United States History

Mr. Johnson
Vasquez High School
Email: sjohnson@aadusd.k12.ca.us
Web Page: www.mrjohnsonshistory.net
Office hours: Available before school, at lunch, or after school with an
appointment
Textbook: Danzer, Gerald A. The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century. Evanstan:
McDougal Littell, 2006).

Course Description:
United States history examines the origins of the thirteen colonies to the Present day period
through a historical perspective. Students will learn and examine the major events, technologies,
economic systems, and religions that have shaped our history. Students will also examine interactions
between man and his environment, and between man and man that has shaped historical social structures
including the rise of the democratic ideas that have shaped the modern world.
Through these examinations students will be able to craft historically based questions, answers,
and arguments using historical evidence. Through the use of historical evidence students will be able to
examine and identify multiple perspectives of historical events using causes and effects. Through
examination, and critical thinking. Students will also develop an understanding of current world issues.
Course Content: (1491-Present)

The World in the 1500s

European Exploration of the Americas, 1492-1700
The English Thirteen Colonies, 1585-1732
The Colonies Develop, 1700-1753
Beginnings of an American Identity, 1689-1763
The Road to Revolution 1763-1776
The American Revolution, 1776-1783
Confederation to Constitution, 1776-1791
The Constitution
Launching a New Republic 1789-1800
The Jefferson Era, 1800-1816
National and Regional Growth, 1800-1844
The Age of Jackson, 1824-1840
Manifest Destiny, 1810-1853
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A new spirit of change, 1820-1860

The Nation breaking apart, 1846-1861
The Civil War begins, 1861-1862
The Tide of the War turns, 1863-1865
Reconstruction, 1865-1877
The Industrial Revolution/The Gilded Age 1870-1900
Progressivism 1900-1920
World War I 1914-1918
The roaring Twenties 1920-1929
The Great Depression 1929-1941
World War Two 1941-1945
Post War 1945-1960
The Cold War 1945-1991
The 1960S
The 1970s
The 1980s
The internet Age 1990-2000
9/11 and Post-America 2001-present

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Students will need a notebook and pencil/pen every single day.

One bound college-ruled notebook.

PAPER and PENCILS/Pen.
Access to the class website: www.mrjohnsonshistory.net
Access to www.Edmodo.com
Students are required to come to class PREPARED daily with the above items. Any
additional items needed will be provided.

CLASSWORK/HOMEWORK POLICIES:
Class work is assigned as related to the course. Group work and discussion will also be
utilized. Homework is assigned on a regular basis. Homework is due on the assigned date in
order to be eligible to receive full credit. The only exception is in the case of an excused absence.
Late work will be accepted one day after the assigned due date, for a 50% penalty and no later
than a week.
PARTICIPATION:
Participation is a vital component to your success in this course. You will earn a weekly
participation grade that is based on your attendance, homework completion, and class discussion.
GRADING SYSTEM:
You will be evaluated on all homework and classroom assignments including tests and
quizzes. All assignments will be given a numerical point value, which will be converted to a
letter grade by dividing the number of points earned by the number of points possible.
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The final grade will be an average of exams, quizzes, projects, in class assignments,
homework, and class participation and effort. The following scale will be used to determine the
letter grade:
90-100% of all points = A
80%-89% of all points = B
70%-79% of all points = C
60%-69% of all points = D
59% or lower = F

30%

Tests

20%

Quizzes

20%

Homework

15%

Classwork

15%

Notes

I recommend checking your grades online weekly, to keep up to date on your progress in the
course. Students are STRONGLY encouraged to keep all returned work as mistakes occasionally
can be made when entering grades and no changes will be made to the grade book without the
assignment in hand.
I will complete grading of all assignments within two days of the student turning it in to me.
If an assignment is turned in on a Friday it will be returned on Monday. Tests and essays will be
graded within four days of the student turning it in. Grades for an assignment will be entered
after the assignment is graded and if any discrepancies occur please contact me immediately with
the returned graded assignment available.
CLASS RULES:
1. Bring all required materials to class every day (books, writing utensils, paper/handouts).
2. Follow directions given by the teacher the first time they are given.
3. No use of personal electronic equipment (such as cell phones, MP3 devices, etc.) during class
time, unless teacher directed.
4. Profanity, racial slurs, and homophobic or sexist comments are NEVER allowed in the
classroom.

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5. Students need to be on time in their seats and ready to work when class starts. (3 tardies =
detention)
Consequences for Misbehavior:
1. Verbal warning
2. Student-teacher conference
3. Detention
4. Call home to parents
5. Repeated violations will ultimately result in a referral and involvement of the school
administration
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:
I do not tolerate students making others feel less of themselves. It doesnt matter if it
involves race, academic achievement, sexual preference, or gender bias; no form of
discrimination will be tolerated. If a student makes any derogatory comment, they will be taken
aside for a student-teacher conference. On the second instance, detention/school involvement
will occur, as appropriate.
MAKE UP POLICY:
Any work must be turned in the day following the absence. If students will be at school
but miss class for sports, they must turn assignments in before they leave. If you miss a test/quiz,
it is your responsibility to make an appointment with me within one week of the date the
test/quiz was given; if you do not schedule an appointment to makeup the test/quiz you will be
given a zero. Students can make appointments to makeup a test/ quiz during lunch. Make-up
work is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. You need to be responsible for what you missed. Any
makeup work can be obtained from me.
Tutoring:
Tutoring is available during lunch and after school with an appropriate appointment.
BATHROOM POLICY:
Students are given five bathroom passes a semester. Students can save monthly bathroom
passes until the end of the semester. Students must surrender a bathroom pass in order to leave
during class to use the bathroom. At the end of the semester, students may turn in their unused
bathroom passes for extra credit. In case of an emergency you can raise your hand with the
number 1 showing and may leave the classroom once I have gestured towards you.
Academic Honesty:
If you are caught cheating, the assignment is automatically a zero, and your parents will
be contacted along with a detention assigned. Repeated offenses will lead to school
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administration involvement. Plagiarism is considered cheating and WILL NOT be tolerated. Any
papers or assignments that are not your own, either partially or entirely, will result in a zero on
that assignment. This includes copying from the text, each other, the internet, etc.! Ideas or
writing that is not your own must be properly cited using APA format. You will have several
assignments this year that must be submitted online via Turnitin.com, which is a site that
monitors plagiarism and the originality of your work.

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Student Signatures
This verifies that I have read and understood the above information as it was explained in the handout and
discussed in class.

Student Name _________________________________________ Date ____________

(Please print)
Student Signature _______________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature:
This verifies that I have read and discussed the above information with my son or daughter.

Parent/Guardian Name ________________________________Date_______________

(Please print)
Parent/Guardian Signature ___________________________________________
Telephone Number ________________________ Email ________________________

(Please indicate which contact method is preferred by circling method)

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