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Questions are often asked as to which textbooks are used in history courses at KMLA. The answer is : none. History is an OPINIONATED subject;
students should not rely on one opinion alone, should get into the habit of comparing several views, by the way of PARALLEL READING -
reading several accounts of the same phenomenon. It is also highly recommended that students read PRIMARY SOURCES, at least on
some major events.
Modern European History. Range European history since 1400. The AP test students expect to take consists of two parts -
a multiple choice section (55 minutes, 80 questions) and of an essay section (1 Document Based Essay, 2 Free Response Essays, 2
hours for all three essays, to be written under supervision without any access to books, the internet etc., the only foundation being
the documents). Book recommendations exclusively deal with the knowledge part; essay writing is not learnt from books.
Modern European History
by Birdsall S. Viault; published by McGraw-Hill, 1990, 608 pp.
A reasonably priced paperback, which contains essential knowledge telegram style; provides a decent foundation for both multiple choice
sections and free response essays. Few illustrations, often maps, of medium quality (black and white, shades sometimes indistinguishable).
A good book to brush up for an upcoming test, not sufficient for history novices (telegram style to thin). Mandatory for students who take
MEH at KMLA.
Of course, the NHB (Note- and Handbook); equally telegram style, intended to make note taking easier for the student, and to provide him/her with
a souce of factual information. Mandatory for students who take MEH at KMLA.
A History of Modern Europe :
From the Renaissance to the Present
by John Merriman; published by W.W. Norton, 1996, 1515 pp.
A good narrative and analysis, illustrated; 1 volume, 1515 pages; author professor at Yale.
The Western Heritage:
Since 1300 (7th Edition)
by Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, Frank M. Turner; published by Prentice Hall, 2000, 1150 pp.
Widely used as text-/reference book in AP Eur courses, 1 volume, 1150 pages, illustrated, contains short documents.
The publisher has set up a website which offeres questionnaires based on 'Western Heritage', which provides instant evaluation of users' performance
(multiple choice questions). This section definitely is not handled by the authors, probably not even by historians, and partially messed up.
Therefore I do not provide a link (those who still want to use it - type western heritage into your search engine).
A History of the Modern World,
by R.R. Palmer, Joel G. Colton, Lloyd S. Cramer; published by Knopf, 2002, 1248 pp.
Western Civilization,
by Jackson J. Spielvogel, published by Thomson/Wadsworth, 2003, 950 pp.
I do not recommend any books the covers of which claim to prepare for the AP test in European History. Those available are not as faulty
as similar books claiming to prepare for SAT II; the text sections are inadequate to prepare. And I do not believe that taking many sample tests
is a good preparation for the test. Reading real history books, reading primary sources, is.
Students are expected to use (a) the NHB, (b) Viault, Modern European History and (c) one of the narrative histories of their choice.
Again, parallel reading in encouraged.
