AP US HISTORY 2011-2012
Note: This Site has been reconstructed from scratch due to a Contribute malfunction (yipee!). Links (reading guides, flashcards, writing resources, etc.) provided at the beginning of the school year are available via the Student Resources link. As for the coursework covered up until 2/10, that information is no longer accessible. The coursework for the remainder of the year will be available below.
Week 26: The "Roaring Twenties"/ Culture Clash: 2/14-2/16 Corresponding AP US Review Pages 157-159
1920s Skeleton Notes - passed out Tuesday
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- Notions of Prosperity and Republican Politics
- Presentations:
- "How the Other Half Lives" - 1) Winston, 2) Dezbah
- HW:
- Reading Guide Who Built America 367-404 Due 2/21
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- Culture Clash: Growing Liberalism/Consumerism
- Presentations:
- "How the Other Half Lives" -
Week 27: The" Roaring Twenties"/ Culture Clash and the Stock Market Crash: 2/21-2/23Corresponding AP US Review Pages 159-161
- Tuesday:
- Presentations:
- "How the Other Half Lives" - 1) Orion and Joseph, 2) Talia, 3) Maddi, Chelsea, Svea
- HW:
- Reading Guide Who Built America 404-418, 425-433, 452-477
- Read "Reasons for the Great Migration" - Synthesize 3 leading reasons for the Great Migration and create a thesis statement that demonstrates it Due Thursday
- Thursday:
- Presentations:
- How the Other Half Lives
- 1) Ellen 2) Abby 3) Aaron, Aly, Stefani, 4) Mary
Week 28: The Roaring Twenties/ Culture Class: 2/28-3/1
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- Culture Clash: Growing Liberalism/ Conservative Reactions
- The Great Migration/ Harlem Renaissance & KKK
- Sources: Due to Snow Day, these sources will be apart of a broader source packet given on Thursday, Due next Thursday 3/8
- HW:
- Who Built America Reading Guide 483-528 Due Friday 3/9
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- Urban Modernism versus Rural Traditionalism
- Sources:
- HW/ Work Time in Class 1920s Source Packet - Due Thursday 3/8
Week 29: The Great Depression/ The Alteration of America's Sociopolitical Landscape: 3/6-3/9
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- The Crash and the Depression: Immediate and Long Term Impacts
- FALA Council Representative: Long Term and Short Term FALA Objectives
- Sources/ Notes:
- HW: Read "Rights" and make notes for the discussion questions
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- Political vs. Social Guarantees
- The Changing Role of the US Government
- Sources:
- FDR's "Economic Bill of Rights"
- Discussion Qs:
- Why did FDR believe that an "Economic Bill of Rights" was necessary? Explain how the economic context of the 1930s resulted wide public support for the "Economic Bill of Rights" as well as the New Deal program as a whole.
- Review FDR's "Bill of Rights" make note of which are positive rights and/or negative. Explain reasoning if needed.
- Explain the following quote, "Necessitous men are not free men." Explain why you agree or disagree and give specific reasoning that is not a personal ancedote.
- Explain the difference between how the Founding Fathers and FDR viewed the concept of liberty. What changed in American society to allow for this evolution in perception?
- HW: Read NY Times Article "Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It"
- Friday:
- Discussion:
- Changing Perceptions About the Role of Government and Welfare Programs
Week 30: Spring Break
- No work or readings, unless you are behind. If you are in the latter position, use the time to get back on track.
Week 31: WWII and the End of the Great Depression: 3/20-3/22
- Tuesday:
- Discussion
- The End of the New Deal, Its Legacy & US Intervention in "The Good War"
- Sources
- Senator Vandenberg "Against Intervention"
- FDR "Press Conference December 17, 1940"
- FDR "Fireside Chat: Arsenal of Democracy"
- HW:
- Thursday:
- Discussion
- Questioning "The Good War": Axis and Allied Immoralities
- Nazi Invasion of Europe and the Starvation of the Soviet Union
- Japanese Invasion of China
- Sources
- The Century "Civilians at War" Part 1, Part 3, Part 4
- Admiral Gene Larocque "Interview with Studs Terkel"
- Questions:
- Admiral Larocque states that "Old men send young men to war." Do you agree with his sentiment?
- Can war ever be "good"? In WWII can we determine who the "good" side was? (Think with a past and present mind)
- HW:
Week 32: End of WWII and the Atomic Bomb: 3/27-2/30
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- The Holocaust, Survivor Testamonies, and the Historical Process
- Sources:
- Questions:
- What is the role of dehumanization in war, particularly in acts of genocide?
- How does memory impact the historical process?
- What should be the lesson that is taken away from the Holocaust? I.e. why is it important to teach? How should we teach it?
- HW
- WBA Reading Guide 545-566 DUE 4/3
- Thursday: Career Fair
- Friday:
- Discussion:
- Unconditional Surrender and the Choice to Drop the Bomb
- Sources:
- Questions:
- Do you think US officials were determined to use the Atomic bomb regardless of any realistic or unrealistic expectations?
- From what you have gathered from secondary and primary sources, what seemed the most plausible reason for why US officials decided to drop the bomb? Why do you think the majority of the public approved of the decision for several decades after the war?
