The content of this website and its activities are designed to be used in an AP United States

History classroom. The AP United States History Course curriculum framework outlines several
key skills and content areas addressed by this website.
HISTORICAL THINKING SKILLS
Analyzing Evidence: Content and Sourcing
A1Explain the relevance of the authors point of view, authors purpose, audience,
format or medium, and/or historical context as well as the interaction among these
features, to demonstrate understanding of the significance of a primary source.
A2Evaluate the usefulness, reliability, and/or limitations of a primary source in
answering particular historical questions.
Comparison
C2Compare different historical individuals, events, developments, and/or processes,
analyzing both similarities and differences in order to draw historically valid conclusions.
Comparisons can be made across different time periods, across different geographical
locations, and between different historical events or developments within the same time
period and/or geographical location.
Synthesis
C4Make connections between a given historical issue and related developments in a
different historical context, geographical area, period, or era, including the present.
Causation
D1Explain long and /or short-term causes and/or effects of an historical event,
development, or process.
THEMATIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES
POL-1.0 Explain how and why political ideas, beliefs, institutions, party systems, and
alignments have developed and changed.
POL-3.0 Explain how different beliefs about the federal governments role in U.S. social and
economic life have affected political debates and policies.

CONCEPT OUTLINE

Key Concept 4.1: The United States began to develop a modern democracy and celebrated a
new national culture, while Americans sought to define the nations democratic ideals and
change their society and institutions to match them.
C) By the 1820s and 1830s, new political parties arose the Democrats, led, by Andrew
Jackson, and the Whigs, led by Henry Clay that disagreed about the role and powers
of the federal government and issues such as the national bank, tariffs, and federally
funded internal improvements.
D) Regional interests often trumped national concerns as the basis for many political
leaders positions onslavery and economic policy.
Key Concept 5.1: The United States became more connected with the world, pursued an
expansionist foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, and emerged as the destination for many
migrants from other countries.
C) The U.S. added large territories in the West through victory in the MexicanAmerican
War and diplomatic negotiations, raising questions about the status of slavery, American
Indians, and Mexicans in the newly acquired lands.
Key Concept 5.2: Intensified by expansion and deepening regional divisions, debates over
slavery and other economic, cultural, and political issues led the nation into civil war.
B) The courts and national leaders made a variety of attempts to resolve the issue of
slavery in the territories, including the Compromise of 1850, the KansasNebraska Act,
and the Dred Scott decision, but these ultimately failed to reduce conflict.
C) The Second Party System ended when the issues of slavery and anti-immigrant
nativism weakened loyalties to the two major parties and fostered the emergence of
sectional parties, most notably the Republican Party in the North.

Source: AP United States History Couse and Exam description:

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/2089.html