AP United States History
Primary Text: Give Me Liberty! An American History; Eric Foner; 1st edition
Supplemental Texts: America: A Narrative History, Tindall & Shi, 5th edition
American Colonies: The Settling of North America, Alan Taylor
A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn
The American Political Tradition; Richard Hofstadter
Course Description: The AP course 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 and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. Students in the AP course will strive to develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.
Course Themes: Students should be able to trace the development of the following themes as they emerge across the scope of American History.
1. Diversity and National Identity.
A. Explain the development of the American System of government.
B. Explain how the U.S. Constitution evolved including its philosophical foundations, amendments and court interpretations
C. Describe the significant steps in the development of America’s unique cultural identity and intellectual tradition and identify their relationship to political and social events.
2. Immigration and Migration
A. Analyze the patterns and process of movement of people, products, and ideas.
B. Identify the “push” and “pull” nature of migration
3. States’ Rights
A. Explain the historical preference for local government over more distant political authority.
B. Explain the historical conflict between state and federal government with regard to constitutional power.
4. Science and Technology
A. Explain the impact of science and technology on American society and economy.
5. Economic Growth and Development
A. Describe the evolution of the American economy to its present form.
B. Explain the unique role that government has played in the formation and growth of the American economy.
C. Analyze the role of fiscal and regulatory policies in a mixed economy.
6. Property Rights and Political Participation
A. Explain the expansion of voting rights over the course of American History
B. Explain the relationship between the acquisition of property or property rights and political participation.
C. Analyze the consequences of the lack of political representation (real or perceived) among those who have acquired property/property rights.
7. Civil Rights.
A. Analyze the evolution of civil rights throughout the course of American History.
B. Explain how the extension of civil rights to new groups is an outgrowth of the denial of political representation and property rights.
C. Explain how the American political system and the American vision allow for the expansion of civil rights to new and expanding groups.
D. Analyze the limitation of rights and liberties and majority/minority political persecution.
8. America in World Affairs
A. Explain the development of American foreign policy.
B. Explain the geographic expansion of the United States
Course Outline
Unit I: Colonial History, 1492 to 1750 (4 weeks)
Readings:
Foner: Chapters 1-4
Taylor: Chapters 6-9, 11-12
Zinn: Drawing the Color Line
Content:
· Identify and Explain the developments in early modern Europe that led to exploration and colonization by the French, British, and Spanish
· Explain the characteristics of the two first English settlements: Jamestown and Plymouth.
· Explain how the motives for settlement of Jamestown and Plymouth affected the economic, social, and political development of the colonies.
· Identify the long-term influences of the Spanish and French settlements in North America.
· Describe the relationship between the various settlements and the existing Native American populations.
· Identify and explain the principal social, economic, and political characteristics of the Chesapeake colonies.
· Explain the causes and effects of the growth and expansion in the New England colonies.
· Identify and explain the factors behind the establishment of the Restoration colonies.
· Identify and analyze events, people, and institutions that emerged during the colonial experience reflecting a new commitment to freedom of religion and conscience, individual rights, constitutional rights, the consent of the governed, and the idea that government exists to serve the people.
· List the principal economic methods Great Britain used to control the colonies prior to the Revolutionary War.
· Explain the political, social, and economic impact of the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution.
· Explain the headright system and why this “solution” for the shortage of manpower in the colonies was replaced.
· Describe the development of slavery in the American colonies.
· Identify, explain, and relate the significance of two events prior to the French and Indian War – the First Great Awakening and the Enlightenment- that changed colonial thinking toward the British.
· Identify the characteristics of the American family, farm and town life, and the economy and explain how these helped to develop a distinctly “American” culture.
· Identify the sources and causes of new immigration to the colonies.
· Explain the contributions of these new immigrants to American colonial society.
Major Assessments & Activities: Develop a chart explaining the social, economic, and cultural foundations behind the founding of each of the thirteen colonies; Primary Source Documents: The Petition of Right, The English Bill of Rights; Multiple Choice Exam; Free Response Essay
Unit II: A New Nation, 1750-1789 (3 Weeks)
Readings:
Foner: Chapters 5-7
Hofstadter: Chapters 1-2
Zinn: Tyranny is Tyranny
Content:
· Explain how Anglo-French rivalries led to the French and Indian War.
· Explain how the problems of the French and Indian War caused the British to enact several measures in an attempt to enforce their imperial system after 1763.
· Identify and explain ways the colonists responded – politically, intellectually, and violently – between 1761 and 1776 to British policies (e.g. Common Sense, Declaration of Rights and Grievances, committees of correspondence, etc.).
· Explain the steps taken by the 1st and 2nd Continental Congresses.
· Examine and explain how the Declaration of Independence is a product of Enlightenment thought.
· List the major events of the Revolutionary War and terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1783 which affirmed the establishment of a new nation.
· Examine the impact of the war on colonial society.
· Describe the structure of post-revolutionary American government, and how the function of the Articles of Confederation was a weak union of states.
· Explain how the Articles of Confederation reflected the political organization of state governments.
· Identify and explain the major achievements under the Articles of Confederation.
· Identify and explain the economic, social, and diplomatic turmoil experienced by the young American nation during the 1780’s.
· Explain how the conservative elements in America responded to the threat of internal strife by launching a constitutional reform movement.
· Explain how the Constitution is essentially a series of compromises: slavery, representation in Congress, and the power to tax.
· Identify and explain the Virginia and New Jersey Plans.
· Explain how The Federalist Papers and the Bill of Rights helped the Federalists win the debate with the Anti-Federalists and gain ratification of the Constitution.
· Identify the five basic features of the U.S. government (legislative, executive, and judicial branches; amending the Constitution; relations between states and federal government).
