AP European History

Farewell Class of 2011

Welcome Class of 2012!!! I will be traveling for a few weeks, feel free to join the "site", create a profile and post any questions you may have...I may not respond until August though. When you create your username, please make it your first intitial and last name. Thanks! Have a great summer!

A New Educational Calling

It is our responsibility as lawmakers and as educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. So tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country -- and this country needs and values the talents of every American. (Applause.) That's why we will support -- we will provide the support necessary for all young Americans to complete college and meet a new goal: By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. That's is a goal we can meet. (Applause.) That's a goal we can meet.

Now, I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education. (Applause.) And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations, I ask Congress to send me the bipartisan legislation that bears the name of Senator Orrin Hatch, as well as an American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country -- Senator Edward Kennedy. (Applause.)

These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a parent -- for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, read to their child. (Applause.) I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father, when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home. That is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. That's an American issue. (Applause.)
President Obama

Course Overview

AP European History is an intensive college level course covering European history from 1450 to the present. As a class we will journey through six centuries of war and peace, revolution and nation building, the triumph of technology and the devastation it can create. We will study the path of the common man/woman in his/her struggle for freedom and equality. The course will encourage the development of critical thinking and persuasive writing. Also, students will be asked to read and learn from a variety of resources while emphasizing content and organization of ideas.

Modern European history provides students with invaluable insight and understanding into the foundations of American culture and government. In a world which is becoming more diverse and more interdependent this course offers students greater understanding of the complexity of world events and the historical/cultural foundations of European Society. Traditional alliances have changed in the post 9/11 world. Europe has become one economic union but still maintains diverse opinions about Europe’s and America’s role in the global community. This course will give students the knowledge and the skills to evaluate our changing relationship with Europe and the lasting impact of western civilization on the citizens of the world.

Primary Text: The Western Heritage, 9th AP Edition; Kagan, Ozment, Turner