AP US History Syllabus 10-11 - Maranacook Community High School

Instructor: Mr. Gower (ext.373)
Room: 154
Period: 3 Black
e-mail: shane_gower@maranacook.org
Web: http://hs.maranacook.org/gower
Course: AP U.S. History is a two semester course that is essentially an
introductory College level course in United States History. Although U.S. history
is required for graduation, AP level is optional. Students who score well on the
AP Exam in May, may receive college credits depending on the College or
University they choose to attend. This course has been authorized to carry the
“AP” label by the College Board. This was
done by aligning the course with 6 Curricular
Requirements, and 3 Resource Requirements.
This course is structured along
chronological lines and designed to prepare
students for the AP Exam. The 1st semester
will cover topics in U.S. History from
Exploration to the end of the 19 th Century. The 2nd semester will go from the
start of the 20 th Century to the Present. The major objective of the course is to
provide the student with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the
important events and famous people that make up the History of the United
States. Due to the vast area this course covers students entering the course are
expected to have completed summer readings and writings prior to the first day
of class.
College Board Curricular Requirements:
1. The teacher has read the most recent AP United States History Course
Description.
2. The course includes the study of political institutions, social and cultural
developments, diplomacy, and economic trends in U.S. history.
3. The course uses themes and/or topics such as those listed in the Course
Description, selected at the teacher's discretion, as broad parameters for
structuring the course. The themes are designed to encourage students to think
conceptually about the American past and to focus on historical change over time.
The topic outline is suggested as a general guide for AP teachers in structuring
their courses; it is not intended to be prescriptive of what teachers must teach.
(Themes are listed below and aligned throughout the document)

4. The course teaches students to analyze evidence and interpretations presented in
historical scholarship.
5. The course includes extensive instruction in analysis and interpretation of a wide
variety of primary sources, such as documentary material, maps, statistical tables,
works of art, and pictorial and graphic materials.
6. The course provides students with frequent practice in writing analytical and
interpretive essays such as document-based questions (DBQ) and thematic essays
(see the Course Description for more information).
College Board Resource Requirements:
1. The school ensures that each student has a college-level U.S. history textbook
(supplemented when necessary to meet the curricular requirements) for individual
use inside and outside of the classroom.
2. The school ensures that each student has copies of primary sources and other
instructional materials used in the course for individual use inside and outside of
the classroom.
3. The school ensures that each student has access to support materials for the AP
U.S. History course, including scholarly, college-level works that correspond with
course topics; writings by major American authors; as well as standard reference
works such as encyclopedias, atlases, collections of historical documents, and
statistical compendiums, either in a school or public library or via the Internet.
NOTE: On this syllabus, CR1= This is evidence to meet Curricular Requirement 1, RR1=
This is evidence to meet Resource Requirement 1, etc.
Resources: (RR1)
Text
Carnes, Mark C., and Garraty, John A.. The American Nation. 10th. New York:
Longman, 1999. (RR1)
Newman, John, and Schmalbach, John. United States History: Preparing for the
Advanced Placement Examination . 3rd. New York: AMSCO School
Publications, 2004. (Note: you may purchase your own to keep for $15) (RR1)
Supplements (RR2, RR3)
22 Years of DBQ’s. The College Board. 1998.
American History Online. 2006. Facts on File. 30 Nov 2006
.
Bellamy, Edward. Looking Backward, 2000-1887. New York:
Bedford/St.Martin's, 1995.
Crum, Jonathan. ARCO AP U.S. History. Lawrenceville, NJ: Petersons, 2001.
Ellis, Joseph J.. Founding Brothers. New York: Random House, 2002.
Freidan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: W W Norton & Co Inc, 1984.
Hofstadter, Richard. The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It.

New York: Random House, 1989.
Irons, Peter. A People's History of the Supreme Court. New York: Penguin
Books, 1999.
Kelton, Elmer. The Wolf and the Buffalo. New York: Bantam Dell Publishing
Group, 1997.
Madaras, Larry, and Sorelle, James. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on
Controversial Issues in American History The Colonial Period to
Reconstruction. 8th. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2001.
Madaras, Larry, and Sorelle, James. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on
Controversial Issues in American History Reconstruction to the Present. 9th.
Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2002.
McCarthy, Timothy Patrick, and McMillian, John. The Radical Reader: A
Documentary History of the American Radical Tradition. New York: W W
Norton & Co Inc, 2003.
The Nystrom Desk Atlas. Washington, DC: Varsitybooks.Com, 1995.
Williams, William Appleman. The Tragedy of American Diplomacy. New York:
W W Norton & Co Inc, 1988.
Woodward, Bob. Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate. New
York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.
Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States :1492-Present. New York:
HarperCollins, 2005.
Various Readings, videos, and Transparencies.
AP U.S. History Themes (CR3)
1. American Diversity
2. American Identity
3. Culture
4. Demographic Changes
5. Economic Transformations
6. Environment
7. Globalization
8. Politics and Citizenship
9. Reform
10. Religion
11. Slavery and its legacies in North America
12. War and Diplomacy
NOTE: On this Syllabus, T1= evidence of American Diversity (Theme 1), etc.
Course Outline (CR1)
Big Picture Essential Question: What are the foundations
of Amercan Democratic Ideals?

