Hillcrest High School

United States History 1877- Present

Ms. Boreson – Room 103

             Welcome to United States History, 1877 to the Present: Post-Reconstruction through the 20th Century. Eleventh-grade students continue the chronological study of the history of the United States with emphasis on domestic affairs. This study incorporates each of the sixteen social studies standards developed by the Alabama Department of Education. As students study historic eras, they consider the geographic, cultural, economic and governmental changes that have occurred. Students develop a deeper understanding of their role as citizens and continue to expand their command of social studies skills and methods.

United States History is fascinating because it holds the key to understanding much of contemporary American society. There are several objectives to this class, but there are two specifically to give our focus.  First, that you to walk away with an understanding of the fundamental basics of American History. In order to accomplish this goal, we must look at United States History thematically and ask the “big” questions.  Learning about history is more than just names and dates (although we will be doing this), it is the ability to see the connections and the reasons behind why things happened the way they did. Out second focal point will be to see that American history is dynamic and full of complexities. As a member of this course, you will be able to understand, analyze and evaluate these complexities, particularly through well-developed written responses.

About Your Teacher:

I am Rita Boreson.  I have a degree in Secondary Education: Social Sciences from Clemson University.  This is the beginning of my seventh year of teaching high school.  I have taught World Geography, World History, AP Human Geography as well as US 1877-Present.

Contact Information: I have second and fourth planning period daily.  Email: rboreson@tcss.net    School phone: 205 342 2800

Grading Policy:  Quarter and final grades will be based on the following:

·         Tests:  tests will be given at the end of each unit (roughly 2 chapters) and may include multiple choice questions, free response questions, matching, identifications, essay/short answer, and true and false questions.

·         Quizzes:  quizzes will be given approximately 2 times per chapter and will deal with material covered during class lectures and from your reading of the textbook and supplemental materials.  Vocabulary and map quizzes will accompany each chapter.

·         Homework/In Class Work:  You can expect to have reading assignments or homework at least two times per week

·         Participation: we will be accomplishing many of our goals through discussions, Socratic seminars and group work. In order to facilitate active learning, it is imperative that you come prepared and participate to your fullest during these activities. This is also the time to learn from each other and see new points of view that you may have overlooked on your own.

·         Exams: At the completion of each nine weeks students will take a cumulative exam; as well as a comprehensive final exam at the completion of the term (exemptions based on TCSSBOE policy).

Behavioral Expectations:

Each of the students in the course has the right to learn Social Studies and achieve to their best ability without being embarrassed, afraid, or harassed.  Mrs. Boreson has to right to help you learn the content without being interrupted.  Therefore, these classroom rules are based on five simple words that should be followed during the entire year.

Classroom Rules:

1.)                       Come to class on time and prepared to begin the daily work as listed on the board.

2.)                       Be respectful and courteous of your teacher and fellow classmates.

3.)                       Cell phones and electronics are not used during class instruction.

4.)                       Be respectful and listen while the teacher is instructing class. 

5.)                       Raise your hand if you have something to add or ask. 

6.)                       Bring supplies for class daily.

Important Things to Remember:

·         It is YOUR responsibility to come and see me if you have been absent from class.  I will not hunt you down to give you your assignments.  If you do not take the initiative, you will simply receive zero credit for any missed assignments.  This includes tests, which must be made up outside of class.

·         Any out of class essays should be typed and checked for grammatical and spelling errors prior to submission. Plagiarized material will be returned for a zero grade.

·         Absent Work:  For every day that you are absent from class (excused), you will have two days to make up the work missed.  If you go over this limit, it will be considered late.

·         It is VERY important that you try to make it to class every day. We will be covering a lot of material and even one day absent can hurt your grasp on what we are studying.

Execution of Discipline:

All discipline issues will follow the Tuscaloosa County School System along with Hillcrest High School’s Code of Conduct:

Content Standards for 11^th Grade US History

1.        Explain the transition of the United States from an agrarian society to an industrial nation prior to World War I

2.        Evaluate social and political origins, accomplishments, and limitations of Progressivism.

3.        Explain the United States' changing role in the early twentieth century as a world power. 

4.        Describe causes, events, and the impact of military involvement of the United States in World War I, including mobilization and economic and political changes.

5.        Evaluate the impact of social changes and the influence of key figures in the United States from World War I through the 1920s, including Prohibition, the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, the Scopes Trial, limits on immigration, Ku Klux Klan activities, the Red Scare, the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, the Jazz Age, Susan B. Anthony, Margaret Sanger, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, W. C. Handy, and Zelda Fitzgerald.

6.        Describe social and economic conditions from the 1920s through the Great Depression regarding factors leading to a deepening crisis, including the collapse of the farming economy and the stock market crash of 1929. 

7.        Explain strengths and weaknesses of the New Deal in managing problems of the Great Depression through relief, recovery, and reform programs, including the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Social Security Act.

8.        Summarize events leading to World War II, including the militarization of the Rhineland, Germany's seizure of Austria and Czechoslovakia, Japan's invasion of China, and the Rape of Nanjing.

9.        Describe the significance of major battles, events, and consequences of World War II campaigns, including North Africa, Midway, Normandy, Okinawa, the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, and the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences.

10.     Describe the impact of World War II on the lives of American citizens, including wartime economic measures, population shifts, growth in the middle class, growth of industrialization, advancements in science and technology, increased wealth in the African-American community, racial and ethnic tensions, Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 

11.     Describe the international role of the United States from 1945 through 1960 relative to the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Blockade, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

12.     Describe major initiatives of the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson Administrations.

13.     Trace the course of the involvement of the United States in Vietnam from the 1950s to 1975, including the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Tet Offensive, destabilization of Laos, secret bombings of Cambodia, and the fall of Saigon. 

14.     Trace events of the modern Civil Rights Movement from post-World War II to 1970 that resulted in social and economic changes, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, the March on Washington, Freedom Rides, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, and the Selma-to-Montgomery March. (Alabama)

15.     Describe changing social and cultural conditions in the United States during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

16.     Describe significant foreign and domestic issues of presidential administrations from Richard M. Nixon to the present.

Communication and Contact Information:

·         Online Textbook Access:  http://my.hrw.com    Username: Boreson            Password: m7k8w

·         Remind 101: This will be utilized by the teacher to remind students of upcoming major assessments. The Remind 101 for your course is: _______________

·         Students: If you have a question or would like additional help do not hesitate to ask.  I can be reached before or after class, after school, during planning period, by class website, or by e-mail.  Remember, teachers are here to help you!

·         Parents:  To monitor student progress, grades, and assignments please check the iNow system online as much as you prefer.  For nightly homework, class notes, study guides and assignments students should keep an up-to-date agenda.  At any time should you have a question or concern to share, I would encourage you to e-mail me at rboreson@tcss.net        

                 I look forward to working with you during this course.  Stick with it, work hard, and you will do well.  Good Luck and Best Wishes!

Ms. Rita Boreson