AP U.S. History
Canton High School
Contact Info:
MR. HEITMAN
ROOM 607
EMAIL: jheitman@canton.k12.mo.us
Course Website: http://jheitman.pbworks.com/w/page/40948231/FrontPage
Course Description: The Advanced Placement United States History course is structured to provide
high school students a freshman, college level survey class in American History. It is offered through the
College Board’s Advanced Placement Program. Successful completion of the course and the final
examination generally result in college credit granted in later courses of study at American colleges and
universities.
Required Texts and Materials
Students are expected to bring to class daily: a writing utensil, paper or notebook, a folder or 3 ring
binder to keep assignments in, and the course textbook along with any additional reading/writing
assignments.
Primary Text: Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People, 6th
edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
Besides the main text the following additional readings will be used
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Bailey, Thomas A., Kennedy, David M., Cohen, Lizabeth. The American Pageant, Volume I: To
1877. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Bailey, Thomas A., Kennedy, David M., Cohen, Lizabeth. The American Pageant, Volume II:
Since 1865. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Bennett, William. The Spirit of America Words of Advice From the Founders in Stories, Letters,
Poems, and Speeches. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Bolden, Tonya. Cause: Reconstruction America, 1863-1877. New York: Knopf Publishing.
Borland, Bruce. America Through the Eyes of Its People Primary Sources in American History.
New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
Davidson, James & Lytle, Mark. After the Fact the Art of Historical Detection. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Dubois, Ellen Carol, Dumenil, Lynn. Through Women’s Eyes: An American History, With
Documents. Boston: Bedford /St. Martin.
Garraty, John A., Carnes, Mark C. The American Nation: A History of the United States. New
York: Addison Wesley Longman.
O’Connor, Karen, Sabato, Larry J. American Government: Continuity and Change. New York:
Addison Wesley Longman.
Saffell, David C., Basehart, Harry. State and Local Government: Politics and Public Policies.
New York: McGraw Hill.
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Youngs, J. William. American Realities Historical Episodes from the First Settlements to the Civil
War. New York: Harper Collins.
Zinn, Howard. A Peoples History of the United States. New York: Harper & Row.
Subscription to: American History Magazine, USA Today
Supplementary readings and primary sources provided by the instructor.
Course Outlook:
Advanced Placement United States History is designed to enable students to develop analytical skills and
acquire a thorough knowledge of U.S. History. The approach to this course includes, but is not limited to,
the following elements: development of substantial knowledge of social, cultural, political, economic,
and military events relevant to the history of the United States; development of assessment and
interpretive skills; development of mapping skills; and the development of communicative skills by
writing coherent, analytical essays.
The overall guiding theme of the course is on American Identity. We will be exploring views of the
American national character and ideas about American exceptionalism. We will also recognize regional
differences within the context of what it means to be an American.
Student Evaluation/Grading Procedure: Students are given a variety of assignments, including
numerous formative and summative assessments. The primary focus of all evaluations is to successfully
prepare students for the AP U.S. History Exam. Homework and Projects (Practice Work) will account
for approximately 40%; Quizzes and Tests (Assessments) 60%.
Grading Scale: See Student Handbook for Weighted Courses.
Homework and Test Policy: Make-up and late work, including exams will be treated as outlined in the
Canton High School Student Handbook. General rule of thumb: plan in advance, communicate the plan
with the instructor, and follow through with the plan.
Course Goals/Objectives:
*Q=Quarter
Students will:
• Demonstrate a mastery of a broad body of historical knowledge—Q1
• Use historical evidence to defend and support basic arguments and positions—Q1
• Differentiate between various schools of historical thought and interpretation—Q2
• Interpret and draw conclusions from various pieces of historical data including:
original documents, cartoons, graphs, etc.—Q2
• Demonstrate an effective use of analytical skills of evaluation, cause-and-effect—Q3
relationships, and compare and contrast
• Work effectively in groups to produce products, make presentations, and solve—Q4
problems.
• Prepare for and receive a grade of 3 or higher on the AP U.S. History Exam—Q4
Classroom Discipline Plan: An Ideal Learning Environment
Students are expected to be punctual and attend class regularly. Student participation and effort are vital to their
success in this Advanced Placement course. All assignments are expected to be turned in on time. Delinquent
work and substandard classroom behavior will be treated according to the policies outlined in the Canton High
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School Student Handbook. I am a proponent of Positive Behavior Interventions and Support. However, classroom
disruptions are a waste of valuable instruction time. Therefore classroom management will proceed as follows:
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Individual or Group Warning
Final Warning
Environmental approach: Change of assigned seat and education plan
Detention and Notification of Parent/Guardian; or Office Referral
The instructor reserves the right to alter conditions at any time in order to provide a quality learning
environment for all students
**Students are required to keep a notebook and a three ring binder for all returned assignments, essays, and tests.
A YEAR IN AP U.S. HISTORY: ‘AT-A-GLANCE’
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Unit One: History and American Identity, The Rise of Colonial America
Unit Two: The Development of the Colonies, Road to Revolution
Unit Three: The Revolution, The Republic
Unit Four: The Age of Jefferson, American Nationalism-=End of Q1
Unit Five: Age of Jackson, America’s Economic Revolution
Unit Six: The Old South, Era of Reform
Unit Seven: On the Eve of War- Part One, Part Two
Unit Eight: The Civil War
Unit Nine: The Reconstruction Era
Unit Ten: The American West
Unit Eleven: Review and Final- Mid Year: December 2012-=End of Q2
Unit Twelve: The Industrial Age, Urbanization, The American Political Machine, The Empire
Unit Thirteen: The Rise of Progressivism, The Early 20th Century
Unit Fourteen: World War I, The Roaring Twenties
Unit Fifteen: The Great Depression, The New Deal-=End of Q3
Unit Sixteen: The Global Crisis
Unit Seventeen: World War II
Unit Eighteen: The Cold War
Unit Nineteen: American in Transition
Unit Twenty: The Vietnam Era
Unit Twenty One: The 1970s
Unit Twenty Two: The 1980s
Unit Twenty Three: The 21st Century and Beyond-=End of Q4
*Note: Depending on Academic Calendar and Rate of Learning for single chapter units will take 1-1.5 weeks and
multi chapter units 2-3 weeks.
Unit Objectives and Course Schedule (Tentative):
First days of school1. Instructor-Student Introduction, assigns seating, and goes over syllabus.
2. Assign students various readings and practice assignments.
3. Formally evaluate student performance, both written and verbal, in order to establish course expectations
for the academic year. No letter grade will be assigned for practice essays.
Unit One: History and the American Identity
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In order to understand the nature of history and the development of an American
Identity, students will be able to:
A. Analyze the importance of studying history, paying special attention to:
1. The nature of history
2. Writing history and writing about history
3. Interpretations of history
B. Evaluate the development of the “American Identity” pertaining to
1. The impact of geography on the American character
2. Evaluate the creation of an “American Identity”
Reading Assignments (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 1: The Collision of Cultures (entire) and The
American Pageant- Chapter 1: “New World Beginnings,” and Dubois: “America in the World, to 1650.”
