IB History of the Americas Choctawhatchee High School 2014-2015 School Year Ms. Susan Zant IB History of the Americas Syllabus The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous pre-university course of study. It is a broad-based two year course that aims to encourage students to be knowledgeable and inquiring, but also caring and compassionate. There is a strong emphasis on encouraging students to develop intercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and the attitudes necessary for them to respect and evaluate a range of points of view. The IB Diploma Programme covers six academic areas; Group 3: Individuals and Society is the area of history study, this is a Higher Level (HL) course. First semester we will study the History of the Americas (HOTA) and second semester we will study 20 th Century World History Topics. Purpose of the course This class covers history of the Americas from the perspective of the United States, Canada, and Latin American countries. The intent of the content is to provide the history of the Americas and their impact on the world. The goal is to provide many historical perspectives and allow students to determine their thoughts on the event. Students will study various events in the development and challenges of the Americas. We will also be working on your Internal Assessment the first semester. The first draft will be due prior to Winter Break and the final due in February. IB Assessment The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) will assess history students in May. Papers 1 and 2 will cover topics from 20 th Century World History Topics; Paper 3 will cover topics from the study of the History of the Americas, and makes up 35% of your mark for history. In addition, second year students will produce an original history research inquiry known as the Internal Assessment (IA). The IA is 20% of your IB history mark and should be considered guaranteed 22-25 marks, if you do it well. Textbook(s) 1. IB History of the Americas Course Companion. Berliner et al. Oxford University Press, New York. ISBN: 9780199180783 There will also be additional readings assigned throughout the year.
IB Units of Study 3. United States Civil War: causes, course, and effects 1840-77 This section focuses on the United States Civil War between the North and the South (1861-65), which is often perceived as the great watershed in the history of the United States. It transformed the country forever: slavery disappeared following Lincoln s Emancipation Proclamation and the Northern success marked a victory for the proponents of strong central power over the supporters of states rights. It marked the beginnings of further westward expansion and transformed United States society by accelerating industrialization and modernization in the north and largely destroying the plantation system in the South. The war left the country with a new set of problems: how would the South rebuild its society and economy and what would be the place in that society of 4 million freed African Americans? These changes were fundamental, leading some historians to see the war and its results, as a second American Revolution. Cotton economy and slavery; conditions of enslavement; adaptation and resistance such as the Underground Railroad Origins of the Civil War: political issues; states rights; modernization; sectionalism; the nullification crisis, economic differences between North and South Abolitionist debate: ideologies and arguments for and against slavery and their impact Reasons for, and effects of, westward expansion and the sectional debates; the crisis of the 1850s; the Kansas-Nebraska problem; the Ostend Manifesto; the Lincoln-Douglas debates; the impact of the election of Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation; Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy Union versus Confederate; strengths and weaknesses; economic resources; significance of leaders during the US Civil War, suitable examples could be Grant and Lee, Sherman and Thomas Stonewall Jackson Major battles of the Civil War and their impact on the conflict: Antietam and Gettysburg; the role of foreign powers Reconstruction: economic; social and political successes and failures; economic expansion African Americans in the Civil War and in the New South; legal issues; the Black Codes; Jim Crow Laws 7. The Great Depression and the Americas 1929-39 This section focuses on the nature of the Depression as well as the different solutions adopted by governments in the region and the impact on these societies. The Great Depression produced the most serious economic collapse in the history of the Americas. It affected every country in the region and brought about the need to rethink economic and political systems. The alternatives that were offered and the adaptations that took place marked a watershed in political and economic development in many countries in the region. With respect to the last two bullets, a case study approach should be adopted, using one country from the region as an example. The chosen country should be identified in the introduction to the examination answers
The Great Depression: political and economic causes in the Americas Nature and efficacy of solutions in the United States: Hoover; Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal; critics of the New Deal Canada: Mackenzie King and RB Bennett Latin America s responses to the Depression: either G Vargas or the Concordancia in Argentina; Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) or any relevant case study of a Latin American country Impact of the Great Depression on society: African Americans, women, minorities The Great Depression and the arts: photography, the movie industry, the radio, literary currents 10. The Cold War and the Americas 1945-1981 This section focuses on the development and impact of the Cold War on the region. Most of the second half of the 20 th century was dominated by the global conflict of the Cold War. Within the Americas, some countries were closely allied to the United States and some took sides reluctantly. Many remained neutral or sought to avoid involvement in Cold War struggles. A few, influenced by the Cuban Revolution, instituted socialist governments. No nation, however, escaped the pressures of the Cold War, which had a significant impact on the domestic and foreign policies of the countries of the region. Truman containment and its implications for the Americas; the rise of McCarthyism and its effects on domestic and foreign policies of the United States; the Cold War and its impact on society and culture Korean War and the United States and the Americas; reasons for participation; military developments; diplomatic and political outcomes Eisenhower and Dulles: New Look and its application; characteristics and reasons for the policy repercussions for the region United States involvement in Vietnam: the reason for, and nature of, the involvement at different states; domestic effects and the end of the war United States foreign policies from Kennedy to Carter: the characteristics of, and reasons for, policies; implications for the region: Kennedy s Alliance for Progress; Nixon s covert operations and Chile; Carter s quest for human rights and the Panama Canal Treaty Cold War in EITHER Canada or ONE Latin American country: reasons for foreign and domestic policies and their implementation 11. Civil Rights and Social Movements in the Americas This section focuses on the origins, nature, challenges and achievements of civil rights movements after 1945. Movements represented the attempts to achieve equality for groups that were not recognized or accepted as full members of society. Native Americans and civil rights: Latin America, the United States, and Canada African Americans and the Civil Rights Movement: origins; tactics and organization; the US Supreme Courts and legal challenges to segregation in education; ending of the segregation in the South (1955-65)
