Course Overview

American History, Grade 11, University Preparation, CHA3U

Secondary Policy Document: The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12,

Canadian and World Studies, 2000.

Course Description

This course examines the development of American social, political, and economic structures from colonial times to the present. Students will analyse the chronology of events and evaluate the roles played by specific individuals and groups throughout American history. Students will conduct research and analysis, and communicate, in a variety of ways, their knowledge and understanding of the country that is Canada’s closest neighbour and most important cultural influence and economic partner.

How This Course Supports the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

One of the strongest themes found in the teachings of the Catholic Church concerns social justice. This theme refers to a number of issues raised in this course. The respect for human rights includes the respect for individual rights, Native American rights, labour rights, women’s rights, and cultural group rights. The teachings of Christ concerning the need for community are reflected in America’s constant struggle to define that community. This course presents students with historic issues faced by Americans and interprets them in light of the gospel teachings. Students recognise that there are certain gospel values such as social justice values that transcend history and are still relevant for the future. Students recognise that the story of the United States is not simply dates, events, and personalities but also the struggle to incorporate values in the face of rapid changes and challenges.

Course Notes

American history and the “American Dream” have held an intellectual fascination for students of history. Stories of European pilgrims, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the development of American power on this continent and around the world have helped create a mythology about events and the role played by key individuals in the development of the “American Dream”. This mythology has had a profound influence on Canadians and Canadian history and how Canadians view themselves and their neighbours. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, Canadian and World Studies, 2000 gives students an opportunity to examine the “American Dream” and to separate many myths from historical reality. By having opportunities to develop methods of historical inquiry, students will be able to critically analyse historical evidence and events in order to make their own interpretations. Students will be able to see the forces that have influenced American history at the local, national, and global levels. Is there a core set of beliefs and values that is part of the process of continuity in American life? Have key events and individuals marked profound changes in American life? How can the study of cause and effect contribute to one’s understanding of change and continuity in a nation’s history? How do key individuals and groups shape the arts and culture? What are the effects of new technologies on daily life of a particular period of time? What is unique about American social, economic, and political structures? How have these structures changed with time? How have Canadians been influenced by the American experience? These are some of the questions and themes that run through the six units outlined in this profile.

Throughout this course, teachers and their students will encounter historical writing that is qualitatively different than that of Canada and other nations in the western world in that it is full of pride, confidence, and the mythology of the ‘American dream.’ In the examination of the events of the history of the United States, this qualitative difference also provides an enlightening window on the national culture and psyche. To a degree the language of this Course Profile reflects this approach to a nation’s history. Teachers may wish to use some of the numerous opportunities that will arise, to help students reflect on these characteristics of the historical writing.

Historical events and personalities are open to many interpretations. Grade 11 students should be gaining an understanding of historical literacy: the ability to make interpretations and arguments using evidence from a wide range of resources. Students should be able to go beyond remembering historical information to a level of understanding where students comprehend, connect, and seek justification for the information they are using (Case, p. 143). Individual lessons should be constructed in a way that allows students to see different accounts of an event, issue, or individual. Care should be given in instructing students to be aware of biases – both personal and historical – when assuming the roles of historical figures. Looking at content from a perspective not found in the text makes issues come alive for students. How might the American Constitution have looked if the framers had been women, African Americans, and Native Americans? To measure understanding, students could create hypothetical conversations between famous historical and contemporary characters or have an individual from the past offer advice on a current problem. An example of this type of analysis follows: Based on their own experiences in the election of 1800, what advice would John Adams and Alexander Hamilton have given Governor Bush and Vice President Gore about how to deal with the election results of 2000? By engaging in these types of activities students learn that history is a dynamic subject that requires research, critical thinking and conceptual understanding (For further discussion see Case, p.141).

Students and teachers have used the four Achievement Chart categories appearing in The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 9 and 10, Canadian and World Studies, 2000 to form the basis for the development of assessment and evaluation tools. The levels of performance serve as a guide to improve student performance. The same Achievement Chart is used for Grade 11 and 12, Canadian and World Studies courses

Units: Titles and Time

The units for the Grade 11 American History course have been scoped into five chronological units and one thematic unit. Teachers may choose to create shorter units for ease of instruction and assessment in the course. The Profile uses the chronological approach. However, Unit 6 recognizes that a thematic approach to explore a larger theme may be a valid alternative. The unit culminating activities are designed to accommodate both a chronological and a thematic approach to understanding history.

The units are organized to provide meaningful student assessment and evaluation based on performance tasks for each of the six units. The recommended tasks follow a skill continuum that culminates in an argumentative essay and tutorial in the last units of this course. The unit overviews provide teachers with potential themes and content organization that will help them further develop lessons that give students a sense of the major issues of American history. The Teaching/Learning Strategies provide models of exemplary practice that teachers may adapt to their course of study. This course is designated as University Preparation and thus one will see a strong focus on using primary sources in performance tasks culminating in the writing of an argumentative essay. This essay may form a key component of the 30% final evaluation(s) outlined by The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12 Program Planning and Assessment, 2000, p. 15.

* Unit 1	Establishing the American Nation (1608-1791)	24 hours
Unit 2	The Consolidation of the Republic (1792-1849)	13 hours
Unit 3	Fracturing of the American Nation (1850-1876)	20 hours
Unit 4	America Acquires Power (1870-1941)	13 hours
* Unit 5	America Exercises Power (1941-present)	23 hours
* Unit 6	An Examination of the Great Society in the Twentieth Century (1900-2000)	17 hours

* These units are fully developed in this Course Profile.

The division of the curriculum expectations into the units stated above was completed with the view that students will see a model of the kind of historical thinking that historians use. Chronological and spatial thinking, the use of evidence, and examining multiple perspectives and interpretations are part of each unit. Assessment and evaluation should stress how students use historical evidence in interpreting different historical perspectives. These historical skills are significant for a student in a course bearing the University designation. Units 1 and 5 are being developed in detail because both teachers and students will see how historical skills play a role in the learning and research process so necessary for success at the next level of education.

