Download World History - Sedro-Woolley School District

20th Century U.S. History/Washington State History
Course Syllabus
Sedro-Woolley High School
Mr. Heuterman
Course Description: This course is a general survey of American History from the Spanish American War through present
day, with a special focus on how events in Washington State mirrored or differed from the nation as a whole. A running theme
of this class is growth and conflict. By identifying, analyzing, and evaluating specific primary source documents and other
interesting, lesser-known examples, the student will have a deeper understanding and appreciation of our past, both as a state
and a country. Each unit will reflect these themes utilizing the Washington State Frameworks, which are listed below.
Units of Study (Based on The Social Studies Grade Level Equivalencies (GLEs) for United States and Washington State
History, Grade 11)
Unit One – The U.S. Becomes A World Power
How and why did the United States emerge as a world power? What impact did World War I have on the United States at
home and abroad? What are the relationships among the rise of industrialization, large-scale rural-to-urban migration, and
massive immigration? Washington State Focus – What natural resources does the State of Washington have? Why were most
of Washington’s towns founded in this period?
Unit Two – The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
What are the different explanations for the Great Depression and how did the New Deal fundamentally change the role of the
federal government? How did the balance of federal power shift between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches in the
20th century? Washington State Focus – How did the Grand Coulee Dam project fundamentally change the state social,
political and economic structure? What role did this project have on America’s involvement in WWII?
Unit Three – World War II
What caused World War II and how did World War II transform role of the United States in world affairs and foreign policy?
What were the domestic economic and social changes as a result of World War II? How has the United States dealt with the
gap between prosperity and poverty? Washington State Focus -How did the people of Washington State respond to the
political, economic, and social challenges of the Great Depression and World War II
Unit Four – The Cold War and Its Effects
What were the causes and consequences of the Cold War? What were the causes and consequences of the development on
nuclear weapons and arms limitation agreements? What has been the role of the United States in the spread of global
interdependence? What are the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society?
Washington State Focus - What significant political, economic, and social challenges affected Washington State in the postWorld War II era? How did these challenges impact individuals and groups of people?
Unit Five – Movements and Issues at Home (1950’s/1960’s/1970’s)
How do people respond to times of uncertainty (civil rights, Vietnam, Watergate? How are the issues and problems facing us
today similar to or different from those that existed in previous eras? Washington State Focus How has the Washington State economy prospered/faltered because of the Cold War? How does being a coastal state affect the
role of the military here? What significant events happened here during this period?
Unit Six - Entering a New Era (1980’s/1990’s)
How do people respond to times of uncertainty? What themes and developments define the era in which we live? How are the
issues and problems facing us today similar to or different from those that existed in previous eras? How has the Oklahoma
City Bombing and 9/11 fundamentally changed the way Americans live? Washington State Focus – Will Seattle and her
landmark Space Needle forever be a terrorist threat, or are our perceptions altered because of the emotional shock of 9/11?
Where are we headed as a state?
Text: The Americans, McDougall/Little