Advanced Placement U.S. History Syllabus
The AP Program in U.S. History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge
necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. History. The course prepares students for college
courses by making demands equivalent to those made by introductory college courses. Students learn to assess
historical materials and to weigh the evidence and interpretations in historical scholarship to arrive at informed
conclusions.
The course is a two-semester survey of American history from the age of exploration to the present, with a set
of clear learning objectives. Economic, Political, Social and Intellectual, and Foreign Policy strands are general
guidelines to themes covered in the class, with emphasis on significant change over time. The class will emphasize a
series of key themes throughout the year. These themes have been determined by the College Board as essential to a
comprehensive study of United States history. The course focuses on analytical and evaluative critical thinking skills
that demonstrate the connections between these themes. Solid reading and writing skills, along with a willingness to
devote considerable time to homework and study, are necessary to succeed. Emphasis is placed on critical and
evaluative thinking skills,essay writing, interpretation of original documents, and historiography. Each unit has
topical questions designed to help focus our scholarship. Additionally each unit has a set of discussion topics to guide
reading, lecture, and discussion.
Required Text
David Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen, Thomas Bailey. The American Pageant. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,
2006)
Howard Zinn. A People’s History of the United States. (New York: Harper Perennial, 2003)
Supplemental: John M. Murrin, et al. Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People (United States:
Thomson / Wadsworth, 2002)
Required Monographs:
- Founding Mothers and Fathers: Gendered Power and the Forming of American Society, Mary Beth Norton (1996:
First Vintage Books)
- The Souls Of Black Folks, W.E.B. Dubois (1996: Penguin Books)
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriett Beecher Stowe (1982: Bantam Classics)
- Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation, John Ehle (1988:
Anchor Books)
Various articles and handouts from primary source books and websites, scholarly historical articles, short passages
from literature.
Expectations
Students will be expected to take reading main idea logs and stay on pace according to the syllabus. Students
will be given a weekly or bi-weekly class assignment sheet one week in advance. Students must also gather primary
sources frequently throughout the course. Many of these will be provided in class or directed through the internet, but
students may be required to research these out of class at points in the year. Daily reading assignments and discussion
questions for outlining will be provided. Students will be expected to complete discussion boards at their assigned times
on questions posed by teacher. Students will either refute, support, or modify statement and defend your answer.
Others in group must answer question and reply to all members post. When applying to other member post, you must
state whether to what extent you agree/disagree and explain why with scientific factual information.
You must register for collaboratize classroom within the first week of class. It is required. Instructions to
register is as followed:
To join our AP US History Collaborize Classroom site, go to: http://msmithapushistory.collaborizeclassroom.com
Your teacher will then approve your membership on the site.
Quiz and test dates will be noted. Students are responsible for keeping up with reading assignments and being
aware of, and ready for, quizzes and tests. Class will be a combination of lecture, group work, coverage of discussion
questions, writing, occasional historical simulations and answering student questions.
Each unit will utilize discussions and writing about related historiography, how interpretations of events have
changed over time, how the issues of one time period have had an impact on the experiences and decisions of
subsequent generations, and how such reevaluations of the past continue to shape the way historians see the
world today.
Class instruction in writing and document analysis will utilize the “Hierl Theory” Writing Module and grading
on a CORE structure rubric.
Mandatory take home test is required for the first unit. Students may use their textbooks on take home tests
(not the internet) but are to work independently with NO sharing of information allowed between students.
Optional assignments are designed to allow student to shore-up areas of weakness. Additionally, Mandatory
assignments may vary from student to student based on individual weaknesses that need to be strengthened.
Homework will consist almost exclusively of reading assignments, with an occasional outside essay. Students who are
having difficulty with the course may need to initiate additional reinforcing activities (optional assignments). As
students, you are responsible for completing and mastering assignments on time.
**Due to the later start date students should expect assignments over fall break, Christmas holidays, and spring
break.
Grades
The assignments for each quarter will be classified into one of the following:
70% Tests & Essay Questions 15% Assignments, Skill builders & Projects
15% Quizzes
All multiple choice tests will come from released AP Exams in order to follow that format. All multiple choice
test will be timed as on the AP exam (50 minutes). Written tests will also follow the AP Exam format; they will consist
of Free Response Questions (FRQs) or Document Based Questions (DBQs). These writing assignments will be timed
as on the AP Exam (35 minutes per FRQ and 60 minutes per DBQ).
Skill builders are designed to focus primarily on developing the writing and analytical skills necessary to pass
the AP Exam and to interpret history from a variety of perspectives. Examples of these lessons are: Image analysis,
Developing a Thesis Statement, Outlining an Essay, AP PARTS, Inductive Reasoning Exercise, Deductive Reasoning
Exercise, Deductive/Inferences, and Association of Chains exercises. Additionally, DBQs are assigned with each unit,
and often students are expected to practice document analysis by taking each document and 1) associating relevant
knowledge outside of the document and 2) explaining how the document can be used to answer the question. Finally,
students are routinely asked to outline FRQs in each unit, as well as create a thesis statement for these.
Quizzes include pop quizzes for reading, current events, president quizzes, or various others as determined by
the instructor.
Grading Scale
Grading is based on a total point system. Each assignment has a total possible of point value ( test= 100, main
idea logs=40, quizzes=15, projects= 15, assignments=15). At the end of the semester you will have earned a certain
number of points. The total number of points will be divided by the number of points you have earned to determine
your final grade.
Attendance and Make up Work
Students returning from excused absences must complete make up work within two days upon their return and
students are expected to get these assignments. Late assignments will only be able to earn a 60%, after two days no late
work is accepted. If a test is missed, it will be made up on the day the student returns, unless otherwise pre-arranged.
These tests will cover the same material but may be in a different format.
Conduct
Outside of the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, the following basic rules will be followed in the
classroom:
Students should be PROMPT, PREPARED, PRODUCTIVE, and POLITE in each class period.
1. PROMPT: Be in your assigned seat, quiet, and ready to work/already working on warm-up when bell rings.
2. PREPARED: Students should have prior class assignments completed and be ready to activity take part in class
from bell to bell.
