Tomorrow...

I will post the midterm essay prompts.

Review session after school on Wednesday: 2:45-3:45.

Midterm Essays Thurs/Friday

Midterm Multiple Choice Monday/Tuesday.

Then Winter Break!

Winter Break Extra Credit

In class today and tomorrow, we will be referencing a book called Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Check out the optional extra credit assignment based on the book here.

APUSH Update

This week, we wrap up Reconstruction and test on Thursday/Friday.

60 multiple choice and a free response question. Use the harrisheartshistorycw.blogspot.com site to get the Reconstruction study guide and check out the terms you need to know for the Civil War.

Check out this article on Lincoln, his generals, and Union strategy, if you are interested!

and Unit 5 begins...

Homework the night of the test is to read pages 425-431 and the linked article. Post a question that you have about the Civil War below.

Also, we will be using the following site as we explore the civil war and prepare for a research paper:
http://harrisheartshistorycw.blogspot.com/

Please bookmark it and take note of your class assignment.

New Resource

Some of you have been asking about other ways to study. This site:

Hippocampus

has pretty good overviews of topics and does it in little movie/visual formats. It might be a good source for study resources (and also seems to have material for other classes).

Upcoming test and DBQ

The DBQ is up first. Anything from the Jacksonian era (1824 or so) up through 1860 is fair game as far as topics go. When studying for the DBQ, think about big picture issues. Reread chapter summaries, look through focus questions, and brush up on any content that you may have missed.

The second part of the test will be 65 multiple choice questions. You will have an hour of class to complete it, after which we will be working on another activity. The study guide is up now.

For your entertainment...

Unit 4 Begins!

Homework the night of the test: read 369-380, and finish up your tea party essays.

Note--this next unit is very short. So keep up!

Upcoming Excitement!

Remember, the tea parties are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Bring a delicious treat to share. Don't forget the generalizations handout and your letter of introduction as well.

Your test is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Due to the writing you will be doing for the tea party, they will be ALL MULTIPLE CHOICE.

A study guide is available now.

Reading the Night of the Test

The new calendar is up on the tab above, but for those of you who just want to know quickly:

Read pages 249-263 and Telegram from A Parallel Universe

Also, if you need a study break (almost as good as the Alexander Hamilton rap)

:

For those of you who want a head start...

Your upcoming test will include multiple choice and a free response question. You will not know the questions in advance, however you will have a choice on the day of the test.

Study guides are now available on the "study guides" tab above.

A day--your test is Thursday, September 29th.
B day--your test is Friday, September 30th.

I will be holding a review session Wednesday, September 28th from 2:45-3:30. Come prepared with questions!

Hartford Convention Reading

For the classes on 9/27 and 9/28, please read the following link in addition to pages 237-247. Enjoy your weekend!

Hartford Convention Report and Resolutions

Okay, I realized it's a little longer than I originally thought. You may skim, but pay attention to why you think the Federalists might have developed some of the resolutions that they chose. Please take notes on the actual resolutions that are listed at the end.

Alexander Hamilton Rap

How cool is history?

Thesis Statements

If you didn't get a check plus on your American Revolution thesis statements, you will want to rewrite them and turn them in so you can get that 100!

The questions, if you need them again, are below. Feel free to come talk to me if you need help with wording or do not understand my comments. Have a great Monday!

1) Were the goals of the American revolutionaries more political or economic in nature?


2) To what extent was the American Revolution truly revolutionary? Consider social and political change in your answer.

Minorities in the Federalist Era

Remember the group letter I gave you in class today? Use that to figure out what reading you will do tonight, in addition to the book reading that everyone will do (pages 210-219).

For the online reading, please come to class with notes on your reading and at least one "juicy quote"--a sentence or two that really sums up the reading, makes you think, or that you have a question about.

