AP World History

Instructor: Jeff Donnelly

Curriculum Map, Class Page, Course Guidelines

AP World History builds upon the foundation laid in 9th grade World History (8000 BC-1450 CE). Students begin with a review of major themes in world history up to 1450 CE. Students look for similarities and differences in ancient, classical, and medieval societies. This course is designed to be in alignment with AP World History guidelines and should help prepare students for this AP test in May.

Students then learn about the European age of exploration and the division of the world into European spheres of influence. They study the interactions between Europeans and the peoples of Latin America, Africa, and Asia and discuss the problems encountered in these diverse societies.

We then turn our attention to the age of revolution in Europe and the rise of industrialism in the West. Students determine how the industrial revolution impacted different areas of the world. The emphasis is on understanding the complexities of the world economy and the competition for limited resources. Russia and Japan serve as models of industrialization and nation-building outside of Western Europe.

Finally, students study the major world conflicts of the 20th century from the non-European perspective. They investigate the role of these conflicts in ending colonial influence and creating greater local autonomy. We compare and contrast areas that were successful in nation-building and others that remained in turmoil. This leads to a final unit on the rise to globalism and the complex world that we live in today. In a culminating project, students will be asked to draw upon their knowledge of world history to propose solutions to modern day problems.

Students will be asked to consider the following questions:

• How do individuals change the world? How does the world change individuals?
• Can the same ends be met with different means?
• Can people ever be objective or does our place in the world inherently bias us?
• How have geography and natural resources shaped history?