APUSH Summer Assignment Mrs. Hoff
Directions: Welcome to AP US History! This is a fast paced, year-long course designed to deliver the experience of a college 100 level American History course.
Participation in this class will help you to develop college and career ready skills such as higher level reading skills, argumentative writing and discussion skills,
critical thinking skills, project development and presentation skills. The summer assignment is designed to meet four objectives: 1. Help Mrs. Hoff determine
your current skills levels, 2. Help you practice some types of activities related to what we will do in class, 3. Give us a head start on materials so that we can get
further ahead in our coursework, 4. Help tie in what you are learning throughout the school year to information you already know.
Required materials:
1. Computer with internet access (if you don’t have this you need to see Mrs. Hoff BEFORE summer break to get hard copies).
2. Packet
Completion Check-list:
1. Critical Film Review Assignment #1 (see notes and rubric)
2. Essay 1: Native Americans (see notes and rubric)
3. American Pageant Chapter 1 reading guide completed
4. Howard Zinn Chapter 1 Book Review essay (see notes and rubric)
5. 50 states map
A Note on Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is never okay. Do NOT copy another writer’s work. All reviews are to be typed, 1.5 spaced, and are subject to online plagiarism checkers. Students will
receive a grade of 0% on work that is plagiarized, a parent phone call and referral to administration.
Part I: Critical Film Review Assignment #1
The APUSH film review assignment is designed to supplement student knowledge of a particular historical period, person(s), event, or institution through
the analysis of a related film. This is an opportunity to experience a richer encounter with history, as well as connect the rise of cinema as a prominent
facet of American cultural history.
Historical films open up history to people. Films provide viewers a unique insight to events that we may never have the opportunity to experience. And
although no movie can be entirely accurate, when done well, filmmakers can immerse audiences into a world lost in time, captivating our attention and
connecting our understanding to history beyond the classroom.
For the film reviews, students are responsible for critically viewing the work, evaluating historical accuracy, and writing an overall evaluation following the
guidelines provided.
Please note that some of the films are rated “R.” You must have parental consent prior to viewing. “R” rating is primarily for language and/or violence.
Colonial Era - Foundations of America (1492 - 1820). Choose ONE of the following:
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

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John Adams (2008) - HBO series of John Adams
Last of the Mohicans (1992) - French & Indian War (R)
The Patriot (2000) - Revolutionary War (R)
Amistad (1997) - Trans Atlantic Slave Trade (R) (includes nudity and racial violence)
APUSH Film Review Format
Student Name
Date Submitted
Class Period
Title of Film (Year Produced)
Genre
Director
Main Actors
Awards (nominations or wins)
The Truth:
Research the true history of the historical event, person(s), time period, or institution portrayed in the film. You may want to begin with a film review site for an
overview of the film, but this site will NOT provide students with the historical background, or content needed, to complete the review assignment. For research,
students should use print or online resources such as Hippocampus - excellent short videos! – at http://www/hippocampus.org
The Film:
Plot: Write a synopsis, or summary, of the film. Make sure that your summary makes sense to a reader who does not know the movie. Do not refer to specific
scenes and do not try to explain everything.
You must also include the next items, but not as different parts (they may be included in your description of the story)
Place and Time: Where does the action take place? When does the action take place? (present time, 19th century, etc.) Is the story chronological (according to
the order of time) or flashback?
Background: society, country, kind of people (age, culture social class), historical time, etc.
Comparison & Evaluation
To what extent is the film historically accurate? Identify specific accuracies and director’s liberties with the film. How has the film furthered student knowledge
of the history portrayed?
Provide an evaluation of the film. Give your opinion, but it must be more than “I liked it.” This is important as the reviewer can express the elements of the
movie they enjoyed or disliked. However, as in all good journalism, the reviewer should also give impartial details, and allow the reader to make their own mind
over an issue the reader liked or disliked. Opinions should be explained to allow the reader to determine whether they would agree with your opinion.
FYI
Important note of writing: the reader understands you are writing this review; therefore do NOT use 1st or 2nd person personal pronouns (I, me, us, we, you).
This is a formal writing assignment - be sure to check your work for GUMS (grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling) errors.
All resources must be cited in MLA format.
