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AP Teacher: Mr. Cegielski
Due: FIRST DAY OF CLASS!
Completion of this assignment is your
“ticket” into AP World History! If you are
out of town on the first day, you can either
email it to me or drop off the assignment
asap in my mailbox in the Main Office next
near the receptionist. Assignments will be
picked up at 4 pm the first day of school
and the following.
Without an excused absence, your
assignment grade drops 1 grade for
each day late. In addition, I reserve the
right to withdraw you from CE/AP, if
you do not have the assignment
completed. You must demonstrate to
me that you are dedicated to working
hard this semester.
CONTENTS:
1. Specific directions:
 where you can find the book
 format
 how to contact me if you have questions
 information for your parents
2. Questions to answer about the book (note: 6 chapters have been cut; if you are
curious, do read them!)
3. Parent-Student-Teacher Contract for AP World History. This must be signed by all
three parties and abided by throughout the school year.
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Introduction and Directions:
Guns, Germs, and Steel is a big and ambitious book. It has won significant awards and
was placed on the New York Times Best Seller List for hundreds of weeks. Obviously,
people other than incoming AP WH students are reading it! It is not a novel or a
textbook but is the culmination of one man’s curiosity and desire to prove with empirical
data (evidence that can be proven, not just a hypothesis) why history has unfolded as it
has:
 Why did some civilizations that were dynamic and powerful crash so
spectacularly?
 Why did some cultures never even stand a chance at ruling the world?
 Why did Europe come to dominate the world in the 18th century?
 And many other questions……
The author is what we can call a “polymath”: He is curious and knowledgeable about a
wide range of topics. Google his name and take a look at some of the other books he
wrote. You’ll probably be asking why we didn’t read THAT book he wrote….!!. He did
not write this book for teenagers so you might find parts of it difficult. When you do, ask
your parents or older siblings what they think about your question. It is a good book to
talk about because it has interesting information and controversial theories.
Where can you find the book? (paperback & hardcover)
 Public library
 Many used book stores
 Any large book store/chain
 Online at Amazon.com
Format: must be followed. Assignments not following this format will not be read.
 Make sure you save your assignment on 1) your hard-drive and 2) flash
drive every time you sit down to type. No excuses accepted that your HD
crashed since I have forewarned you.
 Retype the question above your answer.
 Answers should be 7-10 sentences at least unless indicated otherwise.
Answers should prove to the reader that you thought about the question,
answered it fully, and showed effort.
 Font size 10 or 12, New York, Geneva or Arial, single-spaced & NO plastic
covers or binders; just staple it
 This is an individual assignment: any copying will result in zeros for all involved.
This is absolutely NOT a partner assignment. A low score will draw scrutiny to
your assignment.
 No partial assignments are accepted.
Questions?
You might have questions about the book as you are working through it this summer.
First, try to help yourself (look up words you don’t know, Google terms or ideas, ask
your parents for help). Second, make sure that your question isn’t already covered in
the directions. If you still need help then e-mail me at this address:
cegielksio@cvamail.com.
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INFORMATION FOR PARENTS:
CE/AP World History is a 10-11th grade class but it is taught as a college-level
introductory course to World History. Expectations, curriculum, reading difficulty and
class behavior norms are similar to what is expected for freshmen in college. An hour of
homework per night is normal. This class is only for self-motivated, curious, hardworking
students who already have self-discipline. It is not for students who show promise but
don’t apply themselves. If you know your student has reading difficulties then maybe
this class is not a good fit because the reading level is quite high and students can’t just
get by on what is covered in class.
What to expect: We will read most, if not all of the textbook. For honors and AP
students, it is highly recommended that students take the three hour AP exam in May:
70 multiple choice questions + three 45 minute essays to write. There is a required $100
fee (Please talk to me or the school if you have concerns about this). College credit is
not automatic; students must typically earn at least a 3 on a scale of 1-5 to earn
college credit. (If your child does pass, it will save you a lot on college tuition in the long
run.) Motivation for taking this class should not be the weighted grade; there must be
intrinsic interest in history.
Parents, please help your students by also becoming students of history: talk about the
topics that come up as the class unfolds. A good place to start is with the summer
assignment; maybe you want to read it, too? Encourage your students to fully utilize the
AP College Board website for help:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/descriptions/index.html.
Go to the link “World History” and download the PDF document for a full description and
sample AP World Exam questions.
***If, after looking over this summer assignment information, you think this class might
be beyond the scope of your student for next year then please call the main office or
contact me via email as soon as possible so that your student can be rescheduled into
the regular World History class. Sometimes students are ready for an CE/AP class their
sophomore year and sometimes not until their junior year.
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SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS:
PLEASE RETYPE THE QUESTION AND THEN RESPOND AS PROMPTED:
1. Research
Write a short (1/2 page) biography of the author; include information about his areas
of research, books written, and prizes awarded.
2. Preface
The author suggests that the roots of western Eurasian dominance in the modern
world lie in what? Why has he chosen to write this book in this style and manner?
3. Prologue
According to the author, why did human development proceed at different rates on
different continents? What is his personal view on civilized and progressive societies
versus hunter-gatherers societies?