Themes: Native Cultures, Early Exploration & Colonization American Identity, Diversity, Determining the nature
of history, historical investigation, archaeology, writing history, geography of the United States, and defining the
American character.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. Pre-Columbian Societies
ii. American Indian empires in Mesoamerica, the Southwest, and the Mississippi Valley
iii. American Indian cultures of North America at the time of European contact
Major Assessments (MA): Standard Response Essay (How environments shape civilizations); and online
multiple-choice quiz.
Unit One Continued - The Rise of Colonial America
In order to understand the genesis of American history, students will be able to:
A. Analyze the issues and conflicts of transatlantic contact between various civilizations.
B. Describe the establishment of American colonies by the European nations during the sixteenth century.
C. Discuss the unique nature of the settlement, culture, and religious thought between the colonies.
Reading Assignments (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 2: “Transplantations & Borderlands,” and
Chapter 3: “Society and Culture in Provincial America,” The American Pageant- Chapters 3 and 4.
Themes: The evolution of Native American culture, the genesis of the American Identity, demographic shifts and
patterns of colonial development (Spain, France, England), evolution of regional patterns in colonial settlement in
North America.
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a. Key Discussion Topics
i. Transatlantic Encounters and Colonial Beginnings, 1492-1690.
ii. First European Contact with Native Americans.
iii. Spain’s empire in North America.
iv. French colonization of Canada.
v. English settlement of New England, the Mid-Atlantic region, and the South.
vi. New England witchcraft episode and Puritan society/religious sects.
vii. Religious diversity in the American colonies and the Great Awakening.
viii. Resistance to colonial authority: Bacon’s Rebellion, the Glorious Revolution, and the
Pueblo Revolt.
Major Assessments (MA): Multiple Choice Test and Document Based Question (DBQ)-will focus on the
development of slavery and culture in the colonies. Specifically students will: (1) Compare the development
of the English colonies with that of the French and Spanish colonies and; (2) Analyze to what extent the
early European colonists viewed the Native Americans as inferior people who could be exploited for
economic gain. **I will structure the first DBQ/Free Response Essays in the form of take home exams with
extensive feedback in class.
Unit Two: The Development of Colonies
In order to understand the economic and political dynamics between England and the colonies; and also how it led
to the revolution and the formation of the ‘American Experiment,’ students will be able to:
A. Explain the relationship between England and its colonies, and their cultural development during the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
B. Identify the causes and immediate outcomes of the French and Indian War.
C. Predict and describe the effect of England’s postwar policies upon the American colonies.
Reading Assignments (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 4: “The Empire in Transition,” and The
American Pageant- Chapter 5: “Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution.”
Themes: The growth and diversification of the colonial population, expansion and diversification of the colonial
economy, rise of slavery as the labor system, social and political life of English colonists, emergence of American
literature, philosophy, science, education, and law, stirrings of revolt amid new British controls.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The disputed origins of slavery and sources of colonial labor.
ii. Immigration patterns and their effect on colonial development.
iii. The factors of soil and climate on development, the emergence of the plantation system.
iv. Cities and Colonial literature education and divergence.
v. The Stamp Act, the Townshend Duties, the Boston Massacre, and full scale resistance.
Major Assessments (MA): Reading Quiz to be announced (TBA) and Free Response Essay on differences
between the Northern and Southern Colonies.
Unit Two Continued - Road to Revolution
To fully understand causal factors leading to revolution, students will:
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A. Discuss the various issues and attitudes involving the establishment of the American government starting with
the First Continental Congress.
B. Analyze in chronological fashion the critical events that led to The "shot heard 'round the world," starting with
the Seven Years War.
Reading Assignments (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 5: “The American Revolution,” and the
American Pageant- Chapter 7: “The Road to Revolution.”
Themes: The growing enmity between the British and French, consequences of the Seven Years' War, policies
taken by Parliament in the 1760's and 1770's that served to incite resistance and rebellion, varied responses to
English policies made by colonial leaders, and outbreak of military hostilities.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The primary reasons for the growth of the differences between colonial Americans and the British.
ii. The growing conflict between the English, the French, and the Iroquois.
iii. The effects of the war on the American colonists.
iv. The importance of the series of crises from the Sugar Act through the Coercive Acts.
v. The change in American attitudes toward Parliament, the English constitution, and the king.
vi. The significance and accomplishments of the First Continental Congress.
vii. The events of Lexington and Concord and the beginnings of the American Revolution.
Major Assessments (MA): Reading Quiz to be announced (TBA) and Free Response Essay on the British
policies toward the American colonies after 1763.
Unit Three: THE REVOLUTION
To fully comprehend the American overthrow of British government students will:
A. Gain critical insight of the problems experienced by the new American government in carrying on a
protracted war.
B. Evaluate how the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and how the contributions of the
Founding Fathers led to the creation of a new republic.
Reading Assignment (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 5: “The American Revolution”(continued), and
the American Pageant- Chapter 8: “The Road to Revolution.”
Themes: The political strategies employed by the 2nd Continental Congress, battle strategies and military
contingencies, the attempt by Americans to apply revolutionary republican ideology to the building of the nation,
and the problems created by the American Revolution and faced by the weak national government.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
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i. The historical debate surrounding the nature of the American Revolution.
ii. The origins and content of the Declaration of Independence and Common Sense.
iii. The three distinct phases of the War for Independence, and its transformation into a new
kind of conflict that worked against British military superiority.
iv. The impact of the Revolution on women and minorities.
v. The features of the Articles of Confederation, and the reasons for its creation and; the
problems faced by the government under the Articles of Confederation.
Major Assessments (MA): Test & Document Based Question (DBQ) on how views of the colonial
revolutionaries clashed with the conservative philosophy of the loyalist colonists.
Unit 3 Continued - The Republic
At the conclusion of this section students will be able to:
A. Identify and paraphrase the problems facing the New Republic.
B. Define and explain the main arguments and viewpoints of the Federalists and Anti Federalists regarding
the structure of government and the Constitution.
C. Summarize the events before and after the Constitutional Convention and; analyze how this impacted
political behavior or policy during the first Presidential administrations.
(RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 6: “The Constitution and the New Republic.”
Themes: The origins of and debates surrounding the U.S. Constitution, America's "first party system," United
States establishment in the world view, and the emergence of Thomas Jefferson.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The groups that advocated a stronger national government.
ii. The historical debate concerning Constitutional Convention.
iii. The debate over the Virginia and New Jersey plans.
iv. The idea of federalism and the working design of the American Constitution.
v. The importance of The Federalist Papers in the ratification struggle.
vi. The emergence of the first party system.
vii. How the weak new nation coped with various domestic and international problems.
viii. The presidency of John Adams and the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Major Assessments (MA): Intensive Multiple Choice Exam and Free Essay Question/Response on strengths
and limitations of the Federalists and Anti Federalist debate.
Unit Four: The Age of Jefferson
After completing this sections students will:
A. Examine complicated facets of Thomas Jefferson's presidency.
B. Evaluate the burgeoning geographical, economic, and cultural independence that forged the American
experience during this period.
Reading Assignment (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 7: “The Jeffersonian Era.”
