U.S. History Honors

Course Information

This is a more intensive approach to the standard U.S. History course which emphasizes the history of the United States from 1607 to present. A lot more work and responsibility is placed on the student. Many of the assignments are done on an independent basis. Thus, students must be able to work well independently, be self-starters and highly motivated. Students will explore the culture, economics, geography, governance and civics, history, and individuals, groups and interaction of each major period. Students will be administered an end of course exam which merely counts as a percentage of the student’s grade.

This course will include multiple assessments exemplifying coursework (such as short answer, constructed-response prompts, performance-based tasks, open-ended questions, essays, original or creative interpretations, authentic products, portfolios, and analytical writing). Additionally, the course shall include a minimum of five of the following components each semester:

  • Extended reading assignments that connect with the specified curriculum.
  • Research based writing assignments that address and extend the course curriculum.
  • Projects that apply course curriculum to relevant or real-world situations.
  • Open-ended investigations in which the student selects the questions and designs the research.
  • Writing assignments that demonstrate a variety of modes, purposes and styles.
  • Deeper exploration of the culture, values and history of the discipline.
  • Extensive opportunities for problem solving experiences through imagination, critical analysis, and application.

Reading Expectations

Students must read and study to gain the wealth of knowledge necessary to meet the requirements for an honors class. Students will be tested almost weekly on class assignments and/or projects. Students are expected to read from a variety of sources including essays, articles, biographies, primary sources, and documents. They will also study and interpret maps, charts, graphs, political cartoons, broadsides, posters, etc. Students are expected to interpret, analyze and evaluate information from the readings.

Writing Expectations

Students are expected to write regularly and effectively, particularly the writing of essays using a thesis. Writing assignments might include essays, book reviews, document based questions, journals and research papers. All writing assignments should incorporate the historical research process including the development of research questions, the gathering of data and information (research), the formulation of a hypothesis, the collection of evidence, analyzing and interpreting evidence, and writing conclusions in narrative form.

Projects/Open-ended Investigations and Problem-Solving

Students will be encouraged to develop projects that allow for the deeper investigation and exploration of cultures, values, and history. These projects may fall in one of the following categories: table-top exhibits, documentaries which incorporate various media and technology, performances, or research papers.

Course of Study

  • The Founding of America/The American Revolution
  • The Struggle for Human Rights (1789 – 1860)
  • Industrial Development
  • Corruption and Reform
  • The Gilded Age
  • Westward Movement and Indian Wars
  • Populism and Grange Movement
  • Emergence of Modern America
  • World War I
  • Roaring Twenties
  • The Great Depression
  • The Holocaust
  • World War II
  • F.D.R.
  • The Cold War
  • America in World Leadership

Writing Requirements

Everyone is required to write a 3 to 5 page, double-spaced typed paper on ‘Life in colonial America’ (due Tuesday, September 30th). In addition, each student must write 5 more papers, each semester, choosing from the following list of topics and due dates:

First Semester

the American Revolution – Thursday, October 15;
the New Nation (1789 – 1820)
America’s Christian foundation – Thursday, October 22;
the significance of the Federalist Papers – Tuesday, October 27;
the United States Constitution – Tuesday October 27;
the First Amendment – Tuesday, November 3;
the first party system – Tuesday, November 3;
Expansion and Reform (1801 – 1850)
the Jacksonian America – Thursday, November 5;
women in antebellum America – Tuesday, December 1;
the black response to slavery – Tuesday, December 1;
the abolitionists – Tuesday, December 1; and,
the significance of the Civil War – Tuesday, December 15.
Reconstruction (1865 -1877)
Becoming an Industrial Society (1877 -1900)

Second Semester (Due dates will be promulgated at the end of the first semester.)
the Gilded Age Progressivism (1890 – 1914)
The Emergence of the United States in World Affairs (1890 – 1914)
causes and effects of the Great War (WWI)
the Great War and Its Aftermath (1914 – 1930)
Prosperity and Depression (1919 – 1939)
Hitler’s rise to power
the Holocaust
causes and effects of WWII
the Cold War
the Cuban Missile Crisis
U.S. Involvement in Vietnam
Malcolm X, the man, the controversy
Martin Luther King, Jr.
racism in America
the War onTerror
American border security
America’s role in the 21st century

