Welcome to AP U.S. History!

Course Syllabus

apush_syllabus_2023-2024.pdf
File Size: 157 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
​Important links to get you started:
Picture
Why buy an AMSCO United States History: 
Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination 4th Edition?
  • You can mark it up and take notes in it
  • It aligns with the new curriculum, has test taking strategies and high quality practice questions
  • It also serves as a supplemental text with alternate, shorter reading assignments for each unit
  • Buy it directly from AMSCO (Perfection Learning)  for $19.95 plus shipping (it costs more from Amazon)​

Essay Assistance 

AP History Document Based Question (DBQ) Explained
The New APUSH DBQ 
​How to Approach the DBQ- video from Khan Academy with examples
​AP Long Essay Question (LEQ) Explained
How to Approach the LEQ- video from Khan Academy with examples
LEQ Generator- Review LEQ's using Albert.io's LEQ Generator.  You can time yourself writing an essay in 40 minutes. ​
apush_quick_essay_reference_chart_.pdf
File Size: 296 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
how_to_write_an_apush_thesis.pdf
File Size: 7867 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
contextualization.pdf
File Size: 81 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
contextualization_cone.pdf
File Size: 664 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Multiple Choice Assistance

How to do APUSH MC- video from Khan Academy, includes some sample MC 
​Khan Academy- For period by period videos and practice MC
​High School Test Prep- MC questions from each time period
History Teacher.net: Quiz Page - Practice multiple choice questions (old style---but still help with content) 
Albert.io - A resource for practice multiple choice and other review.  There is a free and paid version.
Romulus App- Ok, it's $4.99 but it contains over 800 multiple choice questions for you to review for the exam.  Pick the topic you feel you need to work on and go to town!​
  • Don't forget to review multiple choice questions from your AMSCO book, reading quizzes, and tests from throughout the school year
ap_us_history_multiple_choice_questions_strategies_and_tips.pdf
File Size: 266 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

SAQ Assistance

SAQ Guide 
​How to do the SAQ- video from Khan Academy with examples
how_to_saq.pdf
File Size: 183 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
how_to_saq-_with_examples.pdf
File Size: 189 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Presidents

Field Trip!!!!

Ellis Island 9/11 Museum

Letters of Recommendation---for Former APUSHers :)

2023_letters_of_recommendation.pdf
File Size: 85 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Nifty Websites

Albert.io - A resource for practice multiple choice and other review.  There is a free and paid version.
American Yawp- Are you looking to go deeper into history than the AMSCO book?  Check out this online US History textbook!
Apprend.io- This is an APUSH website that has a ton of great information, including timelines and essay help
APUSH Explained - This is the guy that makes the videos that I recommend for each unit (JoczProductions on YouTube).  Includes pdf's of all of his notes.
APUSH Review - Also includes videos and PowerPoints for each time period----New for 2016- Free Courses
Fiveable- There's a lot of free stuff here or you can pay for a variety of tutorials.  Great info. 
Get a Five.com - Includes a "study room" with video lessons, review quizzes and practice tests and a diagnostic exam to see where you're at.
Gilder Lehrman - Timelines, documents, videos, and essays for each of the 9 APUSH periods 
Heimler's History- check out his website here or even better yet, subscribe to him on YouTube.  Seriously- he's the best!
Khan Academy- Includes a brief study guide and videos on how to approach the various parts of the exam

​Map Websites- University of Texas   and US History Maps

YouTube 

Channels, people, and playlists to subscribe to.  Do it now!

Resources

bagpipes_chart.pdf
File Size: 289 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
apush_mad_skills.pdf
File Size: 793 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
historical_thinking_skills_chart.pdf
File Size: 212 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
hippo_2017.pdf
File Size: 198 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
cheat_card_hippo_and_skills.pdf
File Size: 316 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
study_guide_with_reading_and_note-taking_strategies_2015.pdf
File Size: 10254 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

General Awesomeness

Here's where I just recommend things that are cool, historically speaking!
PODCASTS:
  • 1619 Project-  Award winning podcast about the impact slavery had on America
  • Backstory- This is a podcast that "brings historical perspective to the events happening around us today".  Basically, it is chock full of SYNTHESIS!
  • Constitutional- This is a series of podcasts that delves into the history of the Constitution and the issues surrounding it.  It is produced by the Washington Post and the same people who made the Presidential podcast. 
  • In Plain Sight- I HIGHLY recommend this podcast about LBJ's wife Lady Bird Johnson.  She had a lot more influence than people gave her credit for.
  • Moonrise- This came out in 2019 for the anniversary of the Moon Landing.  It gives a history of how we got to the moon.
  • Radio Lab Presents: More Perfect - It's a podcast about the Supreme Court that touches on present day issues such as affirmative action, the death penalty, and gay marriage and provides the precedents which led to today's rulings.  There's even a whole episode on Marbury v. Madison!  I highly recommend listening to anyone who A) likes history, B) is interested in government C) is interested in law D) wants an extra edge on the AP exam!  Season 3 focuses on the amendments and they even made an musical album to go along with it.  
  • Presidential- This series of podcasts reviews the rise and fall of each of the 44 presidents, including domestic and foreign policy.  Great for review!
  • Retropod- This is a daily podcast that is usually under 5 minutes in length.  Bite size history!
  • Slow Burn- Season 1- Watergate, Seacon 2- Clinton Impeachment, Season 5- The Road to the Iraq War (I haven't listened to this one yet!)
  • Stuff You Missed in History Class- This podcast delves in detail into specific topics in history.  Learn about something that we don't have time to spend a lot of time in class talking about!
  • Wicked Game: American Elections- This gives  a history of each presidential election from Washington to 2020.  
READING:
  • Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States - This is an alternate look at American history through a different lens.  
  • Smithsonian Magazine articles- arranged by APUSH period, great for extra reading on a topic that interests you.
  • See below for a massive (15 pages!!!) of book recommendations based on APUSH time period.  If you're a reader, then you'll be in heaven! *I will hopefully be updating this list Summer 2021. 
apush_book_recommendations.pdf
File Size: 237 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Binge Watching History

*I'm working on updating this list Summer 2021.
  • Netflix: The Seventies and The Eighties by CNN (I don't know what happened to The Sixties!), Bobby for President; Ken Burns documentaries: The Roosevelts, Prohibition, The West
  • Amazon: Ken Burns Documentaries- The Dust Bowl, The Roosevelts, The West, Prohibition; American Experience episodes: Panama Canal, Triangle Fire, Stonewall Uprising, Freedom Riders, The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Dolley Madison, Earth Days, My Lai, Into the Deep (episodes are from different seasons); PBS The Abolitionists, American Experience: We Shall Remain, American Experience: The Presidents (All of these can also be found on the PBS website) 
  • DVR: American Dynasties: The Kennedys (CNN), 1968: The Year that Changed America (CNN), The 2000's (CNN)