1. science
2. social science
3. history

AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Syllabus Number: 876132v1
Course Overview
Advanced Placement World History is a challenging three term course that is structured
around the investigation of selected themes woven into key concepts covering distinct
chronological periods. AP World History is equivalent to an introductory college survey
course. The course has a three-fold purpose. First, it is designed to prepare students for
successful placement into higher-level college and university history courses. Second, it is
designed to develop skills of analysis and thinking in order to prepare students for success
in the twenty-first century. Finally, it is the intent of this class to make the learning of world
history an enjoyable experience. Students will be able to show their mastery of the course
goals by taking part in the College Board AP World History Exam in May.
CR2: Each of the
course themes
receives explicit
attention and
is addressed
throughout the
course. – Course
themes
Course Design
Advanced Placement World History is structured around the investigation of five themes
woven into 19 key concepts covering six distinct chronological periods. History is a
sophisticated quest for meaning about the past, beyond the effort to collect and memorize
information. This course will continue to deal with the facts—names, chronology, events, and
the like but it will also emphasize historical analysis. This will be accomplished by focusing
on four historical thinking skills: crafting historical arguments from historical evidence,
chronological reasoning, comparison and contextualization, and historical interpretation
and synthesis.
World history requires the development of thinking skills using the processes and tools that
historians employ in order to create historical narrative. Students will also be required to
think on many different geographical and temporal scales in order to compare historical
events over time and space.
The course relies heavily on college-level resources. This includes texts, a wide variety of
primary sources, and interpretations presented in historical scholarship.. These resources
are designed to develop the skills required to analyze point of view and to interpret evidence
to use in creating plausible historical arguments. These tools will also be used to assess
issues of change and continuity over time, identifying global processes, comparing within
and among societies, and understanding diverse interpretations.
Students will be required to participate in class discussions using the Socratic seminar
format. In addition, students will be responsible for preparing class presentations in order to
further develop higher level habits of mind or thinking skills and broaden content knowledge.
The course emphasis is on balancing global coverage, with no more than 20% of course
time devoted to European history. This course is designed to be rigorous and rewarding,
inviting students to take a global view of historical processes and contacts between people
in different societies.
The five AP World History Themes that connect the key concepts throughout the course and
serve as the foundation for student reading, writing, and presentation requirements are as
follows: [CR2]
Theme 1: Interaction Between Humans and the Environment: Demography and disease,
Migration, Patterns of settlement, Technology
Theme 2: Development and Interaction of Cultures: Religions, Belief systems, philosophies,
and ideologies, Science and technology, The arts and architecture
Sample Syllabus 3
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Theme 3: State-building, Expansion, and Conflict: Political structures and forms of
governance, Empires, Nations and nationalism, Revolts and revolutions, Regional, transregional, and global structures and organizations
Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems: Agricultural and
pastoral production, Trade and commerce, Labor systems, Industrialization, Capitalism
and Socialism
CR1a: The course
includes a collegelevel world history
textbook.
Theme 5: Development and Transformation of Social Structures: Gender roles and
relations, Family and kinship, Racial and ethnic constructions, Social and economic classes
Materials
College Level Text: Strayer, Robert W. Ways of the World: A Global History. Boston: Bedford/
St. Martin’s, 2009. [CR1a]
A variety of other reading and resources utilized throughout the course include:
• A
das, Michael, Marc J. Gilbert, Peter Stearns, and Stuart B. Schwartz. World Civilizations:
The Global Experience. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. I use several editions
published from 1996 to the present.
• Fernandez-Armesto, Felipe. The World: A History, Combined Volume. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007
• Bentley, Jerry and Herbert Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective
on the Past. New York: McGraw-Hill. I use several editions published from 1999 to the
present.
• Bulliet, Richard, Daniel R. Headrick, David Northrup, Lyman L. Johnson, and Pamela Kyle
Crossley. The Earth and Its Peoples: A Global History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. I use
several editions published from 1997 to the present.
• Spodek, Howard. World’s History. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. I use several
editions published from 1998 to the present.
• Lockard, Craig A. Societies, Networks, and Transitions: A Global History. Boston:
• Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.
• World History in Documents: A Comparative Reader edited by Peter N. Stearns, New
York: New York University Press; 1998.
• The World that Trade Created by Kenneth Pomeranz, M.E. Sharpe; 2000. [CR1c]
• The Human Record edited by Alfred Andrea and James Overfield, Boston: Houghton
Mifflin; 5th Ed., 2004.
• Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Civilizations, Volumes I
and II, edited by Helen and Joseph Mitchell, New York: McGraw Hill; 5th ed., 2007. [CR1c]
CR1c: The course
includes sources by
historians or scholars
interpreting
Unit Activities
The following activities will be utilized in each of the six units in order to develop the historical
analysis necessary to establish a sophisticated quest for meaning about the past.
Tag Team Teaching
Students will be divided into five or six groups each unit. These groups correspond to the AP
World History key concepts. The students will be given “workshop” days where they will
be expected to consult a variety of sources, including the “big six” AP texts (Bentley, Bulliet,
Spodek, Stearns, Lockard, and Armesto) along with regular class texts. Students consider
and analyze the different themes and periodizations that are contained in these sources and
record their findings on Unit Focus Sheets in categories mirroring the AP World History
themes. Students will identify continuities from previous studies, as well as, the nature
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AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
and causes of change as they apply to their assigned topic. Students will also evaluate
multiple causes and consequences of the main historical developments represented in the
textbooks. Using an inverted pyramid approach, students will prioritize their most important
information. The goal is to synthesize information into five listings per identified heading.
Students will use this information to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for their classmates.
Students are required to cite the information used on their slides and they must be able to
answer questions and justify their selections.
Writing Assignments
Each unit includes writing assignments designed to develop the skills necessary for creating
well-evidenced essays on historical topics highlighting clarity and precision.
Short Document Analysis: Students analyze three documents (one written, one visual and
one quantitative) from the course primary source readers. For instance, in Unit 1, students
will analyze sources for point of view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of
each source. These skills of primary source analysis will be applied throughout the course.
Document Based Question (DBQ): Students analyze evidence from a variety of sources
in order to develop a coherent written argument that has a thesis supported by relevant
historical evidence. Students will apply multiple historical thinking skills as they examine a
particular historical problem or question. [CR6]
Change and Continuity Over Time (CCOT): Students identify and analyze patterns of
continuity and change over time and across geographic regions. They will also connect
these historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place, and to broader
regional, national, or global processes. [CR10]
Comparative Essay: Students compare historical developments across or within societies
in various chronological and/or geographical contexts. Students will also synthesize
information by connecting insights from one historical context to another, including the
present. [CR14]
Text Timeline Review
The Text Timeline Review is an activity that will be completed by the end of each unit. The
reason for this activity is to address chronological thinking. According to the authors of the
National Standards for History, “chronological thinking is the heart of historical reasoning.”
This activity requires students to use the chronological timeline of their textbook as a baseline
for the other primary and secondary source materials they encounter in their readings,
research, and other studies. The students will place items from these other sources onto the
timeline associated with their textbook. Students will then be asked to write their responses
to the following prompts at the bottom of their timeline:
1. W
hat is the relationship between the causes and consequences of the events or
processes identified on the completed timeline? [CR9]
2. Discuss the contradictions/inconsistencies between the textbook’s chronological timeline
and that of the other sources. [CR11]
Learning Log
Each unit, the student will write a reflective commentary discussing how the history of the
(identified) region or era fits into the larger story of world history. These commentaries should
be three to five paragraphs in length and will be submitted in the student notebook. This is
not a place to put your notes, but rather to think about what you really learned concerning
“contextualization.” It also allows the student to continue to refine their abilities to develop
a written argument and analyze patterns of continuity and change over time. [CR13]
CR6: The course provides opportunities
for students to develop coherent written
arguments that have
a thesis supported
by relevant historical
evidence. – Historical
argumentation
CR10: The course
provides opportunities for students to
identify and analyze
patterns of continuity
and change over time
and across geographic regions, relating
these patterns to a
global context. – Patterns of change and
continuity over time
CR14: The course
provides opportunities for students to
apply multiple historical thinking skills to
examine a particular
historical problem or
question and connect
insights from one
historical context to
another, including the
present. – Synthesis
CR9: The course provides opportunities
for students to examine relationships
between causes and
consequences of
events or processes.
– Historical causation
CR11: The course provides opportunities
for students to examine diverse models of
periodization constructed by historians.
