NEW CANAAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SOCIAL STUDIES ­ Global History II/AP World History II CURRICULUM OVERVIEW All Social Studies classes are aligned in terms of skill development. The emphasis is on higher order thinking skills, such as close reading of primary sources and the analysis of pro­con, continuity and change over time, compare and contrast, and point of view. Students consistently learn to make connections between past and present. In addition, all students engage in research to solve problems and demonstrate life skills, such as oral presentation skills and their analysis of visual literacy, including charts, graphs, political cartoons, and art. The major difference between regular sections and advanced placement is the complexity of rubrics, readings and documents, content, materials and the rigor of scoring. Full AP course descriptions can be found at the website ​
advancedplacement.collegeboard.com​
. The curriculum is aligned with the ​
Connecticut Secondary Social Studies Frameworks​
. Course Text: Global History I: ​
World History: Connections to Today AP World History I: Howard Spodek's ​
The World's History Unit 1: Absolutism and Challenges to Power The use of absolute power is justified to establish order and manage conflict in an effort to meet the needs of an emerging nation­state/empire/dynasty. The success of a ruler is determined by their responses to political, economic, intellectual and social challenges to power. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understandings Absolute power, and the divine right of kings, sparks the development of the modern nation­state. Sample Essential Questions What is legitimate authority? To what extent do rulers weigh the divine right of kings against the well­being of the masses? How do rulers acquire, use and justify power? Topical Enduring Understandings Unmet wants and needs of the populace leads to challenges to power. Sample Essential Questions To what extent do rulers weigh the divine right of kings against the well­being of the masses? How do rulers acquire, use and justify power? Topical Enduring Understandings Absolute rule is an effective and desired method of rule. Sample Essential Questions How do rulers acquire, use and justify power? Should all governments/rulers reflect the will of the people? Topical Enduring Understandings Political stability provides the opportunity to question leaders, leading to political instability. Sample Essential Questions To what extent do rulers weigh the divine right of kings against the well­being of the masses? What are the characteristics of effective leadership? Unit 2: Political Revolutions Revolutions are rooted in the inability of the “haves” to meet the needs of the “have nots.” Political revolutions occur when leaders fail to honour the ruler­subject relationship. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understandings The causes of revolution are rooted in political instability, economic inequities, and social inequalities. Sample Essential Questions How do geography and cultural diffusion affect civic ideals and practices? To what extent is it the responsibility of the government (the“haves”) to recognize the needs of the “have­nots”? Topical Enduring Understandings Wars of independence are sometimes, but not always revolutions. Sample Essential Questions What constitutes a revolution? How do competing interests influence how power is distributed and exercised? Is revolution just? Topical Enduring Understandings The success of a revolution is not based on the meeting of immediate desires, but the ability to meet the continuing wants and needs of a nation. Sample Essential Questions What happens in the absence of government? How does the conclusion of a revolution create both obstacles and opportunities for sustained development of a nation­state? Topical Enduring Understandings One man’s hero is another man’s villain.. Sample Essential Questions What is effective leadership? How can a singular event have multiple interpretations? Unit 3: Industrial Revolution, Urbanization and Expansion of Rights A country’s economic philosophy can influence its political policies and determine or alter the quality of life of individuals and groups. New innovations in technology and industry lead to demographic changes and social awareness. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understandings: Society’s desire for cheaper and faster products leads to the development of new technologies and industries. Sample Essential Questions: Is change always progress? Is progress progress? How have advancements in technology influenced history? How do we use the technological changes of the past to determine and plan for the future? How do various levels of technological development affect cultures differently? Topical Enduring Understandings An expansion of economic power leads to an expansion of political power. Sample Essential Questions What constitutes a revolution? Why is there a middle class? Why is political representation important? How do new technologies result in broader social change? Topical Enduring Understandings Regulations and laws are necessary to protect the needs of the masses from the wants of the few. Sample Essential Questions Is greed always good? Is self­interest also society’s interest? How do governments balance the rights of individuals with the common good? Topical Enduring Understandings Demands on labour and resources cause population shifts. Sample Essential Questions Why do people move? Why does the IR start in Britain? What impact does trade have on a society? ​