Unit Overviews

Unit 1: Establishing the American Nation (1608-1791)

Time: 24 hours

Unit Description

Students explore the roots of many of the themes and issues of American history. The interactions among the early settlers and the Native American populations demonstrate the clash of cultures that lasts for over 300 years in America. The different experiences and the differing character of each colony should be examined to better understand the basis for disunity and conflict that develops first with the British and then among the various regions of colonial America. The historical issue of causation can be examined through a study of the political, social, and economic causes of the American Revolution. The connection between historical events and great people of the time can be researched for a writing assignment. American values and ideals can be looked at critically by discussing sections of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, e.g., “all men are created equal,” “unalienable rights,” and “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Who were the framers of the Constitution really writing about? An examination of the difficulties in drafting and ratifying the Constitution can be introduced by looking at recent events in America. The election results of November 2000 give insight into the values and attitudes of the early framers of the Constitution and show how the Constitution is a living document that has been amended but not fundamentally changed since its acceptance. An understanding of the debate over the Virginia and New Jersey Plans and the resulting system of checks and balances gain an added dimension when developed from this last election and subsequent Court action. In Unit 1 students are introduced to many methods of historical inquiry. Students should be asked to formulate questions that guide reading and document analysis. The characteristics of primary and secondary sources should be discussed. Students should be able to develop an organizer for a focus of text materials. Conflicting points of view should be presented and criteria for detecting bias established.

Unit 1 Overview Chart

Cluster	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	COV.01, CCV.03, CHV.03, SEV.01, CO1.02, CC2.01, CC3.03, CH1.04, CH2.01, SE1.03	Knowledge/Understanding	Contact/clash of cultures
2	COV.02, CHV.01, SEV.02, CO1.01, CO1.05, CH1.04, SE1.04	Thinking/Inquiry	Regionalism and the beginnings of slavery
3	CCV.03, CC3.01, CC3.02, CC3.03, CHV.01, CH1.03, SE3.02	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry	From loyal subject to rebel
4	CCV.03, CC1.01, CC1.01, CC3.01, CHV.01, CH1.01	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry	Revolution realised
5	CHV.02, CCV.02, CH1.01, CC2.01, CC2.03	Knowledge/Understanding	The ideals of the revolution
6	CHV.01, SEV.03, CCV.01, CC2.01, CC2.03, CH1.02, CH1.03, SE3.01, SE3.04	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Application	The nature of the Constitution
7	HIV.01, HIV.02, HIV.03, HI1.01, HI2.04, H13.01, CGE2b	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication	Culminating Activity

Culminating Activity: Historical Profile and Commemorative Stamp

The class should brainstorm a class list of individuals who made a contribution during the eras of the Revolutionary War and the Framing of the Constitution (see Appendix 1.7.1)

After researching information about the assigned individual, students should create an American stamp to commemorate the contribution of the selected individual. The stamp should be submitted with a 250-word mini-essay that answers the question: “Why should this person be considered important to the founding of the nation and, therefore, deserving of recognition?”

Unit 2: Consolidation of the Republic (1792 – 1849)

Time: 13 hours

Unit Description

As the nation grows, a number of issues and challenges test the character and values upon which this new country will evolve. The nation would have to determine which citizens would be included in the task of governing this fledgling republic. Competing visions for the country would be the source of vigorous debate across the land. The Constitution would prove to be a document that was not simply frozen in time, but subject to lively debate as the needs of a growing country would test its applicability and relevance in the light of changing realities. Over the course of fifty years, the country would more than double in size. Debate as to how this new territory would be admitted into the Union would be a precursor to a debate on the very survival of an intact Union. Political compromises would be fashioned to deal with these challenges, but would ultimately prove to be an unsatisfactory response to the issue of slavery. The settlement of this new land would test American policy and ethics regarding the treatment of Aboriginal peoples. America would fight its first major war with her neighbour to the North in an attempt to become the pre-eminent North American power. The expansion of American influence in the hemisphere is aided with two concepts, the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny. Women force their way into the Body Politic with the convening of the Seneca Falls Convention that would challenge long held beliefs and prejudices.

Throughout this unit students use a variety of primary source documents to develop the skills necessary to historians. Through the sequence of activities, students familiarize themselves with different perspectives on questions. Students are encouraged to read widely, think critically, come to an understanding of the complexity of the issues presented in this unit and then, in a culminating activity, apply their knowledge and understanding to defend a position in a short paper.

Unit 2 Overview Chart

Cluster	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	CCV.10, CHV.01, CH1.01, CH1.02, SE3.01	Knowledge/Understanding	Political Consolidation
2	CCV.01, SEV.03, CC1.03, SE3.01, SE3.03	Thinking/Inquiry Communication	The Constitution Evolves
3	CCV.01, CC1.01, CC2.02, CC2.03	Knowledge/Understanding	Jacksonian Democracy
4	COV.01, COV.O2, COV.03, CCV.03, CO1.04, CO2.03, CO3.01, CC1.02, CC3.03	Thinking/Inquiry Communication	Territorial Consolidation
5	CHV.01, SEV.02, CH1.04, SE1.04, SE2.01, CGE3f	Knowledge/Understanding/ Communication	Social/Economic Issues
6	HIV.01 HIV.02, HIV.03, HI1.02, HI2.04, HI2.05, HI3.O2, HI4.02, CGE2b	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Culminating Activity

Unit 2 – Culminating Activity

Students have an opportunity to develop their skills in analysing primary source documents and applying their knowledge and understanding of an issue to a question. A short paper of no more that 300 words will be assigned, asking the students to take a position on an issue of some historical debate. Students articulate their position defending one perspective over the other in a formal thesis style format. Students are asked to use corroborating points from both the primary source documents to be analysed and their textbook. Possible issues could include: Jefferson vs. Hamilton on the issue of a National Bank; Jefferson’s dislike of party politics as chronicled in the election of 1800; Urbanization versus Agrarian democracy as a vision for the country; the inclusiveness of women in the political process as highlighted by the Seneca Falls Convention.

Unit 3: Fracturing of the American Nation (1850-1876)

Time: 20 hours

Unit Description

Students examine how and why a large part of the relatively new USA wanted to secede from the country and how this was avoided. First, they revisit and explore the growing regional differences between the southern states, with their societies and economies based on plantation agriculture and slavery, and the northern states, with their societies and economies based on small farms and growing urban industry. The growth of Abolitionism in the north, along with development of the Underground Railway, is included. Students study the more immediate causes of the Civil War: the escalating events of the 1850s. These events should include the intensified debate over abolition of slavery following the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin; the struggle over the spread of slavery into territories; the birth of the regional-based Republican Party and its impact on the presidential election of 1856; and the controversy sparked by the Dred Scott Decision. In 1859, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, his trial and execution, and the southern states’ reaction to it all set the stage for armed conflict. The election of Lincoln and the south’s reaction to this brought the two sides to the brink of war by the end of 1860. The South’s near victory in the Civil War the reasons for the eventual Union victory and the costs of this victory are also covered. In the post-war period, students look at the approaches of President Lincoln, President Johnson and the Radical Republicans. Finally, the South’s responses to Reconstruction and how it ended in 1876 are covered.