– Periodization
CR13: The course
provides opportunities for students to
connect historical
developments to
specific circumstances of time and place,
and to broader
regional, national, or
global processes. –
Contextualization
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AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Point/Counterpoint
Students will use the Socratic seminar format in each unit to explore key controversies in
world history from ancient times to the present. The foundation for these conversations will
be Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Civilizations. This book
examines issues that allow students to identify and evaluate diverse historical interpretations
by introducing students to controversies in world civilizations. This debate style reader
contains readings representing the arguments of leading historians and commentators on
world history and reflects a variety of viewpoints presented in pro/con format. All of the
topics/questions listed in each unit for this activity come from this book. [CR7]
CR7: The
course provides
opportunities for
students to identify
and evaluate
diverse historical
interpretations. –
Interpretation
CR15: The
World History Artifact Posting Assignment
Each student will discover a historical artifact that they believe represents the unit and
topic being studied. The teacher will set parameters each unit for these artifacts in order
to ensure that students recognize that the study of history has been shaped by the findings
and methods of other disciplines (archeology, visual arts, geography, political science). They
will then post an image of the artifact along with a discussion that identifies the artifact
(who, what, when, where, why significant) and addresses what the artifact says (indicates,
suggests) about politics, society or culture in the time and place it was made. Classmates will
then use the elements of critical thinking to organize class discussion via moodle.
Each student in the class will be required to ask a question about the artifact that seeks to
increase the clarity, accuracy and precision of the conversation. The student posting the
artifact must then answer the questions posed. Answering these questions may require
further research. Questions and answers should demonstrate that the respective authors put
honest thought into both the question and the answer. Throughout, students must cite the
sources of the information provided. The initial artifact posts are due after the unit has been
studied for one week. Classmates writing queries should post their questions from that point
until the end of the unit. [CR15]
UnitCourse Planner
UNIT ONE: Technological and Environmental Transformations
PERIODIZATION: c. 8000 BCE to c. 600 BCE
MAIN FOCUS: Beginnings in History
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 6.5 Days
READING TEXT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 1 – 3
course provides
opportunities
for students to
recognize how the
study of history
has been shaped
by the findings and
methods of other
disciplines such
as anthropology,
archaeology, visual
arts, literature,
economics,
geography and
political science. –
Synthesis
CR3: Each of the key
concepts receives
explicit attention
in the relevant
historical period and
is integrated with
the course themes. –
Key concepts
Key Concepts: [CR3]
Key Concept 1.1: Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
I.
Paleolithic migrations lead to the spread of technology and culture
Key Concept 1.2: The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
I.
II. Neolithic Revolution leads to new and more complex economic and social systems
Agricultural and pastoralism begins to transform human society
Key Concept 1.3: The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban
Societies
I.
II.
III.
Location of early foundational civilizations
State development and expansion
Cultural development in the early civilizations
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AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Unit 1 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 1 – 3
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Students will prepare to present this unit. They will be
introduced to the How Historians Work packet and activities (source, classification,
value auction, cheating Bob, Vikings, shapes and memory, class history, garbageology,
drawing conclusions, Bob Seger’s Revisionism Street); Teacher will review group
presentation approach, requirements, and rubric. Teacher will also explain how to
use the themed unit focus sheets along with power point expectations. Students will
practice presentation skills by preparing presentations on Big History, Human Migration,
Scythians, Indo-European languages, Semitic languages, Hunter-gatherers, Pastoralism,
Neolithic Revolution, Metallurgy, Sumer, Nubia, Indus Valley Civilization, Zhou Dynasty,
Olmec, Chavín culture, Sargon of Akkad, Ziggurat, and other topics identified in the key
concepts.
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will begin preliminary work on how to write a
comparative essay (life in high school). Hand out Essay Writing Packet and begin serious
work on the comparative essay. Assign comparative essay regarding foraging and
early agricultural societies. [CR12]
4. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
5. LEARNING LOG: Write a reflective commentary considering the role of human migration
during this era and its connection to the larger story of world history. [CR4]
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: Teacher will model activity by having students
analyze the following textual, visual, and data sources: creation stories in the Rig
Veda, Popul Vuh, and Bible; Epic of Gilgamesh, the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The
source analysis will include identifying point of view, intended purpose, audience, and
historical context of each source. [CR1b] & [CR8]
7. POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Students will be introduced to the workings of Socratic
Seminar. See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity. Taking Sides topics: Did
Homo Sapiens Originate in Africa? Did Egyptian Civilization Originate in Africa? [CR4] &
[CR5a]
8. WORLD HISTORY ARTIFACT POSTING ASSIGNMENT: See Unit Activities explanation
regarding this activity. Object must be connected to the field of archaeology, e.g.
Neolithic Venus statues or archaeological data from Jericho. Students will learn how to
question the historical context of sources and assess the reliability and validity of the
information for specific historical questions. [CR1b] & [CR8]
UNIT ONE TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, In-class Compare/contrast essay
UNIT TWO: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies
PERIODIZATION: c. 600 BCE to c.600 CE
MAIN FOCUS: The Classical Era in World History
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 18.5 days
READING TEXT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 4 – 7
Key Concepts: [CR3]
CR12: The course provides opportunities for
students to compare
historical developments across or within
societies in various
chronological and/or
geographical contexts.
