AP United States History
Syllabus
Many people view American History merely as a set of dates and facts to be memorized. However,
history is much more than that. History is an organic and ever-changing discipline, periodically
discovering new evidence and revising old commonly held beliefs. It’s not enough to learn the simple
names, dates, and facts within history itself; one must learn to analyze historical events through the
various themes and concepts of history to truly understand the whole human experience. As a result,
this course examines the evolution of the American Republic from the initial European incursions into
North America to the present. Our investigation of the nature of American democracy includes
methods, evidence, and scholarly observations in the areas of social, political, economic, cultural, and
diplomatic history.
Ultimately, this course is designed to provide students with a college-level experience that culminates
with a formal AP Exam in mid-May. Through the course of instruction, an emphasis is placed on
increasing student’s knowledge of factual information, interpreting primary and secondary sources,
and improving their critical writing skills. This is accomplished through a variety of activities, including
formal lectures, daily homework, group discussions, quizzes, and mixed multiple choice / essay tests
and exams.
Course Scheduling
In accordance with current county and school policy, AP US History will be conducted as a semester
long (4 x 4 Block) course. Classes will meet for one period (100 minutes) each day of the week for 16
weeks. Student attendance
Pre-Requisite:
In addition, all accepted applicants will be required to take and pass the Advanced US History Course
and the associated Georgia End-of-Course Test prior to attending the AP US History course.
Attendance of the Advanced US History course will occur during the 1 st Semester of the year, followed
by attendance in the AP US History Course during the 2nd Semester.
Grading:
County Wide Grading Scale
90 – 100 = A
80 – 89 = B
70 – 79 = C
0 – 69
=F
Course Grading Breakdown
Essays = 35%
Unit Tests = 30%
Homework = 15%
Class Activities = 10%
Portfolios = 10%
Course Objectives:
Students will:
 Demonstrate a mastery of a broad body of historical knowledge.
 Use historical evidence to defend and support basic arguments and positions.
 Differentiate between various schools of historical thought and interpretation.
 Interpret and draw conclusions from various pieces of historical data including original
documents, cartoons, graphs, etc.
 Demonstrate an effective use of analytical skills of evaluation, cause-and-effect relationships,
and compare and contrast.
 Work effectively in groups to produce products, make presentations, and solve problems.
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Course Activities:
Essays: There will be two basic types of history based essays in this course:

Document Based Essays (known as DBQ’s): Thesis based essays that are guided by an
essay prompt and a set of documents related to the question that the student will be required
to analyze and effectively use to answer.

Free Response Essays (known as FRQ’s): Thesis based essays that require students to utilize
facts from their knowledge base to support their thesis.

Essay Revisions: Students will be guided through a variety of essay revisions through peer
and self-evaluations that are designed to promote the improvement of the basic writing skills
needed to successfully pass the AP US History Exam.
Unit Tests: Each history unit test will follow the same format of the multiple choice / essay portions of
the standard AP Exam. Each unit test will have at least 35 – 40 multiple choice questions, several
short essay questions, and at least one standardized Document Based or Free Response essay.
Unit Homework Packets: Students will receive a homework packet for each unit that must be
completed during the course of each unit and will include, as a minimum –

Mapping Activities: Requiring students to properly draw, label, and color code specific
historical information related to each unit and associated course themes.

Map Focus Questions: Requiring students to answer questions related to the historical events
depicted by the associated unit mapping activities.

Unit Focus Questions: Requiring students to answer questions related to the major historical
themes, concepts, and events within each associated unit.

Chapter Critical Thinking Questions: Requiring students to answer questions related to
specific facts and information within the assigned textbook readings.
Class Activities: Students will be assessed through various class activities including –

Writing Workshops: Students will receive writing guides and instructions on the various forms
of essays required within the Advanced Placement course. These workshops will include class
instructions on Thesis, Essay Format, DBQ/FRQ Grading, Practice and Graded Essay
Activities, Self-Assessment and Revision.

Primary Source Analysis / Comparison: Students will receive instruction and graded activities
on various forms of primary source assessments (Primary Documents, Pictures, Political
Cartoons, Charts, Maps, and Graphs) using APPARTS and Opposing Viewpoints in American
History, Vol. 1 & 2 (By William Dudley) .

Secondary Source Analysis / Comparison: Students will receive instruction and graded
activities involving scholarly writings and opinions on various topics using APPARTS, History
in the Making (by K. Ward), and Taking Sides, Vol. 1 & 2 (By Madaras and SoRelle).

Bridging Periodization Activities: These activities will involve student discussions or
brainstorming activities over key topics that span multiple-time periods and were covered
during the Advanced US History course. The purpose of these activities will be to re-enforce
base knowledge and expand student understanding through additional analysis and synthesis
of reoccurring themes and concepts in US history. These activities may include (but are not
limited to) reviews of the following topics:
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 American Expansion to Imperialism: Analyzing the continuity and change over time of
U.S. policies dealing with the periods of continental and global expansion between the
Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary.
 The Immigrant Experience: Analyzing the social, economic and political treatment of
immigrants in the United States from the 1840’s to the 1930’s (Nativism, Know
Nothings, American Protective Association, Chinese Exclusion Act, the Page Act, Ellis
Island, and Angel island).
 The Native-American Experience: Analyzing the social, economic and political
treatment of the Native-Americans from the Indian Removal Act, through the Era of
Allotment and Assimilation, to the period of Tribal Self-Determination.
 Women as a Voice for Change: Analyzing the Women Activist Movements between
1848 and 1935 (from Seneca Falls, through Suffrage, Temperance, the 19th
Amendment, and the Birth Control Issue).

Cause and Effect Activities: Students will conduct several forms of group / pairs analysis /
discussions concerning multiple events within common themes or time period that are linked
together to cause a significant social, political, economic, or cultural event or change. These
activities will include (but are not limited to):
 Events Leading To ___________: Students will be put in groups or pairs and given
several laminated cards (with 1 event on each card) that they will need to analyze,
discuss, and organize in chronological order.
 Six Degrees of Separation: Students will be put in groups or pairs and given the first
and last event in a series of eight events, and will be required to name six events and
their cause/effect relationship to each other and the first/last event in the sequence.

Quizzes: Periodic un-announced quizzes will be conducted over both textbook and secondary
reading assignments, course vocabulary, and lesson topics.
