European Studies

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 »