U.S.

History Course Outline

Cislo

Welcome to second semester U.S. History!

This course will focus on the development of the American nation from the end of
World War II to the early 21st century. Our attention will be focused on a number of
important themes in American history, including selections from the following list:
The Cold War
The Reagan Years and the
End of the Cold War
The Civil Rights

The Post-Cold War World

Movement
Vietnam and the Protest
Era
We will also spend time looking at a number of dynamic events, such as the
assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., the
Watergate Scandal, the Clinton presidency, the 2000 election, and the events of
9/11/2001, just to name a few.
The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century by Danzer, Klor de Alva,
Krieger, Wilson and Wolochpublished by McDougal Littellwill serve as our
primary course text, and will be supplemented with additional readings. Please
write your name inside your textbook. Also, please cover it if possible; these books
are not in the best of shape, but will have to last a few more years. Have your
book with you when you come to class!
Classroom Expectations and Grading
For us to have an engaging learning experience, please follow the three Ps:
Be Promptin your arrival to class, in turning in your work, etc.
Be Preparedwith your homework, ready to learn and participate
Be Politeto your fellow classmates and your teacher (no cell phones,
please)
There will be a variety of assessments for the course, including guided reading
assignments, cartoons and other types of artwork, skits, debates, and other random
projects, as well as tests and quizzes. Students will be expected to work both
cooperatively and independently. This course will use the Northville Board of
Educations standard grading system:
100+ = A+
E
93.100 = A
90-92 = A-

87-89

= B+

77-79

= C+

67-69

= D+

83-86
80-82

= B
= B-

73-76
70-72

= C
= C-

63-66
60-62

= D
= D-

59- =

The Homework Policy

Homework will be accepted for full credit at any time during the specific unit of
study in which it was assigned. The final due date for all homework assignments
will be the last day of that specific unit, which is usually the test day for the unit. A
cumulative list of assignments will be maintained and posted in the classroom, and
students are encouraged to refer to it in order to keep up with their homework.
Assignments will not be given full credit if turned in after the last day of a unit.

Joseph Cislo
cislojo@northvilleschools.org
(248) 344-8420

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (SECOND SEMESTER US HISTORY 2015)

(This schedule is tentative and can be changed.)

The Cold War

1/26-27 Intro to the Cold War, Berlin
1/28-29 The Cold War in Asia
1/30 & 2/2 Eisenhower & Foreign
Policy
2/3-4 McCarthyism
2/5-6 TEST
1950s America
2/9-10 Politics of the 1950s
2/11-12 Economics & Mass Media
2/13-17 Teenagers & Rock and Roll
2/18-19 -- 1950s Conformity
2/20-23 TEST

4/2-13 Overview of the War to 1968

4/14-15 The Fog of War, 1968,
Protest
4/16-17 Ending the War, The Wall
4/20-21 TEST
Nixon and the 1970s
4/22-23 Nixon Foreign and Domestic,
Intro Watergate
4/24-27 More Watergate, Ford, Social
Movements, Environmentalism
4/28-29 Feminism, Cesar Chavez
4/30 & 5/1 The Carter Presidency,
Iran
5/4-5 TEST

JFK & LBJ

Reagan and the 1980s
2/24-25 Intro JFK, Foreign Problems
2/26-27 The New Frontier, 11/22/63
3/2-4 LBJ & The Great Society
3/5-6 The Warren Court
3/9-10 TEST
Civil Rights
3/11-12
Times
3/13-16
3/17-18
3/19-20
3/23-24
3/25-26

5/6-7 Early Reagan, Foreign Policy

5/8-11 Factory Towns and Inner Cities
5/12-13 The Evil Empire & The Day
After
5/14-15 1989, End of the Cold War
5/18-19 TEST

Early Civil Rights, Mighty

The Post-Cold War World

5/20-21 The Middle East, Desert

Storm
5/22-26 Intro Bill Clinton, 1990s
Issues
5/27-28 Bill & Monica, Impeachment,
Trouble in the 1990s
5/29 & 6/1 2000 Election, 9/11
6/2-3 Afghanistan and Iraq, Obama,
etc.

Freedom Rides, Birmingham

I Have a Dream, Selma
King in Chicago, 4/4/68,
Malcolm X & Black Power
TEST

Vietnam
3/27-30 Dear America: Letters Home
from Vietnam
3/31 & 4/1 Early Vietnam, Quotes
and Cartoons

6/4-5 FINAL EXAM REVIEW

6/8-11 FINAL EXAM DAYS