US History II

In our third unit, US history collides with world history in a big way, and we seek to explain how the US became involved in the Second World War and the subsequent Cold War. We also explore the transition from the New Deal “welfare state” through the wartime homefront years to a multi-decade era of prosperity and political consensus. But were the postwar “good times” for everyone? Continue reading →

In the second unit of the course, we explore the U.S. at home and abroad in the early decades of the 20th century, with themes of modernization, imperialism, World War I, the Depression and New Deal, economic crisis, social change, popular culture and media, and the role of government. Continue reading →

Our first unit on post-Civil War America begins with a look at Reconstruction’s mixed legacy and the multiple meanings of freedom in the postwar South (Chapter 14). We will then turn to other regions of the country, including the West (Chapter 15), North (Chapter 16) and MidWest (Chapter 17). Continue reading →

Our last course unit deals with recent American history; during this unit you will write one last SkillBuilder and you will have a chance to “make history” yourself in the History Now final project. The 4th exam takes place during final period but it is not a cumulative final. Since your lowest exam grade is dropped, you can opt out of the last exam if you are satisfied with your previous three grades. Remember to complete the third online Constitutional module by April 25th – allow extra time for this one, as it is more reading and writing intensive than the other two.

Mon 4/14 Conservative Ascendancy. Reading: Ch 27
Photos from today’s whiteboard – (click each to enlarge to full size)

Legacies of the 1960s

Continuing the 1960s Legacy

Efforts to Roll ’60s Back

Wed 4/16 Workshop Day on Chapter 27 – bring textbook

Fri 4/18 Discussion Day: The US Constitution in Political and Social Movements. SkillBuilder #6 is due.
Links: Vote (Mass.gov), League of Women Voters, Rock The Vote

Mon 4/21 No Class – Patriot’s Day

Wed 4/23 Ending the Cold War. Reading: Ch 28
Link: 20 Years Since Breakup of the Soviet Union (The Atlantic, 2011)

Fri 4/25 Workshop: Who Won the Cold War? – bring textbook to class. Complete the Constitutional Module #3 by this date (remember it has two components: the online quiz and the learning journal response)

Mon 4/28 History Now Workshop – you will receive your packet on this day and begin working on the project. You will find laptops to be helpful on this day.

Wed 4/30 Challenges of a New Century. Reading: Ch 29

Fri 5/2 Workshop Day on Ch 29 – bring textbook. Exam #4 study guide will be given.

Mon 5/5 Discussion Day – come prepared to share what you learned in the History Now Project, which is due in class (no electronic submissions)

The last exam (Chapters 27-29) will take place on May 12th from 8:30 – 11:30 am in our regular classroom. It will be the equivalent of the other three exams. It is not designed to fill the full three hours, but you should expect it to take longer to complete than our other exams. As before, you may bring one 8.5×11” sheet of notes.

Wed 4/2 Troubled Innocence. Reading: Chapter 25. Primary Source paper is due

Links for class:
Duck and Cover (1951)
See the USA in Your Chevrolet (1953)
Two Ford Freedom (1956)
Rebel Without A Cause (1955)
Blackboard Jungle (1955)
Camel News Caravan nightly newscast from 1952
Crisis in Levittown (1957)
In the Suburbs (1957)

Fri 4/4 Liberal Consensus. Reading: Chapter 26, up to p. 836. Exam Study Guide will be given out.

Mon 4/7 Workshop Day – bring textbook. Reading: Documents from Chapter 25-26

Wed 4/9 Discussion Day on Postwar America. Reading: Rest of Ch 26 and Review Ch 23-26

Study Guide Google Doc for Exam 3’s Terms

Fri 4/11 Exam #3 (Chapters 23-26). As before, you may bring a prepared double-sided 8.5×11″ sheet of paper

In our third unit, US history collides with world history in a big way, and we seek to explain how the US became involved in the Second World War and the subsequent Cold War. We also explore the transition from the New Deal “welfare state” through the wartime homefront years to a multi-decade era of prosperity and political consensus. But were the postwar “good times” for everyone?

Mon 3/24 World War II. Reading: Chapter 24. We will also discuss the Primary Source paper project; see new tab above for the details and guidelines. Constitutional Module #3 will go live on Blackboard (due by April 25).

