This year-long course is designed to introduce students to the history of the United States from the colonial period to the present. It is intended to help students build a foundation in the skills of a historian: working with primary sources, critical reading and analysis, and historical writing. In addition, content knowledge is strongly emphasized. The course will move at a fast pace and stress depth as well as breadth. The first semester will focus on the struggle to create, implement, and preserve the structures of a democratic republic. The second semester will focus on international diplomacy along with domestic economic, political, and social changes. The development of a uniquely American culture will be studied throughout. Students will be responsible for completing a summer assignment for this course.

*Advanced U.S. History is a dual credit course; all grades will be weighted on the AP scale. Students in this course have the option to enroll in the Dual Credit program with Marymount University, at an additional cost, to receive college credit for U.S. History 1 and 2 (6 total credits). However, students are not required to enroll in the Dual Credit program to take this class and will still earn GPA points per the AP weighted scale.