"I am in the business of history. It is the avocation I have chosen to practice my craft of film making. Over the many years of practicing, I have come to the realization that history is a not a fixed thing, a collection of precise dates, facts and events that add up to a quantifiable, certain, confidently known, truth. It is an inscrutable and mysterious and malleable thing. Each generation rediscovers and re-examines that part of its past that gives its present, and most important, its future new meaning and new possibilities."
Ken Burns, from an interview about his film, Prohibition
Ken Burns, from an interview about his film, Prohibition
Hull High School
Syllabus and Course Expectations
2016-2017 School Year
Teacher: Ms. Cowen
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://hullhighschoolapush.weebly.com/
Welcome to Advanced Placement United States History!
COURSE OVERVIEW
Congratulations, you have taken the first step to accepting the challenge of Advanced Placement United States History! Anyone can be successful in APUSH, but APUSH is not for everyone - it requires a thoughtful commitment in order to do well. Not only is APUSH taught at the college level, it is more rigorous and demanding than most American history courses offered in college.
The central focus of our time together will be preparing you to pass the national College Board APUSH exam, taken on May 5, 2017. If you pass the exam, you may be able to receive college credit for this class without the college price tag! The APUSH curriculum is a comprehensive examination of our nation’s history, spanning the Age of Discovery in the late 15th century to the present. Not only are we responsible for examining four hundred+ years worth of material, but we will also master the skills that are at the heart of APUSH. That means lots of high level essay writing. You can expect the pace of APUSH to be uncomfortably fast and at the same time you will be required to meet all standards.
In the same way that baseball is not just knowing what a bat or mit is, and playing music isn’t just knowing the notes of a scale, so, too, history is not just knowing names and dates! Can you use the bat to actually play baseball? Can you use the notes of a scale to make music? History is about using name and dates to make meaning out of the past. They are tools, in the same way that a baseball bat and a musical scale are tools. If you only learn to play scales, you are not really making music. In the same way, if you only learn names, dates, and events, you are not really studying history (you are learning facts about the past). Therefore, is class will move beyond learning about names, dates and events. You will be assigned readings in order to gather these “tools” so that you have them to use in class, so that we can place an emphasis on doing history. That is, developing the skills of historical thinking (such as interpretation, analysis, and synthesis) to make choices about the past that help us better understand the present. In order to do this at the high level that the APUSH course demands, it is imperative that you keep your tools sharp! (ie, do the readings - you need to come to class already knowing what the the 15th Amendment is if it is explained in the reading!)
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will:
COURSE CONTENT
Historical Periods
The College Board has divided the study of United States history into 9 historical periods. These periods will act as a framework for our course units throughout the year. Major assessments will be given at the end of each period of study.
PERIOD 1: 1491–1607
On a North American continent controlled by American Indians, contact among the peoples of Europe, the Americas, and West Africa created a new world.
PERIOD 2: 1607–1754
Europeans and American Indians maneuvered and fought for dominance, control, and security in North America, and distinctive colonial and native societies emerged.
PERIOD 3: 1754–1800
British imperial attempts to reassert control over its colonies and the colonial reaction to these attempts produced a new American republic, along with struggles over the new nation’s social, political, and economic identity.
PERIOD 4: 1800–1848
The new republic struggled to define and extend democratic ideals in the face of rapid economic, territorial, and demographic changes.
PERIOD 5: 1844–1877
As the nation expanded and its population grew, regional tensions, especially over slavery, led to a civil war — the course and aftermath of which transformed American society.
PERIOD 6: 1865–1898
The transformation of the United States from an agricultural to an increasingly industrialized and urbanized society brought about significant economic, political, diplomatic, social, environmental, and cultural changes.
PERIOD 7: 1890–1945
An increasingly pluralistic United States faced profound domestic and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism, and sought to define its international role.
PERIOD 8: 1945–1980
After World War II, the United States grappled with prosperity and unfamiliar international responsibilities while struggling to live up to its ideals.
