Pre-AP World History Syllabus Grade 9
Mr. Morgan
This course will develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts in
interaction with different types of human societies. This understanding is advanced through a combination
of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The course highlights the nature of
changes in the international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons
among major societies. The course builds on an understanding of cultures, institutions, and technical
precedents that, along with geography, sets the human stage.
Course content is split into 6 time periods: 10000 BCE-600 BCE, 600 BCE-600 CE, 600 CE- 1450, 14501750, 1750-1900, and 1900-present. All students who take this course will take the Advanced Placement
Examination which will be administered at school on May 12th.
Texts and Supplemental Materials
 World Civilizations the Global Experience, Peter Stearns
 AP World History: An Essential Coursebook, Ethel Wood, (2008)
 Nation by Terry Prachett
 Cracking the AP, Princeton Review (20012) (newer editions may be purchased by the student)
 Historical Atlas of the World, Rand McNally, 1994
 History Channel Global History Series (contains primary documents and visual materials as a CDROM)
 History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
 Exceptions: There will be additional supplemental readings assigned by the teacher throughout
the schoolyear.
Five Themes of AP World History
1. Interaction between humans and the environment
2. Development and interaction of cultures
3. State-Building, expansion and conflict
4. Creation, expansion and interaction of economic systems
5. Development and transformation of social structure
Course Schedule
Time Period 1- Technological and Environmental Transformations to 600 BCE
 Key Concept 1.1 Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
 Key Concept 1.2 The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
 Key Concept 1.3 The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral and Urban
Societies
Topics for Discussion
 Neolithic Revolution
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Early Agriculture
Features of Civilizations and Mesopotamia
Ancient Egypt
Indus Valley and Mesoamerica
Ancient China
Interaction with environment
Introduction to Document Based Question and Comparative essay
Time Period:
Sources
 Bulliet: The Earth and Its Peoples: Chapter 1-3
 Essential Course Companion (Wood): page 1-42
 Time Period 1 Map of 4 river valley civilizations
Supplemental Readings or Reader (such as but not limited to):
 “Worst Mistake in History” by Jared Diamond
 “The Birth of Religion” by Charles Mann National Geographic June 2011 issue
 “Epic of Gilgamesh” Text http://www.aina.org/books/eog/eog.pdf
 Expert from “Hammurabi’s Code” http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/hamcode.asp
 Author unknown 2100 BCE “Hymn to the Nile” History Channel Global History Series “Egypt:
Engineering an Empire
Selected Activities/Assessments
 Students will create a time line of their own “marker moments” in their lives and explain why
those moments are considered significant.
 Students will analyze the social, economic, cultural, and technological development of
civilizations by reading and analysis of Nation by Terry Prachett
 Writing workshop
o Students will identify thesis and main topics from “Worst Mistake in History”
o Students will compare and contrast the theories about the development of religion and its
role in the Neolithic Revolution as presented by Jared Diamond and Charles Mann.
o Teacher will present AP rubric and supply samples for the DBQ
 Students will read and complete analytical questions about “Hammurabi’s Code” in regards to the
creation of social classes
 Students will read and complete analytical questions about “Hymn to the Nile” in regards to the
author’s tone and the purpose of a hymn.
 Students will compare the flood story of the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament by taking
into consideration the type of sources they came from.
 Comparison Charts
o Students will compare and contrast the political, social and economic structures of the early
river valley civilizations
 Completion of Time Period #1 study guide of course themes and concepts
Period 2 – Organization and reorganization of Human Societies, 600 BCE to 600 CE
 Key Concept 2.1 The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
 Key Concept 2.2 The Development of States and Empires
 Key Concept 2.3 The Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange
Topics for discussion
 Major Belief Systems: Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Legalism, Daoism, Buddhism,
Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Shinto; polytheism, monotheism, animism, shamanism
 Classical civilizations: Greece, Persia, Rome, China, India and Maya including migrations of the
Huns, Germanic tribes
 Interregional networks by 600 CE and spread of belief systems
 Silk Road and Indian Ocean trade networks, Chinese model and urbanizations
Time Period:
Sources
 Bulliet: The Earth and Its Peoples: chapters 4-7
 Essential Course Companion (Wood) pgs. 113-154
 Maps Wood p. 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 103, 105, 108, 141, 145
 Maps Bulliet p. 63, 67, 71, 74, 83, 94, 103, 117, 126, 140,154, 176, 183,
Supplemental Readings and Materials
 Excerpts from the Vedas http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/
 Excerpts from the Gathas http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/
 Excerpts from the Hebrew Bible
 Excerpts from The Four Noble Truths http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/
 Excerpts from the Christian Bible
 Excerpts from the Quran
 Excerpts from Religions of the World, Seventh Edition by Lewis M. Hopfe and Mark R.
Woodward
 Excerpts from Herodotus’ Histories History Channel Global History Series “Ancient Greece”
 Terra Cotta images from History Channel Global History Series “China and the Great Wall”
 Excerpts from Homer’s Iliad
 Excerpts from Livy History Channel Global History Series “ Rome: Engineering an Empire”
 Excerpts the Popol Vuh History Channel Global History Series “The Maya”
 Excerpts from Sophocles’ Antigone
 Images of Parthenon, Pantheon, Coliseum , Pont de Gard, 3 capital styles (personal pictures)
 Fayum Portraits from Worlds of History A Comparative Reader Third Edition by Kevin Reilly
Selected Activities/ Assessments
 DBQ essays from 2007 AP Exam – Students will compare and contrast the attitudes towards
technology while taking authorial point of view into consideration.
