American History II

Description: The class represents the second year of a two-year study of American history, emphasizing historical analysis. The course beings with the end of Reconstruction (1877) to the Reagan years (1980s). This includes the industrialization of America, the Gilded Age, the settlement of the West, the increase in immigration, the Progressive Era, World War I and its effect on American society, the Great Depression, World War II and its effect on American society, post-war years of prosperity, the Cold War and Communist threat, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and troubles in Southeast Asia, and the beginning of problems in the Middle East. The class will be a combination of lecture and discussion, and each week students are assigned work to complete outside of class. Assignments include an extensive reading of primary and secondary sources, essay assignments, and online assessments. Students will need to devote approximately 60 minutes per day for this class. The grade is based on participation, quizzes, essays, and exams. This class is worth 1 high school credit in Social Studies or History.

Grade Level: 9-12 (ages 14-18)

Prerequisites: Completion of American History I, or the equivalent content and time periods. Students should be able to read a college-level textbook, be willing to work hard, and be able to write grammatically correct, complete sentences.

Required texts: Students who register for this course will be notified when these books are available for purchase from Memoria Press. Students will also need a headset microphone (built-in microphones also work).