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U.S. History Course Perspective
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by Ron Olson
Teacher
AP U.S. History
Governor John R. Rogers High School
Washington
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| | Please note: The official College Board® Course Description is available below in "More."
AP U.S. History is a demanding introduction to American history and culture that assumes a high level of interest and competence. Because this course is similar to a first-year college course, students should expect that the workload will be heavier than most regular high school history courses. The analytical thinking, writing, and reading skills that students develop in AP U.S. History will equip them for college and lifelong learning.
In order to succeed, students need both to be motivated to study and to be able to keep up with the demands of a college-level course. By taking the AP Exam at the end of the course, students have the opportunity to demonstrate that they have, indeed, learned college-level material and are prepared to enter advanced college courses.
AP U.S. History integrates political, social, economic, cultural, diplomatic, and intellectual history in order to convey the experiences of particular groups within the broader perspective of the American past. At the same time, it connects events and issues from the past to the concerns of the present. History shows Americans continuously adapting to new developments as they shape the world in which they live. Often, ordinary Americans from a diverse range of backgrounds are thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the result is an exciting study in the "American experiment." As students study this long-term process, they will also encounter the unexpected -- unique events, unintended outcomes, and singular individuals. A strong course that prepares students to become "students of history" should include the following points for emphasis:
- chronological organization
- geographical literacy
- point of view
- political dynamics
- economic patterns
- social and cultural trends
- intellectual developments
- influences on the arts
Throughout the year, instructors should use a variety of teaching methods and strategies to assist their students in learning the necessary content and skills for the course. Typically, a course in AP U.S. History will include a quality college-level text and access to primary documents (in texts, in libraries, or on the Web). In general, the first semester should begin with early colonization in the 1500s and 1600s and end with Reconstruction or the late 1800s. The second semester may cover the period from the early twentieth century to the present. In addition to the historical content an AP course should also train students to analyze and interpret historical documents, assess the validity of historical propositions and build an effective argument. It is desirable to practice writing skills frequently in order to prepare students for the free response section of the examination. The coursework has to be completed by the end of April to allow time for a review of material for the AP U.S. History Exam in early May.
Teachers and students alike will be challenged and rewarded for the time and effort put into a quality AP course.
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