An Overview of the 2024 AP European History Curriculum

The Advanced Placement (AP) European History course for the 2024 academic year brings an updated and comprehensive curriculum, designed to offer students an in-depth understanding of European history from approximately 1450 to the present. The curriculum is structured to enhance students’ historical thinking skills and to provide a nuanced grasp of key themes and events. Below, we’ll examine the primary elements of this curriculum, highlighting the periods, themes, and instructional strategies that educators and students will encounter.

Historical Time Periods Covered

The 2024 AP European History curriculum is organized around four principal chronological periods:

1. **Period 1: Renaissance and Exploration (c. 1450 to c. 1648)** – This section covers topics such as the cultural and intellectual revival of the Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, and the development of nation-states.
2. **Period 2: Absolutism and Enlightenment (c. 1648 to c. 1815)** – Students will study the rise of absolute monarchies, significant intellectual movements like the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, and key