Taken from http://goo.gl/3Uko71
Part II: Essay 1 Native Americans
Read Chapter 1 at http://www.scuc.txed.net/webpages/cbaker/ap_us_history.cfm?subpage=40296
After reading chapter 1 from American Pageant evaluate the following prompt: “Native American peoples that European explorers encountered in North
America prior to 1500 were highly civilized and coordinated tribes.” Five hundred (500) words, meet the requirements of the rubric (see below).
Part III: American Pageant Chapter 1 reading guide completed
Read Chapter 1 at http://www.scuc.txed.net/webpages/cbaker/ap_us_history.cfm?subpage=40296
Complete the reading guide after reading chapter 1. All questions must be answered in complete sentences.
Part IV: Howard Zinn Chapter 1 Book Review essay – 800 word limit.
Reading is found at http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinncol1.html
Process for writing a book review/chapter review:
1. Begin by mentioning the title of the book you are reviewing, the author, and the main thesis of the text.
2. The goal is to present a coherent essay with a clear argument. You should state your general argument (your own thesis) in an introductory
3.
4.
5.
paragraph and then use the rest of the essay to support your position, making sure that you deal carefully with each of the issues raised
somewhere in the paper.
When quoting or citing from the book simply put author and page numbers in parenthesis. Ex. (Gorn, 52) or (Jones, 167). There is absolutely no
need to refer to other, outside sources for this assignment—this is a book review, not a research paper.
Be very careful to avoid plagiarism. Do not use words or ideas from the Internet, from any publication, or from the work of another student
without citing the source. Also, if you use more than three words in a row from any source, including the book you’re writing about, those
words must be enclosed in quotation marks.
Your essay should be based primarily on evidence drawn from a close, careful reading of the book. You can also use appropriate background
information from the textbook and/or lectures, but you should use most of your space to discuss the book.

Adapted from http://faculty.utep.edu/Portals/452/Paper%20Assignment%201.doc
Questions to address in your essay:
1.
2.
How much does the book agree or clash with your view of the world, and what you consider right and wrong? Use quotes as examples of how it
agrees with and supports what you think about the world, about right and wrong, and about what you think it is to be human. Use quotes and
examples to discuss how the text agrees or disagrees with what you think about the world, history, and about right and wrong.
How were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this text, if at all? Did the text communicate with you? Why or why not? Give examples
of how your views might have changed or been strengthened (or perhaps, of why the text failed to convince you, the way it is). Please do not write "I
3.
4.
5.
agree with everything the author wrote," since everybody disagrees about something, even if it is a tiny point. Use quotes to illustrate your points of
challenge, or where you were persuaded, or where it left you cold.
How well does the book address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the world? How does it relate to things that are
important to your family, your community, your ethnic group, to people of your economic or social class or background, or your faith tradition? If not,
who does or did the text serve? Did it pass the "Who cares?" test? Use quotes to illustrate.
Reading "critically" does not mean the same thing as "criticizing," in everyday language (complaining or griping, fault-finding, nit-picking). Your "critique"
can and should be positive and praise the book as much as possible, as well as point out any possible problems, disagreements and shortcomings with
the argument.
What is your overall reaction to the text? To whom would you recommend this text? Why or why not?
Book review ideas taken from http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/IRW/bookreview.htm Tips based on suggestions by UTEP History Prof. I.V. Montelongo.
Part V: Map of the 50 states.
Directions: fill out the map with the correct state label on the line. The map is found at the very end of this packet.
Please make sure that all materials are stapled together with the correct rubrics for the 1st day of school. Please contact me
over the summer if you have any questions [email protected]. Please realize it may be a couple of days before I get
back to you during the summer as I don’t check email every day. Please DO NOT wait until right before school to start working
on this assignment – it takes time to create quality answers to these questions.
American Pageant
Name:
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS: Chapter #1: New World Beginnings (pages 4 – 24)
Introduction
Know: Old World, New World
1.
What conditions existed in what is today the United States that made it "fertile ground" for a great nation?
The Shaping of North America
Know: Appalachian Mountains, Tidewater Region, Rocky Mountains, Great Basin, Great Lakes, Missouri-Mississippi-Ohio River System
2.
Speculate how at least one geographic feature affected the development of the United States.
Peopling the Americas
Know: Land Bridge
3.