– Comparison
CR4: The course pro-
vides opportunities
for students to demonstrate command of
course themes and
key concepts through
activities and assignments where students
use their knowledge
of detailed and specific relevant historical
developments and
processes – including
names, chronology,
facts and events.
CR1b: The course in-
cludes diverse primary
sources, including written documents, maps,
images, quantitative
data (charts, graphs,
tables), works of art,
and other types of
sources.
CR8: The course provides opportunities for
students to analyze evidence about the past
from diverse sources,
including written
documents, maps, images, quantitative data
(charts, graphs, tables),
works of art, and other
types of sources. –
Appropriate use of
historical evidence
CR5a: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Africa represented.
Key Concept 2.1: The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Codifications and further developments of existing religious traditions
Emergence, diffusion, and adaptation of new religious and cultural traditions
Belief systems affect gender roles
Other religious and cultural traditions continue
Artistic expressions show distinctive cultural developments
CR3: Each of the key
concepts receives
explicit attention in
the relevant historical period and is
integrated with the
course themes. –
Key concepts
5
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Key Concept 2.2: The Development of States and Empires
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Imperial societies grow dramatically
Techniques of imperial administration
Social and economic dimensions of imperial societies
Decline, collapse, and transformation of empires (Rome, Han, Maurya)
Key Concept 2.3: Emergence of Trans-regional Networks of Communication and Exchange
I.
The geography of trans-regional networks, communication and exchange networks
II.
Technologies of long-distance communication and exchange
III. Consequences of long-distance trade
Unit 2 Major Assignements:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 4 – 7
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Students will present this unit. Student groups will research and
make presentations using the tools and guidelines established in Unit 1. Presentation
groups will include explaining political and cultural developments in: Southwest Asia,
East Asia, South Asia, Mediterranean region, Mesoamerica, and Andean South America.
[CR5b]
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write a comparative
essay. Possible prompts include: Compare the basic features of two classical
civilizations: Mesoamerica, India, China, Greece, or Rome; Compare two of the
following major religions or philosophical systems: Historical Vedic religions, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, Christianity, or Greco-Roman philosophy; Compare the
reasons for and the outcomes of the fall of two classical civilizations: Rome, Han China,
and the Gupta. Students will also be introduced to the CCOT essay and rubric. [CR12]
[CR4], [CR5a], [CR5b], &[CR5e]
4. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
5. LEARNING LOG: Write a reflective commentary considering trans-regional networks of
communication and exchange and the consequences of long-distance trade during this
era and its connection to the larger story of world history. [CR4]
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of
view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources include
descriptions of travel or trade (Periplus of the Erythraean Sea or journeys of Faxian);
Roman, Han, or Gupta coins; Leviticus, Twelve Tables, or The Analects
7. POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Students will use skills introduced in Unit 1 regarding the
Socratic Seminar. Taking Sides topics: Does Alexander the Great merit his exalted
reputation? Did the benefits of the First Emperor of China’s rule outweigh the human
cost? Did Christianity liberate women? [CR4] & [CR5c]
8. WORLD HISTORY ARTIFACT POSTING ASSIGNMENT: See Unit Activities explanation
regarding this activity. Object must be connected to artistic expression (literature,
architecture, or sculpture), e.g. examples of architecture in Mediterranean, Middle East,
South Asia, East Asia, or Mesoamerica; Greek sculpture, Buddhist art, or Moche art.
Students will learn how to question the historical context of sources and assess the
reliability and validity of the information for specific historical questions.
UNIT TWO TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, In-class essay on analyzing comparisons or
changes over time.
UNIT THREE: Regional and Transregional Interactions
PERIODIZATION: c. 600 CE-c.1450
MAIN FOCUS: A Time of Accelerating Connections
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 24 days
READING TEXT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 8 – 13
CR5b: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
the Americas represented.
CR12: The
course provides
opportunities
for students to
compare historical
developments
across or within
societies in various
chronological and/
or geographical
contexts. –
Comparison
CR4: The course provides opportunities
for students to demonstrate command
of course themes
and key concepts
through activities
and assignments
where students use
their knowledge of
detailed and specific
relevant historical
developments and
processes – including names, chronology, facts and
events.
CR5a: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Africa represented.
CR5e: The course
provides balanced
global coverage with
Europe represented.
No more than 20%
of course time is
devoted to European
History.
CR5c: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Asia represented.
