Welcome, New AP Euro students

After a year hiatus, Mrs. Olsen is back teaching European History. 

We will start off learning about the Early Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and then move onto the reformation (which we finish by early October).

I will be handing out a detailed calendar to help us keep up the pace of the class.  You will be doing a lot of writing and reading in this class (it is structured to be like college), but it is also a lot of fun, with many interesting developments and stories to keep you interest.

end of the year projects, final exam

Students have all received a list of end of the year projects.  These projects are to be presented as a powerpoint, a brief lecture, a play, a skit, a video---

Focus on the Who, What, Where, Why, When and How....

The topics are fascinating--so feel free to keep the sheet and peruse over the summer to increase your cultural literacy.

Wednesday, May 15th is the AP European History Exam

Friday, May 17, Monday and Tuesday May 20, 21 are the Final Exam.  I will review on Thursday, but since it is based mainly on readings it will not require much advanced preparation.

We will watch the film Dr. Zhivago May 22-24th, and Final Projects start presenting on My 28th through June 4th.

Finishing the course and a review

This week we will end our AP Euro course!  We are ploughing though the cold war and will hopefully end with the Euro crisis.  Starting next week, we begin and intensive in class review...half the class is taking the AP exam, so they will also receive update e-mails from me about certain review topics on the free response essays.

We will be writing two DBQ's back to back to make sure all student understand the role of point of view, not just for the exam but in their future college papers.

Ending the 19th century

We have been very busy in European History

We have done Chapters 23, Viva La Vida worksheet

Chapter 23-25 on Imperialism

Chapter 24

And we are finishing up on Chapter 25.

Major exam on the 1800s is going to be on March 14th.  Students will be learning about World War I, the failure of the Weimer Republic, and the rise of the dictators....all to be done by the end of spring break.  There is a mantra in AP Euro, and that is we have to be at Hitler's dictatorship by Spring Break. 

Mid Term Study Guide

The last two weeks of AP Euro will be busy.

We will finish Napoleon by January 15th and move onto the momentous changes from the Congress of Vienna.  After the Congress of Vienna...we will move into the Industrial Revolution, and the Age of Romanticism which, of course, was a reaction to the changes in the countryside of England and France.

We will also be learning about the different ideologies that emerged after the French Revolution...yes, now the people had a right to participate in government...and everyone had an opinion on how government and economic systems should operate.

Word like Conservatism, Liberalism, Radicalism, Socialism, Republicanism and yes....Communism will dominate.  This will be called the age of the 'isms.

French Revolution by Tuesday, DBQ test over Holiday

We are just sliding into the French Revolution and will have a test on next Tuesday, December 18th.  Students will also be given a 100 pt. take home exam on DBQ interpretation.  They should really enjoy the test.  It is self contained with the documents included in the text of the test.

As promised here's the guide for the multiple choice 50 point French Revolution test.

French Revolution Test Guide

Not all questions are on this quide, but many are.  Numbers DO NOT correspond with numbers on the test.  For some of these items below, I have given you the actual fact that corresponds with the TEST question.

1. Do Revolutions occur always because things are getting worse?
2. What was the main long term economic reason behind the revolution (p. 752)
3. Why was the voting procedure unfair for the Estates GeneraL (p. 753)
4. What were the Cahiers Doleance (check up on internet)?
5. Please know the social structure of France, especially the traits of the three estates. (page 753-755)
6. There will be a number of questions on the unfair taxation system under the OLD REGIME
7. Read about the pamphlet that Abbe Sieyes wrote.  Check up on line the first sentence of that pamphlet.  You must know this.  (page 754)
8. Did some members of the other estates join the third estate (page 754) and your timeline.
9. On page 745, what was the main reason behind the oath at the Tennis Court?
10. Read on page 745 and remember that those who went into exile were called Emigres.
11. What was the impact of the fall of the Bastille on the people (page 745)
12. What was the Great Fear found on page 757.
13. Read about the ideas and the circumstances, including what famous founding father was in Paris at the time of the writing of the Declaration of the Rigths of Man and Citizen. P. 757.
14. One page 759, read about the division of the departments and what they looked like in the map on page 760.
15. What were Assignats (page 759).
16. Page 759…what did the Civil Constitution do regarding the Catholic Church?
17. What happened to the monarchy on September 22, 1792 (page 762).
18. Please read the words on the lower part of page 761 about the King’s failed flight to Varennes.
19. Page 765.  What is the French National Anthem?
20. Two countries were involved in the Brunswick manifesto…Austria and Prussia.
21. What did the Brunswick manifesto announce (page 761)
22. Before they divided into the Girondins and the Mountain what were these groups members of (read on page 762…and throughout the next few pages)
23. What was the purpose of the Committee of Public Safety…but what was really the lethal result (page 763)
24. Please go on the internet and read about this first important victory for the Revolutionary forces (Valmy).  The new spirit of the French army was due to this (page 764).
25. Page 768:  What region in France let the Counter Revolution?
26. What group of people were involved in the Counter Revolution (page 768)
27. Unfortunately, Charlotte Corday’s assassination of the Marat, turned them into this (page 767)
28. What did the continued threat of attacks on France eventually contribute to this horrific event that went over many months and forever marred the revolution (page 763)
29. What was the main purpose of the Reign of Terror (page 763)
30. What did the National Assembly due during the night of August 4^th, 1789 that left a lasting legacy in France (page 757)
31. Foreign intervention during the revolution eventually led to this (bottom of page 764).
32. The ideas of conservative (right) moderate (middle) and liberal (left) reflect the actually seating chart of the French Revolution.  You will have 5 questions asking how different people in the revolution viewed these ideas and what they were opposed to or what they would have supported.

