Welcome to AP World I!

As a reminder, this course is the first half of a two year curriculum that will
culminate with the AP World exam in May of the second year. Before the course begins, it is important to
recognize that the focal point of our studies will be generated by the following question: where do we
come from and how did we get here? Ultimately, we can only begin to answer this question if
we can learn to appreciate the Social Sciences that are responsible for our knowledge thus far:
History, Anthropology, Archeology, Economics, Political Science, and Geography. As you
will become a bit of a “cultural anthropologist” during the school year, you must first understand
how each of these areas of study relates to the course. You will complete a webquest which will
require you to use analytical skills in reading through and interpreting a variety of online
documents and resources about each of the above Social Sciences.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. While I will highly recommend that you use the web sources I have provided for you,
you are not necessarily limited to those, nor are you expected to use all of them.
However, try to avoid personal web pages. UNH at Manchester has great information that
provides tips to students about the legitimacy of any website. If you are unsure as to
whether certain resources are acceptable, ask! QAlexander@mtsinai.k12.ny.us
2. Responses must be typed in Times New Roman font, size 12, double spaced.
3. There is no specific length requirement for your answers. However, I would ask that you
attempt to answer each question fully and completely to the best of your ability. For
some answers, this may be a short 4-5 sentence response. Others may require more
research/personal interpretation and therefore should reflect that time and effort
appropriately with a few paragraphs in response. It really will be question
specific/dependent. Loads of examples are also highly recommended for reference.
Remember: you will be tested on your knowledge of each Social Science when you
return to school. It is your responsibility to be prepared for this assessment.
4. As a general rule of thumb, avoid the “copy and paste” mentality! Just think about it. If
you were studying at home the night before your Social Sciences exam and you didn’t
have a clue what any of the information was saying because it was not completed in your
own words, how will you do well on the test? Read, interpret, analyze, and write.
5. Don’t plagiarize. It is a violation of the Honor Code. That would not be a great start to your
Freshman year, trust me.
6. Save as you type! I cannot say this enough as I always hear horror stories about students who do
a fantastic job and then lose their work because they didn’t save it.
7. While you do not need to print out this particular page, please print out your completed
webquest and bring it in for the first day of school. We will most likely go over some of the
material on it. No excuses here; you have the entire summer to complete this and print it! Plus,
credit will be given to those who do a thorough and exemplary job.
8. Email me with any issues.

GOOD LUCK!!
I. HISTORY

Websites:

1. http://lib1.bmcc.cuny.edu/help/sources/
2. http://www.historians.org/pubs/Free/WhyStudyHistory.htm
3. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook01.html
4. http://www.allabouthistory.org/history.htm
5. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Historiography (scroll to styles of historiography)
6. https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-
2010/the-poetics-of-history-from-below
7. http://www.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/resources/articles/social_history.html
8. https://www.umass.edu/wsp/history/outline/bias.html
9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/htd_history/historians/talking_greeks_to_marx_03.shtml
10. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Periodization

Questions:

1. What types of resources might a historian use when studying past events? What is the difference
between a primary and secondary resource? Provide examples.
2. What is historiography?
3. What is “event history” or “history from above?” What is “history from below?”
Compare/contrast the two and discuss how this may affect one’s perspective of history.
4. What is bias? How does this relate to history and how it is interpreted by different peoples? I
would like to hear more of your personal opinion here.
5. What does long term mean? Short term? Give an example of each.
6. What is periodization and why do historians look to use this? Identify one example of a turning
point. Describe change and continuity. Why do historians pay attention to these kinds of patterns
and trends in history? How will this help you in the AP World course?

II. ANTHROPOLOGY

Websites:

1. http://www.aaanet.org/about/WhatisAnthropology.cfm
2. http://www.bu.edu/anthrop/about/what-is-anthropology/
3. http://www.americananthro.org/
4. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cultural+diffusion
5. http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/field-work/?ar_a=4&ar_r=3
6. http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199766567/obo-9780199766567-
0045.xml

Questions:

1. What is an anthropologist?
2. What do anthropologists tend to study? For example, if you were an anthropologist today how
might you study a group of people living on Long Island? What patterns would you look for?
 3. What is cultural diffusion? What causes it? How do you believe that this will come into play
during our discovery of early peoples around the world?
4. What is ‘ethnocentrism?’ How might it hurt our unbiased perspective of other world cultures?
5. Please provide a few examples of occupations that involve anthropological studies.

