A.P. U.S. History
2013 – 2014
Mrs. Martin
Email: smartin@remsencsd.org
Syllabus and Course Description
Course Description:
The objective of this course is to increase your knowledge of U.S. history and
government. Advanced Placement United States History surveys the period beginning
with the first European settlement of the New World and ending with international affairs
and domestic changes in the post 1945 period to the present. The course is designed to
provide a comprehensive overview of United States history. It will also provide the
analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and
materials covered in this course. You will learn to assess historical materials, their
relevance, reliability, and importance to a given problem and develop skills necessary to
reach conclusions on the basis of informed judgment. This course will also prepare you to
take the national college-level AP Exam administered in May.
The areas of concentration include political, social, and economic history coupled with
the study of cultural and intellectual institutions that have shaped our nation's history.
This class will be a combination of lectures on general themes, analysis of primary source
documents, group work, and coverage of discussion questions that will explore specific
events and issues with in the units of study.
Materials:
The basic text for this course is The American Nation: A History of the United States
(11th Edition) by Mark C. Carnes and John A. Garraty.
The primary source reading will be supplied from The American Spirit: United States
History as Seen by Contemporaries. 10th edition. 2 vols. By Thomas A. Bailey and David
M. Kennedy.
Supplementary reading will also be assigned in the form of handouts from The American
Nation Companion Website (www.ablongman.com/carnes11e) and A People’s History of
the United States by Howard Zinn. Please make sure you have a large three-ring binder
dedicated to this course in order to store all course materials.
The course has been divided into the units of study listed below and the
accompanying textbook chapters.
Unit 1: Early America
Chapters 1- 2
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Unit 2: Revolution and Independence
Chapter 3- 4
Unite 3: The Federalists Era and Jeffersonian Democracy
Chapters 5- 7
Unit 4: Transformation of the Economy
Chapter 8
Unit 5: The Transformation of Politics in Antebellum America
Chapter 9
Unit 6: Emergence of a Middle Class and a Democratic Culture
Chapters 10 - 11
Unit 7: Slavery and Sectionalism
Chapters 12 - 14
Unit 8: The Civil War and Reconstruction
Chapters 15 - 17
Unit 9: The Rise of Big Business and Its Impact on Society
Chapters 18 - 20
Unit 10: Populists and Progressives
Chapters 21 -22
Unit 11: Imperialism and WWI
Chapters 23 - 24
Unit 12: 1920s and 1930s
Chapters 25 - 27
Unit 13: World War II and the Origins of the Cold War
Chapters 28 - 29
Unit 14: From Camelot to Watergate
Chapter 30
Unit 15: Contemporary Issues
Chapters 30 - 33
Organization: Weekly agendas will be provided every Monday. These agendas will list
required reading, discussion questions for class, and any required assignments for the
week, as well as quiz and test dates. You are responsible for keeping up with the reading
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assignments and being aware of, and ready for, quizzes, tests, discussions, etc…
Periodically, student essays, reports, or presentations will be required.
Assignments:
 Tests and Quizzes: Tests or Quizzes will be given at the end of each unit and will
be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions. Tests will be worth 100
points each. Quizzes will be given throughout the various units of study and
point value will be based on the number of questions.
 Homework, Class work and Participation: Homework and class work
assignments will be detailed in your weekly agendas and worth 10 - 30 points
each, depending on the length of the assignment. Participation is vital in this
course in order to facilitate class discussion and will be considered a factor in
grading your homework and class work.
 Study Guides
Study Guides will be provided for each chapter in the textbook. These are for your
personal use. I will not check these, however you will be responsible for knowing
this information on tests quizzes and essays.
 Reaction Papers /Reading Day
About once a month you will be assigned a reading or readings and will be required
to write a reaction paper on the reading. These papers will be worth 25 points.
Thursday you will be given a reading day in class to help complete this assignment.
The paper will be due on the following Monday.
 Projects:
At various times during this course you will be assigned projects. Each project will be
worth the equivalent of at least a test grade.
Policies:
 Deadlines: All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date
specified. Any assignment handed in after that time will be considered late. Each
day the assignment is late five points will be deducted from your grade, however,
after three days any assignment received may not be accepted and no credit will
be awarded for the assignment. Short assignments, such as class work or
homework will not be accepted at all.
 Attendance:
Attendance is expected at all classes. If you miss class because of an excused
absence you are responsible for the assignments you have missed. If you have any
questions please see me immediately upon your return to school.
I am looking forward to a fun and challenging year with all of you. It is my hope that this
course will prepare you for courses on the college level and increase your desire to delve
deeper into the history of our country.
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