Group A: Women
Abigail Adams Letter
John Adams Letter

Group B: Slavery
Washington's Will and Testament
Jefferson Letter

Group C: Western Farmers
Whiskey on the Frontier (skip video, read the Making...section and Taxing....section).
Washington's Sixth Annual Message

Group D: Native Americans
Treaty of Greenville
Tecumseh to William Henry Harrison

September 11th Anniversary

In class we talked some about the memory of September 11th and how it is used or percieved in America today. (B day, we will be spending some time on this Monday as well). For those of you that were interested, this is the article that we didn't quite get to discussing, and there are some other great stories, pictures, and videos on that site.

I was impressed by your desire to know more about the causes of September 11th--to go beyond the memory of the loss and to investigate what Nile described as the "before and after" of the event. I will try to incorporate more of that contemporary into class this year as a result.

Sorry! The weather disrupted our review.

I will be at school by 6:45 tomorrow morning if you have last-minute questions. Study your guide (see earlier post), review your summer assignment, and I'll see you in the morning. A few hours of concentrated work tonight and you will be fine :)

Mark your calendars

Study session for Unit 1 Test....September 6th, 2:45-3:45. Come prepared with questions. I will have summer assignments ready for you to pick up on Tuesday as well.

Unit 1 Study Guide  can be found here. Also remember that you can earn 3 extra credit points for taking reading notes--format is here.

If you want to try your hand at some multiple choice questions, check out the quizzes here.

Unit 1 Test: September 7th (A Day) and September 8th (B day)

"How to take Good Notes in less than Five Hours".....September 12th, 2;45-3:45. Bring your reading notes with you.

I've been really pleased with your efforts and participation so far--keep up the good work!

Day 1 Homework--Howard Zinn

Please read the first chapter of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. You can stop when you get to the line, "That, being as blunt as I can, is my approach to the history of the United States. The reader may as well know that before going on."  You DO NOT NEED TO PRINT IT OUT OR READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER; however you should take notes for extra credit.

Some of this material will be familiar to you based on your summer assignment. Read it not so much for the content, but for the style and point of view. What kind of evidence does Zinn use? What kind of bias does he present? What version of history does he claim to talk about? Be prepared to discuss these questions in our next class.

Website Changes

If you are looking for the primary source analysis questions, or the content questions, please use these links or look at the Summer Assignment page. I've had to move things around a bit as we get ready for classes to start.

Current Event #10: US Issues New Deportation Policy's First Reprieves

Immigration has been an issue for a long time in this country, but is has also, at points in our history, had enormous benefits for our nation. This article talks about how the Obama administration is going to alter its deportation policy. Who is it going to protect? Does this make sense to you? What do you think our immigration policy should be like? (Consider--should there be limits to who is allowed in? Who is deported? What about children who come to this country at a young age or who are born here to illegal immigrant parents?)

Please be aware when you write that although you may believe that illegal immigration is wrong, it is also a fact that in our city and state there are many people who have immigrated here, some legally and some without papers. So please, state your opinions, but be respectful in your tone and understand that there may be a great variety of ideas and feelings on this topic, based on our own experiences, interactions, and backgrounds.

This is the last current event I will post; I'm looking forward to seeing all of you on Thursday & Friday. Good luck finishing up your assignment!

I have had a few questions about the quiz.

There will be no word bank. Welcome to the big time, boys and girls.

Current Event #9: 8 Republican Candidates Trade Attacks

The Republicans had an early debate last night. Read the recap here or check out the debate itself here. How do you see the Republican nominating process turning out? Who do you think will be the likely nominee, and why?

You might notice...

A few changes on the website over the next couple of days. All the things you need for your summer assignment will still be there, but I need to start getting us ready for the school year and we will continue to use this blog a lot. So, please be patient and look around if you can't automatically find the page you are looking for. It's there. And if you really can't find what you need or have questions, just shoot me an email. I'm happy to help.

