North County High School

Advanced Placement United States History2014-15 School

Year Summer Assignment
A Peoples History of the United States
by Howard Zinn

Welcome to Advanced Placement US History (APUSH)! The 2014-15 school year will
be a very busy one as we prepare for the Advanced Placement exam in May 2015. APUSH is
a rigorous college-level course that will require extensive background knowledge in US
History.

Since this is a college-level course that requires extensive knowledge in US History we
cannot waste any time in preparing, and need to hit the ground running in August. To do
this, every APUSH student will be required to complete the following assignments
throughout the summer. Complete assignments are due the week school begins in August
2014.

The assignments are listed below. The Peoples History of the United States can be
found at local libraries, bookstores and on various websites. A print version of the book if
preferable, but you can also use the website below which contains the entire book. The
reading questions are attached, but you may also email Ms. Owens (maowens@aacps.org)
for an electronic version. All assignments must be completed as specified for credit. Have
fun!!!


A Peoples History of The United States can be found online:
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.html

Directions and Rubric for Summer Reading Assignment:

Assignment #1: A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn (30 pts)
1. Read the first two chapters of the novel.

2. Answer the following questions (there are some for both chapters) in complete
sentences in blue or black ink only in your own handwriting (typed assignments will
not be accepted). Please put your name (first, last) in the upper right hand corner,
followed by the date. EACH QUESTION IS WORTH 1 POINT!!

3. Students will be tested on material from Zinns book. Students might be allowed to
use their responses to the questions on the assessment.

Assignment #1: A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn
(1 point for each question = 30 possible points)

Chapter 1: Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress
1. How did the Arawaks greet Columbus and his men? (Use the excerpts from Columbus journal)
2. What were the Arawaks known for and why was this remarkable to the Europeans?
3. Why had the Spanish monarchs financed the Columbus expedition?
4. How did gold earrings lead to the Arawaks downfall?
5. Evaluate the ways that Columbus attempted to pay back his dividends.
6. What way(s) did the Arawaks fight Columbus actions?
7. What were encomiendas?
8. Who was Bartolome de las Casas and his significance?
9. Describe the treatment of women in the Arawak culture?
10. Explain Zinns statement of, Total control led to total cruelty.
11. Why is Zinn critical of Columbus Day?
12. Why is Zinn critical of Harvard Historian Samuel Eliot Morison?
13. How does Zinn argue that past historians (and teachers!) have justified Columbus genocide of the
Arawaks?
14. What lens of history does Zinn examine history through? Which lens does he avoid? Why does he
feel this is necessary?
15. Describe Cortes conquest of the Aztecs.
16. Describe Pizarros conquests.
17. How were the English colonial settlements similar to that of the Spanish?
18. How did the Pilgrims and Puritans respond to the Indian problem?
19. What was the Pequot War?
20. What, does Zinn argue, is the sacrifice of human progress?
21. Describe the Native American peoples of the North and South American continent that Columbus
considered inferior.


Chapter 2: Drawing the Color Line
22. What is significant about J. Saunders Reddings description of the arrival of a ship in 1619?
23. How did slavery develop? How did racism develop along with it?
24. What elements of helplessness led to the Africans continued enslavement?
25. Describe the African civilization during the time of colonization.
26. Describe the conditions on a slave ship and the treatment of slaves early in the colonies.
27. Describe slave resistance.
28. What did slave owners consistently avoid? What methods did they use to avoid it?
29. When was the first large scale slave revolt? Why was it significant?
30. Why was it feared that whites would join slave revolts? How was this prevented?


Assignment #2: United States Maps

PART A: LABELING MAP
1. In black ink label the fifty states IN BLACK INK. You may use the state abbreviations to do this.
(10 points)
Students will be expected to label the 50 states on a map on the first day of class
without the use of their map.

2. Label the following bodies of water IN BLUE INK (you may have to draw in
the rivers):
(1 point each- 6 points total)
a. Five great lakes (HOMES!!!)
b. Mississippi River
c. Rio Grande River
d. Atlantic Ocean
e. Pacific Ocean
f. Gulf of Mexico

4. Draw the following mountains in BROWN and label in BLACK ink: Appalachian and
Rocky.
(1/2 point each- 2 pts total)


5. Draw the following boundary lines in orange and shade using appropriate colors or
patterns to demonstrate the following historical territorial acquisitions.