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Themes: The rise of American culture and the impact of industrialism upon it, the political repercussions of
expansion, namely the Louisiana Purchase and War of 1812.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. American cultural and nationalist aspirations.
ii. Republic Education, new societal roles, and the growth of industrialism.
iii. The political philosophy of Thomas Jefferson and Jeffersonian-Federalist struggle for
power and dominance.
iv. America’s Westward and Global Expansion.
v. The strange story of Burr vs. Hamilton.
Major Assessments (MA): Mixed format quiz (multiple choice, true/false, short answer) and Free Response
Essay on fact versus myth: Thomas Jefferson.
Unit Four Continued- American Nationalism
Upon completion of this chapter:
A. Students will be able to illustrate the effects of war victory: nationalism, economic revival, westward
expansion, and a strengthening of the national government.
B. Students will summarize how major American perceptions ushered in major political change.
Reading Assignment (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 8: “Varieties of American Nationalism.”
Themes: The effects of postwar expansion and continued economic growth, the rise of sectional controversy
arising from slavery, prominent decisions of the Marshall Court, the Monroe Doctrine and American nationalism,
and the end of the "era of good feelings" and the rise of America's "second party system.”
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Key Discussion Topics:
i. Effects of the War of 1812 on banking, shipping, farming, industry, and transportation.
ii. The character of westward expansion into the Old Southwest and Old Northwest; and the
“Era of Good Feelings.”
iii. The Panic of 1819 and the Missouri Compromise.
iv. The emergence of the: Federal Judiciary, Native American Policy, and the Monroe
Doctrine.
v. The era of J.Q. Adams and the significance of the election of Andrew Jackson.
Major Assessments (MA): Test & DBQ on how Industrialization improved the political, social, and
economic quality of life of the American farmer and industrial worker between 1830 and 1910. Documents
used will include: A Plea for Non-property Suffrage (1841), Wage Slavery in New England (1832), “Slavers”
of New England Girls (1846), Agitation for the Ten Hour Day (1835), as well as others to be determined by
the instructor.
Unit Five: Age of Jackson
Upon Completion of this unit students will be able to:
A. Discuss the impact of Andrew Jackson’s philosophy of government upon the office of the Presidency and
the American People.
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B. Describe the emergence of Calhoun, Clay, and Webster and their multiplicative effect upon U.S. economic
and political policy.
Reading Assignment (RA): The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 9: “Jacksonian America.”
Themes: The expansion of the electorate during the Age of Jackson, growing tension between nationalism and
states' rights, the Cherokee Nation’s “Trail of Tears,” competing views of American economic development, and
the rise of the Whig Party as an alternative to Andrew Jackson and the Democrats.
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Key Discussion Topics:
i. Effects of the election of Andrew Jackson and his policies upon America’s political,
economic, and cultural institutions.
ii. Nullification theory and Native American Policy.
iii. The Bank War and the Taney Court.
iv. The Panic of 1837 and the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.
Major Assessment (MA): Mixed format quiz and Free Response Essay Question: Was Andrew Jackson a
champion of democracy and a symbol of anti-elitism?
Unit Five Continued- America's Economic Revolution
After finishing this chapter students will be able to:
A. Accurately describe the changes that were taking place within the nation in terms of population growth,
urbanization, and immigration.
B. Realize and explain the significant lifestyle change produced from the expansion of American
infrastructure: canals, railroads, roads, factories, and towns.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 10: “America’s Economic Revolution.”
Themes: The nature of the rapid immigration and urban growth between 1820 and 1840, the pronounced effect of
the transportation and communications revolutions of the 1820s and 1830s on the American economy; along with
the transformation in women's social and economic roles as a consequence of the factory system.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. Major demographic change in America.
ii. Rise of Nativism.
iii. The influence of burgeoning railroad, telegraph networks, canals, and mechanization.
iv. The patterns of society, including social inequality, familial relationships, and leisure
activities.
v. The vast changes taking place in the Northeast as agriculture declined while urbanization
and industrialization progressed at a rapid rate.
MA: DBQ Essay: Using the information provided in the following readings: Wage Slavery in New England
(1832), “Slavers” of New England Girls (1846), The Coming of the Irish (1836), John C. Calhoun The ProSlavery Argument (1837), Chattel Slavery Versus Wage Slavery (1840) Students will agree or disagree with
the following statement: The slaves in the South were better off than the urban, industrial workers of the
North.
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Unit Six: The Old South
After finishing the chapter students will:
A. Be able to distinguish between the economies and societies of the American North and the American
South based upon rigorous analysis of cultural norms and industrial development.
B. Examine the stark contrast between the life perspectives as a slave versus that of a slave master.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 11: “Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South,” and Through Women’s
Eyes- Chapter 4: “Pedestal, Loom, and Auction Block.”
Themes: The effect of short-staple cotton's rise on the economic development of the South, class and gender
dynamics of Southern white society, slave resistance and cultural expression, and myth versus reality of the Old
American South.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The expansion of short-staple cotton throughout the South.
ii. The workings of trade and industry under the southern agricultural system.
iii. The structure and founding myths of Southern plantation society.
iv. The forms of active and passive resistance African-Americans engaged in to
combat slavery in the Old South.
v. The culture of African-American slavery, as expressed through religion,
music, language, and family life.
vi. The continuing historical debate over the South, its "peculiar institution," and
the effects of enslavement on the blacks.
MA: Test & DBQ/Free Response Essay on: Did the goals of Manifest Destiny helped to encourage increased
sectionalism that lead to civil war? Documents used will include: Manifesto of the Anti-Slavery Society
(1833), John Quincy Adams arguments before the Supreme Court in Amistad case (1841), The Blessings of
the Slave (1849), Comparing Slave Labor & Wage Labor (1850), John C. Calhoun Demands Southern
Rights (1850) as well as others to be determined by the instructor.
Unit Six Continued- Era of Reform
A thorough study of Chapter 12 should enable students to identify and describe:
A. The two basic impulses that were reflected in the reform movements.
B. The sources of American religious, educational, and abolitionist movements and the ultimate
objectives of each.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 12: “Antebellum Culture and Reform,” The American NationChapter 10: “The Making of Middle Class America,” Journal of Economic Growth (2006): “Education and
income of the states of the United States: 1840–2000.”
Themes: The development by American intellectuals of a national culture committed to the liberation of the human
spirit, as expressed in art, literature, utopian communities, and transcendental philosophy and; the emergence of the
crusade against slavery as enacted by prominent abolitionists as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
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i. The contributions of the Hudson River School, antebellum writers, and the
transcendentalists to the overall reform movement.
ii. The development of utopian communities and religious revival movements.
iii. The origins and development of the nineteenth century women's movement.
iv. The rise of abolitionism and its effects upon American educational, social, and
political institutions.
MA: Reading Quiz to be announced (TBA) and after reviewing various paintings (Erastus, Sargent), along
with charts and graphs on 1840 era population density, occupation, and education distribution students will
respond to the Free Response Question: “Did the reform movement succeed or fail?”
Unit Seven: On the Eve of War- Part One
After finishing the chapter students will:
A. Illustrate how the Manifest Destiny effected America's westward migration into Texas, California, and
Oregon.
