AP United States History!
In AP U.S.History, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change. The course also provides eight themes that students explore in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places, including American and national identity; work, exchange, and technology; geography and the environment; migration and settlement; politics and power; America in the world; American and regional culture; and social structures. The course is aligned with the curricular and instructional expectations detailed in College Board Course Description: AP United States History Course and Exam Description [Fall 2023].
Major Units of Study
Period 7: 1890-1945
Unit I: American Imperialism
Unit II: Post World War I America
Period 7: 1890–1945/Period 8: 1945–1980
Unit III: Rise of Dictators & World War II
Unit IV: Cold War at Home & Abroad, Civil Rights, & Vietnam
Period 9: 1980-Present
Unit V: A Globalized & Contemporary America: 1970-Present
Unit VI: Review for the AP Test
Unit VII: Analysis through Historical Research
Classroom Expectations:
Respect yourself, your peers, your teachers, and the things we will do during class
Bring all required materials to class every day
Follow all district-wide and teacher-directed policies and procedures.
No food is allowed to be eaten in the classroom, unless it is documented in a student’s IEP or 504 plan.
Beverages are allowed presuming they do not become disruptive and do not make a mess.
Communicate with the teacher - We are here to help you become the most successful student you can be
Please allow for a 24-hour response time to any communication made via email.
No student may interfere with another student’s right to learn in this classroom
Grading Breakdown:
Coursework 30%
Assessments 70%
*There is no extra credit offered in this course.
Important RFH Procedures, Policies, and Guidelines:
Cell phones in class:
All devices must be turned off and put away in classroom caddies when class begins. Cell phones must be placed in the classroom cell phone caddy for the entire block/period.
First Offense: Teacher conference and confiscation of device (returned at the end of the day).
Second Offense: After-school detention and confiscation of device (returned at the end of the day).
Third Offense: Saturday detention and confiscation of the device, which must be picked up by a parent/guardian.
Additional Offenses: May result in further restrictions of student privileges.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
At RFH, we approach this moment with both hope and caution. We believe Artificial Intelligence has the potential to transform learning in powerful ways by enhancing understanding of course material, promoting student-centered and problem-based learning, and fostering digital literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. However, students must be active decision-makers, consistently evaluating and using these tools ethically and responsibly, without compromising academic integrity. We expect our use of AI in the classroom to evolve as the school year goes on. Your teacher will provide guidance on the appropriate and acceptable use of AI for this class, but it is your responsibility to adhere to their instructions. Should you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your teacher.
Laptop Devices
No student shall use another student’s district-issued log-on credentials.
No privately owned electronic device may be attached to any Rumson Fair Haven Regional High School network.
Violation of school or district policies, local, state, and/or federal laws while using a personal electronic device on the RFH wireless network will result in appropriate disciplinary and/or legal action as specified in the Student Handbook and Conduct Code, School Board policy
Attendance Policy and Assessments
A student may be dropped from or denied course credit when absent 14 or more classes for a full-year course; the change from 18 to 14 absences aligns with the rotating drop schedule.
If a student comes in late or leaves early and misses a class during which an assessment is administered or due, the student may only retake the evaluation or turn the assessment in late if they have a doctor's note or an absence excused by the state; otherwise, the student receives a zero for that assignment.
Short Term Assignments and Major Assessment Information
Homework will be due at the beginning of the class period the next time the class meets. Assignment dates will be posted in Google Classroom. Students are encouraged to upload their work. In an effort to ensure that students stay current with instruction, students will have 2 school days for each day absent, up to a maximum of 6 days, to make up For extenuating circumstances, it is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with their teachers. The two-day make up window includes the day that the class “drops.
Short-Term Homework Assignments - Short-term homework assignments are given on an ongoing basis in all academic courses. Credit for short-term homework assignments will only be given if they are submitted on the due date at the designated time. Students are expected to follow the guidelines established in the RFH Student Handbook for the submission of work if they are absent on the due date for the entire school day. Specific IEP stipulations and 504 Plan modifications are exceptions to this policy.
Major Assessments - Major assessments are required course components in all academic courses, and they will be evaluated using corresponding rubrics. Failure to complete any of the designated criteria for a major assessment or minimal demonstration of effort on any facet of a major assessment will have a negative impact on student performance. Students are strongly advised to develop their projects beyond the minimum passing levels as determined by the instructor, and they are encouraged to confer with the instructor on ways in which they can develop their final products. Timely completion is a fundamental criterion for all major assessments: late assignments will be penalized according to the established policy:
10% grade reduction off of the final grade if the major assessment is not submitted on the due date at the designated time. Additional 10% reductions will be given for two days subsequent to the due date. After this time has passed, the grade is reduced to no credit (0).
When a project or paper is assigned, the following criteria must be met in order for the assignment to be considered on time:
The assignment must be marked as “turned in” on Google Classroom
The assignment must be printed prior to the start of class.
If a student asks to print their paper at the start of class, it will be considered late
The paper must be submitted to turnitin.com.
If a student is in school on the day in which a major assessment is due and is absent from class, the assignment must be e-mailed or submitted to the instructor by the end of the school day. Failure to do so will result in the established late penalty. Exceptions to this policy will be up to the discretion of the instructor and/or the department supervisor if there are extenuating circumstances. Specific IEP stipulations and 504 Plan modifications are also exceptions.
The consequences for a violation of academic integrity on a major assessment will correspond to the penalties outlined in the RFH Student Handbook.
Students are expected to follow the guidelines established in the RFH Student Handbook for the submission of work if they are absent on the due date for the entire school day.
Academic Integrity
All assigned work MUST be completed using your RFH google suite student account. All drafting, revising, and publishing must take place on the original document, allowing for transparency in regards to revision history, progress, and growth. Work completed on a separate document, then copied and pasted into the assigned document, will not be accepted.
Required Texts
The American Pageant: Seventeenth Edition by David M. Kennedy and Lizabeth Cohen
Discovering the American Past, Vol. II
5 Steps to a 5: AP United States History
The reading/content schedule for each marking period is a separate document and will be posted on my website and the course Google Classroom at the start of each marking period. This reading calendar is subject to revision. This is considered a long term assignment and the due date will stand regardless of intervening absences. *Students should be prepared for possible reading quizzes.
Link to Marking Period 1 Schedule