Unit 4: Rise of Nationalism and Imperial Power The need to compete on the global scale led to the development of national identities and new nation­states. The story of the 19th​
​ century largely concerns the process by which the world became divided into the developed and the underdeveloped, the rich and the poor, the industrialized and what became known as the “third” world. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understandings The needs of the Industrialized West forcibly globalized cultures, leading to conflict within colonized nations and between imperial powers. Sample Essential Questions How does society deal with unlimited wants and limited resources? Why were Asia and Africa targeted for imperialism? How is imperialism still affecting the world today? Topical Enduring Understandings The subjugation of the “have­nots” to satisfy the economic desires of the “haves” was justified through Social Darwinism. Sample Essential Questions What is Social Darwinism? Was progress achieved as a result of imperialism? Why Western dominance? Topical Enduring Understandings Napoleon is the “Father” of European national identity? Sample Essential Questions What is a nation? State? Nation­state? What is nationalism? Does your definition of nationalism depend on your nation of origin? Topical Enduring Understandings Global competition demands the development of larger political units. Bigger is better. Sample Essential Questions What are the benefits of unification? What are unifying characteristics of a state? What is the most effective means of unification – diplomacy or war? ​
Unit 5: The World Wars and Rise of Authoritarianism The need for political and economic change leads to the development of new political systems, spreading authoritarian and socialist ideologies around the world. The increasing demands of nationalist fervour drives the engines of war and technology, resulting in the destruction of the world as we knew it and ushering in a new era. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understandings The greed of leaders looking for increased power and improved economies led to the near destruction of Europe and imperial dynasties. Sample Essential Questions Is war ever just? Is there right side versus wrong side? How does the alliance system, rise of militarism and growing nationalism cause both world wars? Why are the wars repeated in most classic modern mythology? (ie: Harry Potter, Tolkien, Farscape, Babylon 5, Star Wars, C.S. Lewis, etc.) Topical Enduring Understandings: The Russian Revolution brought progress to the Russian people. Sample Essential Questions: Why did the czarist government fail to meet the needs of their subjects? Does the government inform the people or do the people inform the government? How did the Russian Revolution affect the balance of power? Topical Enduring Understandings: Economic and political instability led to the rise of authoritarian governments. Sample Essential Questions: What is effective leadership? How do rulers acquire, use and justify power? Topical Enduring Understandings: Innovations in technology and how it was used leads to total war. Sample Essential Questions: How did embedded journalism change how we perceive war? How have advancements in technology influenced history? Should technology by controlled? By whom? Unit 6: Post­1945 Issues (Cold War, Genocide, UN Effectiveness) Polarization of the world led to the end of traditional warfare and the beginnings of proxy wars. Nongovernmental organizations have replaced the role of traditional powers in promoting change, providing assistance and settling diplomatic issues. Unit Topical Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions: Topical Enduring Understandings: The desire to avoid another world war lead to the development of and active participation in the United Nations. Sample Essential Questions: How does social order, peace, human rights and justice influence global connections? Whose responsibility is it to ensure human rights? How do values, beliefs and culture foster global understandings or misunderstandings? Topical Enduring Understandings: Competition between the US and the USSR led to the polarization of the world. Sample Essential Questions: How ​
hot​
was the Cold War? How did capitalism kill communism? How did the Non­Aligned Movement give an opt­out choice to Third World countries? Topical Enduring Understandings: Due to an increasingly “flat” world, the dividing line between the developed North and underdeveloped South is becoming blurred. Sample Essential Questions: Is it fair to hold developing nations to the same environmental and labour law standards that developed nations have achieved? Are economic cycles/patterns inevitable? How can study of past economic cycles/patterns inform decision making? Topical Enduring Understandings: Genocide of one is genocide of all. Sample Essential Questions: What is genocide? Whose responsibility is it to ensure human rights? How do ethnic or cultural entities affect decision making and relationships amongst governments? Why does genocide still occur?