6
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Key Concepts:
Key Concept 3.1: Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Improved transportation technologies and commercial practices and their influence on networks
Linguistic and environmental contexts for the movement of peoples
Cross-cultural exchanges fostered by networks of trade and communication
Continued diffusion of crops and pathogens throughout the Eastern Hemisphere
Key Concept 3.2: Continuity and Innovation in State Forms and Their Interactions
I.
II.
Empires collapse and were reconstituted
Greater inter-regional contacts and conflict encourages technology and cultural transfer
Key Concept 3.3: Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences
I.
II.
III.
Increasing productive capacity in agriculture and industry
Changes in urban demography
Changes and continuities in labor systems and social structures
Unit 3 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 8 – 13
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Student groups will research and make presentations on:
development of political institutions in the Islamic World (Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq
empire, sultanate of Delhi, Mali Empire), Central Asia (Mongol Khanates), East Asia
(Tang and Song dynasties), Latin West and Byzantine Empire, Africa (Swahili citystates and Great Zimbabwe), South and Southeast Asia, Mesoamerica and the Andes;
social and cultural effects of interactions due to the Crusades, Mongols, Hanseatic
League, Bantu peoples, Vikings, Polynesians, and Bedouins; importance of travelers
such as Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta; role of new cities such as Timbuktu, Tenochtitlan,
or Cordoba; influence of new ideas and technologies: Neo-Confucianism, printing,
gunpowder, and medical responses to the bubonic plague and other diseases [CR5a],
[CR5b] [CR5c], [CR5d] & [CR5e]
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays that
compare historical developments and assess the effects of changes over time. Possible
prompts include questions from previous released AP exams: Compare European and
sub-Saharan African contacts with the Islamic world; Essay: Compare Aztec Empire
and Inca Empire; Compare Japanese and European feudalism; Compare effects of
Islam and Christianity on social systems and gender roles; Compare developments in
political and social institutions in both eastern and western Europe; Assess the effects of
the spread of Islam up to 1750; Students also will learn how to incorporate analysis of
primary sources into their written arguments. Practice using the DBQ on the spread of
Buddhism to China [CR5b], [CR5c] & [CR12]
4. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
5. LEARNING LOG: Write a reflective commentary considering the continued diffusion of
flora, fauna, and pathogens throughout the Eastern Hemisphere during this era and its
connection to the larger story of world history using statistics on mortality rates from
the fourteenth century bubonic plague pandemic.
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point
of view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources
include excerpts from the travel books of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta and the Secret
History of the Mongols [CR1b] & [CR8]
7. POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy. Taking
Sides topics: Does the modern University have its roots in the Islamic World? Were
environmental factors responsible for the collapse of Mayan civilization? Were the
CR5a: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Africa represented.
CR5b: The course provides balanced global
coverage, with the
Americas represented.
CR5c: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Asia represented.
CR5d: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Oceania and Australia represented.
CR5e: The course
provides balanced
global coverage with
Europe represented.
No more than 20% of
course time is devoted
to European History.
CR12: The course
provides opportunities for students to
compare historical developments
across or within
societies in various
chronological and/
or geographical contexts. – Comparison
CR1b: The course in-
cludes diverse primary
sources, including written documents, maps,
images, quantitative
data (charts, graphs,
tables), works of art,
and other types of
sources.
CR8: The course provides opportunities for
students to analyze evidence about the past
from diverse sources,
including written
documents, maps, images, quantitative data
(charts, graphs, tables),
works of art, and other
types of sources. –
Appropriate use of
historical evidence
7
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Crusades an early example of western imperialism? Did women and men benefit
equally from the Renaissance? [CR4] & [CR5b]
8. WORLD HISTORY ARTIFACT POSTING ASSIGNMENT: See Unit Activities explanation
regarding this activity. Object must be connected to political power, e.g. images from
Rashid al-Din Fadl Allah’s book on the Mongols or maps of Cairo, Baghdad, Delhi, and
Florence.
UNIT THREE TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, DBQ in-class essay
UNIT FOUR: Global Interactions
PERIODIZATION: c. 1450 to c.1750
MAIN FOCUS: The Early Modern World
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 24 days
READING TEXT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 14 – 16
KEY CONCEPTS: [CR3]
CR4: The course provides opportunities
for students to demonstrate command
of course themes
and key concepts
through activities
and assignments
where students use
their knowledge of
detailed and specific
relevant historical
developments and
processes – including names, chronology, facts and
events.