"Before the arrival of Europeans, the settlement of the Americas was insignificant." Assess this statement.
The Earliest Americans
Know: Maize, Aztecs, Incas, Pueblo, Mound Builders, Three-sister Farming, Cherokee, Iroquois
4.
Describe some of the common features North American Indian culture.
Indirect Discoverers of the New World
Know: Finland, Crusaders, Venice, Genoa
5.
What caused Europeans to begin exploring?
Europeans Enter Africa
Know: Marco Polo, Caravel, Bartholomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand and Isabella, Moors
6.
What were the results of the Portuguese explorations of Africa?
Columbus Comes upon a New World
Know: Columbus
7.
What developments set the stage for “a cataclysmic shift in the course of history?”
When Worlds Collide
Know: Corn, Potatoes, Sugar, Horses, Smallpox
8.
Explain the positive and negative effects of the Atlantic Exchange.
The Spanish Conquistadors
Know: Treaty of Tordesillas, Vasco Nunez Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan, Juan Ponce de Leon, Francisco Coronado, Hernando de Soto, Francisco Pizarro, Encomienda
9.
Were the conquistadors great men? Explain.
The Conquest of Mexico
Know: Hernan Cortes, Tenochtitlan, Montezuma, Mestizos
10. Why was Cortes able to defeat the powerful Aztecs?
The Spread of Spanish America
Know: John Cabot, Giovanni da Verazano, Jacques Cartier, St. Augustine, New Mexico, Pope's Rebellion, Mission Indians, Black Legend
11. What is the “Black Legend,” and to what extent does our text agree with it?
Rubrics for APUSH Summer Assignment: Attach to written work
Student Name: ___________________________________________
Critical Film Review Assignment #1
Movie: ___________________________
Critical Thinking
Communication
CCC
4
3
2
1
Engagement of the Reader
Hooks the readers and
captures attention in a way
that demands to be read.
Generates interest early on
and maintains it throughout.
Presents in a lackluster
manner, generates
ambivalence in the reader.
Fails to hook the reader and
capture attention.
Organization
Includes effective
introduction, developed
body, and satisfying
conclusion; functions as a
whole with a clear flow and
purpose.
Consistently free of errors
with grammar and
mechanics.
Includes introduction, body,
and conclusion; essay
moves forward purposefully.
It’s hard to tell where the
beginning, middle, and end
are; focus wanders.
No clear beginning, middle,
or end; lacks focus.
Reasonably free of errors
with grammar and
mechanics.
Lacks control of errors with
grammar and mechanics.
No control of errors with
grammar and mechanics.
Summary
Provides a brief summary of
film without disclosing
ending, includes enough
information to satisfy reader.
Provides a summary either
much too short or much too
long, may be vague or tell
too much.
Provides little or no
significant summary.
Opinion/Critique
Thesis clearly indicates
opinion with consideration of
essential questions and is
supported throughout
review.
Substantial details from the
movie strongly support
opinion. Quotations,
scenes, and characters are
specifically referenced.
Provides a summary that is
either a little too long or not
long enough but does not
give away ending, is not
quite as compelling.
Thesis states opinion with
some consideration of
essential questions and is
supported throughout most
of review.
Details from the movie
support opinion. Some
quotations, scenes, and
characters are specifically
referenced.
Thesis delivers an opinion
that is unclear or vague with
little support throughout the
review.
Thesis is missing or lacks
opinion and is not connected
to support in the review.
Few details from the movie
and little evidence support
opinion. Rare references
are made to quotations,
scenes, and characters.
No details from the movie
and little evidence offered to
support opinion. Fails to
reference quotations,
scenes, or characters.
Grammar and Mechanics
Supporting Details
Total: _____/24
Essay 1 Native Americans
Thesis
Above average (4)
Contains a clear, well developed
thesis addressing the question
Average (3)
Contains a partially developed
thesis
Needs Improvement (2)
May lack a thesis or simply
restate the question; may
contain a confused or
unfocused thesis
Unsatisfactory (1)
May demonstrate an
incompetent or inappropriate
response
Analysis
Provides effective analysis
Provides some analysis
Has little or no analysis; the
essay is primarily a narrative
Has little or no understanding of
the question
Evidence
Develops the thesis with
considerable, relevant
information
Supports the thesis with some
accurate/less specific
information
Provides few relevant facts, or
relies heavily on generalizations
Provides little or no facts or has
substantial factual errors.
