WAMOGO REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT CURRICULUM GUIDE
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY 2013-2014
DESCRIPTIVE OVERVIEW
“The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. Without this knowledge, we would lack the context for understanding the development of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, the goals of the AP program in European History are to develop (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European History, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical interpretation, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing.” –CollegeBoard
CONTENT/TOPIC OUTLINE
I. Renaissance Civilization: To what extent was the Renaissance a break with its medieval past?
A. How did the commercial revolution of the 1400s affect the development of Europe?
B. The emergence of the Italian City States
C. The “New Monarchies” in Northern Europe: How do we measure power in the 1500s?
1. Tudors in England
2. Valois Family in France
3. Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain
4. The Holy Roman Empire
D. Renaissance Humanism To what extent was Humanism a strength and a threat to the Catholic Church?
1. Compare and contrast Italian and Northern Humanism
2. Humanism & Renaissance Art
E. Italy’s “Time of Troubles”
1. Realpolitik in European diplomacy
2. Analysis & Significance of Machiavelli’s The Prince
F. The Renaissance Papacy
1. A series of crises:
a. Babylonian Captivity
b. Great Schism
c. Counselor Movement
2. The Pope as Renaissance Despot
3. The Pope as Humanist
4. Papal Abuse: The Borgias
II. The Protestant Reformation: progressive & modern?
A. Martin Luther: Conservative or Radical?
1. Why was Luther successful?
2. Luther’s belief system: political, economic, and social
B. The varieties of Protestantism and their impact on European society
1. Anglicanism
2. Calvinism
3. Anabaptists
C. How Significant was the Protestant Reformation in the development of capitalism and democracy in Western Europe? Opposing viewpoints
D. Reformation impact on:
1. Intellectual freedom
2. Catholicism
3. Literacy
4. Colonization
5. Nationalism
6. Women
E. The Catholic Counter Reformation
III. What are the major factors accounting for the subordination of women in western culture?
A. Biological and Anthropological Factors
B. Greek and Roman Tradition
C. Hebraic Tradition
D. Celtic/German Tradition
E. Christian Tradition
F. Legacy of Renaissance and Reformation
G. “Querelles des Femmes” (‘The Debate Over Women’)
IV. The Rise and fall of Nations: The 1500s
Are there recurring patterns in the rise and decline in world powers?
How does art reflect the political, social, and cultural characteristics of a people and nation?
Universalism vs. Raison D’etate: Is there room for moral principles in foreign affairs?
How do you account for the decline and collapse of the Spanish economy while the Dutch and English economies prospered?
A. the Rise and Decline of the Spanish Dynastic state
1. Domestic Strengths and Weaknesses
2. Philip II’s Foreign Policy
3. The Price Revolution
B. The Dutch Republic
C. Dutch Contributions to European Art
D. Elizabeth I of England: Order – Harmony – Nationalism
E. The Religious Wars in France
F. The Thirty Year War and the Treaty of Westphalia
V. Royal Absolutism:
How do access the reasons for the failure of royal absolutism in England and its success in France?
Does history really repeat itself? Where do you draw the line between patterns and the “human element” (case study: revolution)?
Was royal absolutism the best form of government for the 17th Century?
A. Parliament vs. Crown in England
1. Stuart England
2. Civil War and Commonwealth
3. Restoration and Glorious Revolution
4. Anatomy of Revolution: Craine Brinton’s Theory of Rev.
B. French Absolutism Triumphs
1. Raison d’Etat of Cardinal Richelieu
2. The Absolutism of Louis XIV
3. The Wars of Louis XIV
VI. The Age of Genius:
How important is the role of science in affecting society?
In what ways did science & technology most affect Western Society?
Was science & technology the most important factor in Western Europe’s drive towards world dominance?
A. The Scientific Revolution: Know the significant impacts of the following:
1. Plato, Aristotle, and Ptolemy
2. Scientific Method of Bacon and Descartes
3. Copernicus
4. Brahe
5. Kepler
6. Bruno
7. Galileo
8. Newton
B. How did the Age of Genius affect the following:
1. View of God
2. View of Nature
3. View of Man
4. View of Politics (Hobbes & Locke)
VII. The Enlightenment: The Age of Reason? Was the Enlightenment a truly positive factor in advancing the cause of humanity?
