Course Overview

Course Description: The Advanced Placement program in American history is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with problems and resource materials in American history. The students should learn to assess historical sources – with respect to their relevance, reliability, and importance – and to weigh evidence and interpretations given by historians.  An advanced placement history course develops skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of informed judgment and to present ideas clearly and persuasively.  To some extent, the AP course is taught in a college format, with emphasis on multimedia based lectures, independent reading, and graded writing assignments.

The advanced placement course is designed to give students a background in the chronological development of American history and in the major interpretive questions that are derived from the study of selected themes. My approach is to conduct a survey course in American history in which a digital textbook, backed by supplemental readings, provides both chronological and thematic coverage.  My objective in this course is to prepare students to take the National AP exam (specific dates to follow). 

AP US History Content Outline

1. Period 1: 1491-1607

2. Period 2: 1607-1754

3. Period 3: 1754-1800

4. Period 4: 1800-1848

5. Period 5: 1844-1877

6. Period 6: 1865-1898

7. Period 7: 1890-1945*

8. Period 8: 1945-1980

9. Period 9: 1980-Present 

Class Syllabus