HISTORY

HISTORY

The History Department strives to develop students’ intellectual capabilities and acquisition of material knowledge in preparation for a lifetime of learning and engagement as active citizens in today’s world. The history curriculum is designed to awaken a student’s interest in what has happened in the past and how previous events shape and shed light on current events. Insights are sought by investigating specific events as well as broad trends. Courses focus on the chronology of historical events as well as the major social, cultural, economic, and political themes. History is examined by analyzing both primary and secondary sources as well as questioning the reliability of the historical record itself. Students are exposed to the past through historical texts and other materials such as maps, photographs, films, and biographies. A variety of classroom activities brings alive controversies from the past and provides insight into critical issues of the present. Students also develop research and analytical writing skills through a variety of assignments and assessments of various lengths.

Requirements: To satisfy the requirements of six semesters of study, students must complete two semesters of Ancient World History, two semesters of Modern World History, and two semesters of United States History. Electives are typically available to students after the required classes are completed.

Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) sections are offered; course placements are based upon factors including prior performance, student interest, and department approval. Students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the courses for the full year and to take the AP exams. These exams carry an additional fee of approximately $100, and AP courses may involve work over long breaks and possibly during the previous summer.

Ancient World History Accelerated

Full-year course

Prerequisites: none This full year course examines the history and culture of ancient civilizations through the Middle Ages with focus on themes of political structures, cultural identities, religions, and the impact of environment. The course considers these themes through relevant ancient civilizations including Egypt, Greece and Rome, and the Shang and Han dynasties in China. The course then moves to the Middle Ages and considers the development of these same themes and focus areas in Europe, Asia, and Africa through looking at the Holy Roman Empire, the Islamic World, the Byzantine Empire, and the Kingdoms of West Africa. Along with the focus on the development of these cultures, the class develops skill building such as note taking, active reading, engaging in class discussions, analysis of primary and secondary sources, researching, and analytical writing.

HISTORY

Ancient World History Honors

Full-year course

Prerequisites: department approval World History Honors covers the same content and skills as Ancient World History Accelerated but is designed to further challenge students with additional material at an accelerated pace. The course will deepen their understanding by approaching the material from multiple perspectives.

Modern World History Accelerated

Semester course

Prerequisites: Ancient World History course or the equivalent This full year course covers topics in Modern World History from the Renaissance through the 20th century. The first semester considers the significant political, economic, and social themes and movements through the eighteenth century with focus on how these events help shaped the modern world. During the first semester, the course focuses on a variety of topics which may include the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, the first wave of Imperialism, and the Age of Revolutions. Case studies of events may include focus on political philosophers of the Enlightenment, the European settlements in the Americas and Africa and interactions of diverse societies and cultures, the dramatic shifts on societal culture as a result of industrialization, and the impact of significant revolutions such as the American and French Revolutions. In the second semester, the course focuses on the 19th and 20th centuries to build on the previous topics. Students may study topics such as the second wave of Imperialism, the impact of technological and economic changes, the First and Second World Wars, Decolonization, the postwars global political order, the Cold War and “proxy wars,” and the struggles of nations in Africa and Asia following decolonization. This course focuses on advancing students’ abilities in analytical development and presentation, including research-based essay writing, written and verbal argumentation based on themes and events, and presentation skills. Further, the course emphasizes primary and secondary source analysis and integration, and consideration of historical and present-day circumstances, events, and themes. Students should recognize the connections between events, time periods and themes.

Modern World History Honors

Semester course

Prerequisites: Ancient World History course of equivalent and department approval This full year course will cover similar topics and themes as the Accelerated course. Students enrolled in the Honors level courses read a relevant work of historical fiction and complete a historical analysis as a component of the final assessment. The honors level classes also have an expectation that students demonstrate advanced understanding and analysis of topics as evidenced in written assignments and class discussions. Students should have demonstrated skills in active reading, note taking, exam preparation, outlining preparation for writing assignments, and participation in the classroom.