Week 33: Origins of the Cold War/ Foreign and Domestic Impact: 4/3-4/5
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- Sources:
- George Kennan "Policy of Containment"
- President Truman "The Truman Doctrine"
- Henry Wallace "A Critique of Truman's Policies"
- Nikolai Novikov "A Soviet View of US Policy"
- HW
- WBA Reading Guide 570-574 & 581-601 DUE 4/10
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- Impact of the Cold War at Home
- The Burgeoning Affluent Society
- Sources:
- US Senate Committee Report "The Lavender Scare" 1950
- In-Class Work:
- Starting today and going into Tuesday of next week, you will be completing the Source Organization Guide in-class as well discuss the material. This will be due with your essay on 4/19
Week 34: 1950s Postwar Society: Affluent Society & Counter Culture: 4/10-4/13
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- Building and Critiquing Suburbia
- Consumer Culture and the Implications for Men and Women
- Voices of Discontent Amid an Age of Affluence
- In-class work:
- Sources:
- William O. Douglas "A Defense of Civil Liberities" 1952
- NYT "The Growth of Suburbia" 1949
- Malvina Reynolds "Little Boxes" 1962
- Good House Keeping "Consumer Culture and Home" 1947
- Agnes E. Meyer "Women Aren't Men" 1950
- William H. Whyte "The Organization Man" 1956
- Allen Ginsberg "America" 1956
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- Despite the turmoil of the Cold War, domestically, 1950s America is often projected as a period of contentment, conservatism, and conformity. To what extent is this assessment of American society and culture true?
- Emerging Civil Rights Movement and the Black Freedom Struggle
- Sources:
- Jo Anna Robinsom "A Protest Against Bus Segregation" 1954
- Excerpts from Eyes on the Prize - video guide
- HW
- WBA Reading Guide
- DBQ Essay Due 4/19
Week 35: Civil Rights and Vietnam: 4/17-4/19
The Great Society/ 1960s & 1970s Society Notes
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- Conflicting Ideas within the Civil Rights Movement
- From Segregation to Human Rights
- Sources:
- HW:
- Who Built America (671-676 & 690-708) DUE 4/24
- Thursday:
- Dicussion:
- Escalation Towards Vietnam & US Justifications for the War
- Critics of and Protests Against Vietnam
- Sources/ Source Questions:
- Another Vietnam - The Vietnam Perspective
- Eisenhower - "The Falling Domino Principle", 1954
- Johnson - "A Defense of the War", 1965
- The Tet Offensive, 1968
- Kent State Shootings, 1970
- Kerry - "Vietnam Veterans Against the War", 1971
Week 36: Politics and Protest in the 1960: 4/23-4/26
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- Political Protest from the Left and Right
- The Rise of Johnson's Great Society
- Sources/ Source Questions:
- Young Americans for Freedom - "The Sharon Statement", 1960
- Herblock - The Great Society
- HW/ Source Questions:
- Betty Friedan - excerpt from The Feminine Mystique, 1963
- Kathie Sarachild - "Consciousness-Raising: A Radical Weapon", 1973
- Roe v. Wade, 1973
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- I was sick, my apologies. Continue with gender and politics sources
- Sources:
- Phyllis Schafly - "The Power of the Positive Woman", 1977
- Anita Bryant - "Save Our Children", 1977
- "Why They Hate Us" - Read article and comments, no questions to answer
- HW:
Week 37: Conservative Ascendance and A Crisis of Confidence: 5/1-5/4
- Tuesday:
- Discussion:
- The Critiques of 2nd Wave Feminism and Politics of Gender Today
- Thursday:
- Discussion:
- The Conservative Ascendance: Why & How
- Sources:
- Excerpt from Perlstein's Nixonland
- Excerpt from The Sixties
- Analyzing 1968 Campaign Ads
- Nixon - "Acceptance Speech for the 1968 Election", 1968
- Friday:
- Discussion:
- HW:
- AP Review - Multiple Choice Exam - Multiple Choice Examined DUE 5/8
- HW:
- Post-WWII America: Thesis Statement Practice Due 5/8
Week 38: AP REVIEW: 5/8-5/10
- AP REVIEW SESSION THURSDAY @ 5:30
Week 39: Role of the U.S. in a Changing World: 5/15-5/18 - Project Outline & Description
- Tuesday
- Day 1: Individually:
- Read pages 9-32: "A Changing World" & "Conflict and Military Security" & complete the study guide questions DUE 5/22
- Thursday
- Day 2: In Groups:
- Discussion: Perceptions of the American Empire and U.S. Foreign Policy
- Read "Rethinking International Relations: Six Perspectives" & respond to questions 1 and 2 for each perspective
- Complete the questions corresponding to "Examining Global Opinion"
- Friday:
- Day 3: In Groups
- Discussion: Perceptions of the American Empire and U.S. Foreign Policy
Week 40: Role of the U.S. in a Changing World: 5/22-5/24
- Tuesday:
- Day 4: In Groups
- Organize your group into the following roles: foreign policy advisor, economics expert, military expert, historian
- Formulate the Core Beliefs & Values for the "future" your group will present
- HW/ In class as time allows:
- Individually: Each member of the group is responsible for finding a current news article, coinciding with their group role, that the group can utilize & reference when creating your "future" policy plan. You will make copies for your group, as well as a copy for me DUE 5/24
- Thursday:
- Day 5: In Groups
- Creating your "future" policy plan & presentation
Week 41: Role of the U.S. in a Changing World: 5/29-6/1