United States History - Mr. Patrick Blackstock
The purpose of this course is to create a knowledge & understanding of United States History combined with an acquisition of certain skills and general values that will aid the student in their endeavor to become an active, intelligent citizen of our country.  This course is a formal study of American History from discovery to the present with an emphasis on the 20th-Century.

North Carolina Competency Goals - The learner will:
1.   identify, investigate, and assess the effectiveness of the institutions of the emerging republic.
2.  assess the competing forces of expansionism, nationalism, and sectionalism.
3.  analyze the issues that led to the Civil War, the effects of the war, and the impact of Reconstruction on the nation.
4.  evaluate the great westward movement and assess the impact of the agricultural revolution on the nation.
5.  describe innovations in technology and business practices and assess their impact on economic, political, and social life
     in America.
6.  analyze causes and effects of the United States emergence as a world power.
7.  analyze the economic, political, and social reforms of the Progressive Period.
8.  analyze United States involvement in World War I and the war’s influence on international affairs during the 1920s.
9.  appraise the economic, social, and political changes of the decades of “The Twenties” and “The Thirties”.
10. analyze United States involvement in World War II and the war’s influence on international affairs in the following 
     decades.
11. trace economic, political, and social developments and assess their significance for the lives of Americans during this
     time period.
12. identify and analyze trends in domestic and foreign affairs of the United States during this time period.
 
Requirements:
     Students will be required to keep complete, neat notebook containing all notes, charts, worksheets, maps, & other assignments given during each six weeks.  A three-ring binder is recommended.  The notebook will be a significant part of the six weeks grade.  Notebooks and textbooks are to be brought to class every day and may be checked for a grade at any time.
     Multiple-choice tests modeled after the U.S. History End-Of-Course Exam will be given each week as we march across the pages of history to the present.  These tests will be lengthy and cumulative in nature in order to improve the depth of your knowledge of American History.  With every new unit test, you will have to also answer questions from previous units.  This will help keep events from history "connected" to each other and will better prepare you for the EOC at semester's end.  With each weekly test there will also be essay questions on topics discussed with that unit.  Essays will be a separate grade that will count as one-fifth to one-half of a test grade.
     Students in honors classes will be required to turn in a research paper near the end of each six weeks.  The topic chosen by the student must be from the time period we are studying in that grading period.  The paper must be two typed pages in length (doubled-spaced) or four pages if handwritten.  It must include a resources page (at least two sources), title page, and it must describe the resources used.
     Needless to say, daily reading of your textbook & daily review of your notebook will enhance your ability to succeed in this course!