3. PRODUCTIVE: Students should be actively engaged in class activities, lectures, and discussions.
4. POLITE: Students are to be respectful to the teacher and to each other at all times.
Honor Code
Students will be expected to abide by the Pledge: “I have neither given nor received help on this assignment.”
Violations of this Honor Code Pledge will result in a zero on the assignment, parental notification, a disciplinary
referral, and potential loss of status in Honor Societies and other organizations. This includes, but is not limited to:
plagiarism, discussion of quizzes, essays, or tests before a student has completed that, and giving or receiving help on
quizzes, essays, or tests or other assignments unless designated as collaborative explicitly by the instructor.
Important websites
http://classjump.com/margaletta
http://msmithapushistory@collaborizeclassroom.com (discussion board)
KEYS TO SUCCESS IN AP U.S. HISTORY
 Keep up to date with all reading assignments. When you fall behind it becomes difficult to catch up.
 Pay attention to the dark-typed headings. They give you clues of what to look for in each section.
 After you finish a section, be certain you can express the main idea the author had in mind. This gives meaning
to the factual information.
 Sticky-note important concepts and facts in your textbooks.
 Become an active reader. Ask yourself questions as you read and predict what is likely to happen next. Make
inferences. That is, “read between the lines” and try to ascertain the larger purpose the author has in presenting
this material.
 Do more than memorize what things are. Understand information as a cause and effect of a broader trend or
movement. You should always seek to understand the connections between isolated bits of information and
understand how and why they are part of a bigger picture.
 Begin studying for tests and quizzes early. The volume of material makes it difficult to adequately prepare for
assessments on the night before.
 Find your own method of taking meaningful class notes and review those notes each night.
 Take advantage of optional assignments to strengthen areas of weakness.
 Actively seek out help when you need it. We want you to be successful both in class and on the AP Exam. In
order for that to happen we must work as a team. We are here to help.
The Structure of the AP U.S. History Exam
The Advanced Placement Program of the College Board affords students the opportunity to receive college credit for
AP classes by successfully passing a national examination offered in May. The exam consists of
Multiple choice:
 80 multiple choice questions (55 minutes and is 50% of the total exam); Five minute break between multiple
choice and free response section
Free response section:
 15 minute mandatory reading period
Document based question (DBQ)
 45 minute suggested writing time (22.5% of total exam grade) ( 60 minutes total)
Standard essay questions:
 Answer one question each from two groups of two questions; 35 minute suggested writing time for each essay;
Each essay 13.75% of the total exam grade; Generally, the first group of questions will be pre-1865; Generally,
the second group of questions will be post-1865
AP students are strongly encouraged to take the national examination. Students who opt NOT to take the Advanced
Placement U.S. History Exam will NOT receive AP credit for the course.
Final Notes
A three ring binder will be checked occasionally. Students should divide this into sections by each unit page
from the syllabus. Within each unit students should expect to keep separate the following: Warm ups, Class Notes,
Reading Outlines, Skillbuilder Activities, and etc... All work should be clearly dated and well organized
chronologically (by units).
The AP experience may place greater demands on students than those to which they are accustomed. It is likely
that you will need to meet with the instructor from time to time to overcome problems you are having. I welcome those
opportunities to help you one-to-one, and I encourage you to make arrangements to see me if you're experiencing
difficulty. Mandatory conferences will be scheduled with those students experiencing significant difficulty. Formal
Office Hours will be scheduled by appointment. Additional times, either before or after school, can be set up
throughout the week by making individual arrangements with me. Optional review sessions will be offered in the
evening one or two days prior to each major test. Optional evening test review sessions will be offered after each major
test. Mandatory conferences on essays may be scheduled for students who have consistent problems.
Thus, GET EXCITED! This is the history of our country and is an extremely thought provoking class. These
are the subjects that require paramount attention, and that shape our past, present and future.
“Learn from the past, live in the present,
Plan for the future.”
AP US History Themes
American Diversity
The diversity of the American people and the relationships among different groups. The roles of race, class, ethnicity,
and gender in the history of the United States.
American Identity
Views of the American national character and ideas about American exceptionalism. Recognizing regional differences
within the context of what it means to be an American.
Culture
Diverse individual and collective expressions through literature, art, philosophy, music, theater, and film throughout
U.S. history. Popular culture and the dimensions of cultural conflict within American society.
Demographic Changes
Changes in birth, marriage, and death rates; life expectancy and family patterns; population size and density. The
economic, social, and political effects of immigration, internal migration, and migration networks.
Economic Transformations
Changes in trade, commerce, and technology across time. The effects of capitalist development, labor and unions, and
consumerism.
Environment
Ideas about the consumption and conservation of natural resources. The impact of population growth, industrialization,
pollution, and urban and suburban expansion.
Globalization
Engagement with the rest of the world from the fifteenth century to the present: colonialism, mercantilism, global
hegemony, development of markets, imperialism, and cultural exchange.
Politics and Citizenship
Colonial and revolutionary legacies, American political traditions, growth of democracy, and the
development of the modern state. Defining citizenship; struggles for civil rights.
Reform
Diverse movements focusing on a broad range of issues, including antislavery, education, labor, temperance, women’s
rights, civil rights, gay rights, war, public health, and government.
Religion
The variety of religious beliefs and practices in America from prehistory to the twenty-first century; influence of
religion on politics, economics, and society.
Slavery and Its Legacies in North America
Systems of slave labor and other forms of unfree labor (e.g., indentured servitude, contract labor) in Native American
societies, the Atlantic World, and the American South and West. The economics of slavery and its racial dimensions.
Patterns of resistance and the long-term economic, political, and social effects of slavery.
War and Diplomacy
Armed conflict from the precolonial period to the twenty-first century; impact of war on American foreign policy and
on politics, economy, and society.
