Advanced Placement World History Course Description & Philosophy AP World History focuses on developing students' abilities to think conceptually and critically about world history from approximately 600 B.C.E. to the present as well as apply historical thinking skills. The specific periods that students will explore in AP World History parallel the College Board s periodization guidelines: Period 1: Technological & Environmental Transformations (to 600 B.C.E.) Period 2: Organization & Reorganization of Human Societies (600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.) Period 3: Regional & Interregional Interactions (c. 600 to 1450 C.E.) Period 4: Global Interactions (c. 1450 to 1750 C.E.) Period 5: Industrialization & Global Integration (c. 1750 to 1914 C.E.) Period 6: Accelerating Global Change & Realignments (c. 1900 to the present) Within each period, key concepts organize and prioritize historical developments. Themes allow students to make connections and identify patterns and trends over time. Beginning with the 2017-2018 exam, these themes: Theme 1: Interaction Between Humans and the Environment; Theme 2: Development and Interaction of Cultures; Theme 3: State Building, Expansion, and Conflict; Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems; Theme 5: Development and Transformation of Social Structures. These themes provide areas of historical inquiry for investigation throughout the course. Another College Board requirement involves writing a DBQ, long essay and short answers utilizing the College Board s official Historical Thinking Skills The historical thinking skills provide opportunities for students to learn to think like historians, most notably to analyze evidence about the past and to create persuasive historical arguments. This course will focus on these practices, enabling us to create learning opportunities for students that emphasize the conceptual and interpretive nature of history. Students will be utilizing: (a) Chronological Reasoning, (b) Comparison and Contextualization, (c) Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence and (d) Historical Interpretation. Sources: Richard W. Bulliet, et al. The Earth & Its Peoples (3rd ed.) Mark Kishlansky. Sources of World History, Volume I & Volume II (5th eds.) Tom Standage. A History of the World in 6 Glasses. (Summer reading book used throughout course in each corresponding unit) Revised Summer 2017
Unit 1: Technological & Environmental Transformations (to 600 B.C.E.) Essential Questions: What are the changes and continuities from 8000 B.C.E. to 600 B.C.E.? What effect did the Neolithic Revolution have on social and gender structures? What changes in population and culture were brought about by migrations? What were the main emphases and the main changes in the foundations of organized religions? How does increased interaction and trade bring about economic, technological, demographic, and cultural changes? What economic transformations occurred before and after the Neolithic Revolution? What was the purpose of religion during this era? How did it develop? What were regional nuances? What were the environmental effects of the Neolithic Revolution? What were the social effects of the increased food supply caused by increase of agriculture? What technological innovations are associated with the growth of agriculture? What methods did rulers use to unify their populations? What forms of writing developed in ancient civilizations? How did social and gender identities develop pre-600 B.C.E.? Unit Objectives: Explain how different types of societies have adapted to and affected their environments. Explain how environmental factors, disease, and technology affected patterns of human migration and settlement over time. Explain how cross-cultural interactions resulted in the diffusion of culture, technologies, and scientific knowledge. Explain the causes and effects of economic strategies of different types of communities, states and empires. Explain how local, regional, and global economic systems and exchange networks have influenced and impacted each other over time. Explain how and why labor systems have developed and changed over time. Explain how distinctions based on kinship, ethnicity, class, gender, and race influenced the development and transformations of social hierarchies. Explain how the development of specialized labor systems interacted with the development of social hierarchies.
Unit 1 Topics Assessment Resources Peopling the Earth & Migration The Development of Kinship and Social Interaction Early Civilization: Asian & Near East, the Americas The Neolithic Revolution & Aspects of Civilization The development of government, labor systems and social stratification *Quizzes *Writing tasks that match AP format *HW Reading Checks *Student Discussions Textbook, primary sources, secondary resources Instructional Method Lecture, student discussion, debate Technology Integration PowerPoint Canvas Smart Board NJ Standards 6.2.12.D.2.a 6.2.12.D.2.a 6.2.12.A.2.b Suggested Resources Use textbook and selections from source book. Beer chapter from Tom Standage s A History of the World in 6 Glasses. 6.2.12.B.1.a 6.2.12.B.1.be 21 st Century Skills: After finishing the unit content, students will produce a Venn diagram comparing similarities and difference between early civilizations before 600 B.C.E. Differentiation: Evaluate whether the Neolithic Revolution was a necessity for world history to develop themes from the unit or whether the developments were actually independent.