PERIOD 9: 1980 to Present
As the United States transitioned to a new century filled with challenges and possibilities, it experienced renewed ideological and cultural debates, sought to redefine its foreign policy, and adapted to economic globalization and revolutionary changes in science and technology.
Themes
In addition to historical content, this course will emphasize a series of key themes throughout the year. These themes have been determined by the College Board as essential to a comprehensive study of United States history. These themes include:
Skills
Mastering the AP Exam requires the development of Historical Thinking Skills (HTS) that have been determined by the College Board and will be integrated into class activities and assignments.
COURSE STRUCTURE AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
This class is hard work! BUT, you are completely in control of how well you do in this class. If you keep up with the reading, put genuine effort into improving your writing skills, and make sure you study and are prepared for tests, then you will do well! Class will be a combination of group work, projects, brief lectures, skill-building exercises, discussions, and answering questions. Here is a list of the workload you can expect this year:
EXAM STRUCTURE
The AP U.S. History Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and includes both a 105-minute multiple-choice/short-answer section and a 90-minute free-response section. Each section is divided into two parts, as described below. Your performance on these four parts will be compiled and weighed to determine your AP Exam score.
Section I:
There is a fee of $92 to take the exam
COURSE TEXT
John M. Faragher, Mari Jo Buhle, Daniel Czitrom, Susan H. Armitage. Out of Many- A History of the American People (AP edition) (New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2007)
Additional primary and secondary source readings will also be assigned throughout the year.
APUSH Pacing Guide
Time Period
Chapters/Pages
Length of Study
Test the week of...
1: 1491-1607
Columbus to Jamestown
Ch 1-3/p 2-66
2 days
n/a
2: 1607-1754
Jamestown to The French and Indian War
Ch 3-6/ p.66-170
1.5 weeks
Sept 12 (periods 1 & 2 combined)
3: 1754-1800
The French and Indian War to The New Republic
Ch 6-8/p.171-262
3 weeks
Oct 3
4: 1800-1848
The New Republic to the Seneca Falls Convention
Ch 9-13/p.270-448
3 weeks
Oct 24
5: 1844-1877
Manifest Destiny to Reconstruction
Ch 14-17/p.454-598
3.5 weeks
Nov 14
6: 1865-1898
Reconstruction to The Gilded Age
Ch 18- 20/p.604-703
4 weeks
Dec 19
7: 1890-1945
The Gilded Age to WWII
Ch 20-25 /p.703-922
6 weeks
Feb 6
8: 1945-1980
WWII to The Cold War
Ch 26-30 /p.928-1111
4.5 weeks
Mar 20
9: 1980-Present
The Cold War to the Present
Ch 30-31/p.1111-1171
2.5 weeks
Apr 10
Grading Breakdown
Homework 10%
Classwork 20%
Quizzes and Tests 30%
Papers and Projects 30%
Participation 10%
COURSE POLICIES:
Class Preparation/Participation – You will need a 3-ring binder for this class. In addition to readings, I will also give you many handouts and worksheets that you will need to keep organized. Please also include loose-leaf lined notebook paper in your binder for note-taking. Bring a pen/pencil, notebook, homework and agenda to class everyday and complete the assigned readings. Being prepared with your materials is a vital part of your quarterly participation grade. Be ready to participate fully and meaningfully. This includes sharing your thoughts about the topic in class, active listening, having a positive attitude, and respecting classroom norms of behavior.
I expect that you will come to class with a willingness to learn and a seriousness of purpose for the work you are doing here. Behavioral disruptions will communicate that you are not prepared for the challenge of this course and you will be asked to leave.
Homework – No late homework will be accepted. If you do not hand in homework on the day it is due, you will receive a zero for that assignment. If you are absent when work is assigned, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find out what you missed. Ignorance will not be accepted as a valid excuse. You will have an equal amount of time to complete assignments.