Vance High School Advanced Placement United States History – 2013-2014
We are exceptionally pleased to have your son/daughter enrolled in Advanced Placement United States History at the
Zebulon Vance High School. History is taught as a college-level course and offers a significant opportunity for
academic challenge. Early on it is not uncommon for even excellent students to feel a bit overwhelmed or intimidated.
With encouragement they will quickly get over that, blossom into better thinkers, and enjoy being treated like
responsible young men and women. Our primary objective is the intellectual growth of every student we teach. We
work very hard on information processing skills, with an emphasis on improving student ability to analyze and
evaluate the relative significance of historical data, and a corresponding ability to express those ideas through the
written word. As a parent, you may wish to take into account that this course may differ from traditional honors courses
in the following ways.
§ Fifty to sixty percent of the grade may be based on formal essay grades.
§ Individual tests may cover a significantly greater body of information than students may be accustomed to.
§ Homework consists primarily of reading assignments for which the student is responsible for mastery of the factual
information.
§There are optional assignments with each unit that allow students to enhance their skills and mastery of the material.
§ Our honor pledge, “I have neither given or received help on this assignment,” applies to all assignments not
specifically exempted by the instructor. Violations of this pledge will result in administrative action.
Vance high school students who successfully complete the course stand an excellent chance of making a
passing grade (3 or better) on the Advanced Placement United States History Examination in May, thus receiving
college credit for the course.
Class grades will be calculated on a total point system, by simply dividing the points a student has earned by
the total points possible. Because there are optional assignments, total points possible may vary for each student.
The course syllabus will be posted on the web site. You will note that students will always have an extended
assignment sheet clearly indicating when assignments are due. These assignment sheet are given one week in advance
to the start of a new unit.
Interim progress reports will be sent home at least once per quarter. If you are not receiving them, please
contact the teacher and we will forwarded out another copy.
Please continue to have high expectations for your child while being supportive and understanding of the fact
that they are being asked to perform at a higher level than they’ve been accustomed to in the past.
Please feel free to contact me at any time concerning your child’s progress.
Home/Cell (336)5582015
e-mail: margaletta1.smith@cms.k12.nc.us
Sincerely,
Margaletta Smith
Unit 1: Beginnings and Colonial Society
7 days
Vance High (980) 343- 5284
Themes:
1.1 Examine the motives and impact of Spanish, French, and English exploration and colonization in North America.
1.2 Describe early English settlements.
1.3 Compare and contrast New England, Middle and Southern colonies.
1.4 Analyze mercantilism and the origins of slavery.
1.5 Discuss and Illustrate colonial societal structure, groups, cultures.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Ch. 1-5
Zinn Ch. 1 pp. 1-11 especially
Secondary Source selections on John Smith, William Bradford, John Winthrop, & Roger Williams from Prof. Walter
Fuller Taylor found at: http://lonestar.texas.net/~mseifert1/amlit.html
Mayflower Compact
Selected Primary Source selections from John Robinson, John Milton, John Winthrop, and Jonathan Edwards
Assignments:
Colonial Comparison Matrix
Document Analysis from Mindspring The Witches of Salem and Colonial Society in the 18th C.
Primary Source questions (John Smith, William Bradford, John Winthrop, & Roger Williams)
Take Home Essay test
AP Prompt FRQ Essay Test
Guided DBQ Test on New England / Chesapeake colonies
Discussion Topics: Explorers and European competition, Global trade patterns including Triangular Trade,
Mercantilism, Intercontinental (Colombian) Exchange, Slavery and Structures of Empires, North American competition,
Joint Stock Companies, Regional Development within English colonies, Proprietary and Restoration colonies, Colonial
leaders and society, Religion in Colonial America, Separation of Church and State.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. From 1600 to 1763, several European nations vied for control of the North American continent. Why did England
win the struggle?
2. “Although many Northerners and Southerners came to think of themselves as having separate civilizations, the
Northern and Southern colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries were in fact more similar than different.” Assess the
validity of this statement.
3. “During the 17th and increasingly in the 18th centuries, British colonists in America charged Great Britain with
violating ideals of rule of law, self-government, and ultimately, equal rights. Yet the colonists themselves violated these
ideals in the treatment of African Americans, Native Americans, and poorer classes of whites.” Assess the validity of
this statement.
4. How did the economic, geographic, and social factors encourage the growth of slavery as an important part of the
economy of the southern colonies between 1607-1775?
5. “Between 1607-1763, Americans gained control of their political and economic institutions.” Assess the validity of
this statement.
Unit 2: Road to Revolution and the Revolutionary War (1754-1783)
5 days
Themes:
2.1 Causes of French and Indian War.
2.2 Impact of French and Indian War on the American colonies.
2.3 The long term and short term reasons for colonial rebellion.
2.4 Major events and figures of the Revolutionary War.
2.5 Conclusion of Revolution in provisions of Treaty of Paris of 1783 and effects of the American Revolution.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Chapters 7-9
Zinn Ch. 4 “Tyranny is Tyranny”
The Economist Sept 16 2006 “In the world of good and evil”
Selections from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
Declaration of Independence and Mecklenburg Resolves
Assignments:
Mindspring Documents from “A Republic: If you can keep it.”
Current Events Quiz
Vocab Identification Quiz from Units 1-2
Debate: “Should the colonies declare independence?”
Multiple Choice Test Units 1-2
DBQ Test on Colonists Identity and Unity on the Eve of the Revolution (1999)
Discussion Topics: Anglo-Franco competition in the Americas, French and Indian War, Iriquois Confederacy, Albany
Conference, Salutary Neglect, Seeds of rebellion (economic, social, and political), Virtual representation, Tightening
British Policy, Continental Congresses, Sons of Liberty, Patriots and Loyalists, Revolutionary War, Franco-American
alliance of 1778, Peace Provisions and balance of power in North America, Treaty of Paris 1783,
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. Compare the ways in which TWO of the following reflected tensions in colonial society: Bacon’s Rebellion (1676),
Pueblo Revolt (1680), Salem Witchcraft Trials (1692), Stono Rebellion (1739).
