This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
In this upper-level American history course, you will learn about the Colonial, Revolutionary, and Pre-Civil War times with a dynamic “guest” who may “appear in person” — possibly Patrick Henry.
Total classes: 12
Duration: 55 minutes per class
Prerequisite: None
Suggested Grade Level: 11th to 12th grade (or advanced 9th and 10th grade)
Suggested Credit: 1 full semester American History
Description
This course will cover American history from the late 15th century through the American Civil War and postwar reconstruction. We will cover colonial development, the road to the American Revolution, the revolutionary war and its aftermath, constitution building, the early national period, the War of 1812, the Jacksonian era, the pre-Civil War reform movements, the road to the Civil War, wartime issues, and postwar reconstruction. Along the way, there may be a few guest appearances by figures from American history, including Patrick Henry.
Outline
Week One: Exploration and Early Colonization
Week Two: The Shaping of British North America
Week Three: The Road to the American Revolution
Week Four: The American Revolution and Its Aftermath
Week Five: The Experiment Begins
Week Six: From Jefferson to Jackson
Week Seven: The Culture of Democracy
Week Eight: The Old South and Slavery
Week Nine: The Gathering Storm
Week Ten: Secession and the Onset of the Civil War
Week Eleven: The Civil War
Week Twelve: Reconstruction
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: The Land of Hope by Wilfred McClay. ISBN 978-1594039379 (https://amzn.to/37YfKxp)
Homework: Students will read approximately a chapter per week. There will be weekly quizzes based on both the reading and the lectures, auto-graded by the computer for immediate feedback. For upper-level students or students who want to go the extra mile, Dr. Chalberg will assign an additional five writing assignments of 500 to 600 words each. Expect to spend three to four hours per week on reading and homework outside of class lectures.
