2011-2012 AP US History 1
COURSE SYLLABUS AND EXPECTATIONS:
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY
Mr. Rave

Overview: AP US History Students are engaged in a rigorous full year course gaining knowledge of the fundamental chronology of events and trends from pre-Columbian
times to the present. Political, diplomatic, social, economic, and cultural understandings are developed and reinforced throughout the course. Emphasis on analytical and evaluative thinking and writing skills is maintained via a thematic seminar approach.
Each student is expected to develop ownership of their own perspective of the causal nature of major events and trends based on sincere inquiry using a variety of primary
and secondary source materials. A formal writing process examining historic tension is a major component of the skills battery for the DBQ and FRQ essays. Upon completion of
the course all students are encouraged to take the AP Exam in US History administered by the College Board on Friday May 11, 2012.

The Seminar Approach: The AP US History course is taught in a manner to encourage critical thinking among students in a sequence that concludes with a weekly
analytical discussion of human motives and progressing national morality as related to
events, trends, and themes in US History. Students prepare position papers to declare and defend points of view in a Socratic seminar forum organized by the teacher, however, facilitated solely by the students. The teacher prepares students with lecture, enrichment, analytical skills development, and topics for debate. Students take ownership in the dialectic, while the teacher evaluates performance and offers constructive feedback.

Declarative Objectives: Upon completion of the AP US History course in May, each student is expected to have attained mastery in the following major themes in American History:


1. Political and Diplomatic History: This theme incorporates many topics relevant to
understanding the rise of a distinct and internationally influential US Republic
ultimately vying for hegemonic influence as a great world power. A partial list of
subtopics to this theme is given below:

• Early negotiations and conflicts among Europeans and Native Americans
• Causes of colonial discontent and results of the American Revolution
• Founding documents and the Critical Period’s influence on doctrine
• Changes from neutrality and isolationism ideologies to internationalism
• The formation of political parties and the development of their ideologies
• Rights of the majority and minority weighed in the scales of justice
• Waves of reform and nationalistic fervor and their impact on political change
• Evolution of federalism based on loose vs. strict construction arguments
• Supreme Court decisions and their impact on governmental powers
• Controversial treaties and doctrines stemming from executive decisions
• US Global leadership based on military and economic supremacy
AP US History 2

2. Social and Economic History: This theme incorporates many topics relevant to
understanding the major events and trends that highlight the phenomenal growth
of the US middle class and the multiple obstacles overcome by significant groups
of the American population as they gained greater social equality and economic
opportunity. A partial list of subtopics to this theme is given below:

• Growing democratization of the American Republic over time
• Constitutional and legal change affecting race, gender, and age perceptions
• Westward expansion influences economic opportunity and social status
• Immigration and urbanization influences availability of municipal services
• Nativist concerns and reactions to immigration patterns
• The changing distribution of wealth and influence of social mobility
• The origins, development, and consequences of industrialization
• Development of organized labor into a countervailing force and special interest
• The development of commercial practices and their economic and social impact
• Gender roles and their influence on work, social structure, family structure, and
interest group formation
• Developments in social, economic, and political thought


3. Intellectual and Cultural History: This theme incorporates many topics relevant to
understanding the rise of a distinct and internationally influential US culture based on
historic experience and innovative spirit. A partial list of subtopics to this theme is
given below:

• Native American influence on the overall American culture
• Slavery’s impact on intellectual debate concerning natural rights
• Religious tolerance and its affect on the development of Constitutional rights
• Scientific and technological developments and their consequences
• The origin and growth of public education and related institutions
• Major trends in the literature and the arts
• Immigrant intellectual contributions to music, art, literature, and science
• Intellectual and cultural developments and their relationship to social values
• Developments in transportation and communication affecting mainstream culture
• Impact of geographic expansion on American culture
• Leisure activities and interests affecting overall social patterns



Procedural Objectives: Upon completion of this course the student will have:

• Improved his/her communication skills – both oral and written via seminar presentations
• Developed analytical and evaluative thesis writing skills for DBQ and FRQ essays
• Gained mastery in identifying tension and point of view in historical documents
• Developed the ability to analyze, interpret, group, and synthesize primary source documents
• Applied history research and understandings to computer skill projects



AP US History 3
Required Materials : The following materials are used to better organize your
work, preparation, and participation in APUSH lessons.

