U.S. History B

U.S. History B is the second semester in a two-semester series. One-half credit is awarded for successful completion of each semester. In this semester you will study the history of the United States from 1941 to the present. The course content includes the founding documents of the U.S. government, which provide a framework for its heritage. Historical content includes the political, economic, and social events and issues related to industrialization and urbanization, major wars, domestic and foreign policies, and reform movements, including civil rights. You will examine the impact of selected geographic factors on major events and eras and analyze their causes and effects. You will examine the impact of constitutional issues on American society, evaluate the dynamic relationship of the three branches of the federal government, and analyze efforts to expand the democratic process. You will describe the relationship between the arts and popular culture and the times during which they were created. You will analyze the impact of technological innovations on American life. You will use critical-thinking skills and a variety of primary and secondary source material to explain and apply different methods that historians use to understand and interpret the past, including multiple points of view and historical context. The course includes instruction in the TEKS §113.41 adopted by the Texas State Board of Education.

Upon completing this course, you will:

• review the history of the United States from beginnings to 1877.
• understand the principles included in the Celebrate Freedom Week program.
• understand traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history from 1877 to the present.
• understand the domestic and international impact of U.S. participation in World War II.
• understand the impact of significant national and international decisions and conflicts in the Cold War on the United States.
• understand the impact of the American civil rights movement. 
• understand the impact of political, economic, and social factors in the U.S. role in the world from the 1970s through 1990.
• understand the emerging political, economic, and social issues of the United States from the 1990s into the 21st century.
• understand efforts to expand the democratic process.

• History Journal – In the form of a small composition notebook, a spiral notebook, or loose-leaf paper kept in a binder or document files on a computer organized by unit and lesson.
• Pencil or Pen – In order to do well in the course, you must take notes, sketch diagrams and graphs, and solve problems when instructed to do so.
• Internet Access
• Adobe Reader
• Word processing software

Note: This course does not require a textbook.

Each semester contains 9 units and one final exam.

Each Unit contains:

• 4-5 lessons. Each lesson includes some or all of the following components: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.
• Self-assessments to help you check your own understanding of the material covered in each lesson. You must complete these assessments in order to advance in the course.
• 2–3 graded assignments

The final examination is comprehensive; it covers the material from all 9 units. To pass the course, you must receive a grade of 70 percent or better. You can apply to take the Final Exam after 100 percent of your graded assignments have been submitted, and at least 70 percent have been graded and returned to you.

Format: Multiple-choice, online

Time Allowed: 3 hours

Materials Allowed: #2 pencils

10. The Road to War
11. World War II
12. Communist Expansion and the Early Stages of the Cold War
13. 1950s Society
14. 1960s Politics
15. 1960s Society
16. The Presidencies of Nixon, Ford, and Carter
17. From Reagan to Obama
18. The United States in Your Lifetime