CREATE A KEY AND INDICATE THE APPROPRIATE COLOR OR PATTERN IN YOUR KEY.
(1/2 point each- 4 pts total)
a. Original Thirteen Colonies
b. Treaty of Paris, 1783
c. Acquisitions from Spain in 1810, 1813, and 1819
d. Louisiana Purchase
e. Texas Annexation
f. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
g. Oregon Treaty
h. Gadsden Purchase

6. Draw in RED the Missouri Compromise Line. Label it in black ink next to your line. (1
point)

Part B: Answer the following geography questions below:
(You may use state abbreviations when applicable)

1. List all the states that are considered part of the original 13 colonies. (1/2 point each
6.5 points total)

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.

2. List the three major regions of the 13 original colonies (3 points)
a.
b.
c.
3. List ALL fifteen slave holding states in the United States in 1860. (1 point each 15
points total)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.

4. List five places that are currently U.S. territories. (1/2 point each 2.5 points)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

APUSH GRADING RUBRIC STUDENT NAME: _______________________________________________
PART 1:
Peoples History of the United
States Reading Questions
PART 1: READING ASSIGNMENT

Chapter 1 (21 points)
Chapter 2 (9 points)

30 TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS:

PART 1: READING ASSIGNMENT

Chapter 1 (____________ points)
Chapter 2 (____________ points)

________________POINTS EARNED
PART 2: MAP ACTIVITY













GRADE SCALE:
72 80 = A
64 - 71 = B
56 63 = C
48 55 = D
47 or below = E
50 TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS

PART A: LABELING ACTIVITY
(23 POSSIBLE POINTS)

50 states (10 points)
Bodies of water (6 points)
Mountains (2 points)
Territorial Acquisitions (4 points)
Missouri Compromise (1 point)

PART B: GEOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
(27 POINTS POSSIBLE)

13 colonies (6.5 points)
3 major regions (3 points)
15 slave states (15 points)
5 U.S. territories (2.5 points)


PART 2: MAP ACTIVITY
PART A: LABELING ACTIVITY

50 states (_____________points)
Bodies of water (_________ points)
Mountains (__________ points)
Territorial Acquisitions (________ points)
Missouri Compromise (_____ point)

________________ (23 POSSIBLE POINTS)


PART B: GEOGRAPHY QUESTIONS

13 colonies (_________ points)
3 major regions (________ points)
15 slave states (___________ points)
5 U.S. territories (___________ points)

(_________________27 POINTS POSSIBLE)
Comments: FINAL GRADE =



Out of 80 TOTAL PROJECT POINTS



Some Final Words of Advice:
1. Enjoy your summer. These few assignments should not consume all of your free time this summer.
Go to the movies, take a swim, or stroll the mall with your friends. You will wish for that free time
during the school year!

2. Explore history. If you take a vacation, see if you can stop at an historical marker along the way. Or,
do a little research about the place you are visiting. Take the time to start thinking historically.
History is all around you if you allow yourself to see it!

3. Read. Try to read several books over the course of the summer. You will do a ton of reading in this
class next year and if you are not in the habit of turning pages, it will be much more difficult to
adjust. Read fiction, if that is your choice, but try picking up a historical book as well. There are
some real page-turners about American history. Ask at the library or look on line to steer you in the
right direction.

4. Write. Keep a journal for the summer, or try to write a short story. The more you write the easier it
is to write well. You will do a lot of writing in this class. The more comfortable you are with writing
the more successful you will be.

5. Become an informed citizen. Read the newspaper. Try to keep updated on the worlds events.

6. Learn your geography. Geography is going to play an important part of this course. Do you know all
50 states? Learn them. Can you find the major mountain ranges of the US on a map? What about
rivers, oceans and lakes? Memorize them! How about other continents: do you know the locations
of countries in Latin America? Europe? Asia? The more you know about geography the farther ahead
you will be.

7. Watch history movies! Do you really need to watch Ironman 3 again? Of course not! If you have a
free evening try to watch something historical. Visit
http://www.historyplace.com/films/index.html for suggestions, or type good history movie into
Google and see what comes up!

8. Memorize the Presidents and their major accomplishments. This will help you prepare for the AP
exam May, so you may as well get a jump start. Try to do them in blocks of 3: Washington, Adams,
Jefferson (pause) Madison, Monroe, Adams

9. Explore your family history. Stuck for a conversation starter at dinner?
Ask your elders what it was like growing up. Do they remember any
significant events in American history? How were
they affected? Youll be surprised how interesting
peoples lives really are.

Enjoy your summer and get ready for a
challenging and rewarding year in
AP U.S. History!
Ms. Owens & Mr. Wierzbicki