2. Evaluate the relative importance of the following as factors prompting Americans to rebel in 1776: Parliamentary
Taxation, Restriction of civil liberties, British military measures, The legacy of colonial religious and political ideas.
3. “The American Revolution should really be called ‘the British Revolution’ because marked changes in British colonial
policy were more responsible for the final political division than were American actions.” Assess the validity of this
statement.
4. “Americans have been idealists in going to war but realists at the peace table.” Assess the validity of this statement.
5. “War is a powerful instrument for social and economic change.” Evaluate this statement with reference to the
American Revolution.
Unit 3: The Federalist Era and the Virginia Dynasty (1783-1820)
5 days
Themes:
3.1 Analyze the need for the Constitution and evaluate the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in ratification in the
ratification process.
3.2 Evaluate Washington’s administration for providing a foundation for the new federal government and compare and
contrast the political parties that developed during his administration.
3.3 Assess John Adam’s foreign and domestic policies with regard to social and political life in the United States.
3.4 Evaluate Jefferson’s administration and analyze the contributions of the Virginia Dynasty to American politics.
3.5 Examine the causes and consequences of the War of 1812 and evaluate the extent to which the time period was
an “Era of Good Feeling.”
Required Readings:
American Pageant Chapters 10-12,
Zinn Ch. 5 “A Kind of Revolution”
Excerpts from David McCullough’s 1776, and John Adams
The Federalist Papers No. 51
Bill of Rights
James Madison Declaration of War
Assignments:
Lesson 3 from Mindspring: Analyzing the Question
Change Over Time Worksheet: 1776-1787 Economic, Social Political Change
DBQ on Strict Constructionist / Broad Constructionist during Jefferson and Madison
Discussion Topics: American Governmental Structure and Power, Articles of Confederation, Annapolis Convention,
Constitutional Conventions, Bill of Rights, Presidential Administrations Washington through Monroe, Early Domestic
issues, Whiskey Rebellion, Hamilton’s Financial Plan, Judiciary Act of 1789, Rise of Jeffersonian Republicans and
Hamiltonian Federalists, Native American relations, Early Foreign Policy, Proclamation of Neutrality, Alien and Sedition
Acts, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, Marshall Court, Expansion, LA Purchase, Adams-Onis Treaty, Missouri
Compromise, Monroe Doctrine, War of 1812, War Hawks, Impressments, Hartford Convention, Andrew Jackson
(include Tariff crisis as theme of Protective Tariff 1816),
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “The Constitutional Convention of 1787 had no need to invent a new form of government. All it did was to codify the
imperial and provincial systems under which America had been ruled, minus the formal subservience to Great Britain.”
To what extent and why do you agree or disagree with the above statement?
2. Although the power of the national government increased during the early republic, this development often faced
serious opposition. Compare the motives and effectiveness of those opposed to the growing power of the national
government in TWO of the following:
Whiskey Rebellion / Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions / Hartford Convention / Nullification Crisis
3. To what extent was the election of 1800 aptly named the “Revolution of 1800”? Respond with reference to TWO of
the following areas: Economic, Foreign Policy, Judiciary, Politics.
4. “War has been the only political activity that genuinely unites Americans.” Discuss this generalization and test it by
reference to American history during the years 1812-1824.
5. “In America the greatest issues of the 17th century were theological; those of the 18th century political.” Evaluate this
statement.
Unit 4: Sectionalism and the National Economy (1816-1840)
3 days
Themes:
4.01 Analyze the changes in transportation and the economy as they contributed to nationalism.
4.02 Identify the economic and social differences between geographic regions that resulted in sectionalism.
4.03 Judge the effects of political, legal, and diplomatic changes on the contending forces of nationalism and
sectionalism in the period.
Required Reading:
Presidents Quiz 1-10
American Pageant Chapters 14 & 16
Zinn “As Long as Grass Grows or Water Runs”
Henry Clay, “Speech on the Tariff,” March 31, 1824
Missouri Compromise and Monroe Doctrine
Assignments:
Mindspring Lesson: Analyzing Images of Leadership 1789-1865
Nationalism Sectionalism Debate
DBQ Era of Good Feeling (2002)
First Quarter Unit Test 1-4
Discussion Topics: Clay’s American System, Tariffs in 1816, 1824, 1828, Second Bank of the United States,
Transportation Revolution, Roads, Canals, Steamships, and Railroads, Sectionalism, 1 st Industrial Revolution, factory
system, Lowell MA, “wage slaves,” Eli Whitney, Cotton Kingdom, Slave Rebellions (Vesey, Prosser, Turner), Marshall
Court Decisions, McCullough v. Maryland, Gibbons v. Ogden, Fletcher v. Peck, Dartmouth College v. Woodward, John
Quincy Adams as Secretary of State, and Election of 1824 as “corrupt bargain.”
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. Why were Alexander Hamilton’ economic policies, which were designed to strengthen national unity, divisive issues
in the first half of the 19th century?
2. “Developments in transportation, rather than in manufacturing and agriculture, sparked American economic growth
in the first half of the 19th century.” Assess the validity of this statement.
3. “Supreme Court decisions reinforce state and federal legislation.” Assess the validity of this generalization for
THREE decisions of the Supreme Court prior to the Civil War.
4. “The Era of Good Feeling (1816-1824) marked the appearance of issues that transformed American politics in the
next twenty years.” Assess the validity of this generalization.
Unit 5: Jacksonian Democracy and the Politics of Reform (1824-1848)
5 days
Themes:
5.1 Evaluate the role of Andrew Jackson in affirming the new democratic politics.
5.2 Analyze the conflicts of Jackson’s presidency and trace the development of the Second Party System.
5.3 Trace the creation of a distinctive American cultural identity by writers and artists of the period.
5.4 Analyze the response of reformers to the changes of the period and evaluate the role of women in the reform
movement.