Unit 3 Overview Chart

Cluster	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	COV.01, COV.O2, CO1.02, CO1.03, C01.04, CC1.02, CC1.03, CC2.02, CC2.03, CC3.03, SEV.01, SEV.02, SE1.01, SE1.02, SE1.03, SE2.01, HIV.01	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/ Inquiry	Regional differences between North and South in the mid-1800s
2	COV.03, CCV.01, CC1.01, CC3.01, CC3.03, CHV.02, CH1.01, CH1.02, SEV.03, HIV.02, HI1.01, HI2.02, CGE1j	Thinking/ Inquiry	How the events of the 1850s led to the Civil War
3	CCV.01, CCV.03, CC1.01, CC1.03, CC3.01, CO1.02, C01.03, CH1.01, HI1.02, HI2.03, CGE2c	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry	The Civil War
4	CO1.03, C01.04, C01.05, CC2.01, CHV.02, SEV.03, SE3.01, SE3.02	Thinking/Inquiry Communication	Reconstruction
5	HIV.03, HIV.04, HI1.03, HI2.01, HI2.04, HI3.01, HI3.03, HI4.01, HI4.03, CGE5a, CGE5g	Thinking/Inquiry Communication	Culminating Activity

Culminating Activity: Historical Dialogue

Students are paired at the beginning of the unit; one will be a southerner and the other a northerner. Students keep a record/diary/journal of how their historical character would view the situations and events that are studied in the unit. At the end of the unit, students have an overview of the period in this journal. They choose one part of the period to write up in a one-page report that describes the perspective of the people in that region. In addition, in a guided dialogue, students present the region’s perspective of the entire period to their partners. During the dialogue, each listener takes brief notes of the other region’s interpretation of each focus; these could be checked as part of the evaluation. Listed below are a series of questions that may be used to guide students in their coverage of the period.

1. What are the strengths of your region’s society and economy? What are the major criticisms of the other region?

2. How does your region view each of the key people and events of the 1850s? For example, is John Brown a dedicated and idealistic hero or a fanatical and evil traitor?

3. a) How did the Confederacy come so close to winning the war at so many times during the war? Who are your heroes? Why were they chosen?

b) What events led to the Union Victory? Who are your heroes? Why were they chosen?

4. Was Reconstruction a necessary and worthwhile attempt at reform of the defeated South?

Unit 4: America Acquires Power (1870 to 1941)

Time: 13 hours

Unit Description

This unit examines the key changes the United States underwent in the seventy-year period after the Civil War. Starting with the frontier, students will examine America’s encroachment and resultant conflict with the Aboriginal peoples of the Great Plains, including the Dawes Act and the Wounded Knee Massacre. Through a critical examination of Turner’s Frontier Thesis and the development of the west, a causation link with later American imperialism can be researched for a class writing assignment. An understanding of the political, social, and economic reforms and the conditions that gave rise to them during this period will provide students with a broad insight into emerging American Twentieth Century values and attitudes. This transition towards urbanization and industrialization will also clearly demonstrate the rising American desire to move onto the world stage as will later efforts to assert their presence in the Caribbean, the Pacific, and North America. The devastation of World War I and US participation in it can be effectively used to show how the United States became a world power. It was through this active participation in world events, such as the World War I and the Treaty of Versailles that the Americans helped to shape the course and structure of Twentieth Century history. The twenty-two year period of introspection following World War I reveals the States consolidating their hold on domestic issues and security. An examination of the economic prosperity that was abruptly stifled by the Great Depression will allow students to gauge American effectiveness at dealing with the sweeping changes of these years. An understanding of the increasing US acceptance and preparation for its upcoming role in World War II will provide students with the necessary links to Unit 5.

Unit 4 Overview Chart

Cluster	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	COV.01, COV.02, CO1.02, CO1.04, CO2.01, CC2.01, CC3.02, CH2.01, CGE2a	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication	End of the Frontier
2	CCV.01, CC1.02, CC1.03, CC2.02, CC3.01, CH1.02, SE1.03, SE2.01	Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Urbanisation and Industrialisation
3	COV.03, CO2.02, CO2.03, CO3.01, CO3.03, CH1.01	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication	Moving Beyond the Continent
4	CO3.01, SEV.01, SEV.02, SEV.03, CC1.01, CC3.03, CH1.03, SE2.02, SE2.03	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	America Turns Inward
5	SE1.04, HI1.02, HI2.04, HI3.03, HI4.01, CGE2d	Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Neutrality Assessed

Culminating Activity: Short Position Paper

Students will be given a two-page position paper to write concerning the Federal Election of 1940. The issue: Who would you support, the Isolationists or those favouring foreign involvement? Students should brainstorm the topic, trying to identify all persons and factors that were involved in the election. The teacher provides source documents, both primary and secondary at the beginning of research. Students will do further research and submit a 500-word paper outlining which candidate they support and why they support this candidate. A rubric should be developed by the teacher and class prior to commencing this activity. The rubric should be based upon the Achievement Chart found in the Canadian and World Studies, 2000 document.

Unit 5: America Exercises Power (1941 – Present)

Time: 23 hours

Unit Description

During this time, the United States emerges from its traditional policy of Isolationism to exercising its military and economic resources as the champion of the “free world.” Students note the change in American foreign policy beginning with the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Students examine not only the course of the war in Europe and Asia, but its conduct. With the development and use of the atomic bomb, America becomes the world’s first nuclear superpower with all the responsibility inherent. By the war’s end, relations between the United States and its Soviet ally begin to rupture. Students examine the clash of ideologies reflected in such policies as the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine and Eisenhower’s Domino Theory as they contribute to the Cold War. They also examine some prominent Cold War issues, such as the growth of the CIA, involvement in international security organizations such as NATO, NORAD and the United Nations, the Korean War, the Suez Canal Crisis, emerging nationalism in Africa, the conflict of American economic interests with Latin and South American independence movements, the Bay of Pigs, Vietnam, the arms and a space race, and Perestroika. The impact of the Cold War on American domestic policy is examined more closely in Unit 6. With the subsiding of Cold War tensions, students examine how the United States continued to shape world policy The essay and tutorial assignments are introduced and developed in this unit and continue in the next unit. The culminating activity is a unit test.