Portfolios: Students will be required to maintain and turn-in a student portfolio (3 prong journal folder)
during each unit, containing the following:
1. Daily Essential Questions: A Short paragraph answering the daily essential
question for each lesson.
2. Unit Essay Reflections: Student self-reflection paragraphs reviewing their
accomplishments and/or shortcomings in their essay writing and the actions they
can take to improve their writing (At least one successful and one needs
improvement reflection per unit).
3. Unit Homework Packet.
Primary Text:
The American Pageant: A History of the Republic. Thomas A. Bailey, David M. Kennedy and
Elizabeth Cohen, 12th ed., Houghton-Mifflin, 2002.
Course Review Text:
United States History Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination. John J. Newman and John
M. Schmalbach; AMSCO School Publications, New York, 2010.
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Additional Texts:
History in the Making: An Absorbing Look at How American History Has Changed in the Telling Over
the Last 200 Years, Kyle Ward, The New Press, 2007.
Major Problems in American History, Vol. 1 & 2. Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman and Jon Gjerde, HoughtonMifflin, 2002.
Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. 1 & 2. William Dudley, ed., Greenhaven Press, 1996.
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in American History, Vol. 1 & 2. Larry Madaras
and James M. SoRelle, 9th ed., Dushkin McGraw-Hill, 2001.
The American Spirit; United States History as Seen by Contemporaries, Vol. 1 & 2. Thomas A. Bailey
and David M. Kennedy, Houghton-Mifflin, 1998.
Voices of a People’s History of the United States. Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove, 2 nd ed., Seven
Stories Press, New York, 2009.
Major Course Themes:
American Diversity
The diversity of the American people and the relationships among different groups. The roles of race,
class, ethnicity, and gender in the history of the United States.
American Identity
Views of the American national character and ideas about American exceptionalism. Recognizing
regional differences within the context of what it means to be an
American.
Culture
Diverse individual and collective expressions through literature, art, philosophy, music, theater, and
film throughout U.S. history. Popular culture and the dimensions
of cultural conflict within American society.
Demographic Changes
Changes in birth, marriage, and death rates; life expectancy and family patterns; population size and
density. The economic, social, and political effects of immigration,
internal migration, and migration networks.
Economic Transformations
Changes in trade, commerce, and technology across time. The effects of capitalist development, labor
and unions, and consumerism.
Environment
Ideas about the consumption and conservation of natural resources. The impact of population growth,
industrialization, pollution, and urban and suburban expansion.
Globalization
Engagement with the rest of the world from the fifteenth century to the present: colonialism,
mercantilism, global hegemony, development of markets, imperialism,
and cultural exchange.
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Politics and Citizenship
Colonial and revolutionary legacies, American political traditions, growth of democracy, and the
development of the modern state. Defining citizenship; struggles for civil rights.
Reform
Diverse movements focusing on a broad range of issues, including anti-slavery, education, labor,
temperance, women’s rights, civil rights, gay rights, war, public health, and government.
Religion
The variety of religious beliefs and practices in America from prehistory to the twenty-first century;
influence of religion on politics, economics, and society.
Slavery and Its Legacies in North America
Systems of slave labor and other forms of un-free labor (e.g., indentured servitude, contract labor) in
American Indian societies, the Atlantic World, and the American South and West. Patterns of
resistance and the long-term economic, political, and social effects of slavery.
War and Diplomacy
Armed conflict from the pre-colonial period to the twenty-first century; impact of war on American
foreign policy and on politics, economy, and society.
Course Concept Outline:
The concept outline provides a chronological framework for investigating the different periods of U.S.
History to be covered in the AP U.S. History course. These key concepts will be covered
proportionately within the course guidelines during a single semester of the school’s extended 4x4
block schedule (daily 100 minutes periods).
UNIT #1 – Colonial Foundations
(1491 - 1754) (15%)
Part I – Native Americans and Early Europeans
(1491 – 1607) (5%)
Part II – Colonial America and the Atlantic World
(1607 – 1754) (10%)
UNIT #2 – Dawn of a New Nation
(1754 – 1848) (22%)
Part III – Growth of Democracy and Revolution
(1754 – 1800) (12%)
Part IV – Early Republic and Territorial Expansion
(1800 – 1848) (10%)
UNIT #3 – Crisis and Reconstruction
(1844 – 1898) (26%)
Part V – Crisis and Rebirth of the Union
(1844 – 1877) (13%)
Part VI – Industrialization and Urbanization
(1865 – 1898) (13%)
UNIT #4 – Becoming a Global Power
(1890 – 1945) (17%)
Part VII – New technology, Politics, & Global Conflicts
(1890 – 1945) (17%)
UNIT #5 – America in a Changing World
(1945 – Present)(20%)
Part VIII – Challenges in a Cold War World
(1945 – 1990) (12%)
Part IX – Changes in a Modern Global World
(1980 – Present)(8%)
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Expanded Course Outline:
UNIT #1 – Colonial Foundations
(1491 – 1754)
Part I – Native Americans and Early Europeans (1491 – 1607)
TOPIC 1 - Maize Cultivation, Social Diversity, and the Growth of Native American Societies:
Comparing Puebloan and Mississippian People (The Anasazi and the Cohokian People).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 1 – New World Beginnings
Class Activity: Review of Anasazi and Cohokian People (Powerpoint and Class Discussion)
“Anasazi of Choco Canyon,” (Video)
“Cohokia, City of the Sun,” (Video)
TOPIC 2 – European Overseas Expansion and the Columbian Exchange: Analyzing the Impact of the
Global Exchange of Plants, Animals, Food, and Diseases on Europe and the Americas (Smallpox,
Corn, Potatoes, and Livestock).
Class Activity: Analyzing the impact Cultural Diffusion and the Columbian Exchange (Group analysis
of the global exchange of Plants, Animals, Food, and Disease between the New and
the Old World)
TOPIC 3 – Sustained Cultural Contacts and the Growth of Unique Social, Economic, and Religious
Systems in Spanish North America: Understanding the Impact of the Spanish Colonial System on
People in the Americas (Caste, Missions, Encomiendas, Haciendas, and Syncretic Religions).
Class Activity: Overview of the Spanish Colonial Systems (Powerpoint and Class Discussion)
Class Activity: Scholarly Reading – “Encomienda and Hacienda: The Evolution of the Great Estate in
the Spanish Indies” by James Lockhart.