Role of Dr. Martin Luther King in the Civil Rights Movement; the rise of radical African American activism (1965-68); Black Panthers; Black Muslims; Black Power and Malcolm X Role of governments in civil rights movements in the Americas Youth culture and protests of the 1960s and 1970s; characteristics and manifestation of counterculture Feminist movements in the Americas Assessment Objectives of the International Baccalaureate program: 1: Knowledge and understanding Recall and select relevant historical knowledge Demonstrate an understanding of historical context Demonstrate an understanding of historical processes: cause and effect; continuity and change Understand historical sources (SL/HL paper 1) Deploy detailed, in-depth knowledge (HL paper 3) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a specific historical topic (IA) 2: Application and interpretation Apply historical knowledge as evidence Show awareness of different approaches to, and interpretations of, historical issues and events Compare and contrast historical sources as evidence (SL/HL paper 1) Present a summary of evidence (IA) 3: Synthesis and evaluation Evaluate different approaches to, and interpretations of, historical issues and events Evaluate historical sources as evidence (SL/HL paper 1 and IA) Evaluate and synthesize evidence from both historical sources and background knowledge (SL/HL paper 1) Develop critical commentary using the evidence base (SL/HL paper 2 and HL paper 3) Synthesize by integrating evidence and critical commentary (HL paper 3) Present an analysis of a summary of evidence (IA) 4: Use of historical skills Demonstrate the ability to structure an essay answer, using evidence to support relevant, balanced and focused historical arguments (SL/HL paper 2 and HL paper 3) Demonstrate evidence of research skills, organization and referencing (IA)
Required Materials 3-ring notebook Highlighters Blue/Black pens Colored pencils Grading: Exams, Homework, Writing, and Projects (oh, my!) Exams (40%): Essays are given at the end of each topic completed, as noted on the syllabus. Essays will be treated as tests and are worth 100 points and comprised of one free-response question. Many of the questions are taken from previous IB Paper 3 assessments. Essays for this class will be marked according to the IB mark schemes and matched to a 100 point grade scale for report cards. A semester exam is required of all students in Okaloosa County and will comprise one seventh of the semester grade. The IB exams will be in lieu of the End of Course Exam. A final exam will be given to AP students if it is needed as a competency exam Homework (20%): Homework will occasionally be assigned and may include free response questions based on key vocabulary, names, and events; plus interpretation of a political cartoon, or graphic representation of data or an OPVL of a document. Writing Assignments & Projects (40%): 1) Internal Assessment Draft. The historical investigation for the IA is part of your second year grade. However, to prepare you for this assignment and manage time you will submit a draft of your investigation first semester. 2) Analytical Essays. Part of the regular assessment cycle, on occasion you will be write essays as part of a homework assignment. These assignments will be weighted as tests. 3) Projects, Power Points or concept maps details and rubrics will be distributed when the projects are assigned. Class Participation: All students are expected to be present and on time to class. Once in class, students are expected to have their materials and be focused on the lesson and be ready to discuss the material. You are expected to be more than a sponge. Daily participation points are calculated in my head and can make a difference at the end of the grading period!!
Classroom Procedures and Standards This classroom is a learning environment. Therefore, there are certain standards and procedures that must be followed to ensure that learning has an opportunity to take place. There are school and school board guidelines that must be followed and they can be found in the student handbook. In addition to the student handbook, there are classroom guidelines every student should follow to maintain a certain decorum for learning. They are as follows: When the bell rings, sit down and listen for instructions When given instructions, be sure to listen attentively Always bring the proper materials to class Do not interrupt anyone while they are speaking There is no swearing in class. If you have a question about a word, don t use it. (This includes assignments.) Ms. Zant reserves the right to amend these guidelines as necessary! The rules and regulations of the Okaloosa County Code of Conduct and the consequences for not following them will be strictly enforced. No late work will be accepted, unless prior arrangements have been made and/or extenuating circumstances. The most important grading factor in this class is consistent effort. The reading load is especially heavy in order to cover the maximum amount of material in the time we have allotted. To do this with the least amount of stress, cooperative learning/study groups is encouraged. You are ultimately responsible for understanding all material for testing. The amount of time required for homework for this class will vary with your reading speed. You should expect to do some homework for this class every day. I hope that you will enjoy the year, work hard, and come out of it in May thinking like an historian; able to tackle the demands and challenges of any college course. If at any time during the year you feel overwhelmed and need additional help, please see me after class or email me, so that I know we need to talk. Never hesitate to share your feelings with me. Students quickly learn that I will eagerly listen and respond to their concerns. I look forward to working with you this year! Ms. Susan Zant Choctawhatchee High School 850-833-3614, Ext. 678 zants@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us