Advanced Placement World History – Course Syllabus
Advanced Placement World History Modern – Course Syllabus
The Durham School of the Arts
Contact Information
Ms Rachal Staring, Instructor
Phone: 919-560-3926 ext 23215
Email: Rachal.Staring@
Course Description
In Advanced Placement World History Modern students will develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes, human encounters and interactions that have shaped human societies since 1200 C.E. The course examines the nature of changes in a global framework and the causes and consequences of these changes. There are also extensive comparisons made among major societies. The course focuses heavily on Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; however, interactions and encounters with Europe and North America are explored as well. The basic organizing principle of the course is chronological, with nine periods explored thematically.
This course will require extensive effort by each student outside the classroom. AP World History Modern is equivalent to a college-level history survey course. Daily activities focus on the mastery of a selective body of factual knowledge and the development of analytical skills required of advanced college students. Students are assigned a college-level text and numerous primary and secondary sources to be read and analyzed. Critical writing skills are developed through oral presentations, short essays and research assignments. All students are required to take the AP World History Examination in May.
Course Themes
The study of history involves having knowledge of the past well enough to understand the present and for seeing a path to a possible future. In order to formulate questions about history students must study evidence to seek answers, and then construct an argument to answer the questions. The AP World History Modern course is framed by six overarching themes, which provide a context from which to formulate these questions.
1. HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The environment shapes human societies, and as populations grow and change, these populations in turn shape their environments.
2. CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS AND INTERACTIONS
The development of ideas, beliefs, and religions illustrates how groups in society view themselves, and the interactions of societies and their beliefs often have political, social, and cultural implications.
3. GOVERNANCE
A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes.
4. ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
As societies develop, they affect and are affected by the ways that they produce, exchange, and consume goods and services.
5. SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND ORGANIZATION
The process by which societies group their members and the norms that govern the interactions between these groups and between individuals influence political, economic, and cultural institutions and organization.
6. TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Human adaptation and innovation have resulted in increased efficiency, comfort, and security, and technological advances have shaped human development and interactions with both intended and unintended consequences.
Historical Thinking Skills
1. Constructing Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence
2. Historical Causation. Analyze relationships between historical events examining cause and effect.
3. Compare historical events and contextualize events (place events and processes into a broader context, either regional, national, or global.
4. Interpretation and Synthesis. Students should be able to evaluate various historical sources and identify context, point of view and frame of reference of a given source. Students will then gather information from multiple academic disciplines and understand the narrative or essential questions to be drawn from the historical data, perspectives and arguments.
5. Daily students will analyze a wide variety of primary sources, including but limited to documentary material, maps, statistical tables, works of art and pictures. Students will become experts the practice of thinking like a historian.
Course Overview -AP World History Modern is organized around nine chronological units approached in a thematic way.
1. Unit 1: The Global Tapestry (c.1200 c.e. – c.1450 c.e.)
8-10% of the AP exam
This period consists of the political and economic systems of Chinese Dynasties, specifically the Tang and the Song, and their interactions with the rest of East Asia and South Asia. We will also learn about Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Then we move to the Middle East to learn about the growth of the Islamic caliphates, and the impact of those empires on the world in terms of cultural developments, trade, and innovations. Next up is the Americas and the pre-Columbian empires of the Aztecs and the Inca. We will also learn about state-building in Africa and Europe.
2. Unit 2: Networks of Exchange (c.1200 – c.1450)
8-10% of the AP exam
This period consists of learning about the Silk Roads and the interactions of societies that were linked by them. Then we learn about the Mongols and their impact on the world. Trade is a big theme for this unit, and we look at exchange in the Indian Ocean and the Trans-Saharan trade routes. We will study the consequences, especially environmental consequences, of the connectivity during this time period.
3. Unit 3: Land-Based Empires (c.1450 – c.1750)
12-15% of the AP exam
This period consists of the study of several empires, how they expanded, what their administration was like, and the role that belief systems played in the empires. We will learn about the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman empires first, then the Songhai Empire in Africa, the monarchies in Europe, and the Ming Dynasty in China. We will compare and contrast all these empires extensively.
4. Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections (c.1450 – c.1750)
12-15% of the AP exam
This period consists of the technological innovations from 1450 to 1750, European and Asian exploration in terms of the causes and effects, the Columbian Exchange, and the establishment of maritime empires. We will study the changing economic and labor systems in the world at this time, with a focus on the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. State power is consolidated around the world at this time, and we will learn about the various challenges to that consolidation of power, especially in South America. We will look at the changing social systems around the world as well, focusing on Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
5. Unit 5: Revolutions (c.1750 – c.1900)
12-15% of the AP exam
This period consists of the Enlightenment, nationalist revolutions, the beginning and spread of the Industrial Revolution, the new technology and government systems that developed because of industrialization, and how it affected social classes.
6. Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization (c.1750 – c.1900)
12-15% of the AP exam
This period consists of the rationales for imperialism in Africa and Asia, state expansion around the world, indigenous responses to state expansion, global economic interactions and changes, economic imperialism, and migration.
7. Unit 7: Global Conflict (c.1900 – present)
8-10% of the AP exam
This period consists of the causes of WWI, the war itself, the interwar years, causes of WWII, conducting the war, mass atrocities after 1900, and the causes of global conflicts.
8. Unit 8: The Cold War and Decolonization (c.1900 – present)
8-10% of the AP exam
This period consists of setting the stage for the Cold War and decolonization, the Cold War and its effects, the spread of communism, decolonization, newly independent states, global resistance to established power structures, and the end of the Cold War.