TOPIC 4 – The Impact of European Based Values on Native American Societies: Analyzing the
Observations and Actions of Europeans in Spanish America (Juan de Sepulveda, Bartolome de las
Casas, and Juan de Onate).
Class Activity: Document Analysis Workshop – Introduction of APPARTS
Primary Sources: Juan Gines de Sepulveda, Belittles the Indians (1547)
Bartolome de Las Casas, Disparages the Treatment of the Indians (1542)
Bartolome de Las Casas, In Defense of the Indians (1550)
Don Juan de Onate, Colonizer of New Mexico (1599)
Part II – Colonial America and the Atlantic World (1607 – 1754)
TOPIC 5 – Colonial European Relations with the Native Americans: Exploitation, Trade Alliances, and
Hostile Contacts by French, Dutch, and English Colonists.
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 2 – The Planting of English America
Class Activity: Document Analysis Workshop (Continued)
Class Activity: Analyzing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #3A “Indians and Colonists Should Live in Peace,” by Powhatan (1609)
#3B “Indians Should be Conquered and Exterminated,”
by The Virginia Company of London/Edward Watrehouse (1622)
Class Activity: Analysis on European-Native Relations (Major Problems in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Sources: “Father Paul Le Jeune Reports His Encounters with the Indians”
by Father Paul Le Jeune (1634)
“William Wood Describes Indian Responses to the English”
by William Wood (1634)
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TOPIC 6 – Environmental, Geographic, and Economic Factors influencing the development of
Regional Differences in British America: Comparing Colonial Society in the New England, Middle, and
Southern Colonies.
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 3 – Settling the Northern Colonies
FRQ Writing Workshop: “Analyze how Geography was a key factor in the development of colonies in
British North America during the 1600’s” (2005 Released AP Exam)
TOPIC 7 – European Colonization Stimulates Intercultural Contacts between Native Americans and
Europeans causing Political Instability and Intensified Hostilities between the natives and colonists:
Analyzing Early Anglo-Indian Alliances and Conflicts (The Powhatan Wars, The Beaver Wars, The
Chickasaw War, The Pequot War, and King Philip’s War).
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion of Intercultural Relations and Conflict (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 8 – European Colonization Stimulates Intercultural Contacts between Native Americans and
Europeans causing Cultural Changes and Tension: Trade and Early British Colonial Politics (Fur &
Tobacco Trade, the Molasses & Wool Acts, and the French and Indian War Debt).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 4 – American Life in the Seventeenth Century
Class Activity: Overview & Class Discussion on Colonial Trade and the British Acts (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Comparing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Documents: #10A “Parliament is Abusing the Rights of Americans,”
by Stephen Hopkins (1764)
#10B “Parliament is not Abusing the Rights of Americans,”
by Martin Howard (1765)
TOPIC 9 – Changing Economic, Cultural, and Political Developments during the Emergence of the
African Slave Trade: Analyzing Labor Systems, Racial Stereotyping, and Early Colonial Slave Laws
(Task versus Gang Labor, Imperial Identities, and the Colonial Slave Codes).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 5 – Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution
Class Activity: Powerpoint Overview and Document Analysis Workshop (Using APPARTS)
Primary Sources: Excerpts from Virginia Slave Codes (1650,1662,1680, 1705)
Excerpts from South Carolina Slave Codes (1712, 1739)
Excerpts from Maryland Slave Code (1664)
UNIT #1 TEST
UNIT #2 – Dawn of a New Nation
(1754 - 1848)
Part III – Growth of Democracy and the American Revolution (1754 - 1800)
TOPIC 10 – Changing Relations between Native Americans and Colonists in the wake of the French
and Indian Wars: Shifting Alliances, Colonial Expansion, and Continuing Anglo-Indian Conflicts
(Indian Confederations, Pontiacs Rebellion, The Chickamauga Wars, and Little Turtle’s War).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 6 – The Duel for North America
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion of the impact of Colonial Expansion (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 11 – British Imperial Pressure in the wake of the French and Indian War sparks a Colonial
Independence Movement: British Acts, Committees of Correspondence, and the Sons of Liberty.
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 7 – The Road to Revolution
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis -vs- Document Analysis
Secondary Source: “The Boston Massacre,” (Topic 11, History in the Making)
Primary Sources: “The Town of Boston Denounces the Boston Massacre,”
(Major Problems in American History, Vol. I)
“Samuel Drowne’s Testimony on the Boston Massacre”
(Voices of a People’s History of the United States)
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TOPIC 12 – Rising Cultural, Political, and Religious Influences Promote Colonial Resistance to British
Imperial Control: Examining the influences of The Great Awakening and the Ideas of the
Enlightenment (John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Baccaria, and Montesquieu).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 8 – America Secedes from the Empire
Class Activity: Analyzing the impact of the Ideas of the Enlightenment on American Colonial Attitudes
Primary Sources: Excerpts from “Two Treatises of Government,” by John Locke (1690)
Excerpts from “The Social Contract,” by Jean J. Rousseau (1763)
Excerpts from “The Spirit of Laws,” by Baron Montesquieu (1748)
Excerpts from “Of Crimes and Punsihments,” by C. Beccaria (1764)
Excerpts from “Dictionaire Philosophique,” by Voltaire (1764)
TOPIC 13 – Redefining the Post-Revolutionary Republic from Confederation to Constitution:
Analyzing Political Limitations and the Constitutional Compromises (The Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 9 – The Confederation and the Constitution
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis (Issue 7, Taking Sides)
“Were the Founding Fathers Democratic Reformers?”
