H53 is a required course that is normally taken by seniors in the fall semester. Students who come to Stuyvesant with advanced standing in Social Studies may take this course earlier than their senior year. The course covers Pre-Revolutionary America, the American Revolution, Federalist Period, Early Republic, Jacksonian Era, Sectional Divisions, the U. S. Civil War, and Reconstruction. All students will be expected to produce a substantial historical research paper. Methods of teaching, as well as the number of tests required, vary with individual teachers.
Most teachers require at least eight tests during the course of the term.
Many teachers encourage debates on crucial issues. Nightly homework is also the norm. Teachers vary in their use of homework, class participation, and examinations as a basis for grading. Class discussion is an integral part of this course.