A. Characteristics
1. View of God
2. View of Nature
3. View of Man
4. View of Politics
B. The impact of Enlightenment on western society
C. 17th and 18th Century Painting
D. The Impact of the Enlightenment on Women
VIII. The 18th Century: An Enlightened Age?
18th Century Economy: To what extent was this the world’s first global economy?
Compare the status of Prussia and Poland during the 18th century: What lessons can be learned?
Why the West? What factors most likely account for the West gaining global ascendancy by the end of the century?
A. The Rise of Prussia:
B. The Destruction of Poland:
C. Peter the Great of Russia: enlightened or traditional despot?
D. Enlightened Despotism: Do they deserve the title?
1. Frederick II of Prussia
2. Maria Theresa of Austria
3. Joseph II of Austria
4. Catherine II of Russia
E. Balance of Power: The Wars of the 18th Century
F. What were the major characteristics of warfare during the century? Were wars more “civilized” than they are now?
IX. The French Revolution & the Napoleonic Empire
A. What are the major term causes of the French Revolution
B. French Revolution: Chronology of Events
C. Napoleon as Enlightened Despot?
D. Analyze the major reasons for the fall of the Napoleonic Empire: Are there lessons to be learned for future hegemonic powers?
E. The Congress of Vienna: results & legacy. Is it a model for statesmen today?
F. How significant was the Impact of the French Revolution and Napoleon on world history?
X. The Age of Metternich
A. Romanticism: To what extent did Romanticism spark conservatism as well as revolution?
1. View of God
2. View of Nature
3. View of Man
4. View of Politics
5. Romanticism in the Arts
B. Metternich and the Concert of Europe: Was Metternich driven by pragmatism or principle?
1. Political Spectrum: 1820s–1848
2. What patterns or lessons can be learned from the revolutions of the 1820s and 30s
3. 1848: Revolutions: What were the legacies of these revolutions for the future?
XI. 19th Century Economic Theory and the Industrial Revolution: 1800–1870
The common core of liberalism:” The proper end of government is to promote the liberty and well being of individuals”. How has this statement generated controversy among liberals since the 19th century?
What role does morality and character play in the construction of a fair and just society? How would the following philosophers answer this question?
A. Major Impact on political, military, social, economic, cultural, & intellectual development of Europe
1. Why was Britain the first great industrial power? Are the same factors necessary for all nations facing development?
2. Classical Liberalism and Adam Smith
3. The Dismal Science: Ricardo and Malthus
4. Utilitarianism and Jeremy Bentham
5. John Stuart Mill and Humanitarian Liberalism
6. The Utopian Socialists
7. Karl Marx and Scientific Socialism
a. Economic Determinism
b. Dialectic Materialism
c. Inevitability of Communism
XII. Analysis: Factors causing the spread of democracy in France and Britain during the 19th century?
What factors account for the rise of a welfare state in Britain (the home of Adam Smith’s laissez-faire capitalism!) by 1914?
