Advanced United States History

Duration: Yearlong course offered in fall/spring (32 weeks).
Suggested High School Credit Value: 1 credit.
Suggested Grade Level: 12th grade level.
Tuition: $746 for HSLDA Members / $829 for non-members

Description: AP^® United States History covers the subjects, events, trends, themes, and historical debates that are found in a typical college-level survey course. Although America’s political history provides an overall narrative structure for the course, special attention is also given to those issues and habits which form a culture—that is, religious practice, social milieu, economic concerns, etc. Students are taught to think conceptually about the past and focus on historical change over time. They consider course content from a biblical worldview, and some essay assignments allow them to engage in thoughtful analysis of these topics from a Christian perspective. Students also write analytical essays based on assigned monographs, which help prepare them for the AP exam. 

Watch a sample clip of an Academy live class session.

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Live Online Class Session Schedule

Dates: August 19, 2024 - May 2, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

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• Students will learn

  • How to analyze the evidence and interpretation presented in historical scholarship 

  • How to analyze and interpret primary sources such as documentary material, maps, statistical tables, and pictorial and graphic materials. 

  • How to write analytical, interpretative, and thematic essays that are appropriate for the academic discipline of history 

  • How to respond to document-based questions 

  • How to consider how a Christian worldview affects the study of American history 

• How much homework is in Advanced United States History?

  We estimate that the course workload will take 10+ hours per week. During a typical week in this course, students will complete the following coursework:

  • 60–90 minutes of live class instruction
  • Audio lecture 
  • 1 chapter textbook reading
  • 1 chapter of documentary reading
  • Primary source reading
  • Discussion forum post

  Throughout the year, students complete six exams, two book quizzes covering course texts, and two book essays discussing course texts. 

• What books will I use in Advanced United States History?

  The official AP^® US History Booklist is now available. In the official booklist, you will find information about the editions, book descriptions, and ISBN numbers.

  You can order course materials for competitive prices through the Christianbook.com bookstore. Use the Textbook Finder to locate the required resources for your courses. Please note that while most books are available through Christianbook.com, some titles are not carried and will need to be purchased elsewhere.

• Prerequisites

  This is a rigorous, college-level course. Lectures and assigned readings assume that students already possess high school-level familiarity with the major events of American history. Students should also have strong reading and writing skills. Please visit the College Board’s website for more information about the material and skills students will study in the course and will need to master for the AP exam. 

• What is a Live Online Class Session in Advanced United States History?

  In every HSLDA Academy course, students meet weekly with their instructor and classmates in an online classroom for additional teaching, discussion, Q&A, or group activities. The class sessions are interactive and are conducted using a web meeting software with video, audio, chat, and application sharing capabilities.
  
  Scheduled, real-time sessions in the online classroom are not the only form of instruction available in a HSLDA Online Academy course, but are offered in addition to lectures or other instructional materials that students are able to access online at their convenience.
  
  When they register, students will need to select a particular class section and live class meeting time. Additional class sections may be added to the schedule at a later point in the course registration period. Registered students will be notified of any changes to the live session schedule.

• What if I have a schedule conflict with the listed Advanced United States History class times?

  All live class sessions are recorded for later viewing. While it is recommended that students attend each live class session, students can make arrangements with their instructors to watch the recordings and receive full participation credit.
  
  Students should contact their instructor at the start of their course to inform the instructor of any foreseen schedule conflicts.