Unit 2: Organization & Reorganization of Human Societies (600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.) Essential Questions: To what extent was the organization and reorganization of human societies between 600 B.C.E. and 600 C.E. the result of internal changes and external challenges, including environmental challenges? What are the changes and continuities from 600 BCE to 600 CE? How did existing belief systems evolve? What were the new belief systems in period two, and how did they affect their respective societies? How does increased interaction and trade bring about economic, technological, demographic, and cultural changes? What is a universal religion? Where did universal religions exist by 600 CE? How and where did Buddhism spread by 600 CE? How did religions affect gender roles in their respective societies? What is an empire, and what were empires common characteristics during the Classical Era? What role did trade play in creating and maintaining empires? What function did imperial cities perform? What technologies enabled long-distance overland and maritime trade? How did religions spread along trade networks, and how did the trade networks affect the religions? Unit Objectives: Explain how religions, belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies originated, developed, and spread as a result of expanding communication and exchange networks. Explain how religions, belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies affected political, economic, and social developments over time. Explain how and why internal and external political factors have influenced the process of state building, expansion, and dissolution. Evaluate the extent to which different ideologies, philosophies, and religions affected social hierarchies. Explain how social categories, roles, and practices have been maintained over time. Explain how environmental factors, disease, and technology affected patterns of human migration and settlement over time. Explain how and why different functions and institutions of governance have changed over time. Explain how and why economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors have influenced the processes of state building, expansion, and dissolution. Explain how societies with states and state-less societies interacted over time. Explain the political and economic interactions between states and non-state actors over time. Evaluate the extent to which migration, population, and urbanization affected the environment over time. Explain how different forms of governance have been constructed and maintained over time. Explain how and why different functions and institutions of governance have changed over time.
Unit 2 Topics The development of complex world religions: Vedic, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity The expansion of interaction (trade) and its impact: Aegean, Roman, Asian Assessment Resources Instructional Method *Quizzes Textbook, primary Lecture, student *Writing tasks that sources, secondary discussion, debate match AP format resources *HW Reading Checks *Student Discussions Technology Integration PowerPoint Canvas Smart Board The rise of Classical empires and aspects NJ Standards 6.2.12.D.2.b 6.2.12.D.2.e The transition following the end of Roma Empire and shift to Byzantium 6.2.12.B.2.a Suggested Resources Use textbook and selections from source book. Wine chapter from Tom Standage s A History of the World in 6 Glasses 21 st Century Skills: One of the themes of the unit was empire and annexation. Students will evaluate the merits of empire and (b) whether the collapse of world empires are always inevitable or are they sustainable under certain circumstances ( if so what are the circumstances?) Differentiation: Students will have a choice of either released DBQ essays pertaining to this unit in preparation for the May AP test.
Unit 3: Regional & Interregional Interactions (c. 600-1450 C.E.) Essential Questions: How did trans-eurasian trade as a whole develop during the post-classical era? What were the effect of migration in the post-classical era? What basic understandings of environment and technology did post-classical traders need to conduct their business? What were the environmental effects of migration in the post-classical era? What were the linguistic effects of migration in the post-classical era? How did trade networks as a whole develop in the post-classical era? Why and where did Muslim trade networks change in the post-classical era? What institutions did merchants create to foster both trade and cultural diffusion in the post-classical era? How well did post-classical societies know and understand each other? How did post-classical trade affect the diffusion of literary, artistic, and cultural traditions? How did post-classical trade affect the diffusion of scientific and technological traditions? What were the biological effects of post-classical trade? What new foods, crops, and agricultural practices diffused in the post-classical era? What diseases and pathogens also spread via post-classical trade networks? Unit Objectives: Evaluate the impact of Islam on world history during this era Evaluate the extent to which migration, population,and urbanization affected the environment over time. Explain how cross cultural interactions resulted in the diffusion of culture, technologies, and scientific knowledge. Explain how and why economic, social, cultural, and geographical factors have influenced the processes of state building, expansion, and dissolution. Explain how distinctions based on kinship, ethnicity, class, gender, and race influenced the development and transformations of social hierarchies. Evaluate the extent to which legal systems, colonialism, nationalism, and independence movements have sustained or challenged class, gender, and racial hierarchies over time. Explain how social categories, status, roles, and practices have been maintained or challenged over time.
