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US History


The History Department provides a sequential curriculum of sufficient breadth and depth to allow Severn students to become knowledgeable and concerned citizens. 
 
The specific objective of the Department is to help students develop an appreciation for and understanding of the diverse racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds that shape their worlds and to encourage a sense of responsibility in making rational decisions compatible with the values of a democratic society. Teachers supplement regular textbook assignments with outside readings and primary source documents. 

Students should expect assignments to use primary and secondary sources in the preparation of multi paragraph essays, role plays, Harkness discussions, presentations, and research papers. Teachers utilize outside resources such as guest speakers and carefully planned field trips as well. 

  • World History I

    World History I

    In the first semester, World History I will start with a focus on the early river valley civilizations, including Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China, followed by an exploration of the Mediterranean world, especially Greece and Rome. In the second semester, the course will focus on the sustained contact between Eurasia and the Americas (ca 1450) that ultimately laid the foundation for the formation of the modern world. 
    Students will develop the following skills: analytical and argumentative writing, critical reading and thinking, research skills, public speaking, and geographical competency. In each unit of study, students will deepen their understanding of world history by engaging in primary source activities, classroom discussions, and group presentations. Additionally, students will be encouraged to make connections between the ancient world and contemporary times through an analysis of current events when appropriate. 


  • Honors World History I

    Honors World History I

    Honors World History I is a challenging ,enriching course, one that is designed, in part, to prepare students for the rigors of AP World History. 
    Following the same general chronology of World History I, Honors World History I will examine ancient roots of modern civilization, the Mediterranean world, especially Greece and Rome, and the foundation and complicated legacy of Western civilization. In the second semester, the course will focus on the emergence of genuinely global history, with emphasis on sustained contact between Eurasia and the Americas, something that ultimately laid the foundation for our modern world. Students will be challenged to draw important historical relationships between separate ideasand to synthesize what matters most in world history, both at global and regional levels. 
    Honors history students begin the year with a dedicated examination of historiography in order to appreciate why history really matters, to see how and where our collective past still lives today, and ultimately to become better academic students of history. Using an AP-level (advanced) textbook as a default source, Honors World History I students will also be challenged frequently to seek out, work with, and critique outside sources. In class expectations include student-led discussion and debate. 
    Overall expectations for honors students are high and include nightly reading, engaged class participation and debate, and project/presentation work with classmates, all with the goal of honing research, writing, and critical thinking skills. Each student will complete a culminating major independent historical research project in the spring. 
    Departmental approval required.

  • World History II

    World History II

    In the first semester, World History II will pick up where World History I left off (ca 1450) and will follow world history to the present day. The course will examine themes in world history through the lens of politics, economics, religions, social structures, art/artifacts, geography, and patterns of interactions. 
    Students will build on competencies they learned in World History I, refining their analytical and research writing skills, increasing their critical reading ability, and becoming increasingly more proficient at discussing and deliberating issues related to world history in group settings. Geographical literacy and primary source documents will also be emphasized. Students will continue to be encouraged to make connections between world history and the contemporary world. 


  • AP World History: Modern

    AP World History: Modern

    In AP World History: Modern, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes from 1200 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation. (Taken from the AP site) 
    Students should be aware that AP World History: Modern is a college-level course.  The textbook used in the course is at the college level, and the instructor moves at a prescribed pace. Students are also required to take the AP Exam in May.  
    Students who wish to take this course should be in good standing in their current 9th grade history course.   Students should have demonstrated a consistent ability to complete all assignments fully and on time, to work independently, to contribute positively to class, and to have shown a genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the study of history.   The History Department will work closely with students to ensure that this is the appropriate 10th grade history course for them. 
    Summer reading is required.
    Departmental approval required.


  • US History

    U.S. History

    Students of the junior class survey the entire history of the United States to gain an overall concept of our nation's past including the American Revolution, the Constitution, the Civil War, U.S. foreign policy starting in the 20th century, and domestic issues up through the 1970's. Writing skills are emphasized, and students work closely with primary source documents. Additionally, the course includes a substantial research paper to be completed in the spring. 
    Summer work is required.


  • AP US History

    AP U.S. History

    Qualified juniors (and seniors) are given the opportunity to attain a breadth of knowledge and a depth of understanding greater than that provided by the standard United States history course. A college textbook and several supplementary paperbacks and pamphlets provide a demanding and fast-paced reading load. Summer reading is assigned. A meeting of all Advanced Placement history students for the subsequent academic year will take place in May to clarify summer reading expectations. 
    Students should be aware that AP United States History is a college-level course.  The textbook used in the course is at the college level, and the instructor moves at a prescribed pace. Students are also required to take the AP Exam in May.  
    Students who wish to take this course should be in good standing in their current 10th grade history course.   Students should have demonstrated a consistent ability to complete all assignments fully and on time, to work independently, to contribute positively to class, and to have shown a genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the study of history.   The History Department will work closely with students to ensure that this is the appropriate 11th grade history course for them. 
    Summer work is required.
    Departmental approval required.