TOPIC 14 – Difficulties over Trade, Finances, and Interstate/Foreign Relations provoked Internal
Unrest and the need for Economic Reform: Examining Solutions to the Economic Problems of the
Early Republic (Tariff and Currency Disputes, Hamilton’s Financial Plan, and National Bank).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 10 – Launching the New Ship of State
Class Activity: Overview of the Economic Situation and Hamilton’s Financial Plan (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Document Analysis – Examining the economic ideologies of Alexander Hamilton
Primary Document: “Alexander Hamilton Envisions a Developed American Economy,” (1791)
by Alexander Hamilton (Major Problems in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Documents: (The American Spirit, Vol. I)
“Jefferson duped by Hamilton,” by Thomas Jefferson (1790)
“Hamilton Defends Assumption,” by Alexander Hamilton (1792)
“Jefferson Versus Hamilton on the Bank,” by Thomas Jefferson (1791)
TOPIC 15 – Western Migration and Territorial Expansion influence the adoption of New Government
Policies, Diplomatic Initiatives, and Changing Social/Ethnic Tensions: Understanding the link between
Domestic and Foreign Policies in the Early Republic (Shay’s Rebellion, Jay’s and Pinckney’s
Treaties).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 11 – Triumphs & Travails of Jeffersonian Democracy
Class Activity: Analyzing and Comparing Primary Sources (The American Spirit, Vol. I)
Primary Sources: “Daniel Gray Explains the Shayites’ Grievances,” by Daniel Gray (1786)
“George Washington Expresses Alarm,” by George Washington (1786)
“Thomas Jefferson Favors Rebellion,” by Thomas Jefferson (1787)
Class Activity: Analyzing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Sources: #17A “Jay’s Treaty Should Be Rejected,” by Robert R. Livingston (1795)
#17B “Jay’s Treaty Should Be Accepted,” by Fisher Ames (1796)
TOPIC 16 – Recurring Conflicts over the Issues of Slavery create distinctive Social and Regional
Attitudes among Americans: Examining American Concerns over Abolition, Emancipation, and the
Expansion of Slavery.
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 12 – Second War for Independence and Nationalism
DBQ Writing Workshop: “Analyze the causes of growing opposition to slavery in the U.S. from
1776 to 1852.” (2013 Released AP Exam DBQ)
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PART IV – Early Republic and Territorial Expansion (1800 – 1848)
TOPIC 17 – Continued Debates over Federal Power and the Relationship between the Federal
Government and the States helps define America’s National Identity: Examining Court Cases of the
Marhsall Court that helped define the Early Republic (Marbury –vs- Madison, McCulloch –vsMaryland, and Worchester –vs- Georgia).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 13 – The Rise of Jacksonian Democracy
Class Activity: Analyzing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Documents: #20A “The Federal Government is Supreme Over the States,”
by John Marshall (1819)
#20B “The Federal Government in not Supreme Over the States,”
by Spencer Roane (1819)
Class Activity: Document Analysis of Supreme Court Cases
Primary Documents: Excerpts of the decision in “Marbury –vs- Madison”
Excerpts of the decision in “McCullough –vs- Maryland”
Excerpts of the decision in “Worchester –vs- Georgia”
TOPIC 18 – American Acquisitions of Lands in the West caused controversies over Native American
Lands and the Expansion of Slavery: Comparing the Social, Political, and Geographic Impact of
Government Policies (The Indian Removal Act and the Missouri Compromise).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 14 – Jacksonian Democracy at Flood Tide
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “Trail of Tears,” (Topic 18, History in the Making)
Class Activity: Comparing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Documents: #21A “Indians Should Be Removed to the West,”
by Andrew Jackson (1830)
#21B “Indians Should Be Allowed to Remain in Their Homeland,”
by the Cherokee Nation (1830)
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – (Issue #9, Taking Sides, Vol. I)
“Did Andrew Jackson’s Removal Policy Benefit Native Americans?”
TOPIC 19 – Dramatic Shifts in Agriculture and Manufacturing occur due to a Changing Global Market
and Technological Innovations: Understanding the impact of Technology on Agriculture,
Transportation, and Communication (Steel Plow, Mechanical Reaper, Baldwin Locomotive, and the
Telegraph).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 15 – Forging the National Economy
Class Activity: Overview of the impact of Technology on a Growing America (Powerpoint)
FRQ Writing Workshop: Evaluate the impact of new technological innovations on the spread of
slavery and western expansion in American between the 1830’s and 1850’s.
TOPIC 20 – The Economic Impact of the Market Revolution on the development of Distinct Social
Divisions in America: Analyzing the gaps between the Rich and Poor, Men and Women, and the
Middle and Working Class (Early Labor Unions, the Lowell Girls, and the Cult of Domesticity).
Class Activity: Overview of the impact of Early Industry on American Society (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Document Analysis and Comparison Workshop (Cult of Domesticity)
Primary Sources: “An Essay on Slavery and Abolition with Reference to the duty of American
Females,” by Catherine Beecher (1837)
“Letters to Catherine Beecher: A Reply to an Essay on Slavery and Abolition,”
by Angelina Grimke (1838)
TOPIC 21 – The Second Great Awakening and the rise of Social Activism in America promote Social
and Political Change through Voluntary Organizations: Examining the early developments of
Women’s Rights and Abolition (Seneca Falls and the American Colonial Society).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 16 – The Ferment of Reform and Culture
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Class Activity: Analyzing Women’s Rights (Major Problems in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Sources: “Linkages between Democracy and Women’s Rights,”
by Catherine Beecher (1841)
“Address at the First Women’s Rights Convention,”
by Elizabeth C. Stanton (1848)
“Declaration of Rights and Sentiments,” by Seneca Falls Convention (1848)
“Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth (1851)
TOPIC 22 – The Development of Regional Economic Specialization in America: Analyzing the impact
of America’s Geographic Boundaries, Natural Resources, and Growing Market Economy (Southern
Cotton, Northern Manufacturing, and their link to each other and the Midwest).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 17 – The South and the Slavery Controversy
Class Activity: Overview and Discussion on the Geographic and Economic growth of Sectionalism in
America (Powerpoint)
FRQ Writing Workshop: Analyze the impact of the Market Revolution (1815-1860) on the economies
of two of the following regions: The Northwest, Midwest, or the South
(2008 Released AP Exam)
TOPIC 23 – BRIDGING PERIODIZATION: American Expansion and Imperialism: Analyzing the
continuity and change over time of U.S. policies dealing with the periods of continental and global
expansion between the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary (The Monroe Doctrine,
Louisiana Purchase, Adams-Onis Treaty, Annexation of Texas, Mexican-American War, Gadsden
Purchase, Oregon and Alaska Treaties, Spanish-American War, and the Roosevelt Corollary).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapters 18 – Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy
Class Activity: Group Analysis, Discussion, and Justification Activity – Six Degrees of Separation
(and/or) The Twenty-Four Events Critical to U.S. Continental & Global Expansion
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “The Monroe Doctrine,” (Topic 16, History in the Making)
“The Alamo,” (Topic 20, History in the Making)
“The Start of the Mexican-American War,” (Topic 21, History)
“The Sinking of the Maine,” (Topic 32, History in the Making)
UNIT #2 TEST
UNIT #3 – Crisis and Rebirth of the Union
(1844 - 1898)
Part V – Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction (1844 - 1877)
TOPIC 24 – Economic Opportunities, Religious Refuge, and Government Legislation promote
Westward Expansion and Migration during the period of Crisis and Reconstruction: Comparing the
Western Movement of Forty-Niners, Sodbusters, and Mormons (The Gold Rush, Mormon Trail, and
the Homestead Act).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 19 – Renewing the Sectional Struggle
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion on the Post-Civil War Western Migration (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 25 – Territorial Expansion, Regional Divisions, and Ideological Debates intensified the issues
over Slavery and States Rights: Analyzing the Social and Political influences of Sectionalism and
Secession (John C. Calhoun, the Compromise of 1820 & 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 20 – Drifting Toward Disunion
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis (Issue 14, Taking Sides)
“Was Slavery the Key Issue in the Sectional Conflict Leading to the Civil War?”
