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U.S. History Course Curriculum
Course Title U.S. History
Credit Value One credit
st
1 Quarter
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
Unit 1:
pre-history
to 1776
Course Syllabus
Pre-Columbian America, the Age of Discovery, the Spanish and French in America, English
colonies planted, English colonial policy, the American Revolution, The Constitution,
Federalists and Republicans, the War of 1812, nationalism.
Sectionalism, and compromise, Jacksonian Democracy, reforms, slavery, manifest destiny,
compromise and conflict, the Civil War, Reconstruction.
Opening the trans-Mississippi west, industrialization, labor, urbanization, the Gilded Age,
Populism, free silver, revolt of the debtor, U.S. imperialism and the Spanish-American War,
progressivism and Roosevelt-Taft-Wilson, World War I.
The Roaring Twenties, normalcy, the Great depression and FDR’s New Deal, World War II,
Truman and the Cold War, the Korean War, Eisenhower and modern Republicanism, the road
to Vietnam, the Sixties, civil rights, Vietnam, LBJ and the Great Society, Nixon and
Watergate, Ford-Carter, the Reagan revolution, end of the Cold War.
Instructional Objectives by Unit/Area of Focus/Topic
1. Describe the circumstances in Europe , Asia, and Africa that led to voyages of
exploration.
2. Describe how European values and beliefs differed from those of the Native American
population.
3. Describe what political, social, and religious values and beliefs the colonists brought
to America.
Unit 2:
1650-1789
1. Describe the causes and results of the French and Indian war.
2. Why colonists resorted to political protest against British policies.
3. Describe what conditions caused the American Revolution and why the Americans
were able to win.
4. Describe what important compromises made the Constitution possible.
Unit 3:
1789-1824
1.
2.
3.
4.
Unit 4:
1820-1854
5.
1.
2.
Unit 5:
1825-1877
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Describe how political values shaped the formation of political parties.
Describe the opportunities that arose out of the Louisiana Purchase.
Describe the factors that caused the War of 1812.
Describe how foreign policy helped shape the United States as an emerging world
power.
Describe the circumstances that prompted the Monroe Doctrine.
Describe how economic and cultural change brought about by the Industrial
Revolution led to the creation of the factory system.
Describe how Jackson’s nationalism was shown during the nullification crisis and his
war on the national bank.
Describe the factors that led to a variety of reform movements.
Describe the factors that led to geographic expansion to the Pacific becoming a
national mission.
Describe the causes, courses, and consequences of the Mexican War.
Describe how political conflict over slavery and the nature of the Union led to
secession.
Describe why it became necessary to curtail civil rights and freedoms during the Civil
War.
Describe how Radical Republicans sought to exercise power and authority over the
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U.S. History Course Curriculum
Unit 6:
1860-1900
Reconstruction process.
Describe the Compromise of 1877 and it’s provisions.
Describe the role of the railroads in the settlement of the Great Plains.
Describe how lack of restrictions helped large companies hurt small ones.
Describe how Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller were able to become
industrial giants.
Describe the conditions experienced by labor unions in the late 1800s.
Describe how the spoils system and lobbyists fostered corruption in government.
Describe how economic inequity developed between farmers and urban workers.
Describe the major goals of the Populist Party.
6.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Unit 7:
1867-1920
1. Describe how increased United States economic and political power led to the
acquisition of an overseas empire.
2. Describe why reform efforts were successful in correcting the worst abuses of big
business and government during the Progressive Era.
2. Describe in what ways Teddy Roosevelt was successful or disappointing as
progressive leader.
3. Describe progressive reforms achieved by Woodrow Wilson.
Unit 8:
1914-1932
1. Describe how Wilson’s idealism and America’s economic interests led to
controversy over foreign policy.
2. Describe why the United States did not join the League of Nations
3. Describe ways United States involvement in international relations changed after
World War I.
4. Describe why economic change from economic prosperity to depression was
triggered by the stock market crash.
5. Describe how President Hoover tried to pull the country out of the depression.
Unit 9:
1932-1960
1. Describe how New Deal legislation attempted to pull the United States out of the
Depression.
2. Describe what long-term effects the New Deal programs had on American society.
3. Describe the events that led the American people to abandon isolationism and
neutrality.
4. Describe how the Allies prevented Germany and Italy from winning the military
conflict in Europe.
5. Describe why the political and economic power of the United States and the Soviet
Union were set against each other.
6. Describe ways the United States sought to contain the Soviet Union.
7. Describe how economic growth stimulated the economy during the 1950s.
Unit 10:
1954-
1. Describe how the civil rights movement led to social upheaval.
2. Describe how social upheaval divided the nation and affected government policy
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U.S. History Course Curriculum
Present
during the Vietnam era.
3. Describe how Kennedy’s and Johnson’s approaches to economic problems differed
from Nixon’s.
4. Describe how the leadership of Ford, Carter, and Reagan shaped events and
policies.
5. Describe how Clinton’s policies – both domestic and foreign – affected Americans.
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