Summer Assignments

SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS

ADVANCED PLACEMENT U.S. HISTORY

General Requirements: ALL work to be turned in MUST BE TYPED, double-spaced, in no larger than 12 point, and Times New Roman font. (Submit all work, including Ch. 1-3 Packets, to turnitin.com (The password is lipman and Class ID # is 4044552. It will be on my website.)

The following requirements must be met to insure passage in the course for the fall semester. If you are already enrolled in this course, you can no longer drop it:

1. Each student must read one book from the list of approved works and complete a BOOK REVIEW. After completing the book, a review must be written, using the attached Book Review Format. If you have a book in mind that does not appear on the list below, please confirm with me first. Biographies and Autobiographies are encouraged.

Due: 11 p.m., Friday, July 29th, submitted to www.turnitin.com and bring a paper copy the first day of class on August 23rd.

2. Each student is required to write a minimum two-page ESSAY on one of the attached topics. The student should utilize reliable internet sources, A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn and other outside resources in the research for the essay. The essay must have 1) an introduction which incorporates 2) a thesis statement, (found at the end of the intro paragraph) 3) well organized evidence to support the thesis, and 4) a conclusion (BUT not a repeat of your paper). Material from all resources must be included on a works cited page, using proper MLA format.

Due: 11 p.m., Friday, August 12th, submitted to www.turnitin.com and bring a paper copy the first day of class on August 23rd.

3. Each student is required to read the first THREE chapters of the course text, American History: A Survey, by Alan Brinkley (12th edition), and complete the STUDY PACKETS for each chapter. The packets will be available for download on the teacher’s website. Click on the Resources link on my website and scroll down for all packets.

Study Packets are due: Tuesday, August 23rd (first day of school) in class.

In addition, a test on this material will be administered on Thursday, August 25th (Essay, aka FRQ or a F.ree R.esponse Q.uestion) and Friday, August 26th (Multiple choice - 80 questions).

CHECKLIST LEADING UP TO THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS

Total Summer Requirements:

¨ 1 Book Review due 7/29/11

¨ 1 Essay due 8/12/11

¨ Complete Study packets for Chapters 1-3, American History: A Survey; due 8/23

¨ Study for Test on Chapters 1-3, American History: A Survey (first week of class). Unit 1 Test on 8/25/11 and 8/26/11

Advanced Placement United States History

Book Review Format

All work must be typed, double spaced and in 12-point Times New Roman font.

NO cover page!

1. Student’s name ONLY at the top right margin.

2. Bibliographical data, single spaced, footnoted on the first page:

a. Author's name (last name first)

b. Title of Book (underlined)

c. Place of publication, publishing company, date of publication.

d. Number of pages in the book

Example:

Bedford, Henry, The Union Divides: Politics and Slavery, 1850-1861, New York, Macmillan Co., 1963, 186 pages.

Body of the Review (double spaced):

Overall, the REVIEW (Not a book REPORT) should incorporate these things, but they should be integrated into one “general” review. (Your intro should summarize the author’s goal/thesis, and should end with your own thesis, whether or not the author was successful in proving their thesis.)

1. (Intro)Summary of the books content (3/4 page maximum).

2. (Body paragraphs) Evaluation of the main points of this reading. Cite examples (footnote). (Three paragraphs with examples of major points) (2 ¼ pages maximum) (look at suggestions (a.))

3. (Conclusion) Evaluation of the total reading (1/2 page maximum). (Look at suggestions (b.))

Total pages of this book report (body): 2 1/2 pages minimum; 3 1/2 pages maximum.

Suggestions to think about:

a. Identify the main ideas of the book as they relate to United States history. What was the author's message or purpose for writing the book? What was the author trying to make the reader think about? Cite examples. Compare or contrast other reading, facts, or information you have to the point of view of the author. Give examples. Assess the validity of the point of view expressed in the book. Give examples.

b. Evaluate the style, organization, and interest level of the book. What did you get from this reading? What are some of the ideas you carried away after reading this book? Give examples. Read the book review section of the local paper to get ideas on how to write a review.

