AP World: Chapter 1 Lecture Notes & Pg 2-26
Summary and Key Notes for AP World History: Modern – Chapter 1 Lecture Notes
1. Persian Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BCE)
Significance: Marked the start of the Classical Era and Second-Wave Empires with innovative governance, influencing later empires (Hellenistic, Roman, Arab).
Key Figure: Cyrus the Great – Founder of the empire, known for conquests from the Indus Valley to the Balkans.
Governance:
Centralized administration in Persepolis (capital: administrative, religious, economic, cultural).
Satraps: Governors managing local issues, enforcing imperial laws, and requesting aid.
Tax collectors and translators facilitated revenue collection for infrastructure and military.
Innovations:
Common currency (gold coins) simplified trade.
Large-scale roads and a state mailing system improved communication and travel.
Cultural Policy: Allowed conquered peoples to retain their cultures and religions (e.g., Zoroastrianism), fostering stability and prosperity.
Key Fact: Controlled ~50% of the world’s population.
Decline: Defeated by Greeks, later conquered by Hellenistic, Roman, and Arab forces.
Vocabulary:
Satraps: Provincial governors in the ancient Persian empire.
Persepolis: The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Zoroastrianism: An ancient monotheistic Persian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster.
2. Macedonia and the Hellenistic Era
Macedonia (359–336 BCE):
Key Figure: Philip II – Unified Greece by defeating Athens and Thebes at the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BCE) using reformed phalanx with sarissa pikes.
Key Figure: Alexander the Great (son of Philip II) – Conquered the Achaemenid Empire, creating a vast empire to the Indus River by 323 BCE.
Hellenistic Era (323–31 BCE):
Definition: Period between Alexander’s death (323 BCE) and the rise of the Roman Empire (Battle of Actium, 31 BCE; conquest of Ptolemaic Egypt, 30 BCE).
Greek cultural influence peaked in the Mediterranean, West/Central Asia, and India.
Key kingdoms: Seleucid Empire, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Indo-Greek Kingdom.
Cultural Impact: Greek colonization spread arts, literature, philosophy (e.g., Aristotle, tutor to Alexander), and sciences; fused with local cultures (syncretism).
Considered a transitional period compared to the Classical Greek era.
Vocabulary:
Hellenistic: Relating to Greek history, language, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony (323 BC to 31 BC).
Sarissa pikes: Long spears, up to 66 meters (2020 feet) in length, used by the Macedonian phalanx.
Syncretism: The blending of cultural or religious elements.
3. Roman Republic and Empire
Roman Republic (6th century BCE–27 BCE):
Conquered Latin city-states, Gaul, Spain, and Greek/Phoenician colonies (Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily).
Punic Wars: Series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264–146 BCE).
Rome defeated Carthage using naval power after setbacks against Hannibal.
Carthage was destroyed (salted fields).
Outmaneuvered Hellenistic states (e.g., Macedonia), becoming the Mediterranean’s primary power.
Roman Empire (27 BCE–476 CE West, 1453 CE East):
Key Figure: Julius Caesar – Ended the Republic, ruled as emperor (27 BCE).
Extent: Stretched from Spain to Persia, controlling the Mediterranean.
Society:
Patricians: Elites with tax exemptions, causing long-term fiscal issues.
Plebeians and slaves: Majority of population; wealth disparities led to rebellions (e.g., Spartacus Rebellion, 1st century BCE).
Women gained limited rights (e.g., property rights, protection from arbitrary killing).
Governance: Adopted Persian model with governors; Rome as political, economic, cultural center.
Infrastructure: Extensive road and trade networks; forts protected supply lines.
Cultural Policy: Conquered peoples became citizens with rights, retaining religions (exceptions: Jewish Diaspora, 1st century CE; Christian persecution until Edict of Thessalonica, 380 CE).
Key Figure: Constantine – Decriminalized Christianity (Edict of Milan, 313 CE).
Decline: Tax issues, halted expansion, rebellions, and invasions (Germanic/Hunnic peoples). Split into Western (fell 476 CE) and Eastern (Byzantine, fell 1453 CE) Empires in 330 CE.
Vocabulary:
Patricians: Members of the elite, land-owning class in ancient Rome.
Plebeians: The common people of ancient Rome, including farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Punic Wars: A series of three major wars between Rome and Carthage over control of the Mediterranean.
Jewish Diaspora: The dispersion of Jews from their homeland, particularly after the Roman conquest and destruction of the Second Temple.
Edict of Milan (313 CE): A proclamation by Constantine I and Licinius that granted religious toleration throughout the Roman Empire, effectively ending the persecution of Christians.
Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE): An edict issued by Emperor Theodosius I, making Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Hellenistic: Relating to Greek history, language, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony (323 BC to 31 BC).
Sarissa pikes: Long spears, up to 66 meters (2020 feet) in length, used by the Macedonian phalanx.
Syncretism: The blending of cultural or religious elements.
4. Religions and Philosophies
Hinduism:
Key Texts: Vedas, Upanishads (codified Indo-Aryan oral traditions).
Core Beliefs:
Brahman: The eternal, unchanging principle in Hinduism, the ultimate reality of the universe.
Atman: The individual soul or self, believed to be intertwined with Brahman.
Dharma: Behaviors maintaining universal order, morality, and ethical duties tied to reincarnation and the caste system.
Caste System: A rigid social hierarchy in India based on birth, with no social mobility.
Varnas: The four main social classes in the Hindu caste system (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) plus untouchables.
Jatis: Subclasses within the varnas, determined by birth.
Good karma allows a soul to ascend caste in the next life.
Karma: The sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.
Buddhism (6th–5th century BCE):
Reaction to Vedic beliefs; rejected Brahman, atman, dharma, and caste system.
Core Belief: Life is suffering; escape via nirvana (state of restraint, no craving).
Spread via monasteries, monks, and missionaries; appealed to lower castes.
Key Figure: Ashoka (Maurya Empire) – Promoted Buddhism, built stupas, but Hinduism remained dominant.
Spread to East/Southeast Asia via trade routes (Silk Road, Indian Ocean).
Nirvana: The ultimate goal in Buddhism, a state of perfect peace and freedom from suffering and craving.
Zoroastrianism:
Key Figure: Zoroaster – Prophet of a monotheistic religion (roots possibly 2nd millennium BCE, written history 5th century BCE).
Core Beliefs: Dualistic cosmology (good vs. evil), worship of Ahura Mazda (supreme deity), judgment after death, heaven/hell, free will.
State religion of Persian Empire (600 BCE–650 CE); influenced Judaism, Christianity, Islam.
Declined after Muslim conquest of Persia (633–654 CE).
Ahura Mazda: The supreme god of Zoroastrianism, representing goodness, wisdom, and creativity.
Second-Temple Judaism (515 BCE–70 CE):
Period between the Second Temple construction and its Roman destruction.
Key developments: Hebrew Bible canon, synagogues, rise of Christianity.
Babylonian Exile (586 BCE): Elite deported to Babylon; returned under Cyrus (538 BCE).
Early Christianity:
Emerged as a sect believing Jesus was the Messiah; initially Jewish, later included gentiles.
Christianity:
Key Figure: Jesus of Nazareth – Messiah, per New Testament.
Originated in 1st century Judea; spread to Levant, Europe, Mesopotamia, etc.
Persecuted until Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313 CE); became Roman state religion (380 CE).
Spread via missionary work, converting influential figures (e.g., paterfamilias) and local leaders.
Vocabulary for religious stuff ig:
Brahman: The ultimate reality and universal spirit in Hinduism.
Atman: The individual soul or self in Hinduism.
Dharma: In Hinduism, an individual's duty fulfilling divine or cosmic order; in Buddhism, the teachings of the Buddha.
Karma: The sum of a person's actions, which determines their fate in future existences (Hinduism/Buddhism).
Nirvana: In Buddhism, the release from suffering and rebirth; the ultimate spiritual goal.
