Annual Academic Economics Goals

Revised: November 30, 2004

ANNUAL AP AMERICAN HISTORY GOALS

For each of the sections that follow, students may be required to analyze, recall, explain, interpret, apply, or evaluate the particular concepts being taught.

EUROPE DISCOVERS AMERICA - identify the forces that drove Europeans to exploration - define the problems confronted by English settlers - compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the three colonial sections

AMERICAN SOCIETY IN THE MAKING - explain how the realities of settlement forced changes in the plans for colonization - discuss the natural factors that led to separate development in New England, the Middle Colonies and the South

AMERICA IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE - describe the theory and application of mercantilism - analyze the causes and consequences of the Great Awakening - identify the course of events between 1763 and 1776 as turning points leading to revolution

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - analyze how the Declaration of Independence justified America’s independence - describe the structure of government under the Articles of Confederation - analyze how the Revolution led to some social and political reforms

THE FEDERALIST ERA - assess the economic consequences of the Revolution - analyze the major compromises that shaped the Constitution - explain the origins of political parties

JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY - explain Jefferson’s philosophy of government - analyze the constitutional issues involved in the Louisiana Purchase - describe the impact of European wars on America’s economy NATIONAL GROWING PAINS - analyze conflicting feelings about European encroachment on the frontier and violation of neutral rights on the seas - explain the origins of the Monroe Doctrine - evaluate the issues leading to the Missouri Compromise

TOWARD A NATIONAL ECONOMY - analyze factors that encouraged industrialization - evaluate factors that led to the expansion of cotton cultivation and slavery as an institution - assess the role of the Marshall Court in aiding economic development

JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY - explain specific ways in which politics became more democratic in the Age of Jackson - analyze the factors that led to the nullification crisis and its resolution - assess the factors that led to the revival of sectional tension

THE MAKING OF MIDDLE CLASS AMERICA - describe the impact of the growing factory system on the structure of the family - cite the social origins of the Second Great Awakening - discuss the origins of the abolitionist and feminist movements

A DEMOCRATIC CULTURE - identify the main intellectual trends of the early nineteenth century

EXPANSION AND SLAVERY - discuss the concept of manifest destiny and its impact on American foreign policy - analyze the cause and results of the Mexican War - discuss the divisive impact of the slavery issue in the territories

THE SECTIONS GO THEIR WAYS - assess the impact of slavery on the southern economy - explain the impact of railroads and economic development on sectional conflict

THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR - analyze the political impact of the Kansas-Nebraska Act - analyze the events leading to southern secession THE WAR TO SAVE THE UNION - assess the impact of the war on northern and southern economies - analyze the political divisions in northern and southern societies - debate the issue of whether secession was the ultimate expression or rejection of democracy

RECONSTRUCTION AND THE SOUTH - discuss the legal arguments regarding readmission of the Southern states - compare the relative successes and failures of reconstruction governments - analyze the reasons for the eventual disenfranchisement of former slaves

IN THE WAKE OF WAR - discuss the major political issues of the Gilded Age - explain the impact of western migration, gold mining and Indian policies

AN INDUSTRIAL GIANT - cite several factors that contributed to industrial growth in the late nineteenth century - compare different approaches taken by reformers and critics of big business - analyze the effect of industrialization on economic and social life in America

AMERICAN SOCIETY IN AN INDUSTRIAL AGE - discuss the changing nature of employment - identify the problems associated with the growth of large urban areas

INTELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL TRENDS - identify and discuss changing educational standards - identify and discuss the philosophies of Social Darwinism and pragmatism

POLITICS: LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL - discuss the operation of political parties in the late nineteenth century - cite sources of agrarian discontent and the rise of the Populist Party

FROM ISOLATION TO EMPIRE - examine the reasons for and results of increased interest in foreign expansion - analyze the causes and results of the Spanish American War - explain the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine THE AGE OF REFORM - discuss the "search for order” in the Progressive Era - cite the reforms advocated by the Progressives and compare to the Populists - compare Roosevelt’s New Nationalism and Wilson’s New Freedom

WOODROW WILSON AND THE GREAT WAR - trace events leading to American involvement in World War I - define Wilson’s Fourteen Points and explain the failure of the Treaty of Versailles to incorporate them

POSTWAR SOCIETY AND CULTURE: CHANGE AND ADJUSTMENT - discuss the changing role of women and minorities in society - explain how prohibition reflected and deepened the rifts in American society - analyze the basis of the economic prosperity of the 1920’s

THE NEW ERA: 1921 TO 1933 - review the presidencies of Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover - explain the economic weaknesses underlying prosperity in the 1920’s - relate the social impact of economic collapse

THE NEW DEAL: 1933 TO 1941 - analyze the content and impact of the New Deal - compare the politics of the extreme left and right in the 1930’s - trace the steps that led the U.S. closer to involvement in World War II

WAR AND PEACE - assess the impact of World War II on the American economy - analyze the controversy surrounding the decision to use the atomic bomb - define points of conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union

THE AMERICAN CENTURY - explain the origin and intent of the containment policy - explain the intent and result of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan - analyze the reasons for anti-Communist hysteria of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES - trace the origins and evolution of a grass-roots movement for racial equality - explain Johnson’s approach to social reform in the War on Poverty - discuss the growing military commitment in Vietnam - trace the sequence of events that led to Nixon’s resignation

SOCIETY INFLUX - assess the positive and negative consequences of the booming economy of the 1960’s - discuss the emergence of groups fighting for equality for Hispanics, Native Americans and African Americans - discuss factors leading to the breakdown of traditional mores

OUR TIMES - assess the relative successes and failures in foreign policy of the Ford and Carter administrations - analyze Reagan’s economic policies - trace major social and demographic trends of the 1980’s - trace events leading to the end of the Cold War - discuss the broad issues defining the Bush and Clinton administrations

PROJECT(S) ACCEPTABLE FOR GRADUATION PROJECT: 1) Students organize and produce multi-media Decades Projects in teams as a culminating research project