APWH

Hello APWH students
Here is a reminder post about your class and the summer assignment due in about a week! If you need the template for the PERSIAN charts please email me and I'll send it to you.

AP World History Summer Assignment  2015, Mrs. Kavet room 14

Welcome to AP World History 2015- 2016!

 This is a rigorous, one-year course of study that culminates in the College Board exam in May. It is a college-level course involving high-level reading, writing, and analysis of historical interpretations. Good attendance is mandatory, as there is a vast amount of material covered in each class.

In order to prepare for AP World History, you will need to purchase the following book:

Ways of the World by Robert W. Strayer (AP second edition). Please contact me if you have questions about how or where to buy the book.

kathleen_kavet@dpsk12.org

In addition, as part of your summer assignments, you need to read the following book:  Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. This book can be purchased at a local bookstore or can be checked out of a library.

Please read and complete the assignments below which are due the first day of class.

Part I:  You will create PERSIAN charts for the following

• Mesopotamia
• Egypt   
• Indus Valley
• Shang and Zhou China
• Olmecs and Chavins in the Americas
• Classical Greece
• Classical Rome
• Han China

PERSIAN Charts: Definitions and Guiding Questions

The letters in PERSIAN stand for the following:

Political: Who is in charge? What is power based on? Who gives that person or group power?  (Is there a contract?)  How does a person lose power?  What's the government structure?  List any significant wars, treaties, courts, or laws.

Economic: How do people earn their food? Is it based on agriculture, commerce, small trades/professions, or industry (like manufacturing or technology)?  Where's the money?  What are the valued and traded commodities? What technologies or industries define their culture?

Religious: What do these people believe in?  What are basic beliefs about god(s), life, death, and life after death?  Are there leaders or documents that define/explain their religion?  Is the religion open to any/everyone?  Are there competing beliefs/religions within this society?  What happens to people who do not choose to follow the major religion/belief?

Social: How does the group relate to one another? How do people communicate?  What do people do together?  How is the group organized?  Are there social classes?  How do they live? Are there inequalities?  What are the family and gender roles? 

Intellectual: Who are the “thinkers”? What groups are given the opportunity to learn?  How do people learn?  (Where does knowledge come from?)  List any major advances or inventions that these people have contributed/are known for.  Also be sure to look at philosophy, math, science, and education.

Artistic: How do they express themselves?  How important is art and self-expression to these people?  Remember that art also includes architecture, music, writing, and literature.  Be sure to list any major works!

Near?: In what geographic region is this located?  What geographic landscape makes up the region?  How are the people/events affected by the geography? How do the people interact with their environment?  How does the environment define the culture/civilization?

Complete the PERSIAN Civilizations Charts by noting the key political, economic, religious, social, intellectual, artistic and geographical aspects of each civilization.

Students are encouraged to use any scholarly source to find the information.

This is an individual assignment. This work is to be your own.

Summer Assignment: Part II - Reading assignment for Guns, Germs & Steel

Use a spiral or composition notebook to record your reflections for this assignment.

Reading Assignment:  The concept of AP World History is to focus on the big ideas, concepts, themes, and trends of history. As you read Guns, Germs and Steel, you will create a written and illustrated summary of the “Big Ideas” in your journal.

Format for “Big Ideas”

For each assigned chapter, summarize and illustrate the big ideas using specific examples from the book. One page (in your notebook) per chapter is sufficient.

The focus should be on what best represents the main ideas of the chapter.

In reading Diamond’s book and completing your chapter summaries, you should be able to answer the five thought provoking questions numbered below. Please include the responses to these questions in your spiral or notebook.

·       Why were Europeans the ones to conquer so much of our planet?

·       Why didn't the Chinese, or the Inca, become masters of the globe instead?

·       Why did cities first evolve in the Middle East?

·       Why did farming never emerge in Australia?

·       Why are the tropics now the capital of global poverty?