This course can help prepare students who wish to continue their social studies education after high school, as well as students who wish to perform exceptionally well on the SAT exam. The level of aptitude in this subject will assist students wishing to excel on the SAT and in college courses.
According to the College Board’s website, AP US History is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in US history. It should prepare students for entry level and intermediate level history courses on the college level. While there is no prerequisite for AP US History, students should make sure that they are prepared for the course load associated with an Advanced Placement History course. Most social studies classes include extensive readings of both textbooks and case studies. Students should be prepared to both read and analyze what they read in order to apply it to the class.
AP US History is a serious course and includes many course goals. According to the College Board’s website, by the time students take their AP US History exam (or the SAT exam) they should be prepared to know about the following themes:
- American Diversity- Students will come to understand the diversity of the American people and the relationships between these groups is very important. The roles of race, class, ethnicity, and gender are crucial to understanding key points of US history.
- American Identity- Students will become acquainted with individual views of the American character and ideas about American exceptionalism.
- Culture- Students will gain an appreciation for individual and collective expression through art, philosophy, music, theater, and film throughout history.
- Demographic Changes- Students will learn about changes in birth, marriage, and death rates, and how they affect the population as a whole. They will also come to understand life expectancy, family patterns, population size and density, as well as the political and social effects of immigration internal migration.
- Economic Transformations- Students will gain an understanding of how changes in trade, commerce, and technology affect a nation across time. The effects of capitalism, labor disputes, and consumerism will also come into play.
- Globalizations- Students will begin to understand the United States’ influence around the world, and their effect on ecological, social, and environmental conflicts across the globe.
- Religion- Students will learn about a variety of religious beliefs and practices in America from prehistory to the 20th century, and how religions influence politics, economics, and society as a whole.
Students will also learn to use study notes and other study techniques in conjunction with such AP US History textbooks as The American Pageant, United States History, and America: Past and Present.
Students considering taking AP US History or any other Advanced Placement course should keep in mind that taking advanced classes requires a higher level of commitment than other high school classes. Students that commit themselves to their coursework and do well in their classes will see a huge payoff in both their SAT scores as well as their college preparedness level
Students that wish to get accepted into more prestigious or highly-selective schools should definitely look into taking AP courses. Advanced Placement courses not only set students apart through their transcripts, but they can also give students an extra boost when thinking about what kind of courses they want to take in college. They can also earn college credit while still in high school, saving valuable time, money, and headaches. Most importantly, they can also aid students in developing the study habits they need to succeed over the course of their college career and give students valuable skills that they can use both in and out of the classroom.
Here you find AP US History outlines, notes, vocabulary terms, topic notes, practice quizzes, court cases, political parties, political timelines and biographies. Many of these resources correspond to the American Pageant textbook. We are always adding more AP US History notes so if you have any requests, please use the Contact Us form to let us know what we can do to help.
