AP World History

(G339)
(Mr. Lazzara)
(Mr. Sandberg)

AP World History is one of the six advanced placement courses offered in the Social Studies Department. AP World History is a year long course that explores concepts such as trade, migration, technology, the spread of religion, disease and war. In AP World History you will strengthen your literacy skills as you analyze primary sources, do research, write, and discuss. AP World History is one of the few AP course at SHS that is offered from freshman to senior year. Also, AP World History will help you prepare for AP US History junior year, as many of the skills taught in AP World correlate to AP US.

AP College Board Overview - AP World History

Who is this class for?

AP World History is one of the few AP classes that is offered to every student in the building from freshmen to senior year.

• • Benefits to underclassmen

    • Students will strengthen their literacy and writing skills

    • Most competitive colleges recommend at least three years of Social Studies classes

    • Get acclimated to the rigor of an AP class before their junior and senior years

    • Prepare for AP US History since the historical thinking skills and format of the AP World History exam mirror that of AP US

  • Benefits to upperclassmen

    • APWH is designed for freshmen and sophomores, making it an ‘easier’ AP class for juniors and seniors

    • Can still take the class if they took regular level World History as an underclassmen, so there is content familiarity

    • Students who have taken AP US are familiar with the historical thinking skills and format of the AP exam

What content is covered?

First semester:

• • The beginnings of civilization and early advancements

  • Development of states and empires; transformation of religious and cultural systems; trade routes

  • Expansion of empires and the resulting wars and spread of disease; Medieval world and Renaissance

  • Interconnection of the Eastern and Western hemispheres and the global consequences of discovery

Second semester:

• • Industrial Revolution and political revolutions

  • The World Wars and their political, social, and economic effects

  • Globalization, scientific breakthroughs, new technologies, and increasing levels of integration and interdependence

How is this class taught?

A student centered environment exists that operates on collaborative work, rich discussions, project-based learning, and engaging in-class activities. The occasional lecture will be given to further content knowledge. Time will also be dedicated to improving writing skills and primary source analysis.