Day One: I. Test over Summer Readings (From the following: Zinn, Howard. A
People's History of the United States :1492-Present. New York: HarperCollins,
2005. (Chapter 1: Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress) ; Carnes, Mark C.,
and Garraty, John A.. The American Nation. 10th. New York: Longman, 1999. ;
Madaras, Larry, and Sorelle, James. (pages 3-86) Taking Sides: Clashing Views on
Controversial Issues in American History The Colonial Period to Reconstruction.
8th. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2001. (Issue four: Did Capitalist Values
Motivate the American Colonists?))
Day Two: II. Introduction to the Course and Pre-Revolution America review
Essential Question: How did the colonies make the idea work of
coming together in a union and yet keep their separate identities?
(T2, T3, T5)
3 weeks
Newman Book: 42-96
Garraty Book: 109-124, 138-153,
Ellis Book: Chapters 1-4 (CR4)
Desk atlas
Topics:
III. The Struggle for Independence (CR2)
A. French and Indian War
B. Declaration of Independence 1776
IV. The Articles of Confederation
V. Framing the New Constitution
VI. The Federalist Era, Founding Brothers
Major Assignments/Assessments:
John Marshall Court Essay (CR6)
Book Review- Summer book (CR5)
DBQ Introduction: Wethersfield, CT Democracy (CR5)

Test 9/30
Students are introduced in these lessons to the concepts of categorizing
documents, recognizing bias in documents, and gathering historical evidence
from documents.
Essential Question: What defines American Democracy? (T3, T8,
T9)
4 weeks
Newman Book: 121-221
Garraty Book: 169-179, 203-222, 249-270
Hofstadter Book: Chapter 2 Thomas Jefferson, Chapter 3 Andrew Jackson (CR4)
Irons Book: Chapter 9 Marbury v. Madison
Desk Atlas
VII. The Jeffersonian Period (CR2)
A. Political Parties
VIII. The War of 1812
IX. The Era of Good and Bad Feelings
A. Monroe Doctrine
X. Economic Growth
XI. Jacksonian Era
A. Economy- National Bank (Cr2)
Major Assignments/Assessments:
Hamilton vs. Jefferson Debates(CR5)
Dollar Bill Presentation (CR5)
French and Indian War DBQ- Grading other students essays(CR6)
Test 11/4
Big Picture Essential Question: How were American
Democratic Ideals spread to more areas of society?
Essential Question: How and why did the Civil War happen? (T1,
T3, T4, T7, T10)
7 weeks
Newman Book: 221-380
Garraty Book: 281-294, 341-374, 403-431
Taking Sides: Issue 12 Was the Mexican War an Exercise in American
Imperialism? (CR4)
Desk Atlas
Zinn Book: Chapter 9 Slavery without Submission, Emancipation without
Freedom (CR4)

Hofstadter Book: Chapter 5 Abraham Lincoln (CR4)
Irons Book: Chapter 13 and 14 Dred Scott Case
XII. The Antebellum Reform Movement (CR2)
XIII. Manifest Destiny
A. Mexican War
XIV. Slavery and Southern Economy
A. Sectional Problems 1848-1861
XV. The Civil War
How did the Civil War happen?
XVI. The Reconstruction of the South (CR2)
XVII. The Closing of the Western Frontier
A. Turner Thesis
Major Assignments/Assessments:
Jacksonian Democracy DBQ Activity (CR6)
Dred Scott Simulation (CR5)
Mexican War Debates (CR5)
Test 12/ 20
Semester Final= Mid-Term Exam- Over the first Semester 1/18
Big Picture Essential Question: How were American
Democratic Ideals spread to other parts of the world??
2nd Semester
Essential Question: How did America become a world power? (T5,
T6, T7, T11, T12)
4 weeks
Newman Book: 400-447
Garraty Book: 467-495, 529-552, 599-626, 631-647, 657-672
Kelton Book: 278-372

