AP US HISTORY
Syllabus
Course Description: A.P. US History is offered as a college level course. Successful completion should
enable the student to pass the national exam held in May. This will fulfill the core US History
requirements for most undergraduate programs and will allow students to earn college credit for this
course. With the skills herein and a mastery of the content, students will be ready for intermediate and
advanced college level history courses.
CR 5
Course Objectives and Goals: We will explore the themes of diversity and religion in the development of
culture and identity. We will trace the resulting demographic, economic and environmental
transformation of a nation in motion. We will examine the impact of politics on citizenship, diplomacy,
war, work, and globalization. Students will develop writing and analytical skills as well as some
experience in historiography. CR 1 CR 6
Materials: David M. Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey. The American Pageant: Advanced
Placement Edition. Thirteenth Edition. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006)
David M. Kennedy and Thomas Bailey. The American Spirit Vol. I & II Tenth Edition
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002)
Howard Zinn. A People’s History of The United States 1492-Present.
(New York: Harper Collins, 2003)
Joseph J. Ellis. Founding Brothers: New York: RandomHouse2001.
Stephen B. Oates. Approaching Fury. ( New York: Harper Collins, 1998)
Web based collection of documents, compiled and maintained by me.
Skills and Testing: Special attention is paid to the development in writing an essay, beginning with the 5
paragraph expository format and expanding from there.
Packets of names and terms are distributed at the start of each unit and student mastery is expected.
Discussion questions are additionally supplied and for the basis for class discussion, often leading into
the use of primary source documents.
Additionally, skill in analyzing document will be developed through practice in groups and individually.
Tests are all cumulative and contain a variety of objective and subjective components. Each unit test will
include either an Free Response Question( FRQ) or Document Based Question (DBQ).
CR 6 CR 7 CR 8
Curricular Requirements: CR 1: A study of political institutions.
CR 2: A study of social and cultural developments.
CR 3: A study of diplomacy in history.
CR 4: A study of economic trends.
CR 5: Use of themes or topics to structure the course.
CR 6: Analysis of evidence and interpretation of historical scholarship.
CR 7: Analysis and interpretation of a variety of primary sources.
CR 8: Frequent practice in writing analytical and interpretive essays.
Course Outline
Quarter One
Unit I: History, Historiography and the Explorers. Colonial History to 1763. (3 Weeks).
Themes: Religion and Economics in developing cultures.
CR 5 CR 6 CR 7
Reading: Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 1-4
American Spirit, Vol. 1 Packet of Primary Sources from New World Beginnings, Planting of
English America, Settling in the Northern Colonies and American Life in the 17th Century, Colonial Society
on the Eve of Revolution, Duel for North America. Zinn: Ch. 1
CR 1 CR 8 CR 2
Activities Include:
Skills: Writing the DBQ, The 5 Paragraph Essay, APPARTS Analysis of Primary Sources.
Essay Topic: Comparing and Contrasting Northern, Middle and Southern Colonies
Charts: Comparative colonial establishment, development and populations of Europe and North
America pre-exploration through colonial period.
Geography Focus: environmental contributions to colonial development, movement of goods, products,
and diseases.
CR 3 CR4
DBQ: The Explorers
Content: Exploration, Columbian Exchange, social and cultural, organizations of plantings, Labor,
education, regional and religious differences, Native American life, French, Spanish and English Colonies:
relations with natives and each other.
Content: Exploration, political, social and cultural organization of plantings, Labor, education, regional
and religious differences, Native-American culture. French, English, and Spanish colonies: relations with
natives and each other.
Unit 2 Independence- 1763-1789 (3 weeks)
Themes: Independence, Self-Determination, Human Rights
Readings: Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 5-8
American Spirit Vol.1: Packet from The Road to Revolution, American Secedes, The Revolution
and The Treaty of Paris, Excerpts from Common Sense. Zinn: Chapter 2 & 3.
CR 1 CR 8
Activities Include:
Skills: Map Analysis
Essay Topic: How revolutionary is the Revolution?
Geography Focus: course of the War
DBQ: American Revolution: a civil war? Or: Comparative colonial policies toward Native Americans.
Content: Mercantilism, British Policy changes, Colonial Cooperation, Military strategies, Outcomes,
Navigation Laws, Treaty of Paris, Republicanism.
CR 5 CR 7
Unit 3: The New Nation-(3 weeks)
Themes: Republicanism, Independence, Foreign Relations
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 9-12. Zinn: 3-5
American Spirit, Vol. I: A Packet from Confederation and Constitution, New Ship of State, Republic and
the Second War for Independence, Assorted selections from the Federalists and Anti-Federalist Papers.