5.5 Trace the origins and political effects of the abolitionist movement.
Required Reading:
American Pageant Chapters 13 & 15-16
Zinn, “The Intimately Oppressed” and “Slavery Without Submission, Emancipation Without Freedom”
Excerpts from Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments
Selections from Horace Mann, Catherine Beecher, Dorothea Dix, and T.S. Arthur
Henry David Thoreau Self-Reliance
Selections from The Autobiography of Frederick Douglass
Assignments:
Mindspring Lesson 4: Developing a Thesis Statement
DBQ Jacksonian Indian Removal
DBQ Reform Movements 1825-1850
Document Analysis Practice on Transcendentalist Movement
Identification of Primary Sources Quiz
Multiple Choice Test Unit 5
Discussion Topics: Jacksonian Democracy, Expanded Suffrage, Elections of 1824 and 1828, Kitchen Cabinet, Spoils
System, Native American relations, Removal Act, Worcester v. Georgia, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, Tariff and
Nullification Crisis, Bank Issue, Rise of Whig Party and Election of 1840, Transcendentalism, Knickerbocker School,
Hudson River School of Arts, Second Great Awakening, Reform movements, Abolitionist Movement, “Free Soilers,”
Liberty Party, Leaders and Individuals.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. Analyze the extent to which TWO of the following influenced the development of democracy between 1820 and
1840. Jacksonian economic policy / Changes in electoral politics / Second Great Awakening / Westward movement
2. The Jacksonian Period (1828-1848) has been celebrated as the era of the “common man.” To what extent did the
period live up to its characterization? Consider TWO of the following in your response: Economic Development /
Politics / Reform Movements
3. “American reform movements between 1820 and 1860 reflected both optimistic and pessimistic views of human
nature and society.” Assess the validity of this statement in reference to reform movements in THREE of the following
areas. Education / Temperance / Women’s Rights / Utopian Experiments / Penal Institutions
4. “In the first half of the 19th century, the American cultural and intellectual community contributed to the development
of a distinctive American national consciousness.” Assess the validity of this statement.
5. In what ways did the early 19th century reform movements for abolition and women’s rights illustrate both the
strengths and weaknesses of democracy in the early American republic?
Unit 6: Manifest Destiny / The Coming Crisis (1820-1860)
6 days
Themes:
6.1 Identify the lands annexed by the United States and analyze the motivation behind Manifest Destiny.
6.2 Compare and contrast the sectional arguments, both politically and socially, for American expansion.
6.3 Analyze the long-term and immediate causes of the Civil War.
Required Reading:
American Pageant Chapters 17-19
Zinn “The Other Civil War”
John O’Sullivan Manifest Destiny
Henry David Thoreau Civil Disobedience
Selections from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Compromise of 1850
Assignments:
Presidents Quiz 1-18
DBQ on The Coming Crisis
DBQ on Slavery and the Constitution
FRQ Test Units 5-6
Current Events Quiz
Discussion Topics: Manifest Destiny, Texas Independence and Annexation, Aroostook War, “Fifty-Four Forty or
Fight,” Mexican War, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexican Cession, Gadsden Purchase, Slavery and Expansion,
Wilmot Proviso, Republican Party formation, Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act, John Brown, Abolitionist
Authors and Leaders, Dred Scott Case, Election of 1860, Crittenden Compromise, Secession.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “Although Americans perceived Manifest Destiny as a benevolent movement, it was in fact an aggressive
imperialism pursued at the expense of others.” Assess the validity of this statement with specific references to
American expansionism in the 1840s.
2. Discuss the impact of territorial expansion on national unity between 1800 and 1850.
3. Were the principal causes of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War to be found in western needs and demands?
4. Assess the moral arguments and political actions of those opposed to the spread of slavery in the context of TWO of
the following: Missouri Compromise / Mexican War / Compromise of 1850 / Kansas-Nebraska Act
5. Analyze the effectiveness of political compromise in reducing sectional tensions in the periods 1820-1861.
Unit 7: Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
6 days
Themes:
7.1 Analyze factors affecting political structures, mobilization, and finance in both the Union and Confederacy and
determine their significance on the outcome of the war.
7.2 Evaluate the role of military leaders, strategies, campaigns (and battles), and emancipation on the outcome of the
war.
7.3 Analyze the transforming effects of the war on northern economy and society.
7.4 Trace Reconstruction’s competing plans and assess the political and constitutional effects on the postwar nation.
7.5 Identify political, social, and economic changes on southern states and evaluate degrees of success / failure of
Reconstruction efforts.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Chapters 20-22
Zinn “The Other Civil War”
Lincoln Readings: 1st & 2nd Inaugurals, Emancipation Proclamation, and Gettysburg Address
Homestead Act 1862, Morrill Act 1862, Pacific Railroad Acts 1862/64
13th 14th 15th Amendments
Assignments:
Vocabulary Identification Quiz Units 6-7
Civil War Webquest
Presidents Project “Change Over Time and Specific Factual Information” 1789-1877
1st Semester Exam Units 1-7
Discussion Topics: “Rich Man’s War Poor Man’s Fight,” Draft riots, Strengths / Weaknesses of North and South,
Border States, Habeas Corpus, Confederate Leaders and Union Generals, Strategies, Anaconda Plan, Foreign Aid,
“Scorched earth policy,” Turning Points and battles, Freedom, Emancipation Proclamation, Congressional Acts and
actions, Radical Republicans, Constitutional Amendments, Reconstruction, Balance of Power (Congress v/s
Executive), Panic of 1873, KKK, sharecropping, Civil Rights Acts 1866/75, Jim Crow laws, Plessy v. Ferguson,
Carpetbaggers and scalawags, Congressional Reconstruction, Rutherford B. Hayes, Election of 1876 and Hayes-Tilden
Compromise.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “The South never had a chance to win the Civil War.” To what extent and why do you agree or disagree with this
statement.
2. “I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and
black races.” How can this 1858 statement of Abraham Lincoln be reconciled with his 1862 Emancipation
Proclamation?
3. Discuss the motives, methods, effectiveness of the federal government in silencing dissent during the Civil War.
4. 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?