Unit 3 Topics Assessment Resources The Rise of Islam and subsequent caliphates Medieval Europe *Quizzes *Writing tasks that match AP format *HW Reading Checks *Student Discussions Textbook, primary sources, secondary resources Instructional Method Lecture, student discussion, debate Technology Integration PowerPoint Canvas Smart Board NJ Standards 6.2.12.C.1.c 6.2.12.C.1.d 6.2.12.D.1.b 6.2.12.A.2.b Interregional trade between 600-1450 6.2.12.A.2.b South & East Asian Empires and Indian 6.2.12.A.2.b Ocean Trade Europe and the Renaissance Suggested Resources Use textbook and selections from source book. Spirits chapter from Tom Standage s A History of the World in 6 Glasses 21 st Century Skills: Students will have a choice of released College Board DBQs relating to Asia and Europe during the period. Students will then be asked if there is correlation between the DBQ topics. Inherently was the world truly globally connected during this era. Differentiation: Students will consider how the development of Islam and subsequent caliphates had an impact on Asian and European history during the period 600 to 1450. Unit 4: Global Interactions (c. 1450 to 1750 C.E.) Essential Questions: Describe European merchants overall trade role between c. 1450-1750. What role did silver play in facilitating a truly global scale of trade?
What new mercantilist financial means developed to facilitate global trade? What were the economic and social effects of the Atlantic trading system? What were the unintentional biological effects of the Columbian Exchange? What foods were transferred to new geographic regions as part of the Columbian Exchange, and what were labor systems made this transfer possible? What plants/animals were transferred across the Atlantic as part of the Columbian Exchange? What effects did American food crops have on the diet of Afro-Eurasians? How did settlers action affect the Americas environmentally? How did the Columbian Exchange affect the spread of religions? Where did the universal religions of Buddhism, Christianity & Islam spread? How did the Columbian Exchange affect religion(s)? How did the arts fare during this period? How did public literacy as well as literary and artistic forms of expression develop during this period? Describe the degree of global interconnection after 1500 CE compared to before 1500 How did labor systems develop between 1450-1750? How did slavery within Africa compare to the pre-1450 era? How did the Atlantic slave trade affect both African societies and the economy of the Americas? How did pre-existing land-based empires and new empires during this era compare to previous era s empires? Unit Objectives: Evaluate the extent to which the development of diverse technologies, industrialization, transportation methods, and exchange and communication networks have affected the environment over time. Explain the causes and effects of economic strategies of different types of communities, states, and empires. Explain how and why labor systems have developed and changed over time. Explain how local, regional, and global economic systems and exchange network share influenced and impacted each other over time. Evaluate the extent to which distinctions based on kinship, ethnicity, class, gender, and race influenced the origins, development, and transformations of social hierarchies. Evaluate the extent to which legal systems, colonialism, nationalism, and independence movements have sustained or challenged class, gender, and racial hierarchies over time. Explain how the development of specialized labor systems interacted with the development of social hierarchies.
Unit 4 Topics Assessment Resources The New World & the Columbian Exchange New Systems of Labor in the New World Absolutism & *Quizzes *Writing tasks that match AP format *HW Reading Checks *Student Discussions Textbook, primary sources, secondary resources Instructional Method Lecture, student discussion, debate Technology Integration PowerPoint Canvas Smart Board Enlightenment The Reformation Asian Empires & Response to European colonialism - Gunpowder Empires Global Trade Systems Develop The Verge of Revolution NJ Standards 6.2.12.D.2.e 6.2.12.A.3.a Suggested Resources Use textbook and selections from source book. Coffee chapter from Tom Standage s A History of the World in 6 Glasses 21 st Century Skills: Critical Thinking Students will debate whether or not the strong emergence of Europe during the period between 1450-1750 was beneficial or detrimental to the progress of world history.
Differentiation: Many historians argue that the period between 1450-1750 was a significant turning point in world history. Provide TWO pieces of evidence that support this argument and explain how each piece supports it. Provide ONE piece of evidence that undermines this argument and explain how it refutes it. Unit 5: Industrialization & Global Integration (c. 1750 to 1914 C.E.) Essential Questions: How did Industrialization affect seemingly unrelated fields like social structures, culture, and the economy? What combination of factors was necessary to begin the Industrial Revolution? How did factories change the nature of labor itself? How did the Industrial Revolution affect the role of science in larger society? How did imperialism affect Europe s influence around the world? What methods and tactics did industrialized states use to establish and expand their empires? What were the effects of nationalism on various peoples and regions? How did slaves resistance affect existing authorities in the Americas? What new political ideologies developed from ca. 1750-1900? What were the main social, economic, and political causes and effects of this new age of migration? What types of migration were voluntary vs. involuntary? Unit Objectives: Explain how cross-cultural interactions resulted in the diffusion of culture, technologies, and scientific knowledge. Explain how and why economic, social, cultural, and geographical factors have influenced the processes of state building, expansion, and dissolution. Explain how technology shaped economic production and globalization over time. Explain the causes and effects of economic strategies of different types of communities, states, and empires. Explain how different modes and locations of production and commerce have developed and changeover time. Explain how local, regional, and global economic systems and exchange networks have influenced and impacted each other over time.
