United States Civics / History of St. Louis
Angie Mertz
9th-12th Grade
$250 Semester / $500 Full year
Min required students: 6 Max available seats: 10
Class Day: Wednesday
First Session: 10:00 am – 11:25 am
Prerequisites: None
Materials: United States Civics: Civics Lifepac Set at Rainbow Resource, $65.25. The set includes 5 Lifepac booklets: Foundations, Constitution, Three Branches, Civil Rights, and Foreign Affairs.
Copy/Source Fee: $55
NOTE: Source materials for St. Louis history are being finalized. Possible sources may include: St. Louis, An Informal History of St. Louis and its People, 1764 – 1865 by Charles van Ravenswaay
Founding St. Louis, the First City of the New West, by J. Frederick Fausz
Where We Live: A Guide to St. Louis Communities, ed. Tim Fox
Lion of the Valley: St. Louis, MIssouri, 1764- 1980, by James Neal Primm
“United States Civics/History of St. Louis” is a full year course. United States Civics is the focus for the first semester, September through December. The history of St. Louis is the focus for the first semester, January through May.
United States Civics is an essential part of understanding how students relate to and are impacted by the structure of our city, state, and federal structures. Civic education helps students understand the mechanics of democracy, their rights and freedoms, and the importance of their civic responsibility. Through this understanding, students see the importance of exercising their rights and engaging in the government systems surrounding them.
Studying local history is an immersive experience. Founded in 1764, St. Louis has grown from a French settlement to the largest metropolitan area in the state of Missouri. Through understanding St. Louis’ environment, culture, and community students come face to face with the past. Understanding the journey of St. Louis helps students understand how the region has impacted them personally.
Throughout both semesters, students will utilize the six Historical Thinking Skills as established by the Advanced Placement Program.
- Identity and explain historical developments and processes.
- Analyze ”surrounding and situation” of primary and secondary sources.
- Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources.
- Analyze the contexts of historical events, developments, or processes.
- Using historical reasoning, analyze patterns and connections between and among historical developments and processes.
- Develop an argument.
United States Civics/History of St. Louis does not qualify as an Advanced Placement course.
United States Civics and History of St. Louis is part of High School programming.