5. Analyze the economic consequences of the Civil War with respect to any TWO of the following in the United States
between 1865 and 1880. Agriculture / Labor / Industrialization / Transportation
Unit 8: Industrial America (1865-1900)
4 days
Themes:
8.1 Describe the impact of the 2nd Industrial Revolution on the Gilded Age.
8.2 Assess the role of labor unions on the lives of industrial workers during the Gilded Age.
8.3 Explain the rise of the New South and its impact on the regional versus national level.
8.4 Trace the economic, political, and social effects of industrialization on America.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Ch. 23-25
Zinn, Ch. 11 “Robber Barons and Rebels”
Extensive Website Research (List of sites distributed)
Assignments:
Outlining the Essay from Mindspring
FRQ Outlines due from selected questions
Howard Zinn guided questions in groups
Research Labor Events and prepare for “Labor Talks” in groups
DBQ Assessment Organized Labor 1875-1900
Discussion Topics: Labor versus Big Business, (In depth look at Railroad Strike 1877, Haymarket Affair, Homestead
Strike, Pullman Strike, and Anthracite Coal Strike), Unions and leaders, Second Industrial Revolution, inventors and
inventions, Gilded Age, Captains of Industry, vertical and horizontal integration, laissez-faire government policy, US v.
EC Knight Co, Sherman Anti-Trust, Progress and Problems, Social Darwinism, Business cycle, depression and
recession, Chinese Exclusion Act 1882, New South, New Immigrant, “Conspicuous Consumption,” Middle Class,
Normal Schools, Booker T. Washington, National Pastime, Ragtime, Vaudeville.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts:
1. “Although the economic growth of the United States between 1865 and 1900 has been attributed to a governmental
policy of laissez-faire, it was in fact encouraged and sustained by direct governmental intervention.” Assess the validity
of this statement.
2. Compare and contrast the attitudes of THREE of the following on the American industrial worker between 1865 an
1900.
3. Andrew Carnegie has been viewed by some historians as the “prime representative of the industrial age” and by
others as “an industrial leader atypical of the period/” Assess the validity of each of these views.
4. Explain the persistence of efforts to start third parties between 1870 and 1900.
5. “The United States in the Gilded Age (1865-1900) was a materialistic society, sterile in all forms of artistic
expression.” Assess the validity of this statement by discussing literature and arts. (include architecture if you wish)
Unit 9: The Trans-Mississippi West and the Populist Movement (1860-1896)
4 days
Themes:
9.1 Describe the settling of the West and development of mining, ranching, and farming.
9.2 Trace the development and impact of railroad on economy, society, and government.
9.3 Illustrate the dissemination of the Plains Indians in the late 19th century.
9.4 Justify the rise of the “farmer’s plight” and The Populist Party.
9.5 Discuss the currency issue in politics and economics of the 1880s and 1890s.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Ch. 26
Documents from Mindspring “The Populist Revolt”
Frederick Jackson Turner The Significance of the Frontier in American History ch. 1
Assignments:
Illustration of Turner’s Thesis
Document Analysis Practice on Populism
Presidents Quiz 1-32
Populist Vocabulary Identification Quiz
DBQ on Settlement of the West
Discussion Topics: Social history on the frontier, Frederick Jackson Turner, Mormons, Mining, Ranching, and
Farming, Native American culture, Government policy toward Natives, Dawes Act, Helen Hunt Jackson, Sand Creek,
Wounded Knee, Big Horn, Farmer’s Alliances and The Grange, mechanization and technology in agriculture, role of
railroads in farmer’s economic plight, government role in expansion and regulation, Supreme Court decisions (Munn v.
Illinois and Wabash Case), Gold Standard and Silver Issue, election of 1896 and third parties in US History.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. Although the economic development of the Trans-Mississippi West is popularly associated with hardy individualism,
it was in fact dependent on the federal government. Assess the validity of this statement with specific reference to
western economic activities in the 19th century.
2. How were the lives of Plains Indians in the second half of the 19 th century affected by technological developments
and government actions?
3. Analyze the reasons for the emergence of the Populist Movement in the late 19 th century.
4. If William Jennings Bryan had defeated William McKinley in 1896, the United States diplomatic and economic policy
would have been vastly different. Explain why you agree or disagree with this generalization.
5. Analyze ways farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age (1865-1900).
Unit 10: Urban America and Progressive Era (1890-1920)
4 days
Themes:
10.1 Explain the Progressive Ideology, and its effect on society and government.
10.2 Analyze how the Progressives aided the working man.
10.3 Trace the development of urban areas and their impact on American society.
10.4 Evaluate the status of women, immigrants, and African Americans during the Progressive Era.
10.05 Examine the effect of progressivism on the politics of the time.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Ch. 28
Selections from Liberty Equality and Power, chapters 19-21
Zinn, Ch. 13 “The Socialist Challenge”
Progressive Era Document Selections – John Braithewarte
“Honest Graft” George Washington Plunkitt – (1905)
16th-19th Amendments
Selections from Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
Assignments:
Progressive Era vocabulary identification quiz
Progressive Era DBQ practice – selected document summary and SFI
DBQ Assessment on Progressivism and Federal Government
Current Events Quiz
Discussion Topics: Progressive Analysts and Muckrakers, women activists, settlement houses, Niagra Movement,
NAACP, African American progress and problems, Political reform, Robert Lafollette and Wisconsin ideas, Progressive
Presidents and Legislation, Progressive Amendments 16th-19th, the changing role of national government in economy,
Supreme Court cases Lochner v. New York, Muller v. Oregon, Danbury Hatters Case, Labor disputes, United Mine
Workers, Steel Triangle of industrialization / urbanization / and immigration, Conservation, New Freedom, Federal
Reserve Act, FTC, and Clayton Anti-Trust.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. Identify and analyze the factors that changed the American city in the second half of the 19 th c.
2. Analyze and evaluate Booker T. Washington’s program for African Americans and W.E.B. DuBois’ challenge to that
program.
3. “Political controversy in the United States has usually centered around men, rather than political philosophies.”
Evaluate this statement with respect to the election of 1912.
