U.S.

History Syllabus 2014-15

United States History with Victoria Pang

Contact: vpang@mosesbrown.org
Course Website: victoriapang.weebly.com

Overview:
Why study United States History? History is more than just a list of facts, figures and dates.
Rather, history is the exploration of how ideas, populations, and technologies have evolved
over time. U.S. history helps us to understand how the legacies of the past profoundly
impact us today.

This course will prepare you to become full participants in U.S. society and will enable you
to navigate contemporary social issues. Why are particular groups in the United States
struggling today while others are, on average, finding economic success? Why does the
nation still struggle with issues of inequality in jobs, education, and politics? This year, we
will answer these questions and more through understanding the enduring legacy of
historical events.

Key Concepts:
Have you ever heard the old adage that history is written by the winners? The winners
story of the past tells us the dominant narrative, or the story with which most people are
familiar. This unfortunately means that there are many myths and misunderstandings in
dominant historical narratives. During this course we will analyze primary sources
understand multiple perspectives in history. Some key concepts we will explore include:

1. Who have been the major participants in the development and expansion of
American democracy? Which voices were heard during the founding of the republic
and which voices were neglected?
2. In what ways has the federal government intervened to define the political,
economic, and social rights of ordinary citizens? Why?
3. How have changing conditions created new opportunities to expand democracy in
the United States?
4. How has the Constitution helped to foster improvement for the political, social, and
economic status of Blacks, women, and Native Americans? How might the
Constitution have hindered this progress?

Essential Questions for U.S. History:
The essential questions for this course are recurring themes we will explore regardless of
the historical time period we are studying. These essential questions will guide you to the
enduring understandings of the course (and, ensure your success on semester exams!) The
essential questions are:

1. How has democracy in the United States expanded since 1789 and why?
2. Who or what has been responsible for this expansion?
3. Who were the winners and losers in economic and political life? Why?

U.S. History Syllabus 2014-15


History Skills:
In addition to honing your reading, writing and discussion skills, this course will continue
to cultivate a set of skills that are key to being able to think historically. Throughout the
year, you will practice and strengthen your ability to:

Establish chronological order when constructing an argument
Use primary courses to explain historical continuity and change in writing
and in discussion
Analyze cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation
Synthesize evidence from multiple sources
Explain the significance of key historical figures and their decisions as well as
key events in U.S. history
Challenge arguments of historical inevitability
Identify and describe patterns of continuity and change
Locate sources and summarize their mail points
Evaluate major debates among historians

Course Materials:
The required books for this course are:
Inheriting the Trade by Thomas Norman DeWolf
Give Me Liberty (Brief Third Edition) by Eric Foner

Please note that in addition to these readings, I will assign a variety of sources to deepen
and enhance your understanding. These sources will include articles, primary sources, and
videos. Supplementary materials should be treated as extensions of the textbook and I will
expect you to refer to them in major assignments and semester exams.

Supplies:
Below is a short list of supplies you will need for this course. If you cannot obtain these
items for financial reasons or have any issue at all, please do not hesitate to email me or
speak to me after class privately and I will ensure that you receive the items.

1. A binder or folder: Please plan to have a binder or folder you use exclusively for
this course. Use this folder to collect supplementary handouts and sources from me
throughout the year, which I expect you to refer to in major assignments.
2. A ruled-notebook: Each student should have a ruled notebook (single-subject is
sufficient) in which you will take notes and complete in-class assignments. I will
frequently collect this notebook to track your progress.

Course Website:
I have created a website to accompany this course. The URL is: victoriapang.weebly.com.
To find U.S. History, drag your cursor over 11
th
and click on the unit we are currently
studying. On the website, you will find the supplementary texts for the course including any
U.S. History Syllabus 2014-15
relevant videos. As a general rule, please check the website once a week and especially on
nights when I specifically ask you to refer to it.
Components of Your Grade:
I will evaluate your work through the combination of:
Homework Tests/Quizzes Class
Participation
Essays Harkness discussion & notes Projects


Grading Procedure:
Assignments will be worth a particular number of points which represents the maximum
points you can earn. Each marking period, I will add up the total points earned and divide
this sum by the total points possible and multiply this figure by 100. The resulting
percentage will be your grade for the marking period.

Each Semester:
First marking period = 40%
Second marking period = 40%
Semester Exam = 20%

Year-End Course Grade:
First Semester = 50%
Second Semester = 50%

U.S. History- Honors Levels
U.S. History is an academically rigorous college-preparatory course. If you are interested in
pursuing a further academic distinction in history, I invite you to register for Honors U.S.
History. All the information about U.S. History applies to Honors. Along with completing the
college-preparatory requirements, the honors student must complete additional
requirements. These honors-level requirements are described in a separate handout.

Classroom Expectations:

Day-to-Day Arrive to class on time ready to learn.
Take notes when instructed.
Treat each other with respect.
Participate. This learning experience is about you!
Technology Do not use laptops in class unless given permission for a
relevant assignment.
Do not use smartphones in class. Please be respectful of
the time I have taken to plan a thoughtful lesson and take
this opportunity to learn from the words of your peers.
Academic Honesty Please follow Moses Browns policy of academic honesty.
If you have a question about whether something is
plagiarism, please do not hesitate to ask.
U.S. History Syllabus 2014-15
Classroom Controversy Communicate when you have an academic disagreement
using evidence. Be clear that you disagree with the idea,
and that you are not attacking the classmate presenting
that idea.