Down with kings....up with science

We are moving swiftly toward the Enlightenment...and, as I warned students, we would be moving along....time and time and European History waits for no one.

This is what we are working on right now, students:

Versailles Worksheet
Louis XIV Court (on flip side of Versailles worksheet)
A time of Tulips and Turmoil
Where in the World is the World (both sides--Scientific Revolution and Political Thought)
Chapter 17 Questions
Absolutism Test....

Yes, we'll gather all this in when we get back from Thanksgiving Break.
Monday before Thanksgiving will be a work day.

October 5-31st

We are working hard in AP Euro:

During the first part of October, students turned in their Prince Essay.
Then they watched the film Elizabeth and turned in a film guide and took a quiz.
Students completed the take home Reformation test over the long weekend of October 12-15th.  

We finished the Religious Wars by learning about the Thirty Years War and took a quiz on October 18th.

The week of October 22-26th has been devoted to writing.  Students have had two DBQs handed to them--the Witchcraft DBQ and the Plague DBQ.  They will be writing about one DBQ on Thursday.

On Friday, we commence with the the Rise of the Dutch Republic.

On Monday, October 29th, we cover the English Civil War.

On Tuesday, students will watch the film, Newton's Dark Secrets and learn about the beginning of the Scientific Revolution.

On Wednesday, we will begin a student by Louis XIV.

On Thursday, November 1st and Friday November 2nd, student will have questions, discussion questions and read the play "A Time of Tulips and Turmoil" which outline major events of the 17th century.

September 5 through September 21st

The first few weeks of AP Euro are spent reviewing for the Middle Ages--and history up to the Renaissance.  Students have done the following:

--Middle Ages Notes
--Middle Ages Test (September 17th)
--The Royal We (article from the Atlantic Monthly)

On Friday, September 14th, we start the Renaissance:

--Notes on Renaissance
--Renaissance Scavenger Hunt (in Library on September 18th)
--The Prince Essay--due on September 24th.
--Renaissance Open Book Test (partially in class)  September 20-21st

By September 24th, we will be starting the Reformation

--Reformation Notes
--Film Guide, Elizabeth
--Questions Chapter 15 and 16
--Reformation Test by October 11th.

May 17th until the end of the year....

We have been very busy in AP Euro working on our preparation for the AP Exam.    Exam results will be out in July.

For the next three weeks students will be preparing for their senior project.  We have a great line up with students choosing to do their presentations on everything from the Paris Dakkar race, the Knights Templar, Brigitte Bardot, and the Profumo Scandal...and a whole lot of other fabulous topics in between. 

These presentations will be the last grade on your AP class grade.   We are finishing up the final exam, that will be entered by May 21st, and we'll watch two films...Dr. Zhivago, and if time, The Mission.  Both of these are excellent cultural literacy "fillers."   Students will also read some of the poetry of Boris Pasternak.  

Weeks of February 27th-March 8th

On Monday, February 27th, students will be doing their DBQ on the Industrial Revolution.

Chapters 24, and the analysis of White Man's Burden are also due by the end of the week (March 3)


Also, students need to finish their internet activity (New Ideas, artists, Sigmund Freud) by March 5th.


AP signups are fast approaching. I have given all students the 6 review sheets that will help them to pass the exam. If you have any intention of taking the exam, you must be reviewing those sheets along with the yellow DBQ sheet that has the terms from former DBQs and also helps and hints about identifying Point of View.

February 1st to February 10th

Students are knee deep in the 19th century.

On Wednesday, we finished up Les Miserables by watching excerpts from the Musical.

On Thursday, we'll be using our Ideology guide to take a small quiz.

On Friday, February 3rd, we will watch a slide show on Chapter 22.

Monday--hopefully we'll be in the library to work on the Viva la Vida chart.

On Tuesday, we'll do the Industrial Revolution DBQ

On Wednesday, February 8th, we should be studying the Crimean War.