A. Great Britain
1. Years of Violence and Reaction: 1815–1819
2. Reform Movement: 1820–1832
3. Chartist Movement
4. Repeal of the Corn Laws and Rise of Liberalism
5. Gladstone & Disraeli: The Rise of Modern Political Parties
6. Formation of the Labour Party: 1900
7. The Revolution in British Politics: 1911–1914
B. A Divided France Moves Towards Democracy
1. The Second Rep. & Second Empire: Age of Louis Napoleon
2. The Siege of Paris & Paris Commune
3. The Crisis-Torn Third Republic
a. Boulanger Crisis
b. Panama Crisis
c. Drefus Affair
XIII. How do nationalism and the fervent belief in the sanctity of one’s nation contribute to progress and degeneration?
XIV. Italy: 1815 – 1914
A. The Risorgimento: Italian Unification (1848–1870)
1. Nationalist Movement to 1859
2. Cavour: A Study in Realpolitik: The War of 1859
3. Garibaldi’s Conquest of Southern Italy
4. Papal State – 1860
5. Rome – 1870
6. Irredentism
B. Italian Domestic & Foreign Policies: 1870-1914
XV. The Rise of a Powerful Germany in Central Europe
A. Bismarck & the Unification of Germany
B. Domestic Policy: 1870-1890
C. Evaluation of the impact of Bismarck on German & European History
D. Evaluate the domestic policies of Kaiser Wilhelm II: 1890-1914
XVI. The Last Century of the Russian Empire: Could revolution have been averted?
A. The Russian Revolutionary Tradition: 1825-1914
B. Reaction, Industrialization & Reform: 1825-1914
XVII. Science, Culture & Economics During the Victorian Age
A. How do scientific and philosophical ideas often become distorted to justify society’s goals and values?
B. The Evolutionary World
1. Charles Darwin
2. Impact of Darwin’s Theories on Society: Social Darwinism
a. Racism & Ethnocentricism
b. War & Extermination
c. Religion
d. Impact on Fascism – Capitalism – Communism
C. Significance of Friedrich Nietzsche on European Culture & Arts
D. Sigmund Freud & his World
E. Albert Einstein & his Impact on European Thought
F. The Late 19th Century Industrial Revolution
1. Demographic Growth
2. Free Trade & European Balance of Payments
3. World Market: Unity – Competition – Insecurity
G. The Age of European Imperialism: Was the “new imperialism” of the 19th century that different from the imperialism of the15th –18th centuries?
Is imperialism a process that inherently carries the seeds of genocide?
H. “Worldly Philosophers”
1. John Hobson’s Theory of Imperialism
2. Significance of Lenin
3. Thorstein Veblen
I. Revolution in European Art
1. Characteristics of Modern Art
2. Realism – Impressionism – Post-impressionism
3. What factors caused a dramatic shift in the form and function of modern art?
J. The Emergence of Anti-Semitism in 19th Century Europe
K. The 19th Century Feminist Movement in Western Europe
1. Victorian Views of Family, Marriage & Sex
2. Discrimination Against Women During the Victorian Age
3. The Fight for Suffrage
XVIII. Causes & Effects of World War I
A. Major long term & immediate causes of World War I – 1878-1914: Who was Responsible?
B. The Impact of World War I on Western Civilization
C. Evaluation of Versailles Treaty: Was it really that bad?
D. The Russian Revolution: “Dark Horse victory”: What were the critical factors, which enabled the Bolsheviks to seize and maintain power?
D. Evaluation of Joseph Stalin’s Rule
XIX. The Inter War Years & the Approach of World War II
A. The Philosophical Basis of 20th Century Fascism
B. The Rise to Power of Benito Mussolini
C. The Weimar Republic & the Rise of Adolf Hitler
1. Prioritize the factors causing the Rise of Hitler?
2. Hitler: Product of German History?
D. Analyze the Similarities & differences of the 20th Century dictators: Mussolini – Hitler – Stalin. Do the differences outweigh the similarities?
E. France & Britain Between the War
F. Modern Art Between the Wars
XX. World War II
A. The Chronological March towards War: 1931-1939
B. Why did the Allies win World War II?
C. the Impact of World War II on the postwar world
D. Third World Nationalism & the End of European Imperialism
XXI. The Cold War: Was it inevitable? Where does the blame lie?
A. The Superpowers: 1943-1980’s
1. allies to enemies: 1941 – 1945
2. Postwar Issues & Crises
B. The Containment Policy: Eisenhower/Khrushchev/Kennedy Years
C. Détente: Causes – Examples – Impact
D. End of Détente & Renewal of Cold War: 1980’s
1. Soviet vs. American Interpretations of Détente
2. Emergence of Mikhail Gorbachev
E. Analyze the major factors causing the fall of the Soviet Union: 1985-1991. To what extent were they historical? To what extent did personalities play a role? Would the Soviet Union have collapsed without the impact of Gorbachev? Reagan?
XXII. Domestic Trends in Europe:
1945-1990’s: Are there common themes or patterns that affected eastern as well as Western Europe?
A. Great Britain
B. France
C. Germany
D. Italy
E. Soviet Union & Boris Yeltsin’s Russia
XXIII. Intellectual Movements in Europe Since World War II
Are there absolute values or is everything relative?
A. How did Modernism affect the following?
1. God
2. Universe
3. Man
4. politics
B. Modern Art after World War II: “Shock of the New”
C. Relevant Intellectual Theories
1. Relativism
2. Behaviorism
3. Existenialism: Philosophy of the Nuclear Age
4. Neo-Orthodoxy of the 50’s
5. New Radicalism of the 60’s
6. Postmodernism and deconstruction
D. Feminism: Has feminism brought women equality? Has there been a backlash against women in contemporary western society?
