Through this course, students will make connections across time between the challenges and issues in America today to a wide variety of historical events. This course offers a comprehensive overview of the history of the United States from the writing of the Constitution to very recent events.
Students will begin the course by examining the founding documents of the U.S. and the ideals they set forth. They will learn about the challenges of a new nation, examine the factors leading to the Civil War, the bold goals of Reconstruction, and the impact of its failure. Throughout the course, students will learn about the ongoing struggle for many groups to gain civil rights and increased opportunity from the late 19th century through the civil rights movement of the 1960s and up through the election of the first black president and ongoing efforts to expand rights and opportunity in America today. Students will study America’s changing role in the world over time, including the U.S. role in WWII, the Vietnam War, and the War on Terror.
Students will use a variety of sources, including an online textbook and primary source documents, to gain a rich understanding of major events, turning points, and important figures in American history. Students will apply their growing knowledge and interpretation of American history through weekly engagement in discussions as well as written responses demonstrating their synthesis of multiple perspectives. Each semester students will choose and research selected topics in order to gain a deeper understanding of how the ideals in the founding documents have been realized throughout our history.
About the Self-Paced Course Model
Self-Paced courses are comprehensive, self-paced courses designed for students who need or desire more flexibility in their academic schedule. VHS Learning teachers will regularly interact with students in asynchronous discussions, will host weekly office hours, and will invite students to monthly 1-on-1 progress meetings. Teachers will support students, answer questions, and provide feedback on work. Students will work independently on course activities; the course does not include class discussion assignments or other collaborative work.
Students may start this course on any Monday from September (after the American Labor Day holiday) through the first Monday in February. Students must maintain enrollment for a minimum of 20 weeks and have until mid-June to complete all assignments in the course. It is expected that students will work for approximately 200 hours to complete this course, though the amount of time may vary depending on a student’s work habits and comfort with the material.
Course Essential Questions:
- To what extent does the United States live up to the ideals established in the founding documents?
- How has the struggle for rights and opportunity been a defining feature of American history?
- How do unresolved conflicts throughout American history continue to impact the country today?
Course Learning Objectives:
- Identify and explain historical developments and processes throughout United States history.
- Analyze and discuss primary source documents.
- Analyze the context of historical events, developments, or processes.
- Develop an argument based on historical evidence.