Extended Reading

The Question of Freemasonry and the Founding Fathers, Barton
Mayflower, Philbrick
America’s Hidden History, Davis
Of Plymouth Plantation, Bradford
Common Sense, Paine
The Radicalism of the American Revolution, Wood
The 5000 Year Leap, Skousen
His Excellency: George Washington, Ellis
John Adams, McCullough
Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Gentleman Revolutionary, Brookhiser
Benjamin Rush, Barton
The Federalist Papers, Hamilton, Madison, Jay
Founding Fathers, Bradford
A Magnificent Catastrophe, Larson
The Bible Lessons of John Quincy Adams for His Son
Original Intent, Barton
Founding Brothers, Ellis
Greatness to Spare, Fehrenbach
Living Under God, Mac and Tait
The Myth of Separation, Barton
The Rewriting of American History, Millard
Mr. Buchanan’s Administration, James Buchanan
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stowe
Don’t Know Much About the Civil War, Davis
General George C. Pickett in Life and Legend, Gordon
A Different Kind of Christmas, Haley
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas
My Bondage and My Freedom, Frederick Douglas
The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
The Recollection & Letters of Robert E. Lee
The Living Lincoln, Angle and Miers
Mothers of Invention, Faust
The Devil in The White City, Larson
William Cooper’s Town, Taylor
The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois 1927, Lienwald
The Fiery Cross, Wade
Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary, Williams
The Vantage Point, Johnson
In Struggle, Carson
I Have A Dream, King
April 4, 1968, Dyson
Declarations of Independence, Zinn
A People’s History of the United States, Zinn
America’s God and Country, Federer
Lies My Teacher Told Me, Loewen
Don’t Know Much About History, Davis

Recommended websites

www.history.org/nche/
www.oah.org/
www.loc.gov/
www.historychannel.com
Memorization Work:
Students may be required to memorize the following:
States and Capitals of the United States
The Preamble to the United States Constitution
The Presidents of the United States
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Current Events

Current events (newspaper, magazine, and Internet articles) assignments occur infrequently throughout both semesters. Remember, the article must be a minimum of three paragraphs in length. Students are advised to pay close attention to their syllabi. Students are required to read an article and become familiar enough with it to be able to answer questions regarding the article without having to re-read the article to the class. The student is required to cut the article out of the paper and attach it to loose leaf filler paper and turn it in with his or her summary on a separate sheet of paper. The summary must explain why the article was chosen and why the article needs to come to the attention of the rest of the class. Television and radio broadcasts may not be used. Students’ summaries must be a minimum of two paragraphs in length.

Research Papers

Eleven research papers are assigned over the course of the school year – six (6) during the first semester and five (5) during the second. The papers are to be a minimum of three (3) pages in length and a maximum of five (5) pages. Students may use any format they wish. MLA format is recommended. Regarded of the format chosen, students must cite all references. Each paper is valued at 100 points.

Each paper will be graded for clarity, grammar, mechanics, spelling and appearance. Papers may not be typed in bold print or in type size larger than 12. Only Times New Roman or Courier fonts may be used. Do not add spaces between paragraphs. No fewer than two books may be used as resource materials. Encyclopedias and textbooks may be used but do not count as resource books for purposes of these assignments.

As an illegal, unacceptable, and unethical practice, plagiarism will not be tolerated.

Research Paper Oral Presentations

Students are required to report on their research papers to the class. All students must be prepared to make presentations on the day the assignment is due. Students who are unable to make presentations due to classroom time constraints must be prepared to make presentations on the following class days. All classroom presentations will count as part of the student’s classroom participation grade. Presentations are currently not limited to any time constraints. However, this policy may change as the teacher sees fit. Students are encouraged to use various media in make their presentations which may include power point, other media, display boards, recordings, videos, etc.