McCarthy Book: Land and Labor 243-273
Zinn Book: Chapter 13 The Socialist Challenge (CR4)
Irons Book: Chapter 21 Free Speech cases
XVIII. Industrial Capitalism (CR2)
XIX. The Response of Labor
XX. The Agrarian Response
XXI. American Imperialism
A. Spanish-American War
XXII. Progressive Movement (CR2)
XXIII. America and the Great War
Major Assignments/Assessments:
Wizard of OZ and Populism Multiple Intelligences activity (CR5)
Teddy Roosevelt simulation/murder investigation (CR5)
DBQ : Imperialism (written at home) (CR6)
Test 3/3
Essential Question: How and why did American Foreign policy
change from isolationism to internationalism? (T2, T4, T7, T12)
3 weeks
Newman Book: 470-570
Garraty Book: 689-714, 737-746, 779-800, 814-830
Bellamy Book (CR4)
McCarthy Book: Anarchism, Socialism, and Communism 277-326 (CR4)
Williams Book (CR4)
Irons Book: Chapter 30 Brown v. Board of Education
XXIV. The Roaring 20’s
XXV. Great Depression and the New Deal (CR2)
A. Stock Market Crash
XXVI. Foreign Affairs 1921-1939 (CR2)
XXVII. America and World War Two

XXVIII. The Cold War (CR2)
A. Korea
Major Assignments/Assessments:
Hoover vs. FDR DBQ in class (CR6)
Isolationism simulation (Choices) (CR5)
Make your Own DBQ- Field trip to Margaret Chase Smith Library and Museum (CR5)
Test 4/7
Big Picture Essential Question: How did the tension
around American Democratic Ideals versus American
Democratic Reality result in modern U.S. Society?
Essential Question: How and why did the American public become
increasingly dissatisfied with its government? (T1, T3, T4, T5, T8,
T11)
4 weeks
Newman Book: 570-619
Garraty Book: 833-850, 887-895
McCarthy Book: The New Left and Counterculture 461-511 (CR4)
Zinn Book: Chapter 18 The Impossible Victory: Vietnam (CR4)
Desk Atlas
Taking Sides: Issue 14 Was America’s Escalation in Vietnam inevitable? (CR4)
Freidan Book (CR4)
Woodward Book: Ford and Carter
Irons Book: Chapter 33 Roe v. Wade
XXIX. America in the 1960’s
A. Civil Rights
End of 3rd Quarter

XXX. Vietnam (CR2)
XXXI. America in the 1970’s
A. Watergate
Major Assignments/Assessments:
Eisenhower and Cold War DBQ activity(CR6)
Civil Rights for all? Simulation (CR5)
Essential Question: What defines “Modern America”? (T2, T3, T4,
T7)
2 weeks
Newman Book: 619-677
XXXII. Modern America (1980-Present)
A. Brief Highlight Overview
XXXIII. Review for Exam
AP Exam Time: May 6, 2011
(Review for the Exam begins after school on April 28)
4 weeks
XXXIII. Middle School Lessons (CR5)
Semester Final Project (During Finals Week) “Civil Rights For All?”
Note: You are encouraged to take the AP Exam, however sometimes a student decides not
to take the Exam. In this case a regular test will be given in class over only the material
covered since the last test. This test will be given on May 10 and only be available for
those not taking the AP test.
Project and Test Calendar:
The following is a calendar for major projects and tests throughout the year, these dates
are subject to change. Remember that there may be other smaller projects during the year.
Summer Test: 9/2
Book Review:
9/13
Test 2: 9/30
Take Home DBQ:
10/6

Currency Project:
10/29
Test 3: 11/4
In-class DBQ:
11/22
Test 4: 12/20
Semester Final Mid Term Exam:
1/18
Who Murdered Theodore Roosevelt?:
1/27
In-class DBQ:
2/3
Test 6: 3/3
In-class DBQ:
3/21
Create Your Own DBQ:
4/4
Test 7: 4/7
AP Exam or Test 8: 5/6
Lessons for Middle School:
5/26
Semester Final:
“Civil Rights for All?” Finals Week (Hopefully 6/6-6/10, but we’ll probably use some
snow days and so it would be 6/13-6/17)
Expectations:
Please Note: Since this is a College level Course, students are expected to behave
appropriately at all times !!
• Students are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared (Notebook, and
pen or pencil ready).
• Students are expected to create and support a positive learning environment
for all students.
• Make up work is due upon return to school, this is your responsibility !! Also

