Historical Thinking Skills on the Euro Exam

I’ve written much lately about the decisions history teachers have to make when balancing breadth and depth of knowledge. Well, folks, it’s not just about knowledge any more. The new AP European History… Continue reading →

Rethinking the Teaching of European History

For AP European History teachers, this summer is all about the redesign. What does it mean? How will it affect my teaching? Why would they do this to me after my years of… Continue reading →

Martin Luther and the Protestant Revolt

This video is about Martin Luther and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. I cover his early life, his challenge to the Catholic Church, the spread of his beliefs, and the doctrine of… Continue reading →

Historical Thinking Skills and the Teaching of the Past

As a history teacher, I have always struggled with how to best spark a love of the subject in my students. When I was a new teacher, I wanted to tell them the… Continue reading →

Flipping the AP European History Classroom

If you haven’t heard, AP European History is undergoing a curriculum redesign to be implemented in the fall. The new curriculum divides history into four periods, each of which has a number of… Continue reading →

What Was Secular Humanism?

In this video, I examine the secular humanist movement of the 15th century. I focus on the ideas and works of Leonardo Bruni, Leon Battista Alberti, and Niccolo Machiavelli.

What Was Humanism?

In this video, I describe the intellectual movement of humanism and profile four major figures of the movement: Petrarch, Lorenzo Valla, Marsilio Ficino, and Pico della Mirandola.

What Was the Renaissance?

In this video, I introduce you to the major changes that characterized the Renaissance in Europe. I will expand on these ideas in the next few videos.