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U.S. History
(11th Grade)
Honors Summer Project
Kemp High School
Requirements for all U.S. History Honors Students – The following projects are a mandatory requirement
for any student who wishes to participate in the honors U.S. History Class. These projects are due on
August 4, 2015. These projects may be emailed to [email protected] Missing, late, or
incomplete work are all grounds for a student and parent mandatory Academic Progress Meeting to
determine reassignment to a regular Social Studies class. These projects will be graded and used for
the first nine week grading period. Students are encouraged to complete their assignments and turn
them in on time, as this would be grounds to be rescheduled in a regular U.S. History class.
The Honors program is geared toward the self motivated student who has a good work ethic and
understands the importance of being challenged academically. Honor students are being prepared for
college and further postsecondary education. The course work will be rigorous and relevant to the
student.
Project Assignments
The first project is reading a book and writing an essay.
* Students will need to purchase or borrow the book, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.
The Gilded Age: Ameria was on the threshold of the 20th century - a time of widespread violence,
fantastic wealth, political corruption, dismal poverty, growing labor unrest, and financial panic. At a
time when men and women as diverse as Jane Addams, Thomas Edison, Samuel Gompers, and Frank
Lloyd Wright could all gaze in wonder at the magnificence of the White City, but there were also many
serious flaws beneath the opulent surface of American Society. The World's Columbian Exposition
came at a time when both our country and the American people were undergoing a profound shift
from an isolationist, small town agrarian nation to a mobile, activist, urban and mobile society.
Using Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City as the basis for your response, answer one of the
following essay questions in a 3 page essay, double spaced, one inch margin in Times New Roman font
12pt. You must include at least 3 outside sources and a works cited page.
A. In what ways does the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 both reflect and affect American culture and the
American view of themselves: Consider inventions, ideas, and influence on important 20th century
figures.
B. After the Fair ended, Ray Stannard Baker noted: "What a human downfall after the magnificence and
prodigality of the World's Fair which has so recently closed its doors? Heights of splendor, pride,
exaltation in one month: depths of wretchedness, suffering, hunger, cold, in the next month." (p. 334)
What was relationship between the opulence and grandeur of the Fair and the poverty and degradation
that surrounded it? In what ways did the Fair bring into focus the extreme contrasts that existed during
the Gilded Age?
The second project is a multi - media or storyboard project that follows:
* Create a multi - media or storyboard presentation that demonstrates the changing standard of living of
both urban and rural areas due to technological and scientific discoveries along with the innovations
during the Gilded Age. The presentation should provide highly relevant information regarding the role of
technology and scientific discoveries in changing the lifestyles of various groups in urban and rural areas.
The multi media or storyboard should be organized and gives examples to support points.
The third project is an analysis of primary source documents and a written summary.
* Use the process of historical inquiry to analyze two primary sources related to political corruption
during the Gilded Age. Use evidence from the primary sources and write a two page summary explaining
the issue of political machines. Student's paper will be typed, Times New Roman font in size 12 pt.,
double spaced with one inch margins. Student's written explanation will summarize political machines
including important facts, events and people related to them. Students will provide ample evidence that
the student used the historical inquiry effectively to acquire and validate information. Students will
show document based evidence was used to provide support to background knowledge to make
arguments valid. (Teacher will provide copies of primary sources and the historical inquiry chart. )