Advanced Placement United States History Mr. Brian Murray Room M-105 [email protected]

Course Overview In this course, we will study the evolution of America beginning with pre-Columbian native cultures and continuing to the present time. This survey explores political, social, economic, cultural, and diplomatic themes to reveal the individuals and institutions that have shaped the American experience. The course is divided into key eras with a thematic approach that will encourage you to draw connections across time and place. Your textbook is the 16th edition of The American Pageant. You will each be given access to an online version of the text, with numerous supplemental resources. All students in APUSH are required to take the AP United States History Exam in May, and also the Regents Exam in United States History & Government in June, which will count as your Final Exam.

Expectations APUSH is a rigorous class with a demanding work load. It is my expectation that by electing to take this course, you are looking to go beyond a cursory summary of the topics we will cover, and are interested in developing a deeper understanding of critical events in our nation’s history. You are expected to participate actively in class. Active participation does not mean having all of the answers. In fact, the most valuable participation often means asking the right questions. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. To do so is a sign of strength, not ignorance. Your homework will consist of nightly reading assignments. It is very important that you stay on top of the reading, completing the work as assigned, and that you are analytical in your approach to the text. Along with the reading assignments you will be asked to respond to a selection of short answer questions. Each response should be 1-2 strong paragraphs. These responses are to be typed and may or may not be collected and graded. Reading quizzes will also be given. You should have a three ring binder to store the readings and assignments you complete throughout the year. These readings, along with your class notes, will serve as a valuable study guide throughout the year. Your reading assignments will be distributed in advance and posted on my website: www.shakerapush.com. The assignments will be posted well in advance. It is your responsibility to anticipate when you may have a conflict and to complete your assignments ahead of time.

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Grade Because the AP US History curriculum has been thoroughly updated this year, this course will necessary evolve as well when compared with past years. This opens up a number of exciting opportunities, but at this time I can not say with certainty exactly how the assignments I have in mind will fit within the structure of the grading policy. Your quarter grade will be determined by averaging the following components, although the exact percentages may be modified: • Tests & Quizzes (45%)

• Participation (25%)

• HW/Reading Assignments (30%) As much as possible, tests will be made of questions that have appeared on past AP exams, while quizzes may be drawn from other similar sources. Each test typically will contain multiple choice questions and an essay and will be administered over two days. The value of this is that you will become quite familiar with the style and difficulty level of AP questions, so that there will be no surprises on the AP Exam in May. Cheating or plagiarism are never accepted and will result in an automatic zero on the test or assignment. Further discipline will follow based on Shaker High School policies. This may include, depending on the type of offense, referral to the Plagiarism Committee, school administration, and/ or Student Ethics Committee. Remember also that cheating and plagiarism will negatively affect your eligibility for National Honor Society and the willingness of teachers to write college letters of recommendation on your behalf.

Website I will post all assignments and schedules on the class website, www.shakerapush.com. The website also contains my email address, and a blog which I will use to post notices about tests and may also from time to time post discussion questions or links to interesting material found online. You should check the site regularly. If you have questions at any time about schedules, assignments, or content, please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected]

Summary It is my hope that you thoroughly enjoy this class. I want you to walk away with a deeper appreciation for the complex narrative that is our nation’s history. I also want you to develop the critical reading and writing skills, analytical skills and public speaking skills that you will need regardless of where life takes you once you leave the hallowed halls of The Shaker High School. You will need to be self-motivated to succeed in this class. There is no route to success that does not include hard work. With that said, it is my job and my desire to help you to succeed in any way I can. I am available during the day and after school and am happy to respond to your emails ([email protected]). The only problem I cannot fix is the one I do not know about, so please talk to me if you feel like you are struggling or overwhelmed. We can work together to develop a plan to get you back on track.

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