AP USH

Approved Book List

American, beyond our Grandest Notions, By Chris Matthews, A short book on ten grand American Notions.

The Americans: The Democratic Experience, Daniel J. Boorstin.

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, by James W. Loewen.

American Myth, American Reality, by James Oliver Robertson.

America Revised, by Frances FitzGerald. An analysis of the books used to teach American history in schools.

Legends. Lies and Cherished Myths of American History, by Richard Shenkman.

Don’t Know Much About History: Everything You Needed to Know About American History, But Were Never Taught, by Kenneth C. Davis.

Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser

A People’s History of the Supreme Court by Peter Irons

The Cycles of History, by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

American Dissent from Thomas Jefferson to Cesar Chavez, ed. by Thomas Hachey and Ralph Weber

The Free and the Unfree, by Peter Carroll and David Nobel

The White Mans Burden, by Winthrop Jordan.

Black Leadership in American History, by Thomas Lyons

Born for Liberty: A History of American Women, by Sara M. Evans

Suggested Biographies on any of the following key political figures from first semester:

George Washington

***Thomas Jefferson*** (author - Bernstien) or (American Sphinx)

Benjamin Franklin

George Mason

Aaron Burr

***Andrew Jackson*** (American Lion) or (author – Remini or Brands)

John Addams

James Madison

James Monroe

Alexander Hamilton

John Marshall

***Abraham Lincoln*** (author – Charnwood or Oates or Donald)

AP USH - Summer Research Essay

Instructions and Approved Topics

Instructions

The essay must

1. Be two pages in length minimum (approximately 500 words); three pages = maximum.

2. Be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point, Times Roman font, on plain white paper, using 1“margins all the way around.

3. Set forth a thesis statement which guides the direction of the essay, present evidence to support the thesis, and reach a defensible conclusion, based upon the evidence presented;

4. Demonstrate superior critical thinking, analytical and writing skills commensurate with the level of scholarship demanded by the course;

5. Incorporate specific themes and passages from A People’s History of The United States by Howard Zinn.

6. Attribute all references to resources by using parenthetical citations in the body of the text, and a works cited page, using proper MLA format.

7. Be stapled in the upper left corner of the paper (Do not enclose the essay in a folder, binder or other such device).

Topics (choose 1)

1. For “A People’s History of the United States” - Chapter 2 is entitled "Drawing the Color Line" write a 2 page response to the following questions: Zinn contends that racism is not natural. In fact, he states that there are a number of "threads" that ensnared blacks for slavery in America. Among these are, "desperation of starving settlers, the special helplessness of the displaced African, the powerful incentive of profit for slave trader and planter, the temptation of superior status for poor whites, the elaborate controls against escape and rebellion, and the legal and social punishment of black and white collaboration" (Zinn, p. 30). Discuss three of these threads and their role in the enslavement of blacks.

2. For “A People’s History of the United States” - Chapter 7 is entitled "As Long as Grass Grows or Water Runs" write a 2 page response to the following: Zinn discusses the treatment of Native Americans (Indians) during the 19th century, including Andrew Jackson's "Indian Removal" policy. Citing specific evidence from the Zinn reading and your textbook answer the following: What economic, political and cultural reasons were used (or could be used) to justify the treatment of Indians and their forced removal off of tribal lands?

# 3 is the preferred essay topic!!!!!

3. For “A People’s History of the United States” – in Chapter 1 Zinn explains his thesis/argument for writing the book (p.10-11), in which he starts off by saying “My viewpoint, in telling the history of the United States, is different… I prefer to try to tell the story of the discovery of America from the viewpoint of the Arawaks, of the Constitution from the standpoint of the slaves,… That, being as blunt as I can, is my approach to the history of the United States.” Analyze Zinn’s argument. WHY is it IMPORTANT that historians or anyone studying history, for that matter, take Zinn’s approach to understanding history? Why does he approach history this way? (You MUST reference any 2 chapters (from Ch.1 – Ch. 7) from A People’s History of the United States)

ANY PROBLEMS, CONERNS OR QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO

Mr. Lipman