Unit 5 Overview Chart

Cluster	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	HIV.01, HIV.02, HI1.01, HI1.02	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Introduction of Essay and Tutorial topics
2	CCV.03, COV.03, CC1.01, CO3.01, CGE7a, CGE7b, CGE7j	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	America and World War II
3	COV.03, CCV.O3, CO3.03, CC3.01, CGE1j, CGE2e	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Nuremberg and the Bomb
4	COV.03, CHV.01, CH1.02, CO2.03, CGE1d, CGE3b	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	The Cold War Heats Up – The Cuban Missile Crisis/Vietnam
5	COV.03, CHV.03, CO3.02, CO3.03, CH3.01, CH3.02, CH3.03, CGE2a, CGE3d, CGE7f	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	The Marketing of America Abroad
6	COV.01, CCV.01, SEV.02, CO1.03, CC1.02, SE1.03, SE1.04, CGE2a, CGE3d	Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	The Struggle for Equal Rights
7	HIV.03, HI4.02, CGE4f	Knowledge/Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Culminating Activity

Culminating Activity

The students will write a unit test as the culminating activity. The intent of this activity it to ensure that students are afforded an opportunity to practise and hone their test writing skills prior to writing a final exam.

Unit 6: An Examination of the Great Society in the Twentieth Century (1900 – 2000)

Time: 17 hours

Unit Description

The 20th Century belonged to the United States. It has been called the bastion of technological progress, the model of freedom and justice, and the destination for the world’s emigrants. Under the free enterprise system, the United States has produced more material wealth than any other country in the world. Through their attempt to create the “Mansion on the Hill” or “The Great Society,” Americans have faced many issues. Although the concept of the “Great Society” is a relatively new one, the idea of creating a more just society is not. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson attempted to complete some of the unfinished business that had been set out in the constitution and emphasized in the New Deal, most notably the goal of social justice as it pertained to racial and sexual equality and the desire to end poverty. This unit examines critical issues that have challenged Americans’ concept of the “Great Society”. Among the issues to be investigated are: racial, gender, and economic inequality; segregation; the reality of the melting pot; Prohibition as the great experiment; the rigidity of literalism and the Scopes Monkey Trial; the impact of technology; the Red Scare; justice and the death penalty; public education; urbanization and the death of the inner city; the question of inclusiveness and the “American Dream”; the cultural and physical challenge of the baby boomers; the Civil Rights Movement; the death of Camelot; the anti-war protest movement, and Watergate and its effect on political cynicism. These topics will be the focus of students’ essay and tutorial assignments. The culminating activity will be a student directed tutorial. Here the students will have to defend their essay’s thesis and evidence. To conclude this unit and the course, the students will be presented with two conflicting viewpoints regarding the future of the United States. The teacher conducts a class discussion assessing which of the two viewpoints better predicts what is in store for the “Great Society.”

Unit 6 Overview Chart

Cluster	Expectations	Assessment	Focus
1	COV.01, CCV.03, CHV.02, CHV.03, SEV.01, CO1.05, CC1.02, CC2.02, CC2.03, CH1.01, CH2.01, CH2.02, CH2.03, SE1.01, SE2.02, CGE3d, CGE3f	Knowledge/ Understanding	Teacher-directed overview of the issues facing the United States in the Twentieth Century.
2	COV.01, CHV.01, CHV.03, CCV.01, SEV.03, HIV.01, HIV.02, CO1.04, CO1.05, CH2.01, CH2.02, CH3.01, CH3.02, CH3.03, SE1.01, SE1.03, SE1.04, SE3.02, SE3.03, HI1.02, HI2.05, HI3.02, HI4.02, CGE2b, CGE2c, CGE2d	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Culminating Activity Tutorial presentations and defence.
3	CCV.02, COV.03, HIV.02, CC2.03, CO3.03, HI2.01, HI3.03, CGE7e	Knowledge/ Understanding Thinking/Inquiry Communication Application	Closing Activity Summary readings and discussion

Unit 6 – Culminating Activity

The students will have an opportunity to develop their skills in producing a thesis-based research paper of approximately 1 000 words from a series of selected topics outlined in the first activity of Unit 5. These topics will be derived from material in Units 5 and 6 with Unit 6 themes given more emphasis. The writer will follow all the proper conventions of research and documentation. While writing their paper, students will present and defend their research in a 30-minute tutorial. Feedback from peers and teacher in oral and written form will assist presenters in completing their research paper.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

This course provides students the opportunity to explore, analyse, and reflect on history through diverse teaching and learning strategies. Critical thinking skills such as formulating a thesis, identifying bias and viewpoint, debating, analysing primary sources, and problem solving are a focus of many activities. Focused inquiry, data analysis, notes taking, and guided Internet searches are examples of the research skills that students practise. Students have multiple opportunities to hone their skills in communication through formal presentations, role-playing, debates and trials, response journals, writing-in-role, and persuasive paragraph writing. Some of the methods of historical inquiry that students should be able to demonstrate are the ability to conduct organized research and document analysis using primary and secondary sources; the ability to create a short position paper in a manner that respects the opinions of others; and the ability to think creatively in reaching conclusions. Cooperative group learning is another important active learning strategy fundamental to many activities in this profile. Tasks are designed to develop skills and concepts through a range of student learning styles. Many important skills are developed in the activities in the units. Students are asked to demonstrate a synthesis of their learning in the course by participating in the Course Culminating Activity in Unit 6.

The subject discipline of History has its own particular ways in which language is used to express concepts. In order to help all students, but especially ESL/ELD students, teaching and learning strategies should show formative attention to the following aspects of language in written and oral forms:

· specialized vocabulary/idioms;

· wide range of tense use, active, and passive voice;

· words, phrases, and clause structures that indicate:

· sequence/chronology;

· cause/effect relationships;

· contrast/comparatives/superlatives;

· statements of opinion, interpretation, inference;

· statements of speculation/hypothesis/prediction;

· statements of belief, intent, necessity, persuasion, evaluation, definition;

· explanations of reason;

· formation of questions for formal and informal circumstances, oral or written active listening skills, for example, phrases, and syntax that express encouragement, requests for repetition, clarification, and restatement;

· activities such as reading/listening tasks (case-study/video-viewing) need a specific and concrete product expected of students;

· completion of a graphic organizer/re-enactment or structured oral response;

· note-taking/summarising;

· non-verbal communication skills, of particular importance to presentation tasks;

Language development and the expression of concepts taught are greatly facilitated if written tasks are reinforced by oral tasks, and vice versa. All learners with difficulties benefit greatly if models or scaffolds for oral and written expressive communicative functions are initially provided for them by their teachers.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

The Achievement Chart, which is the basis for assessment and evaluation in this course, is found on
pp. 246-247 of The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, Canadian and World Studies. The chart identifies four major categories of knowledge and skills – Knowledge/Understanding, Thinking/Inquiry, Communication, and Application. These categories encompass the curriculum expectations in all courses in Canadian and World Studies. The descriptions at Level 3 represent the provincial standard for student achievement.

