Supreme Court cases; establishing a national culture; territorial expansion; 2nd Great Awakening; national
expansion; the early Industrial Revolution; War of 1812; sectionalism; the Agricultural Revolution; Monroe Doctrine; the convention
system; and the national market economy.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 7-8 (pgs. 168-233); Commons, John. “Regulations to be Observed, Hamilton Manufacturing
Company” A Documentary History of American Industrial Society; Massachusetts House of Representatives. “A Mill Worker’s
Grievances,” Report on Hours of Labor; Marshall, John. “Opinion in Marbury v. Madison,” U.S. History and Government:
Readings and Documents; Appleby, Joyce. “The First Generation of Americans,” Booknotes: Stories from American History;
Washington’s Farewell Address, ourdocuments.gov; Alien and Sedition Acts, ourdocuments.gov; McCulloch v. Maryland,
ourdocuments.gov; Missouri Compromise, ourdocuments.gov; Monroe Doctrine, ourdocuments.gov.
UNIT 11
AGE OF JACKSON - THE RISE OF ANTEBELLUM AMERICA (1824 – 1850)
c. 2.5 WEEKS
Organizing Principle: During the “Reign of Jackson,” politics became more democratic, the power of the presidency increased,
America became more optimistic and entrenched in expansionism, and sectionalism supplanted nationalism.
Themes: American Identity; Culture; Slavery and Its Legacy; Demographic Change; Economic Transformation; Politics and
Citizenship; War / Diplomacy
Essential Questions:

Was the American political system dependent upon mass participation? Is it still today?

Has there every really been a “president of the people?” Can there be?

Is the United States a land of opportunity for all people? Who would most take exception to this notion?

Why are some parts of the nation more associated with wealth than others?

Has immigration been a more positive or negative force on American politics and economic development?

To what extent does geography affect the life you live in the United States?
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson

Was the formation of a national culture more intellectual or reactionary?

Does Manifest Destiny define how all countries see the world? Why were Americans quick to embrace it?
Topics: Jacksonian Democracy; the 2nd Party System; federalism vs. states’ rights; revivalism; social reform movements;
sectionalism; removal of Native Americans; the Nullification Crisis; the Bank War; demographic change; nativism; technological
change in transportation and communication; the Factory System; Cult of Domesticity; Transcendentalism; American Renaissance;
expansion of slavery; free African-Americans; Manifest Destiny; Annexation of Texas and Oregon Territory; and the Mexican War.
Readings: Brinkley – Chapters 9 – 12 (pgs. 235 – 355); Jackson, Andrew. “Second Annual Message to Congress,” A Compilation
of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents; Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “The Crime of Removal,” Complete Works; Olmstead,
Frederick Law. “Emigrants to Texas,” A Journey through Texas; Howard, Richard. “A Letter from Oregon Territory, 1847,”
Illinois Journal; Royall, Ann. “This COUNTRY IS RUN MAD after Preaching,” Letters from Alabama; Morse, Samuel F. B.
“Imminent Dangers,” Imminent Dangers to the United States Through Foreign Immigration; Douglas, Frederick. “An
Abolitionist’s Fourth of July,” My Bondage and My Freedom; Mann, Horace. “The Reformatory and Elevating Influence of the
Public Schools,” Twelfth Annual Report to the Secretary of the Board; Thoreau, Henry David. Essay on the Duty of Civil
Disobedience; Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Resolutions of the Seneca Falls Convention,” History of Women’s Suffrage; Frazier,
Thomas. “Songs of Freedom,” Afro-American History: Primary Sources.
UNIT 12
EXAM PREP AND REVIEW UNIT
c. 5 WEEKS
UNIT 13
RESEARCH AND REFLECTIONS UNIT
c. 3 WEEKS
“If there is one word that describes our form of society in America, it may be the word – voluntary.”
--- Lyndon Baines Johnson