20803211Early US History
Course Information
Description
In this course the origin and growth of the United States is studied. It also surveys American political, economic and social development from the founding of the colonies through the Civil War.
Total Credits
3
Prior Learning Assessment
- Exam-Advanced Placement
Course Competencies
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Examine the early civilizations of AmericaAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaidentify who first discovered and settled in America and the approximate time periodsummarize the Native American life styles on the eve of Columbus's "rediscovery"explore the European invasion of North Americaexplore the impact of European invasions on Indian communitiesrecognize English struggles in founding successful colonies
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Investigate the early settlement societies of AmericaAssessment Strategiesby participating in group discussionsby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaidentify the processes which moved early settlements into societies in the Southsummarize the histories of Puritan settlement in New Englandevaluate the beginnings of American slaveryinvestigate the world the slaves made for themselves
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Examine the upheaval of provincial America from 1660-1760Assessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplain the purpose of England's North American empireexamine the major colonial convulsions and rebellionssummarize the description of maturing colonial societies in unsettled times
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Investigate the breaking of the bonds of the empire (1760-1775)Assessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplain the imperial crisis of the 1760sinvestigate the colonial patterns of resistanceevaluate the colonial-English rupture of imperial relations
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Explore the Revolutionary War periodAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplore the Second Continental Congressassess the meaning of the Declaration of Independenceinvestigate the expanding martial conflictexplain the role of France in the Revolutionary Warindicate the strategies which led to Yorktown victory and generous peace settlement
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Investigate how Americans secured the Republic and its idealsAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplain the formation of states and National governmentdifferentiate between the two sets of governmentssummarize the crisis of confederationexamine the Consitutional Conventionexamine the Constitution documentexplore the ratification struggle
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Examine the Formative Decade (1790-1800)Assessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexamine the roots of economic growthassess Washington's cabinet and the establishment of the machinery of governmentrelate details of Hamilton's achievementsanalyze the birth of political partiesassess arguments which separated political affiliationrecount the challenges of Adams's presidencysummarize the reasons for the "Revolution of 1800"
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Investigate the Jeffersonians in power (1800-1815)Assessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriainvestigate the Jeffersonian presidencyrecount the achievements of the Jeffersoniansexplain the impact of the Louisiana Purchaseanalyze the disputes between the United States and Englandanalyze the impact of the War of 1812 on U.S. society and on Tecumseh's confederation
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Explore nationalism, economic growth, and the roots of sectional conflict (1815-1824)Assessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplore the various components of nationalismexamine economic growth and territorial expansion, using maps and graphs for visual referenceexplain the roots of sectional and functional conflictsassess the Panic of 1819 and the Missouri crisis as main sources of conflict
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Investigate power and politics in Jackson's AmericaAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplain political democratizationexamine the rebirth of the political parties (second American party system)compare the first party system to the second party systeminvestigate Jacksonian politics regarding Indiansinvestigate Jacksonian politics regarding nullificationinvestigate Jacksonian politics regarding the National Bank
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Examine the age of reformAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexamine the sources of reform impulsessummarize examples of institutional reforms and reformersexamine community experiment examples
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Investigate the divided North and the divided SouthAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriainvestigate Wisconsin as an example of a divided Northsummarize complexities of divided Southinvestigate slave labor systemsinvestigate slave family lifeinvestigate slave resistanceinvestigate slave cultural expressions
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Investigate how cultures collided in the far WestAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexamine Hispanic and Native American cultures in the Westanalyze various pre-1850 pioneer surges into the far Westexplain United States expansion motivesrelate details of Texas, Oregon, and California Manifest Destinyassess reasons for and significance of the war with Mexico
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Examine the crisis of 1850 and the compromise between the North and the SouthAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriasummarize the last great compromise between the North and Southexamine the disintegration of the second party systemexplain the formation of the third party systemrecount examples of extreme sectional tension, including "Bleeding Kansas"
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Explore the Civil WarAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexamine Lincoln's election and the formation of the Confederacyanalyze the strengths and weaknesses of the North and Southsummarize the second and third days of the battle of Gettysburg as well as several other battle scenes
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Examine the Reconstruction EraAssessment Strategiesby participating in small group discussionby completing an in-class essay examCriteriaexplain post-war conditions and issuesexamine presidential reconstruction and its failuressummarize the successes and failures of Congressional reconstruction
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Write about historical topicsAssessment Strategiesby completing writing assignments by the specified dateby giving an oral presentationby meeting all requirements specified by instructor for length, format, and contentCriteriaemploy primary and secondary sourcescomply with the conventions of standard written Englishpresent information which directly addresses historical issuesorganize thoughts logically and coherently
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Analyze historical materialsAssessment Strategiesby participating in class discussionsby completing assigned readings by specified dateby completing writing assignments by specified dateCriteriabreak apart a specific time period or concept into economic, social, political, and cultural elementsdraw conclusionsmake inferencesconnect information to ideasemploy techniques of visual and auditory analysis
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Use elements of researchAssessment Strategiesby completing specified writing assignments on timeby meeting all requirements for length, format, and contentCriteriafind appropriate resourcesincorporate research into written work appropriatelycompile a bibliographysupport a thesis with sufficient evidencedocument sources using standard academic documentation
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Collaborate with fellow studentsAssessment Strategiesby attending and participating in class discussionsby completing assigned reading prior to discussionsCriteriasolves problem related to course contentcreate answers related to course content working in small groupsdiscuss issues related to readings or course contentpresent summary of findingsconnect course content to external experiences
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Employ appropriate strategies to reading textsAssessment Strategiesby participating in class discussionsby completing all reading assignmentsby meeting instructor's criteria in writingCriteriarecognize subject matter of text and perspective of authorengage in active reading strategiesformulate questions and opinions while readingdifferentiate between primary and secondary source materialsassess understanding and reviews texts as necessarysynthesize opinions, questions and responses to the text to develop an interpretation