College United States History Course Syllabus

AP United States History Syllabus - 2006 - 2007 The objective of this course is to increase the student's understanding of United States history up to the present.. The course is divided into two semesters. The first semester ends with the taking of the midterm examination in January and the second semester ends with the final exam in June.  The areas of concentration include historical, political and economic history as well as a study of cultural and intellectual impacts on American history. This course is taught at the college level, receiving college credit through the bridge course with St. John's University. Students can earn up to 6 college credits.  The major differences between a high school and college history course are the amount of reading and the focus. Most high school courses stress "What happened?" College courses stress "Why and how" things happen as well as the consequences of actions. You can earn up to 6 college credits through St. John's University for taking this course (for an additional $200 per semester). Grades Alphabetical Grade Numerical Equivalent A 100 - 95 B+ 94 - 87 B 86 - 80 C+ 79 - 75 C 74 - 70 D 69 - 65 F 64 and below Readings In order to be successful in this class you will have to do a large amount of reading. In order to process all of this reading, you will have to take notes on the readings. This course will be based on a combination of the textbook and other outside readings. It would be impossible to read every word of every reading that is assigned. When you are working at a college level you must learn to read large amounts of material in a small period of time. It is suggested that for every reading, you read the introduction of the selection you have to read. (Remember that the thesis of the selection will be found there.) You will then know what the author want you to be focused on. Then you should read the first and last sentence of every paragraph of that selection. When there is a paragraph that you feel is important, stop and read that whole paragraph. As you go along, take notes of what you read so you will have a good grasp of the reading. This will then be used to refer to during class discussions. For particular classes, you will be assigned to write a written response to the "Question of the Day". Some days it will be a quiz for the day before. It is your responsibility to have the question written down in your notebook. You should always write down the question of the day!  Reading Semester I Unit 1: Colonial America Essay:  1- Compare and contrast the economies, political institutions, religious toleration and social customs in the Southern, Middle and New England colonies. Unit 2: The American Revolution Rise to Rebellion Conflict and Consensus ,  The Radicalism of the American Revolution (Res.) Conflict and Consensus    Conflict and Consensus in the American Revolution (Res.) Essay:  1- Explain and analyze the different reasons the following groups would have in both supporting and opposing the American Revolution: a) New England farmer b) Northern artisans c) Virginia slave owner d) woman on the frontier 2- Analyze the differences between English and American interpretations of the meanings of representation, sovereignty, constitution, and liberty as causes of the American Revolution. Key Discussion Topics: The origins of resistance; the British response; the decision for independence; the military course of the war; and peace negotiations Unit 3: Creating a Nation Chapter 7 Taking Sides, Where the Founding Fathers Democratic Reformers? (Res.) Conflict and Consensus, Power, Principles and Consequences (Res.) Essay:  1- Evaluate the statement: The principles of the Declaration of Independence were incorporated into a) the Articles of Confederation b) the US Constitution 2- What were the major problems of the Articles of Confederation, and how were they corrected in the US Constitution? What issues were left unresolved in the US Constitution, and what effect did these unresolved questions have on the future? Key Discussion Topics: The structure of the government under the Articles of Confederation; weaknesses and accomplishments of the Articles; foreign affairs in the Confederation period; the nationalist critique and the role of Hamilton and Madison; the Constitutional Convention; and the debate over ratification, the Alien and Sedition Acts; the new government structure;  an overview of the Constitution of 1787; Hamilton vs. Jefferson; the rise of political parties; foreign affairs with Great Britain, France and Spain; the Revolution of 1800? Unit 4: Jeffersonian Democracy Conflict and Consensus, Thomas Jefferson: Political Compromiser Conflict and Consensus, The Revolution of 1800 and the Principles of Ninety-Eight Essay:  1-Compare and contrast the foreign policies of two of the following Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and John Q. Adams. Who had the most profound impact on American Foreign policy? 2-Jefferson called his election as president the "Revolution of 1800." Asses the impact of this revolution on domestic and foreign affairs. 3-Which political philosophy, Jeffersonian or Hamiltonian, had the greatest impact on American History during the period 1792 through 1820? Key Discussion Topics:  Jefferson's imprint; causes and results of the "strange War of 1812; Nationalism - Sectionalism; the demise of the Federalists and the rise of the two-party system; the Missouri Compromise; the Monroe Doctrine Unit 5: The Age of Jackson Conflict and Consensus , Jacksonian Democracy Versus the Business Class (Res.) Essay: 1- Jackson's economic policies hindered the growth of American Industrialization. Assess the validity of this statement.  2- Compare and contrast Jefferson's Revolution of the 1800 and Jackson's Revolution of 1828. Which had the greatest impact on American history? 3- Compare and Contrast the Seneca Falls Declaration with the Declaration of Independence. Key Discussion Topics:  "Mass" Democracy; Jackson vs. Calhoun; the Bank War; the Indian removal; the rise of the working class; the Whig alternative; the Second "Great" Awakening, early industrialism; Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, Seneca Falls Convention Unit 6: Economic and Social Matters 1790 - 1860 Conflict and Consensus, The Lady and the Mill Girl: Changes in the Status of Women in the Age of Jackson The Narrative of Fredrick Douglas Essay: 1-Compare and contrast slavery in the South with the plight of Northern factory workers. In addition, compare and contrast the degrees and types of racism as seen in the North and South. 2-Describe and analyze the changes in the American family brought about by industrialization. Key Discussion Topics: technological progress; health conditions; National Literature; the "peculiar institution" and its impact on the South; 3/5 clause of the Constitution; Unit 7: Manifest Destiny and Division Essay: 1-Assess the long-term and short-term implications of the Compromise of 1850. 2-Explain how the Mexican-American War increased tensions both politically and socially between the North and South over the issue of slavery. Key Discussion Topics: O'Sullivan's phrase - "Young Americans" - the lure of the West (1820 - 1840); Texas, New Mexico, Utah, and Oregon; Polk and the war with Mexico; and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; California gold rush; Fugitive Slave Act; the Kansas-Nebraska Act; Lincoln-Douglas Debates; homesteaders; the Grange; Missouri Compromise of 1850 Unit 8: The Civil War and Reconstruction Conflict and Consensus The Counterrevolution of 1861 The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara Essays:  1-Southerners maintained that secession was the ultimate expression of democracy, while Lincoln believed that secession was a rejection of democracy. Which position is correct? 2-The period of Reconstruction was a time of major political upheaval in both the North and South. What issues were settled, what issues remained unresolved and what effects did Reconstruction have on political institutions? Could the changes in this period have been brought about without the Civil War? Key Discussion Topics: The South's chance of victory; a question of leadership; Lincoln versus Davis; emancipation; the military course of the war in brief; Reconstruction, the sharecropping system; the Compromise of 1877 Unit 9: The Gilded Age Essays: 1-How did advances in agriculture, technology and business help to influence society during the Gilded Age? What problems resulted from these changes? Key Discussion Topics: Settling the West; a question of exploitation; laissez-faire and Social Darwinism; the Rise of the Industrialists; labor's response; urbanization; immigration and "Tweedism"; the "Social Gospel"; the politics of the 1890s: big government Republicans and the Populists