This document Ap United States History offers valuable resources for AP students, including recommended textbooks like AMSCO United States History and Documenting United States History. It provides guidance on reading strategies, note-taking, and engaging with the material through activities and discussions. With links to online platforms for sharing insights and connecting with classmates, this document facilitates a collaborative learning experience. Whether preparing for exams or enhancing understanding of U.S. history, this concise guide equips students with the tools needed for success. For a comprehensive approach to AP United States History, this document is a must-have resource.
C ourse framework
Instructional
section
S
ample exam
questions
INCLUDES
AP
®
U.S.
History
COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION
Effective
Fall 2023
collegeboard.org.
What AP
®
Stands For
Thousands of Advanced Placement teachers have contributed to the principles
articulated here. These principles are not new; they are, rather, a reminder of how AP
already works in classrooms nationwide. The following principles are designed to ensure
that teachers’ expertise is respected, required course content is understood, and that
students are academically challenged and free to make up their own minds.
1. AP standsforclarityandtransparency.Teachersandstudentsdeserveclear
expectations. The Advanced Placement Program makes public its course
frameworks and sample assessments. Confusion about what is permitted in the
classroom disrupts teachers and students as they navigate demanding work.
2. AP isanunflinchingencounterwithevidence.APcoursesenablestudentstodevelop
as independent thinkers and to draw their own conclusions. Evidence and the
scientificmethodarethestartingplaceforconversationsinAPcourses.
3. AP opposescensorship.APisanimatedbyadeeprespectfortheintellectual
freedom of teachers and students alike. If a school bans required topics from their
AP courses, the AP Program removes the AP designation from that course and
its inclusion in the AP Course Ledger provided to colleges and universities. For
example, the concepts of evolution are at the heart of college biology, and a course
that neglects such concepts does not pass muster as AP Biology.
4. APopposesindoctrination.APstudentsareexpectedtoanalyzedifferent
perspectives from their own, and no points on an AP Exam are awarded for
agreement with a viewpoint. AP students are not required to feel certain ways about
themselves or the course content. AP courses instead develop students’ abilities to
assess the credibility of sources, draw conclusions, and make up their own minds.
As the AP English Literature course description states: “AP students are not
expectedoraskedtosubscribetoanyonespecificsetofculturalorpoliticalvalues,
butareexpectedtohavethematuritytoanalyzeperspectivesdifferentfromtheir
ownandtoquestionthemeaning,purpose,oreffectofsuchcontentwithinthe
literary work as a whole.”
5. APcoursesfosteranopen-mindedapproachtothehistoriesandculturesof
differentpeoples.Thestudyofdifferentnationalities,cultures,religions,races,and
ethnicities is essential within a variety of academic disciplines. AP courses ground
such studies in primary sources so that students can evaluate experiences and
evidence for themselves.
6. E veryAPstudentwhoengageswithevidenceislistenedtoandrespected.
Students are encouraged to evaluate arguments but not one another. AP
classrooms respect diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. The
perspectives and contributions of the full range of AP students are sought and
considered. Respectful debate of ideas is cultivated and protected; personal
attacks have no place in AP.
7. APisachoiceforparentsandstudents.Parentsandstudentsfreelychooseto
enroll in AP courses. Course descriptions are available online for parents and
studentstoinformtheirchoice.Parentsdonotdefinewhichcollege-leveltopics
are suitable within AP courses; AP course and exam materials are crafted by
committeesofprofessorsandotherexperteducatorsineachfield.APcoursesand
exams are then further validated by the American Council on Education and studies
thatconfirmtheuseofAPscoresforcollegecreditsbythousandsofcollegesand
universities nationwide.
The AP Program encourages educators to review these principles with parents and
students so they know what to expect in an AP course. Advanced Placement is always
achoice,anditshouldbeaninformedone.APteachersshouldbegiventheconfidence
and clarity that once parents have enrolled their child in an AP course, they have agreed
to a classroom experience that embodies these principles.
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