AP World History
Norco High School
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Instructor: Phillip Taylor (Social Studies)
Room: D-15
Conference: Period 1
School Phone
736-3241 ext. 2265
Email
ptaylor@cnusd.k12.ca.us
School Webpage http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Page/11317
Course Overview
The AP World History course content is structured around the investigation of five course themes and 19 key
concepts in six different chronological periods. The class approaches history in a nontraditional way as it looks at
the common threads of humanity over time—trade, religion, politics, society, and technology—and it investigates
how these things have changed and continued over time in different places.
AP World History is designed to be a college-level course in world history from a global perspective. As a
college-level course, a college-level text will be used and textbook readings will be supplemented with a broad array
of additional secondary and primary sources. AP World History is a survey course that covers a very broad
chronological sweep of time. AP World History is designed to prepare students to take the AP World History exam.
Students in this class are expected to take the exam on May 17, 2012.
To accomplish this broad chronological time period, students will be required to complete independent
reading, note-taking, writing development and studying in order to be successful.
Resources
Textbook: Bulliet, Richard, et al., The Earth and its Peoples: A Global History, 4th Edition, Houghton Mifflin
Company, 2008.
Primary Sources
Textual: The Human Record: Sources of Global History, by Alfred Andrea and James
edition, volumes I and II, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.
Overfield, 5th
Ways of the World: A Global History with Sources, by Robert W. Strayer, Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2011.
Secondary Sources
David Christian, Maps of Time
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel
The Five Themes of AP World History
Students will develop an ability to view history thematically. The AP World History course is organized
around five themes that unify the various threads found throughout the course. The intent of the themes is to help
students relate what is particular to each time period to the “big picture” of history. Virtually all aspects of the class
will be tied to these themes which will henceforth be referred to by the acronym “SPICE”.
Social- Development and transformation of social structures
Political- State building, expansion and conflict
Interaction between humans and the environment
Culture-Development and interaction of cultures
Economic-Creation, expansion and interaction of economic systems
Course Schedule
A complete reading schedule will be given students and is located on the school website. This is a brief overview of
the six Historical Periods covered in the course.
Period 1- Technological and Environmental Transformations, to c. 600 B.C.E.
Key Concepts:
 Big Geography and peopling of the Earth
 The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
 The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral and Urban Societies
Period 2- Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies, c. 600 B.C.E. to c. 600 C.E.
Key Concepts:
 The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
 The Development of States and Empires
 Emergence of Trans-regional Networks of Communication and Exchange
Period 3: Regional and Trans-regional Interactions, c. 600 C.E. to 1450
Key Concepts:
 Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
 Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions
 Increased Economic Productive Capacity and its Consequences
Period 4: Global Interactions 1450 to 1750
Key Concepts:
 Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
 New Forms of Social Organization and Production
 State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
Period 5: Industrialization and Global Integration, 1750 to 1900
Key Concepts:
 Industrialization and Global Capitalism
 Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
 Nationalism, Revolution and Reform
 Global Migration
Period 6: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments 1900 to Present
Key Concepts:
 Science and the Environment
 Global Conflicts and their Consequences
 New Conceptualizations of Global Economy
CLASSWORK AND GRADING
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Grades will be assigned based on a standard point scale (A=90+,B=80+, C=70+, D=60+, F=50+)
Grades will be calculated using a weighted system, with the following categories and relative weights:
 Exams
40%
 Homework
20%
 Class Work
20%
 Quizzes
10%
 Participation
10%
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Chapter exams will simulate the AP Exam (Thursdays)
 Multiple-choice questions and essays (one of three types)
Weekly Reading Assignments/Homework
 Students will be assigned pages from the text and selected primary/secondary sources as
homework
 Students will be introduced to a variety of note taking techniques to succeed using a college-level
text (Due Tuesday)
 Students will be required to create flash cards related to key terms. (Due Thursday)
Class work
 Skills improvement primarily with writing (Fridays)
 Document Analysis skills (Monday’s)
 Class Activities (Usually cooperative groups)
Quizzes
 Weekly Quizzes will be given on Tuesdays
Participation
 Students will be expected to participate in Class Discussions
 Students will be prepared for class
 Students will work in cooperative groups effectively
Late Work
 All work that is turned-in late will automatically be marked down 50%
 Late assignments submitted after a unit of study is complete will be worth only 50% of original
value
 Work missed due to an excused absence can be made-up for full credit, as long as it is done in a
timely manner. Please communicate clearly and frequently about missed work and schedule
conflicts!
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MATERIALS NEEDED
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Course Notebook (A place to keep all of your work for the year – to be kept at HOME)
 3-ring binder (large – preferably 3 inch spine or about that size)
 Tab dividers for sectioning off your notebook, 1-2 packs (you can make these if you want)
Lined paper for notes, assignments, and essays (preferably loose; not in a notebook)
Note cards for weekly flashcard assignments.
Post-it notes (small) to make notes or write questions in your textbook (Optional but recommended)
Highlighters
EXPECTATIONS
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Attendance is mandatory
 Work missed due to un-excused absences will NOT be allowed to be made-up
 Some assignments simply cannot be made-up, such as quick-writes and presentations
 Minimizing the number of days missed is the best way to stay sane
Work hard and maintain at least a “C” grade
 Success in this class will be largely based on doing the reading, completing the work, and
participating (discussing) in class.
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All students are expected to take the AP Exam at the end of the year. Please talk with me if you think this will
be a problem.
All essays, projects, and outlines that are assigned as homework are to be HAND-WRITTEN
All students are expected to do their own work!!!!!
 DON”T COPY!!!!!!
 Both the copier and the person giving their paper to be copied will receive zeros if copying is
evident
 If you create study groups and split assignments between students, you must write the information
in your own words in order to get credit
 Copying will not be treated lightly!!!!!!
 Parents will be notified
 Students caught cheating will face serious disciplinary action!
Dropping or Transferring out of this class will be difficult
 All students should plan on sticking with the course for the entire year, even if it is challenging
 Colleges want to see AP classes on transcripts
 Once the year begins, students must complete the semester before a transfer will be considered
 Other World History classes cover a very different curriculum and it will be nearly
impossible to calculate a fair grade for a transfer that occurs in the middle of a semester
 There will be ample opportunity to succeed in the course. Students that keep working hard will
not have problems maintaining a respectable grade in this class.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Directions for students: (PLEASE CUT THIS PORTION OFF!)
1. Print your name clearly so I know who this syllabus belongs to.
2. Sign your name, indicating that you have read and understand the syllabus and class
expectations.
3. Have your parents read and sign the syllabus, indicating that they understand the class
expectations.
4. Turn-in the syllabus with the required signatures for 10 homework points.
5. Keep the syllabus, along with all of your other work, in a large 3-ring binder for this
class.
I have read and understand the above expectations for AP World History.
Print Student Name
______________________________
Student Signature
______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature ___________________________