AP U.S. History
Syllabus
Instructor Information:
Teacher:
Mr. Jenkins
Room:
Belle Vernon Area High School, Room 310
Contact:
Phone:
Email:
Website:
http://www.bellevernonarea.net/bvahs
Required Text:
American Pageant
Additional Resources:
Notes by Chapter from Edinsight or ITunesU
724-808-2500; ext. 2310
robb.jenkins@bellevernonarea.net
Course Description:
This course will fulfill your senior year social studies requirement. It will also take the
place of American Cultures if you are a junior. A.P. U. S. History is a survey of American
History from the age of discovery and exploration to the present. Solid reading and
writing skills, along with a willingness to devote considerable time and effort are
necessary to succeed. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills,
essay writing, and interpretation of original documents. Emphasis will also be placed on
how economic factors have influenced American History. Student objectives include the
ability to: master a broad body of historic knowledge, demonstrate an understanding of
historic chronology, use historic data to support an argument or position, interpret and
apply data from original documents including, cartoons, graphs, letters, etc., and
effectively use analytical skills of cause and effect, compare and contrast.
Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:
1. Students will gain a significant depth and breadth of historical knowledge
2. Students will be able to analyze primary documents
3. Students will be able to combine prior knowledge, primary documents, maps and data to
write a position essay
4. Students will be able to identify thesis statements and positions within historical
documents
5. Students will be able to identify major themes in US History to guide students to a better
understanding of the connections between historical events and characters.
Academic Honesty:
Any work submitted by the student shall be his/her own. Work taken from others shall be
deemed as unacceptable. Any doubts will initiate the completion of an alternative assignment
or a zero on the required effort, depending on the severity of the infraction.
Class Policies and Expectations:
1) RESPECT must be shown to all classmates and the instructor
2) Students must be on time
3) Students are to participate in class (NO SLEEPING)—lack of participation will result in a
deduction from your participation grade
4) ABSOLUTELY no cell phones (unless being used in instruction), head phones, video
games, or electronics of any kind are allowed—if I see them, I will take them—repeat
offenders will have different consequences
5) No food or drink in the classroom
6) Responsible classroom behavior, and proper language are a MUST
7) Excusals only when necessary—preferably beginning or end of period--you must have
permission to leave the room
8) One student allowed to speak at a time
9) All opinions must be stated in a mature, responsible, and respectful manner
10) Course materials MUST be brought to class EVERY day
11) All work is due at the BEGINNING of the period—points will be deducted if late
12) If you miss school, YOU are responsible for all missed work including scheduling tests
and projects
AP 1-to-1 Initiative
As an AP student, you have been issued an iPad mini for class use, which is a privilege and a
responsibility.
Bring your device fully charged daily. Loss of class points and possible disciplinary referral will result
from failure to bring your device to class or inappropriate use of it (games , social media, etc).
Remember, your iPad is your responsibility; however, it is the property of the BVA School District, and its
content may be viewed by administration at any time.
Also, be advised that you are financially responsible for loss or damage to the device.
Disabilities:
If you have a disability that requires special accommodations, you need to notify the teacher no
later than the 2nd week of class.
Course Grading Criteria:
All quizzes, tests, and projects will be graded according to the Belle Vernon Area School District
grading policy. Total points will be accumulated for all evaluated efforts in this class rather than
having letter grades per each effort. The grading scale is as follows:
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
0-59
Emphasis will be on formal assessments. Therefore grades will be weighted.
Formal assessments will count for 90% of a student’s grade(quizzes, tests, projects,
performance-based rubrics, essays, graded homework, etc.)
Informal assessments will count for 10% of a student’s grade (homework checked for
completion, class participation, exit tickets, etc.)
Assignments per Quarter:
For each chapter students will complete:
Chapter Tests/Chapter Projects, Reading Assignments, Vocabulary
YOU are in charge of your own grade—If choose not to work you will not pass
*Assignments or assessments may vary due to pace of class and individualized
instruction.