9. Unit 9: Globalization (c.1900 – present)
8-10% of the AP exam
This period consists of advances in technology, the spread of diseases, debates about the environment, global economics and culture, and resistance to globalization.
Course Assignments
Grades
1. Unit Examinations and Chapter Tests – 35%
• There will be 9 unit examinations
• There will be 1-2 mid-unit examinations for the longer units
• It is school policy that all students are required to take the AP National Exam each spring in whatever AP courses they are enrolled.
2. Essays – 30%
• Students will be required to master three specific skills: document analysis, comparative analysis, and change-over-time analysis.
• Essays written outside of class will be required on a quarterly basis. In-class essays will vary in frequency, though involve a timed writing addressing document-based questions, comparative analysis, and change-over-time prompts.
• Students must adhere to the common AP World History essay rubrics for essay formats and will be graded on a seven point scale
3. Quizzes – 10%
• There will both announced and unannounced quizzes
• Be sure to bring your reading notes to class each day as you will be permitted to use notes on unannounced quizzes.
4. Projects – 10%
• There is a minimum of one project each quarter. These projects include but are not limited to:
1. Summer Assignment
2. Historic Newspaper
3. Trial Reenactment
4. Facebook pages for important figures
5. Children’s Book
5. Homework/Classwork – 15%
• Generally consists of reading assignments checked periodically with short quizzes or short essays at the beginning of class. A typical night’s reading is about 8 pages from the textbook, which can take 1-2 hours to read and take notes on.
• Vocabulary Flashcards – (3X5 Index cards advised) will be assigned by the chapter and require students to write out detailed definitions including the significance and time period of key terms. The flashcards for each chapter are due on the day of the test for that chapter (ex. Chapter 7,8,9 flashcards are due the day we take the test on chapters 7,8, and 9)
• Map assignments and document exercises complete the homework grade.
• Active class participation is not only expected, it crucial to fully understand the themes, comparisons, and perspectives in the body of the course.
Late Assignments
Failure to turn in any homework or classwork on the day that it is due will result in a “0” for that assignment. Failure to turn in any essays and projects on the day they are due will result in a letter grade deduction for every school day late, for one school week. After that week, the assignment receives a “0”.
Absences
Other than unannounced essays, quizzes, and other in-class work, all assignments are due on the announced date, no exceptions will be made, including for absences. Absent students are singularly responsible for making up all missed work within a timely manner. It is advisable that students meet with their instructor prior to an absence if possible, and immediately upon his/her return to discuss the nature of the absence.
Honor Code
Durham School of the Arts has a very specific honor code regarding a student work. All work must be original; students are not to share their work or the work of others unless instructed to do so by the teacher. Any violation of this honor code will result in a “0” for the assignment, referral to the honor code committee, and a mandatory parent/teacher/student conference must be held.
Grading Scale – Grades are based on the Durham Public Schools’ grading scale:
100 – 90 = A 89 – 80 = B 79 – 70 = C 69 – 60 = D Below 60 = F
Course Texts
Stearns, Peter N., et al. World Civilizations: The Global Experience. 7th ed. AP Edition. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2017.
In an AP class we go above and beyond the typical classroom requirements. Although this class is subject to all the same guidelines and procedures as others there is extra effort required of you to succeed. The list below reflects additional work that you will need to perform in this class.
1. You must do the reading. I realize that many of you are used to simply paying attention in class and doing well, because the teacher tells you what you have to know. Do not assume I will sort out the material for you. There will be questions on quizzes and tests that I will not have even mentioned in class. College classes require students to be independent learners.
2. You must be prepared to spend the time. Some of you will be able to do the reading and learn the material in 2 hours a week. Some of you may take twice that much time – or more. Success is measured by mastery of content. The only thing that will matter on the AP test at the end of the year is whether or not you learned enough to join the 50% who passed the test.
3. School involves hard choices. In the past you may have been able to be in plays and athletics and do well in school and have a social life. It is very unlikely you will be able to keep all those balls in the air once you begin to push yourself academically. Sacrifices will have to be made. You will probably be able to do 3 out of 4 of those things, not all 4.
4. Think. This class is not just about memorization. You must understand why something matters. The “what? “So what?” game is a very useful study tool. Always ask yourself “why?” Thinks don’t usually just happen randomly. There are cause and effect relationships. You must seek to understand those relationships.
5. Talk. Knowledge is most easily cemented and built upon by explaining it to someone else. Talking over the material, discussing it, arguing about it, cracking jokes at the expense of the past, or explaining it to your parents are all good ways to increase your own understanding. . Being willing to discuss what you know also builds community and ownership within the classroom.
6. You will need to go outside your comfort zone. You are a good student or you would not be reading this letter. That will not be enough. You may well have to come to the realization that what has worked in the past will no longer work. You may have to participate in class. You may have to ask for extra help. You may have to do things very differently.
7. Be proactive. Do not wait till you are failing the quarter to take action. The minute you find yourself in over your head, talk to me. I will be available before and after school. Seek me out. Get help.
8. Learn from your mistakes. You will make mistakes. You will get bad grades. Use them as a learning experience. Do not continue to make the same mistakes – see rule #6.
9. Learn to take responsibility for your successes or failures. If you get an A on a test, it is because you were prepared for the test and didn’t take shortcuts. If you fail a test, it is not because of me, it is because you. Figure out what happened and fix it before the next test. Talk to me about it.
10. From here on out until you finish your education, you get out of school exactly what you put in. Nothing in, nothing out. School is hard. It is supposed to be hard. Some lessons are harder than others. You have made the commitment to become a serious student. Good luck, but be aware it will take a great deal more than luck.
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