Activities in this Course Profile suggest formative assessment, including diagnostic and summative evaluation strategies and tools. Sample rubrics are provided for some of the major activities and for the unit culminating activity. The Course Culminating Activity is designed to be appropriate to the University Preparation course requirements. The teacher should introduce the concept and the topic of a culminating activity at the beginning of the course. Achievement categories are present in each of the units. These are meant to acknowledge the fact that students require practice to gain competency in the many discrete skills involved in researching and writing a historical essay and making a presentation of an American social justice issue (e.g., inquiry and research skills, analysing sources, oral communication). The activities and performance tasks in this profile are examples of some strategies that teachers may use with their own classes. The following are some generic suggestions for assessment and evaluation techniques in History courses:

· provide opportunities for student learning to improve by using formative assessment tools in each unit (e.g., visual organizers, practice quiz, self-and peer-editing of written work, teacher feedback);

· model the skill that you want the students to master (e.g., formulating a thesis, note-taking, report writing);

· share with the students clearly developed criteria for their assessment and evaluation (e.g., checklists, and rubrics). Developing these tools with students helps to clarify how and why they are being assessed and/or evaluated.

· accommodate a variety of learning styles to allow students to improve their performance;

· use assessment tools that are appropriate for the expectations being addressed and that relate to the categories on the achievement charts;

· ensure that criteria used for assessment match expectations in culminating activities that involve performance assessment;

· ensure that in performance tasks involving group work that these tasks build in positive interdependence and individual accountability;

· rubrics should make it clear to students why they scored as they did and what steps they need to take to improve;

· match the assessment/evaluation strategy to the teaching/learning strategy.

Seventy per cent of the grade will be based on assessments and evaluations conducted throughout the course. Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination, performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation.

Accommodations

This will be the first opportunity for students to engage in a University designated history course. Every effort will be made to assist all students in achieving success in this history course. Specific adaptations and accommodations are recommended with each activity in the two detailed units of this profile. Individual Education Plans provide teachers with specific learning strategies that work best with individual exceptional students. As well the proficiency levels outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development, provide teachers and school administrators with a guide to receiving and accommodating these learners in the regular classroom. A variety of strategies can be used for students. History teachers are encouraged to work with the Special Education teacher to review students’ IEPs (Individual Education Plans) to decide the best course of action to assist them in meeting the expectations of the Grade 11 American History course. There are many enrichment opportunities for gifted students who may explore the issues, personalities, literature, and arts in greater depth or from different perspectives. For example, motivated students could benefit from reading Dee Brown’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which examines relations in the American west among Native American groups, settlers, and the American government. Students could compare and contrast how their text looks at the events of this novel. Novels like Bobbie Jo Mason’s In Country deal with the effects of American involvement in Vietnam on groups of soldiers and their families. Students see in a powerful, intimate, and personal way a writer’s view of the impact of historical events on individuals.

The American History course places a great deal of emphasis on the use of primary documents. Some students might be challenged visually, and reading copies of documents could be very difficult. Teachers must make accommodations for these students, such as using larger print texts and using large fonts for class handouts. When analysing primary documents, some students benefit from having the documents copied and divided into smaller components with guiding questions interspersed.

Teachers should recognise that students selecting this University designated course may have taken either the Academic or Applied History program in Grade 10. The historical and learning skills stressed and the assessment and evaluation tools used in each of these programs would be different. The American History Course must build on the strengths of all individuals. The goal should be the development of the historical skills and content of American History over the activities of the course and prior content should not be assumed knowledge. Having more than one opportunity to improve a product, talking to a partner or small group about an issue prior to writing and rehearsals in the form of homework assignments help all learners make the transition to this University Preparation course.

Resources

Note Concerning Permissions

Units in this profile make reference to the use of specific texts, magazines, films, and videos. Before reproducing materials for student use from books and magazines, teachers need to ensure that their board has a Cancopy licence and that resources they wish to use are covered by this licence. Before screening videos for their students, teachers need to ensure that their board/school has obtained the appropriate public performance videocassette licence from an authorized distributor (e.g., Audio Cine Films Inc.). Teachers are also reminded that much of the material on the Internet is protected by copyright. That copyright is usually owned by the person or organization that created the work. Reproduction of any work or a substantial part of any work on the Internet is not allowed without the permission of the owner.

Print

Teachers may use a variety of texts to provide the background information for students. The following resources provide support for teachers and students:

Hux, Allan, Fred Jarman, and Bill Gleberzon. America: A History, 2nd ed. Toronto: Globe/Modern Curriculum Press, 1989.

The American Scene. Danbury. Grolier Educational. 1999. ISBN 0-7172-9448-X

Balkin, Richard. Almanacs of American Life Series. New York: Facts on File. 2000.

Bode, Janet. The Colors of Freedom. Danbury: Franklin-Watts. 1999. ISBN 0-531-11530-5

Bowman, John. America at War. New York: Facts on File. 2000. ISBN 0-8160-3803-1

Bradley, David. The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America. Armonk: Sharpe. 1997.
ISBN 0-7656-8000-9

Case, Roland and Penney Clark. The Canadian Anthology of Social Studies: Issues and Strategies for Teachers. Burnaby, B.C.: Simon Fraser University Press, 1997.

Ellis, Joseph J. Founding Brothers: the Revolutionary Generation. Toronto: Knopf Canada. 2000.
ISBN 0375-4054-45

Flanders, Stephen A. Atlas of American Migration. New York: Facts on File. 1998.
ISBN 0-8160-3158-4

Kaspi, Andre. Great Dates in American History. New York: Facts on File. 1994. ISBN 0-8160-3158-4

Meltzer, Milton. Milestones to American Liberty. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell. ISBN 0-8160-3158-4

Our American Century. Time-Life Books. Richmond. 1998. ISBN 0-7835-5500-8

Parish, Peter J. Reader’s Guide to American History. Chicago: Fitzroy-Dearborn. 2000.
ISBN 1-884964-22-2

Perret, Geoffrey. A Country Made by War. New York: Random House. 1989. ISBN 1-884964-22-2

Purcell, Edward L. Who was who in the American Revolution. New York: Facts on File. 1993.
ISBN 0-81602-1074

Schwartz, Richard A. Cold War Culture. New York: Facts on File, 1997. ISBN 0-8160-3104-5

U.S.A. Sixties. Georgetown: Grolier Educational. 2000. ISBN 0-7172-9503-6

Non-print

Note: The URLs for the websites have been verified by the writer prior to publication. Given the frequency with which these designations change, teachers should always review and verify the websites prior to assigning them for student use.

