CTY's Preparation for AP® History and Geography: Western Hemisphere

About the Course

CTY's Preparation for AP® History and Geography: Western Hemisphere

Grades 6-9
CTY-Level
Session-Based
History and Social Science

Master the basics of geography and the cartography of Europe, North America, and South America to connect natural earth features with historical human experiences in these regions—while Europe is geographically a part of the Eastern Hemisphere, it is covered in this course as a central part of transatlantic history in the Western Hemisphere.

Acting as historians, you and your classmates will investigate transformative world events, individuals, developments, and processes from the Neolithic era to the present. You’ll develop strong study habits, close-reading skills, and expertise in evidence-based writing in addition to learning how to contextualize information, make comparisons, and identify cause-and-effect relationships.

This course is designed to prepare you for Advanced Placement courses in history and the rigor of high school studies. Synchronous live sessions take place once a week.

Meeting times:
Wednesday – 7-8 p.m. ET

Time Commitment: 5-6 hours per week (1 hour of class time, 4-5 hours of independent work).

Course Overview

What we'll do

Preparation for AP® History and Geography: Western Hemisphere is designed to prepare students for Advanced Placement courses in history and the rigor of high school studies. In this course, students master the basics of geography and cartography of Europe, North America, and South America to connect natural earth features with historical human experiences in these world regions. Each week, students will complete writing assignments, exams, and discussion forums to master the contents presented in the course. Synchronous live sessions take place once a week.

What we’ll learn

How to analyze arguments in favor of and against the Protestant Reformation, and factors that led to the development of early human societies in Europe and the Americas
How to analyze the impact of technological advancements on the advent of the Industrial Revolution, and the significance of political and social events in the development of Roman history
How to assess factors leading to conflict in Ancient Greece, the impact of modern scientific development on practices and ideologies surrounding imperialism, and the influence of religion on political changes in Europe during the Early modern period
How to compose maps that illustrate geographical and social development of a specified region during the modern and contemporary period
How to debate the significance of key events in Western history from 1945-2014
How to evaluate the connection between geography, resources, and the development of civilizations in Europe and the Americas
How to examine the development of nation-states during the early modern period, the economic and social practices common among the laboring class in the Middle Ages, and the influence of the classical world on the post-classical era in Western history
How to identify and explain the historical context of social, political, and economic characteristics of the contemporary era in Western history

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Critically analyze historical primary and secondary sources
Incorporate evidence from historical sources into written and oral arguments
Explain historical relationships like causality, correlation, continuity, and change
Evaluate long-term historical development through both thematic and chronological exploration of the past
Collaborate with other learners to engage in meaningful discussions of historical content

How we'll measure learning

Instructors evaluate student work using rubrics and provide detailed constructive feedback on each assignment. This course is aligned to the common core standards.

This course is

graded.

Classes

Register for an Online course by selecting an open class below. If no open classes are listed, then course enrollment is currently closed. Note: You will need to have an active CTY Account to complete registration through MyCTY.

Jan 21 - Apr 13

12 weeks

$1,045

Enroll

Testing and Prerequisites

	Math	Verbal
Required Level	CTY-Level	or CTY-Level

Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

Cost and Financial Aid

Tuition
- Varies
Application fee
- Nonrefundable Application Fee - $15 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
- Nonrefundable International Fee - $20 (outside US only)

Financial Aid

We have concluded our financial aid application review process for Academic Year 2023-2024 Online Programs (Courses with start dates July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024). Our application for Academic Year 2024-2025 Online Programs is expected to open in January. We encourage those who may need assistance in the future to apply for aid as early as possible.

Learn More

Course Materials

Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].

Book Title: World Civilizations, 8th edition*
Author: Adler, Philip J., and Randall L. Pouwels
ISBN: 1305959876

*Note: E-book is accessible inside the online classroom. No purchase is necessary unless you prefer a hard copy of the book for reference.

Technical Requirements

This course requires a computer with high-speed Internet access and an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome or Firefox. You must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

This course uses a virtual classroom for instructor-student communication. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client, and on tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Recorded meetings can only be viewed on a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both free to download.

Terms & Conditions

Students may interact in online classrooms and meetings that include peers, instructors, and occasional special guests.

Courses may include videos from the web. Recommendations or links at the end of videos are provided by the video host and are not CTY recommendations. 

Virtual class meetings may be recorded for students to review.

After a you complete a course, your projects may be used to illustrate work for future students. 

Our online History and Social Science courses include the study of economics, U.S. history and government, world history, and psychology. Reading and writing are at the heart of all our offerings. Courses for older students cover material typically found in introductory college-level classes, while younger scholars enjoy studying world history and geography. All courses are guided by expert instructors who connect with you through virtual class meetings and interactive review workshops. Whichever course you choose, you’ll gain important insights into the inner workings of government, world civilizations, global culture, and the human mind.

Dig into World History and Geography

In the newly created Preparation for AP World History and Geography Eastern Hemisphere and Preparation for AP World History and Geography Western Hemisphere courses, students explore fascinating historical concepts of the past through historical analysis, engaging discussions, and dynamic live sessions. Students meet with their instructor and peers each week to investigate transformative world events and discuss their thoughts with one another. Taking these courses will help students prepare for the challenge of AP History courses.

Meet our History and Social Sciences Instructors

As an educator I believe that my job is to make learning easy. To that end, I always try to present the material in a way that is as easy for my students to understand as humanly possible. In doing so, students are inspired to want to learn because they see that effort gets results.

Teaching AP World History: Modern, I'm frequently astonished at how natural it is for students from both the United States and across the world to meet and learn about a global subject from not just their instructor but, just as importantly, so many different student perspectives!

Tyler Meinhart

History and Social Sciences Instructor

I enjoy building relationships with students, facilitating their learning, and helping them achieve a refined understanding of the complex world around us. Using a high energy, enthusiastic approach to learning allows me to deeply connect with my students while having lots of fun!

Alejandro Lozano

History and Social Sciences Instructor

Online Programs