AP WORLD HISTORY -- Units 3 + 4 Study Guide (Top 10 Terms)

Unit 3 Main Theme

Land empires use centralized power (bureaucracy, military, religion) to expand and control territory.

Land Empire Expansion

Expanded by using gunpowder weapons (muskets, cannons) and strong armies.

Legitimizing Rule in Land Empires

Through architecture, art, religion, and taxes (e.g., Taj Mahal, devshirme).

Gunpowder Empires

Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals used firearms to gain land and wealth.

State-Building Theme

Centralized bureaucracy helped rulers control huge territories.

Unit 4 Main Theme

Maritime exploration and ocean technology allowed Europe to build overseas empires.

Why Maritime Empires Rose

Advances in navigation technology (caravel, astrolabe, compass) made long-distance travel easier.

Global Change of Unit 4

Columbian Exchange dramatically reshaped population, diet, and the environment.

European Maritime Empire Building

Through colonization, trade networks, and powerful navies.

Economic Systems in Unit 4

Joint-stock companies funded exploration and made global trade profitable.

Land vs Maritime Expansion

Land = armies + gunpowder; Maritime = ships + navigation tech.

Unit 3 + 4 Connection

Both show increased centralization and global interactions, but Unit 4 adds true global trade.