Advanced Placement European History Syllabus
"To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child."
CICERO
"To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child."
CICERO
COURSE DESIGN:
AP European History is a challenging course designed to be the equivalent of a freshman college Western Civilization survey course. The course begins with the Renaissance and goes up to the present day. All areas of history are covered, including social, political, economic, intellectual, cultural, and art history. Students should possess strong reading and writing skills and be willing to devote substantial time to study and the completion of class assignments. Emphasis is placed on analytical writing, class discussion, use of primary sources, and critical reading. Students engage in a variety of activities, such as debates, projects, simulations and group projects.
Any AP class requires hard work and a commitment to intellectual growth. All students are strongly encouraged to dedicate themselves to the goals of AP European History and to take the AP Exam at the end of the year. I hope that you will be rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and the belief that even a rigorous class can be enjoyable.
COURSE THEMES: These themes will recur in different contexts throughout the year. You will find it helpful to memorize them. Use them to organize your thinking and refer to them either directly or indirectly in your writing and in discussion.
1. The growth of power of the state and competition among nation-states.
2. Individualism as a force for progress and its conflict with the demands of society.
3. The impact of economic and technological innovation on the standard of living and traditional ways of life.
4. The struggle by women, workers, peasants, and ethnic minorities for emancipation and power.
5. The dynamism and destructiveness resulting from Europe’s quest for mastery of its natural and human environment.
COURSE FORMAT:
This course is taught as a seminar, which means each student is expected to play a role in the learning process with discussion and debates of the ideas, role playing and presentations of the class for reviews. In the course of the semester each student is responsible for guiding a class session over an assigned problem and/or concept.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course will heighten students’ ability to see relationships and distinctions in European political, social, intellectual, and economic history. The study of history goes far beyond the covering of the material. The study of history is about developing critical skills that will serve the students well in college as lifelong learners. Objectively, this course will help students improve on the following skills:
1. time management, organization, and study skills
2. critical reading of primary and secondary sources
3. constructing and evaluating historical interpretations
4. essay writing and oral communication
5. cause and effect relationships
6. comparative analysis
7. making historical analogies
8. inductive and deductive reasoning
TEXT: Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization, Fifth Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003.
STUDY GUIDE: Baker, James T.,Western Civilization Study Guide, Vol. II – Fifth Edition. Thomson-Wadsworth 2003.
RESOURCES:
World History in Caricature and Cartoons – Mind Sparkes 1996
1. The Beginning of the Global Age (1500-1750)
2. Age of Revolutions (1750-1900)
3. The Twentieth Century
Master the AP European History Test, 5th Edition. Barber, Nathan. Thomson-Arco 2003.
VIDEOS:
Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, the Renaissance- BBC Video 1996.
The Return of Martin Guerre – Fox Lorber, 1998.
The Day the Universe Changed. Churchill Media, 1986
1. Printing Transforms the World
2. The Factory and the Marketplace Revolution
3. Darwin’s Revolution
4. The Fall of Communism- 1990 ABCNEWS
REQUIREMENTS
1. Completion of reading assignments as scheduled and definitely before each test.
2. http://[email protected]
Tests, Term essays, = 50%
Quizzes, DBQs, = 30%
Notebook, assignments = 20%
SEMESTER GRADE CALCULATION
First nine weeks – 40%
Second nine weeks – 40%
Semester exam grade – 20%
SUPPLIES:
2" Binder
College lined notebook paper
4 divider pages - Chapters, Tests and Quizzes, Resources
2 highlighters
TESTS AND QUIZZES:
Each quarter students will take two to three tests covering material from textbooks, discussions, lectures and readings. Tests will include multiple choice and essay questions. Essay questions will be assigned at the start of each unit of study. I will provide students with three essay questions to prepare; only one will be on the Test. Short quizzes are a measure of students’ understanding of the reading.
First semester DBQs are given as take home assignments in order to allow more time for analysis and practice. DBQ training continues until I feel students understand and have mastered the concept of historical and analytical writing.
