United States History/United States History Honors

Competency

Political Foundations: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how major issues and events impact governance in our state and nation by examining specific periods in history such as the Civil War, the Reconstruction period, and westward expansion.

Project

You are an Paralegal at a law firm. Your firm has been hired by a nonprofit that focuses on a particular issue (of your choice). This issue has become law in New Hampshire but is now facing trial in the courts for its constitutionality. You will write the intro, argument, and conclusion of an amicus brief on this issue that will present the position of your organization and attempt to sway the court’s decision. An amicus brief is a document filed with a court by people not party to a case but who have a strong interest in it. You will reference the issues and events that have brought this case to be and how they are impacting governance. You will also cite examples from a historical time period (Civil War, the Reconstruction period or westward expansion) and discuss how issues and events impacted governance at both the federal and state levels during this time.

Competency

Industrialization and Reform: Students will develop an understanding of the changing face of American society after Reconstruction by analyzing issues and topics such as the Second Industrial Revolution, the labor movement, immigration, Populism, or the expansion of the railroad industry.

Project

You are a Photo Curator tasked with creating an digital exhibit for a historical association. The objective of the exhibit is to help Americans understand how American society changed after the Reconstruction by analyzing the various issues and topics that contributed to this changing face. Examples of these are the Second Industrial Revolution, the labor movement, immigration, Populism, and the expansion of the railroad industry. You will create a digital photo exhibit that demonstrates and analyzes the changing society after the Reconstruction by examining the various issues and topics.

Competency

New Hampshire’s Role in International Diplomacy: Students will demonstrate an understanding of New Hampshire’s role in international diplomacy by examining events such as the Bretton Woods Economic Conference and the Treaty of Portsmouth in the settlement of the Russo-Japanese War.

Project

You are a Historic Preservation Specialist for the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Your Director asked you to develop a briefing that details New Hampshire’s role in international diplomacy through analyzing the Bretton Woods Economic Conference and the Treaty of Portsmouth (in the settlement of the Russo-Japanese War). Your department will use this briefing to develop a tourism campaign based on the State’s involvement in international affairs.

Competency

Entering the World Stage: Students will demonstrate understanding of the events, actions, and policies of our nation in relation to other peoples and governments by analyzing world events such as WWI.

Project

You are a Military Historian that works for a committee which asked you to create a proposal that lists items to commemorate WWI. Commemorative items you might consider include exhibits, commissioned artwork, events, and programs.

As a Military Historian you will identify important events, actions, and policies related to WWI in order to design commemorative items that accurately depict WWI and the U.S.’s relations to other peoples and governments. You will recommend events, actions, or policies from WWI to be commemorated along with suggestions for how to commemorate these (items, events, ceremonies, etc.).

Competency

Intellectual and Artistic Expression: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how cultural and artistic trends reflect and/or influence ideas and values by examining the relationship between these during specific time periods such as the 1920s and the Great Depression.

Project

You are a Set Designer. The director of a movie asked you to develop a realistic set that includes cultural and artistic trends in the United States during the 1920s or the Great Depression.

In order to create a realistic set, you will research the 1920s and the Great Depression. Your research will help you to understand the ideas and values of the time and identify cultural and artistic trends. You will select a specific location and date that your movie set will represent. Then you’ll present to the movie director a proposal that includes sketches and/or conceptual models, as well as specifications that explain how each of the items you included in your set reflects cultural and artistic trends and represent how these reflect and/or influenced the ideas and values of the time.

Competency

Foreign Policy – From Isolation to Global Dominance: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the events, actions, and policies of the U.S. in relation to other peoples and governments over time by analyzing how US foreign policy has varied from periods of international involvement, to isolationism, to exerting power and dominance at different times periods, such as WWII.

Project

You are the Stability Operations Specialist in the U.S. Department of State. You work as part of a team whose purpose is to identify international conflicts that are becoming substantially unstable, analyze the situation, and write conflict diagnoses based on past U.S. involvement. You are tasked with identifying U.S. behaviors, pre-, during, and post-WWII, and analyzing said behaviors and actions and reactions to U.S. involvement. Your team will use this written analysis to analyze current potential for an international crisis in order to determine if the U.S. will take action

Competency

Threats to Democracy: Students will demonstrate an understanding of to what extent democratic ideals, economic motives, and empire building have influenced U.S. foreign policy by analyzing events and issues such as the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Project

You are an expert Panel Discussion Moderator for the CIA’S Center for the Study of Intelligence and you are tasked to create a panel discussion to analyze events and issues such as the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Your focus is: To what extent have democratic ideals, economic motives, and empire building influenced U.S. foreign policy? Your preparation as the moderator is vital to a successful panel as you will need to know enough about the topic to create thoughtful questions as well as create a program or slideshow to accompany the panel

Competency

Social and Cultural Change: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the patterns of social and cultural change in the United States by examining and analyzing patterns during specific events in history such as exploring the American civil rights movement and its effects on other rights movements.

Project

You are a Speech Writer for a non-profit group that fights for civil rights. You are tasked with writing a motivational and persuasive speech for the Campaign Strategist to deliver at the Conference on Community Activism. The speech will need to motivate a grassroots crowd that supports a modern day movement of your choice to mobilize in the fight for this cause. You will need to refer to the successes and failures of past rights movements to ignite enthusiasm and give advice about best ways to be successful with current movements. You will explore the social and cultural changes of historical rights movements in order to justify certain recommendations and provide ideas for strategies in your speech.

Competency

The Modern Era: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the development of our nation since the end of the Cold War by analyzing issues such as globalization, economic and environmental concerns, political impact, terrorism, human rights, and the new millennium.

Project

You are a Script Writer and recently landed a contract to develop the script for a documentary. The documentary will detail effects of the Cold War on the development of United States since it ended. The documentary needs to address how the U.S. developed in areas of globalization, economic and environmental concerns, political development, human rights, terrorism, and the new millennium.