C ONTEMPORARY A MERICAN H ISTORY Course Syllabus

COURSE INTRODUCTION & DESCRIPTION If you are like most people your age, you are primarily concerned with the present and with the future. That is as it should be. Then why study history? We study the past to better know the present. In other words, self-knowledge builds on past experience. We need to know where we have been so that we can better understand where we are and to know where we are going. A knowledge of our history is essential if we are to think critically, set goals, solve problems, and make decisions that will benefit ourselves, our nation, and the world. This course will explore the personalities, trends, events, and movements shaping the history of the world and the United States during the post World War II period. It will examine the related political, economic, and social systems.

C OURSE O BJECTIVES Use basic methodology and tools of social science inquiry to identify, explain, analyze, and assess the social policies of the contemporary United States. Identify, describe, analyze and evaluate current legal, judicial, and political systems of the United States. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of the American economic system and apply them to examine and evaluate contemporary historical development and social issues. Identify, explain, and analyze significant contemporary historical individuals and groups and their impact on contemporary American society. Trace, analyze and critique the foreign policy of the United States in the post World War II era. Identify, describe, and evaluate the ways in which geographic land forms, resources, and factors affect the manner in which Americans live today and interconnect with other selected nations. Students will:

C OMMON C ORE S TANDARDS Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis pf primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of media in order to address a question to solve a problem Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepencies amongst sources

COLLEGE READINESS STANDARDS (CRS) READING MAIN IDEA - Infer the main idea or purpose of straightforward paragraphs in uncomplicated literary narratives. Understand the overall approach taken by an author or narrator (e.g., point of view, kinds of evidence used) in uncomplicated passages. SUPPORTING DETAILS - Locate simple details at the sentence and paragraph level in uncomplicated passages. Recognize a clear function of a part of an uncomplicated passage. SEQUENTIAL, COMPARATIVE, AND CAUSE-and- EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS - Identify relationships between main characters in uncomplicated literary narratives. Recognize clear cause-effect relationships within a single paragraph in uncomplicated literary narratives.

STATE GOALS AND ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS ADDRESSED SG 14 Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States. ( ILS A – F) SG 15 Understand economic systems, with an emphasis on the United States. ( ILS A – E) SG 16 Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. ( ILS A – E) SG 17 Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States. ( ILS A – D)

COURSE OUTLINE World War II: The Road to War, World War II: Americans at War, The Holocaust & Social Impacts of World War II The Cold War, The Postwar Years at Home, The Kennedy and Johnson Years, st Quarter2 nd Quarter

The Civil Rights Movement, The Vietnam War, ACT/PSAE Test Preparation Introduction to Economics Economic Systems & the American Economy Your Role as a Consumer Going into Debt Buying the Necessities, Food, Clothing, Housing and Transportation 3 rd Quarter4 th Quarter

G RADING S CALE A = 90 – 100 B = 80 – 89 C = 70 – 79 D = 60 – 69 F = 59 and below Grading Breakdown Assignments40% Exams15% Class Participation15% Homework10% Quizzes/Projects10% Final10%

COURSE ASSESSMENTS AND EVALUATION Assessments will take various forms and will include tests, quizzes, homework assignments, class assignments, class participation and special projects and papers. Service Learning opportunities will be integrated into the curriculum and corresponding assessments. Grades will be based on a combination of these assessments and student attendance.

W HAT I EXPECT OF Y OU … Get to class on time! Grab notebook after walking in and complete Bellringer in less than 5 minutes Take the notes! You can’t take the book home! Complete all in-class assignments (finish at home if you need to) Put forth effort! Respect each other, respect property, and respect me Raise your hand to speak Always try, even if you think you can’t do it! Challenge yourself! Day-to-dayClassroom Environment Mr. Martinez Signature: ________________________ Name: _____________________