America’s History for the AP® Course - Preface - Why This Book This Way

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

America’s History for the AP® Course presents a course-focused learning approach aligned with the College Board’s AP U.S. History standards. The preface explains how the book helps instructors balance essential events and facts with deeper historical thinking. It positions the new exam’s emphasis on themes and Historical Thinking Skills as an opportunity alongside major classroom adjustments. The text also highlights the eighth edition’s goal to preserve strengths while expanding support for teachers and students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1220

Reading Time51 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Why This Book This Way

BEDFORD INTEGRATED MEDIA | | | | --- | --- | | | +
You and your students have access to LearningCurve! | | | | Assign LearningCurve and watch your class excel. LearningCurve ensures your students do the reading and offers you reports on how well your class and individual students understand the topics. With LearningCurve, your students come to class better prepared, and you can adjust class time to focus on difficult material and help students achieve greater success. How it works. LearningCurve is a game-like adaptive learning tool informed by research in psychology. LearningCurve promotes retrieval practice through its unique delivery of questions and point system. Students with a firm grasp of the material get plenty of practice but proceed through the activity relatively quickly. Unprepared students are given more questions so they can learn from answer feedback and practice more. Because the activities can be assigned in weekly intervals, LearningCurve helps students retain the information far better than last-minute cramming. To learn more about how LearningCurve works and watch a demo, visit [bedfordstmartins.com/learningcurve](bedfordstmartins.com/learningcurve). “By requiring LearningCurve, I know that students have reviewed the material before class, which makes for more lively discussion.” — Beth Kontos, North Shore Community College Teachers: For instructor access, [visit](visit bedfordstmartins.com/highschool)[ bedfordstmartins.com/highschool](visit bedfordstmartins.com/highschool)[ ](visit bedfordstmartins.com/highschool)[/henretta8e](/henretta8e and register as an instructor)[ and register as an instructor](/henretta8e and register as an instructor). For technical support, [visit](visit macmillanhighered.com/techsupport)[ macmillanhighered.com/techsupport](visit macmillanhighered.com/techsupport). About the cover image The Sources of Country Music In painting this vibrant work, artist Thomas Hart Benton captured many of the forces that shaped America. A preacher and hymn singers emphasize the importance of religious faith to both women and men. Fiddle players—with a decidedly less sacred outlook—keep a jug of whiskey on hand. A man playing the African-derived banjo represents the profound inﬂuence of African Americans on the nation’s culture. In the background, a steamboat and locomotive show the transformative role of technology and economic change. AMERICA’S HISTORY FOR THE AP® COURSE AMERICA’S E I G H T H E D I T I O N HISTORY FOR THE AP® COURSE James A. Henretta University of Maryland Eric Hinderaker University of Utah Rebecca Edwards Vassar College Robert O. Self Brown University BEDFORD / ST. MARTIN’S \#PTU PO t /FX :PS L For Bedford/St. Martin’s Publisher for History: Mary V. Dougherty Executive Editor for History: William J. Lombardo, Daniel McDonough Director of Development for History: Jane Knetzger Senior Developmental Editor: Laura Arcari Production Editor: Annette Pagliaro Sweeney Senior Production Supervisor: Jennifer Peterson Senior Marketing Manager: Janie Pierce-Bratcher Associate Editor: Robin Soule Editorial Assistant: Victoria Royal Copyeditor: Susan Zorn Indexer: Leoni Z. McVey, McVey & Associates, Inc. Cartography: Mapping Specialists, Ltd. Photo Researchers: Pembroke Herbert and Sandi Rygiel, Picture Research Consultants, Inc. Senior Art Director: Anna Palchik Text Designer: Maureen McCutcheon Cover Designer: Marine Miller Cover Art: Thomas Hart Benton, The Sources of Country Music, courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum Composition: Jouve Printing and Binding: RR Donnelley and Sons President, Bedford/St. Martin’s: Denise B. Wydra Director of Marketing: Karen R. Soeltz Production Director: Susan W. Brown Director of Rights and Permissions: Hilary Newman Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008, 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin’s All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced

FAQs

What does the preface say about the new College Board AP U.S. History standards?

The preface describes them as bringing exciting opportunities and big challenges, with a stronger focus on themes and Historical Thinking Skills.

How does the book aim to address the classroom dilemma mentioned in the preface?

It seeks to help students move beyond rote names and dates while building understanding of key events and facts and learning to think like historians.

Why does the preface emphasize the eighth edition?

It states that the authors have composed the eighth edition to help instructors meet the changes implied by the new exam and to build on the book’s established strengths.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Jake