B. Describe the impact of the Missouri Compromise, War in Texas, and Mexican War had upon the sectional
controversy.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 13: “The Impending Crisis,” and The American Nation- Chapter 12:
“Expansion and Slavery;” with the focus on “House of Polk” political cartoon and maps of Mexican War
and Free/Slave areas, New U.S. Territories.
Themes: The influence of Manifest Destiny on Americans during the period, and how it shaped American policy in
Texas, Oregon, California, and the Southwest.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The concept of Manifest Destiny and its influence on the nation through the 1840s and
beyond.
ii. The origin of the Republic of Texas and the controversy concerning its annexation by
the United States.
iii. The reasons why the United States declared war on Mexico, and how the Mexican
War was fought to a successful conclusion.
(MA): Due to the complexity of all the political and social events leading to the Civil War, an alternative
assessment and audio/visual supplemental materials will be used. Specifically, students will be given a
political leader from the period (President, Congressman) to research and script lines for a class debate or
clever political advertisement. Individuals such as Henry Clay, Abraham Lincoln, and John Brown will be
used. Students will be graded on a rubric evaluating historical accuracy and presentation skills.
Supplemental materials include: PBS Film: Looking of Lincoln (2009) and Abolitionism: From William
Lloyd Garrison to John Brown.
Unit Seven: On the Eve of War- Part 2
After finishing this unit students will be able to:
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A. Assess how the Wilmot Proviso, Compromise of 1850, and Kansas-Nebraska Act strengthened
sectional divisions and accelerated the country down the path toward civil war.
B. Summarize how the Dred Scott case and 1860 election was the “final straw” in determining Southern
States’ decision to leave the Union.
RA: Finish Chapter 13 “The Impending Crisis” and; John C. Calhoun Demands Southern Rights (1850),
Abraham Lincoln Appraises Abolitionism (1854), Abraham Lincoln Freeport Speech & Alton Speech:
Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858), Fire-Eaters Urge Secession (1860), The North Resents Threats (1860),
Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address (1861).
Themes: The expansion of slavery into the western territories that deepened divisions between the North and the
South leading to war along with the effect of the dispute over slavery in reshaping the American political-party
system.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The impact of the Wilmot Proviso on the sectional controversy.
ii. The methods used to enact the Compromise of 1850.
iii. The role of the major political parties in the widening sectional split.
iv. The enactment of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the effect of this act on the attitudes of
the people in all sections.
v. The reasons for Abraham Lincoln's victory in 1860 and the effect of his election on
this sectional crisis.
MA: Mixed format exam and SMART Board or PowerPoint (Group project) on key figures in the
sectionalism and slavery crisis.
Unit Eight: The Civil War
After finishing the chapter students will:
A. Describe why all attempts to reach a compromise failed in 1860 and 1861.
B. Summarize the unique problems faced by the newly inaugurated President Lincoln and his use of
executive powers to solve them, up to July 4, 1861.
C. Compare and Contrast the ways in which the Confederate States of America compared with the United
States in manpower, natural resources, finances, and industry.
D. Appraise the world view, particularly England and France and the diplomatic responses to the Civil
War.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 14: “The Civil War.”
Themes: The establishment of the Confederacy, the failure at compromise, and the road to Fort Sumter. The social
and economic mobilization of both the Union and Confederacy for war, and the efforts of Presidents Lincoln and
Davis to act as commanders in chief under their respective constitutions.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The many interpretations of the causes of the Civil War advanced by historians.
ii. Public and resource support: North vs. South.
iii. The significant nationalistic legislation enacted by Congress once southern members
were no longer a factor, including the Homestead Act, Morrill Act, and National Bank
Acts.
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iv. The step-by-step considerations involved in President Lincoln's decision to issue the
Emancipation Proclamation.
v. The military mobilization of the North and the basic structure of the government of the
Confederate States of America; along with the vital question of states' rights.
vi. The military strategies adopted by both sides of the Civil War, and the major battles
that marked the course of America's bloodiest conflict.
MA: Test (TBA) and DBQ/Free Response Essay on: “Historical Interpretation of the Civil War?” Students
will read the following historians essays and craft a response: Lisa Cozzens, "A Hard Shove for a Nation on
the Brink," and Stephen Demkin, "Politics and Sectionalism in the 1850s." Also, additional sources: The
North Resents Threats (1860), Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural Address (1861), Lincoln Expresses Misgivings (1862),
Lincoln Defends His Decision (1863), The War to Preserve the Union (1863), Jefferson Davis Deplores
Emancipation (1863), Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address (1865).
Audiovisual Aids: Ken Burn’s The Civil War (1990).
Unit Nine: The Reconstruction Era
A thorough study of Chapter 14 should empower student to:
A. Summarize the events leading to the Surrender at Appomattox and concluding with the
execution of President Lincoln’s assassination conspirators.
B. Distinguish between the Conservative and Radical views on the reconstruction process and the
reasons for the eventual Radical domination.
C. Identify the limitations of the Federal government to uphold African Americans Constitutional
Rights; and the conditions of the former Confederacy.
D. Appraise the strengths and flaws of President Johnson, and describe the events leading to
Impeachment.
E. Discuss the national problems faced by President Ulysses S. Grant and the reasons for his lack
of success as chief executive.
F. Identify the alternatives that were available during the election of 1876 and the effects of the
so-called Compromise of 1877 on the South and on the nation.
G. Characterize the resurgence of the ‘Old South’ after federal troop withdrawal; specifically: Jim
Crow Laws, failure to re-develop economically, and the response of African Americans to
hostilities.
Reading Assignment (RA): The Unfinished the Nation Chapter 15 “Reconstruction and the New South,”
and Cause: Reconstruction America, 1863-1877.
Themes: Radical Reconstruction Theory versus reality in the South, changes to the Constitution, political
corruption and racial discrimination, failures of Reconstruction into modern times.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The Freedman attempts to negotiate and aid in varying responses to ‘freedom.’
ii. The Reconstruction strategy before and after Lincoln.
iii. The historical reality of: the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments; economic development of
the South.
iv. Southern reaction (white and black) to the Reconstruction governments.
v. The diplomatic success and economic failures of Presidents Johnson and Grant.
13
1. Specifically the impeachment of Johnson and corruption within the Grant
administration; along with failed monetary policy.
2. The critical greenback question; and how it reflected the postwar financial
problems of the nation.
vi. Jim Crow laws and the response of blacks to conditions in the South following
Reconstruction.
vii. The crisis spawned by the election of 1876, and the effects of the so-called Compromise of
1877 on Reconstruction.
viii. The methods used by "Redeemers" in the South to achieve "home rule", and the social,
economic, and racial decisions made by Southern whites in fashioning the New South.
Major Assessment (MA): DBQ/Free Response on: Did Reconstruction bring the Southern Blacks the
equality and freedom that slavery had denied them? Documents used will include: The Controversy over the
Fifteenth Amendment (1866, 1870), Alfred Richardson Testifies about Reconstruction-Era in Georgia
(1871), Frederick Douglass Complains (1882), A Sharecrop Contract (1882), as well as others to be
determined by the instructor.