4. To what extent was the Progressive Era (1890-1920) a unified movement of reform and change in American
Society?
5. A number of writers and reformers in the period 1865-1914 discussed the growing gap between the wealth and
poverty in the United States. Compare and contrast THREE of the following authors’ explanations for this condition and
their proposals for dealing with it.
A. Henry George, Progress and Poverty
B. Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward
C. Andrew Carnegie, The Gospel of Wealth
D. Upton Sinclair, The Jungle
E. William Graham Sumner, What Social Classes Owe to Each Other
Unit 11: Imperialism and World War I (1865-1918)
4 days
Themes:
11.1 Trace the emergence of the United States as an increasingly significant international power in late 19 th century
and early 20th century.
11.2 Identify American examples of military, economic, and political intervention throughout the world.
11.3 Describe how the policies and actions of the United State’s presidents and government impacted the affairs of
other countries.
11.4 Analyze the causes of American involvement in World War I and the effects of the war on America and other
nations.
11.5 Assess the significance of the war experience on United States foreign and domestic policies of the 1920s and
1930s.
Assigned Readings:
American Pageant Ch. 27 & 29-30
US Public Law 103-150 US Apology to Hawaii
Zinn Chapter 12 The Empire and the People and Chapter 14 War is the Health of the State
John Hay The Open Door Notes 1899
Platt Amendment
Roosevelt Corollary, 1905
Zimmerman Telegram
Wilson’s 14 Points
Assignments:
ID and Matching Quiz goal 11.5
WWI Document Analysis from AMSCO
Imperialist Political Cartoon Analysis taken from OAH Magazine of History
Multiple Choice cumulative assessment 1870-1920 Inclusive of units 8-11
Free Response Question topical to unit 11
Discussion Topics: Roots of “new imperialism,” Alfred T. Mahan, Josiah Strong, Expansionist v/s Anti-Imperialist
debate circa 1900, Hawaii revolution and annexation, Interventions in Latin America, Extensions of Monroe Doctrine
and Manifest Destiny, Roosevelt Corollary, Panama Canal, Teddy Roosevelt, propaganda and public opinion
particularly in Spanish American and World Wars, Asian relations with attention to Japanese-American relations, Open
Door Policy, “Big-stick,” Dollar, and Moral Diplomacies, US Neutrality and Entry into WWI, Economic Alliances, Civil
Liberty during Wartime, Red Scare, Versailles Treaty and the League of Nations, “return to normalcy,” Republican “Old
Guard,” Disarmament in 1920s, Immigration Quotas in 1921,24.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “Both the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War were premeditated affairs resulting from deliberately
calculated schemes of robbery on the part of a superior power against a weak and defenseless neighbors.” Assess the
validity of this statement.
2. In the Open Door Note of 1900, the United States enunciated a policy of supporting the territorial integrity of China.
Why did the United States adopt this policy? How consistently did we defend it in the period 1900-1941?
3. 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 – Woodrow Wilson’s idealism – Allied propaganda –
America’s claim to world power
4. Discuss the motives, the methods, and the effectiveness of the federal government in silencing dissent in the
following period: The First World War.
5. “The United States in the period 1898-1919 failed to recognize that it had vital interests at stake in Europe, where it
tried to stay aloof. At the same time, it had few or no such interests in Asia, where it eagerly became involved.” Assess
the validity of this generalization.
Unit 12: From Boom to Bust (1919-1939)
5 days
Themes:
12.1 Elaborate on the cycle of economic boom and bust in the twenties and thirties and analyze the extent of
prosperity for different segments of society.
12.2 Make inferences about social, intellectual, and technological change based on an analysis of the lifestyles of the
twenties and thirties.
12.3 Describe the challenges to tradition in religion, race, and gender during the period.
12.04 Assess the impact of New Deal reforms in expanding the role of the federal government in American life.
Required Reading:
American Pageant Chapters 31-33
Zinn, “Self-Help in Hard Times”
Selections from The Great Gatsby, A Farwell to Arms, The Grapes of Wrath
Various New Deal Acts (TVA, NIRA, Social Security Act)
FDR selections including Inaugural Address, and Fireside Chats.
Assignments:
1920s “Cultural Webquest”
DBQ Hoover and FDR
DBQ Cultural Conflict in the 1920s
FRQ on 1920s and 30s
Discussion Topics: Business prosperity, welfare capitalism, urban versus rural classes, Jazz Age, Lost Generation,
Harlem Renaissance, Religion and fundamentalism, Increased Racism toward immigrants and blacks, Sacco and
Vanzetti Trial and Scope Trial, Business Cycle, Speculation, Buying on Margin, Stock Market Crash, Hoover Response,
Election of 1932, First New Deal, Brain Trust, Relief, Recovery, Reform, Second New Deal, Labor under FDR, Wagner
Act, Opponents of the New Deal, Coughlin, Huey Long, American Liberty League, deficit spending, Keynesian
economics, Supreme court reorganization plan, Indian-Reorganization, A. Philip Randolph.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “Alienation from American society is a dominant theme of the literature of the 1920’s.” Discuss this statement with
reference to TWO writers (novelists, poets, playwrights, journalists, etc.) citing evidence from their works.
2. “The period between 1919 and 1929 closely resembled the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) in tolerance,
materialism, and corruption.” Assess the validity of this generalization by discussing BOTH periods.
3. “Some of the most democratic Presidents of the United States have also been the most autocratic.” Assess this
generalization with reference to any TWO of the following men:
Thomas Jefferson / Abraham Lincoln / Woodrow Wilson / Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. The depression of the 1890s delayed reform; the depression of the 1930s stimulated it.” To what extent and in what
ways do you agree of disagree with this statement.
5. How successful were the New Deal programs in solving the problems of the Great Depression? Assess with
respect to TWO of the following. Relief / Recovery / Reform
Unit 13: World War II and the Origins of the Cold War (1939-1954)
5 days
Themes:
13.1 Analyze the causes of United States involvement in World War II and assess the effects of the war on the United
States and other nations.
