AP World History Exam Review Flashcards

These flashcards review key concepts from the AP World History exam.

What was the Song Dynasty known for?

was known for its bureaucratic government, innovations like gunpowder, and economic strength.

Feudalism

is a political and social system in medieval Europe involving lords, vassals, and serfs, based on land exchange.

Mali Empire

was characterized by its wealth from gold-salt trade and Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca.

Silk Road

is a network of overland trade routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, known for trading luxury goods like silk and spices.

Mongol Empire

was established by Genghis Khan.

Paper money

is currency made from paper, developed in China, which replaced metal coins and facilitated long-distance trade.

Gunpowder Empires

are empires like the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal that used gunpowder weapons to expand and consolidate territory.

Protestant Reformation

was a movement started by Martin Luther that broke from the Catholic Church and led to the formation of Protestant churches.

Monumental architecture

includes large-scale buildings used by rulers to demonstrate power and legitimacy, such as the Taj Mahal or the Suleymaniye Mosque.

Columbian Exchange

refers to the transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the Old World after 1492.

Plantation Economy

is an economic system based on large-scale agriculture using enslaved labor to produce cash crops like sugar and tobacco.

Atlantic System

is the trade network connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, involving goods and enslaved labor.

Enlightenment

is an intellectual movement emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority.

Nationalism

is a political ideology centered on shared identity based on culture, language, and history, promoting independence or unity.

Industrial Revolution

was a period of major industrialization beginning in the 18th century, marked by mechanization, factories, and mass production.

Social Darwinism

implies a belief that applied natural selection to human societies, used to justify imperial dominance by stronger nations.

Economic Imperialism

is when powerful nations exert control over the economies of weaker nations, especially in Asia and Latin America.

Cash Crop

is a crop grown for commercial value rather than subsistence, such as cotton, sugar, or rubber.

Total War

is a war that requires the mobilization of all a nation's resources and affects both military and civilian populations.

Fascism

is a political ideology that promotes authoritarian nationalism, dictatorial power, and suppression of dissent.

Alliances

are agreements between nations to support each other in conflict, major factors in the escalation of WWI.

Proxy War

is a conflict where two powers use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly.

Cold War

was a period of ideological and geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

Decolonization

is the process of former colonies gaining independence from imperial powers after WWII.

Globalization

refers to the increasing interconnectedness of the world's economies, cultures, and populations through trade, communication, and technology.

Green Revolution

was a period of agricultural transformation that increased food production through the use of high-yield crops, pesticides, and fertilizers.

Climate Change

refers to long-term changes in global or regional climate patterns, often attributed to human activity and greenhouse gas emissions.

Ottoman Empire

A powerful sunni Muslim, empire based in Anatolia that expanded into Southeast Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa

Caravel

A small, fast, and highly maneuverable ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish for expansion

Mercantilism

An economic theory that promoted government regulation at a nations economy purpose of increasing state power

Capitalism

An economic system where private individuals own the means of production and operate for profit

Communism

A radical form of socialism based on the ideas of Karl Marx advocating for a classless, stateless society

Civilizing mission

The idea that European power had a duty to to bring “civilization” (religion, education, culture) to colonized people

Export economy

An economic reliant on the export of raw material or agricultural goods to industrialized nations

Fascism

A political ideology that promotes authoritan nationalism dictatorial power, amd suppression of dissent (example:Nazi Germany)