Grade 11 American History - University Level
No other nation has more effect on Canada or the world than the United States. Besides its importance, American history has an incredible wealth of material to work from. Americans have produced countless movies, documentaries, books, computer simulations, museums, re-enactments..... to inform, and sometimes misinform, their audiences about American history.
American History is also filled with incredible content. The native's first contact with white people is incredibly distorted in the Pocahontas story. American settlers formed distinctive groups that still influence culture today - from the 'Tex-Mex' settlers of the southwest to the witch hunting Puritans of the northeast. Americans also celebrate their 'War of Independence' but often neglect to even mention it was America's first civil war. The early 19th century starts with America's struggle to define itself internationally with the War of 1812 and the Mexican War and its struggle to define itself politically with the wild and ruthless party politics and the emergence of first the Democrats and then the Republicans. The rise of the Republicans also ties in with the crucial issue of slavery which culminates in the Civil War and then haunts America to today. We finish the 19th century with 3 main areas: the Wild West, the use and abuse of industrialism, and the rise of American imperialism. In the 20th century we examine how America alternates from avoiding foreign involvement to playing the role of the world's policeman (late entry in both World Wars versus Vietnam and CIA coups in other countries...). Culturally, we will look at how America came to dominate world culture from the 1920's onwards and how culture highlighted crucial social issues such as the anti-war movement and the civil rights movement. The Cold War will be overviewed with special attention to the end of it and the near end of everything in the Cuban missile crisis. Finally, we will end with 9/11 and where the world and America are going in the aftermath of that event - both politically and culturally as a nation. All in all, there's lots of great material to work from.
There is a wide variety of lessons in this course. We will utilize everything from simulations and role plays through trials, music analysis, to debates and re-enactments. The aim of the course is to improve both your academic and thinking skills while having fun learning about an interesting section of history.
Gilded Age Labour Negotiations Simulation
Main assignments for American History