Exam Information

Your American Century Exam will be on Tuesday May 31st 8 AM in the Science Forum!

Spring Exam Format: You will fill out a map of the United States, complete with capitals. You will have fill-in-the-blank, matching, multiple choice and essay sections. I reserve the right to add or subtract any sections! Remember- it is nice of me to give you any predictions of what you will see. Plus, you get the essay questions ahead of time. Good luck studying!

Spring Exam Study Guide
Spring Exam Essay Info
*Please see the WWII study materials below!

WWII Materials

                     Timelines
Block C:                                  Block E:

1940                                         1940
1941                                         1941
1942                                         1942
1943                                         1943
1944                                         1944
1945                                         1945


National Archives FDR War Address
Video Footage of FDR War Address
Hiroshima: Dropping the Bomb

Due Friday May 20th

Blocks C & E: Actively read the excerpt called "Wailing Shall Be in All Streets" from Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut. You may want to review the questions before you read and jot down some notes as you go. We will discuss in class!

Due Thursday May 19th

Block E: Timeline group work. Complete your year to present in class tomorrow- be comfortable discussing the events that happened in your year, especially with a U.S. focus. Try to email me an attachment or link to your timeline as soon as you can (before you go to bed tonight please!).

1940: Wit, Jessie, Jackie
1941: Mercer, Elijah, Annie
1942: Colie, Lauren, Ellie
1943: Tory, Ryan, Haley
1944: Mitch, Abby, Diana

Due Wednesday May 18th

Block C: Timeline group work. Complete your year to present in class tomorrow- be comfortable discussing the events that happened in your year, especially with a U.S. focus. Try to email me an attachment or link to your timeline as soon as you can (before you go to bed tonight please!).

Block E: Please find an instance of genocide apart from the Holocaust. Read up on it and write a paragraph summarizing where, when and who was affected. What was the motivation? Resitance? Outcome? Make sure to properly cite your source, in addition to including a proper heading and typing/writing in pen. I will collect it for a grade after you present your research to the class.

Due Tuesday May 17th

Block C: Please find an instance of genocide apart from the Holocaust. Read up on it and write a paragraph summarizing where, when and who was affected. What was the motivation? Resitance? Outcome? Make sure to properly cite your source, in addition to including a proper heading and typing/writing in pen. I will collect it for a grade after you present your research to the class.

What the Iranian president said about the Holocaust: Ahmadinejad Says Holocaust is a Lie

Questioned on it point blank by Brian Williams: Williams Interview of Ahmadinejad

In case you wanted to rewatch the end: Third Installment of Night & Fog

Due Wednesday May 11th

Block C: Please find an example of a talented demagogue. Email me the link to the clip with an explanation of what qualities you think this individual possesses that make him or her an effective orator.

Block E: Night off but the above homework will apply to you for Thursday.

Due Monday May 9th

Your GoogleDoc family tree assignments complete with a 2 page accompaniment piece. See prior post for details! Also, we will be enjoying your Great Depression Era PowerPoint presentations in class tomorrow.

Due Wednesday May 4th

Block C: Prepare for a quiz on WWI.

Family Tree Project

To accompany the work you have completed on constructing a GoogleDoc family tree, I would like for you to draft a 2 page document explaining your ancestry and highlighting any particularly memorable anecdotes. The purpose is to provide a narration: be clear in delineating your mother's side versus your father's, be direct in explaining where your ancestors are from, why they may have (or did not) migrate, and how you ended up where you are today. You may use the first person but please maintain a formal tone. All exceptions that we have discussed previously still apply- if your relatives are adopted or international mold the assignment to fit your family!

This assignment will be due a week from tomorrow, May 9th. When you hand it in, it should have:

A proper heading and title.
A minimum of 2 pages.
Your GoogleDoc family tree, printed out and stapled to the back.

This should be interesting and fun! You have already done the majority of the work. :)

Due Thursday April 28th

Find an example of WWI propaganda. Make sure to print it out or email me a link so I can show it in class. Please research your propaganda enough to have an understanding of its meaning.

When and where was this piece of propaganda created?
Who comprised its target audience?
What type of emotion was it intended to incite?

Due Wednesday April 27th

Complete this recitation for Wednesday and be working on your papers...final drafts due Friday!

Happy Easter!

Due Friday April 22nd

Bring your computers/papers to class tomorrow. Block C will be completing their tests, but aside from that I would like to meet with as many of you as possible to give you some feedback on how your papers look. I did this with the freshmen earlier this week and it was a big success- I want you to have the opportunity as well!

See you in the AM!

