AP World History, Semester A

Course Description

Advanced Placement® (AP) World History A is the first semester in a two-semester series that takes a global perspective on the study of history from c. 1200 CE to 1900 CE. Students will follow the rise follow the rise of Post-Classical Empires through to the end of the Cold War as globalization accelerates with the advent of the Internet. In AP World History A, students will explore the patterns and trends that contribute to the shifting balance of power between Europe and Asia while viewing history from multiple thematic perspectives. As they progress through the course, students will develop the skills to analyze a variety of historical documents to make and support arguments, make comparisons, determine causation, and analyze change over time. 

About AP® Courses 

Advanced Placement (AP®) courses are equivalent to college-level courses. We highly recommend that you review the College Board’s AP World History: Modern Course Information page before beginning this course. Students are required to take the UTHS final exam for each semester course to earn high school credit. Students wanting to earn college credit may take the AP® exam offered by the College Board after completing the semester B course; however, it is not required to receive credit for the course from UT High School. 

Semester Topics

• Unit 1: The Global Tapestry
  
• Unit 2: Networks of Exchange
  
• Unit 3: Land-Based Empires
  
• Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections
  
• Unit 5: Revolutions

Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, you will be able to—

• analyze the religious, political, social, and economic organization in Europe c.1200-c.1450; 
• compare similarities and differences in state formation in the period from c.1200-c.1450; 
• explain how trade routes such as the Silk Road, Indian Ocean Network, and Trans-Saharan trade network helped facilitate the spread of goods as well as new ideas; 
• explain how the Mongol Empire rose to power, and ultimately impacted trade and the exchange of ideas along the Silk Road; 
• analyze how rulers of the Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Qing empires legitimized their power; 
• explain how cross-cultural interactions resulted in the diffusion of technology and facilitated changes in patterns of trade and travel from 1450-1750; 
• explain the causes of the Columbian Exchange and its effects on the Eastern and Western hemispheres; 
• identify and describe a historical context for a specific historical development or process; 
• make a historically defensible claim, support an argument using specific and relevant evidence, and use historical reasoning to explain relationships among pieces of historical evidence; 
• identify and explain a source’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience, including how these might limit the use(s) of a source. 

Required Course Materials

Please visit the Computer Requirements page to view minimum device, internet, and application requirements for all UT High School courses. Generally, a desktop or laptop device five (5) years or newer with access to an office suite, such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, will be adequate to participate in most UTHS courses.

Unless otherwise noted, students are responsible for purchasing or securing all the following course materials:

• Textbook: 1200 Update-Ways of the World with Sources: For the AP Modern Course (4th ed.) by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson
  • Publisher: BFW High School Publishers, 2020
  • ISBN#: 9781319236571
• Interactive Notebook: A paper or digital composition book is acceptable. or paper composition books, please also have the following items on hand: 
  • Pens or Pencils
  • Tape or Glue

Course Organization

Students must complete the course in sequence: You will not be able to access the next unit until all work in the preceding unit is completed. You may take your final exam only after completing all units and submitting all graded assignments.  

• Units: Each unit includes multiple lessons and graded assignments as well as ungraded practice quizzes to help you check your understanding of the material.
  
  
• Summative Assessments: Each course includes two online, virtually proctored summative assessments testing your understanding of the material presented in the preceding 2-3 Units.
  • Format: Online, Multiple-choice
  • Time Allowed: 1 hr 30 min
    
    
• Final Exam: Each course includes an online, virtually proctored final exam testing your knowledge of all material presented in the course.
  • Format: Online, Multiple-choice and free response
  • Time Allowed: 3 hrs 20 min

Course Grade Weighting

Your final course grade is calculated by weighting the three assignment groups displayed in the table below:

Online Proctored Exams

All course exams, including both summative assessments and the final exam, must be completed online. Students must test online with Proctorio and are required to add the Proctorio extension to either their Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome browser—installation instructions are provided in the student's course. Proctorio uses a student's computer, web camera, and microphone to record video of both the student and their desktop during the exam. Then, UTHS instructors review the student's exam video data collected by Proctorio. Only authorized UTHS staff and instructors can view the exam recordings. Student data is not shared with any persons or organizations outside of UTHS and are deleted after one year. We encourage you to visit Proctorio's Data Security and Privacy site pages to learn more about how we protect student date.