Introduction
Course Overview
Welcome! It’s my pleasure to guide you through this first semester of AP United States History. Few courses in the high school curriculum are as rich in cultural value. The traditional political, economic, and social topics that you’ll be studying in this course are supplemented by the textbook’s coverage of religion, music, literature, and art. By studying US history, you will obtain a strong understanding of what kind of a people Americans are, where we came from, how we got here, and where we are going. All of our current problems have their roots in the past. By studying American history, you’ll be able to better understand those problems, gain some ideas for their solutions, and recognize the challenges we face even today in the twenty-first century.
As you know, at the end of this course you will have the opportunity to take an examination to earn college credit. The lessons will pay special attention to movements, developments, and events that have helped shape the United States from 1492 to 1877. Emphasis will therefore be placed upon such broad themes as wars and treaties, territorial expansion, immigration, the rise and fall of slavery, civil rights and the struggles of minorities, women’s rights, the development of political parties, presidential politics, economic history, intellectual movements, religious movements, reform movements, social movements, labor history, and constitutional controversies.
Your textbook, The American Pageant, has been chosen with great care. We feel strongly that it is the best in the field. It is readable, interesting, informative, and up-to-date. In the textbook you’ll find attractive pictures, maps, cartoons, posters, and copies of American art. The principal author, David Kennedy, is a distinguished professor, editor, and prizewinning author from Stanford University. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the textbook and learn much from it.