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TOPIC 26 – Efforts by African-Americans to bring about Social and Political change during the rise of
Anti-Black Sentiments in America: Comparing the actions of Free and Enslaved African-Americans
concerning the issue of Slavery and Civil Rights (Frederick Douglass, David Walker, Harriett Tubman,
and Dread Scott).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 21 – Girding for War: The North and the South
Class Activity: Overview of the impact of early African-American Leaders in America (Powerpoint)
DBQ Writing Workshop: “In what ways did African Americans shape the course and consequences of
the Civil War between 1861 and 1870?” (2009 Released AP Exam)
TOPIC 27 – The Military Leadership, Wartime Strategies, and Regional Resources that led to the
Union Victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War :Comparing Commanders and Campaigns in the
Eastern and Western Theaters (Lee’s Gettysburg Campaign and Sherman’s March to the Sea).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 22 – The Furnace of Civil War
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “Sherman’s March to the Sea,” (Topic 26, History in the Making)
Class Activity: Event Overview – “Sherman’s March to the Sea” (Video)
Class Activity: Comparing Strategic Events – Battle of Little Round Top –vs- Pickett’s Charge
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis (Issue 15, Taking Sides) “Is Robert E. Lee Overrated as a General?”
TOPIC 28 – Emancipation and the Unresolved Questions on the Rights of African-Americans lead to
Constitutional Amendments and changes in America’s National Identity: Examining the impact of the
Emancipation Proclamation and the related Post-War Amendments (Emancipation Proclamation and
the 13th thru 15th Amendments).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 23 – The Ordeal of Reconstruction
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis (Issue 16, Taking Sides)
“Did Abraham Lincoln Free the Slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation?”
TOPIC 29 – Republican Efforts to Reconstruct the Defeated South led to Political, Social, and
Economic Changes that continued to promote Anti-Black Sentiments in the “New South:”
Understanding the Struggles between Black Republicans, Debt Peonage, and the Ku Klux Klan
(Hiram Revels, Robert Smalls, Sharecroppers, Tenant Farmers, and the Ku Klux Klan).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 24 - Politics of the Gilded Age
Class Activity: Topic Overview and Class Discussion (Powerpoint and Videos)
“Lest We Forget: Southern Sharecroppers” (Video)
“Congressman Hiram Revels: Mini-Bio” (Video)
“Congressman Robert Smalls: Mini-Bio” (Video)
“Origins of the Ku Klux Klan” (Video)
PART VI – Industrialization and Urbanization (1865 – 1898)
TOPIC 30 - Technological Innovations, Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Consolidation of
Financial Power created America’s greatest Business Leaders: Comparing Powerful Corporate
Leaders of the Gilded Age (Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J. P. Morgan).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 25 – Industry Comes of Age
Class Activity: Comparing American Industrialists (Timeline and Biographical Analysis)
“Titans of Industry: The Men who Built America” (Video)
TOPIC 31 – An Expanding and Diverse Industrial Work Force Organizes to combat Lower Wages,
Poor Working Conditions, and Child Labor: Analyzing the Labor Movement through the eyes of Union
Organizers (Eugene V. Debs and “Mother” Mary Harris Jones).
Class Activity: Biographical Reviews of key Labor Leaders (Powerpoint and Vidoes)
“Eugene V. Debs: An American Revolutionary” (Video)
“Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Women in America” (Video)
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TOPIC 32 – Gilded Age Corruption in Business and Politics caused Increased Public Demands for
Reform: Analyzing the impact of Congressional Legislation on Industry and the Railroads (The
Interstate Commerce Commission, the Sherman Antitrust Act, and the Clayton Antitrust Act).
Class Activity: Overview of Progressivism and the foundation of U.S. Anti-Trust Laws (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Analysis of Legislative Efforts to control Big Business, Monopolies, and Trusts
Primary Sources: Excerpts of the Interstate Commerce Commission Act (1887)
Excerpts of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
Excerpts of the Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914)
TOPIC 33 – BRIDGING PERIODIZATION: The American Immigrant Experience: Analyzing the plight
of Immigrants arriving in America between the 1840’s and the 1920’s (Nativism, Great Potato Famine,
Know-Nothings, Contract Labor Laws, Tenement Apartments, Henderson vs Mayor of New York,
Chinese Exclusion Act, American Protective Association, How the Other Half Lives, Bureau of
Immigration, Ellis Island, Angel Island, Dillingham Report, Emergency Quota Act, Immigration Acts of
1907, 1917 and 1924).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 26 – America Moves to the City
Class Activity: Group Analysis, Discussion, and Justification Activity – Six Degrees of Separation
(and/or) The Twenty-Four Events Critical during America’s Early Years of Immigration
DBQ Writing Workshop: “Analyze both the tensions surrounding the issue of immigration and the U.S.
government’s responses to these tensions between 1880 and 1925.” (2008
Released AP Exam)
TOPIC 34 – America’s Artistic Expression celebrates and reflects the many aspects of America’s
changing National Identity: Continuity and Change in American Art and Entertainment (The Hudson
River and Ashcan Schools of Art, Minstrel Shows and Vaudeville, and the Harlem Renaissance).
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion (Powerpoint and Videos)
“Cotton & Chick Watts Minstrel Show” (Video)
“Blacks and Vaudeville” (PBS Video)
“Al Jolson’s Suwanee River” (Video)
TOPIC 35 – African-American Activists and the Government struggle to Change Society during a
period of growing Discrimination and Segregation: Analyzing Government Actions (Jim Crow Laws,
Civil Rights Act, and Plessy versus Ferguson) and Activist Ideologies (Booker T. Washington, Ida B.