CHAPTER QUESTIONS. PLEASE RETYPE THE QUESTION AND THEN RESPOND
AS PROMPTED. NOTE THAT SOME CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN CUT:
Chapter 1: Up to the Starting Line
What was the Great Leap Forward? Describe the life of a Cro-Magnon person. What
impact did the arrival of humans have on big animals? Provide an example. Which
continent had a head start in 11,000 BCE (Before Common Era = BC). Why?
Chapter 2: A Natural Experiment of History
Explain the difference between the Moriori and the Maori. Who conquered whom and
why? What lessons can be learned by the pattern of dispersion of the Polynesians?
Chapter 3: Collision at Cajamarca (VIC-very important chapter)
Write a paragraph explaining your views on the event of November 16, 1532. What
strikes (pun!) you the most about this event? Why did Pizarro succeed?
Chapter 4: Farmer Power
Write a paragraph explaining the chart. Do you agree with the author’s conclusions?
What advantages are gained by being the first to domesticate animals?
Chapter 5: History’s Haves and Have Nots
CUT
Chapter 6: To Farm or Not to Farm
CUT
Chapter 7: How to Make an Almond
CUT
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Chapter 8: Apples or Indians (VIC-see chapter 3 for what it means)
Why was the Fertile Crescent predisposed to have such a potent head start in so many
areas of development: writing, cities, and empires? What reasons does the author give
for cannibalism in New Guinea?
Chapter 9: Zebras, Unhappy Marriages, and the Anna Karenina Principle
Identify and define the Ancient Fourteen. What is domestication? Which animals most
helped Eurasians?
Chapter 10: Spacious Skies and Tilted Axis
Why did people who lived on an east-west axis become the world’s conquerors?
What was it about the Americas and Africa that put these two continents at a
developmental disadvantage?
Chapter 11: Lethal Gift of Livestock (VIC)
In what way can the gift of livestock be lethal? What was the role of disease in the
exploration of Hernando de Soto?
Chapter 12: Blueprints and Borrowed Letters
Why is writing an agent of conquest according to the author? Why did some people
NOT develop writing?
Chapter 13: Necessity’s Mother (VIC)
Provide the 14 (?more less?) explanations of resistance to technological changes and
advancements.
Chapter 14: From Egalitarianism to Kleptocracy
CUT
Chapter 15: Yali’s People
Why did Aboriginal Australians NOT develop metal tools, writing, and complex political
societies? What protected New Guineans from losing to invading Europeans who
sought out lands to conquer and settle?
Chapter 16: How China Became Chinese (VIC)
Why was China able to dominate East Asia?
Chapter 17: Speed Boat to Polynesia
CUT
Chapter 18: Hemispheres Colliding (VIC)
At the time of Columbus, what advantages did the Eurasians enjoy? Which was most
important?
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Chapter 19: How Africa Became Black
Why does the author think that Madagascar, the island not the movie, is the single most
astonishing fact of human geography? Where did agriculture first arise in Africa?
Epilogue
How did Diamond answer Yali’s question? Why did politically united China lose its
technological advantage to the formerly backward and politically fragmented Europe?
(VIQ = very important question for AP WH!)
Free Form Question!
Time for you to admire or vent….what did you think about the book???
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Students (and their parent/guardian) who wish to register for an Advanced Placement course must sign
the following contract in order to be enrolled:
1. I, the student, recognize that participation in Honors and AP classes requires me to:
 demonstrate increased student independence,
 take on a high degree of responsibility, and
 meet and work to higher standards than most students in regular courses to earn the same
grade. (Note: Advanced Placement courses typically require as much as 60 minutes or more of
homework nightly.)
2. I commit to completing any required summer work on time and in a satisfactory manner. Unsatisfactory
completion of the summer assignment may result in an automatic transfer from the course.
3. I commit to remain enrolled in the AP classes I have chosen for the entire year. While transfers to a
regular class may be granted, the following policy will be applied:
 Students will be permitted to transfer only after the first two weeks of class, and only after
discussing this with the teacher and the Principal or a school counselor.
 Transfers to a regular course should not be made any later than the first month of school, since
the AP curriculum is very different from and more accelerated than a regular course.
4. I realize that by enrolling in an Advanced Placement course I am highly encouraged to take the
corresponding Advanced Placement Examination in May. The fee for the exam is $100.00. If approved by
the Principal and CEO, funding support may be available and depend upon fundraising efforts by the
school and students.
5. College credit is not automatic; students must typically earn at least a 3 on a scale of 1-5 on the AP
World History exam to earn college credit.
6. Successfully passing AP World History will count as one required history credit by the State of
Colorado towards high school graduation as well as feature a higher grade weight (5.0, rather than just
4.0 for an A) per semester.
7. I, the parent(s) will:
 help my child by also becoming a student of history: talk about the topics that come up as the
class unfolds.
 consider reading the summer book assignment along with my student.
 encourage my student to fully utilize the AP College Board website for help:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/descriptions/index.html. (Go to the link
“World History” and download the PDF document for a full description and sample AP World
Exam questions.) Help my student to practice taking the sample AP World History exams.
 Discuss good study skills and work habits and establish a regular place and time for completion
of nightly homework assignments.
__________________________________
Student Name (Print)
_______________________ _________
Parent/Guardian Signature
Date
_________________________________ __________
Student Signature
Date
_________________________________ _________
2nd Parent/Guardian Signature (Optional)
Date