U.S. History Draft
Social StudiesA high school course guide for families
See it for your school: its prerequisites, what it counts toward at your school, and whether it's in your plan.
Why this course?
U.S. History explains how the country got to where it is: its people, conflicts, laws and turning points. It's how you learn to read the past like evidence.
Colleges expect three to four years of social studies.
What you'll learn
- Trace major events and why they happened
- Read primary sources: letters, speeches, laws, photos
- Compare different views of the same event
- Write arguments using historical evidence
You'll do: Reading sources, discussions, essays and projects.
- Honors
- Honors reads more primary sources and writes longer essays.
- AP (Advanced Placement)
- AP U.S. History covers pre-colonial times to today with a lot of document-based writing. College-level work with a national AP exam in May. A high enough score can earn college credit or placement, depending on the college.
What comes next
Which courses come before and after it, and what it counts toward, depend on each school. Your plan shows your school's.
College majors that build on it
- History
- Political science
- Teaching (social studies)
Careers it informs most
People in these jobs use what this course teaches the most. It's a starting point, not a track.
- HistoriansHistorians use history in their work. O*NET rates it very important for the job.
- CuratorsCurators use history in their work. O*NET rates it very important for the job.
- ArchivistsArchivists use history in their work. O*NET rates it very important for the job.
- Anthropologists and ArcheologistsAnthropologists and Archeologists use history in their work. O*NET rates it very important for the job.
- Tour Guides and EscortsTour Guides and Escorts use history in their work. O*NET rates it important for the job.