Audio/Visual Aide: - Reconstruction: The Second Civil War (2005)
Unit Ten: The American West
After studying this chapter students will know:
A. The cultural characteristics of the varied populations of the Far West and the conflicts among them.
B. The rise of the Western economy built upon ranching, farming, and expansion of the railroad.
C. American government response and policy toward Native American cultures.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 16: “The Conquest of the Far West.”
Themes: The varied and vibrant ethnic and racial cultures that characterized the American West, how AngloEuropean whites enforced their dominant role by the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the transformation of
the Far West from a sparsely populated region of Indians into a part of the nation's capitalistic economy.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The pattern of settlement of the last American frontier, and the significance of the
frontier in American history.
ii. The growth of the American cultural romance with the West, as reflected by the
Rocky Mountain School, the writings of Mark Twain, and the shows of Buffalo Bill
Cody.
iii. The impact of the discovery of gold and silver in the West both on the region and on
the nation as a whole.
iv. The development of the cattle industry in the American Southwest after 1860.
v. Federal Response to Native American cultures and miners/cowboys settlements.
vi. The reasons for the transition from subsistence farming to commercial farming, the
effect of the change on the West, and the growing agrarian malaise affecting farmers
in the wake of urban industrialization.
MA: Multimedia presentations/reenactments on unit topics: Western profiles, Native American Cultures,
Missouri and Local History.
14
Unit Eleven: Review and Final- Mid Year: December 2012
Format of the exam will be similar to an AP released exam posted on the College Board website. Questions will
not be given to events after 1877.
Unit Twelve: The Industrial Age
After studying this chapter students will know:
A. The reasons for the rapid industrial development of the United States in the late nineteenth century.
B. The impact of individual entrepreneurship and technological innovations in promoting industrial
expansion and the development of new industries.
C. The condition of immigrants, women and children in the work force and; the reasons behind the
limited rise of organized labor.
D. Social Darwinism, classical economic theory, and other ideas used to justify new industrial capitalism.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 17: “Industrial Supremacy.”
Themes: How various factors: raw materials, labor supply, technology, business organization, growing markets,
and friendly governments-combined to thrust the United States into worldwide industrial leadership. The benefits
and excesses of industrial capitalism and; how American workers, who on the average benefited, reacted to the
physical and psychological realities of the new economic order.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. How various factors: raw materials, labor, technology, business organization, combined to
thrust the United States into worldwide industrial leadership.
ii. How the explosion of industrial capitalism benefited and worsened conditions for all.
iii. The impact of industrial development and entrepreneurship upon the steel, oil, railroad,
automobile, and aviation industries.
iv. The ways in which older notions of individualism and the newer concept of Social
Darwinism combined to preach the gospel of wealth and to justify the social consequences
of the new industrial capitalism.
v. The critics of the new industrial capitalism, and the solutions they proposed.
vi. The conditions of immigrants, women, and children in the work force.
vii. The attempt by organized labor to form national associations, and the reasons why craftbased labor organizations became the norm.
viii. The reasons that organized labor generally failed in its efforts to achieve its objectives.
MA: Reading Quiz to Be Announced and Standard Essay on the following: List the six main factors that
combined to produce America's rise to industrial supremacy and explain how each one contributed to the
mix.
Unit Twelve Continued- Urbanization
15
After studying this chapter students will be able to:
A. Describe the patterns and processes of urbanization and immigration in late-nineteenth century America.
B. Discuss the new economic and social problems caused by urbanization as well as developments in
education, literature, and art.
C. Define the new concept of “leisure” and rise of organized sport and new forms of entertainment.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 18: “The Age of the City.”
Themes: New social and economic “lure,” new European “arrivals,” rapid growth and new problems on the mass
scale: political corruption, poverty, crime, housing, health, and equal opportunity.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The patterns and processes created by of urbanization and immigration.
ii. Native Responses and urban political change.
iii. Rise of consumption, leisure, and mass communications.
iv. Change and dispersion in science, art, and philosophy, specifically Darwinism.
v. Profound new developments for women and changing social roles.
MA: Genealogy Project featuring the role immigrants played in forging the new American Identity.
Students will compose a biographical sketch and present to the class their “roots.” Students will be
encouraged to use internet resources such as pbs.org and ancestry.com.
Unit Twelve Continued- The American Political Machine
After completing this section, and the unit, students will be able to:
A. Describe the limited role of the federal government and the nature of American party politics
throughout the Gilded Age.
B. Discuss the problems of political patronage in the administrations of Rutherford B. Hayes James A.
Garfield and Chester A. Arthur that led to the passage of the Pendleton Act.
C. Predict the circumstances that permitted the Democrats to gain control of the presidency in the
elections of 1884 and 1892.
D. Examine the origins, purposes, and effectiveness of the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman
Antitrust Act.
E. Identify the position of the two major parties on the tariff question and the actual trend of tariff
legislation in the 1880s and 1890s.
F. Understand the rise of agrarian discontent and national discussion over the silver question.
G. Know the significance of the presidential campaign and election of 1896.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 19: “From Crisis to Empire.”
Themes: The effects of the political equilibrium of the Democratic and Republican parties, inability of government
to respond to social and economic change, and major rural and Midwestern discontent in the late nineteenth
century.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
16
ix. The nature of party politics and patronage.
x. The elections of 1884-1892.
xi. The origins, purposes, and effectiveness of the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman
Antitrust Act.
xii. The rise of agrarian discontent and financial policies in crisis-tariffs and currency.
xiii. The election of 1900 and the beginnings of populism.
MA: Unit quiz and DBQ/Free Response Essay: Compare and contrast the various view of Industrialization
that took place during the Gilded Age and its effect on the United States. Documents and films to be
analyzed prior to writing: Schlessinger Media A Nation in Turmoil (1996), 10 Days That Unexpectedly
Changed America: The Homestead Strike (2006), Chicago: City of the Century (2002), Herbert Spencer.
Social Darwinism: Progress: Its Law and Cause (1857), Mark Twain, from The Gilded Age (1873), and
Andrew Carnegie, The Gospel of Wealth (1889).
Unit Twelve Continued- The Empire
Upon chapter completion students will be capable of:
A. Defining how the New Manifest Destiny differed from the Old Manifest Destiny in objectives,
outcomes, and long term impact.
B. Identifying the causes of the Spanish American War and how its aftermath changed America’s position
in the world.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 19: “From Crisis to Empire,” and The American Pageant- Chapter
29: “The Path of Empire, 1890-1899.”
Themes: Revision and application of the concept of ‘Manifest Destiny,’ the U.S. as a major world power spurred
on by war with Spain, and hard lessons learned, or lost from imperial experience in China and the Philippines.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. America’s New Purpose at home and abroad.
ii. The relationship between American economic and military interests; and imperial
developments in Hawaii, Samoa, and Puerto Rico.
iii. The causes and events leading up to, and through the Spanish-American War.
iv. The military and political problems encountered in fighting the Spanish and,
subsequently, the Filipinos.
v. The motives behind the Open Door notes and the Boxer intervention.
MA: Class time will be provided to analyze and respond to the following Free Response Question: Compare
and contrast the new and old concepts of Manifest Destiny. Look especially at the economic, philosophical,
and racial motives for overseas expansion. Were these factors at work in the older continental
expansionism?
