AP European History Prevost

Summer Independent Study Program Your summer assignment is designed to enrich your knowledge of the Renaissance, improve your study skills, enhance your interest and increase your commitment to our Advanced Placement European History course. This assignment must be completed by the opening day of the 2012 - 2013 school year. Part I Readings Text:

• Renaissance and Discovery, from The Western Heritage by Donald Kagan Excerpts from the following primary and secondary sources:

• Francesco Petrarch, A Letter to Boccaccio: Literary Humanism • Peter Paul Vergerio, On the Liberal Arts • Christine de Pizan, The City of Ladies • Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince • Baldesar Castiglione, The Book of the Courtier • Jacob Burckhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy • Peter Burke, The Myth of the Renaissance • Federico Chabod, Machiavelli and the Renaissance • Charles G. Nauert, Northern Sources of the Renaissance

Review Book: Please purchase the following review book. You do not need to read the review book over the summer, we will use it throughout the year and for exam preparation in May.

• AP Achiever (Advanced Placement Exam Preparation Guide) for European History (College Test Prep) by Chris Freiler Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Part II Taking Notes Research has shown that merely reading a text does not result in a high level of understanding or an adequate retention of the material. Evidence shows that taking notes on a reading greatly increases learning. Therefore, note taking is an essential component of this course—you will be asked to take notes on every chapter we read as well as during class lectures. Follow this example notebook style which facilitates both retention of facts and builds a greater understanding of the major themes. Follow this format in taking notes on the readings.

Format: The format for your summer note taking is based on the headings in your textbook. Divide your notes by subsections. (Subsections can be found by examining the bold print and font size and/or the outline at the beginning of the chapter.) Each primary and secondary source should be treated as one subsection.

• READ each subsection • ASK yourself--what is the main idea? • PARAPHRASE the main idea in one summarizing sentence. • LIST only the specific evidence that supports your summarizing sentence. (If you

have specifics that do not support your summary either they are not important and can be omitted or you need to rethink your summary statement.)

Below is a model for the first section of the chapter. Follow the pattern and list as many specific pieces of evidence as you need for each topic. Chapter 10: Renaissance and Discovery

I. The Renaissance in Italy Summarizing sentence (this sentence should summarize all the information from sections A – D listed below):

• Specific evidence • Specific evidence

A. The Italian City-State Summarizing sentence (include all the information from sections #1 – 3 listed below):

• Specific evidence (this is for evidence found in the introduction paragraph immediately following the heading, not sections #1 – 3)

1. Growth of City-States Summarizing sentence:

• Specific evidence 2. Social Class and Conflict

Summarizing sentence: • Specific evidence

3. Despotism and Diplomacy B. Humanism

1. Petrarch, Dante, and Boccacio 2. Educational Reforms and Goals 3. The Florentine “Academy” and the Revival of Platonism 4. Critical Works of the Humanists: Lorenzo Valla 5. Civic Humanism

C. Renaissance Art 1. Leonardo da Vinci 2. Raphael 3. Michelangelo

D. Slavery in the Renaissance

II. Italy’s Political Decline: The French Invasions (1494 – 1527)

Part III Analysis One of the most important aspects of learning history is being able to place specific facts into a broader understanding of the era. To facilitate this process, use the following strategy to summarize and synthesize what you have learned about the Renaissance from your readings. Write a paragraph (3 – 5 sentences) summary of each of the following themes as it is represented in the Renaissance. Be sure to include specific examples to support the general themes. PERSIA + GT Political Economy Religion Social Structure Intellectual Art Geography Technology Part IV Assessment Multiple Choice At the beginning of the first full week of school, you will be given a multiple choice test on the material you read for AP European History over the summer. Below is a selection of sample questions.

1. The Holy Roman Emperor was chosen by a. a representative assembly c. the Pope b. the outgoing emperor d. seven electors from the nobility

2. Machiavelli hoped that a. the French would restore political order in Italy. b. the Spanish would remove the French from Italy c. the Pope would actively promote a Christian commonwealth d. the Medici family of Florence would unite Italy

3. The Golden Bull a. excommunicated the French king b. reconciled the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire c. established the Dominican Order of Friars d. created a new election process for the Holy Roman Emperor

4. The cornerstones of French nation building in the 15th century were: a. the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire and the death of Joan of Arc b. the collapse of the English in France and the defeat of the duchy of Burgundy c. the division of the Papacy d. none of the above

Free Response Question At the end of the first full week of school, you will write an essay (Free Response Question or “FRQ”) on the Renaissance. Below is a selection of sample questions and a rubric that I will use to grade your essay. 1. Compare and contrast the Renaissance in Italy and in northern Europe. 2. To what extent was the Renaissance a secular movement? 3. Discuss how Renaissance ideas are expressed in the Italian art of the period, referring to specific works and artists.

FRQ Rubric Thesis statement

• Answers the question fully • Indicating strong analysis through the inclusion of specific themes or

examples Content

• Addresses all aspects of the question with appropriate examples • Incorporates between 2 – 4 accurate, relevant, and specific pieces of

evidence to prove generalizations • No significant errors of factual evidence

Analysis

• Draws accurate conclusions from the evidence cited—goes beyond the who, where, what, when to answer how, why, and so what

• Clearly relates the evidence to the terms of the question • Reflects multi-faceted understanding of the issues of the question • Evaluates the relative importance of the issues or arguments

Organization

• Presents response in a well-structured, formal and coherent essay • Strong, clear topic sentences relate the body paragraphs to the terms of

the question and the thesis statement • “Clincher” sentences form conclusions from the specific details

provided in the body paragraphs and tie the evidence to the terms of the question and the thesis statement