SUMMER ASSIGNMENT: APUSH 2025-2026
Mrs. Murphy
1. Read Chapters 18, 19, and 20 in American History: Connecting with the Past
by Alan Brinkley and The Devil in the White City, and then complete your
assigned DQ – due 1st day of school (September 4(A)/5(B)). Be sure to check
formatting requirements below.
2. Read The Devil in the White City. The novel will be incorporated into our
study of “The Gilded Age” which is our first unit of the year.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair
That Changed America AUTHOR: Erik Larson (2003)
As a bridge from APUSHI to APUSHII you are required to read this fascinating novel,
which is set in 1890s Chicago. It chronicles the design and construction of the 1893
Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair) with all the wondrous new technologies of the
“Gilded Age,” along with the thrilling true story of the first known serial-killer in U.S.
history who is on the loose in Chicago during the time. This novel is great story-telling,
combining both history and a thrilling mystery.
SUGGESTION: You may want to take notes (or annotate your book!) on the major
themes of the novel:
The technological wonders of the fair
The city/national politics involved in the building of the fair
The economic impact of the fair for Chicago and the nation.
We will discuss the Fair and the impact on Chicago in context with our study of the new
American city as discussed in Chapter 18 of the textbook. There will be an assessment
on the summer reading on the first day. This includes Devil in the White City and
Brinkley chapters 18 - 20.
2025 Summer Reading Assignment
AP US History II –Mrs. Murphy
Progressivism
DQs – Discussion Questions – 25 pts
**Please refer to “How to Write the DQ Response” on my webpage to guide
you in formatting your response** THIS IS A MUCH MORE ROBUST
VERSION OF A DQ!
ASSIGNMENTS BY LAST NAME – ALPHABETICALLY:
DQ#1 – Last names A-C
DQ#2 – Last names D-K
DQ#3 – Last names L-N
DQ#4 – Last names O-Shah
DQ#5 – Last names Shr-Z
DUE FIRST DAY OF AP
DQ#1 (Brinkley Chapters 18.1, 18.2, 18.3 and 20.5): Analyze the ways in which
migration led to changes in American identity for immigrants and first time city dwellers.
This prompt should include Push/Pull factors for immigration, migration from rural to
urban areas, settlement patterns, nativism, and assimilation. (Theme: ID, PEO, WOR)
DQ#2 (Brinkley Chapter 18.1, 20.1, 20.2, 20.4; Larson): To what extent did the
emergence of an industrial culture in the U.S. lead to greater opportunities for, and
restrictions on, women and minorities during the Gilded Age? This prompt should
address suffrage, settlement house/social work, labor unions, Booker T. Washington and
WEB DuBois. (Theme: ID, PEO)
DQ#3 (Brinkley Chapter 18.2-18.6, 20.1; Larson): How did rapid urbanization reflect
the Gilded Age? This question should address the following: Political: machine politics;
Society: City Beautiful Movement, living conditions, art, Social Gospel; Economics:
leisure and rise of consumer culture and development of class divide. (Theme: POL,
ENV, CUL)
DQ#4 (Brinkley Chapters 19.1-19.4, 20.3, 20.4, 20.5): Explain how concepts about the
legitimate role of the federal government in looking out for the welfare of its citizens
changed during the Progressive Era. This prompt should address: Party system/party
politics, patronage, tariffs, trusts, Populists, Progressives, socialists. (Theme: WXT, POL)
DQ# 5 (Brinkley Chapter 20): To what extent did Progressives and “muckrakers”
influence economic, social and political change on the national, state and local levels?
This question should address Jane Addams, Jacob Riis, temperance, Upton Sinclair,
Robert LaFollette, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson. (Theme: POL, WXT, CUL)
Chapters in your resources where
Interpreting your DQ prompt:
Brinkley Chapter 16, Section 1,
and Chapter18, Section 3
DQ#1 (Brinkley Chapters 16.1, 18.3): How did a new wave of
immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia challenge
the idea of what it meant to be American? This question should
include Push/Pull factors for immigration, settlement patterns,
nativism, and assimilation.
(Theme: ID, PEO, WOR)
Theme: ID,PEO,WOR
Themes covered byDQ.
Abbreviations correspond
to the 7 thematic learning Some key information that
objectives identified by the should be present in the
AP curriculum. See SPE DQ and that you can use to
for further information guide your inquiry. This is
not a comprehensive list,
but only a guide.
How to Write a DQ
● As a change from last year, DQs may now be two pages.
● You are still writing your answer as an essay outline but
it does not have to be 5 paragraphs.
● You must also add one open-ended question aligned
with an AP reasoning process (Comparison, Causation or
Continuity and Change) and one question that creates a
connection to a current event to enhance the class
discussion.
● You must follow the proper formatting such as heading,
bolding key terms, centering and underlining the
question, no smaller than 11 pt. font, etc.
● Conclusion should be an introductory paragraph for an
essay. It should include contextualization and a bolded
thesis.
● All DQs must be submitted on TurnItIn and a hard copy
provided in class. (You will be asked the first day to
submit your DQ on TurnItIn and hand in the hard copy)
General DQ Rubric
Category Requirements
Format ● Heading is complete and in right hand corner
● Key terms and names bolded
(6): ● DQ is logically organized and is no more than 2
Heading (1) pages
Key terms (1) ● Question thoughtful and aligned to AP reasoning
Organization (2) processes (cannot be a repeat of the DQ topic
Questions (2) question)
● Question creating connection to current event
Content: ● Thesis is balanced with clear subtopics and
addresses the prompt
(19) ● Clear topic sentences that support the thesis
Thesis (3) ● Evidence is comprehensive, clearly relates to the
Topic Sentences(2) topic sentence and includes dates
Evidence (6) ● Analysis clearly develops relationship between
Analysis (6) evidence and thesis
Contextualization ● Concluding paragraph includes contextualization
(2)