Unit Thirteen: The Rise of Progressivism
After finishing this chapter students will:
A. Understand the origins of the progressive impulse.
B. Know the humanitarian reforms of the period and the role of the church played in reforms.
C. Realize the progressive emphasis on scientific expertise, organizational reform, and professionalism.
17
D. Know the role of women's groups in promoting reform and suffrage; along with the intensive efforts of
the temperance movement.
E. Categorize progressives’ responses to immigration and corporation consolidation.
F. Describe the aims and accomplishments of the progressives at the national, state, and local levels.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 20: “The Progressives,” and State and Local Government- Chapter 3:
“Political Parties and Interest Groups,” The American Nation Chapters 20-21, with emphasis on political
cartoon analysis of Presidents and Big Business Leaders.
Themes: The growth and nature of progressivism as a reaction to the problems caused by the rapid industrialization
and urbanization. The crusade-like nature of many progressive movements. The nature of the progressive impulse,
particularly the optimistic vision shared by all progressives. The desire of progressives to reduce the influence of
party machines on politics.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
The origins of progressive thought.
Progressivism in science, education, and industry.
The role of women and women's organizations in promoting reform and suffrage.
The desire of the progressives to limit the role of political party organizations.
The origins of the NAACP and the movement to restrict immigration.
The alternate approaches to the problems of the trusts: socialism, regulation, and trust
busting.
MA: Alternative assessment as a whole class activity. Through the course of two class meetings students will
review and demonstrate knowledge via a SMART Board lesson. Through random selection, students will
use the board to complete and illustrate in-depth knowledge of Various Progressive Era topics or
contributions of individuals.
Unit 13 Continued- The Early 20th Century
Upon completion of this chapter students will:
A. Be able to explain the nature and extent of Theodore Roosevelt's "square deal" progressivism.
B. Identify the philosophical and practical differences between Roosevelt’s and Taft’s conservation and
preservation along with the differences between Roosevelt's New Nationalism and Wilson's New
Freedom.
C. Define the reasons and consequences for American intervention in both hemispheres.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 21: “America and The Great War”
Themes: The guiding ideology, domestic interests, and foreign entanglements of T.R., troubled succession of Taft
to the presidency, and how it paved the way for the ascension of Woodrow Wilson. Also, the United States: bully
or protector of the Western Hemisphere?
a. Key Discussion Topics:
18
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
Teddy Roosevelt and his “unexpected” presidency.
The emergence of Taft.
Taft the real trust buster.
The Republican Split.
The professor politician- Woodrow Wilson.
America’s new role in Central and Latin America.
America enters the “war to end all wars.”
MA: Mixed Format Chapter Quiz.
Unit Fourteen: WORLD WAR I
Upon completion of chapter students will:
A. Be able to discuss the background factors and the immediate sequence of events that caused the United
States to enter WWI.
B. Define the scale and nature of economies and technology utilized by the Allied and Central Powers.
C. Describe the course of events leading to the end of the war and America’s eventual rejection of the
Treaty of Versailles.
D. Summarize the political and economic environment post war, particularly the ‘First Red Scare.’
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 21: “America and the Great War.”
Themes: The gradual involvement of the United States in WWI, decisive impact of American intervention on land
and sea, war mobilization of the Wilson administration, along with Wilson’s treaty defeat, and cultural impact from
participation in war.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The background factors and the immediate sequence of events that caused the United
States to declare war on Germany in 1917.
ii. America’s contribution and war time economy.
iii. Wilson’s 14 Points and failure with Versailles
iv. America’s social unrest during wartime.
v. The election of 1920.
MA: Reading Quiz and take home practice AP United States History 2008 Free-Response Questions Form B
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_us_hist_form_b_frq.pdf
Unit Fourteen Continued- The Roaring Twenties
Upon completion of this section students will be able to:
A. Cite the reasons for the industrial boom in the 1920s and post war economic reorganization.
B. Identify the problems facing organized labor and the American farmer.
C. Accurately describe the effects of prohibition, xenophobia, racism, and political corruption had upon the social
fabric of the American people.
19
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 22: “The New Era.”
Themes: The effect of the automobile boom and various technological breakthroughs on the economic expansion
and agricultural malaise of the 1920s, the attempt by businesses to craft a system of "welfare capitalism," the
emergence of a nationwide consumer-oriented and communication-linked culture, and its effect on society and the
"new woman," and the similarities of the presidential administrations of Harding and Coolidge.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The reasons for the New Era industrial boom post WWI.
ii. The battle between labor and “welfare capitalism.”
iii. The traditional farmer versus the new agricultural technology.
iv. Change elicited from the rise of consumerism, mass communications, new roles for
women, and changing views on religion.
v. Reaction and change reflected in art and literature.
vi. The emergence of xenophobia and the ‘First Red Scare.’
vii. Introduction to President Harding and initial problems.
MA: Unit Evaluation: Short Quiz & DBQ/Free Response Essay on the changing role of women in the 1920’s.
Documents will include: Jane Addams, “The Ballot Necessary for Women (1906), Dorothy Dunbar Bromley, from
Feminist: New Style (1927) as well as others to be determined by the instructor.
And if time allows…
Students will engage into a Unit Extension Activity: Controversial Trials of the 1920s- Sacco and Vanzetti, Scopes
v State of Tennessee. Students will break into 4 teams: 2 Prosecuting and 2 Defense, and conduct mock trials of
these two controversial cases.
Unit Fifteen: The Great Depression
After completing this lesson students will be able to:
A. Breakdown and describe the relationship between the stock market crash and the subsequent Great Depression.
B. Paraphrase the causes of the depression, its severity, and lack of adequate government response to combat it.
C. Summarize the catastrophic conditions created by the Dust Bowl.
D. Discuss the full impact of the depression upon the American people, especially minorities, and President’s
Hoover’s last ditch efforts to prevent bank collapse and soaring unemployment.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 23: “The Great Depression.”
Themes: The economic and structural weaknesses underlying the apparent prosperity of the 1920s that led to the
Great Depression, and how the stock market crash of 1929 touched it off, effects of the economic pressures of the
Depression on the American people, especially farmers, minorities, and women. Also, the Depression as reflected
in photography, radio, movies, and books.
a. Key Discussion Topics
i. “Black Tuesday,” causes and severity of the Great Depression.
20
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
Massive Unemployment, the Dust Bowl, effect upon minorities.
The hardship faced by women and families.
American culture expressed through movies, art, literature.
President Hoover’s economic policies.
The debacle in Washington D.C. of the “Bonus Army.”
The Election of 1932.
Hoovers attempt to prevent bank collapse.
MA: Reading Quiz and audio/visual: documentary on the Dust Bowl.
Unit Fifteen Continued- The New Deal
After finishing this section students will be able to:
A. Describe the series of emergency measures designed to restore confidence that were enacted during the early
part of the New Deal.
B. Identify the New Deal programs for raising farm prices and promoting industrial recovery.
C. Discuss the government’s financial reforms and birth of Social Security.
D. Analyze F.D.R.’s judicial branch scheme along with the long term effects of the New Deal.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 24: “The New Deal.”
