This course is designed to prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Comparative Politics offered by The College Board each May. The first few days include a discussion of the terminology and main concepts of political science, which serves to create a framework by which students examine the political structures of six nations. These six nations are the United Kingdom, Russia, the People’s Republic of China, Mexico, Nigeria, and Iran. This selection is designed to include developed and developing nations, multi-party and single-party states, and democracies and authoritarian states. Issues such as the linkage between economic and political liberalization, and ethnic and religious influences on politics are also examined in detail. The primary goal is to develop in students the ability to look at similar structures in multiple nations and draw conclusions about these political systems.
This course is designed to prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Exam in United States Government offered by The College Board each May. Beginning with a discussion of political theory, the course is an in-depth survey of American government and politics. While a strong emphasis is placed on the three branches of government and the development of public policy, the course is not limited to those topics. The Advanced Placement United States Government course at St. Andrew’s also includes a discussion of political theory, the Constitution, federalism, interest groups and political parties, voting and other forms of political behavior, the role of the media in politics, and civil rights and civil liberties.
This course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Exam in United States History, offered by the College Board each May. This course begins with the colonial origins of America and ends with the late twentieth century. Students learn the political, economic, cultural, social, and religious factors that have shaped the development of the United States. Through the reading of primary and secondary sources, as well as the writing of short essays, students develop critical thinking and writing skills they will need for the AP Exam and for college history classes. Students also participate in group projects to develop collaborative working skills. Each student is also required to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on a topic of his/her choosing. Students thus work on their analytical, critical thinking, research and writing, and public speaking skills in this class.
In AP World History: Modern, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes from approximately 1200 C.E. to the present. Students develop and use the skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation.
Big Screen Rome is an interdisciplinary history course which uses film and film theory, Roman history, and Western popular culture to explore the legacy of Ancient Rome in the 20th and 21st centuries. Through films such as Ben-Hur and Gladiator, students will not only learn the historical background of films but will also explore how the events depicted reflect the time in which the films were made.
This course presents a comprehensive study in economic theory and practice. Taken in a semester, the course includes units on macroeconomics and microeconomics, emerging global markets and multi-national corporations, money and banking, and the roles that government, labor unions and consumers play in the operation of our economy. Also, issues of personal finance, insurance and employment taxation are addressed. Specific attention is given to an overview of sound investment strategy and understanding the stock market. Students each semester participate in The Stock Market Game as conducted under the auspices of the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) and the Mississippi Council on Economic Education.
This semester course is designed to introduce students to the field of global studies by promoting an understanding of the interconnectedness and interdependence of global processes. The course focuses on historical, cultural, environmental, technological, political, and economic global developments. Some of the key issues will include the challenges of our global economy, the fading of the nation-state, emerging nationalism and transnational ideologies, new communications media, environmental crises, and human rights abuses. This course will challenge students to “think globally” by linking pressing global issues of our time to relevant regional developments. The historical framework of the course is the Cold War to the present and coverage of world regions will provide a foundation for grappling with the emerging possibilities and the ethical responsibilities of living in an interconnected world.
This semester course will investigate the quest for civil rights in America for multiple minority groups. Supreme Court legislation throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries will be examined through the lens of how decisions affected African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Disabled Americans, LGBTQ+, and Women. Special attention will be placed on local connections within the civil rights struggle. Students will also explore ways to facilitate change within communities and organizations to improve wider access and empowerment.
This History of Women elective will be a history course, with inter-disciplinary elements, providing a broad foundation for the understanding of the position of women in world history. The course will begin with the establishment of gender roles from evolution to the emergence of civilization – the shared experiences in values which resulted in the marginalization of women. Students will then learn about how the roles of women have shifted over time and across geographical barriers accounting for differences in class, race, and religion. (As Grace is offering a course on women in the Classical world in the Spring, in the early part of the course we will emphasize non-European civilizations during the ancient world.) The majority of the course, however, will cover the experiences of women in the modern world, including leaders, rebels, intellectuals, suffragists and other political and social activists. We will also examine the way women have been depicted in popular media throughout history (art, literature, film and television, and advertising). Required work for the class would include occasional written assignments related to course texts, two tests per quarter, and a research paper for the final exam grade.
This course is a broad survey of the political, social, cultural, economic, and diplomatic history of the United States, beginning with the European settlement of the Americas and continuing to the present. While a fundamental goal of the course involves the student gaining a strong understanding and appreciation of the people, events, and material conditions that have shaped the nation’s character over time, a further goal involves the student developing informed opinions about current issues and their impact on the country as well as the world. Students should gain a deeper appreciation for the work of the historian as well as develop their skills of research, writing, and analysis. Students will also read an additional book each semester that reinforces what they are learning in one of the units. Finally, class discussion is encouraged to prepare students for college, where class discussion will be of great importance.
