Advanced Placement United States History

Lakeside High School

Why Take AP US History?

• Some students seek the opportunity to be challenged academically while in high school.

• Others appreciate the chance to be exempt from the introductory level of a course in college.

Course Description

The AP U.S. History course is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. History. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials- their relevance to a given interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An AP U.S. History course should develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format.

Themes in AP U.S. History The course will trace the following themes throughout the school year,

emphasizing the ways in which they are interconnected and examining the ways in which each helps to shape the changes over time, the importance to

studying the history of the United States.

• American Diversity • American Identity • Culture• Demographic Changes• Economic

Transformations• Environment

• Globalization• Politics and Citizenship• Reform• Religion• Slavery and it’s Legacies

in North America• War and Diplomacy

Units of Study

• Colonization• The American

Revolutionary Era• The Early Republic• Antebellum America• The Union in Crisis &

American Civil War

• Reconstruction & The Development of the West

• Industrial America & The Progressive Era

• The Emergence of America in the 20th Century

• The Great Depression & World War II

• Modern America

What makes AP US History Different?

• Expectations

• Time Commitment

• Time Management

• Reading Load

• Writing Skills

• Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills

• AP Exam

The AP US History Exam

Multiple-Choice (Section I)

80 Questions ……………. 55 minutes

Free-Response (Section II)

Part A: DBQ……………… 15 minutes +

45 minutes

Part B and C …………….. 70 minutes

What the students say!

“I have always thought that History was terribly boring – until now. AP US History is one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken. I encourage all to take this course.”

“As hard as it is, you’ll learn more than you have thus far. It will really change your outlook on history.”

What the students say!

“This course requires an open mind and responsibility. Just read, read and read some more, take notes and practice your writing skills.”

“I wish someone would have told me that just because so many people take the course, it does not mean I have to. Also, consider how difficult the junior year is before taking on a more advance course.”