Organization
Is well-organized; excellent
essay. May contain minor
grammatical or mechanical
errors that do not detract from
the overall quality of the essay.
Acceptable organization; very
good essay. May contain
grammatical or mechanical
errors that do not seriously
detract from the quality of the
essay.
Weak organization; marginal
essay. May contain major
grammatical or mechanical
errors.
Poorly organized; incompetent
essay. Contains major
grammatical and mechanical
errors.
Total: _____/16
BOOK REVIEW RUBRIC
Above Average (4)
Average (3)
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (2)
UNSATISFACTORY (1)
SCORE
SUMMARY
Summary consists of a discussion
of major themes, ideas, and
characters providing at least 4
excerpts from the work. It combines
ideas from the book into new
sentences using your own words.
Summary consists of a discussion
of major themes, ideas, and
characters, providing at least 3
excerpts from the work. It combines
ideas from the book into new
sentences using your own words.
Summary consists of a discussion of
major themes, ideas and characters
providing at least 2 excerpts from the
work. It combines ideas from the
book into new sentences using your
own words.
Summary is mostly an outline of
the book and does not discuss
themes or major ideas of the work.
There may be one direct quote
"thrown in" for effect.
QUOTES
All direct quotes from the book are
noted by citing page numbers in
parenthesis. e.g. (48) (no more than 5)
2 or 3 direct quotes from the book
are noted by citing page numbers in
parenthesis. Quotes overused
1 or 2 direct quotes from the book are
noted by citing page numbers in
parenthesis. e.g. (48)
The summary contains direct
quotes without any citation of
page numbers.
AUTHOR &
SOURCES
Student provides a detailed discussion of
the author’s qualifications. Sources were
examined in detail and the student
determined whether or not they were
appropriate for the work.
Student provides a limited discussion Student provides little discussion of The discussion of author and sources
of the author’s qualifications. Sources the author’s qualifications. Sources is vague or missing and lacks detail.
are examined in a limited manner, and may or may not be briefly examined.
the analysis may be limited.
CRITIQUE
Critique consists of thoughts,
responses and reaction to the novel.
The student reviewer reacts to the
themes, the author's aims or intent,
the subject of the book, how well it is
written and overall success or failure
of the book.
Critique consists of thoughts,
responses and reaction to the novel.
The student reviewer may discuss
only two aspects, for example,
themes and writer's style. There is not
a thorough review of various aspects.
Critique consists of thoughts,
responses and reaction to the novel.
The student may discuss only
one aspect of the novel, such as
themes. This review just states, 'Well,
I liked it." or 'Well, I hated it." It lacks a
critical eye.
Critique consists of a basic opinion
based on personal feeling of "I
liked it" or "I hated it" and is not
considered a critique because it
does not focus on themes, author's
intent, or writer's style.
ORGANIZATION Structure of the paper flows and is
easily read because of smooth
transitions from paragraph to
paragraph. The sequence of topics is
in logical order. There is a clear cut
introduction, body, and conclusion.
Structure of the paper flows and is
easily read, but 1 or 2 transitions may
be faulty or missing. There is some
illogical order in sequence of topics.
There is a clear cut introduction, body
and conclusion.
Structure of the paper does NOT follow
a logical order. The writing or ideas
may "jump" around; it is not cohesive.
there is not a clear introduction,
or conclusion.
Structure of the paper does NOT
follow a logical order. There are no
transitional phrases that make it
easy to read the paper...OR...
review is just a copying of
the original book.
MECHANICS
Uses complete sentences and a
variety of sentence types.
Uses complete sentences and a
variety of sentence types.
There are 1-2 incomplete sentences
or fragments. There are also run-on
sentences.
There are more than 2 incomplete
sentences or fragments. There
are more than 2 run-ons.
SPELLING
0-2 spelling errors
3-5 spelling errors
6-8 spelling errors
Over 9 spelling errors
http://goo.gl/t0ONQB
Total: _____/28
Points from completed Chapter 1 Study guide:
Total: _____/11
Points from completed Map of the 50 States:
Total: _____/13
Total for Summer Assignment:
Total: ______/92