A continuation of World History I, Honors World History II covers the significant political, social, cultural, intellectual, and economic changes that have occurred in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas from the Renaissance to the present day. Though developments around the globe are examined, there are several themes that are emphasized. Those themes include the gradual rise and eventual decline of the power and influence of the West, the growth of international trade and imperialism and the decolonization movements in Africa and Asia. Critical thinking and writing skills are honed as students learn to analyze historical documents, maps, artwork, photographs, music, and other historical data, and to make informed interpretations of the events of the modern world. Students will also read period novels such as Heart of Darkness and All Quiet on the Western Front to deepen their understanding of those historical eras. Finally, class discussion is encouraged to prepare students for college, where class discussion will be of great importance.
This course presents a survey of the study of competing Economic Theories, Microeconomics and the principles and practice of Entrepreneurship. Taken in a semester, the course includes Units of Study on various theories of Economics, Microeconomics and the characteristic traits and practices of Entrepreneurship, concluding with a Semester Project consisting of a Formal Business Plan.
The Middle Ages Through Film uses the medium of film to explore the West’s complicated relationship with its own medieval past. The course provides a history of Europe 500-1500, a history of American film from the 1940’s through the early 2000’s, and the social and political context in which the films were made. Students will keep journals on the films watched in class, be quizzed occasionally on the historical content, and complete a final paper analyzing a medieval film using the theories learned in the class.
Popular culture is ever changing. It encompasses and reflects public memory in the most unique way. Pop Culture is the memory and culture of the masses. How we see ourselves through music, fashion, literature, politics and social expression in general can be traced through the pop culture of any specific era. It is the collective consciousness of society. This course will trace popular culture of the United States beginning with the nineteenth century through today. Students will critically analyze eras of history and focus on the culture of the times. Students will progress through American History in an effort to determine how society reacted to events and how movies, fads, music, and culture impacted daily lives. We will determine what pop culture is, why people care about it, and how it truly is a reflection of the values of society.
This course presents an introductory survey of the study of Economics in theory and in practice. Taken in a semester, the course includes Units of Study on Macroeconomics (Demand, Supply, Market Equilibrium, Opportunity Cost and Trade-offs, and the Measurements of GDP, Inflation and Unemployment) money and banking, and the roles which the government, business firms, labor and consumers play in the functioning of a Market Economy.
The Cold War is one of those rare historical eras that historians can accurately periodize. It began in the wake of World War Two and ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991. Students in this class learn about both the long-term and short-term causes of the Cold War and the major events that occurred during this time period. Through readings from the core text and other sources, both primary and secondary, students are able to discern the cause and effect relationship between events. Throughout this course, students have weekly reading quizzes, the analysis of primary source documents, and short analytical essays, as well as class participation. In addition, students read a novel and watch a movie from the Cold War era, both from American and overseas settings, in order to understand the global dimensions of this epoch. Finally, students have the opportunity to listen and interact with guest speakers who are specialists in this field. The final project in this class involves the analysis of music from the 1980s that addresses the Cold War. This one-semester course is open to seniors and qualified juniors.
United States Government provides an in-depth look at the politics and political institutions that comprise our nation’s government and shape our public policy. Specific emphasis is placed upon the origins of our governmental framework, including but not limited to a study of British political theory and tradition, and the creation of our U.S. Constitution. Special attention is also paid to our civil liberties and civil rights, lawmaking and policymaking system, and electoral process, and the roles that political parties, special interest groups, and the media play in shaping public policy and influencing public opinion. In addition, students are challenged to discuss a variety of political ethics, which impact us as citizens and how our government responds to these issues.
This course is a broad survey of the political, social, economic, and cultural history of the United States, beginning with the European settlement of the Americas and continuing to the present. While a fundamental goal of the course involves the student gaining a strong understanding and appreciation of the people, events, and material conditions that have shaped the nation’s character over time, a further goal involves the student developing informed opinions about current issues and their impact on the country as well as the world. Students should gain a deeper appreciation for the work of the historian as well as develop their skills of research, writing, and analysis.
A survey course, World History I covers the significant political, social, cultural, and intellectual changes that occurred in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe from prehistory through the Middle Ages. Students will develop critical thinking skills using historical documents, maps, artwork, and other historical data to analyze the emergence, development, and interconnectedness of civilizations around the world.
A continuation of World History I, World History II covers the significant social, cultural, political, intellectual, and economic changes that have occurred in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas from the Renaissance to the present day. Though developments around the globe are examined, an overarching theme is the gradual rise and eventual relative decline of the power and influence of the West. Critical thinking and writing skills are honed as students learn to analyze historical documents, maps, artwork, and other historical data, and to make informed interpretations of the events of the modern world. Special emphasis is paid to geography and to art.
This course explores the beliefs and practices of the major religions of the world, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Where do these faiths intersect and find common ground and what makes them unique? We will focus on the impact of religion on the modern world, such as how the various faith traditions influence the arts, culture, and politics. Throughout, students will be encouraged to reflect on their own faith and spirituality.