Themes: New Legislation and organizations, expansion of Federal Relief, critics of the New Deal and the
Constitution, “Court Packing,” the solidifying of union power, the limitations of the New Deal.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
F.D.R. saves the banks.
Aid to agriculture and varied response to spur industry.
The Tennessee Valley Authority.
Growth of Federal Relief.
The Constitutionality of the New Deal and F.D.R.’s plan.
The Second New Deal” and rise of organized labor.
Social Security and the beginning of the end.
The Limitations and Legacies of the New Deal: Effects upon Women, African Americans, and
Native Americans.
MA: Unit Evaluation: Test & DBQ on the New Deal’s social, political, and economic impact on American
society. Documents will include: Mrs. Henry Weddington, Letter to President Roosevelt (1938), Woody
Guthrie, Various Dustbowl Songs (1938), as well as others to be determined by the instructor.
Unit Sixteen: The Global Crisis
With a thorough study of Chapter 25 students should enable you to understand and paraphrase:
A. The new directions of American foreign policy in the 1920s and the effects of the Great
Depression on foreign relations.
21
B. The pattern of Japanese Italian and German aggression that eventually led to World War II and
the factors that led to the passage of neutrality legislation in the 1930s.
C. The specific sequence of events that brought the United States into the war.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 25: “The “Global Crisis.”
Themes: New Alliances, Depression Era Diplomacy, Isolationism, Aggression without end, and Neutrality
Abandoned.
a. Key Discussion Topics
i. The Kellogg-Briand Pact and the Dawes Plan.
ii. F.D.R.’s “Bombshell Message” and “Good Neighbor Policy.”
iii. The Neutrality Acts and failure of Appeasement.
iv. The Election of 1940 and the Lend-Lease Act.
v. The Atlantic Charter and the Road to Pearl Harbor.
MA: Free Essay Response to the following questions:
1. How isolationist was the United States in the 1920s? Was the dual policy of economic penetration and
arms limitation an effective approach?
2. Compare and contrast the American reactions to World Wars I and II. Explain the relationship between
attitudes toward World War I and the isolationist sentiment and neutrality legislation of the 1930s.
3. How close to full involvement in World War II was the United States prior to the attack on Pearl
Harbor? Was full entry likely?
*Instructor may assign questions as a take home project or allow students to answer 2 of the 3 during class.
Unit Seventeen: WWII
After studying Chapter 26 students will be able to:
A. Summarize the efforts of the federal government to mobilize the nation's economy for war production.
B. Assess the impact of the war on American technology and science.
C. Discuss the effects of American participation in the war on the Depression and the New Deal.
D. Describe the changes that wartime involvement brought for women and racial and ethnic minorities.
E. Outline the contribution of the U.S. military to victory in North Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific.
RA: The Unfinished Nation- Chapter 26: “American in a World at War.”
Themes: Frantic and initial Japanese containment, struggle of entry into North Africa and new tank warfare, the
ST. LOUIS and moral failure, ‘war as the mother of invention,’ marginalized Americans, retreat from reform, and
a controversial decision for all-time.
22
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. War on two fronts and ‘leapfrogging’ in the Pacific.
ii. Battling Rommel in the Desert.
iii. America and the Holocaust.
iv. Mobilizing the American War Machine.
v. Rapid Advancements in Science and Technology.
vi. A different kind of war: impact on African, Native, Mexican, and Japanese Americans.
vii. A new nation for American Women.
viii. The two prong approach to Axis defeat.
ix. The Manhattan Project and war aftermath: Welcome to the Atomic Age.
MA: Unit Evaluation: Test & DBQ on the social, economic, and political effect of World War II on
American society. Documents will include: A Woman Remembers the War (1984), Ben Yorita, Memories of
the Internment Camp (1981), African American Soldier, “Fighting Two Wars Against Germans &
Segregation (1945)”, as well as others to be determined by the instructor.
Free-Response Question: Students will use the information provided to help them formulate an answer to
the question: Was the U.S. government right in making the decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan?
Students will examine excerpts from President Truman’s memoirs (1955), Robert J. Donovan’s Conflict and
Crisis (1977), P.M. S. Blackett’s Fear, War, and the Bomb (1948), John W. Dower’s War Without Mercy
(1986).
Unit Eighteen: The Cold War
At the conclusion of this lesson students will be able to:
A. Describe the extent of collaboration between the United States and the Soviet Union during World War II and
the differences of view that developed between the two nations concerning the nature of the postwar world.
B. Explain the meaning of the doctrine of containment and the specific programs that implemented the concept.
C. State the nature and success of the ‘Fair Deal.’
D. Predict how internal subversion at home was the beginning of the second ‘Red Scare.”
E. Summarize the key events and outcomes of the Korean War and briefly state why it is labeled the “Forgotten
War.”
Themes: Soviet-American Tension, Failure of Potsdam, communist threat worldwide, the nuclear age, “DoNothing Congress,” effects of Containment and the Marshall Plan, inflation and labor unrest, stalemate, and fear.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. Yalta, Potsdam, Post WWII environment, Berlin Airlift.
ii. The Marshall Plan and Theory of Containment.
iii. Containment in action in Asia.
iv. Union and industry unrest and extent of Presidential power.
v. The Election of 1948 and comparison with modern times.
vi. The Nuclear Age and fear.
vii. The Korean War and the world on the brink.
23
MA: Students will be administered the Document Based Question (DBQ) portion only of the 2006 AP U.S.
History Exam. Extensive review and feedback will be given.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/_ap06_frq_us_history__51758.pdf
Unit Nineteen: America in Transition
A thorough study of Chapter 30 should enable students to understand and define:
A. The strengths and weaknesses of the economy in the 1950s and early 1960s.
B. How new technologies and expanded mass communications were changing America.
C. The changes in the American lifestyle and culture in the 1950s.
D. How President Eisenhower’s domestic and foreign policies played out in the 1950s and beyond.
E. The problems faced by the ‘other’ America and the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on desegregation.
RA: The Unfinished Nation: Chapter 28- “The Affluent Society.”
Themes: The Economic Miracle and New American lifestyle, medical breakthroughs, U.S.-Soviet mistrust,
arms race, the suburbs and television, poverty and racism continued, hysterical anticommunism, death to
McCarthyism, moving closer to war.
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The Economic “Miracle.”
ii. The Rise of the Modern West.
iii. Penicillin and the Stalk Vaccine.
iv. The suburbs and birth of television.
v. Nuclear Fusion and the Space Program.
vi. Elvis Presley and the new American lifestyle.
vii. Brown v. Board of Education.
viii. The beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.
ix. End of the Red Scare and the beginning of Communism in Southeast Asia.
x. The U-2 Crisis.
MA: Reading quiz (TBA) and additional readings: “North Korea and the Legacies of the Cold War“
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/courses/teachers_corner/22296.html and
Joseph R. McCarthy, Speech to Women’s Club of Wheeling, West Virginia (1950),
US Supreme Court Ruling, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954),
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Decision Not to Intervene at Dien Bien Phu (1954).
