AP World History Flashcards

Unit 1: Global Tapestry (1200-1450)

• Accounts for 8-10% of the AP World History exam.

• Overview of diverse peoples and cultures across six AP regions.

East Asia

• Song China:

  • Practiced Confucianism and Buddhism.

    • Confucianism: A philosophy and belief system emphasizing social harmony, filial piety, and the importance of education.

    • Buddhism: A religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, emphasizing enlightenment through meditation and the Four Noble Truths.

  • Utilized the Civil Service Exam for bureaucratic selection.

    • Civil Service Exam: A merit-based system used in China to select government officials.

  • Cultivated Champa Rice, enhancing agricultural output.

    • Champa Rice: A fast-ripening and drought-resistant strain of rice from Vietnam, increasing agricultural productivity in China.

  • Emphasized Filial Piety in social structures.

    • Filial Piety: Respect and obedience to elders and ancestors in Confucian thought.

  • Relied on the Grand Canal for efficient transportation.

    • Grand Canal: A large canal system in China, facilitating trade and transportation between northern and southern China.

Dar al-Islam

• Experienced the Fall of the Abbasid Caliphate.

  • Abbasid Caliphate: The third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad, known for its cultural and intellectual achievements.

• Flourished with the House of Wisdom, advancing:

  • Algebra

    • Algebra: A branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols.

  • Medicine

    • Medicine: The science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

  • Philosophy

    • Philosophy: The study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.

• Saw the Start of Turkic rule.

• Witnessed the spread of Sufism.

  • Sufism: A mystical branch of Islam emphasizing spiritual experience and the direct connection with God.

South and Southeast Asia

• Delhi Sultanate

  • Delhi Sultanate: A Muslim sultanate based in Delhi that covered large parts of the Indian subcontinent.

• Influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.

  • Hinduism: A diverse body of philosophy, theology, and ritual with ancient roots in India.

  • Buddhism: A religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, emphasizing enlightenment through meditation and the Four Noble Truths.

• Featured the Bhakti Movement, promoting devotional practices.

  • Bhakti Movement: A Hindu religious movement emphasizing intense devotion to a particular deity.

• Experienced the spread of Sufism.

  • Sufism: A mystical branch of Islam emphasizing spiritual experience and the direct connection with God.

• Consisted of various Buddhist and Hindu states.

Americas

• Incan Empire:

  • Employed the Mit'a System for labor obligations.

    • Mit'a System: A mandatory public service system in the Inca Empire, requiring people to work for the state for a certain period.

  • Developed the Incan Road for infrastructure.

    • Incan Road: An extensive road system in the Inca Empire, facilitating communication, transportation, and trade.

• Aztec Empire:

  • Practiced Human Sacrifice.

  • Cultivated crops using Chinampa agricultural techniques.

    • Chinampas: Artificial islands used for agriculture in the Aztec Empire, providing fertile land for growing crops.

  • Tenochtitlan served as its capital.

    • Tenochtitlan: The capital city of the Aztec Empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco.

• Mayan City States

Africa

• Great Zimbabwe

  • Great Zimbabwe: A medieval city in southeastern Zimbabwe known for its large circular wall and impressive architecture.

• Ethiopia

• Mali:

  • Featured Timbuktu as a major city.

    • Timbuktu: A major city in Mali, known for its Islamic scholarship and trade.

  • Engaged in Salt and Gold trade.

  • Adopted Islam.

    • Islam: A monotheistic religion based on the teachings of the prophet Muhammad.

  • Traveled by Ibn Battuta.

    • Ibn Battuta: A Moroccan Muslim scholar and traveler who documented his journeys across the Islamic world.

  • Experienced the reign of Mansa Musa.

    • Mansa Musa: The tenth Malian emperor, known for his wealth and his pilgrimage to Mecca.

  • Utilized Camel Caravans for trade.

    • Camel Caravans: Trains of camels used to transport goods across the desert.

• Swahili Coast

  • Swahili Coast: A coastal region in East Africa inhabited by the Swahili people, known for its trade and cultural exchange.

Europe

• Characterized by:

  • Feudalism

    • Feudalism: A social system in medieval Europe in which nobles held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service.

  • Manorialism

    • Manorialism: An economic system in medieval Europe centered around agricultural production on a lord's estate.

  • Serfdom

    • Serfdom: A condition of bondage in which a serf is attached to the land and required to work for the lord.

• Involved in the Crusades.

  • Crusades: A series of religious wars in the medieval period fought between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land.

• Affected by the Black Death.

  • Black Death: A devastating global epidemic of bubonic plague that struck

Unit 5: Revolutions (1750-1900)

• Focuses on intellectual, political, and social revolutions.

Enlightenment

• Emphasized reason and individualism.

• Key thinkers: John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

• Impact on political thought and social reform.

American Revolution

• Causes: taxation without representation, British policies.

• Key events: Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War.

• Impact on democracy and republicanism.

French Revolution

• Causes: social inequality, economic crisis.

• Key events: storming of the Bastille, Reign of Terror.

• Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Haitian Revolution

• Slave revolt led by Toussaint Louverture.

• Establishment of the first independent black republic.

• Impact on abolitionist movements.

Latin American Revolutions

• Causes: colonial rule, social hierarchies.

• Key figures: Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin.

• Establishment of independent nations.

Industrial Revolution

• Origins in Great Britain.

• Technological innovations: steam engine, textile machinery.

• Social and economic transformations: urbanization, factory system.

Nationalism

• Emergence of national identities and movements.

• Unification of Italy and Germany.

• Impact on political landscape and conflicts.

Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization (1750-1900)

• Focuses on the effects of industrialization on societies and economies.

Economic Developments

• Capitalism and free markets.

• Rise of corporations and monopolies.

• Global trade and economic interdependence.

Social Changes

• Urbanization and growth of cities.

• Emergence of new social classes: industrial workers, bourgeoisie.

• Social reform movements: labor unions, child labor laws.

Imperialism

• Causes: economic motives, political rivalries.

• Forms of imperialism: colonialism, spheres of influence.

• Impact on colonized regions: exploitation, cultural exchange.

Responses to Imperialism

• Resistance movements: Sepoy Rebellion, Boxer Rebellion.

• Anti-imperialist ideologies: nationalism, Pan-Africanism.

• Impact on global power dynamics.

Unit 7: Global Conflict (1900-Present)

• Focuses on the causes and consequences of global conflicts.

World War I

• Causes: militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism.

• Key events: trench warfare, Treaty of Versailles.

• Impact on global politics and social order.

Interwar Period

• Economic instability: Great Depression.

• Rise of totalitarian regimes: fascism, Nazism, Stalinism.

• Failure of the League of Nations.

World War II

• Causes: aggression of Axis powers, failure of appeasement.

• Key events: Holocaust, atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

• Formation of the United Nations.

Cold War

• Ideological conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union.

• Proxy wars: Korean War, Vietnam War.

• Nuclear arms race and détente.

Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization (1900-Present)

• Focuses on the end of colonialism and the emergence of newly independent nations.

Decolonization

• Causes: nationalist movements, decline of European powers.

• Independence movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

• Challenges of nation-building: political instability, economic development.

Globalization

• Economic globalization: trade, investment, multinational corporations.

• Cultural globalization: spread of ideas, technology, popular culture.

• Environmental challenges: climate change, pollution.

Technological Advancements

• Digital revolution: computers, internet, mobile devices.

• Impact on communication, information access, and social interactions.

• Ethical considerations: privacy, security, inequality.