Varnas: The four main social divisions of the traditional Hindu caste system.
Jatis: Numerous sub-castes within the Indian caste system, usually based on occupation.
Ahura Mazda: The high god of Zoroastrianism.
Paterfamilias: The male head of a Roman household, with absolute legal authority over his family.
5. Indian Empires
Maurya Empire (322–185 BCE):
First large-scale unification of India; known for prosperity.
Key Figure: Ashoka – Promoted Buddhism, built monasteries/stupas, but Hinduism’s caste system limited its spread.
Buddhism spread to East/Southeast Asia via trade routes.
Stupas: Buddhist dome-shaped shrines, often containing relics.
Gupta Empire (3rd century CE–550 CE):
Golden Age of India: Period of significant advances in science, technology, art, literature (e.g., Kama Sutra), and mathematics (numeral/decimal system).
Decline: Hunnic invasions, local resistance, caste system, and cultural/linguistic diversity.
Vocabulary:
Stupas: Mounded structures containing Buddhist relics, serving as places of meditation.
Golden Age (India): A period of peace, prosperity, and great cultural and scientific achievement, particularly associated with the Gupta Empire.
6. Chinese Dynasties and Philosophies
Warring States Period (475–221 BCE):
Era of warfare and reforms; ended with Qin Dynasty unification (221 BCE).
Zhou king was a figurehead.
Qin Dynasty: A short-lived Chinese dynasty (221–206 BCE) that unified China.
Legalism:
Philosophy of state power and order; compared to Machiavellianism.
Key Figures: Shen Buhai (merit system), Shang Yang (reforms for Qin strength).
Enabled Qin’s conquest of China.
Confucianism:
Key Figure: Confucius (551–479 BCE).
Emphasized social harmony, family, filial piety, and education (examination system for officials).
Promoted by Emperor Wu (Han Dynasty, 1st century BCE); shaped Chinese society until 1912 CE.
Filial piety: A Confucian virtue emphasizing respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors.
Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE):
Key Figure: Qin Shi Huang – First emperor; unified China via Legalist reforms.
Reforms: Standardized currency, weights, measures, writing; built Great Wall, Terracotta Army, national roads.
Criticism: Harsh bureaucracy; accused of burning books, burying scholars (disputed).
Great Wall: A series of fortifications built across the historical northern borders of ancient China to protect against nomadic incursions.
Terracotta Army: A collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, buried with the emperor to protect him in the afterlife.
Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE):
Key Figure: Liu Bang – Founder; Emperor Wu – Promoted Confucianism.
Golden Age: Economic prosperity, Silk Road expansion, technological advances (papermaking, ship rudder, seismometer).
Military: Defeated Xiongnu, expanded to Tarim Basin, Nanyue, Dian, Korea.
Decline: Eunuch politics, rebellions (Yellow Turban, Five Pecks of Rice), warlord division.
Silk Road: A vast network of trade routes connecting East and West, prominent during the Han Dynasty.
Vocabulary:
Legalism: A Chinese philosophy emphasizing strict laws and a strong, centralized government to achieve order.
Confucianism: A comprehensive philosophical system developed by Confucius, emphasizing morality, ethics, social harmony, and family loyalty.
Filial piety: The virtue of respect for one's parents (and ancestors).
Great Wall: A monumental defensive wall system in northern China.
Terracotta Army: An extensive collection of clay soldiers guarding the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
Silk Road: An ancient network of trade routes that connected the East and West.
7. Islam and the Rashidun Caliphate
Islam:
Key Figure: Muhammad (d. 632 CE) – Final prophet; united Arabia via Quran and teachings.
Key Events:
Migration to Abyssinia (615 CE), Medina (Hijra, 622 CE).
Conquest of Mecca (629 CE); Arabia mostly Muslim by 632 CE.
Core Beliefs: Monotheism, Quran as God’s word, Five Pillars, sharia, final judgment.
Holy Sites: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem.
Hijra: Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
Quran: The holy book of Islam, believed to be the word of God revealed to Muhammad.