Due Wednesday April 20th

Block C: The last group (Wilson) will be presenting tomorrow morning. Then, you will take (probably a portion of) the test.

Block E: See previous post. Email me your GoogleDoc links asap! Study for test on Thursday.

Roosevelt & Trustbusting
Hepburn Act & Pure Food and Drug Act
Environmentalism
Election of 1912
Wilson's Presidency

Due Next Class

Working in your group, please prepare the topic assigned to you with a transparency or GoogleDoc. You are responsible for presenting the information to your classmates in a way that will help them learn it, so strategize an interesting way of going about it.

Roosevelt, Trustbusting & the Sherman Anti-Trust Act: Tory, Haley & Ellie
Hepburn Act & Pure Food and Drug Act: Ryan, Annie & Wit
Birth of Environmentalism & John Muir: Mitch, Lauren & Elijah
The Election of 1912: Jessie, Mercer & Abby
The Presidency of Woodrow Wilson: Diana, Colie & Jackie

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY- Let me know if you're interested ASAP via email!

Boston City Archaeology Laboratory, Education and Curation Center

The History Department is pleased to announce an internship opportunity for a talented and enthusiastic Brooks School history student from the Class of 2012. The student will spend about 6 weeks this summer working with Ellen Berkland, Boston’s City Archaeologist. As a part of the Boston Environment Department, Berkland manages the archaeological remains located on public land in Boston, and over 27 collections of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts held by the City. Over one million artifacts were uncovered during the “Big Dig,” some dating back 12,000 years.

The intern’s role will be to assist the archaeologist with on-going digs, washing, processing, and cataloguing artifacts, helping to run archaeological workshops, and assisting in the management of volunteer programs. The student will have the opportunity to learn all aspects of urban archaeology. There is some flexibility in scheduling the internship; the chosen candidate can work out the details with Ellen Berkland.

The intern’s work in the program continues next fall with a formal presentation to interested members of the community and it will culminate with their inclusion as members of the selection committee for next year’s intern.

Due Friday April 15th

Block C: Actively read the DuBois document and consider the discussion questions. Do background research on your assigned guy in preparation for tomorrow's debate.

Please bring your computers and text books to class tomorrow!

DuBois: Wehrle, Demoulas, Lawson, Cabot, Anderson, Maley, Aboitiz

Washington: Smith, Hackler, Lawton, Meyer, Gomez, Dolben, Flores*

Block E: Work on your papers and/or family trees!

Due Thursday April 14th

Block E: Actively read the DuBois document and consider the discussion questions. Do background research on your assigned guy in preparation for tomorrow's debate.

Please bring your computers and text books to class tomorrow!

DuBois: Morelos, Egertson, Gardiner, Gan, Kwon, Knott, McClelland

Washington: Barker, Farmer, Kelleher, Nylen, Hooper, Soko, Sternin, Bishop

Due Wednesday April 13th

Make sure you get an edited draft back to the author and actively read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.

Due Monday April 11th

ROUGH DRAFTS OF PAPERS DUE! 

You must bring your draft printed out to class. We will participate in a peer editing workshop during class so it is imperative you have your work ready to go!

Due Friday April 8

Block E: Just focus on your family tree and draft (due Monday). I'll make up for what you aren't reading tonight during class tomorrow because I am just that awesome.

Due Thursday April 7th

Both blocks: (Block C you meet me 9th!) Continue to expand and revise your family trees. It must:

1. Use GoogleDocs, preferably the drawing form so that you can create a tree.
2. It should end with you (either place yourself at the top or bottom and branch out).
3. It should trace back (directly, you don't need every cousin/aunt/uncle) to your ancestors who made the move to where you live now (in America, Zimbabwe, Thailand, S. Korea).
4. You must provide full names, dates of birth & death, when and why they emi/immigrated.

If you are missing info, get on the phone/computer and start digging! Envision the template Lauren provided us with today. Email with any questions!

PS. Remember, draft of research paper due Monday.

CHECK THIS OUT!

Maybe one of my little Civil War buffs wants to win a college scholarship?? Play the practice game and see if you could hack it!

Due Wednesday April 6th

Both blocks: We are moving on to Chapter 20! Read and take notes on pg. 569 through pg. 577 stopping before "Running and Reforming the City."

Next, call your parents and/or grandparents and find out from where your ancestors immigrated. You may want to ask when they immigrated, why, and where they settled. Do both sides of your family!

If you are an international student, find out if your family has always lived where they have...you might have immigration stories in your background too! If you are adopted, you may do your biological family if you have information or your adoptive family, your choice!