You're all probably done with the assignment already, right? So this next point really doesn't matter:

Any comments posted after midnight on Wednesday, August 24th, will be counted as late and I will knock some points off. You need to go to bed early...you have school the next day.

Current Event #8: Arne Duncan to Override NCLB

This one hits a little close to home, because it's all about schools. Read the latest news on the Obama's administration's plan for No Child Left Behind. Then tell us what you think--does it make sense to let states or schools that are not meeting 100% proficiency to get out of that requirement? Think about your own experience in public schools--is high-stakes testing meaningful, perhaps not as a way to gauge all of your learning, but at least as a way to set minimum requirements? There is a lot to talk about here.

Also, note that current events 1-3 are locked and you can no longer comment on them. I will try to post a few more possibilities this week as we get closer to school. 

Good luck!

Current Event #7: Could a 3rd Party Work?

The frustration with the Republicans and Democrats over the debt issue  has left some pundits wondering if perhaps this is an opportunity for a 3rd party to make a difference. Read the New York Times editorial on the issue, and let me know what you think. Is there room for a 3rd party in American politics? If so, whose voice do you see it representing? Do you think this organization, Americans Elect, has a chance?

August is Upon Us...

Which means its crunch time for summer assignments. A reminder to read the whole assignment before you get to work.

While the online comments and responses are important, don't forget that on day 1 you will be quizzed on content and vocabulary AND that you will need to turn in hand-written copies of the answers to the content questions and primary source analyses.

Enjoy the last few weeks and let me know if you have questions!

Current Event #6: The Debt

I've been avoiding the debt issue because it's a little complicated. However, the length of the debate over whether or not we raise our debt ceiling I think reflects the major concerns and political conflicts in our time. Essentially, this is an issue that in the past has not been an issue. The 7.s. sets a limit on how much debt we let ourselves have, we get close to that number, and Congress typically votes to raise the limit. Not raising the ceiling and going over it would hurt our international economic reputation, as it would mean we were defaulting on some loans, and could cause market troubles in the U.S. However, some politicians have raised the issue that maybe the U.S. should cut our spending before we allow our debt to increase...which makes good sense from a personal financial perspective, right? You wouldn't want to take out new loans just to continue buying shoes you don't need. The problem is, the government isn't buying shoes, they are spending money on programs that benefit U.S. citizens.

That's a simple overview. Read what President Obama says on the issue, summarize his thoughts, and share your own reaction. Are there some services a government must provide, or some we can cut?. Why is this decision taking such a long time to make--is it a tough issue or bad politics?

Also...I've locked the comments on Current Event #1 and #2. Time to focus on some more recent issues. Don't forget about your primary sources either!

Update: I'm locking the comments on this since the debt bill has been passed.  A good overview of how that ended is here.

Current Event #5: Stumped

Hi there. So this week I am still in Mexico, learning lots to share with you all in September. For this week, since my internet is a little wonky here, I am going to invite you to post a link to a new sorry from a reputable source, and explain why you think it is important for Americans to pay attention to this particular story. The rule, however, is that you cannot post on the same topic as someone else, unless you are linking to an article that reflects a different point of view.

Oh, and no new Harry Potter movie stories!

Current Event #4

I am at the start of a month long trip to Mexico right now (in fact I saw a few Jordan students in airport at 5 a.m. on the morning I left), so I may be a little slow to respond to emails or post. But, that's no reason to ignore U.S. politics! Read a little about SC governor Nikki Haley here. What do you think makes her an appealing choice as a leader of the Republican party? Looking ahead to the 2012 election, what kind of candidate do you think the Republicans will need to choose in order to try and defeat Obama?

Happy early Fourth of July!

Current Event #3: Ron Paul Bill Would End Federal War on Marijuana

This one will get you talking. Read the summary and think about the questions that Friedersdorf asks. Try to focus not as much on whether or not marijuana should be legalized, but about the issue of who has the right to decide--the states or the federal government. It's the answer to that question that will have a much more meaningful impact on how our government develops over the next few decades.