· Examine the impact of the constitutional movement in the United States upon society through reform movements directed at women and slavery.
Major Assignments & Assessments: The Road to Revolution: Analyzing the rationale behind British Acts and Colonial Reaction from 1763-1776; Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, and consequences of the Articles of Confederation; Characteristics of the Constitution: Identify how elements of the U.S. Constitution are a reflection of the American Colonial Experience; Supplemental Readings: J. Franklin Jameson’s Essay The Revolution as a Social Movement, Decision in Philadelphia, Chapter 1; Henry Steele Commager – The Constitution as an Economic Document; Analyzing Primary Source Documents: Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, Common Sense, Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, The Stamp Act Resolution, The Federalist Papers; Multiple Choice Test; Free Response Essay
Unit III: The Critical Period and the Growth of Democracy, 1790-1840 (5 Weeks)
Readings:
Foner: Chapters 8-10
Hofstadter: 3-4
Content:
· Explain how domestic policies and debates of the 1790’s were largely the result of Hamilton’s economic program:
1. The Report on Public Credit
2. The Bank of the United States
3. The Report on Manufactures
4. The Whiskey Rebellion
· Demonstrate how the birth of the American two-party system emerged from the differing views of Hamilton and Jefferson
· Explain how the beliefs of the Republicans and Federalists were also shaped by sectionalism.
· Identify and explain the policy crises America experienced during the administrations of Washington and Adams (neutrality; Jay’s Treaty, Pinckney’s Treaty; XYZ Affair, Citizen Genet; Alien & Sedition Acts; Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions).
· Explain why the Election of 1800 brought Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans to power and was a major setback for the Federalist Party
· Explain the constitutional significance of the Election of 1800.
· Explain why the midnight judges/Judiciary Act of 1801 created controversy.
· Explain how Marbury v. Madison solved that problem and became a foundation for federal judicial review.
· Identify and explain the significance of the major Supreme Court decisions of the Marshall Court: McCulloch v. Maryland, Gibbons v. Ogden, and Dartmouth v. Woodward).
· Explain how the Burr conspiracy deepened the divisions between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties.
· Identify the Louisiana Purchase on a map and explain its significance in terms of the precedent set for American expansion.
· Describe the concept of neutral rights and the policy of impressment and explain how these helped lead to the War of 1812.
· Explain why Jefferson’s and Madison’s economic policies failed to prevent war with Great Britain.
· Identify the causes and major events in the War of 1812 (neutral rights, war hawks; invasion of Canada, New Orleans, Great Lakes Campaign, burning of Washington).
· Explain how the Hartford Convention helped speed the demise of the Federalist Party.
· Identify the terms of the Treaty of Ghent.
· Define the Era of Good Feelings and explain why this occurred.
· Identify the key components of and explain the American System
· Explain how President Monroe’s policies helped to promote American nationalism (Monroe Doctrine; Convention of 1818, Adams-Onis Treaty, Anglo-American Treaty; Missouri Compromise).
· Identify the factors behind the Panic of 1819 and explain its impact on American society.
· Describe the factors that promoted settlement of the West and explain how this led to the Missouri Compromise.
· Explain why westward settlement paved the way for a return to sectionalism.
· Describe the Election of 1824 and explain its significance.
· Examine the economic development of the North, South, and West and explain why this period might be described as an economic “revolution”.
· Describe the role of railroads and canals in the development of a market economy.
· Explain the factors behind the development of the factory system, the early labor movement, the expansion of cotton and slavery, and commercial agriculture.
· Describe the role of women in the early 19th Century economy and the emergence of the “cult of doemesticity.”
· Describe the structure of American society in terms of social mobility and the extremes of wealth during the period.
· Identify significant aspects of Southern society and culture and explain how they created a unique “mind of the South” (gradations of white society, the nature of slavery).
· Identify significant aspects of Northern society and culture and explain how they created a unique “mind of the North” (immigration, urban slums, nativism, educational institutions).
· Explain the term “King Cotton” and how it describes the southern economy
· Contrast northern industry, agriculture, and trade to industry, agriculture, and trade in the South
· Describe the differences in the development and expansion of agriculture in the North and the South
· Describe frontier life in the West and the structure of frontier society; explain the concept of squatters
· Explain the varied development of transportation networks in the three regions of the country
· Examine the impact of technology on the economy of the North and South
· Identify the significant events leading to the development of Jacksonian Democracy.
· Identify four techniques Jackson used to greatly strengthen the presidency.
· Identify how Jackson expanded the meaning of democracy and explain how this trend was accompanied by a rise in intolerance toward reform and certain minorities, most notably immigrants and Catholics.
· Explain Jackson’s stance on states’ rights in the context of internal improvements and the Maysville Road veto
· Identify and explain the steps leading to the nullification crisis and Jackson’s split with Calhoun
· Explain how Henry Clay helped to resolve the nullification crisis.
· Explain the bank war, the split with Nicholas Biddle, and the subsequent economic problems created by the destruction of the National Bank.
· Identify the causes of the Panic of 1837 and arguments in favor of the independent treasury system
· Explain why this was considered the age of the “common man”.
· Describe the steps behind the re-emergence of the two-party system and explain the development and platform of the Whig party.
· Describe how Jackson addressed the Indian “problem” in the Southeast and the subsequent change in federal policy toward Native Americans.
· Identify and explain the desire to pursue isolationism.
· Identify and explain westward expansion as it relates to American foreign policy from 1800 to 1853.
· Explain how the War of 1812 and the Monroe Doctrine are reflections of America’s inability to avoid diplomatic entanglements
· Define the concept of manifest destiny
· Explain the major events which reveal American’s desire for westward expansion and defining of national boundaries: