Download For many of you this will be your first Advanced Placement course

Greetings –
For many of you this will be your first Advanced Placement course. Congratulations
on taking the opportunity to challenge yourself in the arena of World History. The course
will at first seem a daunting task. We will be covering 10,000 years of human history in one
year. But fear not – it can be done. In an effort to help transition you into the school year
and set a foundation for the material we will cover you will have a small summer assignment.
The purpose of the summer assignment is not to burden you with excessive work or
ruin your break. It is rather a way to help you begin to think like a historian and begin to
become familiar with the language of the course as well as the expectations placed on the
class by the College Board.
This assignment consists of three elements. The first element of the assignment is for
you to read about and understand the AP exam, to become familiar with the historical
thinking skills that you will be introduced to in an effort to get you thinking like a historian,
and finally to show you the FIVE thematic concepts we will focus on and link together
throughout the year. The second element of the summer assignment is to have you read
selected parts of the book World History: the Basics written by Peter N. Stearns. These
selections will help you grasp the reasons and focus for the study of world history. This
reading will also introduce you to the language of history – giving you terms that you will
need to use as you start to discuss and write about history. The final element of the summer
work is to watch four 28 minute videos. These videos will help introduce to you the focal
concepts that we will begin with for units I and II. All of this combined should allow you to
feel comfortable about the course and help you start out with a positive attitude regarding
world history.
The work is expected to be completed by the first full day of school (August 27th or
28 – depending on which day you have class). Depending on your speed as a reader this
assignment should take you no more than five hours. We think five hours over 74 days
should be plenty of time to complete the work. If you have any questions or concerns please
do not hesitate to contact one of us – Mr. Tiedeman [email protected] or Mr. Klar
[email protected]
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We hope that you have a great summer and come to class ready to go.
Scott Tiedeman
Mark Klar
If you are a new student to ASD and did not get the packet watch the videos and be prepared
with those questions for conversation. If you can get a hold of a copy of World History: The
Basics by Peter N. Stearns (ISBN: 978-0-415-58275-9) you can read chapters 2,4,7, and 6.
If you cannot get a copy do not worry about it. You will get the chapters and the Course
Description at the start of school.
Advanced Placement World History Summer Assignment check list – (place an X in the line
to the left of the assignment when you have completed the task)
______ - Read and become familiar with the language and information in the YELLOW
section of the AP World History Course and Exam Description. (Pay particular attention
to the 5 Themes and the Map – World Regions [you will be quizzed on the regions])
______ - Read the World History Skeleton packet (total of 78 pages). We will start the year
using these readings as a means to focus the content and context of the course. Therefore, as
you read go ahead and write in the packet identifying what you think the important facts and
details are in each chapter – Be an active reader. These readings come from the Peter Stearns
book – World History: The Basics. (Peter Stearns is the Author of the text we use)
______ - You need to watch FOUR (4) 28 minute videos. These videos are directly related to
the content and material we will cover in Unit I and II. These videos will help place the
material that we will be reading and discussing for the start of the year in context. The
questions below the video link are meant to be things to think about – you DO NOT need to
answer them, but we will use them as a basis for our conversations. So it might be helpful to
jot down quick responses after you watch the video.
To access video – Click on the link – then locate on the left side of the screen a “view video
online” button – click on it. YOU MAY HAVE TO CLICK IT TWICE. It will load the
video.
_____ - Unit 3 Human Migrations http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/unit_main_3.html 
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How and why did early humans migrate out of Africa and across the earth's varied
landscapes?
What kinds of evidence do scholars use to trace the paths of early human migrations?
How can contemporary people's creation myths and spoken language give scholars
clues about the paths of early human migrations?
Early humans moved across the earth's landscapes in response to the challenges and
opportunities posed by the environment. Global migration continues today. How have
the reasons for human migration changed over time?
_____ - Unit 4 Agricultural and Urban Revolutions http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/unit_main_4.html 
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What are some of the different patterns by which human societies around the world
domesticated plants and animals?
When did human societies begin to settle down in urban centers, and what was early
urban life like?
When human societies became more complex, how did this affect the ways people
thought about social differences such as gender, status, and class?
What impact did urban technologies such as metallurgy and pottery-making have on
the environment?
_____ - Unit 6 Order and Early Societies http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/unit_main_6.html 
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Why did social complexity often lead to the centralization of power?
What is the relationship between social complexity and inequality?
What were some of the different ways societies created order around the world before
1000 CE?
How and why do some types of political and social organizations evolve into largescale polities such as empires, while others persist as small, decentralized polities?
_____ - Unit 5 – Early Belief Systems http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/unit_main_5.html 
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How did people across the globe begin to understand themselves in relation to the
natural world and to the unseen realms beyond?
What accounts for the emergence of early philosophical and ethical traditions?
How did Hinduism, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism influence the religious philosophies
of Buddhism (circa 500 BCE), Christianity (circa 100 CE), and Islam (ccirca 600
CE)?
How did Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam (discussed in Unit 7) differ from earlier
beliefs and practices rooted in local communities and cultures?