 Map activity – identify important religious sites
 Map activity – identify major migrations
 Map activity – identify Silk Road and Indian Ocean trade routes
 Image analysis – analytical evaluation of Terra Cotta soldiers
 Image analysis – analytical evaluation of Coliseum, Parthenon and Pantheon
 Image analysis – Fayum Portraits
 Venn Diagram – identify similarities and unique characteristics of Legalism, Confucianism, and
Daoism
 Document Analysis – based on the Antigone, determine the role and treatment of women in
ancient Greece
 Document Analysis – compare slavery in China and Rome
 Document Analysis – compare and contrast historical records from Persia (inscriptions in Bulliet)
and Herodotus.
 Completion of Time Period 2 study guide Course themes and concepts
 Comparison of historical writers (Herodotus and Livy) in regards to authorial point of view
 Essay: “Compare and contrast the political development of Han China and the Roman Empire.”
 Students will analyze the “Homeric Question” in regards to the idea of Homer as a historical
source by reading a section of The Illiad and comparing it to the archeological evidence. Excerpts
from Classical Mythology by Barry Powell will provide the archeological evidence.
Period 3: Regional and Transregional Interactions, c. 600 C.E. to 1450
 Key concepts 3.1. Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
 Key Concepts 3.2. Continuity and Innovations of State Forms and Their Interactions
 Key Concept 3.3. Increase Economic Productivity Capacity and Its Consequences
Topics for Discussion
 The Islamic World, the Crusades and Schism in Christianity
 European and Japanese feudalism
 Mongols across Eurasia and urban destruction in SW Asia, Black Death
 Bantu and Polynesian migrations
 Great Zimbabwe and Mayan empires urbanizations
 Aztec and Incan empires urbanization
 Ming Treasure Ships and Indian Ocean trade (Swahili Coast)
Time Period:
Sources:
 Bulliet: The Earth and Its Peoples: pgs 193-400
 map in text
 Essential Course Companion (Wood) pgs. 136-251
Supplemental Readings or Reader:
 The Prophets Last Sermon by Muhammad History Channel Global History Series “ Secrets of the
Koran”
 Persecution of the Jews Jacob Von Konigshofen (1382) History Channel Global History Series “
The Plague”
 On Divisions among Muslims Ibn al-Athir (1220) History Channel Global History Series “Secrets
of the Koran”
 Excerpt from Black Death Guy de Chauliac History Channel Global History Series “The Plague”
 Excerpts from Travels of Ibn Battuta by Ibn Battuta
 Images of the Temple of Kukulkan in Chichen Itze History Channel Global History Series “ The
Maya”
 Images of Islamic Art and architecture (mosques) architecturepicture.net
Selected Activities/Assessments
 Comparison chart on European and Japanese feudalism
 Read The Prophet’s Last Sermon and analyze the author’s intent
 Analyze Ibn Barrtuta’s point of view by reading an excerpt from his text
 Analyze the architectural features of Mayan temples through an image of the Temple of Kukulkan
 Watch video of a biography of Genghis Khan A& E Biography “Terror and Conquest”
 Essay “Analyze the changes and continuity of the effects of the development of the Mongol
Empire on either Russia, China, or the Middle East”
 students will analyze the cause and consequences of the demographic changes that resulted from
the Black Death http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Collections-Research/LAARC/Centre-forHuman-Bioarchaeology/Database/Medieval+cemeteries/ESmithfieldBlackDeath.htm
 Essay: Students will analyze the authorial point of view through completion of the DBQ on
attitudes towards Muslim and Christian merchants from the 2006 AP Exam.
 Journal entry: “What makes Islamic Art unique?” architecturepicture.net
 Essay: “Compare and contrast the empire development of the Inca and the Aztec.”
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Bulliet: The Earth and Its Peoples: chapters 17-22
maps in text
Essential Course Companion (Wood) pgs. 252-349
Selected Activities/Assessments:
 Students will be given a region that they must break down into political, social, economic, cultural,
technological events and key terms and by time period. Students must teach their peers why the
time periods divisions exist within each region.
Sources
 AP Review- Barons
 Study Guide/Notebook and Note cards
Grading Policy:
80%
Examinations
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Tests will occur at the completion of each chapter and will cover content from that chapter and
selected questions from preceding chapters.
 Tests will model the AP Exam’s Multiple Choice and FRQs in order to provide students with
practice analyzing and interpreting data.
Quizzes
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Quizzes will occur weekly.
Students will be quizzed on a list of terms provided by the teacher. Quizzes are cumulative and
will provide the students with the necessary content vocabulary and skills needed for the AP exam.
This weekly assessment will model the AP Exam’s Multiple Choice and FRQs in order to provide
the students with practice analyzing and interpreting data.
Essays
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20%
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There will be at least one Essay assignment for each chapter.
These writing assignments will measure the student’s ability to form coherent arguments, to defend
opinions with supporting evidence and details, and to analyze and interpret data.
Assignments
Assignments include, but are not limited to, class work, outlines and document and article analysis.
I reserve the right to modify the content of this syllabus. In such case will an updated copy will be
addressed. Students will have until September 18th to drop the course and if he/ she elects to do so it
must be discussed with myself, their homebase teacher and the counseling department.
I have read, understand, and agree to abide by all of the requirements outlined in this syllabus:
Parent(s)_______________________________________________________________
Student________________________________________________________________