Course Syllabus

What is AP World History?

Advanced Placement World History is a rigorous academic course that provides detailed narrative of events and movements throughout world History from the 1450s to the present.

AP World History provides high school students with an academic experience equivalent to a college survey course of western history.

It prepares high school students for the demands of a college education by setting a foundation for college level reading, writing, discussing, and learning.

AP World History is challenging, stimulating and requires much more time than other high school courses. Solid reading and writing skills, as well as a willingness to devote considerable time to prepare for assignments are necessary to succeed.

Students may earn college credit for successfully mastering the course material and passing the annually administered Advanced Placement World History exam.

Students who have a GPA less than 3.75 or have not maintained an A average at the honors level in other Social Studies (and English) classes will most likely struggle in AP World History.

Course Overview

First, this course will focus on the intellectual, social, and political history of Europe from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment.

Next, students will study the political evolution of Europe from the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era through the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphasis will be placed on important intellectual and social developments, and political events that have shaped our modern world. 

In addition to exposing students to historical events in Europe, this course will also train students to be able to analyze and interpret primary sources, including documentary materials, maps, pictures, graphs, and statistical tables on historical events. 

Students will take notes from printed materials, lectures, and discussions. Students will write essays and reflections.

Students will create videos (including 30 second commercials, movie trailers, and a movie), write songs, designing a mobile app, and develop computer generated posters.

Students will use Chromebooks often.

Students are expected to attend mandatory review sessions during the second semester. The time of the review sessions will be announced before the end of the first semester.