CR5b: The course
Key Concept 4.1: Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
I. II. III. IV. V.
VI. VII. Intensification of regional trade networks (Mediterranean, trans-Saharan,
overland Eurasian, and Siberian trade routes)
Trans-oceanic maritime reconnaissance
New maritime commercial patterns
Technological developments enabling trans-oceanic trade
Environmental exchange and demographic trends: Columbian Exchange
Spread and reform of religion
Global and regional networks and the development of new forms of art and expression
Key Concept 4.2: New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
I. II. Labor systems and their transformations
Changes and continuities in social hierarchies and identities
Key Concept 4.3: State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
I. II. III. Techniques of state consolidation
Imperial expansion
Competition and conflict among and within States
Unit 4 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 14 – 16
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Student groups will research and make presentations.
Presentation groups will be responsible for explaining: the political and cultural
developments in Spain, Portugal, France, England, Holland, Russia, Ottoman Empire,
Ming and Qing China, Tokugawa Japan, Mughal Empire, West and East African
polities, Safavid Empire, Aztec and Incan empires; economic effects of cod fisheries,
mercantilism, astrolabe, caravels, Columbian Exchange, and new labor systems
(encomienda, indentured servitude, janissaries, chattel slavery in the Americas) [CR5a],
[CR5b] [CR5c], [CR5d], [CR5e], & [CR4]
provides balanced
global coverage, with
the Americas represented.
CR3: Each of the key
concepts receives
explicit attention in
the relevant historical period and is
integrated with the
course themes. –
Key concepts
CR5a: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Africa represented.
CR5c: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Asia represented.
CR5d: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Oceania and Australia represented.
CR5e: The course
provides balanced
global coverage with
Europe represented.
No more than 20%
of course time is
devoted to European
History.
8
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays. Possible
prompts include questions from previous released AP exams: Compare coercive labor
systems: slavery and other coercive labor systems in the Americas; economic and social
effects of the Columbian Exchange; DBQ on the Global flow of silver; Analyze imperial
systems: European monarchy compared with a land-based Asian empire (China or Japan);
Compare Russia’s interaction with the West with the interaction of the West and one of the
following: Ottoman Empire, China, Tokugawa Japan, Mughal India [CR12]
4. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
5. LEARNING LOG: Write a reflective commentary considering the impact of the Columbian
Exchange during this era and its connection to the larger story of world history.
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point of
view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources include:
Ma Huan, De Las Casas, Codex Mendosa, Letters from the King of Kongo [CR1b] & [CR8]
7. POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy. Taking Sides
topics: Should Christopher Columbus be considered a hero? Did Tokugawa policies
strengthen Japan? Did Oliver Cromwell advance political freedom in seventeenth-century
Europe? Did Indian Emperor Aurangzeb’s rule mark the beginning of Mughal decline? Did
Peter the Great exert a positive influence on the development of Europe?
8. WORLD HISTORY ARTIFACT POSTING ASSIGNMENT: See Unit Activities explanation
regarding this activity. Object must be connected to Trans-oceanic trade e.g. images of
caravels, dhows, Ming Treasure Ship fleet, Polynesian outrigger canoes, and tools used
to facilitate the trade (coins, maps, compasses, astrolabes, and sails) [CR1b] & [CR8]
UNIT FOUR TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, in-class essay drawn from either the past
Compare/Contrast, CCOT, or DBQ formats.
UNIT FIVE: Industrialization and Global Integration
PERIODIZATION: c. 1750 to c. 1900
MAIN FOCUS: The European Moment in World History
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 24 days
READING TEXT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 17 – 20
Key Concepts: [CR3]
Key Concept 5.1: Industrialization and Global Capitalism
I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Industrialization
New patterns of global trade and production
Transformation of capital and finance
Revolutions in transportation and communication: Railroads, steamships, canals, telegraph
Reactions to the spread of global capitalism
Social transformations in industrialized societies
CR12: The
course provides
opportunities
for students to
compare historical
developments
across or within
societies in various
chronological and/
or geographical
contexts. –
Comparison
CR1b: The course in-
cludes diverse primary
sources, including written documents, maps,
images, quantitative
data (charts, graphs,
tables), works of art,
and other types of
sources.
CR8: The course provides opportunities for
students to analyze evidence about the past
from diverse sources,
including written
documents, maps, images, quantitative data
(charts, graphs, tables),
works of art, and other
types of sources. –
Appropriate use of
historical evidence
CR3: Each of the key
concepts receives
explicit attention in
the relevant historical period and is
integrated with the
course themes. –
Key concepts
Key Concept 5.2: Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
I. II. III. Imperialism and colonialism of trans-oceanic empires by industrializing powers
State formation and territorial expansion and contraction
Ideologies and imperialism
Key Concept 5.3: Nationalism, Revolution, and Reform
I. II.
III. IV. The rise and diffusion of Enlightenment thought
18th century peoples develop a sense of commonality
Spread of Enlightenment ideas propels reformist and revolutionary movements
Enlightenment ideas spark new transnational ideologies and solidarities
9
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
Key Concept 5.4: Global Migration
I. II. III.
Demography and urbanization
Migration and its motives
Consequences of and reactions to migration
Unit 5 Major Assignments:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 17 – 20
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Student groups will research and make presentations.
