AP World History 2015 – 2016 / Higginbotham / Summer Assignments
The AP World History summer assignments will expose you to important themes in World History, and content
that is essential to the class. You are required to read 1 book for this class, 3 National Geographic articles, and 2
selections from books about world and regional history. The book that you will also use for Honors English is A Little
History of the World by Gombrich.
Read (and enjoy!) the book selections and articles, then follow the directions on this paper to complete the rest of
the summer assignments. The Gombrich book can be found in either the school library, the public library, or at a local
bookstore. Inexpensive used copies can be found online. Do not hesitate to use a dictionary to better understand
confusing words, or the internet to better understand the historical background for these books.
Summer assignments #1 and #2 must be turned in by July 10, 2015. You may submit your Summer Assignments
in one of the following ways: deliver it to the school, mail it to the school, or email your work to me. If you email your
work to me, then you must get a confirmation email back from me letting me know I’ve received your work. If your work
has not been received by July 10, you will be dropped from the course. Summer assignments #3,#4, and #5 are due the
second day of school. NO EXCEPTIONS.
If you have any questions over the summer, I would prefer you email me first at jhigginb@dps.k12.oh.us, or as a
last resort - you can call me at 623-4575. I look forward to having you in class this fall. Good luck with the summer
work.
Part I – Due July 10
1. Respond to the following prompts about the Gombrich book, “A Little History of the World.”
Please TYPE your responses, 2 to 3 pages in length. 50 points
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How does he organize World History?
What is his perspective on World History? (Cite text evidence)
Does he give the reader a broad view of global cultures, and their significance?
What does he leave out about World History?
Does he have a positive or negative view of World History? (Cite text evidence)
How does Gombrich represent the history of Africa?
Would you recommend this book to someone who wanted to know the history of the world?
2. Read the following articles online at the National Geographic website, and view additional
photographic and video elements that accompany them. Answer the questions that go with each
article. Please TYPE your responses, 2 to 3 pages in length. 50 points
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“The Greatest Journey,” http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2006/03/human-journey/shreeve-text
o How can archaeologists/historians use biologists’ work with genetics to help them better
understand Mankind’s distant pre-historical past?
o Explain the paths of human migration throughout the world that archaeologists and biologists
have identified.
o Explain the traditional view of migration into the Americas, and how it is now being challenged.
“First Artists,” http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/01/first-artists/walter-text
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What are some of the theories about why Paleolithic people created art?
What are some of the methods used for creating these ancient examples of art?
How does the world’s most ancient art communicate important truths about both ancient mankind and
modern people?
“The Birth of Religion,” http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/gobekli-tepe/mann-text
o Explain the thoughts on the origins of Gobekli Tepe?
o What is the traditional view of prehistory as defined by the idea of the Neolithic Revolution?
o How does Gobekli Tepe’s existence, and the time of its creation challenge the traditional view of
the Neolithic Revolution?
o What does the Gobekli Tepe site tell us about prehistoric religious beliefs?
Part II – Due August 14th
(Second Day of School)
3. Read the handout from the book, An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage, then answer the
questions below. – 50 points
Use the following guide to write your review. Your review should be TYPED in 12pt Times New Roman font,
double-spaced, 1 to 2 pages in length. Cite text evidence with your answers.
 What is the author’s main argument or thesis about their topic?
 Describe how the author organizes and presents the information in their work.
 Summarize the information that is essential to understanding the topic and the author’s perspective.
 Explain the relevance of the book’s topic to World History.
 Evaluate the book by explaining how well the author conveyed information in the text (What was done
well? / What could have been done better?)
4. Read the handout from the book, Cradle and Crucible: History and Faith in the Middle East by various
authors, then answer the questions below. – 50 points
Use the following guide to write your review. Your review should be TYPED in 12pt Times New Roman font,
double-spaced, 1 to 2 pages in length. Cite text evidence with your answers.
 What is the author’s main argument or thesis about their topic?
 Describe how the author organizes and presents the information in their work.
 Summarize the information that is essential to understanding the topic and the author’s perspective.
 Explain the relevance of the book’s topic to World History.
 Evaluate the book by explaining how well the author conveyed information in the text (What was done
well? / What could have been done better?)
5. Read and become familiar with the AP World History reference sheet, specifically the “Overview,” the
“Course Content” time periods, and the “Historical Thinking Skills.”