All Juniors are required to take either AP US History or US History
A survey of American History from the age of discovery to roughly the end of the Reagan presidency, with only cursory attention to material from the 1990's on. Emphasis is placed on the critical analysis of history, not rote memorization of facts. Students will develop the ability to analyze historical events and learn the importance of context, cause-and-effect and change-and-continuity in historical study. Supplementary readings beyond the textbook are assigned to facilitate the development of reading, writing, and analytical skills. There are nightly homework assignments with a written component. All essays are completed in class. The course text and supplementary readings are typical of those assigned to college freshmen.