AP WORLD HISTORY SYLLABUS

PRIMARY TEXT

Sterns, Peter N. and Adas, Michael. World Civilizations: The Global Experience. 4. USA: Pearson, 2003.

INSTRUCTOR

Cary Vipond- Social Science Department Chair-Loudoun County High School

LONG RANGE UNIT PLAN (Approximately 2-3 days per chapter)

UNITCHAPTERSMONTHSWEEKSBLOCKS

c. 8000 BCE-600 CE1-2late August to September510

600 to 14003,4,5October to November618

1450-17506-22November to January717

1750-191423-27January-February711

1913 to Present28-36March to May813

Review1-36May11

Geography/Projectmid May to early June513

B.C.E. Before Common Era (corresponds with Before Christ)C.E. Common Era (corresponds with Anno Domini)

THEMES

  1. The dynamics of change and continuity across the world history periods covered in this course, and the causes and processes involved in major changes of these dynamics.
  2. Patterns and effects of interaction and societies and regions: trade, war, diplomacy, and international organizations.
  3. The effects of technology, economics, and demography on people and the environment (population growth and decline, disease, labor systems, manufacturing, migrations, agriculture, weaponry.)
  4. Systems of social structure and gender structure and gender structure (comparing major features within and among societies, and assessing change and continuity.)
  5. Cultural, intellectual, and religious developments, including interactions among and within societies.
  6. Changes in functions and structures of states and in attitudes towards states and political identities (political culture,) including the emergence of the nation-state (types of political organization.)

UNIT PERIODIZATION

UNIT 1: Foundations: 8000 B.C.E to 600 C.E

  • Read, take notes, and discuss chapters 1-2 (Neolithic Revolution, Ancient and Classical Civilizations)
  • Emergence of civilization and the importance of religion
  • River Valley Civilization comparison essay
  • Nature and decline of Classical Civilizations
  • Document analysis (APPARTS)
  • Legacies of River Valley and Classical civilizations
  • Unit test (50-70 multiple choice questions with 5 choices)

UNIT 2: 600 to 1450 C.E.

  • Read, take notes, and discuss chapters 3-5 (Islam, Africa, Asia)
  • Spread of Islam and impact
  • Compare political units, trading cities, trade routes, warrior cultures, and arts and sciences
  • Document analysis (APPARTS)
  • Comparison essay- political units, trading cities, trade routes, warrior cultures, and arts and sciences
  • Achievements of Chinese civilizations
  • Impact of Mongols on China, Russia, Islamic world
  • Feudal Europe and Feudal Japan
  • Christendom
  • Comparison essay- Influence of Mongol rule in China, Russia, Islamic world
  • Comparison essay- Feudalism
  • Comparison essay- American civilizations
  • Unit test (50-70 multiple choice questions with 5 choices)

UNIT 3: 1450 to 1750 C.E.

  • Read, take notes, and discuss chapters 6-22 (Gunpowder empires-rise of the west, Americas, Asia, Africa)
  • Renaissance, Reformation, and exploration
  • Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment, absolutism
  • Document analysis (APPARTS)
  • Columbian Exchange, Triangular Trade, and Slavery
  • Change Over Time Essay- Atlantic Slave Trade 1400-1750
  • MIDTERM EXAM (All material covered will be tested)
  • Unit test (50-70 multiple choice questions with 5 choices)

UNIT 4: 1750 to 1914 C.E.

  • Read, take notes, and discuss chapters 23-27 (Mercantilism, Industrialization, Imperialism, Nationalism, revolution)
  • Industrial Revolution and its impact
  • Economic theory (Capitalism and Socialism/Communism)
  • American Revolution
  • French Revolution and Napoleon
  • Latin American Revolutions
  • Document analysis (APPARTS)
  • Imperialism and its impact
  • Comparison essay- China and Japan’s reaction to European Imperialism
  • SPRING BREAK- AP free response exam at home
  • Unit test (50-70 multiple choice questions)

UNIT 5: 1914 TO Present

  • Read, take notes, and discuss chapters 28-36 (World Wars, Cold War, Africa, rise of the rest)
  • WWI
  • Russian Revolution
  • Global Depression
  • Document analysis (APPARTS)
  • WWII
  • Holocaust and Genocide
  • African/Asian independence movements
  • Document analysis (APPARTS)
  • Change Over Time Essay
  • Cold War (Africa, Asia)
  • Globalization
  • Unit test (50-70 multiple choice questions)

RIGOROUS HISTORY COURSE HABITS OF MIND

  • Constructing and evaluating arguments: using evidence to make plausible arguments.
  • Using documents and other primary data: developing the skills necessary to analyze point of view, context, and bias, and to understand and interpret information.
  • Assessing issues of change and continuity over time, including the capacity to deal with questions of causation.
  • Understanding diversity of interpretations through analysis of context, point of view, and frame of reference.

WORLD HISTORY HABITS OF MIND

  • Seeing global patterns and processes over time and space while also connecting local developments to global ones and moving through levels of generalizations from the global to the particular.
  • Comparing within and among societies, including comparing societies’ reactions to global processes.
  • Being aware of human commonalities and differences while assessing claims of universal standards, and understanding culturally diverse ideas and values in historical context.

THE EXAMINATION

QUESTION TYPE# OF QUESTIONSTIMING% OF EXAM

Multiple Choice7055 Minutes 50%

DBQ160 Minutes1/3

COT Essay140 Minutes1/3 50%

Comparative Essay140 Minutes1/3

130 Minutes for the free response portion . You have to time yourself_____

AP WORLD HISTORY COURSE DESCRIPTION GUIDE

The Acorn Book provides the content to be mastered for the multiple choice section as well as the rubrics for the three essays. You may order the Course Description from AP Central or print it out from the website.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

This is a college level class and we will be moving at a quick pace. You are responsible for doing A GREAT DEAL OF WORK outside of class. Your score on the AP test will in the end, be determined by your efforts.

It is expected that every student arrive to class on time. Each student will have all of the necessary materials that are needed for the day’s assignment (blue-black-red-green pen, pencils, notebook, and text) are required every day. Each student will be expected to remain seated and participate when asked. Disruption, such as inappropriate behavior and language, will not be tolerated in the classroom. I am committed to providing an excellent learning environment in my classroom, and I will discourage interruptions.

GRADING

Your grade in this class reflects the total effort you give to the subject of Advance Placement World History. I feel it is important that you give at least as much effort toward homework assignments, research projects, and oral participation as you do in studying for tests.

  • Homework- 25%
  • Tests- 25%
  • Writing- 25%
  • Quiz- 25%

Unit exams are given at the end of each unit. They are comprised of 50-70 multiple choice questions with 5 choices (A-E). Students will have one class period to complete the test or roughly 80 minutes. Exams can also come in the form of Essays that are timed just as they would be during the AP exam. The timed essay must also be completed during class. Mid-term and final examinations are given at the end of the first and second semesters. The examinations count 20% of the second semester grade. The grade for the year (final grade) is the average of the first and second semester grade.

LATE WORK

Late assignments will be docked 25 points per day late.

AP REVIEW SESSIONS

Five weeks prior to the AP World History Exam, I will hold morning review sessions focus on the major comparisons and snapshots listed in the Acorn book. Each week focuses on a different unit or periodization.