Wells, and W. E. B. Dubois).
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion on African-American efforts to promoted improved
treatment in American Society (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Comparing Personal Experiences (Major Problems in American History, Vol. I) and
Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. I)
Primary Sources: “African-Americans Talk About their Personal Experiences of Newfound
Freedom” (1865)
#36A “Blacks Should Have the Right to Vote,” by Frederick Douglass (1866)
#36B “Blacks Should Not Have the Right to Vote,” by Andrew Johnson (1867)
TOPIC 36 – Western Migration, Mechanized Agriculture, and Economic Instability influence
Resistance to Corporate and Political Powers: Analyzing the Formation of Regional Labor
Organizations (The Grange, Las Gorras Blancas, and the Colored Farmer’s Alliance).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 27 – The Great West and the Agricultural Revolution
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion on the causes for and impact of regional labor
organizations (powerpoint)
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TOPIC 37 – BRIDGING PERIODIZATION: The Native American Experience: Analyzing the social,
economic and political treatment of the Native-Americans from the Indian Removal Act, through the
Era of Allotment and Assimilation, to the period of Tribal Self-Determination (Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Indian Removal Act, Trail of Tears, 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty, Sand Creek Massacre, Fetterman
Massacre, Indian Appropriations Act, Red Cloud’s War, 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, Great Sioux War,
Battle of Little Bighorn, Carlisle Indian School, Apache Wars, Dawes Severalty Act, Massacre at
Wounded Knee, the Merriam Report, and the Indian Reorganization Act).
Review: American Pageant: Chapters 14 and 27
Class Activity: Group Analysis, Discussion, and Justification Activity – Six Degrees of Separation
(and/or) The Twenty-Four Events Critical to the development of U.S. Indian Policies
Class Activity: Overview & Class Discussion on the development of U.S. Indian Policies (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 38 – Violence Escalates when Labor and Management Battle for Control over Wages and
Working Conditions: Analyzing the Social, Economic, and Political Impact of Populists, Anarchists,
and Socialists in the United States (The Great RR Strike of 1877, the Haymarket Riot, the Homestead
Steel Strike of 1892, and the Pullman Strike of 1894).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 28 – The Revolt of the Debtor
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “Eugene V. Debs & the Pullman Strike,”
(Topic 29, History in the Making)
Class Activity: Topic Review and Class Discussion (Video Clips)
“The Great Railroad Strike” (Video)
“The Haymarket Riot” (Video)
“The Homestead Strike” (Video)
TOPIC 39 – New Cultural and Intellectual Movements promoted increased Philanthropic Endeavors
and Government Actions to help improve America’s changing society: Examining the impact that new
Gilded Age Institutions of Learning had on American Society (Land Grant Colleges, Historical Black
Colleges, and Carnegie’s Free Public Libraries).
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion on the Philanthropic Endeavors and Government
Actions to improve American Society through education (Powerpoint)
UNIT #3 TEST
UNIT #4 – Becoming a Global Power
(1890 – 1945)
PART VII – New Technology, Politics, and Global Conflicts
TOPIC 40 – European imperialism and American expansion renewed debates over the nation’s
values and its role in the world: Examining the arguments between imperialists, anti-imperialists,
interventionists, and isolationists (Dollar Diplomacy, Mexican Intervention, and the Panama Canal).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 29 – The Path of Empire
and Chapter 30 – America on the World Stage
Class Activity: Overview, Analysis, and Comparison of the Foreign Policies of Roosevelt, Taft, &
Wilson (Powerpoint and Policy Analysis/Comarison)
FRQ Writing Workshop: “Compare and Contrast the Foreign Policies of Theodore Roosevelt and
Woodrow Wilson,” (2011 Released AP Exam)
TOPIC 41 – BRIDGING PERIODIZATION: Women as a Voice for Change: Analyzing the struggles of
Women Activists in America between 1848 and 1935 (Seneca Falls, National Woman Suffrage
Association, American Woman Suffrage Association, WCTU / Women’s Christian Temperance Union,
Hull House and Henry Street Settlement, National American Woman Suffrage Association, National
Women’s Trade Union, National Women’s Party, the Nineteenth Amendment, and the American Birth
Control League).
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Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 31 – Progressivism and the Republican Roosevelt
and Chapter 32 – Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad
Class Activity: Group Analysis, Discussion, and Justification Activity – Six Degrees of Separation
(and/or) The Twenty-Four Events Critical to the Women’s Rights Movement
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “Women’s Suffrage” (Topic 31, History in the Making)
Class Activity: Event Analysis – “Iron Jawed Angels” (Video)
TOPIC 42 – America’s intense debates over the nation’s role in the world following World War I:
Analyzing Woodrow Wilson’s involvement in postwar negotiations (The Fourteen Points, Treaty of
Versailles, and the League of Nations).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 33 – The War to End War
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “The League of Nations” (Topic 35, History in the Making)
Class Activity: Analyzing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #20A “The U.S. Should Join the League of Nations,”
by James D. Phelan (1919)
#20B “The U.S. Should not Join the League of Nations,”
by Lawrence Sherman (1919)
TOPIC 43 – The ramifications of World War I on American society and its national identity: Analyzing
the impact of America’s repressive atmosphere on civil liberties, racial strife, and immigration (The
Red Scare, Freedom of Speech, and Immigration Restrictions).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 34 – American Life in the Roaring 20’s
Class Activity: Overview of America’s repressive atmosphere during the Red Scare (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Analyzing the impact of the Red Scare in America
Primary Sources: “The Case Against the Reds,” by Alexander Mitchell Palmer (1920)
“Sedition Act of 1918, Section 3,” (Pub.L. 65–150, 40 Stat. 553,1918)
“First Amendment, U.S. Constitution,” (1791)
“Deportation Statement,” by Emma Goldman (1919)
TOPIC 44 – America during the Roaring 20’s and the Great Depression: Analyzing America’s struggle
with economic inequality, overproduction, and market instability (The Federal Reserve, Consumer
Credit, Market Speculation, and Poor Political Practices).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 35 – The Politics of Boom or Bust
Class Activity: Overview & Discussion of the Causes & Impact of the Great Depression (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 45 – The economic transformation of the United States from the Great Depression to World
War II: Comparing the political policies and government intervention of the Hoover and Roosevelt
administrations (Public Works Progra ms, Revenue and Housing Acts, and Banking Reform).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 36 – The Great Depression and the New Deal
Class Activity: Analyzing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #25A “America Needs a New Deal,” by Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932)
#25B “Roosevelt’s New Deal Would Destroy America,”
by Herbert Hoover (1932)
#26A “The New Deal is a Momentous Achievement,” by Allan Nevins (1933)
#26B “The New Deal is a Limited Achievement,”
by Susanne La Follette (1933)
TOPIC 46 – America’s multifaceted approach to addressing both the Great Depression and
mobilization for defense: Analyzing the economic and environmental impact of new government
reform programs (Boulder Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and Civilian Conservation Corps).
