Introductory Letter for AP World History Students – 2014/2015 School Year

Welcome to Advance Placement World History, or WHAP, is affectionately described by many of its students across the country. AP World History is often the first AP-level class that is taken at YES Prep and the first AP-level Social Studies class taken across the country.

I am looking forward to an incredibly productive and successful year, as we begin to more formally prepare students at YES Prep for college work. It is not simply about being accepted at a four-year college or university: it is about being ready to succeed at that next level. In particular, AP World History is designed to prepare students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands similar to those of full-year college survey courses. This class culminates with the AP World History exam in May 2014.

This course is going to be the hardest class you will have ever taken at YES Prep, but I am confident that you can meet these expectations.The course will also be unique in that students at YES Prep Southwest and Brays Oaks will be taking the course together, working on the same material on the same day, and often working on projects together.

For this summer, you will have a variety of summer assignments designed to test your skill and work ethic. I expect them to be completed and done to the best of your ability. If they are not completed or if they done with poor effort, you will be asked to leave the class.

A description of the summer assignments is included in the following pages and can also be found in the course website. The due dates are as follows:

Summer Assignment #1 – June 30th

Summer Assignment #2 – July 21st

Summer Assignment #3 – August 14th

Assignment #1 and #2 are to be completed on our course website, which can be found on Schoology, a course management system. We will be using this website this summer and throughout the year. To register, please go to Click on the sign-up button as a student. Your access code for the course is: 2DGZJ-TR2XD

In conclusion, I’m very excited about this opportunity and our time together. You have a lot of work to do and this summer is going to be very challenging. However, I believe that you are more than capable of fulfilling it and all other responsibilities to this class.

AP World History Assignment #1: Thematic Overview of World History

AP World History is a broad and impressive survey course of the history of the human species, beginning from our origins as Hunter-Gatherers and ending with the birth of the Internet and its effects on global culture. Thus, it becomes important not only to be able to know the factual details of the Byzantine Empire’s relationship with Kievan Rus or the spread of the Islamic diaspora, but to engage with the broader narrative and themes that make up world history.

For students to be successful in AP World History, they must begin to think of history from a thematic background. Your principal text for this assignment, David Christian’s This Fleeting World, was written from the perspective of “Big History”, which seeks to put human beings within the wider context of the universe. His book is a brief overview of human history, focusing his attention on our foundational years and carrying through important themes throughout this history.

The AP World History curriculum has organized their course based on certain key themes in the study of World History. Those are:

  1. Interaction Between Humans and the Environment
  2. Development and Interaction of Culture
  3. State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict
  4. Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
  5. Development and Transformation of Social Structures

For further explanation of these themes, please refer to pages 17-20 of the AP World History course description.

Your first assignment is dedicated to an exploration of these themes through the usage of This Fleeting World.

Instructions:

  1. Read This Fleeting World. It is available on the course website or can be purchased from any online bookstore.
  2. Identify at least three examples from each theme throughout the book and explain why they are important examples of this theme.
  3. Write a 2-3 page essay on the following prompt: Which of the themes is the most important in World History and why?

For Instruction #2, feel free to represent your answer in whatever way is most appropriate. If this means a simple word document with explanations, a powerpoint or a video, please feel free to do so. The rubric for this assignment is not based on your creativity but on your analysis.

For Instruction #3, the essay is a standard essay with an argumentative thesis, paragraphs with evidence and a conclusion. Structure will not be valued as much as clarity and argument.

AP World History Assignment #2: Jared Diamond and the Neolithic Revolution

The Neolithic Revolution is considered one of the seminal events in the history of the human species. In a period of several thousand years, humans went from a largely migratory species to an increasingly sedentary and agricultural society. Historians have often remarked on the vital importance and positive nature of this change, as it led to the development of cities, civilization, and internet memes.

However, some historians and thinkers do not agree that this was a positive development. In fact, many argue that the Neolithic Revolution was horrendous turning point in the history of the human species.

Jared Diamond is such a thinker. In his infamous article The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race, Diamond argues that not only was the Neolithic Revolution not positive, but it has led to all the evils that exist in the world today.

Your task is as follows.

  1. Read Jared Diamond’s The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race
  2. In the Discussions section of the course website, there is an opportunity to answer two of the following question (question #1 being mandatory):

Question #1: What are Jared Diamond’s two most persuasive statements? Why?

Question #2: Many critics of Jared Diamond argue that he has had plenty of opportunity to join a hunter-gatherer society and he has refused to. Should it influence our opinion of his argument if he is not willing to live with the consequences of it?

Question #3: What should human beings and human societies want from their existence?

Student responses should be between 125-150 words each and can be either directed at the question of the discussion or at other student responses.

AP World History Assignment #3: Why Study History

You are taking an AP History class and yet, I feel that very rarely in your career have you had the opportunity to grapple with the reality of learning history. Thus, I have a collection of five essays from prominent historians or historical groups from the last 30 years discussing the purpose of history.

  1. Bentley, Jerry – Why Study History
  2. McNeill, William – Why Study History
  3. Schlabach, Gerald – A Sense of History
  4. Stearns, Peter – Why Study History
  5. University of North Carolina – Why Study History

Your assignment:

  1. Read two of the essays. You may choose whichever.
  2. Take notes and be ready to engage in a class discussion on the following material:
  3. What is the author’s view of history? What evidence is used?
  4. What are the differences and similarities between the two authors?
  5. What should be the purpose of history?
  6. Do you believe history has relevancy in your life?