Handouts - You will only receive ONE COPY of anything I give you in this class. This includes but is not limited to: reading packets, worksheets, guided notes, film guides, diagrams, maps, or any other handouts. If you lose it, it is your responsibility to obtain another one. Keeping your materials in a 3-ring binder will help you to avoid this!!!
It is also important that you KEEP all materials you are given in order to study for the APUSH Exam. We will have roughly 2 weeks of review in April, and you will need access to the year’s material in order to participate in the review process. So DO NOT THROW IT OUT!
Extra help – See Ms. Cowen to arrange after school extra help.
Other Policy Areas:
Students’ personal internet-capable electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) will be permitted for academic purposes only, and only during times expressly indicated by the teacher. All other use of electronic devices is unacceptable and will result in disciplinary action.
Attendance, tardiness, behavioral consequences, and academic dishonesty apply as outlined in the Hull High Student Handbook.
Bottom Line: The APUSH course will be one of the most challenging but rewarding academic experiences you will have in high school (and maybe even college), and if you put in the hard work you will reap the rewards. It is my job to guide you through this journey and I am committed to helping you every step of the way. Let’s have a great year!
Syllabus and Course Expectations
2016-2017 School Year
Teacher: Ms. Cowen
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://hullhighschoolapush.weebly.com/
Welcome to Advanced Placement United States History!
COURSE OVERVIEW
Congratulations, you have taken the first step to accepting the challenge of Advanced Placement United States History! Anyone can be successful in APUSH, but APUSH is not for everyone - it requires a thoughtful commitment in order to do well. Not only is APUSH taught at the college level, it is more rigorous and demanding than most American history courses offered in college.
The central focus of our time together will be preparing you to pass the national College Board APUSH exam, taken on May 5, 2017. If you pass the exam, you may be able to receive college credit for this class without the college price tag! The APUSH curriculum is a comprehensive examination of our nation’s history, spanning the Age of Discovery in the late 15th century to the present. Not only are we responsible for examining four hundred+ years worth of material, but we will also master the skills that are at the heart of APUSH. That means lots of high level essay writing. You can expect the pace of APUSH to be uncomfortably fast and at the same time you will be required to meet all standards.
In the same way that baseball is not just knowing what a bat or mit is, and playing music isn’t just knowing the notes of a scale, so, too, history is not just knowing names and dates! Can you use the bat to actually play baseball? Can you use the notes of a scale to make music? History is about using name and dates to make meaning out of the past. They are tools, in the same way that a baseball bat and a musical scale are tools. If you only learn to play scales, you are not really making music. In the same way, if you only learn names, dates, and events, you are not really studying history (you are learning facts about the past). Therefore, is class will move beyond learning about names, dates and events. You will be assigned readings in order to gather these “tools” so that you have them to use in class, so that we can place an emphasis on doing history. That is, developing the skills of historical thinking (such as interpretation, analysis, and synthesis) to make choices about the past that help us better understand the present. In order to do this at the high level that the APUSH course demands, it is imperative that you keep your tools sharp! (ie, do the readings - you need to come to class already knowing what the the 15th Amendment is if it is explained in the reading!)
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will:
- master a broad body of historical knowledge
- demonstrate an understanding of historical chronology
- use historical data to support an argument or position
- differentiate between historiographical schools of thought
- interpret and apply data from original documents, including cartoons, graphs, maps, diaries, speeches, letters, etc.
- effectively use analytical skills of evaluation, cause and effect, compare and contrast
- work effectively with others to produce products and solve problems
- prepare for and successfully pass the AP U.S. History Exam
COURSE CONTENT
Historical Periods
The College Board has divided the study of United States history into 9 historical periods. These periods will act as a framework for our course units throughout the year. Major assessments will be given at the end of each period of study.
PERIOD 1: 1491–1607
On a North American continent controlled by American Indians, contact among the peoples of Europe, the Americas, and West Africa created a new world.
PERIOD 2: 1607–1754
Europeans and American Indians maneuvered and fought for dominance, control, and security in North America, and distinctive colonial and native societies emerged.
