Advanced Placement/UConn Early College Experience U.S. History

 

Purpose & Goals

The Advanced Placement program was developed by the College Board to provide college-level experiences to high school students. Bristol’s version of the A.P. U.S. History class seeks to do just that and more.

 

The College Board publishes the following statement on the purpose of the A.P. U.S. History course:

 

The AP program in United States History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States history. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials—the relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An AP United States History course should thus develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.

 

 DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY:

The primary objective of the social studies program is to prepare students to become thoughtful individuals whose academic background and skills will enable them to function successfully in an increasingly complex, multicultural, and changing world.  The social studies program must provide students with an intellectual framework of knowledge, the skills necessary to process information, and the capacity to understand and appreciate people from backgrounds and cultures different from their own.  Further, the program is intended to develop an informed, discriminating citizenship essential to effective participation in the democratic processes of governance and the fulfillment of the nation’s democratic ideals.

 

While history forms the foundation for social studies, it is understood that concepts from other social sciences, including geography, economics, psychology, and sociology must be integrated through the department’s course offerings to provide students with a firm understanding of the principles and methodologies in the social studies discipline. 

 

We recognize that there are many differences among our students not only in intelligence and special talents, but also in their interests, goals, and objectives in life.  Therefore, we are committed to the development and maintenance of a curriculum of such variety and score that we may find and serve these widely divergent needs and interests.  The desired end:  to draw our students out into the world community, providing them with the capacity to live successful personal and public lives.

 

It is also my belief (as the teacher responsible for this class) that some other goals are worthy additions. Students will:

· View U.S. history critically from multiple ideological, political, and personal perspectives

· Argue respectfully, competently and persuasively about historical dilemmas

·  Compare various Historians interpretation of history

·  Incorporate the use of maps, charts, and statistical analysis in every unit

· Evaluate evidence for bias, accuracy, and significance

· Appreciate the impact of the past upon the present

· Produce writing of a level acceptable in a collegiate environment

· Understand and avoid the pitfalls of plagiarism and shoddy research

· Value the benefits of undertaking challenging tasks, even if the results are imperfect

· Develop the skills necessary to be a competent historian and an exemplary citizen

 

This course will address the following themes throughout the year:

 

• American Diversity:

The diversity of the American people and the relationships among different groups.  The roles of race, class, ethnicity, and gender in the history of the United States.

• American Identity

Views of the American national character and ideas about American exceptionalism.  Recognizing regional differences within the context of what it means to be an American.

• Culture

Diverse individual and collective expressions through literature, art, philosophy, music, theatre, and film throughout U.S. history.  Popular culture and the dimensions of cultural conflict within American society.

• Demographic Changes

Changes in birth, marriage, and death rates; life expectancy and family patterns, population size, and density.  The economic, social, and political effects of immigration, internal migration, and migration networks.

• Economic Transformations

Changes in trade, commerce, and technology across time.  The effects of capitalist development, labor and unions, and consumerism.

• Environment

Ideas about the consumption and conservation of natural resources.  The Impact of population growth, industrialization, pollution, and urban and suburban expansion.

• Globalization

Engagement with the rest of the world from the fifteenth century to the end of Reconstruction (1877):  colonialism, mercantilism, global hegemony, development of markets, imperialism, cultural exchange.

• Politics and Citizenship

Colonial and revolutionary legacies, American political traditions, growth of democracy, and the development of the modern state.  Defining citizenship; and struggles for minority rights.

• Reform

Diverse movements focusing on a broad range of issues, including antislavery, education, labor, temperance, women’s rights, civil rights, war, public health, politics and government.

• Religion

The variety of religious beliefs and practices in America from prehistory to 1877; influence of religion on politics, economics, and society.

• Slavery and Its Legacies in North America

Systems of slave labor and other forms of unfree labor (e.g., indentured servitude, contract labor) in Native American societies, the Atlantic World, and the American South and West.  The economics of slavery and its racial dimensions.  Patterns of resistance and the long-term economic, political, and social effects of slavery.

• War and Diplomacy

Armed conflict from the pre-colonial period to the end of the Civil War; impact of war on American foreign policy and on politics, economy, and society.

                                    Themes adapted from Course Description from the College Board

 

 

Course Pre-requisites:

In order for students to be successful in this course, they must have studied the following units of study in American History:  The Gilded Age, Immigration, Imperialism, Industrialism Progressives, World War I, the 1920’s, The Depression, World War II, Origins of the Cold War, and The Emergence of Modern America, and must have received at least a grade point average of 96 in the academic level or 86 in the accelerated level of  the U.S. History course in which these topics were studied.

A pre-assessment will determine students’ understanding of these major historical events prior to beginning the outlined course of study. 

