APUSH Themes 2018-2019

Theme 1: NAT American and National Identity – This theme focuses on how and why definitions of American and national identity and values have developed, as well as on related topics such as citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy, assimilation, and American exceptionalism. Questions to ask – How have gender, class, ethnic, religious, regional, and other group identities changed in different eras? How and why have debates over American national identity changed over time?

Activity Create 2 different “identity” groups in the classroom.

Examples in History Unit 1: Natives/ Europeans, British/ French/Spanish/Dutch, Poor/ Rich, Land owner/slave, Women/Men Unit 2: Poor white/ rich white, Puritan Comm’ity, Protestant/Catholic Unit 5: White/ not-white Unit 6: Protestant/Catholic/Jewish, Western European/ E or S European Unit 7: Culture—Jazz, Mass Culture, Red Scare, ‘Merican, Unit 8: White (suburb), Black (urban), silent majority/ counterculture, rights advocate

Theme 2: WXT Work, exchange, and technology – This theme focuses on the factors behind the development of systems of economic exchange, particularly the role of technology, economic markets, and government Questions to ask – How have changes in markets, transportation and technology affected American society from Colonial times to present? Why have different labor systems developed in British N. America and the U.S., and how have they affected U.S. society? How have debates over economic values and the role of government in the U.S. economy affected politics, society, the economy, and the environment?

Activity What is the most important technological innovation of your generation? Why? Discuss? How have recent innovations affected how people work & live? What are the positives & negatives of these innovations?

Examples in History Unit 1: Columbian Exchange, Trade patterns (compare/contrast French, Spanish & English), mercantilism, slavery Unit 2: Jamestown v MA Bay Colony, conflicts w/ natives for resources, indentured servitude/ slavery, Unit 3: rise of capitalism, 1st challenges to Slavery Unit 4: American System, Market Revolution, Cotton Gin, Slavery expands, Lowell System Unit 5: End of slavery, Unit 6: Assembly line, mechanization, Telegraph, unskilled labor, immigration

WXT cont’d Unit 7: Imperialism (markets abroad), 1920s—mass consumerism, radio, entertainment, cars Unit 8: T.V, malls, Sunbelt, Computers, de-industrialization, alternative energy

Theme 3: MIG Migration and Settlement—This theme focuses on why and how the various people who moved to and within the United States both adapted to and transformed their new social and physical environment. Questions to ask – Why have people migrated to, from, and within North America? How have changes in migration and population patterns affected American life?

Activity How are immigration patterns to the U.S. observed here in Old Saybrook? Connecticut? Discuss

Examples from History Patterns of settlement: Unit 1: W Europeans to New World Unit 2: More W Europeans to the New World Unit 3: New colonies and expansion within U.S. Unit 4: Massive expansion to West Unit 5: Expansion to the South (leads to heightened conflict over slavery), Chinese, Irish & German immigration Unit 6: Massive wave of immigration to U.S. from S & E Europe Unit 7: Black migration f/ S to N, Imperialistic expansion in Caribbean and Asia Unit 8: Asian Immigration (Korea, Vietnam) due to wars, Sunbelt, Suburbs, White Flight, Urban decay Unit 9: Immigration from Middle East, refugees

Theme 4: POL Politics and Power- This theme focuses on how different social and political groups have influenced society and government in the United States, as well as how political beliefs and institutions have changed over time. Questions to ask – How and why have different political and social groups competed for influence over society and government in what would become the United States?

Activity Do you see different social groups compete for power at Old Saybrook High? In Old Saybrook? (observations) What do you know about politics in the U.S.?

Examples from History Unit 1: European Conflict, Native Am v Colonists Unit 2: Theocracy in MA Bay, emerging democracies, conflict with Crown Unit 3: Political Parties (Federalists v Dem-Republicans) De-centralized v Centralized Gov’t Who should US support Fr or Br? Unit 4: Who could vote? Jacksonian Democracy, Whigs, Fed v State Power, Reform Movements Unit 5: W ward exp & debate over slavery, rise of Republican Party, Election of 1876

Pol & Power Cont’d Unit 6: Challenges to 2 party system, rise of Populists, Socialists & Anarchists Unit 7: Progressives and expanding democracy (ie. 17th Am, initiative, referendum, primaries, etc) Unit 8: Democratic party splits, 3rd party runs in 1948, 1968, New Left/ Old left, rise of Liberalism, Conservatism, Nixon & pol corruption, Reagan & the New Right, Clinton “The New Democrat”

Theme 5: WOR America in the World- This theme focuses on the interactions between nations that affected North American history in the colonial period, and on the influence of the United States on world affairs. Questions we ask – How have events in N. America and the U.S. related to contemporary developments in the rest of the world?

Activity What is the current role of the U.S. in the world? How have events internationally affected the U.S. (either contemporary or historically)?

Examples from History Unit 3: British & French Wars and impact on colonies Unit 4: Monroe Doctrine and U.S. hegemony over W Hemisphere Unit 5: Mexican American War & how Europeans feel about Civil War Unit 7: European Scramble for Africa & U.S. imperialism (white man’s burden) WWI, WWII Unit 8: Rise of communism –Guatemala, Cuba, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc Unit 9: US in the Middle East

Theme 6: GEO Geography and the Environment- This theme focuses on the role of geography and both the natural and human-made environments on social and political developments in what would become the United States. Questions we ask – How did interactions with the natural environment shape the institutions and values of various groups living on the North American continent?

Activity Identify two American regions today and identify how the environment impacts the way in which people live there.

Examples from History Unit 1: Columbian Exchange Unit 2: No gold, but tobacco, conflict w/ natives over resources Unit 3: Rise of cotton Unit 4: W ward expansion (for more fertile land) Unit 6: Urbanization, white expansion on the Plains, Conservation (T Roos, Sierra Club) Unit 7: Dust Bowl & migration due to G.D. Unit 8: Suburban development, Environmental Movement Unit 9: Oil

Theme 7: CUL Culture and Society- This theme focuses on the roles that ideas, beliefs, social mores, and creative expression have played in shaping the United States, as well as how various identities, cultures, and values have been preserved or changed in different contexts of U.S. history Questions we ask – How and why have moral, philosophical, and cultural values changed in what would become the United States?

Activity What are your core beliefs? If you had to sum up your values in 1 sentence what would you say?

Examples from History Unit 1: Native ideas about ownership v European values Unit 2: Aristocracy v limited democracy v broader democracy Unit 4: Equality and how much? Moral regulation (ie. Temperence, prostitution), education for all? Unit 5: Abolitionists, State’s Rights, segregation Unit 6: Role of government in regulating business Unit 7: Social welfare or individualism Unit 8: Communism v Capitalism & Democracy, Rights for all