High school: U.S. History
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“History as a disciplined enquiry aims to sustain the widest possible definition of memory, and to make the process of recall as accurate as possible, so that our knowledge of the past is not confined to what is immediately relevant.” [John Tosh. The Pursuit of History. Fifth Edition.]
Students in United States history class consider and decide over conflicting American views on the Constitution to continue our democracy. Life-long learners need to gain knowledge of the encompassing complicated American history and society to ensure, and continue, the best government that the world has invented in response to old-world tyranny. History opens students to the past record of human experience. It reveals the accommodations, conflicts, struggles that individuals and societies have made. Students need to study the accounts of when and how people confront problems, recording the consequences that have followed the various choices of individuals and society. In order to understand the present day students must know the past. That past may show us where we need to go next. By studying choices and decisions of the past, students can confront today’s problems and choices with a deeper awareness of the alternatives before them and the likely consequences of each, while also recognizing the uniqueness of the historical time they are living in. The United States was founded on diametric ideas. Students need to know current issues that affect them, in order to react to new political events, participate appropriately, and then confidently make decisions for change. Only if we teach students to critically think can they make good decisions. However, as society becomes seemingly evermore divided, finding common ground is easier when people understand history's consequences. Several areas of importance critical to continuing our American experiment arise through in-depth study of the Constitution, cultural origins, the tradition of loyal opposition, and mechanisms of compromise, voter participation, and struggles for liberty and sovereignty. After the Revolution, it was unclear if America would stay together with such diverse geographical, economic, and cultural differences and interests. |
However many historians believe that there is a wait period of at least 50 years before we can understand many issues. But in a digital age if we wait that long who knows what the results may be? A theory called "public history" is the idea that a broad and encompassing large scale understanding needs to be made the voting public. "Society also expects an interpretation of the past that is relevant to the present and a basis for formulating decisions about the future. Historians may argue that since their expertise concerns the past not the present, it is not their job to draw out the practical import of their work....they are in fact the only people qualified to equip society with a truly historical perspective"[John Tosh. The Pursuit of History. Fifth Edition, p.50]
Read like a Historian |
You might want to make this book your book review book. It is optional, but it would give you a larger perspective on American history. Many History Departments across California secondary schools use this book to help supplement the class adopted textbook.
see the link below: lwww.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html other books to choose: https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/history |
Research links below and Netiquite ideas.
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If you need a quick reference for a president please look at these PDFs.
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SyllabusPlease download or print a copy. If either are difficult copies can be made for anyone.
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We can try and post class work and homework. Ask questions and get help from the class in these areas.
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