Worried about you AP European History Grade? Think a euro study guide could help you out of your troubles? Even if you’re doing great in AP European history, you can always use a study guide. When looking for such a resource, always keep three things in mind: Detail, Scope and Background. I’ll discus each in the following paragraphs.

First up: how detailed should a European history study guide be? Answer: very detailed, although you don’t have to read all of it. You need the extra layer of detail if you want to focus on any one subject area or time period, and area which most euro guides fall short. You probably don’t need to remember how many signatures the Chartist movement got for its reform proposal, but you might need this information for a paper or short essay. You don’t need to learn every detail when studying for a test, but an extra level of complexity helps you gain a deeper understanding of the events, a crucial skill for success in AP Euro.

Second, an AP European history study guide should discus all the different periods and countries covered by the class. Euro isn’t just about Europe (unfortunately) and you often need to know what’s going on in the rest of the world. Look for scope both in terms of time periods and geography; if a study guide isn’t long enough to cover everything it won’t be too useful for a final exam or the AP test in May. Read the rest of this entry »

What gives in Arizona? First they reject the celebration of Martin Luther King Day; then the Arizona legislators submit a tough law targeting all who appear to be illegal immigrants; and now Governor Jan Brewer has signed a bill prohibiting the Tucson school district from offering certain types of ethnic studies in the high schools.

The Associated Press reported that the measure signed Tuesday (5/11/2010) prohibits classes that advocate ethnic solidarity, that are designed primarily for students of a particular race or that promote resentment toward a certain ethnic group. The courses prohibited include courses in African-American studies, Mexican-American studies and Native-American studies, which have been offered by the Tucson Unified School District (see Associated Press story, 5/11/2010, by Jonathan J. Cooper). The justification is that such courses, while teaching ethnic solidarity, encourage resentment toward other groups. According to state schools chief, Tom Horne, these programs promote “ethnic chauvinism.” Moreover, some students who don’t belong to the ethnic group at issue have reported that they experienced antagonism by instructors and students.

These are some of the reasons given for the prohibition of such courses. But I would argue that there are plenty of reasons on the other side; many of us hold that such courses provide enough benefit to students that far outweigh the putative liabilities. Let’s consider the issue in more detail and try to see things from the perspective of the Arizona politicians. But before that, I have a few personal remarks to show that I don’t have a bias against the state of Arizona. Read the rest of this entry »

Need to prepare for an AP European history test, or even the AP Exam? Don’t worry, there’s a simple three step method for comprehensive test preparation. Just remember to start reviewing early enough that you have time to learn everything! (If you’re short on time, see the last paragraph for study resources that can speed your preparation).

So, what are the three ways to practice you’re AP European history facts? First, you need a basic grasp of the concepts covered. If you’re studying a specific time period, identify the most important broad themes of the time. Make a list of major movements, like the Industrial Revolution, or Baroque art.

Next, you need to crystallize the most important facts about each ‘movement’ or ‘event’ in your list. This is where outlines can be very helpful. Making of finding a few great outlines will help you remember the basics better and filter through extraneous information. Try to create a three paragraph outline with 4-6 specific points per paragraph. You might also want to write a thesis sentence that summarizes your view of the event or its defining characteristics. Read the rest of this entry »