Five Pillars of Islam: The fundamental practices required of all Muslims: declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca.
Sharia: Islamic law derived from the Quran and Sunnah, covering a wide range of social and personal behaviors.
Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 CE):
First caliphate; rapid expansion (Levant, North Africa, Iran, Central/South Asia).
Key Conflict: First Fitna (656–661 CE) – Civil war over succession; led to Sunni-Shia split (Shia supported Ali).
Outcome: Muawiyah founded Umayyad Caliphate (661 CE).
Caliphate: An Islamic state ruled by a caliph, a successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
First Fitna: The first major civil war within the early Islamic empire.
Sunni: The largest branch of Islam, recognizing the first four caliphs as rightful successors to Muhammad.
Shia: The smaller branch of Islam, believing that only descendants of Muhammad's son-in-law Ali are legitimate successors.
Umayyad Caliphate: The second of the four major Islamic caliphates established after the death of Muhammad.
Vocabulary:
Quran: The central religious text of Islam.
Five Pillars: The fundamental religious duties of Muslims.
Sharia: Islamic religious law.
Caliphate: The office or dominion of a caliph.
First Fitna: The first major civil war in Islam over succession to the prophet Muhammad.
Sunni: The majority branch of Islam.
Shia: The minority branch of Islam, adherents of Ali.
Pg 2-23 Notes: Period 1 (Diversity and Interaction in the World of 1200–1450) and Pre-1200 Patterns
Key Themes and Concepts
Period 1 Overview (1200–1450): Focuses on diversity and interaction in a world of regional and interregional connections, emphasizing how humans shaped environments, cultures spread, governments formed, economies developed, social structures evolved, and technologies advanced. This era saw the rise of expansive civilizations, trade networks, and cultural/religious exchanges, setting the stage for global interactions.
Pre-1200 Patterns: Discusses the Agricultural Revolution's impact, from hunter-gatherers to settled societies. Highlights how agriculture enabled population growth, specialization, and early civilizations, but also led to inequalities and environmental changes.
Big Picture: History as a "stream" where 1200 is a starting point for AP study. Questions like "Jumping into the Stream" explore why 1200 is chosen (e.g., post-Mongol world, rise of trade). Debates on timescales: When does "modern" history begin? (e.g., Industrial Revolution vs. earlier shifts).
Agricultural Revolution's Role: Transformed human societies by enabling surplus food, leading to cities, governments, and technologies. Occurred independently in multiple regions ~10,000–4,000 years ago.
Comparing Civilizations: Examines why some civilizations (e.g., China, India) were stable and expansive, while others (e.g., Maya) collapsed due to ecology, governance, or social factors.
Controversies in History: Debates on defining "history" (e.g., written records vs. oral/DNA evidence), timescales (e.g., "modern" era debates), and causation (e.g., how agriculture led to inequalities).
Significant Information
Key Dates:
~10,000 BCE: Start of Agricultural Revolution (end of Paleolithic Era).
~3500 BCE: Emergence of early civilizations (e.g., Mesopotamia, Egypt).
~1200 CE: AP Period 1 begins; Mongol Empire's impact; rise of trade networks like Silk Road.
1200–1450: Period of Mongol conquests, Black Death (1347–1350), Ottoman Empire founded (1299).
1492: Columbus's voyages (mentioned in context of later interactions).
Key People and Figures:
Confucius (551–479 BCE): Founder of Confucianism; emphasized harmony, education, filial piety.
Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama, ~563–483 BCE): Founder of Buddhism; teachings on suffering and enlightenment.
Jesus of Nazareth (~4 BCE–30 CE): Central to Christianity's emergence.
Muhammad (570–632 CE): Founder of Islam; united Arabia.
Ashoka (Maurya Empire, r. 268–232 BCE): Promoted Buddhism.
Genghis Khan (1162–1227 CE): Founded Mongol Empire; facilitated cultural exchanges.
Ibn Battuta (1304–1369 CE): Traveler whose accounts show interregional connections.
Zheng He (1371–1433 CE): Chinese admiral; led voyages (1405–1433) promoting trade.