Presentation groups will be responsible for the following topics: Seven Years’ War,
Napoleonic Wars, Great Game in Central Asia, Berlin Conference, Opium Wars, Zulu,
Formation of Hawaii, German and Italian Unification, Meiji restoration, Abolition,
Marxism, Indian National Congress, Industrialization; Migration Suffrage, Scientific
Revolution, Atlantic revolutions, Latin America Independence movements, Boxer
Rebellion, Indian Revolt of 1857, Taiping rebellion, Wahhabi Movement, Tanzimat, SelfStrengthening movement, Liberalism, Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, pan-Slavism,
pan-Islamism, Factory System, and Second Industrial revolution [CR4]
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays.
Possible prompts include questions from previous released AP exams: DBQ- Indentured
servitude; Development of Global trade patterns, 1750-1914; Compare the French and
Haitian Revolutions; Compare reaction to foreign domination in the Ottoman Empire,
China, India, and Japan; Compare nationalism, e.g., China and Japan, Cuba and the
Philippines, Egypt and Nigeria; Compare forms of Western intervention in Latin America
and in Africa; Compare the roles and conditions of women in the upper/middle classes
with peasantry/working class in Western Europe; Compare the causes and social impact
of the Industrial Revolution in Western Europe and Japan [CR12]
4. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
5. LEARNING LOG: Write a reflective commentary considering the roots and influences of
Enlightenment thought during this era and its connection to the larger story of world
history. [CR4]
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point
of view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources
might include excerpts from: Locke, Montesquieu, Declaration of Independence,
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, Jamaica Letter, Adam Smith, and Karl
Marx; statistics about bonded labor migrations from Asia to the Americas and Africa.
[CR1b] & [CR8]
7. POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy. Taking Sides
topics: Did the West define the modern world? Was the French Revolution worth its
human costs? Did the Meiji Revolution Constitute a revolution in nineteenth-century
Japan? Were Confucian values responsible for China’s failure to modernize? [CR4]
8. WORLD HISTORY ARTIFACT POSTING ASSIGNMENT: See Unit Activities explanation
regarding this activity. Object must be connected to industrialization e.g. images of
factories in England, USA, France, and Japan showing the size of the steam-powered
machines and women working in the factories; images of industrial cities with air or
water pollution; political cartoons about American imperialism related to the SpanishAmerican war that affected Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam.
CR4: The course provides opportunities
for students to demonstrate command
of course themes
and key concepts
through activities
and assignments
where students use
their knowledge of
detailed and specific
relevant historical
developments and
processes – including names, chronology, facts and
events.
CR12: The
course provides
opportunities
for students to
compare historical
developments
across or within
societies in various
chronological and/
or geographical
contexts. –
Comparison
CR1b: The course in-
cludes diverse primary
sources, including written documents, maps,
images, quantitative
data (charts, graphs,
tables), works of art,
and other types of
sources.
CR8: The course provides opportunities for
students to analyze evidence about the past
from diverse sources,
including written
documents, maps, images, quantitative data
(charts, graphs, tables),
works of art, and other
types of sources. –
Appropriate use of
historical evidence
10
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
UNIT FIVE TEST: 70 multiple choice questions, in-class essay drawn from either the past
Compare/Contrast, CCOT, or DBQ formats.
UNIT SIX: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments
PERIODIZATION: c. 1900 to the present
MAIN FOCUS: The most recent century
LENGTH OF CLASS TIME FOR UNIT: 24 days
READING TEXT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 21 – 24
Key Concepts: [CR3]
Key Concept 6.1: Science and the Environment
I. II. III. Rapid advances in science spread assisted by new technology
Humans change their relationship with the environment
Disease, scientific innovations, and conflict led to demographic shifts
Key Concept 6.2: Global Conflicts and Their Consequences
I. II. III. IV.
V.
