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THE BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT
ADVANCED PLACEMENT WORLD HISTORY
MS. STEIKER: ROOM 301
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to the first half of Advanced Placement World History (APWH). The course focuses on the first four period
of the AP World curriculum, stretching from the prehistoric Paleolithic through the year 1750. In the second year of
the course, you will take the Advanced Placement World History Exam and the Global History Regents. The
successful completion of this course is a graduation requirement.
RELATING KNOWLEDGE TO THE “THEMES” OF WORLD HISTORY: The course is organized to connect
factual knowledge to six overarching themes:
(1) State building, expansion, and conflict
 political structures and forms of government
 empires
 nations and nationalism
 revolts, revolution, wars
 regional, trans-regional, and global structures and organizations
(2) Place and People
 geographic regions, including those that transcend political boundaries
 effects of geography on way of life
 significant historical actors
(3) Interaction between humans and the environment
 causes of demographic change, including disease and migration
 patterns of settlement, and its effects
 technology’s impact on the environment
 migration
(4) Cultural development and interaction
 religions and belief systems
 philosophies and ideologies
 science and technology
 arts and architecture
(5) Economic systems’ creation, expansion and interaction
 agricultural and pastoral production
 trade and commerce; market systems
 labor systems
 industrialization
 capitalism and socialism
(6) Social structure: development and transformation
 gender roles and relations
 racial and ethnic constructions
 social and economic classes
 family and kinship relations
SKILLS: The AP World History course teaches a number of skills, some relevant to any history course, others to a
world history course specifically. You will develop the skills necessary to:
 Construct and evaluate arguments, using evidence to make plausible arguments
 Understand and interpret information in both primary and secondary sources
 Analyze point of view and context; distinguish reasons for differing interpretation of events
 Assess continuity and change over time and through different world regions
 Compare within and among societies; consider human commonalities and difference
 See global patterns and processes and connect local developments to global ones
COURSE OF STUDY:
Fall Semester
Unit I:
From Paleolithic Era to the Neolithic Revolution
Unit II:
From Village Agriculture Society to Early Civilizations
Unit III:
The Axial Age: The Development of Ethical Belief Systems and Religions
Unit IV:
Comparing Classical Civilizations: States and Empires
Unit V:
The Spread of Universal Religions and Trans-regional Trade
Spring Semester
Unit I:
The Era of “Southernization” 600-1450: Islam, China, India
Unit II:
The Peripheries in the Era of Southernization: Americas, Africa, Europe
Unit III:
Encounters in the 1st Era of Globalization
Unit IV:
Creating a “World Economy”: Social, Cultural and Economic Effects of Globalization
Unit V:
Early Modern States: “Absolutism”
GRADES:
Exams
Homework/Essays
Research Projects
Class Participation
Mid Year Exam/Final
40%
20%
20%
10%
10%
Exams: Multiple choice and essay exams will be given throughout the semester.
Homework/Essays: Homework readings and assignments are an integral part of the daily class work. At the
beginning of each unit, you will receive a review sheet, with vocabulary that should be integrated in all the related
homework and essay assignments. You are expected to read the textbook and take notes – outline. Late homework
will not be accepted. I cannot restate this point too often – timely completion of assignments is essential for
mastery of this subject.
Projects: You will be assigned a major piece of research and writing in each semester. Projects may contain both a
visual and written component.
Participation: It is important that all students are actively engaged in class discussions. A well-rounded student must
be able to engage in meaningful dialogue on complex issues. In addition, class participation is the place where I can
make clear any of your questions, misinterpretations or misunderstandings of history. If you choose to sit quietly
without engaging in class discussion, your grade will suffer.
10th PERIOD – OFFICE HOURS: While classes end at 2:56, I am in the building until at least 3:42. If you have
questions or if you need help, this is when I am most easily available – room 301. If you are struggling in the course,
you may be re-programmed for mandatory attendance once a week during this period (SGI).
ABSENCE: If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. If you miss an exam, it is your
obligation to schedule a make-up exam immediately upon your return. You may not take a make-up during your class
period. This is your responsibility; it is not my job to chase you down.
PLAGIARISM and CHEATING: Your work is your work; not your neighbor’s, not your friend’s, not your
brother’s, not your sister’s, not the textbook’s, not the internet’s. Copying someone else’s work is cheating. Providing
your work for someone else to copy is cheating. Using someone else’s work without citing it is cheating. All
plagiarized work or cheating (such as on tests) receives an automatic “0.” First time plagiarism and cheating
will be referred to the Dean’s Office. Second time plagiarism and cheating will result in removal from the class
and transfer to Regents Global History. All school-wide policies continue to apply.
SUPPLIES: All students must use a 3 ring binder 1 ½ to 2 inches wide (no exceptions) for the year – you will be
asked to show your notebook at any given time. Spiral notebooks will not be tolerated. Each binder will have two
sections: 1) for review sheets, correspondence, etc., and 2) all notes, handouts and homeworks associated with notes,
all in chronological order as covered in class.