Unit 5 Topics Assessment Resources Age of Revolution *Quizzes *Writing tasks that match AP format *HW Reading Checks *Student Discussions Global Economic Impact of Transformation of the Economy New Ideologies of the 19 th Century & Its Impact Globally Textbook, primary sources, secondary resources Instructional Method Lecture, student discussion, debate Technology Integration PowerPoint Canvas Smart Board NJ Standards 6.2.12.A.3.a 6.2.12.A.3.b 6.2.12.A.3.a The Age of Imperialism 6.2.12.A.3.a The World on the eve of the First World War 6.2.12.D.2.a Suggested Resources Use textbook and selections from source book. Tea chapter from Tom Standage s A History of the World in 6 Glasses 21 st Century Skills: After completing the topics on the 19 th Century, students will write a thesis on which ideology of the 19 th Century had the greatest impact on world history. Differentiation: Did life get better or worse for people in the period 1750-1914? Consider class, gender and region in your response.
Unit 6: Accelerating Global Change & Realignments (c. 1900-present) Essential Questions: How did science affect humans conception of the natural world in the 20th century? What new technologies and discoveries affected communication, transportation, and conceptions of the How did scientific discoveries affect humans ability to feed and care? What new energy technologies affected the 20th century? How did humans relationship to the environment change in the 20th century? What negative consequences in the 20th century accompanied the benefits of industrialization? What caused some of the major demographic changes in the 20th century? How did the invention of reliable birth control affect gender roles? How did new military technology affect wartime casualties? What new identities were used to unite populations spread across national borders? How were relationships between imperial powers and former colonies maintained after the end of those empires? What ideologies motivated the World War conflicts? How did the world s balance of power change during the Cold War? How did new international organizations affect the relationship of states and peoples around the world? What new social and cultural ideologies developed, and what were the consequences and reactions to these ideologies? How did international trade and commerce develop in the 20 th century? Unit Objectives: Explain the political and economic interactions between states and non-state actors overtime. Explain the causes and effects of economic strategies of different types of communities, states, and empires. Evaluate the extent to which legal systems, colonialism, nationalism, and independence movements have sustained or challenged class, gender, and racial hierarchies over time. Explain how social categories, status, roles, and practices have been maintained or challenged over time. Explain how political, economic, cultural, and demographic factors have affected social structures overtime. Explain how different forms of governance have been constructed and maintained over time. Explain how and why different functions and institutions of governance have changed over time. Explain how and why economic, social, cultural, and geographical factors have influenced the processes of state building, and expansion Explain how religions, belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies affected political, economic, and social developments over time. Explain how economic systems and the development of ideologies, values, and institutions have influenced each other. Explain how social categories, roles, and practices have been maintained or challenged over time.
Unit 6 Topics Assessment Resources The First World War& its effects The Interwar Years and Rise of the Soviet Union The Preclude to WWII & Its Aftermath The Development of the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd Worlds The Cold War & the *Quizzes *Writing tasks that match AP format *HW Reading Checks *Student Discussions Textbook, primary sources, secondary resources Instructional Method Lecture, student discussion, debate Technology Integration PowerPoint Canvas Smart Board NJ Standards 6.2.12.A.3.a 6.2.12.A.3.a Postwar World Globalization & 21 st Century demographic trends 6.2.12.A.3.b 6.2.12.A.3.a 6.2.12.A.3.b 6.2.12.A.3.a 6.2.12.A.3.b 6.2.12.A.3.a Suggested Resources Use textbook and selections from source book. Coca-Cola chapter from Tom Standage s A History of the World in 6 Glasses 21 st Century Skills: After reading about globalization, students will respond to the following: Is globalization beneficial or detrimental to world culture? Differentiation: Response to following: Many historians argue that the period between 1989-1991 was a significant turning point in world history. Provide TWO pieces of evidence that support this argument and explain how each piece supports it. Provide ONE piece of evidence that undermines this argument and explain how it refutes it.