The Great American West

It's "Cowboys and Indians" time, APUSH Gang! Yee-haw! This week, we will look at the time after the Civil War when the United States government made a concerted effort to push west to the Pacific, eventually displacing thousands of natives along the way in the name of economic prosperity and civilization.

On my McKeel website, you will find the five documents that make up "This Land Is Ours" from the "A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America" curriculum from the Southern Poverty Law Center. This episode details the story of the Ponca tribe of Nebraska, who were threatened with expulsion from their ancestral home in the 1870s. As you read their story, answer the following questions on a Microsoft Word document and submit them to me by Friday, February 4th:

“This Land Is Ours” – Chapter 4 from “A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America”

1.) What factors contributed to the U.S. government’s policy of forcibly removing Native Americans from their ancestral lands?

2.) Explain the title of this story – “This Land Is Ours.”
a.) What are some other possible interpretations?
b.) Do you see a possible irony in the title? If so, explain what it is.

3.) How did the legal principle of habeas corpus advance the cause of the Ponca? What arguments did the government use against it?

4.) How much did you know about the story of Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca before you read “This Land Is Ours”?
a.) What reasons can you give for your answer?
b.) What do you know about the other Native American chiefs and leaders mentioned in the story?

5.) How has our society’s understanding of the phrase “all men are created equal” changed since it was first written in the Declaration of Independence?
a.) How does the Ponca’s story contribute to that understanding?
b.) Are there limits to our understanding of the phrase today? Explain.

Also, we will be looking at a DBQ on the Old West this week in class. All DBQ essays are due on Tuesday, February 8th.

Industrialization & Immigration

After the Civil War, the United States began to finally flex its economic muscles and become a world leader in industry. With the economy booming, opportunities arose for people from all over the world to come make their own destinies in the New World. And over 43 million did...

Captains of industry, robber barons, the nouveau riche, immigrant workers, child laborers...all played a vital role in this next chapter of American History.

Assignments (1/18-1/28):
1.) "A People's History of the United States" - Ch. 11 Questions ("Robber Barons & Rebels"), due Tues., 1/25

2.) DBQ - choose "Captains of Industry" or "The New Immigrants", due Wed., 1/26

3.) Ch. 24 & Ch. 25 Guidebooks, due Fri., 1/28

4.) Exam on Ch. 24 & Ch. 25, Fri., 1/28

Reconstruction, 1865-1877

After the Civil War, the United States government began the long & arduous process of Reconstruction. The next dozen years saw former slaves reach new heights socially, economically, and politically, but not without resistance among white Southerners. Then, upon the inauguration of new President Rutherford B. Hayes in March 1877, Reconstruction abruptly ended. Was the work the federal government began to remake the South truly finished, or was the end premature?

There is a wealth of information to learn about Reconstruction, and not much class time to do it in. It is truly a fascinating topic, one that I think helps to explain race relations regional differences still alive today in the United States. And yet, it is such a little known topic.

The following are due dates that you have in APUSH for the next two weeks. Manage your time wisely, because this is a lot.

1.) "American Pageant" Guidebooks for Ch. 20-23 due on Fri., Jan. 14th.

2.) Zinn Questions for Ch. 10 ("The Other Civil War") will be handed out in class, due on Wed., 1/12.

3.) Ch. 22 Discussion Questions will be answered and turned into my Google Docs account (save as "Private," share it with me) by Monday, 1/10.

4.) Read the article saved on my McKeel website ("The American Civil War,
Emancipation, and Reconstruction on the World Stage," by Edward L. Ayers) and write a precis', minimum 500 words, posted on this blog. This is due by Fri., 1/7.

5.) DBQ - "Who Killed Reconstruction: North or South?" (documents analyzed in class on Thurs. & Fri., 1/6-1/7), will be submitted to me on Google Docs by Thurs., 1/13.

6.) Ch. 20-23 Exam on Fri., 1/14.

Do you KNOW the Constitution?

Take a look at this question, and answer fully on this blog. Feel free to respond to your classmates' answers as well. Here goes:

"Some historians contend that the Constitution, by providing the structure of government and powers necessary to perpetuate a strong union, 'saved' the fledgling American Republic from collapse and ruin under the Articles of Confederation. Evaluate this argument utilizing your knowledge of the problems of the United States in the 1780’s."

Post your answer by Fri. evening, 10/8, please. Can't wait to see this!!

Knowledge is power...

Time to know the Constitution....

APUSH Gang,

We're going to be studying and analyzing the Constitution this week, and one thing that is important when analyzing a topic as all-encompassing and relevant as the supreme law of this land is this: what can you do with it?

First, read and explore this website: www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html. This is a quick summary of the Constitution, what the different articles say, and all of the amendments that have been made to it. Pay particular attention to what the authors of this website have to say about religion...just click on the hyperlink in the section for the 1st Amendment.

Next, read the article found at this website:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/flunkingsainthood/2010/09/before-you-attend-jon-stewarts-rally-read-this-from-james-calvin-davis.html?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=11&ppc=&utm_campaign=Bible&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=yahoo.com

Now, answer these question (a blog comment is fine): 1.) "Do you agree, or disagree, that the traits of civility and tolerance are needed in the post-9/11 world, or did 9/11 change that?" 2.) "What do you think the Founding Fathers would say about today's Ground Zero mosque controversy and potential Quran burnings?"


After you've done that, make sure you listen to the podcast at this link: http://college.cengage.com/history/lecturepoints/part01_lecture07/part01_lecture07.html

Welcome to APUSH!! Now, get busy...

Hi, APUSH gang! I hope you've had a restful and (mostly) uneventful summer. A few of you have emailed with questions and concerns, and I WOULD apologize for not getting back to you in a timely fashion, but here's the deal: you need to learn to start answering your OWN questions. Sure, I could tell you what to do, what I want...but I'm much more interested in seeing what y'all come up with on your own, or collaborating together.

Obviously, you have some assignments due in the next week: 1.) Your book review on "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James Loewen; 2.) Your discussion questions and precis for the first three chapters of Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States;" 3.) the assignments for the first five chapters of Digital History's online textbook, and; 4.) the 11th-12th grade US Constitution assignment. I know, that's a lot.

Something else I want you to take a look at before we convene on August 19th is the following current event: the proposed construction of a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. You guys are pretty smart (I hear), and this is a tremendous opportunity for you to amaze me with your knowledge of current events, your ability to argue a point, and the strength of your convictions. On this blog, reply with your well-reasoned answer to this question: "Should a group of Muslims be allowed to build a mosque and Isalmic Cultural Center near the site of Ground Zero in New York City? If no, with what authority can the construction be stopped and how? If yes, under what authority should it be allowed?"

Have fun! Play nice...

The Roaring Twenties

APUSH students:

This week we'll be analyzing the myths and the realities of the Roaring Twenties. Your Ch. 31 & Ch. 32 Study Guides are due by Mon., 3/22. Your DBQ on the 1920s is due by Wed., 3/24 (I'll need something to read on the plane to San Diego on 3/25!!).
The end of the 3rd quarter is upon us. Make sure you complete these assignments, plus keep up with all readings and exam preparation.