PERIOD 3: 1754–1800
British imperial attempts to reassert control over its colonies and the colonial reaction to these attempts produced a new American republic, along with struggles over the new nation’s social, political, and economic identity.
PERIOD 4: 1800–1848
The new republic struggled to define and extend democratic ideals in the face of rapid economic, territorial, and demographic changes.
PERIOD 5: 1844–1877
As the nation expanded and its population grew, regional tensions, especially over slavery, led to a civil war — the course and aftermath of which transformed American society.
PERIOD 6: 1865–1898
The transformation of the United States from an agricultural to an increasingly industrialized and urbanized society brought about significant economic, political, diplomatic, social, environmental, and cultural changes.
PERIOD 7: 1890–1945
An increasingly pluralistic United States faced profound domestic and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism, and sought to define its international role.
PERIOD 8: 1945–1980
After World War II, the United States grappled with prosperity and unfamiliar international responsibilities while struggling to live up to its ideals.
PERIOD 9: 1980 to Present
As the United States transitioned to a new century filled with challenges and possibilities, it experienced renewed ideological and cultural debates, sought to redefine its foreign policy, and adapted to economic globalization and revolutionary changes in science and technology.
Themes
In addition to historical content, this course will emphasize a series of key themes throughout the year. These themes have been determined by the College Board as essential to a comprehensive study of United States history. These themes include:
- American and National Identity (NAT)
- Politics and Power (POL)
- Work, Exchange, and Technology (WXT)
- Culture and Society (CUL)
- Migration and Settlement (MIG)
- Geography and the Environment (GEO)
- America in the World (WOR)
Skills
Mastering the AP Exam requires the development of Historical Thinking Skills (HTS) that have been determined by the College Board and will be integrated into class activities and assignments.
- Skill 1: Chronological Reasoning
- Causation
- Continuity and Change over Time
- Periodization
- Skill 2: Comparison and Contextualization
- Comparison
- Contextualization
- Skill 3: Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence
- Historical Argumentation
- Appropriate Use of Relevant Historical Evidence
- Skill 4: Historical Interpretation and Synthesis
- Interpretation
- Synthesis
COURSE STRUCTURE AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
This class is hard work! BUT, you are completely in control of how well you do in this class. If you keep up with the reading, put genuine effort into improving your writing skills, and make sure you study and are prepared for tests, then you will do well! Class will be a combination of group work, projects, brief lectures, skill-building exercises, discussions, and answering questions. Here is a list of the workload you can expect this year:
- Nightly homework (about 1 hour’s worth) will take the form of reading and writing
- Homework will be posted on Ms. Cowen’s website (see top) each day
- If you are absent, you are still expected to keep up with the textbook reading as much as possible so that you do not fall behind. This class moves quickly and you will have a great deal of trouble catching up if you do not maintain your work while you are out.
- In the case of materials handed out in class, you will have as many days as you were out to make up that work. (ie, if you were out for 3 days in a row, you will have the next 3 school days to complete the work.) If you do not hand in the work within the timeframe, you will receive a zero and you will not be able to make it up after that.
- Short reading quizzes will be given at least twice a week to check reading completion and comprehension
- In-class activities will be based on the assumption that you have completed homework assignments and have an initial understanding of the material
- Frequent in-class writing assignments and essay tests will provide practice for the exam in May
- All unit tests will be cumulative; you can expect questions from previous units studied
- All essays will be scored according to the 7-point rubrics used on the APUSH exam
EXAM STRUCTURE
The AP U.S. History Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and includes both a 105-minute multiple-choice/short-answer section and a 90-minute free-response section. Each section is divided into two parts, as described below. Your performance on these four parts will be compiled and weighed to determine your AP Exam score.