Europe’s domination gives way to new forms of political organization
Emerging ideologies of anti-imperialism contribute to dissolution of empires
Political changes accompanied by demographic and social consequences
Military conflicts escalate
Individual and groups oppose, as well as, intensify the conflict
Key Concept 6.3: New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, and Culture
I. II. III. States, communities and individuals become increasingly interdependent
People conceptualize society and culture in new ways
Popular and consumer culture become global
Unit 6 Major Assignemts:
1. TEXT READING ASSIGNMENT: Ways of the World: A Global History. Chapters 21 – 24
2. TAG TEAM TEACHING: Students will be making individual presentations this unit.
Topics include: WWI, WWII, Cold War, International Organizations, Decolonization in
Algeria, Decolonization in sub-Saharan Africa, economic developments in Argentina/
Brazil, Cuban Revolution, Great Depression, economic developments in the Pacific
Rim, Communism in Russia and China, Feminist movements, globalization, Indian/
Pakistani Partition, Jewish settlement/Palestine, Irish partition, Great Depression,
Gurkha soldiers, ANZAC troops, Nuclear weapons, Marshall Plan, NATO, Warsaw Pact,
Bandung Conference, Genocides, Civil Rights Movements, Green movements, World
Bank, NAFTA, European Union, Quantum Mechanics, Antibiotics, and HIV/AIDS. [CR4],
[CR5a], [CR5b] & [CR5d]
3. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will continue work on how to write essays.
Possible prompts include questions from previous released AP exams: Compare the
notion of the “East” and the “West” in Cold War ideology; DBQ- Muslim Nationalist
Movements; Choose two revolutions (Russian, Chinese, Cuban, Iranian) and compare
their effects on the roles of women; Compare the causes and effects of the World Wars
on areas outside of Europe; Compare legacies of colonialism and patterns of economic
development in two of the following regions: Asia, Latin America, Africa; Compare
patterns and results of decolonization in Africa and India [CR5b], [CR5c] & [CR5e]
4. TEXT TIMELINE REVIEW: See Unit Activities explanation regarding this activity.
CR3: Each of the key
concepts receives
explicit attention in
the relevant historical period and is
integrated with the
course themes. –
Key concepts
CR4: The course provides opportunities
for students to demonstrate command
of course themes
and key concepts
through activities
and assignments
where students use
their knowledge of
detailed and specific
relevant historical
developments and
processes – including names, chronology, facts and
events.
CR5a: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Africa represented.
CR5b: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
the Americas represented.
CR5d: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Oceania and Australia represented.
CR5c: The course
provides balanced
global coverage, with
Asia represented.
CR5e: The course
provides balanced
global coverage with
Europe represented.
No more than 20%
of course time is
devoted to European
History.
11
AP World History : Sample Syllabus 3
5. LEARNING LOG: Write a reflective commentary considering social movements during
this era and its connection to the larger story of world history. [CR4]
6. SHORT PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: The source analysis will include identifying point
of view, intended purpose, audience, and historical context of each source. Sources
might include excerpts from Gandhi, Nkrumah, and Ho Chi Min; data on the growth
of outsourcing and business cycles of multinational corporations in the twentieth and
twenty first centuries [CR1b] & [CR8]
7. POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Students will employ Socratic Seminar strategy. Taking Sides
topics: Did the Bolshevik Revolution improve the lives of Soviet women? Was Stalin
responsible for the Cold War? Does Islam revivalism challenge a secular world order?
Should Africa’s leaders be blamed for the continent’s current problems? Were ethnic
leaders responsible for the disintegration of Yugoslavia? Will the Oslo Peace Accords
benefit both Israelis and Palestinians? [CR4]
8. WORLD HISTORY ARTIFACT POSTING ASSIGNMENT: See Unit Activities explanation
regarding this activity. Object must be connected to advances in science and technology
e.g. CERN collider, small pox and polio vaccination delivery programs, atomic bombs, or
computers. [CR1b] & [CR8]
9. Unit 6 test: 70 multiple choice questions, in-class essay drawn from either the past
Compare/Contrast, CCOT, or DBQ formats.
10.REVIEW SESSIONS PRIOR TO AP WORLD HISTORY EXAMINATION. After-school time
will be spent reviewing major concepts and ideas from all the units, including essay
strategies. Review sessions will be offered on selected days after school. Attendance at
the review sessions is recommended, but voluntary.
CR4: The course provides opportunities
for students to demonstrate command
of course themes
and key concepts
through activities
and assignments
where students use
their knowledge of
detailed and specific
relevant historical
developments and
processes – including names, chronology, facts and
events.
CR1b: The course in-
cludes diverse primary
sources, including written documents, maps,
images, quantitative
data (charts, graphs,
tables), works of art,
and other types of
sources.
CR8: The course provides opportunities for
students to analyze evidence about the past
from diverse sources,
including written
documents, maps, images, quantitative data
(charts, graphs, tables),
works of art, and other
types of sources. –
Appropriate use of
historical evidence
12