AP U.S. History

Summer Reading Assignment

On the first day of school students are expected to be prepared for a test assessing basic

comprehension and knowledge of the readings. The test will consist of multiple choice

questions based on the textbook readings and short answer and/or essay questions on the

nonfiction book by Ellis. In addition, students are expected to hand in notes on the

textbook reading on the first day of class (directions below).

I. Nonfiction book: Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis

Notes will not be checked. You should be able to identify major events and themes from

this reading.

II. Textbook: Chapter 2 from Liberty, Equality Power (online)

Your assigned reading is Chapter 2 in your text, Liberty, Equality, Power (online). You

will notice that the chapter is divided into ten sections. The headings for these sections

appear (in the textbook) in large blue font. In addition, some of the sections are divided

into sub-sections that are titled in smaller brown font. You will use these headings to

guide your note taking.

Format:

The format for your summer note taking is based on the headings in your textbook.

Divide your notes by subsections. (Subsections can be found by examining the bold print

and font size and/or the outline at the beginning of the chapter)

• READ each subsection

• ASK yourself--what is the main idea?

• PARAPHRASE the main idea in one summarizing sentence.

• LIST only the specific evidence that supports your summarizing sentence. (If

you have specifics that do not support your summary either they are not

important and can be omitted or you need to rethink your summary

statement.)

• Write one sentence that you think conveys the main idea of each major section

and one for the whole chapter.

Ultimately, your notes should look like this:

CHAPTER 2: THE CHALLENGE TO SPAIN AND THE SETTLEMENT OF

NORTH AMERICA

Summarizing sentence: (for the whole chapter)

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION AND THE CHALLENGE TO SPAIN

Summarizing sentence: (for this section)

NEW FRANCE

Summarizing sentence: (for this section)

*Early French Explorers

Summarizing sentence: (for this subsection)

• Specific (that supports your sentence)

• Specific

*Missions and Furs

Summarizing sentence: (for this subsection)

• Specific

• Specific

*New France Under Louis XIV

Summarizing sentence: (for this subsection)

• Specific

• Specific