The American Civil War Homepage – http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/warweb.html

American Memory – http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amhome.html

Black History Hotlist – www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/bh_hotlist.html

The History Place – www.historyplace.com

The History Net – www.thehistorynet.com/

Immigrant information II – www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listimmigratmr1.html

Smithsonian Institution – www.si.edu/

University of Oklahoma – College of Law – www.law.ou.edu/hist/

PBS video series, The Americans narrated by Kevin Costner

PBS video series, The Civil War Series by Ken Burns

A&E’s Biography Series – The Presidents

Teacher Resources for Accommodations

– http://education.indiana.edu/cas/tt/v3i2/addtips.html
A two-page list of ADD activities and strategies for all grades and subject areas

– http://snow.utoronto.ca/best/accommodate/org.html
A list of best practices as part of the “Special Needs Opportunity Windows.”

– http://www.trentu.ca/specialneeds/sno.html
Trent University’s Special Needs Department

– http://www.zapme.com/net/teacherslounge/teaching strategies/specialed.html
The study and writing skills necessary for university preparation.

Margaret Proctor’s University of Toronto site on essay writing skills:
– http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/notes.html

OSS Considerations

This Course Profile is designed to assist teachers in the implementation of the American History credit based on The Ontario Curriculum, Grade 11 and 12, Canadian and World Studies, pp. 116-126. Though this course is listed as one of the optional credits that meet the requirements for the secondary school diploma, it can be used as the one senior-level credit in their choice of Canadian and World Studies, English, Social Sciences and Humanities, or a third language to fulfill the diploma requirement. Any Grade 11 or 12 course in these areas will allow students to fulfill this requirement. Expectations for teacher accommodations and modifications of regular programs for students with special education needs are summarized in section 7.12 (pp. 56-58) of Ontario Secondary Schools Grades 9-12. Teachers should make every effort to give students school access to computers for research and the writing of assignments. As specific historical skills are developed, teachers are encouraged to establish links with the world of work and career education should be made. The use of community resources (e.g., Vietnam War veterans) should be encouraged. The foundation for assessment, evaluation, and reporting practices are outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, Program Planning and Assessment.

Coded Expectations, American History, Grade 11, University Preparation, CHA3U

Communities: Local, National, and Global

Overall Expectations

COV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the interactions among diverse groups and communities in the United States throughout its history;

COV.02 · explain the changing motives and developments involved in the expansion of the United States across the continent;

COV.03 · analyse the nature and scope of the interactions between the United States and countries and communities beyond its borders.

Specific Expectations

Community Relations in the United States

CO1.01 – demonstrate an understanding of the variety of settlements in the Thirteen Colonies
(e.g., Virginia, Massachusetts Bay, Pennsylvania);

CO1.02 – compare the experiences of immigrant groups and their influence in American history (e.g., European settlers in colonial America, slaves forcibly brought from Africa, European and Asian immigrants during the nineteenth century, Hispanic and Asian immigrants during the
twentieth century);

CO1.03 – demonstrate an understanding of the experiences of African Americans to the present time, particularly in connection with slavery, emancipation, and the civil rights movement (e.g., segregation, disenfranchisement, educational restrictions);

CO1.04 – describe how regional identities emerged in the United States, and how they have changed over time (e.g., North versus South, Appalachia and the Midwest versus the East, Rust Belt
versus Sun Belt);

CO1.05 – demonstrate an understanding of the interactions between significant non-conformist groups and American society (e.g., Loyalists, Quakers, Mormons, the Ku Klux Klan, Branch Davidians).

Territorial Expansion

CO2.01 – assess critically the motives involved in and the process of American continental expansion from colonial times to the end of the nineteenth century (e.g., invasion of Aboriginal lands, construction of canals and railroads, establishment of homesteads, gold rushes);

CO2.02 – describe the conflicts and compromises between the United States and European or Asian states over North American territories (e.g., Louisiana Purchase, Spanish Florida and California, British North American colonies, Russian settlements on the Pacific coast and in Alaska,
Puerto Rico);

CO2.03 – describe the conflicts and compromises between the United States and other North American nations (e.g., the War of 1812, Texas and Mexico, Canadian–American boundary disputes, disputed sovereignty over the Northwest Passage, disputes over fishing zones, ideological conflict with Cuba).

The Development of a World Power

CO3.01 – demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of isolationism and Manifest Destiny, and the effect they had on American foreign policy (e.g., neutrality and Washington’s Farewell Address, the Monroe Doctrine, American support for the Fenians, Theodore Roosevelt’s Big Stick, Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy, Wilson’s Fourteen Points, Franklin Roosevelt’s Good Neighbour Policy);

CO3.02 – analyse the role of the United States in international affairs since 1945 (e.g., Cold War, space race, Gulf War, financial crises and the International Monetary Fund, diplomatic brokering in the Balkans and the Middle East, lobbying for human rights);

CO3.03 – assess the factors (e.g., geographic, ideological, demographic, economic) that have contributed to the United States’ status as a world power.

Change and Continuity

Overall Expectations

CCV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the historical process of change in the context of the development of American history;

CCV.02 · demonstrate an understanding of the historical process of continuity in the context of the development of American history;

CCV.03 · demonstrate an understanding of the use and importance of chronology and cause and effect in analysing the history of the United States.

Specific Expectations

The Role of Change

CC1.01 – describe the events that marked profound changes in American history (e.g., the battles of Lexington, Gettysburg, Little Big Horn, and Pearl Harbor; the elections of Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and Richard Nixon; the development of the atomic bomb;
the war in Vietnam);

CC1.02 – describe the effects of change on the American people and society (e.g., the effects of the closing of the frontier in 1898, of industrialization and urbanization after the Civil War, of the transformation from an industrial to a post-industrial economy);

CC1.03 – describe the roles played by key individuals in the process of change in American history (e.g., George Washington, Harriet Tubman, Geronimo, Theodore Roosevelt, George Wallace,
Cesar Chavez).

The Role of Continuity

CC2.01 – describe aspects of American history that reflect the process of continuity (e.g., the frontier, isolationism, civil rights);

CC2.02 – demonstrate an understanding of the theme of renewal and reform as reflected in developments in American history (e.g., Jacksonian democracy; Social Gospel; Progressivism; Prohibition; the Square, New, and Fair Deals; the Great Society);

CC2.03 – describe the ongoing influence of American beliefs and myths on the history and society of the United States (e.g., respect for the Constitution; the right to bear arms; private property; rugged individualism; the American Dream; free market capitalism).

