Course Syllabus
Syllabus AP U.S. History, SEM 1
Welcome
Welcome to AP U.S. History, Semester 1! We’re so glad you’re here.
Every lesson is designed to help you grow as a thinker, problem solver, and global learner. As a Mizzou Academy global student, you will complete lessons and assignments on your own schedule, interacting with course content, participating in interactives, and completing practice activities, as well as drafting and revising assignments, preparing for quizzes and assessments, and taking exams.
To stay on track, we recommend using a pacing guide. You can find more information about pacing in the Course Resources section, along with helpful tools, technology support, and tips for online learning success.
As you begin, remember that online learning requires both independence and communication. Be curious, stay organized, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher if you need support.
We’re excited to learn with you, and we’re happy you’re part of our Mizzou Academy community!
Pacing
This 16-week semester course has been designed so that--on average--you will be completing about one lesson each week, with additional time allotted for exams and special projects.
Plan to devote about one hour each weekday to this class, just as you would for one class period in a physical school building, plus some extra “homework” time for bigger assignments as needed.
Unlike other asynchronous courses you may have taken online, AP semester courses have due dates and deadlines that you will need to follow. Pay close attention to the course calendar and establish a routine early that works best for you. Then, pace yourself by setting targeted, attainable, and manageable goals each day. Planning ahead, balance, and routine will be your best friends!
This course is to be completed within one semester. See the AP Course Calendar Dates on Mizzou Academy’s website for more information.
AP - Participation
Participation in online discussions (e.g., discussion forums, chats, group projects, and/or instructor conferences) is expected and will factor into your overall course grade.
All online discussions described in course lesson pages are required unless your instructor notes otherwise. Your instructor may also arrange additional required chats or instructor conferences. Be sure to regularly check the course calendar and announcements from your instructor regarding upcoming discussions and requirements.
Your participation in required online discussions will be evaluated on criteria such as frequency, timeliness, thoughtfulness and effort, and overall contribution to the knowledge base and learning experience of your classmates. You are also expected to monitor and respond to posts on discussion threads that you have started or have previously contributed to; you should not simply make a post and consider the discussion “done,” because it should be an ongoing conversation with your peers and/or instructor.
Postings that begin new discussion forum threads will be reviewed based on their relevance, demonstrated understanding of course concepts, examples cited, and overall quality. Postings that respond to other students’ posts will be evaluated based on relevance, the degree to which they extend discussions, and tone. This may entail asking a question or comparing and/or contrasting your classmate’s post with your own.
In order to earn full credit for discussion forum participation, your posts and responses must be substantive. In other words, you will not earn credit for just replying "Good post" or "I agree" to a classmate.
AP - Late Work and Absences
Work must be turned in on time for full credit. If you are unable to complete an assignment on time, contact your instructor immediately. Prior permission from the online course instructor must be obtained for special circumstances to receive credit for late work. These decisions will be made on an individual basis.
You must notify your instructor if you expect to be offline for more than 1 week.
Course Description
In AP U.S. History, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change. The course also provides eight themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: American and national identity; work, exchange, and technology; geography and the environment; migration and settlement; politics and power; America in the world; American and regional culture; and social structures.
College Course Equivalent
AP U.S. History is equivalent to a two-semester introductory college course in U.S.history. (2023 CED)
Course Essential Questions
- How did interactions between Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans (1491–1754) shape North America’s culture, power, and labor systems, and what legacies of those early systems still show up in the U.S. today?
- How did debates over liberty and government power (1754–1848) shape the U.S., who benefited most at the time, and how do those same debates echo in modern American politics and rights debates?
- Why did sectional conflict grow (1848–1877), how much did the Civil War and Reconstruction resolve those conflicts, and what unresolved issues from that era still influence the U.S. today?
