US History Semester 1

Enrollment Message

Students need access to a webcam or video recording device. See Recommended Materials.

Course Description

This course explores how the United States transformed from a rapidly industrializing nation in the late 1800s into a global superpower by the end of World War II. To provide important background, the course begins with an overview of early American history that helps establish key themes and context. Students will study major events and movements, from westward expansion and industrialization to the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the New Deal, and examine how these developments shaped life in Indiana and the United States. 

• Indiana Core40 Diploma Applicable through class of 2028
• Fulfills the US History requirement for all diplomas
• Indiana NEW Diploma Applicable for students entering school in 2025-26 (Class of 2029) 
• Required
• Fulfills a Social Studies Credit

Recommended Materials

Course Goals

Upon completion of the course, students will…

• analyze the major political, economic, and social transformations that shaped the United States from 1870 to 1945.
• evaluate how industrialization, immigration, and urbanization affected American society and influenced modern U.S. development.
• explain the rise of progressivism, reform movements, and debates over the expanding role of government.
• assess the causes, events, and consequences of U.S. involvement in World War I and World War II.
• interpret primary and secondary sources to construct historical arguments supported by evidence.
• describe the experiences of diverse groups of Americans and how their contributions shaped the nation during periods of rapid change.
• compare and contrast the prosperity of the 1920s with the challenges of the Great Depression and the New Deal’s role in recovery.
• demonstrate historical thinking skills such as sourcing, contextualization, corroboration, and chronological reasoning.
• connect major events and turning points in U.S. history to broader global developments during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Indiana Academic Standards

• US History

Units of Instruction

• Unit 1 The Industrial United States 1870 - 1900
• Unit 2 Emergence of the Modern United States 1897- 1920
• Unit 3 The United States in Prosperity & Depression 1920s - 1930s
• Unit 4 The United States and World War 2

Grading/Evaluation

Indiana Online does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school of record can also access this score within the Student Information System, Genius. The final score will be shown as a percentage in Canvas and Genius. The student’s school of record will determine the letter grade based on their specific grading scale.

Students must complete at least 70% of the course and take all parts of the final exam(s) to have a score reported to their school of record. Failure to meet these requirements will result in a score of 0 reported to the school of record.

Assessments

Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, teacher-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments. The course includes the minimum number of assessments

• 5 Discussions
• 17 Assignments
• 15 Quizzes

The assessments for this asynchronous course are weighted as follows

Teacher Contact Response Time

Students can use email or the private message system within Genius or Canvas to access highly qualified teachers when they need teacher assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside Canvas. The Teacher Information page of their course may describe additional communication options.

The teacher will respond to student inquiries (email, text, call) within one business day. Assignments will be graded and posted within two business days.

Expectations for Academic Conduct 

Student Handbook 

It is your responsibility to read the student handbook to understand all aspects of taking an online course including expectations for academic conduct. Contact your teacher if you have any questions. 

Assistance for Students with Accommodations

Indiana Online supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, reasonable accommodations can be arranged.

Technology

Technology Requirements 

Students are required to have a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Please review Indiana Online’s Technology Requirements.

Technical Skills Needed 

Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to

• download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• download and install software
• use a messaging service similar to email
• communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• open attachments shared in messages
• create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• save a file as a .pdf
• copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• insert images or links into a file
• search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• use presentation and graphics programs
• follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• create and maintain usernames and passwords

Technical Questions?  Please contact the Indiana Online Helpdesk.