AP Modern European History Challenges and Motivates Students

By Chris Bamber ’24

When it comes to passing rates, AP Modern European History isn’t the most difficult Advanced Placement class on the books. That honor goes to AP Physics. Only 43% of the students who take that test pass. Almost 60% of test takers pass AP Modern.

But that doesn’t mean AP Modern doesn’t come with its own set of challenges. With many topics to cover in just a few months, a fast moving class can be very challenging. 

“We move at a breakneck pace,” Mrs. Caroline Ritter said.

Senior Abby LePage agreed.

“Gov felt fast, but this feels a lot faster,” she said.

The key to success in the class is motivation and the ability to work hard.

AP Modern covers the cultural, economic, political, and social developments that have shaped Europe from c. 1450 to the present. It’s a lot of history, most of it students are completely unfamiliar with. 

With so many topics to cover in a short time, students have to focus and gather all the details they can. 

“Don’t be scared of it, but it is fair to be aware that there is tons of reading.” Mrs. Ritter said 

Some of the course’s value stems from its connection to United States history. 

“So much happens, colonizations, treatment of Native people, the slave trade, those are all driven by Europe,” Mrs. Ritter said.

Mrs. Ritter’s students have learned the importance of European history. 

“The best part of the course has to be the content, just because it sort of connects with everything else,” John said. “I used to be able to name some of the monarchs, but I didn’t really know what they did,” John said. “Now I know what they accomplished.”

There’s a lot of reading and a lot of note-taking, but aside from the learning, there is another upside.

“The best part of the class is Mrs. Ritter’s passion for it,” Abby LePage said.  “I can tell that she loves to teach about it.”