Current Event #2: Sing Out, Hillary

Should Hillary have been more forceful in pushing the Saudi Arabian government for more rights for women (like simply driving)? Summarize Maureen Dowd's opinion, and then tell us what you think. What comes first, diplomacy (and good relations with other countries) or the rights of individuals in those countries?

We have our first comment on a post!

Thank you for braving the waters. A reminder to everybody that a good chunk of this assignment is online. You need to a) respond to the primary source discussion questions in the comments (in addition to writing down the document analysis: author, place and time, prior knowledge, etc...) and b) comment on three of the current events that I will post throughout the summer.

Hope you all are making the most of your time off from school. I'm going to be a history teacher nerd extraordinaire this weekend and learn lots about African-Americans in North Carolina prior to the Civil War. Enjoy the sunshine and read some books!

P.S. If you are still confused about the assignment, make sure you read the "Read Me First" and then shoot me an email.

Current Event #1: US Funding Secret Internet for Dissidents Abroad

Read the following article from the Atlantic Wire: U.S. Funding Secret Internet Access for Dissidents Abroad. This seemed like a good fit for our summer assignment, which relies on the power of the web. So what do you think--is internet access a basic human right? Can you foresee potential problems as a result of this? Is it in the best interests of the American government to promote revolutions or anti-government activity around the world? Feel free to respond to these or other questions in the comments.

Reminder: Comments should be 100-200 words and can offer your opinion on the topic at hand, respond to a classmate’s comment, or ask questions related to the material. Remember that your writing will be posted for all to see—therefore it should be carefully proofread, reflect thoughtful analysis, and be respectful of others ideas. Do not wait until August to write all three required comments!

Primary Source #4: William Penn

Read Penn's advertisement

What, in Penn’s eyes, makes his colony different from the other British colonies? How accurate do you think his description was?
.

Primary Source #3: Nathaniel Bacon

Read Bacon's declaration

Were Bacon’s complaints more economic or political in nature? Do you think this had an impact on the rebellion’s success?
.

Primary Source #2: John Winthrop

Read Winthrop's sermon.

Did colonial New Englanders stay true to John Winthrop’s vision? Is America today "a city upon a hill"?

Primary Source #1: Captain John Smith

Read Smith's exchange with Powhatan.

How accurately does this exchange reflect the relationship between Native Americans and British settlers in Virginia? What about elsewhere in the North American colonies?

The Assignment--Read Me First!

The AP curriculum is far too broad to be covered effectively in the just the class time we have together. Therefore, it’s important that you develop a familiarity with the main themes of the course, embrace some of the skills of close reading and analysis that are necessary for the class, and begin to cover the required content over the summer. Hopefully, this summer assignment will help you to do that in a meaningful way. Its basic requirements:

1)      Complete hand-written answers to nine content questions and familiarize yourself with the terms in italics. Be prepared for a quiz on this material on the first day of class.

2)      Complete four document analyses according to the rubric on the site and post a 100-200 word response to the questions below each document. These responses should be posted as comments. Your document analyses should be handwritten and turned in with part #1 on the first day of class.

3)      Stay current with news issues in the United States and read a variety of sources. I will facilitate this by posting weekly articles with questions on the blog. You will need to write 3 comments responding to articles over the course of the summer. Comments should be 100-200 words and can offer your opinion on the topic at hand, respond to a classmate’s comment, or ask questions related to the material. Remember that your writing will be posted for all to see—therefore it should be carefully proofread, reflect thoughtful analysis, and be respectful of others ideas.  Please do not wait until August to write all three responses, post your answers directly to the site and sign with your first name and last initial.

Grading:

• 1/2 test grade: Written answers will count for 7 points each (63 total) + primary source analysis and comments count as 9 points each (36 total) + a point for being you.
• Quiz grade for your current events responses.
• Quiz on day one of class on content/vocabulary.