E. Are women still defined by western culture rather than by themselves?
XXIV. Into the 21st Century
A. Globalism: A threat or panacea? Hasn’t globalism always been with us since the 18th Century? What’s different now?
B. European unification? What does History say?
1. Can east and west become one?
2. Could a unified Europe become a super power in the 21st Century?
C. Western civilization on trial: Your verdict?
“What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculty; in form and moving how like an angel, in apprehension, how like a god: a beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!”
William Shakespeare
“Man – a creature made at the end of the week’s work when God was tired.”
Mark Twain
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Read purposefully – demonstrated by:
Identifying and extrapolating significant material from variety of printed sources.
Recognizing arguments for and against an issue.
Identifying and using knowledge from common graphic features (charts, graphs, diagrams, maps).
Recognizing bias and point of view.
Reading and analyzing primary source material.
Write effectively – demonstrated by:
Well written and multi-paragraph compositions that have clear topic development and organization.
Research reports based on standard endnote and bibliographic format.
Document-based questions requiring analysis of primary sources.
Identifications stressing clear definitions and significance of term.
Communicate effectively – demonstrated by:
Oral presentations and debates.
Media presentations and projects.
Interaction with peers in student-centered activities.
Analyzing and expressing ideas in the arts in an historical context.
Following directions.
Effective note taking skills from lectures and discussions.
Using technology to express historical concepts.
Identify, analyze, and solve problems – demonstrated by:
Evaluating primary and secondary sources.
Knowing how to find and utilize a wide range of resources to conduct research.
Developing and using a wide range of critical thinking skills (cause/effect, debate, comparisons, generalizations, and proof).
Incorporating evaluation of sources, construction of casual relationships, balanced interpretations, and comparative analysis.
Recognition and analysis of biases and points of view from a wide range of print and media sources.
Demonstrate self-respect and respect for others – demonstrated by:
Displaying academic integrity.
Showing an appreciation for cultural diversity in the world and knowledge of the contributions of other cultures.
Work both independently and cooperatively with others – demonstrated by:
A tolerance of other’s opinions and point of view.
Participating constructively in group activities.
An awareness of academic responsibilities.
Fulfill responsibilities and exercise rights as members of local and global communities – demonstrated by:
An awareness that history, geography, economics, and other social sciences are integral components to understanding today’s world.
An ability to make informed decisions on global issues.
The specific content goals of this course are as follows:
• Students will develop an understanding of the nature of intolerance and its negative consequences in European civilization.
• Students will examine the various male dominant perceptions of women throughout European history and their impact on the development of the Feminist Movement.
• Students will recognize and discuss the major artistic and musical movements of western civilization from the Renaissance to the present.
• Students will trace the development of western civilization’s changing attitudes toward the following: God, man, nature, politics.
• Students will trace the development of the following European nations: Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia.
INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL
Due to the nature of the course being driven by a national exam in May, it is a content driven course which requires rapid coverage from the Renaissance to the 1990’s. Class activities have to be short and focus on seminar formats with the teacher leading the discussions. There is a great deal of lecture/discussion and specific debate topics integrated through the course.
ASSESSMENT
It is understood by all students taking AP European History that the AP Exam in May is mandatory. These exams are three hours long and given each May in Hingham. However, the AP course stands by itself as a valuable college preparatory experience. Extensive essay writing and short papers based on the analysis of documentation are prevalent throughout the course. These are supplemented by oral reports and role-playing activities. Finally, it is expected that students will actively be involved in class discussion which is an important ingredient to the depth and richness of the course.
RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
Text: Palmer, R.R., Joel Colton, and Lloyd Kramer. A History of the Modern World: Tenth Edition (2007). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Supplementary materials:
Gaarder, Jostein. Sophie’s World (1991). NY, NY: Berkley Books.
Heilbroner, Robert L. The Worldly Philosophers (1999) NY, NY: Touchstone Book.
Manchester, William. A World Lit Only BY Fire (1993). NY, NY: Little Brown and Company: NY.
Kagan, Donald, Brian Tierney, and L. Pearce Williams. Great Issues in Western Civilization: Since 1500 from Renaissance Civilization through the Cold War (1992). NY, NY: McGraw Hill.
Sherman, Dennis. Western Civilization: Sources, Images, and Interpretations: From Renaissance to the Present (2004). NY, NY: McGraw Hill.
Selected packet by teacher of articles, readings, and various handouts
**Course Outline Constructed By James Kirkcaldy, Social Studies Department Chairperson at Hingham High School in Hingham, Massachusetts
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