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Curriculum Unit: The Age of Jackson
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by Cora Greer
University of Maine at Machias
Machias, Maine
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An Eight-Day Unit
This unit defines the Age of Jackson as lasting from 1824 to 1840. With regard to that time period, it explores the following topics: politics, democracy and the common man, the reform impulse, and increased sectional tensions. The unit is not text-specific and, therefore, can be modified to accommodate any textbook. It is, for instance, perfectly legitimate to study abolition while studying the nature of the "Peculiar Institution." In this unit, abolition is examined primarily for its impact on sectional tensions. Teachers will be obliged to use another unit to study abolition in relation to slavery, reform, and the general conditions of African American life in the antebellum period.
Since the AP U.S. History Exam occurs in early May, those who teach the class are always the captives of time. For that reason, you should not spend more than eight days on this unit, two of which should be used for student evaluation. If unforeseen occurrences (e.g., assemblies, athletic events, sickness) cut the number of class days, reorganize your schedule to cover as much as possible in the time you have. Remember, too, that you need to allot a week for review prior to the AP Exam in May. Thus, time lost in October can be made up during review.
Some teachers may find expanding this unit -- to include Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War, or the Industrial Revolution -- works best for them. This approach is certainly valid, but teachers doing so should change the "big picture" statement/question to reflect the addition of new material. Primary-source documents should also be adjusted to accommodate the changes.
This unit is designed for 50-minute class periods; those using block scheduling should make appropriate adjustments.
Unit Contents
 I. Outline of Content to Be Covered
II. Primary-Source Documents
III. Categorization and Synthesizing Strategies for Unit Review
IV. Evaluation Options
V. Past DBQs and FRQs Based on the Age of Jackson
Cora Greer has taught in California, Massachusetts, and Maine, most recently at the University of Maine at Machias. She has served as Reader and Table Leader at the AP U.S. History Reading; been a consultant in AP U.S. History, Building Success, and Vertical Teams; and won the College Board New England Region's Advanced Placement Recognition Award for Excellence in Teaching.
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