On Thursday, Feb. 9th, we'll be continuing with the Crimean War and work on the map.

On Friday, we will be discussing Positivism, Realism, and the publication of the Communist Manifesto.

Week of December 5th-9th

We are rapidly approaching the French Revolution in European History. This event was the earthquake that changed Europe forever. After 1789--the great monarchies all had to make compromises with their people to maintain power.

Students are working in class on Chapter 20 questions, and they had two back to back quizzes on Social History and the Enlightened Despots.

Students will also have an extra credit film list and massive take home exam over Christmas Break.

Weeks of October 17th-28th

In European History we will be doing the following:

Monday, october 17th: The English Civil War.
Tuesday, October 18th: Finish Quiz on English Civil War, discuss DBQ
Wednesday, October 19th: More DBQ Work, The Dutch Republic slide show, Girl with the Pearl Earring.
Thursday, October 20th: We will write the witchcraft DBQ on Thursday or Friday.

Week of October 24-28th

We will be discussing the scientific revolution, watching the film, Newton's Dark Secrets. By the end of the week, we should be at the Age of Absolutism and Louis XIV.

Week of October 3-14th

Wow--we are really busy in AP Euro.

This week, students are getting a look at the reformation in "full swing," as they view the film, Elizabeth. This film was made on location in many historic sites in England, and it focuses on the reformation and its affect on the early years of Elizabeth I's reign. Students please note the references to the Prince, which Walsingham makes.

On next Monday, we will be taking the Reformation test.
Also next week, we will stop and spend some time discussing the DBQ, a primary document activity which is one of the main components of the AP Euro course.

Week of September 12-23rd

Last year's AP results were the highest ever, with 90% of students passing. Congrats to students of 2010-2011.

Right now we are busy finishing up with background information on the Middle Ages.

On Wednesday, September 14th, we will be spending a review day on the Middle Ages. On Thursday we start the Renaissance, and on Friday we are in the library for our Renaissance Scavenger hunt.

Monday, September 19th will be our Middle Ages Test, based on the notes and test guide.

We'll finish up the Renaissance on Tuesday with a take home test. Students will also be writing an essay on The Prince. That will be due on September 26th.

May 9th through 20th

Wow--the AP exam is over, so back to work! I hope you all did well---the exam results will be made available in July.
In the meanwhile, I would encourage students who did not take the exam to consider going to Chemeketa and taking the CLEP exam sometime in may. You need to take Western Civilization II.
On Tuesday, students begin their primary document based final exam. This is a fabulous chance for you to learn as you take a test as the exam covers all periods of the AP course. These is also a visual and written element to the final, so by the time we are done (Thursday), students will be ready to unwide with a film. In this case, we always show Dr. Zhivago. The second film, if we have time, will probably be the Mission. Both are fabulous and I have super viewing guides and historical slideshows to support.

The final week of AP Euro will be spend doing our presentations. This is my favorite part, and students have been given a list of fabulous cultural literacy topics. Ask to see the list and maybe you can help your student decide.

April 11th through the 28th

Wow--we are finishing up the course as we speak. On Tuesday, we will cover the break up of the Soviet Union, the war in Yugoslavia, and the Maastricht Treaty and the coming of the Euro.

We will then be reviewing in class for the next two weeks. Though some have elected not to take the exam, they should consider going to Chemeketa and signing up for the CLEP exam at any time and taking Western Civilization II.

For the rest who are taking the AP exam, you will need to plan to make the review sessions at least once a week. When are they?

Monday--after school

Wednesday--before school

Each is about 45 minutes long.

April 1st through April 8th

Wow--we are finishing up AP Euro fast and furious.

On Monday, we will do World War II in a day. Chapter 26 and 27 questions are due then.

On Monday, I will hand out chapter 28 questions.

We will also finish up World War I and watch the short documentary, The Plot to Kill Hilter.

On Wednesday, we will discuss post World War II reconstruction, the Cold War, and steps toward greater European Unity.

March 16th through Spring Break

AP Exam sign up needs to be done by March 30th ($87).

We will need to cover the dictatorships over Spring Break (sorry guys! Those furlough days are responsible for this).

You will be given chapter 26 and 27 to complete and turn in on the 29th.

If Mrs. Olsen is not back from Europe on the 29th (that is, if a volcano erupts in Iceland, or, she is asked to stay for Prince William's wedding) you will be viewing the slideshow about the three dictators, Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin.

On Friday, March 18th, Mrs. Platz, the substitute, will be administering your 100 point test on the 19th century. Good luck guys and good studying! You already have the yellow sheet, and on Wednesday, March 16th, after the slide show, you will have the period to study.

For Spring Break, you will also be given an official AP Euro practice exam. IT is an OPEN BOOK test, which means you can use the MOTHERSHIP and text to get the most correct answer.