Academics

History Core Course Descriptions

World History – Grade 9  

Course #: 4102, 4100 | Level: Honors, CP | Credits: 4
This course examines the major changes that shaped the modern world, beginning with the Middle Ages through the eve of World War I. Major units include the Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, the Age of Absolutism, the French Revolution, the early Industrial Revolution, and Imperialism. The emphasis will be on the skills students need to become discerning historical thinkers: understanding geography; reading charts, graphs and tables; recognizing and understanding diverse viewpoints; comparing and contrasting information; conducting research, writing historical essays; working with primary and secondary source documents, and making presentations. Student learning will be assessed through homework, research, class participation, tests, quizzes, document-based questions, and historical analysis essays. (ACP Level discontinued effective SY22-23).

United States History I – Grade 10 

Course #: 4202, 4201, 4200 | Levels: Honors, ACP, CP | Credits: 4
This course is the first part of a sequence of United States history that will be completed the following year in Grade 11. The goal is to deepen student understanding of the United States by examining the events leading up to the American Revolution to the early twentieth century. Major units include the study of the Constitution, the Early Republic, Jacksonian Democracy, Manifest Destiny, sectionalism, the U.S. Civil War, industrialization in the U.S., and U.S. Imperialism. Students will conduct critical reading and analysis using a variety of content to hone proficiency in primary and secondary source evaluation, evaluate cause and effect, develop and prove claims with evidence, and make inferences by critically evaluating content and writing supported arguments. Students will also begin publishing formal research papers with cited sources. Independent reading is a component of United States History I .(ACP Level discontinued effective SY23-24).

United States History II – Grade 11 

Course #: 4302, 4301, 4300 | Levels: Honors, ACP, CP | Credits: 4
This course completes the second part of a sequence of United States history begun in Grade 10, by examining the major events in U.S. history from World War I to the 1960s. Major units include the study of World War I, the Great Depression and the New Deal, the Rise of Dictators, World War II, the Cold War, Civil Rights, the Vietnam War and Social Changes in the 1960s. As in previous years, students will continue to refine their critical reading and analytical writing, source evaluation, use of primary source documents, ability to make claims, evidence, and interpretation, and research methods. Honors students will pursue an accelerated program adding document analysis, debate, and rigorous practice writing supported essays based on synthesizing multiple sources. Please note that the U.S. History II Honors program is a pre-Advanced Placement curriculum that will require regular and significant preparation by reading and writing outside of class.

Advanced Placement United States History – Grade 11 

Course #: 4303 | Level: AP | Credits: 4
A.P. United States History is designed to give grade 11 students a thorough understanding of United States History, requiring students to master historical interpretation, critical and analytical thinking, essay writing, and the integration of primary and secondary sources. The class prepares students to assess historical data and documents, evaluate relevance and reliability, and demonstrate historical knowledge of United States History. This course is equivalent to a full-year introductory college class and, therefore, all students enrolled in this course are expected to demonstrate their content mastery by taking the Advanced Placement exam in May. Please note that summer work is required.