Course Syllabus

AP US History studies the development of American society, ideals, and institutions through an intensive study of the political, social, economic, and cultural history of the United States. The course is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with materials and problems in U.S. history. Students learn to assess a variety of historical materials—their relevance to a particular problem, their reliability and importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. In preparation, summer reading and writing are required. Students who enroll in this class should be seeking a college-level history experience; they also are required to take the AP exam in May.

 

There are eight units in APUSH, each of which will last three-to-four weeks.

Unit I: Colonialism (textbook chapters 1 & 2)

Unit II: Creating the US (chapters 3 & 4)

Unit III: Transforming Society (5 & 6)

Unit IV: Civil War and Post-War Society (7, 8 & 9)

-- approximate end of semester 1 –

Unit V: The New Century (10 & 11)

Unit VI: The Greatest Generation (12 & 13)

Unit VII: The Sixties and Seventies (14 & 15)

Unit VIII: 1980's to today (16, 17 & 18)

Final Project: After the AP exam, we will work on a Final Project which will count as the Culminating Assessment (worth 20% of the course grade).

Course Objectives / Student Outcomes. Students will:

  • be able to read authentic historical writing, recognizing and processing important information and also critically reflecting on the opinions expressed (explicitly or not) in that writing.
  • be able to critically evaluate primary documents and historical data and information to decide when and how those sources and information are reliable and useful to the development of their own historical analysis.
  • be able to write historical arguments in short essays, defending opinions and judgments about historical issues using a depth of supporting information and careful historical thinking.
  • develop an understanding of the big themes and debates of US history.
  • be able to understand and develop opinions on modern events by applying their understanding of history to those events.
  • prepare for an external examination that will ask them to have and write from an in-depth, critical introductory understanding of the entire scope of US history.
  • carry out a research project (culminating assessment).

Grading Policies

  • Homework (10% of the course grade) is graded complete or not complete; it is not really "graded." These daily readings or worksheets form the basis of class learning.
  • Graded Assessments (90% of the course grade) altogether count 90% of the grade. Individual assignments will be weighted to count more or less depending on what they are. Assignments in these categories include writing assignments, quizzes and tests. There will probably be something like one graded assessment every week of the course. There will usually be some sort of test at the end of each unit (three-four week units).
  • Late policies on Homework: daily homework should not be done late; it is necessary to do homework in order for class activities to be the most fruitful. Occasionally, students will be allowed to do these assignments late because of their personal needs without penalty.
  • Late policies on Graded Assessments: students may have one "free late" per quarter on graded assessments (generally not including quizzes and tests). A free late allows a student to turn in their work one class day late on an assignment no questions asked and no penalty. Any assignment turned in late otherwise loses 10% per class day late.
  • The AP exam in May is required of all students in this class. It is not part of the course grade.
  • Final Project: this research project, done after the AP exam, will count as the course culminating assessment.

Notes:

  • Assignments in Canvas will have the default due time of 11:59 pm. Ignore that. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class.
  • AP exams are marked on a different scale; getting about 50% of the points on the AP exam is "passing." So most APUSH classwork will be graded on a different scale than 90% = A. For example, here is the essay grading rubric usually used in this class. 20 of 24 points will be a 90% grade (even though mathematically it is an 83%).
  • Writing assignments (not quizzes & tests) can be redone for an improved grade (promptly, not at the end of the marking period).