III. ARCHAEOLOGY

Websites:

1. http://anthropology.lakeheadu.ca/?display=page&pageid=48
2. http://www.archaeology.org/
3. http://history-world.org/archeology.htm
4. http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/carbon-dating.htm
5. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/topic/archaeology/
6. http://www.pbs.org/time-team/experience-archaeology/

Questions:

1. What do archeologists do for a living? How does this relate to anthropology?

2. What sort of materials provide information to archeologists?
3. What is a common method by which archeologists retrieve information? What types of artifacts
will they look for?
4. What is carbon dating? How might this help an archeologist?
5. Define technology. How does it relate to archeology? What would most likely occur as man
develops over time? How is this significant to the course? Please give an example.
6. Why do archeologists need to map out their excavation sites? What kinds of information might
appear on this map?
7. What is the difference between a ‘prehistoric’ and a ‘historic’ site?

IV. ECONOMICS

Websites:

1. http://www.aeaweb.org/students/WhatIsEconomics.php
2. http://www.moneyinstructor.com/lesson/whatiseconomics.asp
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_(types_and_developments) (while I am not usually a fan of
the openly edited-by-the-public Wikipedia, they did a thorough and ACCURATE job here. I
would not normally encourage the use of this website.)
4. http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/money.htm
5. http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/economics/interdependence.htm

Questions:

1. What is the study of economics? Why do you believe that it is an important factor when studying
human history?
 2. What is a human resource (and while you are at it, what is the difference between chattel slavery
and debt bondage? In what types of situations would you see these two scenarios play out?) What
is a natural resource? How do either of these come into play when looking at the development of
man?
3. What are differences between goods and services? How and why do people use these? Give at
least one example of each for your own reference.
4. What does it mean if someone is a consumer? What is a “consumer good?”
5. What is supply? What is demand? How does this impact any population of people? Give any
example you wish to reference your definitions.
6. What is bartering?
7. What is currency? Who determines currency and its value?
8. What is economic interdependency? Give an example.
9. What does it mean if something is scarce? Give a few examples of what might cause scarcity of
resources. How would that affect a population of people over time?

V. POLITICAL SCIENCE

Websites:

1. http://politicalscience.yale.edu/
2. http://www.usa.gov/
3. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/government
4. http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs/
5. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook-law.html
6. http://www.california-criminal-law.com/history.html
7. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/treatise
8. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/edict

Questions:

1. What is political science? How does it relate to history?

2. What are some of the functions of any government? List a few.
3. What is a political spectrum? Look up a few examples & attempt to construct one based upon
your understanding of how it works.
4. What is the difference between a Conservative government and a Liberal one? Look up this
information on your own… what do you tend to find (remember bias here?) Do you agree with
what you read? Why do politics become such a “hot topic” for some people?
5. Why might some favor a government in which all decision-making processes go through one
person? What can be problematic with this?
6. Why might some favor a government in which all decision-making processes go through all
people? What can be problematic with this?
7. What are the purposes of laws?
8. What is the difference between an edict/codified law and a treatise? Why are some treatises
important/influential? Look this up on your own.
VI. GEOGRAPHY

Websites:

1. http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/mapproj/mapproj_f.html
2. http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html
3. http://geology.isu.edu/geostac/Field_Exercise/topomaps/distortion.htm
4. http://geography.mrdonn.org/5themes-definitions.html
5. http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/map/h_map/h_map.htm
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_basic_geography_topics
7. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/weather_climate/
8. http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzpoliphys.htm
9. http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/MapProjections/projections.html

Questions:

1. Post (and decrease the size of a few) pictures of the following maps on the internet for your visual
reference:
a. Mercator:
b. Sinusoidal Equal Area:
2. What is map distortion? Give an example.
3. What is the difference between a political map and a physical map?
4. What is a topographic map? What types of occupations might need one of these to do their job
accurately? Which of the other social sciences listed above might benefit the most from one of
these maps?
5. What are the five themes of geography? Describe each please.
6. How does one determine location on the globe? Absolute vs. relative…what is the difference?
7. What is the Prime Meridian? The Equator? In what direction does either of these run along the
globe?
8. What major factor determines climate belts?
9. The human-environment interaction…how do you think this will come into play during the
course? How do you think this will relate to the Ancient civilizations? Please provide a good
example of the human-environment interaction (your choice).
10. What are the six physical continents? What are the seven political continents? What are the four
major oceans?
11. What is a region?