AP WORLD HISTORY SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
2014-2015
Welcome to AP World History! We are looking forward to an exciting and challenging year as we explore the
history of the world together. To get started, you will be completing the summer assignment described below.
In AP World History, we analyze lots of documents, including visuals and artifacts. This assignment is
designed to help you become familiar with important artifact evidence in world history, as well as the
techniques used to analyze this type of evidence. We hope that you have a restful and enjoyable summer. See
you in August!
Mrs. Skelton
Mrs. Turek
Summer Assignment Introduction
This activity is based on the BBC and British Museum radio series, A History of the World in 100 Objects. A
book by the same title has also been published to go with the series and can be used in place of the internet to
complete this assignment.
“When did people first start to wear jewelry or play music? When were cows domesticated and why do we
feed their milk to our children? Where were the first cities and what made them succeed? Who invented
math-or came up with money?
The history of humanity is a history of invention and innovation, as we have continually created new items
to use, to admire, or to leave our mark on the world. In [an] original and thought-provoking book, Neil
MacGregor, director of the British Museum, has selected one hundred man-made artifacts, each of which
gives us an intimate glimpse of an unexpected turning point in human civilization. A History of the World
in 100 Objects stretches back two million years and covers the globe. From the very first hand axe to the
ubiquitous credit card, each item has a story to tell; together they relate the larger history of mankindrevealing who we are by looking at what we have made.”
Directions
1. Go to the following website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/about/british-museum-objects/.
If you have trouble, simply search “A History of the World in 100 Objects” and you will find it. This
page allows you to view a list of the 100 objects and a snapshot picture of each.
2. The objects are grouped into 20 categories, according to chronology and theme. For example, the first
category is called “Making Us Human.” Select 10 objects to investigate, each one from a different
category. Listen to the podcast, or read the transcript, for each of the 10 objects you’ve selected.
3. Complete an analysis of each object, using the OPTIC format described below and on the back of this
page. You may type your analysis using this format or copy the back of this page to use. Your analysis
of all 10 objects must represent your own individual work and will be collected at the beginning of
the school year, no later than Tuesday, September 2.
OPTIC is an organizational strategy particularly suited for analyzing visuals and graphics. OPTIC
stands for Overview, Parts, Title, Interrelationships, and Conclusion. This acronym helps students to
remember the 5 steps for analyzing visual evidence.
 Conduct a brief OVERVIEW of the visual
 Key in on the PARTS of the visual, noting any important elements or details
 Read the TITLE of the visual so you clearly understand the subject
 Use the title and the parts of the visuals as your clues to detect and specify the
INTERRELATIONSHIPS in the visual
 Draw a CONCLUSION about the visual as a whole
AP World History Summer Assignment
A History of the World in 100 Objects
CATEGORY: _______________________________________________
OVERVIEW (Context – When was it created? Where is it from? What else was happening historically at this
time?)
PARTS (What are the elements or details? Describe them. What is going on in the visual? What materials were
used to make it?)
TITLE (What is the title? What does it mean? How does it help you to understand the parts and purpose of the
object?)
INTERRELATIONSHIPS (How are the title and the parts connected? What is the purpose of the object?
What message or meaning is conveyed by the object as a whole? How does it relate to other
events/developments during the same time period?)
CONCLUSION (What is the overall significance of this object? Why was it selected as one of only 100 to
represent human history? What can we learn about world history from this object?)