AP European History Summer Reading Assignment
Corona High School
Mrs. Menter-Hartman
Email: lmenter@cnusd.k12.ca.us
Reading: The Western Heritage, Introduction: The West Before 1300 (xxxii-lxxvii)
Welcome to AP European History! If you love history, if you love discovering diverse cultures, if you
love Europe, if you love to travel, if you love to challenge yourself, if you love to learn, then this course
is for you. In order for this course to meet the requirements of AP certification, it must be taught at the
rigor of a college-level course. We will be going very fast, and covering a lot of information in a short
amount of time. Therefore, in August we need to hit the ground running.
To accomplish this, I am assigning you a summer reading assignment so you are immediately ready to
start AP Euro from the Renaissance the moment you walk into class in August. This reading assignment
covers the Introduction to our textbook (xxxii-lxxvii) and is meant to be a review of much of what you
learned in 7th grade World History. Its purpose is to awaken your pre-existing knowledge. I hope it will
be exhilarating and create in you an anticipation to learn more. Warning; I will NOT accept late
summer assignments.
To better understand the reading, I encourage you to first complete the provided blank map of Europe
with its current nations. You may refer to the map on page 1049 of your textbook to help you complete
the map. Prior to reading, look through the provided “AP European History Summer Reading Guide”.
Underline/star each term, name, big movement/idea or primary image/document in your book with a light pencil.
Then, as you read, take notes on these “terms” understanding their significance in relation to each other and the
time period. Be ready for both a reading quiz and a terms quiz when you return in August. DO NOT simply
define each term in isolation from the reading. You will never understand the big picture that way. Instead,
incorporate the terms into your reading, taking notes as you read.
When you return to school in August you will take an open-note reading quiz on which you can use your
Summer Reading Notes. You will turn your Summer Reading Notes in to me immediately following the
quiz. Together, the summer reading quiz and the Summer Reading Notes will be worth 50 homework
points. You will also take a closed-note terms quiz that will test you on a select few of the 28 summer
reading terms. And finally, you will take a map quiz, showing that you understand the basic political
geography of modern Europe.
So to summarize, be prepared to turn in your Summer Reading Notes and take three quizzes; a terms
quiz, a reading quiz and a map quiz. Other than that, enjoy your summer and I look forward to seeing
you in August!
AP European History Recommended Supplies:
1. A 3 ring binder specifically for AP Euro
2. A spiral notebook for taking lecture notes
3. 3 hole punched folders for handouts/documents
4. Several highlighters of various colors
5. A supply of both pens & pencils
6. An AP European History test prep book
AP European History Summer Reading Terms (xxxii-lxxvii)
Instructions: Prior to reading, with light pencil, underline each term or character. As you read, take notes on the Art,
documents, terms & characters, understanding their significance in relation to each other and the time period. Also pay
close attention to the big movements and ideas. You will write a paragraph on each of these when finished with the
reading. Be ready for both a reading quiz and a terms quiz. DO NOT simply define each term in isolation from the
reading. You will never understand the big picture that way. Instead, incorporate the terms into your reading, taking notes
as you read.
26. Lüneburg (lxviii)
27. Skilled Workers in Florence (lxix)
Big Movements & Ideas:
28. “The English Nobility Imposes Restraints on King
1. The persisting influence of classical societies (Greek
John” (lxxi)
& Roman culture, politics & philosophy) on
29. Crusaders (lxxii)
Western Europe (xl-lx)
30. William the Conqueror (lxxii)
31. Castle Buonconsiglio (lxxiv)
2. The immergence & evolution of Christianity in
32. University of Paris (lxxiv)
Europe (lvii-lx, lxii-lxiii, lxvi-lxvii)
33. “Student Life at the University of Paris” (lxxv)
3. The creation & evolution of the Holy Roman Empire
34. University of Bologna students (lxxvi)
(lxii, lxxii-lxxiv)
Terms:
Art & Documents :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace (xxxiii)
Chauvet Cave Drawings (xxxiv)
Statue of Gudea (xxxv)
Pyramids of Egypt (xxxvii)
“The Second Isaiah Defines Hebrew Monotheism
(xxxix)
“Husband and Wife in Homer’s Troy” (xli)
17th century BCE Greek vase (xlii)
The Acropolis (xliii)
Attic vase (xliv)
Aristotle (xlv)
“Plato on the Role of Women in his Utopian
Republic” (xlvii)
Alexander the Great (xlviii)
Roman Forum Ruins (li)
Lictors (lii)
Julius Caesar (lv)
Ara Pacis Panel (lv)
“Juvenal on Life in Rome” (lvi)
Carthage mosaic (lvii)
“Mark Describes the Resurrection of Jesus” (lviii)
Empress Theodora mosaic (lix)
Shari’a (lxi)
Saint Gregory the Great (lxiii)
Charlemagne (lxv)
Benedictine monks (lxvi)
“The Carolingian Manor” (lxvii)
1. Culture (xxxiv.2.2)
2. Judaism (xxxvii.4.7)
3. monotheism (xxxviii.5.4)
4. polis (xlii.2.1)
5. aristocratic republic (xlii.4.6)
6. monarchy (xliii.7.2)
7. oligarchy (xliii.7.2)
8. democracy (xliii.7.2)
9. philosopher kings (xlvi.1.11)
10. imperator (liii.3.6)
11. Christianity (lvii.2.3)
12. Catholic (lvii.5.10)
13. orthodox (lvii.5.11)
14. heretics (lvii.5.12)
15. coloni (lix.2.7)
16. Islam (lxi.6.1)
17. monasticism (lxii.4.4)
18. Holy Roman Empire(lxii.3.15)
19. feudal society (lxiv.3.3)
20. vassalage (lxv.2.2)
21. fief (lxv.2.12)
22. manors (lxv.3.7)
23. serfs (lxv.3.17)
24. parliaments/assemblies (lxvi.1.9)
25. bourgeois (lxviii.4.1)
26. Merchant guilds (lxix.1.6)
27. Magna Carta (lxx.3.3)
28. Scholasticism (lxxv.2.1)
Characters:
1. Socrates (xlv)
2. Plato (xlv-xlvi)
3. Aristotle (xlvi)
4. Alexander the Great (xlvi-xlviii)
5. Julius Caesar (lii)
6. Cicero (lii-liii)
7. Vergil (liii)
8. Jesus (lvii)
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Constantine (lix)
Justinian (lxi)
Muhammad (lxi)
Charlemagne (lxiii)
William of Normandy (lxix-lxx)
Philip II (lxxi)
Frederick I (lxxii)