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Pre-2019-2020 Key Concepts for AP World
Course Overview:

AP World History is a challenging two semester course that is structured around the investigation of selected themes woven into key concepts covering distinct chronological periods. AP World History is equivalent to an introductory college survey course. The course has a three-fold purpose. First, it is designed to prepare students for successful placement into higher-level college and university history courses. Second, it is designed to develop skills of analysis and thinking in order to prepare students for success in the twenty-first century. Finally, it is the intent of this class to make the learning of world history an enjoyable experience. Students will be able to show their mastery of the course goals by taking part in the College Board AP World History Exam in May.

 
Six Course Themes:

The thematic learning objectives describe, at a high level, the knowledge colleges expect students to develop in the AP World History course in order to be qualified for credit and placement. These themes focus on major historical issues and developments, helping students connect the historical content they study to broad trends and processes that have emerged over centuries. In class, we recognized these as the "SPICE-T" characteristics (social, political, interactions, cultural, economic, technology).

 
Unit Exam Weighting Breakdown: 

  • Unit 1: 8-10%
  • Unit 2: 8-10 %
  • Unit 3: 12-15%
  • Unit 4: 12-15%
  • Unit 5: 12-15%
  • Unit 6: 12-15%
  • Unit 7: 8-10%
  • Unit 8: 8-10%
  • Unit 9: 8-10%
Prepare for the Exam:

The AP World History exam for the 2020 school year will be held Thursday, May 14th at 8:00 am. It will be administered in the field house at NOHS. Students must register in order to take this exam. Registration takes place in November. 

EXAM FORMAT: 

Section 1A: Multiple Choice
55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score
  • Questions usually appear in sets of 3–4 questions.
  • Students analyze historical texts, interpretations, and evidence.
  • Primary and secondary sources, images, graphs, and maps are included.

 Section 1B: Short Answer
3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score
  • Students analyze historians’ interpretations, historical sources, and propositions about history.
  • Questions provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know best.
  • Some questions include texts, images, graphs, or maps.
  • Students choose between 2 options for the final required short-answer question, each one focusing on a different time period:
    • Question 1 is required, includes 1 secondary source, and focuses on historical developments or processes between the years 1200 and 2001.
    • Question 2 is required, includes 1 primary source, and focuses on historical developments or processes between the years 1200 and 2001.
    • Students choose between Question 3 (which focuses on historical developments or between the years 1200 and 1750) and Question 4 (which focuses on historical developments or processes between the years 1750 and 2001) for the last question. No sources are included for either Question 3 or Question 4.

 Section 2A: Document-Based Question
1 Question | 1 Hour (includes 15-minute reading period) | 25% of Exam Score
  • Students are presented with 7 documents offering various perspectives on a historical development or process.
  • Students assess these written, quantitative, or visual materials as historical evidence.
  • Students develop an argument supported by an analysis of historical evidence.
  • The document-based question focuses on topics from 1450–2001.

 Section 2B: Long Essay
1 Question | 40 Minutes | 15% of Exam Score
  • Students explain and analyze significant issues in world history.
  • Students develop an argument supported by an analysis of historical evidence.
  • The question choices focus on the same skills and the same reasoning process (e.g., comparison, causation, or continuity and change), but students choose from 3 options, each focusing primarily on historical developments and processes in different time periods—either 1200–1750 (option 1), 1450–1900 (option 2), or 1750–2001 (option 3).
How Do AP World History Scores Compare?