13.2 Analyze the effects of World War II on American economic, political, social and cultural life.
13.3 Trace the development of foreign policy during the Cold War Era. (1945-1953)
13.4 Examine the domestic trends in the United States during the Cold War. (1945-1954)
Required Reading:
American Pageant Chapters 34-36
Zinn, “A People’s War?”
Executive Order 8802 / 9066 / 9981
Eisenhower’s Address to the Soldiers June 6, 1944
United Nations Charter
Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
Senate Resolution 301: Censure of Joseph McCarthy
Assignments:
Presidents Project “Change Over Time and Specific Factual Information” 1877-1985
Unit Test 12-13 Multiple choice and FRQ
Discussion Topics: World War II causation, London Economic Conference, renewed Imperialism, Totalitarian
regimes, Munich Conference, appeasement, Neutrality Acts, Quarantine Speech, Four Freedoms Speech, Pearl
Harbor, North Africa, D-Day, Pacific and European Theaters, Yalta Conference, Potsdam Conference, Selective
Service Act, Government Production, Price, Labor, and Information Agencies, Manhattan Project, Internment Camps,
Labor Strikes, Taft-Hartley Act, Cold War, containment, Berlin Blockade, NATO, CIA, Korean War, Post War America,
Red Scare, McCarthy, HUAC, Hollywood Ten, Rosenberg case, Strom Thurmond, Dennis v. U.S.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “The Constitution authorizes Congress to declare war, but America has more often become involved in war as a
result of presidential action.” Assess the validity of this generalization as it applies to Franklin Roosevelt.
2. “War has frequently had unexpected consequences for United States foreign policy but has seldom resulted in major
reorientations of policy.” Discuss with reference to the First and Second World Wars, giving about equal attention to
each.
3. “Social dislocations resulting from wartime conditions frequently bring lasting change within a society.” Evaluate the
relevance of this generalization to American society in the 20 th century in view of the experience of Blacks AND
Women.
4. How do you account for the appeal of McCarthyism in the United States in the era following the Second World War?
5. Analyze the influence of TWO of the following on American-Soviet relations in the decade following the Second
World War. Yalta Conference / Korean War / McCarthyism / Chinese Communist Revolution
Unit 14: Conformity and the New-Left Individualism (1952-1975)
6 days
Themes:
14.1 Evaluate the importance of consumerism, technological advancements, and mass media in creating a new
American culture.
14.2 Trace the events and policies of the Cold War during the Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon
administrations.
14.3 Identify the major domestic issues during the Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations and their
effect on American society.
14.4 Trace the major events of the Civil Rights Movement, describe the strategies used by leaders and organizations,
and analyze the economic and political gains for African Americans and other minority groups.
14.5 Explain the causes of United States’ involvement in Vietnam and examine how this involvement affected society.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Chapters 37-39
Zinn, “Or, Does it Explode?” and “The Impossible Victory: Vietnam”
Eisenhower’s Farewell Address
Brown v. Board decision
Civil Rights Act 1964 and Voting Rights Act 1965
Assignments:
Review Sessions for AP Exam
DBQ on Civil Rights for African Americans
Discussion Topics: 1950s America, Suburbs, rock and roll, The Feminine Mystique, Youth culture, T.V. and mass
culture, Cold War America, Federal Highway Act, National Defense Education Act, U-2 Incident, Sputnik, NASA,
Military-industrial complex, Domino theory, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, Treaties (SALT I and Nuclear Test Ban),
Great Society, government programs, Election of 1968, Watergate, Environmental Movements, Roe v. Wade, Civil
Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr., SCLC, sit-ins, Freedom Riders, Black Power, Malcolm X, March on
Washington, Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin, Operation Rolling Thunder, Tet Offensive, My Lai Massacre, Peace Protests,
Kent State.
Topical Questions (used as timed essay prompts):
1. “Although the 1960s are usually considered the decade of greatest achievement for Black Civil Rights, the 1940s
and 1950s were periods of equally important gains.” Assess the validity of this statement.
2. Discuss, with respect to TWO of the following, the view that the 1960s represented a period of profound cultural
change. Education / Gender roles / Music / Race relations
3. To what extent did the decade of the 1950s deserve its reputation as an age of political, social, and cultural
conformity?
4. 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.
5. Assess the success of the United States policy of containment in Asia between 1945 and 1975.
6. Analyze the success and failures of the United States Cold War policy of containment as it developed in TWO of the
following regions of the world during the period 1945-1975. East and Southeast Asia / Europe / Latin America / Middle
East
Unit 15: Conservatism and the New Millennium (1970-present)
3 days
Themes:
15.01 Explain stagflation, the problems that perpetuated it, and federal government response during the
administrations of Ford and Carter.
15.02 Discuss the reasons for political activism on the community level an summarize the ideas and activities of grass
roots politics and the politics of the new conservatism.
15.3 Outline the various foreign policy problems of the Ford and Carter administrations and how they responded to
them.
15.4 Explain the successes and limitations of the Reagan Revolution and trace the changes and continuing foreign
policy issues during the Reagan and Bush administrations.
15.5 Examine the economic, social, and political changes in the new millennium.
Required Readings:
American Pageant Chapter 40
Zinn, “The Seventies: Under Control?” and “Surprises,” as well as selections from “Carter-Reagan-Bush” the Bipartisan
Consensus”
Assignments:
Review sessions for AP Exam
Unit test 14-15
FRQ test from 1877-1980
Discussion Topics: Economic crisis of 1970s, stagflation, OPEC, Deregulation, Environmentalism, Sierra Club, Earth
Day, Hispanic movement, Cesar Chavez, Women’s rights, Equal Rights Amendment, Gay Liberation Movement,
Religious fundamentalism, New Right, Abortion, Foreign Policy, Helsinki Conference, Camp David Accords, SALT II,
Iranian Hostage Crisis, Election of 1980, Supply side economics, Sandra Day O’Connor, Star Wars, Grenada,
Nicaragua, Panama, Mikhail Gorbachev, breakup of USSR, Persian Gulf War.