Introduction: History and the American Identity In order to understand the nature of history and the development of an American identity, the students will be able to: Analyze the importance of studying history: the nature of history, writing history and writing about history, and interpretations of history Evaluate the development of the Identity”: the impact of geography on the “American American character and evaluating the creation of an Identity”. “American Reading Assignment: Study History?” (Peter N. Stearns) “Why Class Discussion: Discussion of the importance of understanding history. Share information on the themes of U.S. History and process for understanding concepts of history. PERIOD 1: 1491-1607 Unit 1: Pre-Columbian History Reading Assignments: Chapter 1 The American Pageant, American Spirit, pgs 3-6 Content Demographics of Europe, the Americas, and West Africa; Meso-American culture; transatlantic commerce Comparison of colonies across the Americas (religion, economies, politics, cultures); and foundations of slavery. Major Assignments and Assessments Underline or annotate (highlight) the important facts. Choose one idea or that is most important. Take Cornell Notes on the chapter. A summary of what was read must be included at the end of the notes. Students will be divided into groups, each one given a different pre-contact native population to research. As part of an oral presentation, groups will create a visual showing the social, political, and economic structures and interaction with the environment and other groups. Working in groups, students develop a class presentation that analyzes reasons for the development of different labor systems in any two of the following regions of British colonial settlement: New England, the Chesapeake, the southernmost Atlantic coast, and the British West Indies. (WXT-4) Providing a copy of article, Columbus’ journal, and using readings, The American Spirit students will write an in-class essay, which includes a thesis statement, responding to the question, hero or villain?”. Using (pages 3-6) readings, The American Spirit “Columbus: students will identify the European view of Native Americans. Gines de Sepulveda “Juan Belittles the Indians”(1547) and de Las Casas Defends the Indians” (1552), “Bartoleme Howard Zinn of Columbus”. “Historiography
Introduction: History and the American Identity In order to understand the nature of history and the development of an American identity, the students will be able to: Analyze the importance of studying history: the nature of history, writing history and writing about history, and interpretations of history Evaluate the development of the “American Identity”: the impact of geography on the American character and evaluating the creation of an “American Identity”. Reading Assignment: “Why Study History?” (Peter N. Stearns) Class Discussion: Discussion of the importance of understanding history. Share information on the themes of U.S. History and process for understanding concepts of history. PERIOD 1: 1491-1607 Unit 1: Pre-Columbian History Reading Assignments: The American Pageant, Chapter 1 American Spirit, pgs 3-6 Content Demographics of Europe, the Americas, and West Africa; Meso-American culture; transatlantic commerce Comparison of colonies across the Americas (religion, economies, politics, cultures); and foundations of slavery. Major Assignments and Assessments Underline or annotate (highlight) the important facts. Choose one idea or that is most important. Take Cornell Notes on the chapter. A summary of what was read must be included at the end of the notes. Students will be divided into groups, each one given a different pre-contact native population to research. As part of an oral presentation, groups will create a visual showing the social, political, and economic structures and interaction with the environment and other groups. Working in groups, students develop a class presentation that analyzes reasons for the development of different labor systems in any two of the following regions of British colonial settlement: New England, the Chesapeake, the southernmost Atlantic coast, and the British West Indies. (WXT-4) Providing a copy of article, Columbus’ journal, and using The American Spirit readings, students will write an in-class essay, which includes a thesis statement, responding to the question, “Columbus: hero or villain?”. Using The American Spirit (pages 3-6) readings, students will identify the European view of Native Americans. “Juan Gines de Sepulveda Belittles the Indians”(1547) and “Bartoleme de Las Casas Defends the Indians” (1552), Howard Zinn “Historiography of Columbus”.
worcester_county_ap_u.s._history_syllabus_july_2014.docx