Course focus.
Trace how ideas, movements, and conflicts shaped the United States—from the colonies to today (with emphasis on Reconstruction to the present). Students practice historical thinking, work with primary/secondary sources, and write evidence-based arguments that connect past to present.
Historical Thinking Skills: sourcing & credibility, contextualization, close reading, corroboration, cause & effect, continuity & change, periodization
Core Eras & Themes: Indigenous peoples & contact; colonies, Revolution, Constitution; expansion & sectionalism; Civil War & Reconstruction; industrialization, immigration, Progressivism; WWI, the 1920s, Great Depression & New Deal; WWII & home front; Cold War; Civil Rights & social movements; contemporary U.S. (globalization, technology, environment)
Civics & Economics: federalism & separation of powers, rights & responsibilities, voting & policy process; markets, labor, inequality, fiscal/monetary basics
Research & Writing: guiding questions → thesis → outline; note-taking & citations (MLA/Chicago); DBQ/LEQ-lite scaffolds; concise claims with evidence and analysis
Media & Geography: maps and timelines, infographics, political cartoons, photographs/oral histories; identifying bias, propaganda, and point of view
Communication: short analytical paragraphs, mini-DBQs, brief presentations/discussions, and a polished unit essay each quarter
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Core survey (Khan Academy)
U.S. History hub
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history Khan Academy
The Gilded Age (1865–1898)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-gilded-age Khan Academy
APUSH Period 6: 1865–1898
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-6 Khan Academy
Primary sources & activities
National Archives DocsTeach — browse documents by era/topic
https://www.docsteach.org/documents DocsTeach
Reconstruction lesson (NARA): Was Reconstruction a Revolution?
https://www.archives.gov/legislative/resources/education/reconstruction National Archives
14th Amendment milestone doc (NARA)
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/14th-amendment National Archives
DocsTeach: Civil War & Reconstruction topic hub
https://docsteach.org/topics/civil-war DocsTeach
Progressive-era stepping stones (LoC)
Progressive Era to New Era (overview + primary sources)
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/progressive-era-to-new-era-1900-1929/ The Library of Congress+1
Open textbook (optional)
The American Yawp—Reconstruction; Capital & Labor; Industrial America
https://www.americanyawp.com/text/15-reconstruction/
https://www.americanyawp.com/text/16-capital-and-labor/
https://www.americanyawp.com/text/18-industrial-america/ American Yawp+2American Yawp+2
Quick practice
Gilded Age video playlist (KA, YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSQl0a2vh4HAPsUfxm0jM-qpp51_kIANH YouTube
Core survey (Khan Academy)
Progressive Era articles & practice
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/age-of-empire/a/the-progressive-era
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/x71a94f19%3Athe-progressive-era/e/quiz--progressivism Khan Academy+1
Rise to World Power unit (includes WWI & 1920s)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power Khan Academy
U.S. in World War I (article + practice)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-7/apush-world-war-i-homefront-lesson/a/the-united-states-in-world-war-i
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/us-in-wwi/e/quiz--the-first-world-war Khan Academy+1
The Great Depression & the New Deal
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/great-depression/a/the-great-depression
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/great-depression/a/the-new-deal Khan Academy+1
Primary sources (LoC & NARA)
LoC: Great Depression & WWII primary source timeline
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/ The Library of Congress
LoC: New Deal primary source set
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/new-deal/ The Library of Congress
LoC: Digital collections—Great Depression & New Deal portal
https://guides.loc.gov/great-depression-new-deal/digital-collections Research Guides
Open textbook (optional)
The American Yawp—Great Depression (text + reader)
https://www.americanyawp.com/text/23-the-great-depression/
https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/23-the-great-depression/ American Yawp+1
Quick practice
Core survey (Khan Academy)
WWII (articles & videos)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-7/apush-us-wwii-military-lesson/v/1945-end-of-world-war-ii
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/us-wwii/a/american-women-and-world-war-ii Khan Academy+1
Postwar era & early Cold War hub
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera Khan Academy
Cold War overview
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-cold-war-part-1 Khan Academy
Civil Rights Movement (intro + key laws + practice)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/civil-rights-movement/a/introduction-to-the-civil-rights-movement
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/civil-rights-movement/a/the-civil-rights-act-of-1964-and-the-voting-rights-act-of-1965
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/civil-rights-movement/e/the-civil-rights-movement Khan Academy+2Khan Academy+2
Primary sources & activities
DocsTeach: Civil Rights—document set & Rosa Parks case records
https://www.docsteach.org/documents?filter_searchterm=%22civil%20rights%22
https://www.docsteach.org/activities/printactivity/national-conflict-civil-rights DocsTeach+1
Open textbook (optional)
The American Yawp—The Cold War (text + reader)
https://www.americanyawp.com/text/25-the-cold-war/
https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/25-the-cold-war/ American Yawp+1
Quick practice
Core survey (Khan Academy)
Vietnam War (overview + practice + homefront)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/1960s-america/a/the-vietnam-war
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-8/apush-vietnam-war-lesson/e/vietnam-war
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-8/apush-vietnam-war-lesson/a/the-effects-of-the-vietnam-war-at-home Khan Academy+2Khan Academy+2
1970s America (practice)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/1970s-america/e/1970s-america Khan Academy
Modern era hub—1980s, 1990s, after 2000
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/modern-us
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/modern-us/1980s-america/e/1980s-america
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/modern-us/1990s-america/e/1990s-america
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/modern-us/us-after-2000/e/the-united-states-after-2000 Khan Academy+3Khan Academy+3Khan Academy+3
September 11th (background)
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/modern-us/us-after-2000/a/september-11th Khan Academy
Primary sources & activities
DocsTeach activity: President Reagan & the Cold War: Vision and Diplomacy (student version)
https://www.docsteach.org/activities/student/president-reagan-and-the-cold-war-vision-and-diplomacy DocsTeach
Chronicling America (Library of Congress historic newspapers—great for Q4 research topics)
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ (search hub)
https://guides.loc.gov/united-states-newspapers/historical-newspapers (how to use) The Library of CongressResearch Guides
AP alignment (optional)
APUSH Period 9 (1980–present) overview
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-us-history/period-9 Khan Academy