• 3” binder for notes, seminar packets, selected readings, essay materials
• pen, pencil, highlighter for document analysis and note taking
• computer data storage via flash, RWCD, or floppy disk

TEXTBOOK:
It is the student’s responsibility to read assigned chapters in the college level text. The text is divided into six eras from “Founding a New Nation” to “The American People Face a New Century”. All reading assignments will be assigned as homework and note taking on all readings and lectures is encouraged. Students will be given guided reading packets for each chapter assigned. Because of the scope of American history and depth of material required for successful completion of this class, not all assigned reading can be discussed in class so it is essential that students complete all reading and homework assignments.

Bailey, Thomas, & David Kennedy. The American Pageant: 12th edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. Glencoe, McGraw, Hill.
Bailey & Kennedy. The American Spirit: 10th edition.
Howard Zinn. A People’s History of the United States

SUPPORT MATERIALS:
Students will be given primary and secondary source materials (political cartoons, essays, articles, documents) for analysis and evaluation relevant to each unit of study. The following list contains the resources most frequently used but others may be added as needed or requested.

Grading
Six Weeks and Semester grades will be determined as follows:

Tests – 50%
Multiple choice tests will be given at the end of each unit; they will be cumulative (i.e., information from previous units will be on all tests – about 10%) and inclusive (i.e., it will include information from the textbook and outside readings – about 10%). There will be 2 to 3 tests per six weeks and these will be modeled after the AP Exam. Each unit test will contain multiple-choice questions. Each six weeks a formal essay will be written for a test grade – these will either be DBQ‘s or FRQ‘s.

Quizzes – 20%
Reading Quizzes will be given for every chapter, these will be short answer, vocabulary term quizzes; students will need to identify the what and why of each vocabulary term.
Other pop-quizzes will be given periodically - either announced or unannounced in order to evaluate the students‘ knowledge of the material on a day-to-day basis.
Other writing assignments can be given as quiz grades.
Daily / Homework – 30%
Read all assigned chapters and outside readings when they are due! Check the six weeks calendar often to keep up with all reading assignments. Your ability to keep up with the material and readings will help facilitate class discussions and learning.
A variety of oral, written, group and individual assignments will be given (e.g., chapter notes, participation in seminars and debates, etc.).
The semester exam will constitute 25% of the semester average.

Grade Scale: GPA Points:
100 – 90: A 5
89 – 80: B 4
79 – 70: C 3
Below 70: F 0

Course Readings

Each student will be given hardcopies of the six weeks reading assignments. These are required readings along with the textbook. These readings will include primary source documents, secondary readings, and other sources. These readings will be the primary focus of in-class activities; like seminars, debates, class discussions, and writing activities. Due dates for these readings are included on the six weeks calendar, it is the student‘s responsibility to keep track of reading assignments and follow the class calendar. You will average about 40 pages per week of outside reading.

VI. Accountability and Independent Learning

You are responsible for reading and studying the textbook The American Pageant (as well as ALL other readings). You will be given a daily calendar at the beginning of each six weeks to assist you in this process. While some of the textbook will be discussed in detail through our class discussions, seminars, and debates, some of it will be covered through independent learning. You are responsible for ALL MATERIAL ASSIGNED, whether we discussed it in class or not.