Create a rough family tree using GoogleDoc (either a drawing or document template) and email me the link before the start of class Wednesday. Make sure to change the sharing settings so I can access it! Try to get as much info as possible but it's ok for it to be a work in progress.

Drafts will be due Monday (I decided to give you another weekend). If you want to move along and wish for me to take a look at it, schedule an appointment with me!

Due Monday April 4th

Block C: Skim Chapter 19 and for "notes" define these key terms: robber barons, corporations, pooling, horizontal combination, and vertical integration. You should build on your understanding of the rises to success of Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Gould and Morgan. Lastly, brief yourself on the experience of laborers.

We will discuss those, and other concepts, in class tomorrow in addition to reviewing the political cartoons!

Block E: Review Chapter 19 paying special attention to Knight of Labor, American Federation of labor, and strikes, as they will be a focus of discussion tomorrow. Be working on your papers!

Due Friday April 1st

Welcome back to the wonderful world of homework!

Block E: Skim Chapter 19 and for "notes" define these key terms: robber barons, corporations, pooling, horizontal combination, and vertical integration. You should build on your understanding of the rises to success of Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Gould and Morgan. Lastly, brief yourself on the experience of laborers.

We will discuss those, and other concepts, in class tomorrow in addition to reviewing the political cartoons!

PS. Do you like our SPRING themed blog template or WHAT?!

Due Monday March 7th

Work on drafts of your papers so that you'll have something to hand in on Wednesday!

Extension!

FYI: You have an extension on your outlines until Friday!

Extra Credit Opportunity

Please join me for a viewing of Glory in Room X at 6:30 PM Monday night! 

Bring a writing utensil and a notepad. If you are worried about it running into study hall I will be happy to write a note on your behalf.

Due Monday February 28th

1. Reminder: recitation due Saturday at noon
2. Civil War: Vocab III due
3. Read the handout on Lincoln's assassination
4. Work on outlines
* Test end of the week on Civil War and Reconstruction

Friday Feb. 18th

YOU ARE MEETING IN THE LIBRARY FOR CLASS TODAY! Please check in with Mrs. McCarthy. You are to work on your annotated bibliographies, due by noon on Saturday to my classroom or mailbox. Also, if you have not yet completed your Civil War vocab, please do so and submit it along with your annotated bibliography.

Homework over the weekend is to work on your next installment of ten notecards!

Due Monday Feb. 14th (Same Tuesday/Weds)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Please have your thesis statement typed or written in pen with a proper heading, ready to hand in.
Be working on compiling sources for your annotated bibliography.
Start taking your notecards, the first ten will be handed in on Wednesday.
Continue with Civil War vocab!

Due Friday Feb. 11th

Both Blocks: Please work on crafting a thesis statement, compiling a bibliography, and continue with your Civil War vocabulary sheets.

Research Paper Project Calendar

Here you will find links to all handouts concerning your research paper project!

Research Paper Assignment
Primary vs. Secondary Source Guide
Calendar of Due Dates (make sure you scroll down)
Annotated Bibliography
Notecard Instructions

Due Thursday Feb. 10th

Block E:

• Complete #1-12 of your vocab sheet.
• Finish your "The Civil War: A Nation Divided" maps. I will collect them to be graded!
• Work on compiling primary and secondary sources (4 each) for your research paper bibliography. Start to craft a thesis statement- it will be due Monday!

Due Tuesday Feb. 8th

Block C: Complete #1-11 of your vocab sheet and work on your "The Civil War: A Nation Divided" maps. I will collect your maps on Wednesday!

Due Monday Feb. 7th

Both Blocks C & E: Complete your research paper project proposals!

Due Friday Feb. 4th

Block C:

• Please read and take notes from pg. 421 through pg. 427 stopping before "The Roots of a Divided Society."
• Actively read the entirety of Abraham Lincoln's "A House Divided" (handed out in class).
• Answer, typed or written in pen with a proper heading and in paragraph form, the 2 questions at the conclusion of the primary document. 
• Work on your recitation due Saturday by noon. Remember you must know the author, title and date in addition to the excerpt. 

Block E:

• Answer, typed or written in pen with a proper heading and in paragraph form, the 2 questions at the conclusion of  Abraham Lincoln's "A House Divided."
• Work on your recitation due Saturday by noon. Remember you must know the author, title and date in addition to the excerpt. 

Due Thursday Feb. 3rd

Block E:

• Please read and take notes from pg. 421 through pg. 427 stopping before "The Roots of a Divided Society."
• Actively read the entirety of Abraham Lincoln's "A House Divided" (handed out in class).