Section I:
- Part A: Multiple Choice (55 questions; 55 Minutes; 40% of total exam score)
- Part B: Short-answer questions (4 questions; 50 minutes; 20% of total exam score)
- Part A: Document-based question (1 question; 55 minutes (includes 15 minute reading period); 25% of total exam score)
- Part B: Long essay question (1 question (chosen from a pair); 35 minutes; 15% of total exam score)
There is a fee of $92 to take the exam
COURSE TEXT
John M. Faragher, Mari Jo Buhle, Daniel Czitrom, Susan H. Armitage. Out of Many- A History of the American People (AP edition) (New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2007)
Additional primary and secondary source readings will also be assigned throughout the year.
APUSH Pacing Guide
Time Period
Chapters/Pages
Length of Study
Test the week of...
1: 1491-1607
Columbus to Jamestown
Ch 1-3/p 2-66
2 days
n/a
2: 1607-1754
Jamestown to The French and Indian War
Ch 3-6/ p.66-170
1.5 weeks
Sept 12 (periods 1 & 2 combined)
3: 1754-1800
The French and Indian War to The New Republic
Ch 6-8/p.171-262
3 weeks
Oct 3
4: 1800-1848
The New Republic to the Seneca Falls Convention
Ch 9-13/p.270-448
3 weeks
Oct 24
5: 1844-1877
Manifest Destiny to Reconstruction
Ch 14-17/p.454-598
3.5 weeks
Nov 14
6: 1865-1898
Reconstruction to The Gilded Age
Ch 18- 20/p.604-703
4 weeks
Dec 19
7: 1890-1945
The Gilded Age to WWII
Ch 20-25 /p.703-922
6 weeks
Feb 6
8: 1945-1980
WWII to The Cold War
Ch 26-30 /p.928-1111
4.5 weeks
Mar 20
9: 1980-Present
The Cold War to the Present
Ch 30-31/p.1111-1171
2.5 weeks
Apr 10
Grading Breakdown
Homework 10%
Classwork 20%
Quizzes and Tests 30%
Papers and Projects 30%
Participation 10%
COURSE POLICIES:
Class Preparation/Participation – You will need a 3-ring binder for this class. In addition to readings, I will also give you many handouts and worksheets that you will need to keep organized. Please also include loose-leaf lined notebook paper in your binder for note-taking. Bring a pen/pencil, notebook, homework and agenda to class everyday and complete the assigned readings. Being prepared with your materials is a vital part of your quarterly participation grade. Be ready to participate fully and meaningfully. This includes sharing your thoughts about the topic in class, active listening, having a positive attitude, and respecting classroom norms of behavior.
I expect that you will come to class with a willingness to learn and a seriousness of purpose for the work you are doing here. Behavioral disruptions will communicate that you are not prepared for the challenge of this course and you will be asked to leave.
Homework – No late homework will be accepted. If you do not hand in homework on the day it is due, you will receive a zero for that assignment. If you are absent when work is assigned, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find out what you missed. Ignorance will not be accepted as a valid excuse. You will have an equal amount of time to complete assignments.
Handouts - You will only receive ONE COPY of anything I give you in this class. This includes but is not limited to: reading packets, worksheets, guided notes, film guides, diagrams, maps, or any other handouts. If you lose it, it is your responsibility to obtain another one. Keeping your materials in a 3-ring binder will help you to avoid this!!!
It is also important that you KEEP all materials you are given in order to study for the APUSH Exam. We will have roughly 2 weeks of review in April, and you will need access to the year’s material in order to participate in the review process. So DO NOT THROW IT OUT!
Extra help – See Ms. Cowen to arrange after school extra help.
Other Policy Areas:
Students’ personal internet-capable electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) will be permitted for academic purposes only, and only during times expressly indicated by the teacher. All other use of electronic devices is unacceptable and will result in disciplinary action.
Attendance, tardiness, behavioral consequences, and academic dishonesty apply as outlined in the Hull High Student Handbook.
Bottom Line: The APUSH course will be one of the most challenging but rewarding academic experiences you will have in high school (and maybe even college), and if you put in the hard work you will reap the rewards. It is my job to guide you through this journey and I am committed to helping you every step of the way. Let’s have a great year!