US History
Welcome to US History! I am excited about the new school year, and hope you are too. US History is a challenging course. To do well in this course, you will be required to synthesize a large amount of information about our nation’s history in one short semester. You will also be expected to develop your skills in reading and writing about history. Accomplishing these goals requires time and effort. Prepare to work hard.
Course Description (taken from Durham Public Schools’ Program of Studies):
This course is the continuation of Civics and Economics. It centers on economic and political developments, social and cultural trends, domestic and foreign policies, and important personalities and events that have shaped the United States. This course begins with the administration of George Washington and continues to the present. Student learning goes beyond memorization of isolated facts to higher order thinking using primary sources to support historical assessments.
Course Goals and Objectives: “Students of United States History learn of our nation’s past in order to gain historical perspective: to determine how past events have influenced our own times and have determined the options open to us as we seek solutions to upcoming problems.”
A handout will be provided that describes the twelve goals and their accompanying objectives, as determined by the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The handout will also include the Common Core goals and objectives for historical literacy.
−−−−−−−−−−−Outline of Units−−−−−−−−−−−−−
Unit 1: The New Nation (1789-1820)
Unit 2: Expansion and Reform (1801-1850)
Unit 3: Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction (1848-1877)
Unit 4: The Great West and the Rise of the Debtor (1860s-1896)
Unit 5: Becoming an Industrial Society (1877-1900)
Unit 6: The Emergence of the United States in World Affairs (1890-1914)
Unit 7: The Progressive Movement in the United States (1890-1914)
Unit 8: The Great War and Its Aftermath (1914-1930)
Unit 9: Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939)
Unit 10: World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War (1930s-1963)
Unit 11: Recovery, Prosperity, and Turmoil (1945-1980)
Unit 12: The United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present)
Classroom Policies and Procedures
Late Work: If a student does not complete an assignment, the assignment can be turned in the following day. The highest grade a student can earn on a late assignment is a 70. If an assignment is turned in after its unit is finished (for example, if a student turns in an assignment from Unit 2 while the class is studying Unit 4), the highest grade a student may earn is a 50. I reserve the right to require alternative assignments for make-up work, particularly if the original assignment could be easily copied from a fellow student. After three missed assignments or three late assignments, I will call home to speak with a parent.
Absences and Make-up Work: You will receive a weekly syllabus every Monday. This syllabus, along with all of the necessary assignments and instructions will be posted on the class website. You are responsible for using the syllabus to plan your work schedule, keep track of deadlines, and complete nightly homework assignments. This document will be your tool to get back on track if you are absent. Find an “absent buddy” early in the year – someone whom you can call and from whom you can borrow notes, etc. Please understand that any work known about before a missed day is due the day you return to school. Note: If you are absent on a test day, you will take the test the next day during lunch.
Grading Issues and Academic Integrity: Cheating in all its forms (copying homework, sharing test questions/answers, “borrowing” information without citing it, using outside sources to complete work that should be your own, and plagiarizing internet papers) is the worst kind of academic and personal dishonesty. Don’t do it. We will talk further about this issue.
Grades will be weighted as follows:
Expectations for Participation: Students should come to class prepared and ready to learn. It is expected for each student to participate in class discussions as an active and respectful member of the learning community. Remember: Participation is a part of your overall grade. A rubric for class participation grades is available upon request.
Hall Passes: Students are not permitted to leave class during the first twenty minutes or the last twenty minutes. Only one student is allowed out of the room at a time. You will receive two hall passes for the semester. Students may not leave the room, unless they use one of their hall passes. I will make exceptions for emergency situations.
Classroom Rules
Supplies Needed for this Course
I hope you find this syllabus helpful for you as you begin a new semester. I look forward to working with you.
