AP World History: Modern - Course and Exam Description (Effective Fall 2023)

Overview

• Provides a comprehensive framework for the AP World History: Modern course.
• Includes instructional sections and sample exam questions.
• Guidelines emphasize clarity, evidence-based learning, intellectual freedom, and historical analysis.
• Encourages understanding of varied perspectives and resistance to indoctrination.
• Advanced Placement (AP) courses aim to prepare students for college-level studies.

Key Principles of AP Courses

1. Clarity and Transparency: Clear expectations help prevent classroom confusion.
2. Evidence-Based Learning: Encourages independent thinking and conclusions based on evidence.
3. Opposition to Censorship: Ensures intellectual freedom; courses must cover all required topics.
4. Opposition to Indoctrination: Promotes the analysis of diverse perspectives without enforcing specific viewpoints.
5. Open-Minded Approach: Studying diverse histories and cultures is essential.
6. Respect for Student Engagement: Classrooms are respectful of diverse backgrounds and encourage debate.
7. Choice and Information: AP is a voluntary program; parents and students choose to enroll.

Course Framework

• Comprised of Historical Thinking Skills (HTS), Reasoning Processes (RP), and Course Content.
• HTS include skills such as sourcing, contextualization, and argumentation.
• Reasoning Processes include comparison, causation, and continuity/change.

Units and Themes

1. The Global Tapestry
2. Networks of Exchange
3. Land-Based Empires
4. Transoceanic Interconnections
5. Revolutions
6. Consequences of Industrialization
7. Global Conflict
8. Cold War and Decolonization
9. Globalization

Themes

• Humans and the Environment
• Cultural Developments and Interactions
• Governance
• Economic Systems
• Social Interactions and Organization
• Technology and Innovation

Instructional Approaches

• Selecting and using diverse course materials is critical for developing comprehensive historical understanding.
• Instructional strategies include activities like debates, discussions, and creative representations to engage students.

Exam Information

• The AP World History Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long.
• It includes multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, a document-based question, and a long essay question.
• Exam assesses students' understanding of course themes, historical thinking skills, and reasoning processes.
• Units are weighted according to their significance in the modern world history narrative.

Scoring and Assessment

• AP Exams are criterion-referenced; scores reflect a student's mastery of course material.
• The scoring rubric for essays includes thesis, contextualization, evidence, and analysis.
• Free-response questions require students to develop arguments, contextualize events, and synthesize information.

Key Takeaways

• AP World History: Modern equips students with skills for historical inquiry and critical thinking.
• The course framework supports a comprehensive understanding of global history, encouraging students to explore diverse historical narratives and perspectives.