Academic Standards:
Students will be reacquainted with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards that have been
adopted by the Department of Education, along with the Common Core Standards that are in
the process of being implemented nationwide. Students will be made aware of the importance
of the standards and the efforts to meet them. All objectives stated at the beginning of each
section of the Flip Chart/Notes are correlated with the PA State Standards.
AP Exam/College in High School Credit
Students have two different options that could allow them to receive college credit for this class.
1.
At the conclusion of this course, students can participate in the Advanced Placement
United States History Exam prepared and administered by the College Board. Students
who pass this exam may be eligible to receive college credits depending on their choice
of respective institution of higher learning
2. Students also have the choice of taking this class and receiving 3 credits from Mt.
Aloysious. They will enroll into the college for a three credit class and if they pass the
class with a 78% (could change) they will receive college credit for this class. We can
not guarantee all colleges will accept these credits but as of now most colleges seem to
be accepting them at least for General Elective Credits. It is best to contact any colleges
directly and ask them their policy.
Home Access Center:
If
Grades will be updated every Friday on the Home Access Center. If you lost or cannot
remember log in information, please contact our Child Accounting Department at 724-808-2500
Schoolwires (Website):
My website will be updated every Friday. Course Topics, Assignments, and Quizzes and Tests
are also posted weekly. If you are absent it is your responsibility to access the site and ask for
clarification if needed. There is often a dated list of upcoming work/chapters we will be working
on posted on the White Board by the door.
The following signatures state that all parties are aware of the preceding syllabus.
Student Signature____________________Date_______________
Parent Signature_____________________Date_______________
Course Outline:
1st Quarter
I. Students will
analyze that after a
late start, a proud,
nationalistic England
joined the colonial
race and successfully
established colonies
along the seacoast of
North America.
2nd Quarter
I. Students will
explore the American
effort in the War of
1812.
3rd Quarter
I. America
accomplished heavy
industrialization in
the Post-Civil war
era spurred by the
rail network,
business grew and
consolidated into
giant corporate
trusts, as
epitomized by the oil
and steel industries.
4th Quarter
I. Students will
analyze the events
that led to World
War II and our
involvement in it.
II. As part of their
worldwide rivalry,
Great Britain and
France engaged in a
great struggle for
colonial control of
North America,
culminating in the
British victory that
drove France from
the continent.
II. Students will analyze
how the 1820’s brought
a new spirit of strongly
antielitist popular
democracy through
American politics and
society, culminating in
the election of the
common person’s hero,
Andrew Jackson to the
Presidency
II. In the 1890’s a
number of economic
and political forces
sparked a
spectacular burst of
imperialistic
expansionism for
the US culminating
in the SpanishAmerican War – a
war that began over
freeing Cuba and
ended with the
highly controversial
acquisitions.
II. After World War II
the United States
and the Soviet
Union became
embroiled in what
became called the
Cold War.
III. The American
Revolution occurred
because the
colonists, who had
long been
developing a strong
sense of autonomy
and selfgovernment,
furiously resisted
British attempts to
impose tighter
controls and higher
taxes after the end
of the French and
Indian War.
III. The Cotton
producing slave system
created a complex
social order in the
South, which deeply
affected whites as well
as blacks. The small
but energetic radical
abolitionist movement
caused a fierce
proslavery backlash in
the south and a slow
but steady growth of
modern antislavery
sentiment in the North
that led to a war.
III. Students will
analyze the events
that led up to World
War I and our
involvement in it
and the peace
making process.
III. Students will
analyze the
Eisenhower,
Kennedy, Johnson
administrations.
IV. After the American
Revolution, the
Founding Fathers had
IV. Johnson’s political
blunders and Souther
white recalcitrance led
IV. Students will
analyze the events
that led to supposed
IV. Students will
analyze the events
that led up to our
to come up with a plan
of self-government.
Students will focus on
the different strategies
for a new government.
to the imposition of
congressional military
Reconstruction on the
South. Reconstruction
accomplished some
good, but left behind a
legacy of racial and
sectional bitterness.
prosperity of the
1920’s and struggle
of the Great
Depression.
involvement in the
Vietnam War.