AP World Notes

Unit 0 - Prehistory (Prehistory - 1200 CE)

  • Periodization: Breaking history into smaller chunks; not uniformly defined; examples: Bronze Age, Stone Age.

  • Prehistory: Marked by the Agricultural Revolution (domestication of plants and animals).

  • Impact of Agriculture: Led to civilizations with writing, public works, organized government, complex religions, cities, art, job specialization, and social classes.

Unit 1 - The Global Tapestry (Period 1 - 1200 - 1450 CE)

East Asia

  • 1.1 Systems of Government: Confucianism, bureaucracy, Dynastic Cycle.

Government of Song China

  • Highly bureaucratic; civil service exams create a meritocratic society.

  • Shift of capital south for better communication; development of an industrial society with urban growth.

  • Examples of wealth include a powerful navy and dominance in the Indian Ocean trade.

Chinese Cultural Traditions

  • Confucianism: Foundation of Song governance with a patriarchal focus.

  • Buddhism: Significant impact in Eastern Asia with different sects: Mahayana, Theravada, Tibetan.

  • Neo-Confucianism: Preference over Buddhism during the Song Dynasty.

The Rest of East Asia

  • Japan: Influenced by China, with a unique feudal system; significant in art and literature during the Heian period.

  • Korea and Vietnam: Adopted Confucianism and Buddhism, with notable differences, such as the rejection of foot binding in Vietnam.

  • Literary Traditions: Development of encyclopedias, landscape paintings, and woodblock printing increased literacy.

Social Classes in Song China

  • Defined by societal roles and possibility for upward mobility through exams; proto-industrialization seen in agriculture.

Innovations in Agriculture and Economy

  • Introduction of Champa Rice and advancements in iron/steel production.

  • Trade practices included paper money and letters of credit.

Islam and the Middle East

1.2 Dar al-Islam

  • Abbasid Caliphate: Unity through the Arabic language and flourishing Islam.

  • Delhi Sultanate: Turkish invasions and Hindu resistance to Islam.

  • Sufi Muslims: Emotional and inclusive branch of Islam.

Southeast Asia

  • Predominant religions: Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism with variations across regions.

  • India: Significant roots in Hinduism, where economic structures changed post-Islam invasion.

  • State Dynamics: Includes sea-based kingdoms over land-based ruling structures; Srivijaya and Khmer Empire as notable examples.

African and American States

1.4 Bantu Migrations

  • Dominance in sub-Saharan Africa led to diverse cultures and practices.

  • Polytheistic societies with a mix of chiefdoms and matrilineal structures.

1.5 Key African States

  • Great Zimbabwe: Trading center linked to interior Africa; ruins established between 1250-1450.

  • Ethiopia: Emerged from Axum, practicing Christianity with unique syncretic beliefs.

  • Mali: Founded by Sundiata, focusing on gold and salt trades; notable for Mansa Musa's pilgrimage.

1.6 Developments in Europe

  • Focusing on feudalism; powerful local lords emerging and the declining power of centralized monarchies.

  • Rise of the Roman Catholic Church; Great Schism divided churches.

Economic and Social Changes

  • Long-distance trade revives Europe.

  • Growth of the middle class leads to urbanization and shifts in gender roles.

Renaissance Developments

  • Growth of humanism and the re-emergence of classical scholarship.

  • Literature in vernacular languages fosters wider access.

2.1 The Silk Road

  • Mongol revitalization of trade routes.

  • Key cities such as Kashgar and Samarkand become trade and cultural centers.

2.3 Indian Ocean Trade

  • Spread of Islam significantly influences southern trade networks.

  • Environmental knowledge and maritime technology increase efficiency in trade.

2.4 Trans-Saharan Trade

  • Brought wealth to kingdoms like Ghana and Mali and spread Islam, ensuring prosperity through trade.

3.1 Expanding Empires and Revolutions

  • Age of exploration fostered European maritime empires.

  • Global rivalries develop as new territories are claimed across nations.

5.2 Revolutions

  • Enlightenment ideas foster revolutions, including the American and French revolutions.

  • Nationalism rises alongside dissatisfaction with colonial rule.

5.3 Industrialization

  • Major shifts in manufacturing and society with the rise of labor organizations and new technologies.

  • Significant demographic and environmental impacts reshaped communities.