VII. The AP U.S. History Exam

The examination is 3 hours and 5 minutes in length and consists of two sections: a 55-minute multiple-choice section and a 130-minute free-response section. The free-response section begins with a mandatory 15-minute reading period. Students are advised to spend most of the 15 minutes analyzing the documents and planning their answer to the document-based essay question (DBQ) in Part A. Suggested writing time for the DBQ is 45 minutes. Parts B and C each include two standard essay questions that, with the DBQ, cover the period from the first European explorations of the Americas to the present. Students are required to answer one essay question in each part in a total of 70 minutes. Suggested time to be spent on each of the essay questions they choose to answer in Parts B and C is 5 minutes of planning and 30 minutes of writing. Both the multiple-choice and the free-response sections cover the period from the first European explorations of the Americas to the present, although the majority of questions are on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In the multiple-choice section, approximately 20% of the questions deal with the period through 1789, 45% with the period 1790 – 1914, and 35% with the period 1915 – to the present. Whereas the multiple-choice section may include a few questions on the period since 1980, neither the DBQ nor any of the four essay questions in Parts B and C will deal exclusively with this period. In the multiple-choice section, political institutions and behavior and public policy account for approximately 35%, social change and cultural and intellectual developments for approximately 40%. The remaining questions are divided between the areas of diplomacy and international relations, approximately 15%; economic developments, approximately 10%. The questions in the multiple-choice section are designed to test students‘ factual knowledge, breadth of preparation, and knowledge-based analytical skills. Essay questions are designed, additionally, to make it possible for students from widely differing courses to demonstrate their mastery of historical interpretation and their ability to express their views and knowledge in writing. Scores earned on the multiple-choice and free-response sections each account for one-half of the student‘s examination grade. Within the free-response sections, the DBQ counts for 45 percent; the two standard essays count for 55 percent. The 2011 AP US History exam is scheduled for May 6th – morning session. We will begin an intensive review beginning in mid April – this review is required of all students in the class, regardless of whether you are planning on taking the exam or not.

General Information

Attendance

The pace of this course is accelerated and missing class might cause problems. If you do have to miss, check your six weeks calendar for assignments. All assignments should be completed in a timely fashion and according to district policy.
Calendar

A calendar will be given each six weeks to help you keep up with assignments.

Assignments

Check the calendar for due dates. Keep up, especially with your reading! Assignments will be submitted online to me at mrave@ssisd.net.

Readings

All readings are given to you at the beginning of each six weeks, the readings are also online as PDF files.

Final Exam

It‘s comprehensive and AP style. Each semester exam covers all the material from the beginning of the semester. It is imperative that you don‘t just study to pass the unit tests but focus on preparing for the spring AP exam. The Semester Finals will have 80 MC questions and 1 FRQ.



Test Retake

School policy allows students who fail a test to retake it. The highest grade that you can receive on the retake is a 70. The retake must be completed within 2 days of the original exam and all retakes will be completed outside of class. You must notify the instructor immediately if you plan on taking a retake. You must demonstrate the same level of understanding on the retake that you were required to demonstrate on the mc test.

Tardy

You are expected to be in class on time, failure to be in class after the tardy bell has rung will result in you being counted tardy. If you walk into class after the door is shut, you have been counted tardy.

School Rules

School rules are enforced in this classroom — see student handbook for complete explanation.

Tutorials

Monday: 3:45 – 4:15 through Thursday or by appointment.

Taking Notes

Taking notes is a required and independent activity for this course – these are to be done at home and over the chapters in the textbook. Notes for each chapter will be checked on days scheduled according to the day-to-day calendar for each six weeks grading period (e.g., on days in which the calendar says ―note check). Notes will be taken using the Harvard Style Outline.

Late Work Policy:

• 1) Students are expected to turn in all work when due. Students will be allowed the number of days absent plus one to make up assignments, projects, and quizzes without deductions.
• 2) Students who do not turn in their assigned work when due will be graded according to the following:
• a) one day late will receive a 25% deduction in points
• b) after two days work will not be accepted
projects, and quizzes) will be due at the conclusion of the chapter/ unit of study.
• 4) Grading is final at semester.

Cell Phone Policy:

Any phone usage without permission will result in the phone being turned over to
the Principals office for Parent retrieval.

Week to week assignments and due dates are available on my web page