What This Document Is
This document is a reading guide designed to accompany the AMSCO text for HIS 102: U.S. History Since 1877 at Pennsylvania Western University, California. Specifically, it focuses on Period 9, covering the years 1980 to the present. It’s structured as a series of prompts and note-taking spaces to facilitate focused reading and comprehension of the assigned material.
Why This Document Matters
This reading guide is essential for students enrolled in HIS 102. Completed guides are permitted during reading quizzes, making it a direct aid to assessment. It helps students identify key historical developments, understand the causes and effects of policy debates, and contextualize the major shifts in American society and politics since 1980. It’s intended to be used *while* reading the AMSCO text, not as a replacement for it.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This guide does not provide answers or interpretations; it requires active engagement with the AMSCO textbook. It won’t substitute for thorough reading or class discussions. It’s a tool to *support* learning, not to *deliver* it. Students will still need to synthesize information and form their own conclusions.
What This Document Provides
This reading guide includes:
* Objectives for sections 9.1 and 9.2, focusing on contextualizing Period 9 and the rise of Reagan and Conservatism.
* Specific prompts to guide note-taking on changes in the US after 1980 (political, cultural, international, domestic).
* Questions regarding the causes and effects of continuing policy debates about the role of the federal government.
* Detailed prompts about the rise of Ronald Reagan, his campaign strategies, and the “Reagan Revolution.”
* A breakdown of Reaganomics principles and the impact of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981.
This preview does *not* include completed notes, answers to the questions, or a summary of the AMSCO text itself. It only outlines the structure and content of the full reading guide.