Syllabus+US+Hist++Tri+4

Syllabus US HIST 2 Trimester 4

 * The final trimester of United States history will cover the history of the United States in the 20th Century. We will spend a lot of time making comparisons and honing our critical thinking. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to think about which direction they would like to begin their career as an active United States citizen as they enter Government class, by answering the question:


 * My country's history shows me that ________________________ is a cause worth doing something about.**


 * Topics included:**

The Great War: How did the US respond to this European disaster? The Roaring 20s and the Great Depression: What causes boom/bust cycles? What is the New Deal and did it work? World War II: What makes the World War II generation unique? Would our generation/country do the same thing today? Do we face threats today of the size the world did in the early 1940s? The Cold War: Korea, Vietnam, at home and abroad: Did/does the US succeed as an international power? Did the US have an obligation to fight Communism? Would the US have 'won' the Vietnam war under different circumstances? What ended the Cold War? What is similar and different about our recent interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan? The greatest country in the world: What made the United States the world's only superpower by the end of the 20th century? What challenges do we face in the 21st century?


 * Points:**

50%: Weekly responses to interesting or provocative material covered in class or in individual research. 5 @ 10 points each. 40%: Mystery dinner project. Directions for this project will come out at the beginning of October. 10%: Essay test final, including the question above. ||