AP European History
Advanced Placement European History gives students an overview of the intellectual, cultural, political, diplomatic, social, and economic history of western civilization with a primary emphasis on modern Europe. The course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement European History Exam offered in May. Through primary and secondary source readings, presentations, lectures, discussions, and class activities, students will explore major historical eras in Modern European history that date from 1450 to the present. Such topics include, but are not limited to the Renaissance, Reformation, Wars of Religion, Scientific Revolution, Exploration, Enlightenment, Agricultural & Industrial Revolutions, American & French Revolutions, Imperialism, World War I & World War II, Depression, Cold War, and 21st Century issues/conflict. A college level textbook is used for this course, so students taking AP should be reading above grade level. Assignments are given on a regular basis. Students will be writing thematic essays, document based essays, and short answers to questions relating to visuals like documents, maps, charts, etc., in addition to writing, content knowledge is also assessed through frequent chapter tests and unit exams. This course has a very tight timeline due to the test in May, so students need to be able to keep up with the pace of the course and work independently.
Unit 1: Renaissance and Exploration
Unit 2: Age of Reformation
Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism
Unit 4: Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments
Unit 5: Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century
Unit 6: Industrialization and Its Effects
Unit 7: 19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments
Unit 8: 20th-Century Global Conflicts
Unit 9: Cold War and Contemporary Europe
THEME 1: INTERACTION OF EUROPE AND THE WORLD (INT)
Motivated by a variety of factors, Europe’s interaction with the world led to political, economic, social, and cultural exchanges that influenced both European and non-European societies.
THEME 2: ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS (ECD)
Economic development, especially the development of capitalism, played an important role in Europe’s history, often having significant social, political, and cultural effects.
THEME 3: CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS (CID)
The creation and transmission of knowledge, including the relationship between traditional sources of authority and the development of differing world views, had significant political, intellectual, economic, cultural, and social effects on European and world societies.
THEME 4: STATES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF POWER (SOP)
European states and nations developed governmental and civil institutions from 1450 to the present to organize society and consolidate political power, with a variety of social, cultural, and economic effects.
THEME 5: SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT (SCD)
Economic, political, and cultural factors have influenced the form and status of family, class, and social groups in European history, affecting both the individual and society.
THEME 6: NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN IDENTITY (NEI)
Definitions and perceptions of regional, cultural, national, and European identity have developed and been challenged over time, with varied and often profound effects on the political, social, and cultural order in Europe.
THEME 7: TECHNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (TSI)
Scientific and technological innovations have increased efficiency, improved daily life, and shaped human development and interactions, having both intended and unintended consequences.