History

Upper School History Department Philosophy

The goal of the History department at All Saints' Academy is to prepare students to become thoughtful, well-read, successful leaders of the future. Courses available in the History department are designed to provide an intellectual framework of knowledge, analytical skills, and the capacity to understand and appreciate their role as global citizens.  All Saints' Academy offers a wide variety of courses in the social sciences including, history, geography, economics, government and psychology.

Course List

Government & Economics CP (9)

Students will study the relationship, impact and transformation of economics and government processes and issues throughout American history as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens in a democracy. Topics include: development of the U.S. Constitution from its origins to today including its philosophical foundations and court interpretations; the impact of international trade on economic growth and standard of living; the role and structure of government; production, distribution and consumption of economic goods; the U.S. election process; rights and responsibilities of citizenship; the rule of law; promoting the public good; the impact of scarcity of goods, services and resources on supply, demand and economic choices; the government’s role in the economy, and public and personal finance.
One semester, 0.5 credit

Government and Economics Lyceum (9)

This course provides a vigorous and comprehensive study of American government and economics.  Students will study the relationship, impact and transformation of economics and government processes and issues throughout American history as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens in a democracy.  Topics of study include: the development of the U.S. Constitution and its impact on the rule of law and civil liberties; the fundamentals of modern economic theory; the role and structure of government; the challenges of maintaining economic growth; the election process, domestic and international economic policy; and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  There will be a strong emphasis on writing throughout the course.  Students will also develop research and analytical skills necessary for further study.
One semester, 0.5 credit  Prerequisites

World History CP (10)

Students will discover world events from the Renaissance to the present day.  They will be expected to consider how historical events have influenced their lives and to be able to make connections between the past and the present.  Connections across time and place will be emphasized using nine basic themes: power and authority, religious and ethical systems, revolution, the environment, economics, cultural interaction, empire building, devolution, and science and technology.  Essays and research papers are expected from all students.
Full year, 1.0 credit

AP World History (10)

AP World History is a rigorous course in which students will master a large body of information while learning the skills of the historian.  The course is designed to prepare students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands similar to those of a full year introductory college course.  The purpose of the course is to develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes as well as
contacts and interactions between societies since 8000 BCE.  Daily
activities focus on selective factual knowledge, an in-depth understanding
of global connections across time and geography, and the development of those critical and analytical skills required of AP students.  College reading and writing skills will be developed through critical evaluation of primary and secondary sources, analysis of historiography, oral presentations, short essays and reading assignments.
Full year, 1.0 credit  Prerequisites

US History CP (11)

Students will study, research and observe US History from colonial America to the present.  They will be encouraged and expected to use critical thinking skills to enable them to analyze and discuss the material covered.  Students will be expected to create essays, projects, and research papers.
Full year, 1.0 credit

AP US History (11)

AP US History is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in US History.  The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full year introductory college courses.  Students should learn to access historical materials and evaluate their relevance to a given interpretative problem, their reliability, their importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship.  An AP US History course should thus develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in an essay format.
Full year, 1.0 credit  Prerequisites

Economics CP (12)

This course is designed to teach the basic concepts, definitions, and systems relating to economics.  Students will develop a greater understanding of economics as it relates to their daily lives.  Included in this course is the study of personal finance, such as the maintenance of checking accounts, credit, and investments.  Students will learn the relationships between their personal finances and broader economic concepts.  Students will be expected to research and present projects to the class. 
One semester, .5  credit

AP Macroeconomics (12)

AP Macroeconomics is designed to give students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole.   With this particular study of national income and price determination, students will also develop a familiarity with economic performance measures, economic growth, and international economics.  Students will learn competing economic theories.  They will be presented with challenging reading and shall be expected to present projects and papers which demonstrate an in-depth analysis of economic models, theories, and systems. 
One semester, 0.5 credit  Prerequisites

American Government Honors (12)

The American Government Honors enables students to learn the function and organization of the US government.   Students learn their responsibilities in a democratic system and how participation protects freedoms.  The operation and function of the three branches of the federal government will be covered.  Students will also study the election
process. They will be expected to produce essays and research projects.
One semester, 0.5 credit

AP US (American) Government and Politics (12)

This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the operation of American national government.  Students are required to develop analytical perspectives for interpreting, understanding and explaining political events in this country.  This course covers the goals of government, the American system, participation, institutions of government, and the goals of public policy.  Class lectures will include advanced instruction in political philosophy from diverse subjects, including Plato, Aristotle, Marx, and John Locke. 
One semester, 0.5 credit  Prerequisites

AP Psychology

AP Psychology is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings.  Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology.  Students also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.
Full Year, 1.0 credit Prerequisites

Bioethics CP

This course is designed to enable students to integrate their biological knowledge with their morals.  This course deals with the ethical aspects of current biological technologies and issues such as creation/evolution, genetic engineering, biomedical issues, human population control, and environmental ethics.
Restricted to 11th & 12th graders
Semester, 0.5 credit