Understanding Chronology and Cause and Effect

CC3.01 – demonstrate an understanding of the chronological order of events relating to significant developments in American history (e.g., the American Revolution, the Civil War, changing roles of men and women, growth of industrial and technological power, American involvement in Vietnam);

CC3.02 – demonstrate an understanding of continuity and change as interrelated concepts used by historians to organize the chronological flow of American history (e.g., Townshend Acts and the American Revolution, post-Civil War migrations and the development of the American West, the Watergate break-in and the resignation of a president);

CC3.03 – explain how the study of cause and effect contributes to our understanding of change and continuity through the course of American history (e.g., westward pioneer migrations and conflict with Aboriginal peoples, abolitionism and the creation of new states leading to the Civil War, stock market speculation and economic cycles, electrification and the development of modern factories).

Citizenship and Heritage

Overall Expectations

CHV.01 · describe the influence of key individuals and groups in the development of American social and political identity;

CHV.02 · demonstrate an understanding of the influence of key individuals and groups in shaping American arts and culture;

CHV.03 · assess the influence of key individuals and groups who helped bring the United States into a position of world cultural hegemony.

Specific Expectations

Forming the American Identity

CH1.01 – demonstrate an understanding of the importance of individuals and groups who have taken leadership roles in American politics and society (e.g., Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the muckrakers, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr.,
Rachel Carson, Ralph Nader);

CH1.02 – describe the ideologies of and roles played by factions in American history (e.g., Federalists and Republicans, abolitionists and advocates of slavery, capitalists and labour, American socialists and McCarthyites);

CH1.03 – evaluate the ideas and influence of American social, economic, and political thinkers (e.g., Thomas Paine, James Madison, Angelina Grimké, John Dewey, William James, W.E.B. DuBois, John Kenneth Galbraith, Benjamin Spock, Gloria Steinem, Milton Friedman);

CH1.04 – demonstrate an understanding of the continuing importance of organized religion in American social and political life (e.g., the Salem trials, Lutheranism in the Midwest, Southern Methodism, Creationist debates).

Cultures of the United States

CH2.01 – describe the conflict of ideals between Aboriginal peoples and European Americans and its development over time (e.g., concept of private property, role of family and clan,
concepts of spirituality);

CH2.02 – describe the contributions to American culture of a variety of notable American artistic, architectural, and literary schools and individuals (e.g., Hudson River school, Frederic Remington, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol; Frank Lloyd Wright, Buckminster Fuller,
Maya Lin; James Fenimore Cooper, the Transcendentalists, Edgar Allan Poe, Willa Cather,
Dashiell Hammett, Langston Hughes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jack Kerouac, Maya Angelou);

CH2.03 – evaluate the impact of a variety of individuals on American music and entertainment (e.g., Stephen Foster, John Philip Sousa, Scott Joplin, Aaron Copland, Bessie Smith, George and Ira Gershwin, Duke Ellington; Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Walt Disney, Bob Hope,
Oprah Winfrey).

American Cultural Hegemony

CH3.01 – analyse the ways in which American culture has been spread worldwide (e.g., through Hollywood films, television programming, Cold War propaganda, American advertising
and consumerism);

CH3.02 – assess the impact of American culture in a variety of countries and communities (e.g., on language and attitude, democracy, human rights, individualism);

CH3.03 – describe the roles played by individuals and groups in the spread of American culture internationally (e.g., jazz musicians, the beat poets, Disney corporation, National Football League, McDonald’s).

Social, Economic, and Political Structures

Overall Expectations

SEV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of the effect on the development of American society and daily life of social and technological changes;

SEV.02 · demonstrate an understanding of American economic development;

SEV.03 · demonstrate an understanding of the uniqueness and complexity of the American system of government and politics.

Specific Expectations

American Society and Daily Life

SE1.01 – describe the effects on American daily life of developments in demographics, technology, and communication (e.g., settlement of the plains; process of electrification; movies, radio, television,
the Internet);

SE1.02 – evaluate the role of public education in spreading middle-class values in American society (e.g., the widespread use of the McGuffey readers, the establishment of state colleges,
progressive education, integration);

SE1.03 – analyse the changing roles played by minority groups in the development of American society (e.g., Aboriginal peoples, African Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans, Amish, pacifists, environmentalists, alternative lifestyle communities);

SE1.04 – demonstrate an understanding of the changing roles played by women in the development of American society (e.g., pioneer women, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bella Abzug, Hillary Rodham Clinton).

Economic Development

SE2.01 – describe the changing characteristics of the American agricultural, industrial, and post-industrial economies (e.g., homesteading versus agribusiness, artisan workshops versus factories, manufacturing versus service industries);

SE2.02 – evaluate the importance of both business innovators and labour organizations in the American economy (e.g., Eli Whitney, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, Bill Gates; American Federation of Labor, Committee for Industrial Organization);

SE2.03 – describe the evolution of American capitalism in the twentieth century (e.g., trusts and anti-trust legislation, the Great Bull Market, the Depression, the post-1945 boom, recessions).

Government and Law

SE3.01 – describe the theory and practice of the American system of government (e.g., the Constitution, separation of powers, party politics, the electoral system);

SE3.02 – demonstrate an understanding of the role of civil rights in the American political experience (e.g., colonial taxation, emancipation of slaves, child labour legislation, legislation to combat racism and sexism, sexual-orientation debates);

SE3.03 – assess the effectiveness of the constitutional protection of individual rights by analysing key constitutional and legal issues (e.g., Plessy vs. Ferguson, desegregation, Roe vs. Wade, equal rights legislation, violations uncovered in impeachment investigations);

SE3.04 – compare the main characteristics of the Canadian and American political systems (e.g., powers of the elected head of state, congressional versus parliamentary systems, nature of the two senates).

Methods of Historical Inquiry

Overall Expectations

HIV.01 · demonstrate an understanding of historians’ methods of locating, gathering, and organizing research materials;

HIV.02 · critically analyse historical evidence, events, and interpretations;

HIV.03 · communicate ideas and opinions based on effective research clearly and concisely;

HIV.04 · demonstrate an ability to think creatively, manage time efficiently, and work effectively in independent and collaborative study.

Specific Expectations

Research

HI1.01 – formulate significant questions for research and inquiry, drawing on examples from American history (e.g., Why did the colonists rebel against England? How did the railroad affect American history? What changes did the Great Depression bring about in American society?);

HI1.02 – conduct organized research, using a variety of information sources (e.g., primary and secondary sources, audio-visual materials, Internet sites);

HI1.03 – organize research findings, using a variety of methods and forms (e.g., note taking; graphs and charts, maps and diagrams).

