Advanced Placement U.S. History: A Course Perspective

Advanced Placement U.S. History: A Course Perspective

AP U.S. History is a demanding introduction to American history and culture that assumes a high level of interest and competence. Because this course is similar to a first-year college course, students should expect that the workload will be heavier than most regular high school history courses. The analytical thinking, writing, and reading skills that students develop in AP U.S. History will equip you for college and lifelong learning.

In order to succeed, students need both to be motivated to study and to be able to keep up with the demands of a college-level course. By taking the AP Exam at the end of the course, you have the opportunity to demonstrate that you have, indeed, learned college-level material and are prepared to enter advanced college courses.

AP U.S. History integrates political, social, economic, cultural, diplomatic, and intellectual history in order to convey the experiences of particular groups within the broader perspective of the American past. At the same time, it connects events and issues from the past to the concerns of the present. History shows Americans continuously adapting to new developments as they shape the world in which they live. Often, ordinary Americans from a diverse range of backgrounds are thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the result is an exciting study in the "American experiment." As you study this long-term process, they will also encounter the unexpected -- unique events, unintended outcomes, and singular individuals. This course will attempt to prepare you to become "students of history" and will include the following points for emphasis:

    * chronological organization

    * geographical literacy

    * point of view

    * political dynamics

    * economic patterns

          o social and cultural trends

          o intellectual developments

          o influences on the arts

Throughout the year, I will use a variety of teaching methods and strategies to assist you students in learning the necessary content and skills for the course. Typically, a course in AP U.S. History will include a quality college-level text and access to primary documents (in texts, in libraries, or on the Web). In general, the first semester will begin with early colonization in the 1500s and 1600s and end with Reconstruction or the late 1800s. The second semester will cover the period from the early twentieth century to the present. In addition to the historical content the course will hopefully train you to analyze and interpret historical documents, assess the validity of historical propositions and build an effective argument. It is desirable to practice writing skills frequently in order to prepare for the free response section of the examination. The coursework has to be completed by the end of April to allow time for a review of material for the AP U.S. History Exam in early May.