Course Overview
AP US History - First Semester |
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Lesson (AP Unit) |
AP Learning Objectives |
Quiz |
Assignment |
|
1: 0/1- Intro and Great Convergence (Unit 1: 1.1-1.7) |
1.1Contextualizing Period 1.2 Native American Societies Before European Contact 1.3 European Exploration in the Americas 1.4 Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest 1.5 Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System 1.6 Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans 1.7Causation in Period 1 |
N/A |
D0- Current Event D1- Primary Sources DA1- Destruction of the Indies |
|
2: The Settlement of British North America (Unit 2: 2.1-2.8) |
2.1 Contextualizing Period 2 2.2 European Colonization 2.3 The Regions of British Colonies 2.4 Transatlantic Trade 2.5 Interactions Between American Indians and Europeans 2.6 Slavery in the British Colonies 2.7 Colonial Society and Culture 2.8 Comparison in Period 2 |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
N/A |
|
3: Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution (Unit 3: 3.1-3.4) |
3.1 Contextualizing Period 3.2 The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War) 3.3 Taxation Without Representation 3.4 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
DA3- Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God |
|
4: The Causes of the Revolution (Unit 3: 3.3-3.5) |
3.3 Taxation Without Representation 3.4 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution 3.5 The American Revolution |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
N/A |
|
5: An Age of Revolution (Unit 3: 3.5-3.9) |
3.5 The American Revolution 3.6 The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals 3.7 The Articles of Confederation 3.8 The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification 3.9 The Constitution |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
N/A |
|
6: The New Nation (Unit 3: 3.9-3.13) |
3.9 The Constitution 3.10 Shaping a New Republic 3.11 Developing an American Identity 3.12 Movement in the Early Republic 3.13 Continuity and Change in Period 3 |
1 SHQ |
N/A |
Midterm Exam- 55 MCQ; 1 SHQ; LEQ |
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7: The Expansion of Nationalism and Democracy (Unit 4: 4.1-4.4) |
4.1 Contextualizing Period 4.2 The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson 4.3 Politics and Regional Interests 4.4 America on the World Stage |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
D7-DBQ Analysis Practice |
|
8: The Market Revolution (Unit 4: 4.5-4.6) |
4.5 Market Revolution: Industrialization 4.6 Market Revolution: Society and Culture |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
D8- DBQ Practice Peer Review |
|
9: Reform and Resistance (Unit 4: 4.7-4.14) |
4.7 Expanding Democracy 4.8 Jackson and Federal Power 4.9 The Development of an American Culture 4.10 The Second Great Awakening 4.11 An Age of Reform 4.12 African Americans in the Early Republic 4.13 The Society of the South in the Early Republic 4.14 Causation in Period 4 |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
A9- DBQ Writing Assignment |
|
10: The Causes of the Civil War (Unit 5: 5.1-5.7) |
5.1 Contextualizing Period 5.2 Manifest Destiny 5.3 The Mexican–American War 5.4 The Compromise of 1850 5.5 Sectional Conflict: SOC Regional Differences 5.6 Failure of Compromise 5.7 Election of 1860 and Secession |
1 SHQ |
N/A |
|
11: The Civil War (Unit 5: 5.8-5.10) |
5.8 Military Conflict in the Civil War 5.9 Government Policies During the Civil War 5.10 Reconstruction 5.11 Failure of Reconstruction 5.12 Comparison in Period 5 |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
A11- DBQ Writing Assignment |
|
12: Reconstruction (Unit 5: 5.10-5.12) |
5.10 Reconstruction 5.11 Failure of Reconstruction 5.12 Comparison in Period 5 |
10 MCQ Stimulus Based |
N/A |
Final Exam- 55 MCQ, 1 SHQ, 1 DBQ |
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Grades
Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on submitted work and exams. The available points are distributed as follows:
| Source | Available Points |
|---|---|
| Lesson Assignments | 95 |
| Lesson Quizzes | 110 |
| Midterm Exam | 95 |
| Final Exam | 155 |
| Total | 455 |
AP Discussions
Participation in online discussions (e.g., discussion forums, chats, community projects, and/or instructor conferences) is expected and will factor into your overall course grade.
All online discussions described in course lesson pages are required unless your instructor notes otherwise. Your instructor may also arrange additional required chats or instructor conferences. Be sure to regularly check the course calendar and announcements from your instructor regarding upcoming discussions and requirements.
Your participation in required online discussions will be evaluated on criteria such as frequency, timeliness, thoughtfulness and effort, and overall contribution to the knowledge base and learning experience of your classmates. You are also expected to monitor and respond to posts on discussion threads which you have started or have previously contributed to; you should not simply make a post and consider the discussion “done,” because it should be an ongoing conversation with your peers and/or instructor.
Postings that begin new discussion forum threads will be reviewed based on their relevance, demonstrated understanding of course concepts, examples cited, and overall quality. Postings that respond to other students’ posts will be evaluated based on relevance, degree to which they extend discussions, and tone.
Accessibility
If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.Textbook & Technology Requirements
To fully participate, make sure you have:
- A computer that meets our Mizzou Academy technology requirements
- A microphone and webcam for recording audio and video assignments
- Any other required textbooks or materials for the course
Canvas Technical Support
Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.
- Access Canvas through the Tiger Portal https://mizzouacademy.missouri.edu/
- For assistance with Canvas, passwords, or other technical issues, submit a ticket by selecting Help from the Global Navigation menu on the left in Canvas. Additional information is provided in the following Canvas Guide: How do I get help with Canvas as a student?
- For questions about enrollment, access to courses, exam proctoring, or billing, contact our Support Services Team at (855) 256-4975 or mizzouacademy@missouri.edu.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|