you must schedule times to make up test and quizzes. Homework is posted
on the board on on my Homework board for the week. Remember, most
college professors don’t accept late work, get in the habit of doing it on time.
• Students are expected to be ready to contribute orally on a regular basis.
• Students will treat everyone in the class (including me) with respect at all
times.
• Students should have and maintain a 3-ring binder to keep handouts and for
note-taking.
• Students should show an interest in U.S. History and learning in general.
(Remember this course is a demanding elective, but its not required for
graduation !)
• Please see me if and when you need extra help, don’t wait until its too late !
I’m available most days after school, and anytime by appointment.
Five Basic Classroom Rules:
1. Be Respectful
No leaning back in chairs, unless you want to pay to have them repaired
No writing on desks, unless you’d like to pay to have them cleaned
No putting feet up on desks, unless you would like to sterilize your desk
at the end of the period.
Only water is allowed during class, NO OTHER BEVERAGES!! Abuse of
this privilege will result in no drinks during class!
Food may only be consumed during the first few minutes of the period, or
only on special occasions authorized by me! Abuse of this privilege will
result in no food during class!
Take care of all trash and your things left behind. Keep your desk area
clean!!
2. Be Responsible
Once you “choose” a seat, stick to it! (Seats will be assigned based on
where you are sitting on 9/8)
You must arrive within 1 minute of the late bell, or you will be marked
tardy. 3 tardy’s results in a detention with me.
I recommend you don’t bring backpacks or book bags to class! Use you
lockers and put a lock on them!!!!!
Leaving the room during class is NOT a right, but a privilege. I only allow
one person out of the room at a time unless you have a pass, and
sometimes I don’t allow anyone out unless it is an absolute emergency.
Treat others in the room with respect at all times!!
3. Hands & Feet To Self
Respect the space of others.

Be appropriate in displays of affection
4. Follow Directions
Whenever you leave the room, you must sign out with the time. Sign in
with the time when you return. If you were gone more than 5 minutes and
don’t have a pass, you make up the time with me that you missed either
before or after school. (Hint, if your bathroom emergency takes longer
than 5 minutes, get a pass from the Health Center!!!!) Repeat offenders
will receive an ISB and detention regardless.
3 bathroom breaks per quarter are allowed. If you need to go more then 3
times per quarter, you will make up the time you are out of class with me
either before or after school. Failure to comply results in an ISB and
detention. Use the 5 minutes between classes wisely!!!!!!!! Repeat offenders
will receive an ISB and detention regardless.
Pay attention and listen carefully.
5. Be There- Be Ready
Come to class with a Notebook, a pen, & a pencil everyday!!
Come to class with the Homework done neatly.
Participate in class discussion & activities.
Don’t bring uneccessary things that are likely to distract you! If it ends up
distracting you, I will confiscate it for the rest of the class.
Evaluation:
Students will be graded on each assignments out of 100%. Grade values are:
A+ 97-100
A 93-96
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79

C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 65-66
N/C 0-64
Each Semester student assessment will break down roughly along these
percentages:
Tests (3 each semester) 20%
Special Tests (1 each semester, summer test and AP Exam) 6%
Quizzes (varies) 12%
DBQ’s, etc. (2 first semester and book review, 3 2nd semester) 15%
Special Assignments (varies: current events, essays, TR sim) 10%
Homework & Class participation (varies) 5%
Projects (1 each semester, currency and middle school lessons) 14%
Journals (8 each semester) 4%
Semester Final (1 st Semester) and Final Project (2 nd Semester) 15%
Special note: Since this is a College level course, some students may find the level and
amount of work difficult to handle. There will be a lot of work !! Please see me as soon as
you run into problems.
This course addresses the following Maine State Learning Results Standards for
Social Studies: (Note: These are the revised Standards as of May 2006)
A. Applications Of Social Studies Processes, Knowledge, And Skills - Students will apply
critical thinking, the research process, and discipline-based processes and knowledge from
civic/government, economics, geography, and history in authentic contexts.
1. Students develop research questions and modify them as necessary to direct investigations
of current Social Studies Issues, and locate, select, synthesize, present and defend
information from multiple and varied sources.
2. Students make collaborative decisions and take action on matters related to social studies
using relevant information, and research, collaboration, and Ethical Reasoning Skills.
B. Civics And Government - Students will draw on concepts and processes from civics
and government to understand political systems, power, authority, and governance, civic
ideals and practices, and the role of citizens in the community, state, nation, and world.
1. Students understand the ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of
constitutional government in the United States and the American political system, as well as
examples of other forms of government and political systems in the world.

2. Students understand the constitutional and legal rights, the civic duties and
responsibilities, and roles of citizens in a democratic republic and the role of citizens living
under other forms of government in the world.
3. Students understand political and civic aspects of unity and diversity and the political
systems of cultures in Maine, the United States, other nations, and in International
Relations.
E. History - Students will draw on concepts and processes from history to develop
historical perspective and understand issues of continuity and change in the community,
state, nation, and world.
1. Students understand Major Eras and Major Enduring Themes in United States and world
history, the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals, and institutions in world history, and
major historical influences on the present and future.
2. Students understand the Historic influence and significance of the concepts unity and
diversity on the development of the United States and peoples of the world