HISTORY

United States History Accelerated

Full-year course

Prerequisites: one full year of world history United States History examines the history of America from colonization to the present. The course covers topics such as European Colonization, growth of the American Colonies and Independence, the development of American politics, the emergence of America as a new nation, the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, Industrialization and Expansion, and the Great Depression, the Cold War, the development of the Civil Rights movements, and the role of the United States as a global “superpower.” The class continues to develop the skills of research and analytical writing through the year, as well as through a formal research and writing paper in the second semester.

United States History Honors

Full-year course

Prerequisites: one full year of world history and department approval United States History Honors covers similar material to United States History Accelerated and is designed to further challenge students with additional material at an accelerated pace. Students will complete regular writing assignments and further develop research skills. The research project is longer than the assignment in the Accelerated class and includes more sources. Students are expected to have demonstrated skills in active reading, ability to obtain information independently, proactive class participation, and independent preparation for assignments and assessments.

AP United States History

Full-year course For students in Class 11 or Class 12

Prerequisites: one full year of world history and department approval; Not available to students who have taken U.S. History or U.S. History Honors AP United States History is offered to qualified students who wish to complete studies in secondary school equivalent to an introductory college course in United States history. The course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the themes and developments in United States history. The course material matches the AP Topic Outline and uses a survey approach in which a textbook, with supplementary readings in the form of original documents and secondary sources, provides the substantive and thematic coverage. Students will take the AP United States History Exam in May.

HISTORY

AP Economics

Full-year course

Prerequisites: one full year of world history, a U.S. History course and department approval AP Economics provides a college level introduction to economics related topics and focuses on preparing students for the AP Macroeconomics Exam. Students gain an understanding of economic structures and how economic information drives government policy. The class reviews Macroeconomics through a textbook along with a variety of sources such as business publications (e.g. The Wall Street Journal), government managed websites (e.g. Bureau of Labor Statistics, St Louis Federal Reserve/FRED) and organization specific sites (e.g. World Bank). The course also covers relevant Microeconomic topics. Students have assessments based upon past AP Exam questions as well as completing projects on specific topics for presentation to the class. Students take the AP Macroeconomics Exam in May. 

AP U.S. Government and Politics

Full-year course

Prerequisites: one full year of world history , a U.S. History course, and department approval AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a college-level introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study the U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behavior. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. Students will take the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam in May.

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Full-year course; not offered 2022-2023 For Classes 11 and 12

Prerequisites: one full year of modern world history, a U.S. History course, and department approval AP Comparative Government and Politics is an introductory college-level course in comparative government and politics. The course uses a comparative approach to examine the political structures, policies, and political, economic, and social challenges of six selected countries: China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Students cultivate their understanding of comparative government and politics through analysis of data and text-based sources as they explore topics like power and authority, legitimacy and stability, democratization, internal and external forces, and methods of political analysis. A full year course, divided into five units, establishes connections through common global themes. Students taking this course are expected not only to engage with the primary text, but additional mandatory resources identified by The College Board as central to the course. Students will take the AP Comparative Government and Politics Exam in May.

HISTORY

AP Art History

Full-year course Limited Enrollment

Prerequisites: one full year of world history, a U.S. History course, and department approval The AP Art History course corresponds to a two-semester, college-level introductory survey. The course explores such topics as the nature of art, its uses, its meanings, art making, and responses to art. Through investigation of diverse artistic traditions of cultures from prehistory to the present, the course fosters in- depth and holistic understanding of the history of art from a global perspective. Students learn and apply skills of visual, contextual, and comparative analysis to engage with a variety of art forms, constructing understanding of individual works and interconnections of art-making processes and products throughout history. Students learn about how people have responded to and communicated their experiences through art making by exploring art in its historical and cultural contexts. The course includes frequent trips to cultural institutions in the greater Boston area such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Institute of Contemporary Art to directly engage with works of art. These trips may frequently utilize additional time such as common blocks within the daily schedule and may also require additional weekend time. Students take the AP Art History Exam in May.