WESTERN CIVILIZATION II: 1648 TO THE PRESENT

SELF-PACED COURSE

1. About this Course

It reviews all of the substantive material that is usually taught in the second semester in Western civilization. This course covers European history from the mid-seventeenth century through the post-Second World War period, including political, economic, and cultural developments such as scientific thought, the Enlightenment, the French and Industrial Revolutions, and the First and Second World Wars.

The goal of the creator of this course – Modern States Education Alliance, a non-profit organization – is to prepare you to pass the College Board's CLEP examination and obtain college credit for free.

"Western Civilization II is, in many ways, the story of the development of the world we live in today. In our course we will cover massive changes in Western Civilization ranging from the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution to the emergence of Flappers and the invention of the Pill. In the end, however, this course is designed to be foundational.  The hope is that you will gain college credit which will enable you to dive into deeper and more sophisticated coursework in this and other fields of study", explains Dr. Robert Clemm, professor of History at Grove City College and Southern New Hampshire University.

The material covered consists of twelve modules consisting of a variable amount of lectures for each topic. "Depending on your background, you may find it necessary to watch the lectures multiple times and engage with the recommended readings very intensely," suggests Prof. Clemm. 

Our “Western Civilization II” course is completely self-paced. There are no prerequisites to take this course, and it is entirely free. Any student who wants to save time and money while completing freshman year in college can take it.

 

2. About the examination 

This exam contains 120 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. 

• You may be asked to choose the correct definition of a historical term, select the historical figure whose political viewpoint is described, identify the correct relationship between two historical factors, or detect the inaccurate pairing of an individual with a historical event.

• Groups of questions may require to interpret, evaluate, or relate the contents of a passage, a map, a picture, or a cartoon to the other information, or to analyze and use the data contained in a graph or table. 

3. Required Knowledge and Skills

The CLEP exam requires you to demonstrate one or more of the following abilities.

• Ability to identify the causes and effects of major historical events.

• Ability to analyze, interpret, and evaluate textual and graphic materials.

• Ability to distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant.

• Ability to reach conclusions on the basis of facts.

4. Course Modules

Following are the main topics and percentages of the exam’s questions, mostly based on the College Board's description of the course:

 

Module 1: Absolutism and Constitutionalism 1648-1715 (7% – 9%)

1.0 Introduction   

1.1 Dutch Republic   

1.2 The English Revolution   

1.3 France under Louis XIV      

1.4 Formation of Austria and Prussia  

1.5 The "Westernization" of Russia 

 

Module 2: Competition for Empire and Economic Expansion (4% – 6%)

2.0 Introduction

2.1 Global Economy of the Eighteenth Century     

2.2 Europe after Utrecht, 1713-1740   

2.3 Demographic Change of the Eighteenth Century  

 

Module 3: The Scientific View of the World (5% – 7%)

3.0 Introduction   

3.1 Major Figures of the Scientific Revolution   

3.2 New Knowledge of Man and Society

3.3 Political Theory  

 

Module 4: Period of Enlightenment (7% – 9%)

4.0 Introduction to The New Nation   

4.1 Enlightenment Thought   

4.2 Enlightened Despotism      

4.3 Partition of Poland    

 

Module 5: Revolution and Napoleonic Europe (10% – 13%)

5.0 Introduction  

5.1 The Revolution in France   

5.2 The Revolution and Europe    

5.3 The French Empire    

5.4 Congress of Vienna

 

Module 6: The Industrial Revolution (7% – 9%)

6.0 Introduction   

6.1 Agricultural and Industrial Revolution   

6.2 Causes of the Industrial Revolution   

6.3 Economic and Social Impact

6.4 British Reform Movement   

 

Module 7: Political and Cultural Developments, 1815-1848 (6% – 8%)

7.0 Introduction   

7.1 Conservatism    

7.2 Liberalism     

7.3 Nationalism

7.4 Socialism   

7.5 The Revolutions of 1830 and 1848    

  

Module 8: Politics and Diplomacy in the Age of Nationalism, 1850-1914 (8% – 10%)

8.0 Introduction   

8.1 The Unification of Italy and Germany  

8.2 Austria-Hungary       

8.3 Russia   

8.4 France   

8.5 Socialism and Labor Unions   

8.6 European Diplomacy, 1871-1900 

 

Module 9: Economy, Culture and Imperialism, 1850-1914 (7% – 9%)

9.0 Introduction

9.1 Demography   

9.2 World Economy of the Nineteenth Century   

9.3 Technological Developments   

9.4 Science, Philosophy and the Arts   

9.5 Imperialism in Africa and Asia  

 

Module 10: The First World War and the Russian Revolution (10% – 12%)

10.0 Introduction   

10.1 The Causes of the First World War  

10.2 The Economic and Social Impact of the war   

10.3 The Peace Settlements   

10.4 The Revolution of 1917 and its Effects 

 

Module 11: Europe Between the Wars, The Great Depression (7% – 9%)

11.0 Introduction

11.1 International Politics, 1919-1939

11.2 Stalin’s Five Year Plans and Purges

11.3 Italy and Germany Between the Wars

11.4 Interwar Cultural Developments 

 

Module 12: The Second World War and Contemporary Europe (8% – 10%)

12.0 Introduction

12.1 The Causes and Course of the Second World War

12.2 Postwar Europe

12.3 Science, Philosophy, the Arts and Religion

12.4 Social and Political Developments

5. About Dr. Robert Clemm

Dr. Robert H Clemm is an assistant professor of history at Grove City College. In 2005, he received he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester with a dual-degree in history and political science. 

He then attended The Ohio State University where he received his MA in 2009 and his doctorate in history in 2012 with training in the fields of Military, Modern European, and African history. 

His dissertation, “Delineating Dominion: The Use of Cartography in the conquest, conception, and control of Eastern Africa,” is a trans-national comparative study of the use of cartography by Germany and England in Eastern Africa from 1844-1914. He has presented at conferences including the Society for Military History, the International Society for Ethnology and Folklore, and the International Society for First World War Studies. 

At Grove City College he teaches courses in the humanities curriculum as well as Modern European history, Modern African history, and a historiography course on the First World War. 

In addition, he has developed several military history courses including a two-semester Global Military History sequence. His field of research is late-19th/early 20th century Africa with a focus on colonial warfare and the First World War

 

6. How CLEP Works

Developed by the College Board, CLEP (College-Level Examination Program®) is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program.

CLEP’s credits are accepted by 2,900 colleges and universities, according to the College Board. These tests assess college-level knowledge in 33 subject areas.

Modern States Education Alliance is the non-profit organization behind these edX-style courses. Its project is called “Freshman Year for Free” and its mission is to make college more accessible and affordable through free, high-quality online education.

• CLEP® Western Civilization II, 1648 to the Present: at a Glance

• 'Passing the CLEP and Learning with Modern States' orientation course