AP U.S. History (Sem 1)

About This Course

This course is the first semester of a two-semester sequence and is aligned to the College Board Advanced Placement U.S. History course and exam description. Advanced Placement U.S. History I is a college-level introductory course which examines the nation’s political, diplomatic, intellectual, cultural, social, and economic history from 1491 to 1877. Students are challenged to see American history through a variety of historical themes while developing thinking skills that will help them contextualize specific periods of American history. A college level textbook is supplemented by primary and secondary sources throughout this course. This course does not include the AP exam; students can contact their school’s AP coordinator or guidance counselor to sign up for the exam. In order to maintain the integrity of AP standards, all AP course midterm and final exams must be proctored. Prerequisites:  None

Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...

• Examine and evaluate the continuity and change in Native American societies, European exploration, and cultural interactions from 1491 to 1607
• Identify causal relationships and patterns while constructing historically defensible claims supported by evidence from diverse sources
• Analyze the influence of environmental, economic, and social factors on the development and expansion of British colonies between 1607 and 1754, highlighting regional differences and key drivers of growth
• Examine the causes and consequences of transatlantic trade, with a focus on its impact on colonial society, regional economies, and the broader development of British colonies in North America
• Analyze the historical context of the colonization of North America from 1607 to 1754, examining the motivations behind European colonization, the responses of enslaved individuals to slavery, and the varying goals and interests of European leaders and colonists, and how these factors influenced their identities and perceptions of their relationship with Britain
• Analyze the causes and effects of the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War), including its impact on British colonial policies and the subsequent tensions that led to the Revolutionary War
• Examine how changing colonial attitudes about government, individual rights, and national identity influenced the push for independence and the development of different forms of government during the Revolutionary Period
• Evaluate the differing ideological positions on the structure and function of the federal government, and assess how political ideas, institutions, and party systems evolved in the new republic
• Analyze the context and development of the American republic from 1800 to 1848, including the evolution of American identity, the emergence of a national culture, and the influence of regional interests on debates about the role of the federal government
• Examine the causes and effects of key social and political movements during this period, including the Second Great Awakening, various reform movements, and the impact of technological, agricultural, and commercial innovations on American society
• Evaluate the interplay of politics, economics, and foreign policy in shaping American identity from 1800 to 1848, including the effects of geographic and environmental factors, ongoing policy debates, and the development of American foreign policy leading up to events such as the Mexican-American War and westward expansion
• Analyze the continuity and change in American society and values from the Civil War to the rise of industrial capitalism, including the effects of Reconstruction, the implications of Lincoln's leadership, and the impact of regional differences related to slavery
• Examine the causes and effects of key historical events and movements, including the Mexican-American War, westward expansion, and industrialization, and how these events shaped American identity and government policy from 1844 to 1898
• Evaluate the effects of immigration and government policies during Reconstruction on American culture and society, focusing on the tensions and transformations that emerged as a result of these dynamics
• Analyze the continuities and changes in the role of government in the U.S. economy from the Gilded Age to World War II, including the responses to industrial capitalism, reform movements, and shifts in attitudes toward natural resources
• Examine the impact of competition, migration patterns, and technological advances on American society and its evolution as a world power, emphasizing the social and economic factors that contributed to these dynamics from 1865 to 1898
• Evaluate the responses to immigration and the socioeconomic changes associated with the growth of industrial capitalism, considering how these factors shaped American identity and societal values over time
• Analyze the impact of significant events, including the Great Depression, the New Deal, and U.S. involvement in both World Wars, on American political, social, and economic life, examining how these events shaped the nation's identity and role in the world
• Examine the causes and effects of cultural and technological developments in the United States, including shifts in popular culture, innovations in communication, and the responses to migration patterns over time
• Evaluate the historical context of America's rise as a world power, focusing on key events such as the Spanish-American War and the consequences of global conflicts, as well as the varied attitudes toward the nation’s role in international affairs
• Analyze the evolution of civil rights movements and the responses to calls for civil rights expansion from 1945 to 1980, including the development of opposition to existing policies, changes in mass culture, and the federal government's role in these movements
• Examine the causes and effects of significant policy developments related to the environment, immigration, and economic growth in the post-World War II era, focusing on how these changes reshaped American society and national identity
• Evaluate the impact of international developments and Cold War policies on American domestic life, including the Red Scare, societal changes, and the continuing debates about the role of the federal government throughout the 20th century
• Analyze the causes and effects of significant policy debates regarding the role of the federal government and the challenges faced by the United States in both domestic and international contexts since 1980
• Examine the impact of migration patterns—both domestic and international—along with economic and technological changes on American society and national identity over time
• Evaluate the legacy of the Cold War and the growth of religious movements, assessing how these factors have shaped contemporary American culture and the challenges the nation faces in the 21st century

Course Outline:

Unit 1: 1491 – 1607

Unit 2: 1607 - 1754

Unit 3: 1754 - 1800

Unit 4: 1800 - 1848

Unit 5: 1844 - 1877

Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.

Additional Costs: Brinkley, A. American History: Connecting with the Past, 16th AP Edition, 2023. Mcgraw Hill. Hardcover (ISBN: 9781266018893); Online Student Edition (ISBN: 9781266238604); Print & Digital Bundle (ISBN: 9781266382987).
In addition to purchasing a textbook, students are required to sign up for a free online account for the following supplemental resource: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This resource will be used throughout the course.

Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.

Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.

Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.

Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List

Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.

Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at CustomerCare@michiganvirtual.org or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.

Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at customercare@michiganvirtual.org or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building, discussion-based assessments (one-on-one conversations with your teacher), and other forms of authentic assessments.

Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:

• Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• Download and install software
• Use a messaging service similar to email
• Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• Open attachments shared in messages
• Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
• Save a file as a .pdf
• Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• Insert images or links into a file or html editor
• Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• Use presentation and graphics programs
• Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• Create and maintain usernames and passwords

Additional Information: The official course descriptions for Advanced Placement courses and information about their exams are located on the College Board site at Course and Exam Descriptions.

Michigan Virtual prepares students in AP courses for the AP exam, but does not offer the exam test itself. It is the responsibility of the school or parent to register for a local administration of the AP exam.

There are required due dates in AP courses. The pacing of due dates in AP courses aligns to the completion of all lessons and required assignments and assessments prior to the national AP exam date related to this course title. The calendar of AP exam dates is published by the College Board (Exam Calendar).