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion of Work Programs & New Deal Reforms (Powerpoint)
Class Web Activity: “The Tennessee Valley Authority and the Lost Towns of Alabama”
“The Tennessee Valley and the War Effort”
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TOPIC 47 – A revolution in communication helps spread modern values and the message of
progressive reforms: Examining the impact of radio and motion pictures on the issues of economic
instability, social inequality, and political corruption (Huey Long’s “Share the Wealth”, Father Charles
Coughlin’s “Union for Social Justice”, and FDR’s “Fireside Chats”).
Class Activity: Overview on the impact of Radio and Motion Pictures in the 1930’s-40’s (Powerpoint)
Primary Sources: Analysis of Important Speeches on Film and Radio
“Share the Wealth” Huey Long Speech (Video)
“Difference between Republicans and Democrats” Huey Long Speech (Video)
“Father Coughlin Speaks Against the Federal Reserve” (Video)
“Father Coughlin in Action” (Video)
“Fireside Chat on Unemployment” by FDR (Video)
“Fireside Chat on the New Deal” by FDR (Video)
TOPIC 48 – America’s efforts to achieve national security and pursue American interests between the
aftermath of WWI and the approach of WWII: Analyzing FDR’s policies in the shadows of war
(Diplomacy, Neutrality, and Isolation).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 37 – Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Shadow of War
Class Activity: Analyzing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #28A “The U.S. Should Give Lend-Lease Aid to Great Britain,”
by Franklin D. Roosevelt (1940)
#28B “Lend-Lease Aid Will Drag the U.S. into War,”
by James F. O’Connor (1941)
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis (Issue 11: Taking Sides, Vol. II)
“Was Franklin D. Roosevelt a Reluctant Internationalist?”
TOPIC 49 – American migrations spurred on by economic growth, social pressures, and the
mobilization for war: Examining the increased degree of migration within and to the U.S. between
WWI and WWII (The “Great Migration”, Mexican Repatriation, and the Bracero Program).
Class Activity: Examining the Migration and Deportation of Minorities in America from WWI to WWII
Secondary Sources: “Overview of the Great Migration” (Video)
“Up South: The African American Migration to the North” (Video)
“Deportation of Mexican American’s during the 1930’s” (Video)
“Forgotten Voices: The Story of the Bracero Program” (Video)
TOPIC 50 – America’s continued growth of large corporations and development of new technologies
transformed the nation’s economy in times of peace and war: Examining the economic and social
impact of the assembly line and mass production between WWI and WWII (Automobiles, Consumer
Goods, Defense Industry, and Rosie the Riveter).
Class Activity: Overview and discussion of the impact of new innovations in industry between WWI &
WWII (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis – “Rosie the Riveter” (Topic 40, History in the Making)
TOPIC 51 – America’s growing global political and military prominence transformed both American
society and the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world: Analyzing the changing
political and military role of the U.S. from post-WWI to the end of WWII (The Washington Naval
Conference, the Atlantic Charter, and the Manhattan Project).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 38 – America in World War II
UNIT #4 TEST
15
UNIT #5 – America in a Changing World
(1945 – Present)
PART VIII – Challenges in a Cold War World (1945-1980)
TOPIC 52 – America’s desire to stem the spread of global communism led to changing foreign
policies designed to increase the nation’s collective security and expand its international influence:
Comparing the foreign policies of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy (Containment,
Massive Retaliation, and Brinkmanship).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 39 – The Cold War Begins
Class Activity: Analyzing Presidential Foreign Policies (Major Problems in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: Excerpt of the “The Truman Doctrine,” by Harry S. Truman (1947)
Excerpt of “President Eisenhower Warns of Falling Dominoes,”
by Dwight D. Eisenhower (1954)
Excerpt of “President Kennedy Proclaims a Quarantine,” by J.F.K. (1962)
TOPIC 53 – Cold War policies led to continued debates and domestic opposition to American efforts
to root our communism within and abroad: Analyzing the political investigations and public
demonstrations linked to America’s Cold War policies (McCarthyism and Anti-War Protests).
Class Activity: Comparing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #32A “Communist Subversives Threaten America,”
by Joseph R. McCarthy (1950)
#32B “McCarthyism Threatens America,” by The Tydings Committee (1950)
“But It’s Not Just Joe McCarthy,” by I. F. Stone (1954)
(Voices of a People’s History)
TOPIC 54 – Civil Rights activists and political leaders achieve some legal and political success in
promoting social changes in America: Analyzing the various strategies used to promote desegregation
and racial justice (A. Philip Randolph, Thurgood Marshal, John Lewis, and Fannie Lou Hamer).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 40 – The Eisenhower Era
Class Activity: Document Analysis Workshop (Analyzing the Letters of A. Philip Randolph)
Primary Sources: “Letters of A. Philip Randolph” by A. Philip Randolph (1945-1947)
Class Activity: Comparing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History)
Primary Sources: #33A “Racial Segregation in Public Schools is Unconstitutional”
by Earl Warren (1954)
#33B “The Supreme Court Should not Interfere in Southern Racial Practices,”
The Southern Manifesto (1956)
TOPIC 55 – American liberalism reaches its zenith in an effort to end racial discrimination, eliminate
poverty, and address social issues: Comparing federal programs, legislation, and Supreme Court
decisions (Great Society Programs and the Warren Court).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 41 – The Stormy Sixties
Class Activity: Overview and Discussion of the Great Society and the Warren Court (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 56 – Rapid economic and social changes in American society during the Cold War promoted
opposing values and ideologies between traditional America and its rebellious youth: Examining the
connections between the growing counterculture and juvenile delinquency (Beatniks, Hippies, and
Rock & Roll Music).
