January 15-30, 1999: The College Board gives informal approval for work to begin on an AP World History course and exam.

February 1999: An AP World History Development Committee is appointed by the College Board. It is agreed that from 1999 to 2002 the committee will meet three times annually to review assessment modules and publications, to create and review pretests, operational forms and alternate forms, and to conduct periodic meetings with teachers.

March 1999: The College Board trustees give formal approval for AP World History.

March 25-28, 1999: The Development Committee meets to finalize the course content and examination format, outline the preliminary Course Description, and review an outline for a Teacher's Guide.

Summer 1999: The Development Committee meets to review the preliminary course description and three pretests. Committee members attend several planning meetings to prepare for 2000 and 2001 teacher workshops.

Fall 1999: The Development Committee meets to draft Section II (the free-response section of the exam) and review three pretests.

Spring 2000: The Development Committee meets, and the Preliminary AP Course Description: World History is released.

Summer 2000: The Development Committee meets, and an AP workshop is held to "train the trainers" -- teachers who will conduct workshops for other teachers in addition to running their own course.

Fall 2000: The Development Committee meets. The AP Course Description: World History and the Teacher's Guide: AP World History are released.

Spring 2001: The Development Committee meets to finalize both the operational and the alternate exam for the 2002 administration. The Committee also conducts a teachers' conference. At such conferences, Committee members discuss the AP course and methods for teaching it. They explain the AP Exam and how it is scored, and teachers have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the Committee.

Summer 2001: The Development Committee meets, and a series of teacher training workshops is conducted for prospective teachers of the AP course.

Fall 2001: The Development Committee meets. Planning begins for the first college comparability study.

2001-2002: The first AP World History courses are taught in the schools.

Winter 2002: The Development Committee meets and conducts a teacher's conference.

Spring 2002: The Development Committee meets and conducts a teacher's conference.

May 2002: The first AP World History Exam is administered.

June 2002: For the first time, AP World History responses are read at the AP Reading.

July 2002: The Development Committee begins to meet just twice a year.