Congratulations
You have been selected to take AP World History in the Fall of 2016. I know, this sounds scary. You might not even know what AP is, well, keep calm and read on.
What are Advanced Placement classes?
Advanced Placement is a program run by College Board (the makers of the SAT) that allows you to take courses right in your high school that can earn you college credit and/or qualify you for more advanced classes when you begin college.
Why take Advanced Placement classes?
Stand Out in College Admissions
Deciding to take an AP course lets colleges and universities know that you have what it takes to succeed in an undergraduate environment. When admissions officers see “AP” on your transcript, they know that what you experienced in a particular class has prepared you well for the challenges of college. Taking AP is a sign that you’re up for the most rigorous classes your high school has to offer.
Earn College Credits
By taking an AP course and scoring successfully on the related AP Exam, you can save on college expenses: most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both, for qualifying AP Exam scores. These credits can allow students to save college tuition, study abroad, or secure a second major. AP can transform what once seemed unattainable into something within reach.
Taking an AP course builds the skills you'll need throughout your college years. You give your mind a rigorous workout while polishing up your time management and study skills. You also get better at handling challenging issues and problems, with the support of your AP teachers. AP courses let you know what to expect during the next phase of your educational journey, and help you build the confidence to succeed.
FROM ROOM E310, MRS. MASCOLO
AP World History Summer Assignment
Dear Students –
Welcome to AP World History! In preparation for our busy school year, you are expected to complete the following assignments over the summer! Please review the descriptions of the activities listed below. I am aware that summer is an important time for you and your family, however because we are covering so much material over the course of the year, we need to get started early.
We will begin our course of study in the year 8,000 B.C.E. and finish the school year looking at modern day issues. I encourage you to work on this throughout the summer and not wait until the last minute to complete this. Please feel free to email me over the summer if you have questions.
Please note that you will have a quiz on your first week back. You will also turn in your homework assignment on the first day of school.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Acosta
Step 1: Watch Guns, Germs, and Steel
You can find the video, Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZ4s8Fsv94&list=PLhzqSO983AmHwWvGwccC46gs0SNObwnZX
EPISODE 1
Then answer the following questions based on the film. Please ensure that each question is answered in a complete sentences.
1. According to Jared Diamond, what are the three major elements that separate the world’s “haves” from the “have nots”?
2. Jared Diamond refers to the people of New Guinea as “among the world’s most culturally diverse and adaptive people in the world”, yet they have much less than modern Americans. Diamond has developed a theory about what has caused these huge discrepancies among different countries, and he says it boils down to geographic luck. Give several examples from the film to support Diamond’s theory.
3. For thousands of years, people have been cultivating crops. Describe the process used to domesticate crops and create plants that yielded bigger, tastier harvests.
4. According to Diamond, livestock also plays a significant role in a civilization’s ability to become rich and powerful. How did the domestication of animals help people? Give several examples.
5. List the animals that can be domesticated and where they can be found.
6. Looking at the list of animals and locations from question 5, discuss how Diamond’s theory about geographic luck applies here.
7. How did the movement of the early civilizations of the Fertile Crescent (Middle East) further support Diamond’s idea that geography played a role in the success of a civilization?
8. Do you agree with Jared Diamond when he says of a civilizations ability to gain power, wealth, and strength,
EPISODE 2
1. At the time that the Spanish conquistador’s invaded the Inca Empire, they were armed with state of the art weaponry. Describe this weaponry
2. What is Jared Diamond’s explanation for why the Spanish had advanced to steel swords while Inca’s were still making tools and weapons from bronze?
3. How did the battle tactics used by the Spanish conquistadors help the small army defeat the Inca army that outnumbered it by the thousands?
4. According to Jared Diamond, what made the Europeans “accidental conquerors”?
EPISODE 3
1. According to Jared Diamond, what is the one factor that allowed Europeans to develop the forces necessary to conquer vast portions of the world?
2. Why were the Europeans who settled the South African cape so successful? Describe two reasons
3. How did disease allow the Europeans to conquer the native populations in the Americas and in the African cape?
4. While the Europeans who were attempting to overtake/settle the tropical areas of the African continent were responsible for introducing killer germs to the native populations, they also suffered from the effects of the germs native to this part of the world. Describe how these germs worked against the European settlers.
5. How did the native Africans protected themselves from the germs that caused diseases such as Smallpox and Malaria? Give specifi c examples cited in the fi lm.
6. How has the colonization of Africa created countries riddled with disease? Give
specific examples from the film.
7. What is the number one public health problem in Zambia, and who are the people primarily affected by this?
8. How has disease contributed to the poverty in many African countries such as Zambia?
9. According to statistics from the fi lm, how has Malaria effected the net growth in Africa over the last 50 years?
10. Describe how other tropical countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have developed rich economies despite having many of the same geographical and health problems faced by African nations.
11. Now that you have read “The Story of Smallpox and Other Eurasian Germs”, describe what you have learned about Smallpox including the causes, symptoms, means for spreading the disease, and how immunity to the disease can be developed.
12. After reading “The Story of Malaria and Other Deadly Tropical Germs”, what are some of the effective, simple, relatively inexpensive ways to prevent the spread of diseases such as Malaria? In your opinion, why are these options not being used more widely by African nations? Explain.
Step 2: Map
Label each region on the “World Regions Map,”then fill out each major ocean.
Click on the underlined "World Regions Map" above, print it out, and fill in the major regions of the world, for example: North America, Atlantic Ocean, etc.
Step 3: Read and Annotate Chapter 1, 2, & 3.
YES, I'm sorry, but you have to print these out and annotate the chapters.
Highlight major concepts, box unknown words and define, and write higher order thinking questions and comments in the margins.
Step 4: Complete the Chapter 1, 2, & 3 Homework Packets
These packets will help you prepare for the AP exam. Please email me if you have any questions.
PACKET--Chapter 1: Before History
PACKET--Chapter 2: Early Societies in South East Asia and Indo-European Migrations
PACKET--Chapter 3: Early African Societies and Bantu Regions