Introduction and week of 8/20-24

Greetings and Introduction to APUSH

All:

Welcome to my APUSH blog. Although I will attempt to update this weekly, feel free to email me anytime with questions, and of course as stated in my syllabus, you are also welcomed to stop by my office during my "office hours."

I felt that last week was a fairly good start to the semester. As I said on our very first day, APUSH is designed to be a rigorous course for the serious student who enjoys history. 

In terms of the material we covered last week, the focus was introducing the text as well as the geographical locations (and characteristics) of Native American tribes in North America. As mentioned, it is very important to read both the chapter introductions and conclusions (and always TAKE notes using the Cornell Method). Then go through all the "Significant Events," so at least you're familiarized with some of them (when you are finished the chapter, one assignment will be to briefly describe the specific significance of each event in one sentence, so you might as well get started).

In addition, we will continue Mr. Canning's "one-pagers" (with one exception — REPS replaces SPICE).

Much of this chapter is a review of material you should have been exposed to in your world history class. However, we'll take this same information and teach it in a different context (Americana-centric?).

In class Tuesday we'll first repair our texts, then use the data projector and look at this site (APUSH blog) and finish the class discussing the geography of the US and the western hemisphere.

Hopefully, we'll have time to begin discussing section 2, "Europe Looks Westward" (which was the homework assigned Friday, due Monday (8/22); which is a very long section! However, I asked you to read up to and not including, The Spanish Empire. Homework for Tuesday, will be to finish this section.

Wednesday's discussion will center on completing the information on the Spanish connection, and I will only briefly touch on the subsection, "Africa and America." That night's homework will be to begin section 3.

Thursday's discussion will again make you feel as if you're still taking a world history class with focus on characters such as More, John Cabot, Richard Hakluyt, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Queen Elizabeth and many more. This section, like section 2, is a long one, as well as very important. I'm certain it will continue into 

Friday. However, this first chapter only contains three sections, whereas most of the other chapters will contain four, five and sometimes six chapters. 

No chapter test will be given here at the end. In it's place will be required to write a thesis statement on the question:

Were the factors that pushed the English toward America any different than those that influenced other nations? If so, how did they affect the English approach to exploration and colonization of the New World?

Due Tuesday... along with your one-pager.