The Advanced Placement Program in U.S. History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in U.S. History. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials - their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their importance - and to weigh the evidence and interpretation presented in historical scholarships. The course, thus, is intended to develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format. Admission to the AP U.S. History course depends upon a student's commitment to the subject as well as upon formal credentials as outstanding grade records and teacher recommendation. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP exam in the spring. *RIC/EEP

RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE: Honors World History

In Honors United States History, grade eleven students will briefly review the Colonial period through 1860, and then will study United States History from the Civil War to the present time in detail. Social Studies skills will be stressed and current affairs included. The objective of this course is to help the student develop into an independent thinker and a responsible citizen. This general objective can be divided into four parts: inquiry skills, attitudes, values, and knowledge. Students should have above average reading skills since the textbook contains source materials. Daily and long-range assignments must be completed. Outside readings will be assigned and oral and written reports, requiring research, will be expected. Classroom participation is necessary for successful completion of this course.

RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE: World History or its equivalent (1 credit)

This college/career preparatory level course will briefly review the Colonial Period through 1860, and then study United States History from the Civil War to the present in detail. Students should be able to recognize and explain major themes and concepts in American History. Students should be able to apply basic information from American History to other contexts and improve their reflective thinking skills. Current affairs will be included. Students should have better than average reading ability and study skills. Daily and long-range assignments must be done. Outside reading or research will be required, and oral and written reports expected. Class participation is essential.

RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE: World History or its equivalent (1 credit)

This course surveys the development of the United States from its colonial origins to the end of Reconstruction. This course will be offered as part of Rhode Island College’s Early Enrollment Program. Students may earn three credit hours in this course that are transferable to many colleges and universities. (1 credit)*RIC/EEP

Honors World History is designed to help the student understand and appreciate the roots, development, and nature of Western Civilization. These courses survey well-defined historical periods from Greek and Roman Traditions to the 20th century. The content of the courses emphasizes classical civilizations, the medieval world, the Renaissance, Reformation, revolution in Europe, industrialism, nationalism, imperialism, world wars, and the contemporary world since 1945. Since the textbook contains source materials: some are expository, others built around biographies, statistical tables or government documents, and others are historical essays, the student should have above average reading skills and motivation. Daily and long-range assignments must be completed and outside reading will be required. Oral and written reports based on research are expected and classroom participation essential. Those students selecting the honors program should keep in mind that the requirements and intensity of the work are substantially above the college/career preparatory program. Students selecting the honors level must be willing to spend the time and effort required in an intensive program.

RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE: American Government (1 credit)

RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE: American Government (1 credit)

Honors American Government is a comprehensive, full-year course that is designed to survey the foundations of American Government, civil rights and liberties, the branches of the national government, and the role of government in our economic system. Students should have better than average reading and social studies skills. Daily and long-range assignments will be required. Outside reading and research will be assigned, oral and written reporting will be required, and classroom participation is essential. Students selecting the honors level must be willing to spend the time and effort required in an intensive program. (1 credit)

 College/Career Preparatory American Government is a comprehensive, full-year course that is designed to survey the foundations of American Government, civil rights and liberties, the branches of the national government, and the role of government in our economic system. Students should have better than average reading and social studies skills. Daily and long-range assignments will be required. Outside reading and research will be assigned, oral and written reporting will be required, and classroom participation is essential. (1 credit)

This honors level course is designed for the highly motivated student who wishes to deepen his or her understanding of the complexities and challenges which face the world as we enter the twenty-first century. Both national and international issues will be considered with special emphasis on the role played by the United States in the larger world community. Students will have opportunities to voice themselves through class discussions, debates, individual consultation as well as written assignments. It is hoped that this course will both foster and promote an interest and involvement in the world beyond the high school experience. The student should expect demanding assignments on a nightly, weekly, and long-range basis. Both primary and secondary sources will be utilized. Therefore, above average reading and writing abilities are necessary. It is further expected that students will desire to improve their verbal abilities through participation in classroom discussions and debates. Research work will be required from each student. Students selecting honors level must be willing to spend the time and effort required in an intensive program. (1/2 credit)

This honors level course is designed for the highly motivated student who wishes to develop an awareness and understanding of some of the more important decisions handed down by our nation's highest court and how these decisions have altered American lives. Students will be given the opportunity to work with primary materials. Emphasis will be placed on such skills as drawing inferences, developing interpretations of historical evidence, and analyzing important issues. Specific court decisions will be selected for their historical importance and interest appeal. These will include: Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott, Plessy v. Fergerson, Gobitis v. Minersville, Brown v. Board of Education, Gidion v. Wainwright, and Roe v. Wade. The student should have above average reading skills and motivation. The student should expect demanding assignments on a nightly, weekly, and long-range basis. Also, research work will be required from each student. Students selecting the honors level must be willing to spend the time and effort required in an intensive program. (1/2 credit) *RIC/EEP

 Psychology is an introductory, college/career preparatory level course that presents a set of principles and concepts according to which facts can be organized to obtain applicable knowledge about the subject. It will provide students with the basic principles of human behavior and experience; show how psychology can be applied in a wide variety of social situations; provide an objective and differentiated perspective on human beings both as individuals and as social creatures. Students will be expected to participate in class discussions and activities; do readings, exercises and projects from textbooks; outside reading; present oral and written reports; and assignments on a daily and long-range basis. (1/2 credit)

 Women’s History is a course where students explore current issues of women, their major achievements, and the historical impact women have had on humanity. Have you ever wondered if there is a history of women? What is the role of men in women’s history? Sample topics in Women’s History are: The changing roles of women and their social, marital, economic, and legal-political status; The roles of men; The agendas and accomplishments of selected women leaders; Issues that affect women (violence, poverty, education, equal opportunity); Challenges and legacies of women throughout history. (1/2 credit)

Anthropology, which is the study of mankind, will be examined in this college/career preparatory level course using an objective approach. Students will evaluate other groups of people, other cultural patterns, and other societies; activities using a value-free viewpoint. The students should have better than average reading skills and motivation. Daily and long-range assignments must be completed. Outside readings will be assigned and oral and written reports requiring research will be expected. (1/2 credit)

 Sociology is an elective that is designed to introduce students to the principles of sociology. This college/career preparatory level course focuses upon the historical origins of the discipline, investigatory techniques, and its basic terminology. In addition, students will study the general organization of society, as represented by universal social processes, class structures, and institutions. Students will be expected to do regular reading assignments, research, written and oral reports. (1/2 credit)

The purpose of economics is to provide college/career bound students with an introduction to the essentials of macro and microeconomics. Economics will offer students an overview of basic economic principles both in theory and through a variety of applicable examples. Three main areas of economics will be emphasized. First, the students will receive a solid grounding in the meaning of a "market economy" and its advantages and shortcomings. Second, the course will examine the effects of local, national, and international events on economic growth. Finally, students will examine various consumer and production theories. Students electing this course may expect daily reading assignments, written and oral research projects, and regular testing. (1/2 Credit)