Themes+of+AP+European+History

AP European History Course Description: The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in the 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 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.
 * Course Goals **

Intellectual and Cultural History ** 1. Changes in religious thought and institutions 2. Secularization of learning and culture 3. Scientific and technological developments and their consequences 4. Major trends in literature and the arts 5. Intellectual and cultural developments and their relationship to social values and political events 6. Developments in social, economic, and political thought, including ideologies characterized as “-isms,” such as socialism, liberalism, nationalism 7. Developments in literacy, education, and communication 8. The diffusion of new intellectual concepts among different social groups 9. Changes in elite and popular culture, such as the development of new attitudes toward religion, the family, work, and ritual 10. Impact of global expansion on European culture 11. The rise and functioning of the modern state in its various forms 12. Relations between Europe and other parts of the world: colonialism, imperialism, decolonization, and global interdependence 13. The evolution of political elites and the development of political parties, ideologies, and other forms of mass politics 14. The extension and limitation of rights and liberties (personal, civic, economic, and political); majority and minority political persecutions 15. The growth and changing forms of nationalism 16. Forms of political protest, reform, and revolution 17. Relationships between domestic and foreign policies 18. Efforts to restrain conflict: treaties, balance-of-power diplomacy, and international organizations 19. War and civil conflict: origins, developments, technology, and their consequences 20. The character of and changes in agricultural production and organization 21. The role of urbanization in transforming cultural values and social relationships 22. The shift in social structures from hierarchical orders to modern social classes: the changing distribution of wealth and poverty 23. The influence of sanitation and health care practices on society; food supply, diet, famine, disease, and their impact 24. The development of commercial practices, patterns of mass production and consumption, and their economic and social impact 25. Changing definitions of and attitudes toward social groups, classes, races, and ethnicities within and outside Europe 26. The origins, development, and consequences of industrialization 27. Changes in the demographic structure and reproductive patterns of Europeans: causes and consequences 28. Gender roles and their influence on work, social structure, family structure, and interest group formation 29. The growth of competition and interdependence in national and world markets 30. Private and state roles in economic activity
 * Principal Themes of AP European History **
 * Political and Diplomatic History **
 * Social and Economic History **