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** Menu **HomeUS History Class Page Parent Resources Teacher Resources AP Students Researching  LINKS: COLLEGE BOARD AP US HISTORY SITE GREAT AP US HISTORY RESOURCE AP US TEXTBOOK: AMERICAN PAGEANT | ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORYMcSwainThe Advanced Placement Program in United States History is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge 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 of full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials, their importance, and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. The course will span United States history from its colonial period to the present time and will attempt to prepare you for the spring AP exam. COURSE EXPECTATIONS The course expectations are such that the work load is college level. It is also acknowledged that this course is only one semester and will rely heavily on your recall of basic United States history as you study more in depth interpretations. CLASS FORMAT Lectures will be given as background material to the outside supplementary readings. Frequent discussions will be held in class regarding themes covered in the textbook, lectures, various documents, and other reading assignments. Students will be expected to have the material read by the beginning of each class and short quizzes on the reading material will be given daily. Special emphasis will be geared towards developing the analytical and writing skills necessary to excel on the writing portions of the AP exam. TESTS Tests will be given periodically on the assigned readings and lectures. Students are expected to know the chronological material in the textbook and presented in lectures. Format will consist of multiple choice and essay type questions in the fashion of the AP exam. POSITION PAPERS, PROJECTS There are several theme areas covered chronologically in the course. Various essays or position papers will be assigned in which you are to analyze and assess these themes. Periodically projects, as noted on the syllabus, will be assigned. GRADES Nine weeks grades will be computed in the following manner: Tests / Position Papers / Projects: 50% Quizzes: 20 % Homework: 15 %, Classwork / Participation: 15 % TEXTS The primary text for this course is The American Pageant (Bailey, Kennedy, Cohen). You will also be required to read supplemental documents and other reading excerpts. BACK TO TOP |
