🇪🇺AP European History
17 min read•Last Updated on June 18, 2024
This guide organizes advice from past students who got 4s and 5s on their exams. We hope it gives you some new ideas and tools for your study sessions. But remember, everyone's different—what works for one student might not work for you. If you've got a study method that's working, stick with it. Think of this as extra help, not a must-do overhaul.
Example LEQ Prompt (we’ll be using this throughout this guide):
"Evaluate the extent to which the Scientific Revolution represented a shift in European thought." There are multiple ways to attack a prompt like this, so it’s best to start brainstorming right away.
"Although some may argue that the Scientific Revolution was a continuation of earlier intellectual traditions because scholars like the ancient Greeks also engaged in scientific inquiry, ultimately, it represented a significant shift in European thought because it prioritized empirical evidence over religious and philosophical speculation, fostered the development of the scientific method, and promoted a worldview centered on human reason and observation.”
Before the 1500s, most Europeans believed in the ideas of ancient Greek and Roman scholars, who thought everything in the natural world could be explained by philosophy. However, during the Renaissance, people started questioning old beliefs and focusing more on human experience and observation. This shift set the stage for the Scientific Revolution, where scientists like Galileo and Newton used experiments to understand mysteries of the universe, changing how Europeans thought about the world around them.
Paragraph 1 – Prioritized empirical evidence over religious and philosophical speculation
- Galileo Galilei's Observations: Galileo's use of the telescope to observe the moons of Jupiter contradicted the geocentric model of the universe supported by the Church, showing reliance on observation rather than scripture or ancient philosophy.
- Copernicus' Heliocentric Theory: Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model of the universe, which directly challenged the geocentric view endorsed by the Church. This theory was based on mathematical calculations and astronomical observations, showcasing a shift towards empirical evidence and away from religious doctrine as the basis for understanding the cosmos.
Paragraph 2 – Fostered the Development of the Scientific Method
- Francis Bacon's Empiricism: Bacon advocated for the empirical method, emphasizing observation and experimentation as the basis for knowledge, which was a departure from the deductive reasoning of the past.
- René Descartes' Deductive Reasoning: Descartes introduced a systematic approach to scientific inquiry based on deduction and rationalism, complementing Bacon's empiricism and forming the basis of the modern scientific method.
Paragraph 3 – Promoted a Worldview Centered on Human Reason and Observation
- Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion and Universal Gravitation: Newton's work synthesized mathematics with physical observations, promoting a universe governed by natural laws understandable through human reason.
- The Enlightenment: The Scientific Revolution laid the intellectual groundwork for the Enlightenment, where reason and individual thinking were valued over traditional authorities. Philosophers like Voltaire and Diderot celebrated scientific progress and advocated for its application to societal reform.
Earn this point by continuing to structure your argument that the Scientific Revolution did in fact represent a CHANGE in European thought. You have to demonstrate this point throughout your essay, not just in one part, but this is an example sentence:
"Following the Scientific Revolution, the reliance on empirical observation and experimentation in understanding the natural world became increasingly prevalent, marking a significant shift from the previous era, where knowledge was predominantly derived from religious texts and the authority of ancient philosophers.”
Awarded for demonstrating a complex understanding in one of these ways. Here’s a series of examples:
- Explaining the nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables: Analyze the domino effect of changes. Technological advancements (variable 1) led to changes in scientific understanding (variable 2), which then influenced labor dynamics (variable 3) and social structures (variable 4). The emphasis is on the interactions and causal relationships between these elements, showing the nuanced ways in which the Scientific Revolution impacted society.
- Explaining both similarity and difference or explaining both continuity and change: If your stance is that the Scientific Revolution changed European thought, also consider how thought stayed the same.
- Explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods: Link events, ideas, or people from different regions or time periods to show how they related to or influenced each other. You could discuss the Renaissance or Enlightenment and the similar impact of an intellectual movement.
- Confirming the validity of an argument by corroborating multiple perspectives across themes: Present evidence from different thematic perspectives to prove your point. The emphasis on empirical evidence also influenced political thought, encouraging new ideas about governance and society that valued reason over dogma.
- Qualifying or modifying an argument by considering diverse or alternative views or evidence. Address the counterargument, but establish your line of reasoning as stronger. Although in the short term most of the world remained traditionally religious, the intellectual shifts of the Scientific Movement represent the more significant legacy.