Second semester DBQs are written in class and reflect a 30% grade.
AP European History is a challenging course designed to be the equivalent of a freshman college Western Civilization survey course. The course begins with the Renaissance and goes up to the present day. All areas of history are covered, including social, political, economic, intellectual, cultural, and art history. Students should possess strong reading and writing skills and be willing to devote substantial time to study and the completion of class assignments. Emphasis is placed on analytical writing, class discussion, use of primary sources, and critical reading. Students engage in a variety of activities, such as debates, projects, simulations and group projects.
Any AP class requires hard work and a commitment to intellectual growth. All students are strongly encouraged to dedicate themselves to the goals of AP European History and to take the AP Exam at the end of the year. I hope that you will be rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and the belief that even a rigorous class can be enjoyable.
COURSE THEMES: These themes will recur in different contexts throughout the year. You will find it helpful to memorize them. Use them to organize your thinking and refer to them either directly or indirectly in your writing and in discussion.
1. The growth of power of the state and competition among nation-states.
2. Individualism as a force for progress and its conflict with the demands of society.
3. The impact of economic and technological innovation on the standard of living and traditional ways of life.
4. The struggle by women, workers, peasants, and ethnic minorities for emancipation and power.
5. The dynamism and destructiveness resulting from Europe’s quest for mastery of its natural and human environment.
COURSE FORMAT:
This course is taught as a seminar, which means each student is expected to play a role in the learning process with discussion and debates of the ideas, role playing and presentations of the class for reviews. In the course of the semester each student is responsible for guiding a class session over an assigned problem and/or concept.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course will heighten students’ ability to see relationships and distinctions in European political, social, intellectual, and economic history. The study of history goes far beyond the covering of the material. The study of history is about developing critical skills that will serve the students well in college as lifelong learners. Objectively, this course will help students improve on the following skills:
1. time management, organization, and study skills
2. critical reading of primary and secondary sources
3. constructing and evaluating historical interpretations
4. essay writing and oral communication
5. cause and effect relationships
6. comparative analysis
7. making historical analogies
8. inductive and deductive reasoning
TEXT: Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization, Fifth Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003.
STUDY GUIDE: Baker, James T.,Western Civilization Study Guide, Vol. II – Fifth Edition. Thomson-Wadsworth 2003.
RESOURCES:
World History in Caricature and Cartoons – Mind Sparkes 1996
1. The Beginning of the Global Age (1500-1750)
2. Age of Revolutions (1750-1900)
3. The Twentieth Century
Master the AP European History Test, 5th Edition. Barber, Nathan. Thomson-Arco 2003.
VIDEOS:
Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, the Renaissance- BBC Video 1996.
The Return of Martin Guerre – Fox Lorber, 1998.
The Day the Universe Changed. Churchill Media, 1986
1. Printing Transforms the World
2. The Factory and the Marketplace Revolution
3. Darwin’s Revolution
4. The Fall of Communism- 1990 ABCNEWS
REQUIREMENTS
1. Completion of reading assignments as scheduled and definitely before each test.
2. http://[email protected]
Tests, Term essays, = 50%
Quizzes, DBQs, = 30%
Notebook, assignments = 20%
SEMESTER GRADE CALCULATION
First nine weeks – 40%
Second nine weeks – 40%
Semester exam grade – 20%
SUPPLIES:
2" Binder
College lined notebook paper
4 divider pages - Chapters, Tests and Quizzes, Resources
2 highlighters
TESTS AND QUIZZES:
Each quarter students will take two to three tests covering material from textbooks, discussions, lectures and readings. Tests will include multiple choice and essay questions. Essay questions will be assigned at the start of each unit of study. I will provide students with three essay questions to prepare; only one will be on the Test. Short quizzes are a measure of students’ understanding of the reading.
First semester DBQs are given as take home assignments in order to allow more time for analysis and practice. DBQ training continues until I feel students understand and have mastered the concept of historical and analytical writing.
Second semester DBQs are written in class and reflect a 30% grade.
