AP U.S. History: A Survey
Ms. Baeslack
Room 412
Advanced Placement United States History is;
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a rigorous, college level course,
 intended to develop the higher level thinking skills
required in an undergraduate history class,
 By reading a college level textbook, primary and
secondary resources
 By writing grammatically correct and in complete
sentences,
 By involved in class activities, discussions, seminars
 By completing homework/ assignments on time.
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American and National Identity
Work, Exchange and Technology
America in the World
Geography and Environment
Politics and Power
Culture and Society
Migration and Settlement
Theme
Definition
American and National Identity
How and why definitions of American and national identity and
values have developed, as well as on related topics such as
citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy assimilation and
American exceptionalism.
Work, Exchange, & Technology
Which factors were behind the development of systems of
economic exchange, particularly the role of technology,
economic markets, and government
Politics and Power
How have different social and political groups influenced society
and government in the United States, as well as how political
beliefs and institutions have changed over time.
Theme
Definition
America in the World
Focuses on the interactions between nations that affected North
American history in the colonial period and on the influences of
the United States on world affairs.
Migration and Settlement
Why and how various people who moved to and within the United
States both adapted to and transformed their new social and
physical environments.
Geography and Environment
What the role of geography is and the natural and human – made
environments on social and political developments in what would
become the United States.
Culture and Society
Explores the roles that ideas, beliefs, social mores and creative
expression have played in shaping the United States, as well as
how various identities, cultures and values have been preserved
or changed in different context of U. S. history.
Analyzing Historical
Evidence and Sources
Making Historical
Connections
Chronological Reasoning
Historical Argumentation
Describe, select and evaluate
relevant evidence about the
past from diverse sources
and draw conclusions about
their relevance to different
historical issues.
Comparison-Identify.
Compare and evaluate multiple
perspectives on a given
historical event in order to
draw conclusions about that
event
Causation- Identify, analyze
and evaluate the relationship
among historical causes and
effects, distinguishing
between those that are long
term and proximate.
Argumentation- Create an
argument and support it using
relevant historical evidence.
Describe, analyze and
evaluate the different ways
historians interpret the past.
Contextualization- Connect
historical events and
processes to specific
circumstances of time and
place as well as broader
regional, national, or global
processes.
Patterns of
Continuity and Change over
Time- Recognize, analyze and
evaluate continuity and
change over time of varying
length and relate these
patterns to larger historical
process or themes.
Examine multiple pieces of
evidence in concert with each
other, noting the relationships
among sources to develop and
support an argument.
Explain the relevance of the
author’s point of view, their
purpose, audience, format or
medium, historical context,
and interaction among these
features.
Synthesis- Ability to develop
understanding of the past by
making meaningful and
persuasive historical
connections between a given
historical issue and other
context periods, themes, or
disciplines.
Periodization- Describe,
analyze and evaluate
different ways historians
divide history into definable
periods.
Using evidence to Support an
Argument- Examine multiple
pieces of evidence in concert
with each other to9 develop
and support an argument.
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Period 1- 1491-1607
Period 2- 1607-1754
Period 3 - 1754-1800
Period 4 - 1800-1848
Period 5 – 1844-1877
Period 6 – 1865-1898
Period 7 – 1890-1945
Period 8 – 1945-1980
Period 9 – 1980-Present
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Analyze = break this concept into its various parts
and explain each part individually (and how they
relate to each other)
Evaluate = you must make a judgment; you must
weigh the evidence and formulate your own opinion
supported by evidence.
To what extent = in what specific ways is the
conclusion or assertion true / in what specific ways
is it false?
Provide evidence / prove = use your text to find
specific evidence to support a particular conclusion
/ assertion / argument.
What conclusions can you draw = think outside the
box and use facts to deduce beyond what the text
clearly states.
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Compare and contrast these secondary resources.
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One of the main goals of the course is to
develop an understanding of the key
themes in early and modern American
history and how those themes are
interconnected.
Why it happened
How is it related
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A Historian: Looks for evidence
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Partner Activity
One person faces the board.
One person faces their partner and has
their back to the board.
Person facing the board asks the
question, other person must answer
correctly.
First team finished with correct
answers, clap your hands and WINS!
Name the first 13 states:
Correct answer is;
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1.New Hampshire
2.Massachusetts
3.Rhode Island
4.Connecticut
5.New Jersey
6.New York,
7.Delaware
8.Maryland
9. Virginia
10. Georgia
11. South Carolina
12. North Carolina
13. Pennsylvania
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2.
3.
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5.
Name the 5 living Presidents of the United
States.
Correct answer is:
Jimmy Carter
Bill Clinton
George H. W. Bush
George W. Bush
Barrack Obama
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Class objective
Class assignments- on front board
website-akinseagles.org, About us, staff
directory, teachers name
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Essential Questions-look for evidence from our
lessons, your readings and our discussions to
answer the question
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Origins: 16,000 years ago People from Asia crossing the Land Bridge
between Asia and North America.
Probably hunters looking for big
game.
Reached the southern tip of
South America by 9,000 A.D.
Aztecs- Mexico’s
leader at time of
Spanish contact was
Montezuma.
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Inca Empire-
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Maya Empire-
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The Mississippi Valley- Farming technology
spread north
New strains of maize/beans
1150 C.E. – City of Cahokia near St. Louis
Mound builders
Eastern Woodlands- Great
Lakes
Plains- Nomadic Wanderers
Southwest- Villages comprised of multiple
attached apartments
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a.
b.
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Class ActivityAnalyze the four pictures of pre-Columbian culture
in North America and answer the following question;
1. In each picture describe the evidence being
depicted that these cultures were thriving
Discussion, does everyone understand what the
question is asking
Make a list or web
Summarize in your own words the answer.
1492-Columbus’s arrival
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Map activity -Looking at Map document 1, what assumption was
being made about the land masses of the world?
What progression is shown in Map Documents 2 and 3? What
conclusion can you make about mapmaking skills by the 17th
century?
What impact did European exploration have on mapmaking in
the 17th century?
What do these maps tell about the technology and innovations
of Europeans by the 17th century?
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Christopher Columbus Letter:
Why was Columbus writing this letter to Luis?
What did the Native Americans call San Salvador?
Describe the various people Columbus encountered in America.
Describe Columbus’s feelings/ opinion towards the islanders.
Why was he like that?
What ‘issues’ did Columbus face on his journeys as described in
the letter.
Why do you think the islanders fled from Columbus?
Describe Columbus’ attitude about his discovery. Site
examples supporting your view.
Reference the way Columbus ‘respected’ the islanders.
Reference how he saw them ‘beneath him’.
Describe what Columbus observed as the role of women and
their rights in North American cultures.
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Class Rules
Emergency Exits
Test Dates/ College Board