Where do you determine the time period break between US History I & II?

[Tutu]

US History is often broken up into two parts, completed over two years, while World History (at least in local schools) is just given one year. In any case, I just purchased OM's US History and syllabus, and was wondering how I could divide it up so as to occupy two full years of US History study. There's a chance dd may be attending the local hs her sophomore year, so I'm trying to do things in such a way that would faciliate her transition should she eventually enroll.

 

Does it really matter where we make the break (we'd be using the same text, of course)? Or shall we just work on it at pace, devoting extra time to items of special interest, and just stop when we come to the end of the year?

 

TIA!

 

Patty

[angela in ohio]

When I was in college, the dividing year was 1865 (the titles were America to 1865 and America from 1865.) Both classes discussed the Civil War, so there was a bit of overlap.

[In The Great White North]

We used America: The Last Best Hope, which divides after Reconstruction. However, we did this as a one-year course.

 

Back in the day, both my high school and my college did all of American History in one year (and got up to Kennedy - dating myself). Our local high school does the Revolution through 1941, and has a separate course for 1941 forward.

[Jann in TX]

My dad taught high school History in PS and now teaches at at university.

Both programs always split courses around 1865 or so--with the Civil War overlapped.

 

If you don't want to overlap then stop right before the Civil War 'officially begins'... and pick up with that for the 2nd course.

[Tokyomarie]

I have typically seen it divided after the Reconstruction. Another good breaking point would be the beginning of the 20th century. A point in favor of dividing at the beginning of the 20th century is that many students get lots of exposure to the foundations our our country but relatively less exposure to the 20th century. By the time they reach high school- but especially upper high school- they are getting to a place developmentally where they can better understand the events of the last 100 years that have shaped our current world affairs.

 

If you think she'll go back to school the next year, I would find out where the school district divides their course and make sure you cover at least the first part according to their division.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Tokyomarie

[Chris in VA]

I personally like dividing just before the 20th Century. Around here in ps, it's 1865.

[Hunter's Moon]

I am doing U.S. History I this year, my sophomore year. We mainly focused on the shaping of America- Our breakaway from Britain, the wars that pursued (7 years War, Civil War) and we are right now focusing on Abolition, Women's rights, job reform and educational reform. We looked closely at the Constitution and the men who wrote and also the Declaration of Independence.

 

My teacher told me for U.S. History II, we will be looking at the colonists in the early settlements (even though we did look at their lifestyle in U.S. History I) but we will go more in depth with them. We will also be focusing more on lifestyles in the U.S. from the colonial period to now.

 

U.S. History I is more government than anything. We sped over settlement and looked really in depth into documents and the lives of the Founding Fathers.

 

U.S. History II is more lifestyles and such.

[Tutu]

Thanks for your responses! I like the idea of breaking at the beginning of the 20th century, but I will follow up with the local high school as well, just to see what they do. :-)

[mcconnellboys]

I tend to use SWB's division lines of 1865 (Civil War) as the beginning of the modern period.

[TravelingChris]

My dd did exploration history to pre-Civil war in year 1 and did CIvil War to 2000 in year 2. SHe is currently going over everything in preparation for the AP test.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

The CLEP tests divide US I and US II at the Reconstruction.

[AngieW in Texas]

The 2-year programs that I've seen all break either just before or just after the Civil War.