Interpretation and Analysis

HI2.01 – demonstrate an ability to distinguish bias, prejudice, stereotyping, or a lack of substantiation in statements, arguments, and opinions;

HI2.02 – compare key interpretations of American history (e.g., Whig, Progressive, economic, postmodern);

HI2.03 – identify and describe relationships and connections in the data studied (e.g., chronological ties, cause and effect, similarities and differences);

HI2.04 – form opinions based on effective evaluation of sources, analysis of information, and awareness of diverse historical interpretations;

HI2.05 – demonstrate an ability to develop a cogent thesis substantiated by effective research.

Communication

HI3.01 – communicate effectively, using a variety of styles and forms (e.g., essays, debates, role playing, group presentations);

HI3.02 – use an accepted form of academic documentation effectively and correctly (e.g., footnotes, endnotes, or author-date citations; bibliographies or reference lists), and avoid plagiarism;

HI3.03 – express ideas, opinions, and conclusions clearly, articulately, and in a manner that respects the opinions of others.

Creativity, Collaboration, and Independence

HI4.01 – demonstrate an ability to think creatively in reaching conclusions about both assigned questions and issues and those conceived independently;

HI4.02 – use a variety of time-management strategies effectively;

HI4.03 – demonstrate an ability to work independently and collaboratively and to seek and respect the opinions of others;

HI4.04 – identify various career opportunities related to the study of history (e.g., researcher, museum or archive curator, teacher, journalist, writer).

Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

The graduate is expected to be:

A Discerning Believer Formed in the Catholic Faith Community who

CGE1a -illustrates a basic understanding of the saving story of our Christian faith;

CGE1b -participates in the sacramental life of the church and demonstrates an understanding of the centrality of the Eucharist to our Catholic story;

CGE1c -actively reflects on God’s Word as communicated through the Hebrew and Christian scriptures;

CGE1d -develops attitudes and values founded on Catholic social teaching and acts to promote social responsibility, human solidarity and the common good;

CGE1e -speaks the language of life... “recognizing that life is an unearned gift and that a person entrusted with life does not own it but that one is called to protect and cherish it.” (Witnesses to Faith)

CGE1f -seeks intimacy with God and celebrates communion with God, others and creation through prayer and worship;

CGE1g -understands that one’s purpose or call in life comes from God and strives to discern and live out this call throughout life’s journey;

CGE1h -respects the faith traditions, world religions and the life-journeys of all people of good will;

CGE1i -integrates faith with life;

CGE1j -recognizes that “sin, human weakness, conflict and forgiveness are part of the human journey” and that the cross, the ultimate sign of forgiveness is at the heart of redemption. (Witnesses to Faith)

An Effective Communicator who

CGE2a -listens actively and critically to understand and learn in light of gospel values;

CGE2b -reads, understands and uses written materials effectively;

CGE2c -presents information and ideas clearly and honestly and with sensitivity to others;

CGE2d -writes and speaks fluently one or both of Canada’s official languages;

CGE2e -uses and integrates the Catholic faith tradition, in the critical analysis of the arts, media, technology and information systems to enhance the quality of life.

A Reflective and Creative Thinker who

CGE3a -recognizes there is more grace in our world than sin and that hope is essential in facing all challenges;

CGE3b -creates, adapts, evaluates new ideas in light of the common good;

CGE3c -thinks reflectively and creatively to evaluate situations and solve problems;

CGE3d -makes decisions in light of gospel values with an informed moral conscience;

CGE3e -adopts a holistic approach to life by integrating learning from various subject areas and experience;

CGE3f -examines, evaluates and applies knowledge of interdependent systems (physical, political, ethical, socio-economic and ecological) for the development of a just and compassionate society.

A Self-Directed, Responsible, Life Long Learner who

CGE4a -demonstrates a confident and positive sense of self and respect for the dignity and welfare of others;

CGE4b -demonstrates flexibility and adaptability;

CGE4c -takes initiative and demonstrates Christian leadership;

CGE4d -responds to, manages and constructively influences change in a discerning manner;

CGE4e -sets appropriate goals and priorities in school, work and personal life;

CGE4f -applies effective communication, decision-making, problem-solving, time and resource management skills;

CGE4g -examines and reflects on one’s personal values, abilities and aspirations influencing life’s choices and opportunities;

CGE4h -participates in leisure and fitness activities for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

A Collaborative Contributor who

CGE5a -works effectively as an interdependent team member;

CGE5b -thinks critically about the meaning and purpose of work;

CGE5c -develops one’s God-given potential and makes a meaningful contribution to society;

CGE5d -finds meaning, dignity, fulfillment and vocation in work which contributes to the common good;

CGE5e -respects the rights, responsibilities and contributions of self and others;

CGE5f -exercises Christian leadership in the achievement of individual and group goals;

CGE5g -achieves excellence, originality, and integrity in one’s own work and supports these qualities in the work of others;

CGE5h -applies skills for employability, self-employment and entrepreneurship relative to Christian vocation.

A Caring Family Member who

CGE6a -relates to family members in a loving, compassionate and respectful manner;

CGE6b -recognizes human intimacy and sexuality as God given gifts, to be used as the creator intended;

CGE6c -values and honours the important role of the family in society;

CGE6d -values and nurtures opportunities for family prayer;

CGE6e -ministers to the family, school, parish, and wider community through service.

A Responsible Citizen who

CGE7a -acts morally and legally as a person formed in Catholic traditions;

CGE7b -accepts accountability for one’s own actions;

CGE7c -seeks and grants forgiveness;

CGE7d -promotes the sacredness of life;

CGE7e -witnesses Catholic social teaching by promoting equality, democracy, and solidarity for a just, peaceful and compassionate society;

CGE7f -respects and affirms the diversity and interdependence of the world’s peoples and cultures;

CGE7g -respects and understands the history, cultural heritage and pluralism of today’s contemporary society;

CGE7h -exercises the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship;

CGE7i -respects the environment and uses resources wisely;

CGE7j -contributes to the common good.

Unit 1 | Unit 5 | Course Profiles Main Menu

Acknowledgments

Secondary Policy Document: The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12,

Course Description

How This Course Supports the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

Course Notes

Units: Titles and Time

Unit Overviews

Unit 1: Establishing the American Nation (1608-1791)

Unit 2: Consolidation of the Republic (1792 – 1849)

Unit 3: Fracturing of the American Nation (1850-1876)

Unit 4: America Acquires Power (1870 to 1941)

Unit 5: America Exercises Power (1941 – Present)

Unit 6: An Examination of the Great Society in the Twentieth Century (1900 – 2000)

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

Accommodations

Resources

Print

Non-print

Teacher Resources for Accommodations

OSS Considerations

Communities: Local, National, and Global

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Change and Continuity

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Citizenship and Heritage

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Social, Economic, and Political Structures

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations

Methods of Historical Inquiry

Overall Expectations

Specific Expectations