2015-2016 AP U.S. History Summer Assignment Instructions Part I - Reading Journal

Mr. Dugwyler jack.dugwyler@egsd.
org
Due: first week of school
2015-2016 AP U.S. History Summer Assignment Instructions Part I Reading Journal

Choose and read one of the books on early-American history listed at the end of these instructions. While
reading, you will be required to keep a reading journal for every chapter of the book you choose. For each
chapter, your journal should include:
1. THESIS/MAIN IDEA: What is the authors thesis or main point for the chapter? What is the author
trying to prove to you in this chapter? (This is often found in the introduction of the chapter and revisited at
the conclusion.)
2. GENERAL NOTES: following the events or argument the author puts forth remember the S word in
history: SIGNIFICANCE! What was the significance of what you wrote down if you dont know, you
probably shouldnt have written the note.
3. REFLECTION: At the end of the chapter in your own words what was the point of the chapter,
what did it make you think about while reading (any links to other parts of history?), what questions do you
still have about the chapter?
In addition to the reading journal explained above, you are required to write a critical book review as the
second part of your summer assignment. The goal of the book review you will write for AP US History is to
analyze the authors thesis, evidence, and writing style to determine the relative merit of the book and its
place in historical scholarship. This is an elaborate way of saying that this review is NOT a book report
you should not provide a long summary of the book nor should you quote extensively from the book. Your
goal is to identify the author, the thesis/main idea, the types of evidence and sources used, and then make a
critical judgment on the effectiveness of the author in answering the questions set forth in the work.
Part II Critical Book Review
1. Times New Roman font, 12 point 2. Double Spaced 3. Approximately 750 1200 words 4. Written in the
third person Middle Park High School
, past tense no I believe the author was attempting to do this you should say the author attempted to
prove this but did not succeed.
General Format for the Book Review:
5. Cover Page: Your name Subject: A.P. United States History (APUSH) Date (Space here) Full
bibliographic entry for your book use MLA format
You are not required to write a specific number of paragraphs for each section listed below use as many
or as few as it takes to address the focus of the section.
Format for Writing:
First Section: provide background on the author, qualifications, and other books written. Provide a brief
summary of the book including the main topics, the time periods involved; major people-places- events but
remember this is NOT a book report!
Second Section: what is the authors thesis what is the author trying to prove? Why do you think the
author wrote about this subject and the specific people-places-events included in the book? How did the
author try to prove the thesis? What evidence and types of resources did the author use? Examine the
footnotes and any bibliography included in the book. Who was the audience the author hoped to reach?
What type of writing style did the author use?
Third Section: time for your analysis what was good about this book? Do you believe the author proved
the thesis? Was the writing style effective? Was the evidence and arguments convincing? Also, what was
bad about the book? Was the evidence NOT convincing? Was the thesis poorly constructed or unclear?
Unproven? Did the authors writing style or format distract you from the thesis?
Fourth Section: your overall assessment of the book and the author. Was the good better than the bad? Was
the book a worthwhile read did it contribute anything new to the study of history (as far as you know)?
What other books have been written on this?
Book List:
Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Forging of American Independence, 1774-1776
Richard R. Beeman
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
Nathaniel Philbrick
Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution
Nathaniel Philbrick
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
Joseph J. Ellis
Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence
Joseph J. Ellis
1776
David McCullough
John Adams
David McCullough
Founding Mothers
Cokie Roberts
Undaunted Courage
Stephen E. Ambrose
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
Gordon S. Wood
The War that made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War
Fred Anderson
American Colonies: The Settling of North America
Alan Taylor
His Excellency: George Washington
Joseph P. Ellis
Down the Sante Fe Trail: Diary of Susan Shelby McGoffin
Susan Shelby McGoffin

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Mr. Dugwyler jack.dugwyler@egsd.

Due: first week of school

2015-2016 AP U.S. History Summer Assignment Instructions Part I Reading Journal

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