Book 2 covers European history from 1870 to the present. Part 1 deals with the development of the nation-state, imperialism, democracy, industrialization, and other forces that led to World War I. Lessons include The Second Industrial Revolution: 1870-1914, Imperialism: Taking Up the White Man’s Burden?, and The Anglo-Boer War. Part 2 explores the upheavals caused by the confrontations among nations, the economic depression, and the rise of totalitarianism. Lessons include Origins of the First World War, The Arab Revolt: The Beginnings of Arab Nationalism, Soviet Suspicions and the Search for Security, and World War II: Total War from Guernica to Nagasaki. Part 3 illustrates the changing political, economic, and social movements of the post-World War II era. Lessons include Westernizing the World, The European Jihad, and The European Union: A Work in Progress.

The Student Edition contains all the student handouts provided in the Teacher Resource Unit, plus sectional overviews that outline the content to be studied.

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The lessons are designed to help students review themes, people, and events in preparation for the Advanced Placement examination. Some lessons focus on specific topics and time frames; others focus on the skills of analysis and interpretation of primary and secondary documents. Many lessons include exercises that stress writing and critical thinking. Lessons feature activities to be completed by students individually or in groups. Lessons such as The Irish Question: Home Rule or Independence, The Holocaust, and The Reunification of Germany emphasize historiography, the interpretation and analysis of primary source documents, and the development of the writing skills needed for success on the Advanced Placement examination.