Wed 3/26 Peer Review Writing Workshop. No reading, but bring a *printed* draft of your Primary Source paper to class.

Fri 3/28 The Cold War Begins. Reading: Chapter 24.

Mon 3/31 Workshop Day – bring textbook. Reading: Documents from Chapters 23-24

Wed 4/2 Troubled Innocence. Reading: Chapter 25. Primary Source paper is due

Fri 4/4 Liberal Consensus. Reading: Chapter 26, up to p. 836.

Mon 4/7 Workshop Day – bring textbook. Reading: Documents from Chapter 25-26

Wed 4/9 Discussion Day on Postwar America. Reading: Rest of Ch 26 and Review Ch 23-26

Fri 4/11 Exam #3 (Chapters 23-26). As before, you may bring a prepared double-sided 8.5×11″ sheet of paper

In the second unit of the course, we explore the U.S. at home and abroad in the early decades of the 20th century, with themes of modernization, imperialism, World War I, the Depression and New Deal, economic crisis, social change, popular culture and media, and the role of government. This unit, based on Chapters 19-22, contains three document workshop days and three SkillBuilders. You should also be working on the second online Constitutional module, which is available on Blackboard until March 14th.

Mon 2/24 Empire and Wars 1898-1918. Reading: Chapter 20

Wed 2/26 Workshop Day – bring textbook. We will be working with the primary documents in Chapter 20.

Fri 2/28 Discussion Day – bring textbook. Review Chapters 19-20. SkillBuilder #4 due (you can use anything from Chapters 19-20 that you haven’t already written about)

Mon 3/3 An Anxious Affluence. Reading: Chapter 21

Wed 3/5 Workshop Day – bring textbook. We will be working with the primary documents in Chapter 21. Exam Study Guide #2 will be handed out.

Fri 3/7 Depression, Dissent, and New Deal. Reading: Chapter 22. SkillBuilder #5 due (you can use anything from Chapters 19-22 that you haven’t already written about)

Mon 3/10 Workshop Day – bring textbook. We will be working with the primary documents in Chapter 22.

Wed 3/12 Discussion Day – bring textbook. Review Chapters 19-22

Fri 3/14 Exam #2 in class (Covers Ch 19-22). As before, you may bring one 8.5×11″ sheet of paper with anything on the front and/or back. Also – Complete Online Constitutional Module #2 by this day.

Spring Break March 15 – 23 – Enjoy the break!

Update: I have posted our class slides (Chapter 14) under a new “Slides” tab, above. Also – if you need examples of footnotes for the SkillBuilder, check the “SkillBuilders” tab, where I’ve put a couple of sample ones.

Our first unit on post-Civil War America begins with a look at Reconstruction’s mixed legacy and the multiple meanings of freedom in the postwar South (Chapter 14). We will then turn to other regions of the country, including the West (Chapter 15), North (Chapter 16) and MidWest (Chapter 17).

Mon 1/27 Frontier Encounters. Reading: Ch 15

Wed 1/29 Workshop Day. Bring your textbook to class (if you have an e-book, bring your laptop or tablet), we will be working with the Documents in Chapters 14 and 15.
Link: Library of Congress Primary Source Analysis Tool

Fri 1/31 The Age of Organization: Industry. Reading: Ch 16. SkillBuilder #1 due in or before class.

Mon 2/3 The Age of Organization: Farmers, Workers. Reading: Ch 17

Wed 2/5 Workshop Day. Bring your textbook to class (if you have an e-book, bring your laptop or tablet), we will be working with the Documents in Chapters 16 and 17.

Update: if class is cancelled due to snow, we will do the workshop on Friday, so bring your textbooks then.

Fri 2/7 Discussion Day Document Workshop. Bring your textbook to class, review Chapters 14-17. SkillBuilder #2 due in or before class.

Mon 2/10 Cities, Immigrants & Nation. Reading: Ch 18

Wed 2/12 Discussion Day. Bring your textbook to class, review Chapters 14-18

Fri 2/14 Exam #1 in class (Chapters 14-18). Complete the online Constitutions module quiz by this date. Download the exam study guide here.