Binder Log (updated)
Week-by-Week Syllabus
Course Description (taken from Durham Public Schools’ Program of Studies):
This course is the continuation of Civics and Economics. It centers on economic and political developments, social and cultural trends, domestic and foreign policies, and important personalities and events that have shaped the United States. This course begins with the administration of George Washington and continues to the present. Student learning goes beyond memorization of isolated facts to higher order thinking using primary sources to support historical assessments.
Course Goals and Objectives: “Students of United States History learn of our nation’s past in order to gain historical perspective: to determine how past events have influenced our own times and have determined the options open to us as we seek solutions to upcoming problems.”
A handout will be provided that describes the twelve goals and their accompanying objectives, as determined by the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The handout will also include the Common Core goals and objectives for historical literacy.
−−−−−−−−−−−Outline of Units−−−−−−−−−−−−−
Unit 1: The New Nation (1789-1820)
Unit 2: Expansion and Reform (1801-1850)
Unit 3: Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction (1848-1877)
Unit 4: The Great West and the Rise of the Debtor (1860s-1896)
Unit 5: Becoming an Industrial Society (1877-1900)
Unit 6: The Emergence of the United States in World Affairs (1890-1914)
Unit 7: The Progressive Movement in the United States (1890-1914)
Unit 8: The Great War and Its Aftermath (1914-1930)
Unit 9: Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939)
Unit 10: World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War (1930s-1963)
Unit 11: Recovery, Prosperity, and Turmoil (1945-1980)
Unit 12: The United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present)
Classroom Policies and Procedures
Late Work: If a student does not complete an assignment, the assignment can be turned in the following day. The highest grade a student can earn on a late assignment is a 70. If an assignment is turned in after its unit is finished (for example, if a student turns in an assignment from Unit 2 while the class is studying Unit 4), the highest grade a student may earn is a 50. I reserve the right to require alternative assignments for make-up work, particularly if the original assignment could be easily copied from a fellow student. After three missed assignments or three late assignments, I will call home to speak with a parent.
Absences and Make-up Work: You will receive a weekly syllabus every Monday. This syllabus, along with all of the necessary assignments and instructions will be posted on the class website. You are responsible for using the syllabus to plan your work schedule, keep track of deadlines, and complete nightly homework assignments. This document will be your tool to get back on track if you are absent. Find an “absent buddy” early in the year – someone whom you can call and from whom you can borrow notes, etc. Please understand that any work known about before a missed day is due the day you return to school. Note: If you are absent on a test day, you will take the test the next day during lunch.
Grading Issues and Academic Integrity: Cheating in all its forms (copying homework, sharing test questions/answers, “borrowing” information without citing it, using outside sources to complete work that should be your own, and plagiarizing internet papers) is the worst kind of academic and personal dishonesty. Don’t do it. We will talk further about this issue.
Grades will be weighted as follows:
- Tests 30%
- Projects/Papers 30%
- Portfolio 5%
- Homework, Classwork, and Quizzes 15%
- Class Participation/Notebook Checks 10%
- STEM Project 10%
Expectations for Participation: Students should come to class prepared and ready to learn. It is expected for each student to participate in class discussions as an active and respectful member of the learning community. Remember: Participation is a part of your overall grade. A rubric for class participation grades is available upon request.
Hall Passes: Students are not permitted to leave class during the first twenty minutes or the last twenty minutes. Only one student is allowed out of the room at a time. You will receive two hall passes for the semester. Students may not leave the room, unless they use one of their hall passes. I will make exceptions for emergency situations.
Classroom Rules
- Be in your seat and prepared to start class when the bell rings.
- Raise your hand to speak or to ask permission to leave your seat.
- Use respectful language when speaking to the teacher, your classmates, and guests.
- Maintain appropriate personal space.
- Keep all electronics off and out of sight.
- No food, drinks, or gum. Water is okay.
- Remain seated and on task until I dismiss you.
Supplies Needed for this Course
I hope you find this syllabus helpful for you as you begin a new semester. I look forward to working with you.
Binder Log (updated)
Week-by-Week Syllabus