Unit Twenty: The Vietnam Era
24
After studying this chapter students will:
A. Outline the new directions of domestic reform manifested by John Kennedy's New Frontier program.
B. Describe the background and sequence of events leading to the Cuban missile crisis.
C. Summarize the new elements added to President Kennedy’s policies by Lyndon Johnson.
D. Explain the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to the civil rights movement.
E. Identify and discuss the events leading to, and the course of the Vietnam War.
F. Compare and Contrast the “success” of the Vietnam War at home versus abroad.
RA: The Unfinished Nation: Chapter 29: “Civil Rights, Vietnam, and the Ordeal of Liberalism.
Themes: Liberalism, hope, on the nuclear brink, catastrophic loss, government mistrust, changing values and
beliefs, success and later fracture of the Civil Rights Movement, persistence of racism, cumulative shock effects of
1968, and the enduring legacies of the Vietnam Era.
a. Key Discussion Topics
i. The 1960 Presidential Election.
ii. Kennedy tested on all fronts.
iii. J.F.K.’s and L.B.J.’s vision for a new America.
iv. The Battle for Racial Equality.
v. Cuba.
vi. Kennedy and 1963.
vii. Johnson’s Great Society Programs.
viii. Vietnam War Expands.
ix. Turmoil and reaction domestically.
x. A nation coming apart at the seams.
xi. The election of Richard M. Nixon.
MA: Students will do an online reading quiz (at home) offered through the textbook website and & DBQ on
the impact of the Cold War upon the United States in the 1960’s & 1970’s. The following documents will be
used: John F. Kennedy, Cuban Missile Address (1962), Bob Dylan, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (1963),
Lyndon B. Johnson, Message to Congress on the Tonkin Gulf Incident (1964), selected charts and graphs
from the “Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940,” as well as
others to be determined by the instructor.
Unit Twenty One: The 1970s
At the conclusion of this chapter students will:
A. Define the reasons for the rise of the New Left and the counterculture.
B. Cite the problems of American Indians and Hispanics and the nature of their protest movements and describe
the meaning of ‘New Feminism.”
25
C. Summarize the Nixon-Kissinger policy of détente and strategy to end Vietnam.
D. Describe the ways the Supreme Court and other federal institutions reacted to American unrest and economic
decline in the late 1960s to early 1970s.
E. Explain the significance of Watergate as an indication of the abuse of executive power.
RA: The Unfinished Nation: Chapter 30- “The Crisis of Authority.”
Themes: Personal liberation, campus unrest, massive protests, challenge to prevailing social norms, draft
opposition, Indian militancy, minority activism, feminist rebirth, environmental advocacy, “peace with honor,”
government mistrust due to scandals, rising prices, scandal and cover-up.
a. Key Discussion Topics
i. The Youth Culture.
ii. The Mobilization of Minorities and the New Feminism.
iii. Environmentalism.
iv. The Nixon-Kissinger plan to maintain American face, specifically détente and SALT.
v. From the Warren Court to the Nixon Court.
vi. Watergate and the Fall of Richard Nixon.
MA: Reading Quiz (TBA) in addition to review and administration of the 2011 DBQ and Free Response
portion of the AP U.S. History Exam.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap11_frq_us_history.pdf
Unit Twenty Two: The 1980s
A thorough study of Chapter 31 should enable students to:
A. Discus the efforts of President Gerald Ford to overcome the effects of Richard Nixon's resignation.
B. Predict the rapid emergence of Jimmy Carter as a national figure and the reasons for his victory in 1976.
C. Describe Carter's emphasis on human rights and its effects on international relations.
D. Predict how Carter’s flaws, inflation, and the Iran hostage crisis ushered in the “Reagan Revolution.”
E. Explain the nature and significance of "supply-side" economics and the staunchly anticommunist Reagan
foreign policy.
RA: The Unfinished Nation: Chapter 31- From “The Age of Limits” To The Age of Reagan.
Themes: National scandal, a nation disenchanted, economic problems, fuel crisis, human rights, new
environmentalism, religious revivalism, new conservatism, personal magnetism, massive government spending,
absolute conviction from an executive, recession, changing of the guard and the new problems facing George H.W.
Bush.
a. Chapter Breakdown:
26
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
Watergate and Nixon Pardon.
OPEC and SALT II.
The 1976 election.
Carter’s change: Panama Canal, Camp David, Energy Conservation.
The double whammy of inflation and the Iran-Hostage crisis.
The New American Right.
Reagan and the restoration of America.
The “evil empire,”Reaganomics, and tax cuts.
Fiscal Crisis and “Are you better off…”
Fall of the Soviet Union.
The First Bush Presidency and Iraq War
How inflation destroyed the war accomplishment.
MA: Students will answer the following essay questions in class: 1. Why was Ronald Reagan so popular
despite the ineffectiveness of many of his policies-especially with regard to the budget deficit?
2. How did the shift away from a bipolar world change the very foundation of American foreign policy as it
had been practiced since World War II?
Unit Twenty Three: The 21st Century and Beyond
After completing the final chapter of this course students will be able to:
A. Explain how and why the Cold War came to an end and; the new threats facing the United States in a postSoviet Union world.
B. Describe how Bill Clinton won the Presidency and how his centrist approach led to great popularity despite
personal scandal.
C. Define the technology innovations of the modern age and how they impacted the American way of life.
D. Understand the demographic and personal income changes that occurred and expanded from the 1980s into the
modern age.
E. Summarize the results of the 2000 election and its significance upon the American political landscape.
F. Paraphrase the events of the September 11th attack and American reaction to it: the Patriot Act, War in
Afghanistan, and the second war in Iraq.
H. Discuss the results of the 2008 election and the Presidency of Barack Obama.
RA: The Unfinished Nation: Chapter 32- “The Age of Globalization.”
Themes: Communist defeat, a changing society due to globalization, a contested culture, digital revolution and
segmentation of culture, “dot.com” boom and bust, the perils of a world that is: “Hot, Flat, and Crowded.”
a. Key Discussion Topics:
i. The Clintons: From Arkansas to the White House
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ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
Clinton’s policies toward healthcare, the economy, compromise.
NAFTA and its global implications.
1994 GOP Sweep.
Clinton reelected and great surplus.
Personal scandal and impeachment.
The “Comeback Kid.”
George W. Bush and the showdown in Florida.
The Internet and the changing face of America.
The second term and personal mandate.
Victory and defeat in War.
Environmental and financial crisis at home.
Barack Obama and the Global War on Terrorism.
2012 election: Issues and discussion.
MA: In the place of a comprehensive final, students will develop group audio/video projects displaying clips
and features of the modern age.
**The last two weeks of the semester will be reserved for review and practice in preparation for the AP U.S.
History Exam. Students will receive extensive instructional review and multiple attempts to take the full
length exams posted on the College Board Website. Points will be awarded on the basis of participation
only.
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Signature Section:
Please read this course syllabus carefully, and if you have any questions call or email Mr. Heitman at
the high school. This slip must be signed by both the student and a parent or guardian, and
returned to Mr. Heitman by August 23, 2013. Please keep the syllabus for your records.
I have read and understood the above course syllabus.
Student signature and date
_______________________________________________________________________
Parent(s)/Guardian signature and date
_______________________________________________________________________
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