CR 1 CR 7 CR 8
Activities Include:
Essay Topics: War as an instrument for social change, The Constitution a Progressive Document? Issues
of the 17th Century were mostly theological, Issues of the 18th Century: Political: assess.
Charts: Federalist and Anti-Federalist: Early Political Parties to the Present.
Geographic Focus: Great Lake; battles and New Orleans
DBQ: Ratifying the Constitution or Growth of Political Parties.
Content: The Confederation, Shay’s Rebellion, Articles of Confederation, Shay’s Rebellion and the
Constitutional Convention Issues at Debate: Banks and Debts, Representation, Plans, Ratification
Process, The Bill of Rights, Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion, Jays Treaty and Neutrality, Farewell
Address
Adams, Alien and Sedition Act, Peace, Jeffersonian Revolution, Marshall Court, Foreign Policy, and
Indian Relations, Louisiana, Embargo
Madison , Gambling with Napoleon, War of 1812
Second Quarter
Project: How Democratic was Jacksonian Democracy?
CR 6
Unit 4: Age of Jackson (2 weeks)
Themes: Rise of Democracy
CR 2 CR 5 CR 7
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapter 13-15
American Spirit, Vol. I: a packet of sources from the Rise of Mass Democracy, Forging the National
Economy, Ferment of Reform and Culture, excerpts from the Lowell Offering
CR 3 CR 8
Activities Include:
Essay Topic: Jackson v. The Bank, Reforms of the 1820s to 1850s.
Charts: Reforms and Reformers.
Geography Focus: Trail of Tears, Canals & Shipping of Goods
DBQ: Jackson and The Cherokees, or The Rise of Democracy.
FRQ: Jacksonian/Jeffersonian Democracy, Banking, Constitution, and Human Rights.
CR 2 CR 4
Content:
The Corrupt Bargain, Expanding the Franchise, Nullification Issue, The Two Party System, Indian
Removal, Texas, Immigration, Reforms, Religious Revivals,
Rise of the Factory System and The Transportation Revolution, Social Overhead Capital.
Unit 5: Toward Disunion (3 weeks)
Theme: Civil Liberties and Expansion
CR 5 CR 7
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 16-19
American Spirit Vol. I.: A packet of sources from the South and Slavery Controversy, Manifest Destiny
and it Legacy, Renewing the Sectional Struggle and Drifiting toward Disunion.
Activities Include:
Essay Topics: Kansas Nebraska Bill, Dred Scott, Seeds of Civil War.
Charts: The Plantation System and Social Structure, Steps Toward Civil War, From Compromise of 1820
to Compromise of 1850.
Geography Focus: War With Mexico
DBQ: Causes of Secession
Primary Source Interpretations: Slave Narratives and American Progress.
Content:
The Cotton Kingdom, economy, social structure. Abolition, Manifest Destiny. Texas and the War with
Mexico, Compromise of 1850, Western Expansion, Compromise of 1850 and Popular Sovereignty,
Bleeding Kansas, Secession.
Unit 6:Civil War and Reconstruction (2 weeks)
Themes: Geographic impact on the war, Civil Rights and Liberties
CR 5 CR 7
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 20-22. Zinn: 9& 10.
American Spirit Vol. 1: A packet of sources from Girding for War, The Furnace of War, Ordeal of
Reconstruction.
CR 2 CR8
Activities Include:
Essay Topics: The Effects of Southern policies on the war, and/or Slavery as a response to economic
conditions in the South.
Charts: Civil War and Economic Resources of the North and South
Geography Focus: Civil War
DBQ: The Failure of Reconstruction and Emancipation Proclamation.
CR 2
Content:
Civil War, Border States, Civil Liberties, Battles, Election of 1864, Assignation and legacy of the War,
Black Codes, Military Reconstruction, Radical reconstruction, Impeachment of Johnson.
CR 5 CR7
Unit 7: The Gilded Age (3 weeks)
Theme: Free Market v. Regulation
Reading:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapter 23-26. Zinn: 11.
American Spirit Vol. II. A packet of sources from the Gilded Age, Industry Comes of Age, America Moves
to the City and The West and Agricultural Revolution.
CR 2 CR 4 CR8
Activities Include:
Essay Topic: The Industrial Boom or the Transportation Revolution of 1820-1860
Charts: Corruptions and Reforms
Geography Focus: Disappearing Frontier
DBQ: W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington and Immigration or Farmer Revolt.
Content
The Grant Era, Jim Crow, Populists, Railroads and Robber Barons, Gospel of Wealth, Urban Growth and
problems, Mining and Ranching in the West, plight of the Indians, Agrarian revolt.