Due Wednesday Feb. 2nd

Blocks C & E: Read and take notes starting on pg. 414 with "The Political Realignment of the 1850s" through pg. 421 stopping before "The Lincoln-Douglas Debates."

Due Tuesday Feb. 1st

Block C: Please read and take notes starting on pg. 398 with "Escape from Crisis" through pg. 402.

Due Monday Jan. 31st

Already the end of January, wow!

Block C: Please read and take notes on pg. 384 "The Political Origins of Expansion" through pg. 392 "Societies in the West."

Block E: Please read and take notes starting on pg. 398 with "Escape from Crisis" through pg. 402.

Due Friday Jan. 28th

Block C: Please read the handout on the Alamo. Read and take notes starting on pg. 378 with "Manifest (and Not So Manifest) Destiny" through pg. 384 stopping before "The Political Origins of Expansion."

Block E: Read and take notes pg. 384 "The Political Origins of Expansion" through pg. 392 "Societies in the West."

Due Thursday Jan. 27th

Block E: Please read the handout on the Alamo. Read and take notes starting on pg. 378 with "Manifest (and Not So Manifest) Destiny" through pg. 384 stopping before "The Political Origins of Expansion."

*Assignments are up for the next week on your block pages!

Welcome Back & SOTU

A new semester is upon us! I look forward to jumping right into westward expansion with you all tomorrow, but in the meantime, be an educated citizen and check out CNN's full coverage website on President Obama's State of the Union Address. Or, if you're feeling a little more informal, explore this cool blog on CNN complete with video clips! My favorite link, no surprise, highlights famous quotations from different SOTU addresses from throughout the years- worth a look!

Office Hours

Good Morning!

Monday: You are of course, welcome to come by today anytime until 2:00 PM.

Tuesday: I am available 8:00-10:00 PM in PBA dorm, come on by!

Thursday: 11:30-12:00 AM and 7:30-8:00 PM (exclusively for U.S.).

Friday: See you at 10:30 AM in the Science Forum!

Due Thursday Jan. 13th

Block E: As discussed in class, you should be working on your essay prep. Upon receiving your winter exam review guide via email, check it over to make sure you are at least familiar with all the terms listed. Bring any questions to class tomorrow.

Due Wednesday Jan. 12th

Hopefully you're remembering to check your block specific pages...study guide will be out to you asap (sorry, crazy evening- practice, faculty meeting, snow day dorm craziness!).

Block C: Work on essay prep. Review your study guide and come armed with questions.

Block E: Read and take notes starting on pg. 337 with "Abolitionism" through pg. 343.

In-Class Essay Question for Friday

I have been thinking hard about a good essay question for our exam, and I find myself headed in two directions- one broad and all encompassing, and one more specific and related to recent material. I feel both are equally justifiable (and interesting!), and so I will leave the decision to each of you, individually.

For Friday, prepare one of the following questions:

1. Discuss the role of revolt, rebellion and revolution in early American history. There are different angles you could take, ranging from slave revolts such as La Amistad or Stono Rebellion, to the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party, to the American Revolution or even the "Revolution of 1800!" What constitutes a revolt, rebellion or revolution? Did blood need to be shed to make America what it is today?

2. Evaluate why a two party system emerged in the period 1820 to 1840. Consider major personalities, states' rights and economic issues in your response. Who were the Whigs? Democrats? How were they born out of prior political parties? What did they believe? Hint: pp. 314-316 will help a lot!

Due Tuesday Jan. 11th

Block C: Please read and take notes starting on pg. 337 with "Abolitionism" through pg. 343.

PS. Block specific pages are revised.

Due Friday Jan. 7th

1. Operation RAW! I can't wait to see your creations.

2. Drafts of your minority papers- you must come with one or else you will see a deduction from your final paper grade. I want to spend a part of class working on the editing process. Hopefully I can get my eyes on as many thesis statements as possible! Remember to footnote...I'll check those too!

3. Read and take notes starting on pg. 329 starting with "American Romanticism" through pg. 337 ending before "Abolitionism." THIS IS EASY READING AND NOTES SHOULD BE BRIEF.  Literally shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes- just define romanticism, transcendentalism, individualism, utopianism, Shakers, Mormons, temperance and you should be good!

Due Wednesday Jan. 5th

1. As a follow up to my prior post on the Zadroga Bill, if you would like to, read "Obama Signs 9/11 Health Bill."

2. Make sure to have finished Chapter 11 notes.

3. Operation RAW. Click the link for directions!

4. Minority paper assignment draft due in class (printed out!) Friday Jan. 7th. Final will be due Monday Jan. 10th!