 

Writing Component

 

The AP exam requires students to complete two essays in 70 minutes.  Therefore, students frequently will be given various AP free response essays throughout the year.  Each essay will be timed (35 minutes) and completed in class.  You should expect at least one essay per unit.  Essays will be based on the essential questions for each unit. Students will also complete one Document Based Question (DBQ) per unit.

 

Text:  The American Pageant: 13^th Edition, Bailey, Kennedy, and Cohen & The American Spirit.  Volume I & II:     New York:  Houghton Mifflin Company 2006

 

Supplemental Texts:

• Davidson, James West, and Mark Hamilton Lytle. After the Fact:  The Art of Historical Detection. 4^th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2000
• Zinn, Howard, A People’s History of the U.S.  New York: Harper Perennial, 2005
• Johnson, Paul. History of the American People: New York: Harper Perennial, 1999
• Border, Morton.  Parties and Politics in the Early Republic, 1785-1815.  Harlan Davidson, 1967
• Kovacs, Mary Anne, et al. Advanced Placement US History Part 1 & 2.  The Center for Learning, 1997
• Arndt, J. Chris and Raymond M. Hyser.  Voices of the American Past.  Volume I & II:  3^rd ed. United States, Thomson and Wadsworth, 2005
• McClellan, Jim R., Changing Interpretations of America’s Past.  2^nd ed. United States Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 200

 

 

Unit 1:  Transatlantic Encounters

Weeks 1-3

 

Essential Questions

1.       How do you test your hypotheses using primary and secondary sources?

2.   What happens when cultures interact?

 

Lecture/ Discussion Topics:

·        Europe in the 1400 & 1500: What prompted early exploration?

·        Early attempts at exploration

·        Columbian exchange

·        Native American response to early explorers

·        Reading and writing on the college level, primary and secondary source analysis

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

·        Thesis statements, outlines and proper essay writing

·        American Spirit review questions

·        Essay: Explore the reasons why early explores decided to leave the comforts of Europe and travel west.

·        Vocabulary Quiz

Readings:

·        Bailey, Chapter 1& 2 

·        The American Spirit Chapter 1 Sec. A & C

·        Voices of the American Past  Chapter 1

 

 

 

Unit 2: Pre-Columbian Society

Week 4 & 5

 

Essential Questions

1.  How do you test your hypotheses using primary and secondary sources?

2.  What affects the development of a region?

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Early European settlements
• Compare Massachusetts Bay and Chesapeake settlements
• Indentured servants and slaves, development of triangle trade
• Document analysis

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Early European settlements
• Compare Massachusetts Bay and Chesapeake settlements
• Indentured servants and slaves, development of triangle trade
• Document analysis

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 3
• The American Spirit Chapter 2 Sec. A & C
• Voices of the American Past Chapter 2
• After the Fact Chapter 1 Serving Time in Virginia

 

 

Unit 3:  Colonial North America

Weeks 6-8

 

Essential Questions

1.   How do you test your hypotheses using primary and secondary sources?

2.       What impact does trade have on societies?

3.       What affected the cultural, political, economic, and scientific developments of the past?

4.       What influenced the development of the governmental system of colonial America?

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Developing an “American” Identity, Early Colonial Life
• Influence and development of mercantilism
• Analysis of the impact of religion and the Great Awakening
• Salem Witch Trials and the fall of Puritan Ministers
• Emergence of early colonial government

 

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• American Pageant DBQ #1
• Center for Learning Lesson 3 & 4
• Multiple Choice Exam and Essay

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 4 & 5

• The American Spirit Chapter 3 & 4
• After the Fact Chapter 2 The Visible and Invisible Worlds of Salem
• Voices of the American Past  Chapter 3

 

 

Unit 4:  American Revolution

Weeks 9-12

 

Essential Questions

1.       How does an author’s perspective impact the analysis of primary sources?

2.       How do political, social, economic conflicts lead to change?

3.       How did the principles of federalism evolve?

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Colonial Expansion
• Road to Revolution
• Salutary Neglect
• French and Indian War

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Voices of the American Past reading and questions
• Essay:  Were the Colonist justified in their attack on British policies?
• Debate:  Patriots v Loyalists
• Document Analysis:  Declaration of Independence
• Center for Learning Lesson 7
• Vocabulary Quiz

 

  Readings:

• Bailey Chapter  6, 7 & 8
• The American Spirit Chapter 6 Sec B & C, Chapter 7 Sec D, Chapter 8 Sec A & E
• After the Fact: Chapter 3 Declaring Independence
• Thomas Paine: Common Sense

 

 

Unit 5:  Early Republic

Weeks 13-17

 

Essential Questions

1.       Historians must analyze primary sources from the perspective of the author within the context of the time period.