Mid-Term Exams-Given in the format of the National AP Exam:
Essays and DBQ given prior to the actual Exam period and Multiple Choice portion completed during the
school’s exam schedule.
Evaluation given for understanding of topics thus far in the school year.
This forms the basis for the first half of review in early May.
3rd Quarter
CR 6
Project:
William Riordan, Honest Graft: The World of George Washington: Plunkit-Plunkit on Tammany Hall.
Reading and writing on historiographical assessment.
CR 5 CR 7
Unit 8: Imperialism and Progressivism (3 weeks)
Theme: Reform and Social Responsibility
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 27-30
American Spirit Vol. II: A packet of sources from the path of Empire America on the World Stage,
Progressivism and Roosevelt, Progressivism and Wilson, The war to end war.
CR 8
Activities Include:
Essay Topic: Wilson’s responsibility for the Rejection of the Treaty
Charts: Roosevelt v. Wilsonian Progressivism
Geography Focus: New Markets and American Imperialism, WWI
DBQ: Progressivism or American Imperialism
CR 2
CR 3 CR 4
Content:
The growing need for foreign markets, the transition from isolationism to becoming a world power,
campaigning against social injustice at home, New Freedom vs. New Nationalism, Tariff, banks, trust: the
role on the world stage during WWI. Influencing the war and the peace.
Unit 9: The Interwar Years (3weeks)
Themes:
CR 7
Boom and Bust; Reforms Government assumes Social Responsibility
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy Chapters 31-33
American Spirit vol. II: A packet of sources from the Roaring Twenties, Politics of Boom and Bust, Great
Depression and New Deal. Excerpts from Deliver Us From Evil
CR 3 CR 8
Activities Include:
Essay Topic: Comparing Federal Policy in dealing with the economic panic of 93 v. the Great Depression.
Charts: The New Deal
Geography Focus: The Dust Bowl
DBQ: Clash of Cultures of the 1920s or New Deal opponents.
Content:
CR 4
The Red Scare, Prohibition, Modernism and Reaction, Republican Ascendency, Boom and Bust, US
Relations with Latin America, The New Deal.
CR 5
Unit 10: WW II (2 weeks)
CR 7
Themes:
CR 7
Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 34-35
American Spirit, Vol. II: A packet of sources from and the Shadow of War and America in WWII.
Activities Include:
CR2
Essay Topics: Japanese Internment and Civil Liberties, Did we err with Stalin?
Charts: Economic impact of the war
Geographic Focus: 3 Theaters of War, Japanese Aggression
DBQ: The Home Front, or The Decision the Drop the Bomb
Content:
CR 3
From Neutrality to Involvement, Africa, Europe and Asian Theaters of War, The Home Front and the
Dawn of the Atomic Age.
4th Quarter
CR 5
Project:
CR 7
Review guides assigned on the Themes in History
Unit 11: Cold War (3 weeks)
Themes: Fear, Globalism, Conflict and Consensus.
Readings:
Bailey and Kennedy, Chapters 36-39
American Spirit Vol. II: a packet of sources from the beginning of the cold war, Eisenhower Era and the
Stormy Sixties and Stalemated Seventies.
CR 3
Activities Include:
Essay Topic: Eisenhower: A New Deal Backlash? Or 1968: Pivotal Year
Charts: Shifts in Latin American Policies, Asian Policies
Geographic Focus: Middle East & Oil: Vietnam
DBQ: Civil Rights, or The Great Society
CR 2
Content:
Postwar prosperity, origins of the cold war, Truman Doctrine and Eisenhower Doctrine, fighting
Communist at home and Abroad, Mass Consumerism, Camelot and Social programs, Johnson and
Vietnam, cultural upheavals.
CR 5 CR 7
Unit 12: Resurgence of Conservatism and Post-Cold War ( 2 weeks)
CR 5
CR 7
Themes: Property v. Civil Liberties
Readings:
Kennedy and Bailey, Chapters 40-42. Zinn: 20-21
American Spirit Vol. II: A Packet of sources from The Resurgence of Conservatism, Conservatism at the
end of the Century Issues.
Activities Include:
Essay Topic: The Regan Revolution: a tax revolt?
Charts: Scandals, The Courts go Conservative
Geographic Focus: Fall of the Soviet Union; Unification of Germany
DBQ: Modern Conservatism or the Election of 2000.
Content:
CR 3
The Regan Revolution, End of the Cold War, Courts, Rise of the Religious Right, Clinton and the reformed
stymied, post war foreign policy, American culture on the brink of the 21st Century, terrorism in the post
9/11 world.
Project Kennedy and the next 50 years. How the Kennedy Administration influenced the next five
decades.
CR 6 CR 8