Class Activity: Music as a Voice for Change (Analyzing Rock & Roll music/lyrics of the 1950’s-1970’s)
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis - The Counter Culture (Topic 49, History in the Making)
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis - (Issue 13, Taking Sides, Vol. II)
“Was Rock and Roll Responsible for Dismantling America’s Traditional Family, Sexual,
and Racial Customs in the 1950’s and 1960’s?”
16
TOPIC 57 – New and continuing social issues led to significant political and moral debates that
challenged America’s status quo and divided the nation: Examining the clash between conservatives
and liberals over civil and political rights (Students for a Democratic Society, Affirmative Action, and
the Black Panthers).
Class Activities: Comparing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #37A “America’s Youth Must Lead a New Revolution” by SDS (1962 & 1968)
#37B “Student Rebellion Leaders Are a Disgrace” by K. Ross Toole (1969)
TOPIC 58 – The increasing complexities and changing approaches in American foreign policy led to
shifting international alignments and regional conflicts: Comparing the foreign policies of Presidents
Nixon, Reagan, and George Bush, Sr., (Détente, Strategic Defense, and the War on Terror).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 42 – The StaIemated Seventies
Class Activity: Overview and Discussion of the Changing Foreign Policies of the 1970’s-1980’s
(Powerpoint)
FRQ Writing Workshop: Compare and Contrast the developments and changes in American foreign
Policy between the 1970’s and 1980’s
TOPIC 59 – Complex foreign policies and economic concerns shaped U.S. involvement in the Middle
East causing a decline in public confidence and trust in the government: Analyzing the impact of
Middle East policies and corresponding economic challenges on the American public (Middle East
Conflicts, the OPEC Oil Embargo, and U.S. Inflation in the 1970’s).
Class Activity: Overview and discussion of the economic impact of U.S. relations with the Middle East
(Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Making Connections – Analyzing the connection between Middle East Conflicts and
U.S. Inflation in the 1970’s
TOPIC 60 – Growing awareness of racial and gender inequalities in American society caused activists
to promote national campaigns advocating greater equality and redressing past social injustices:
Examining the civil rights movements of women, Latinos, and Native Americans (Women’s Liberation
Movement, Las Raza Unida, and the American Indian Movement).
Class Activity: Analyzing Civil Rights Movements (Major Problems in American History, Vol II.)
Primary Sources: “The National Organization for Women Calls for Equality,” by NOW (1966)
“A Proclamation from the Indians of All Tribes,”
by the American Indian Movement (1969)
Secondary Sources: “Mexican Americans form La Raza Unida,” by Jorge Lara Bland (1968)
Class Activity: Scholarly Analysis (Issue 16: Taking Sides, Vol. II)
“Has the Women’s Movement of the 1970’s Failed to Liberate American Woman?”
PART IX – Changes in a Modern Global World (1980-Present)
TOPIC 61 – Political, ideological, and economic concerns shaped U.S. involvement in Latin America
and the Middle East during the emergence o powerful nationalist movements: Analyzing U.S.
involvement in nationalist revolutions and guerilla operations (Afghanistan, Iran, and Nicaragua).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 43 – The Resurgence of Conservatism
Class Activity: Overview and discussion of Reagan’s foreign policies (Powerpoint)
Class Activity: Document Analysis – Reagan’s Foreign Policies (The American Spirit, Vol. II)
Secondary Sources: “Reagan Sees Red in Nicaragua,” New York Times (1986)
“A Journalist Urges Caution in Nicaragua,”
by Tad Szulc, New York Times (1986)
“An Editor Analyzes the Iran-Contra Affair,”
Harper’s Magazine (1987)
17
TOPIC 62 – New and continuing social issues led to significant political and moral debates that
challenged America’s status quo and divided the nation: Analyzing the impact of political and religious
activists on traditional family values (Abortion, Planned Parenthood, and the Equal Rights
Amendment).
Class Activity: Comparing Opposing Viewpoints (Opposing Viewpoints in American History, Vol. II)
Primary Sources: #38A “America Needs an Equal Rights Amendment”
by Margaret M. Heckler (1970)
#38B “An Equal Rights Amendment Would be Harmful”
by Myra Wolfgang (1970)
TOPIC 63 – Environmental problems caused activists and politicians to call for conservation
measures to protect America’s natural resources and the public from various pollutants and
contaminants: Assessing America’s response to environmental abuses and disasters (Love Canal,
Three Mile Island, and the Environmental Movement).
Class Activity: Overview and Discussion of important Environmental Disasters and the Environmental
Movement in the United States (Powerpoint)
TOPIC 64 – Continuing efforts to reform government programs and improve public services remained
popular among American voters, while meeting political opposition due to economic instability:
Assessing policy debates over health care, the social security system, and the federal deficit (1983
Social Security Amendment, 1986 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act , 1993 Clinton
Health Plan, and 1994 Contract with America).
Class Activity: Document Analysis Workshop (Assessing Government Reform Programs)
Primary Sources: Summary of P.L. 98-21, (H.R. 1900) Social Security Amendments of 1983
Fact Sheet on P.L. 99-272, (100 Stat. 82) Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1986
Republican Contract with America (1994)
Secondary Sources: A Guide to the Clinton Health Plan, by Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D., The
Heritage Foundation
TOPIC 65 – U.S. leaders faced new challenges that redefined it’s post-Cold War foreign policies
during the rise of global terrorism: Analyzing the political, social, and economic effects of 9/11 and the
War on Terror on the American people and the world (USA Patriot Act, Department of Homeland
Security, Transportation Security Administration, and the U.S, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement).
Pre-Reading: American Pageant: Chapter 44 – The American People Face a New Century
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion (Powerpoint and Videos)
“The Lasting Effects of 9/11 on the U.S. Economy” (Emory University Video)
“The Effect of 9/11 on U.S. Immigration” (PBS Video)
“Three Ways 9/11 Changed the World” (Video)
TOPIC 66 – Demographic changes and a growing awareness of inequalities in American society
raised debates about traditional gender roles and the family structure: Examining the changing
attitudes and government policies concerning gays and lesbians in American society (Aids, the Gay
Liberation Movement, Don’t Ask – Don’t Tell, and Same-Sex Marriages).
Class Activity: Overview and Class Discussion on the continuing struggles of Gays and Lesbians in
American Society through popular culture (Powerpoint and videos)
UNIT #5 TEST
PREP FOR AP EXAM (3 Days)
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