2.       Resolutions to conflict lead to different degrees of change.

3.   Although there might be various interpretations and applications of the U.S. Constitution, the results of these actions uphold the same underlying principles of democracy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Failure of the Articles of Confederation
• Drafting the Constitution
• Washington’s Administration
• Ideological Differences: Hamilton v Jefferson, Federalists v Anti-Federalists
• Testing the new government: Whiskey Rebellion
• Revolution of 1800

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Center for Learning Lessons 8, 10 & 13
• DBQ: 
• Constitutional Debate: Virginia Plan v New Jersey Plan
• Document Analysis: The Constitution & Bill of Rights, Washington’s Farewell Address
• Multiple Choice Exam and Essay

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 9-11
• Federalist Papers No. 10
• The American Spirit Chapter 10 Sec B, D, & F
• Voices of the American Past Chapter 7

 

 

Unit 6:  National and Sectional Identities

Week 18-21

 

Essential Questions

1.      Various groups within our society impacted by political, social, and economic conflicts and their resolutions.

2.      Technological changes solve and create problems within our society.

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Constitutional Conflicts:  Louisiana Purchase, The Marshall Court
• Second American Revolution
• Political Upheaval
• Prosperity to Panic

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Analysis of Early Supreme Court Decisions
• Document Analysis:  Monroe Doctrine
• Essay:  Analyze with respect to his domestic and foreign policies, the statement by President Jefferson, “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists.”
• Center for Learning Chap 15

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 11, 12
• The American Spirit Chapter 11 Sec B, Chapter 12 Sec D
• Voices of the American Past Chapter 8

 

 

 

 

Unit 7 The Emergence of a Two Party System

Weeks 22-24

 

Essential Questions

1.       What is the result of a country’s need for expanding territory?

2.       How did U.S. foreign policy develop from nationalistic sentiments and economic growth?

 

Lecture/Discussion Topics:

• Jackson’s “Common Man”
• The two party system
• Manifest Destiny and The War with Mexico
• Transportation Revolution
• Second Great Awakening

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Center for Learning Lesson 16 & 18
• Political Cartoon Analysis
• Jefferson/Jackson Debate
• Vocabulary Quiz
• Essay:

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 13, 14 & 15
• After the Fact Chapter 4 Jackson’s Frontier and Turners
• Zinn Chapter 7
• Johnson Part Three

 

 

Unit 7 Road to Disunion

Weeks 25-27

 

Essential Questions

1. What is the result of a country’s need for expanding territory?
2. How did U.S. foreign policy develop from nationalistic sentiments and economic growth?

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Discuss the following concepts: Compromises, Sectionalism, States Rights, and Popular Sovereignty
• Historian Review Exercise: Compare various historians views on the causes of the Civil War

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Primary Source Analysis: Compare Civil War Diary accounts, newspaper articles and photographs
• Center for Learning Lesson 19
• Assign Research Paper

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 16 – 19
• After the Fact Chapter 6 The Madness of John Brown
• The American Spirit Chapter 18 Sec B & D
• Johnson Part Four

Unit 7:  Civil War

Weeks 28-30

 

Essential Questions

1.   Political decisions, military strategies and the differences in resources can lea to different resolutions to conflict.

2.   Based upon race, gender, and ethnicity, individuals can have different experiences during the conflict.

3.   Economies can impact one’s purpose for and resolutions to conflict.

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Discuss the political, social, economic, and militaristic differences between the North and South
• Analyze the political, social, and economic impact of the war
• Compare the changing roles of women and minorities during the war

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Document analysis:  Emancipation Proclamation, General Order 145, Gettysburg Address, & Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
• Center for Learning Lesson 23
• Essay:  “I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races.”  How can this statement of Abraham Lincoln be reconciled with his 1862 Emancipation Proclamation?

 

Readings:

• Bailey Chapter 20 & 21
• The American Spirit Chapter 21 Sec C, D, E, & F
• Zinn Chapter 10
• Voices oft the American Past Chapter 15

 

 

Unit 8:  Origins of the New South

Weeks 31-33

 

Essential Questions

1. How do Historians impact the writing of history?
2. How does conflict lead to political, social and economic change?
3. How can political actions change the people’s impression of the government?

 

Key Discussion Topics:

• Restructuring of Southern politics and economy
• Legacy of Reconstruction and its impact on the planter aristocracy and the slave system

 

Assignments/Assessments Include:

• Center for Learning Lesson 24
• Analyze the impact of Congressional Reconstruction
• Analyze the struggle between the Executive and Legislative Branches over Southern Reconstruction

 

Readings:

·        Bailey Chapter 22 

·        The American Spirit Chapter 22  C, Sec D, Sec F

·       After the Fact: Chapter 7 The View From the Bottom Rail