Every year, hundreds of thousands of high school students choose to take A.P. U.S. History (APUSH). Generally the course is used either to explore a student’s interest in the subject further or to receive college credit. The concept seems simple enough, but it is a course teaching about the history of the United States; about the good and the bad moments. Of course this can bring about some debate.
    Recently, the APUSH curriculum was changed by the College Board. The new curriculum is designed to teach ideas and themes rather than facts. The structure of the test was changed greatly eliminating the trivial aspects of the multiple choice, replacing it with passages of reading that you then use your background knowledge to assess and answer questions. Both of these changes have received critique from Conservatives. A major voice and high school APUSH teacher, Larry S. Krieger, as well as conservative groups such as the the American Principles Project and Christian Group Concerned for Women, have shared their strong opinions.
    Their main concern, as voiced by Krieger, is that the new curriculum teaches a “negative view of American History,” one that “highlights oppressors and exploiters.” He speaks much of how he believes the new curriculum highlights the good actions of progressivists and puts down industry and big businesses. As a student who is in her last few weeks of the course I can see his argument, but I disagree with him. Much of my school career has been learning about all of the great things that the United States and its citizens are responsible for. This year I learned more great things, but I was also made aware of some not so pretty aspects. These aspects were not taught to me through my teacher’s opinions, but by learning the facts and events in our history. I was then able to form my own opinions, something I have not been able to do previously in school very often.
    Another concern of the Conservatives is that the new framework will leave out many important people and events because the curriculum does not directly include them, but themes. For example, it does not mention Martin Luther King. That seems shocking at first, but the framework does include the Civil Rights Movement and how could one not talk about Civil Rights without discussing Martin Luther King. This framework outlines the themes and ideas that have appeared throughout history and encouraging we, as students, to draw connections. These themes are more likely to stay in our minds then trivial knowledge. They give us the overall idea with facts about events and people to back them up as examples. The College Board is leaving it up to teachers, who are educated and experienced in their profession, to teach on the subject and to determine the specifics of what they teach. And I personally think that is the way it should be.
    After taking this course, and the test, I believe that I have a solid understanding of how the United States has been molded into what it is today. I know the major events that have taken place, and the major people that have had an impact. It was only a year course however so to say that I know every tiny piece of trivia would be absurd. I do have a general, and strong, understanding of the good and bad that has happened. I can assess both sides with the skills that my teacher taught me, and I personally don’t believe that our country is full of evil or without it's low points, which is exactly the point.