Advanced Placement World History

THEMES

The AP World History Course and Exam are looking to develop student understanding and skill in five specific themes.

1. interaction between humans and the environment

2. development and interaction between cultures

3. state building, expansion and conflict

4. creation, expansion and interaction of economic systems

5. development and transformation of social structures

HISTORICAL THINKING SKILLS

Students need to develop specific skills in looking at and analyzing history. Students are put in the position of acting as “apprentice historians.”

1. Analyzing Evidence: Content and Sourcing

• Recognizing Bias and Accuracy
• Primary vs Secondary Sources

2. Interpretation

• Recognition of Historians’ analysis of history

3. Comparison

• Analysis of varying viewpoints over historical events

4. Contextualization

• Analysis of the events within the circumstances of the time period

5. Synthesis

• Evaluation of connections between time periods and/or regions

6. Causation

• Evaluate historical causes and effects, distinguishing short and long term causes

7. Patterns of Continuity and Change over time

• recognition of the patterns of changes, and similarities, over time

8. Periodization

• Understanding of periods within history, analyzing historical periods and the possibility of differing thoughts regarding time periods in history

9. Argumentation

• Create a thesis and back it with accurate historical evidence