Grade 9 students need an A- in Humanities I or Humanities I in Action.
Grade 10 students must take Humanities II or Humanities II in Action concurrently with this course.
Grade 11 students need a B+ in Humanities II or Humanities II in Action or a B+ in AP Language and Composition or Junior English.
The purpose of AP World History: Modern is for students to develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts in interaction with different types of human societies. The course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. AP World History: Modern offers balanced global coverage, with Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe all represented. U.S. history is included in the context of the country’s interactions with other societies. The time period covered is from approximately 1200 C.E. to present.
Students will:
- Critically analyze historical events worldwide by using primary and secondary sources in conjunction with leading interpretive issues of the day.
- Identify global trends that have resulted in the gradual integration of the world.
- Gain insight into the effect of interactions among societies and regions.
- Develop a greater appreciation of historical contributions made by cultures not their own.
- Get a clearer understanding of their roles as members of the global community.
Student assessments may include:
- Tests and quizzes
- In-class essays
- Individual/group presentations and projects
- Activities such as debates, role-playing and simulations
- Class participation and group discussions
- Mid-semester and final exams
“AP World History is hard (especially for a Grade 10 taking the course without any prior knowledge) but definitely still manageable. The content itself is interesting and [teacher] is honestly the best teacher I have ever had - his explanations and ‘teaching skills’ are unparalleled. You should be prepared to do quite a lot of reading and notetaking. Another thing to note is that the summatives in this class are far more difficult to score well on than the actual exam.”
- Chris Yin (Class of 2024)
“For a student who excels in or enjoys the Humanities, AP World History: Modern is an excellent class to take in your sophomore year. The course covers world history from 1200 to the present and gives students a unique perspective on the world. Know that this course involves a lot of reading. Typically, one textbook chapter (approximately forty pages) will be split up as homework over two classes. Still, for someone who finds the content interesting, it won’t be hard to get through. This class also improves your writing skills with document-based questions (DBQ), long-essay questions (LEQ), and short-answer questions (SAQ). My advice for students taking this course is to understand the general trends of what was going on in each area of the world during each time period. Do not try and memorize everything! This course is more about patterns and significant developments. Lastly, keep on top of the reading (maybe even stay a chapter ahead?). There is a lot of content, and this is not a class where you want to fall behind. Use chapter outlines, online videos, and AP Classroom only as supplements to the textbook.”
- James Ellis (Class of 2025)