Editor's Note: This update is from the New York State Education Department about the changes to the Regents Exam in Global History AND Geography. If you teach this course, you need to be aware of this transition.

September 2017 

Dear Social Studies Colleagues, 

The January 2018 Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grades 9 & 10) will be in the current format. 

In June 2018, the only Regents Examination in Global History and Geography will be the Transition Exam (Grade 10). The date for the administration is June 5. No other Regents Examination in Global History and Geography will be offered in June 2018. The June schedule for Regents Examinations can be found online at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/schedules/2018/504hs-june2018.pdf. 

Answers to questions regarding the content and format of the June 2018 Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grade 10) can be found on page 2 of the November 2016 memo: “Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Transition Timeline for the Regents Examination in Global History and Geography”. This memo with a timeline for administration can be found online at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/ss/hs/ghg faqtransitiontimeline.pdf. The June 2018 Transition exam will be based on the Social Studies Resource Guide and Core Curriculum (1998) and on the NYS Learning Standards (1996) for Social Studies found online at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/ssrg.html. Some information from the November 2016 memo is provided below: 

Question: What will the June 2018 Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography measure? 

Answer: The Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grade 10) will be based on one year of study, the NYS Learning Standards for Social Studies (1996), and the skills and content for Grade 10 found in the Social Studies Resource Guide and Core Curriculum (1998) in Units 5–8 (pages 105–120). Skills-based questions from the Methodology unit (pages 92–93) may also be included in this examination if the content of the questions relates to Units 5–8. The essays will be based on the themes on page 89 and topics in Units 5–8. This includes human and physical geography. 

NOTE: Themes and concepts are defined on pages 8–11 and skills are presented on pages 12–18. 

Please note that Unit 5 (1750-1914) includes: 

• • The Scientific Revolution (Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Descartes) 
• • The Enlightenment (Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu) 
• • Independence Movements in Latin America and the post-independence period 
• • Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions in Europe and other parts of the world 
• • Meiji Restoration 
• • Imperialism 

Historical time periods overlap depending on the periodization scheme being used. Some information included in Unit 5 is pre-1750. Be sure to examine the Social Studies Resource Guide and Core Curriculum for specifics: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/pub/sscore2.pdf. Unit 5 begins on page 105. 2 

Question: What will be the format of the Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grade 10)? 

Answer: The Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grade 10) will have the same three parts as the current Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grades 9 & 10) except that Part I will contain 30 multiple-choice questions rather than 50. Part II will contain one thematic essay question. Part III A will contain open-ended questions based on several documents, and Part III B will contain one essay question based on the documents and the student’s knowledge of specific social studies content. The 30 multiple-choice questions will be weighted so as to account for approximately 55% of the student’s final score, similar to the 50 multiple-choice questions on the current Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grades 9 & 10). 

A test specification grid for the Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (Grade 10) is available online at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/ss/hs/ghg-transitionspecificationgri...

The current Regents exams in Global History and Geography can be used to help students prepare for the Transition Regents Examination in Global History and Geography. We suggest that teachers and students look at the first few questions on the current exams as they relate to the unit on methodology. Questions from Units 5–8 usually begin around question 18, 19, or 20 on the current examinations—Scientific Revolution, French Revolution, imperialism, etc. The cross-topical questions at the end of each exam relate to material across or between units. Only those questions that relate to Units 5–8 will be on the Transition Regents Exam. When using previously administered exams for practice essays, look at thematic topics and DBQ topics that are part of the grade 10 curriculum. Previously administered Regents Examination in Global History and Geography can be found online at: http://www.nysedregents.org/GlobalHistoryGeography/. 

We would like to stress that the June 2018 exam will not be based on the NYS K–12 Social Studies Framework, but will be based on the Social Studies Resource Guide and Core Curriculum (1998) and on the NYS Learning Standards (1996). 

We hope that this information is helpful to you and your colleagues. 

Sincerely, 

Donna Merlau 

Associate in Instructional Services 

Social Studies

Greg Wilsey 

Associate in Education Testing 

Social Studies 

Daniel King 

Assistant in Instructional Services 

Social Studies