Download AP World History

Advanced Placement World History
Course Text and other Readings:
Main Text:
Stearns, Peter N. et al. World Civilizations: The Global Experience. 5th ed.
Primary Sources:
Andrea, Al and Overfield James. The Human Record: Sources of Global History. 4th ed. Vols.
1&2
Bentley and Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters, 5th Ed.
Danzer, G. World History: An Atlas and Study Guide
From Document Based Questions released by the College Board
Various videos/clips from variety of sources.
Secondary Sources
Wood, Ethel. AP World History: An Essential Coursebook
Outside readings and Resources used in the Course.
I. Course Description
Advanced Placement World History is designed to prepare students for intermediate and advanced
college courses by making demands similar to those of a full-year college survey course. AP World
History develops a greater understanding of global processes, encounters, and interactions that have
shaped human history since 8000 BCE. Daily activities focus on the mastery of a selective body factual
knowledge and the development of analytical skills required of advanced college students. Critical
reading and writing skills are developed through the evaluation of primary and secondary sources, oral
presentations, short essays, and research assignments.
AP World History will extensively use what the AP College Board calls Habit of Mind, (I’ll be calling
them Skills)
1. Constructing and Evaluating
2. Using Documents and Primary Data
3. Assessing Issues of Continuity and Change
4. Understanding Interpretations (context, point of view, references)
5. Seeing Global Patterns and Processes
6. Comparing Societies (local, national, global)
7. Awareness of human commonalities and differences
II. Course Objectives
1. Master a broad body of historical knowledge
2. Demonstrate an understanding of historical chronology
3. Use historical data to support an argument or position
4. Interpret and apply data from original documents
5. Effectively use analytical skills of evaluation, comparing and contrasting, and determining
cause and effect
6. Work effectively with others
7. Prepare for the Advanced Placement Exam
III. AP Exam
The May, AP ® Exam is divided into two sections: Multiple Choice and Essay Question
Section I- AP World History Exam is 70 multiple choice questions answered in 55 minutes.
Section II- AP World History Exam is 3 essay questions answered in 2 hours.
AP exams are scores range from 5 to 1:
5- Extremely well qualified
4- Well qualified
3- Qualified
2- Possibly qualified
1- No Recommendation
* Most Colleges will give credit for scores of 3 or higher. However each college has different requirements.
IV. Six AP World History Themes
Students in this course must learn to view history thematically. The AP World Course is
organized around 6 overarching themes that serve as unifying threads throughout the course, helping
students to relate what is particular about each time period or society to a “big picture” of history. The
themes also provide a way to organize comparisons and analyze change and continuity over time.
Virtually all study of history in this class will be tied back to the following themes.
THEME 1- Continuity and Change over Time (CCOT)
THEME 2- Interactions of Cultures
• Demography and disease
• Migration
• Patterns of settlement
• Technology
THEME 3- Effects of Technology Economics, and Demographics
• Agricultural and pastoral production
• Trade and Commerce
• Labor Systems
• Industrialization
• Capitalism and socialism
THEME 4- Social and Gender Structure
• Gender roles and relations
• Family and kinship
• Racial and ethnic constructions
• Social and economic classes
THEME 5- Culture, Intellectual Development and Belief System
• Religions
• Belief system, philosophies, and ideologies
• Science and technology
• The arts and architecture
THEME 6- Political Identity, Institutions and Organizations
• Political structures and forms of governance
• Empires
• Nations and nationalism
• Revolts and revolutions
• Regional, trans-regional, and global structures and organizations
V. Areas of Study
The course is divided into the following five time periods, and students will consider the themes during
each time period.
1. Foundations: 8000 B.C.E.- 600 B.C.E.
2. The Ancient and Classical World 600 B.C.E.-600 C.E.
3. The Postclasssical World: 600-1450 C.E.
4. The Early Modern World: 1450-1760
5. The Industrial Age: 1760-1900
5. The 20th Century: 1900-Present
6. Review
(Note: Timeline is aprrox.)
(1 Week)
(4 Weeks)
(6 Weeks)
(6 Weeks)
(4 Weeks)
(6 Weeks)
(3-4 Weeks)