  • The Cold War

    The Cold War (Fall)

    This course will investigate the post-World War II struggle between the United States and Soviet Union. After an overview of the global historical events from the early 1940's through the early 1990's, the course will focus on the impact the Cold War had on United States foreign and domestic policy.  The course will not only deal with the political and economic consequences of the Cold War but also its social and cultural history. Students will have a chance to enhance the course material with a research project on a topic of their choice. 
    Open to juniors and seniors


  • Black American Civil Rights History: Competing Visions

    Black American Civil Rights History: Competing Visions (Fall and Spring)

    This semester-long course will focus on studying and discussing the opposing approaches different groups of Black Americans took on various civil rights, racial injustice, and socioeconomic issues. This class will complement other history classes such as US History and Government, as well as the African-American literature course provided by the English department. This course will allow students to see the inner workings and conversations of a people who struggled greatly to gain freedom and respect in a country that solely viewed them as laborers. This course will educate students on more than just the surface-level understanding of oppression within Black history, but instead on the steps Black Americans took to gain freedom, and the disagreements and differing approaches it took to achieve freedom and respect within the United States. 

    Open to juniors and seniors

  • Honors Economics - Micro

    Honors Economics - Micro (Fall)

    This one semester course examines traditional economic concepts and their application to current economic policy within the United States.  The course focuses on how people make decisions, and how households and firms interact in the markets for scarce resources.  An AP textbook and secondary sources are used.  
    Open to juniors and seniors


  • Honors Economics - Macro

    Honors Economics - Macro (Spring)

    This one semester course examines the economy as a whole.  The course begins with national indicators and progresses to the study of money, international trade, taxes, interest rates, productivity, government spending and the business cycle.  The course will culminate with a discussion of the role of monetary and fiscal policy in achieving stable prices and sustained economic growth.  An AP textbook and primary sources are used.
    Prerequisite:  Completion of Honors Economics - Micro in the fall

    Open to juniors and seniors


  • Honors Philosophy

    Honors Philosophy (Spring)

    This course will examine various philosophical theories, usually beginning with a text by Plato or Aristotle and leading up to postmodern authors. Over the course of the semester we will ponder over the nature of knowledge as such; the role of language; the relationships between state, society, and individual; the existence of a god; ethics; and the overall meaning of life. We will compare and contrast the different views in each field. Through this course, students should not only receive an overview of the various philosophical disciplines and understand the ideas, doctrines, and underlying methods, but they should also be able to develop their critical thinking skills and their ability to think clearly and make sound arguments—while avoiding fallacies. Students will have a chance to explore an author or a philosophical question of their own choosing in a paper. 
    Juniors and seniors only 


  • Psychology

    Psychology (Fall)

    This semester-long course emphasizes the fundamentals of psychology and presents a general overview of this field of study.  The following topics are examined: mindset, specialty fields and research methods in psychology; nervous system and the brain; sleep and dreams; the influence of nature and nurture on human development; physical, cognitive and social development; and psychological health and disorders. 
    Open to juniors and seniors


  • Performance Psychology

    Performance Psychology (Spring) 

    This semester-long course explores the evolution and application of mental skills and strategies for success across performance domains such as athletics, academics, creative endeavors, and leadership. The course is divided into two primary sections: the first half examines the historical rise of performance psychology including the influences of American culture on mental resilience and motivation, and the dominant theoretical foundations of the field. The second half focuses on contemporary applications, including goal-setting strategies, stress management, resilience, and leadership development. Students will analyze psychological theories and historical case studies while applying these insights to real-world and personal performance contexts. 

    Open to juniors and seniors

  • AP Comparative Politics

    AP Comparative Politics

    In this year-long political science-oriented class, students will both explore fundamental political concepts and apply them across six countries: China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Throughout the course, students will learn how different governments solve similar problems and gain a clear understanding of the comparative method by analyzing data and text-based sources, making comparisons and applications, and developing evidence-based arguments. Students will have the opportunity to take the AP exam in May and potentially receive college credit.

    Summer work is required

    This course is open to all seniors

  • AP US Government and Politics

    AP US Government and Politics

    AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other written and visual texts  to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, students will complete a political science research or applied civics project. 
    Summer work is required.
    This course is open to seniors.


Lower School

Chesapeake Campus—PS-Grade 5
1185 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd
Arnold, MD  21012
410-647-7700

Upper School

Teel Campus—Grade 6-12
201 Water Street
Severna Park, MD  21146
410-647-7700