Key Events and Developments:
Agricultural Revolution: Shift from foraging to farming/domestication (~10,000 BCE); led to population growth (from ~5–10 million to 100 million by 1 CE).
Rise of Civilizations: Mesopotamia (irrigation, writing ~3500 BCE), Egypt (Nile stability), Indus Valley (urban planning), China (Yangzi/Yellow Rivers).
Mongol Conquests (1206–1368 CE): Created largest land empire; spread technologies, diseases, and ideas.
Black Death (1347–1350 CE): Killed ~30–50% of Eurasia's population; disrupted trade but led to labor changes.
Crusades (1095–1291 CE): Christian-Muslim conflicts; increased European-Asian exchanges.
Columbian Exchange (post-1492): Mentioned as a later turning point, but roots in Period 1 interactions.
Population Trends:
Global population: ~5 million in 8000 BCE → 450 million by 1500 CE → 7.5 billion by 2017.
Regional shifts: Eurasia dominated growth due to agriculture; Africa/Americas slower until later.
Environmental Impacts:
Deforestation for agriculture; soil erosion in Mesopotamia/Maya.
Domestication of plants/animals (e.g., wheat, rice, horses, cattle) spread via trade.
Vocabulary
Paleolithic Era: "Old Stone Age" (~2.5 million–10,000 BCE); characterized by hunter-gatherer societies, nomadic lifestyle, and egalitarian social structures.
Neolithic Era/Agricultural Revolution: "New Stone Age" (~10,000–4000 BCE); marked by the shift to farming, animal domestication, and settled villages.
Civilization: A complex society characterized by cities, a centralized government, writing, job specialization, and social hierarchies.
Syncretism: The blending of cultural or religious elements.
Filial Piety: In Confucianism, the virtue of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors.
Nomads/Pastoralists: Mobile herders (e.g., Mongols) who rely on grazing animals; key to trade and conquest.
Trans-Saharan Trade: An extensive trade network across the Sahara desert, primarily exchanging gold and salt, connecting Africa to the Mediterranean.
Silk Road: An ancient overland trade network linking China, India, the Middle East, and Europe, facilitating the exchange of goods (silk, spices), ideas, and diseases.
Indian Ocean Trade: A vast maritime trade network influenced by monsoon winds, connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and China.
Feudalism: A medieval European social and political system characterized by lords granting land (fiefs) to vassals in exchange for military service and loyalty, resulting in decentralized power.
Caliphate: An Islamic political-religious state ruled by a caliph, a successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
Mandate of Heaven: An ancient Chinese philosophical concept that rulers have divine approval to rule, which can be lost if they become unjust.
Bhakti Movement: A devotional Hindu movement (~600–1200 CE) emphasizing personal devotion to specific deities over elaborate rituals.
Zoroastrianism: An ancient Persian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster, characterized by a dualistic cosmology (good vs. evil) and the worship of Ahura Mazda.
Diaspora: The dispersal of a people from their original homeland (e.g., Jewish Diaspora after Roman conquest).
Hegemony: The dominance of one group or state over others, often through cultural or economic means (e.g., Mongol hegemony).
Satraps: Provincial governors in the ancient Persian empire.
Persepolis: The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Zoroastrianism: An ancient monotheistic Persian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster.
Patricians: Members of the elite, land-owning class in ancient Rome.
Plebeians: The common people of ancient Rome, including farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Punic Wars: A series of three major wars between Rome and Carthage over control of the Mediterranean.
Jewish Diaspora: The dispersion of Jews from their homeland, particularly after the Roman conquest and destruction of the Second Temple.
Edict of Milan (313 CE): A proclamation by Constantine I and Licinius that granted religious toleration throughout the Roman Empire, effectively ending the persecution of Christians.
Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE): An edict issued by Emperor Theodosius I, making Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Hellenistic: Relating to Greek history, language, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony (323 BC to 31 BC).
Sarissa pikes: Long spears, up to 66 meters (2020 feet) in length, used by the Macedonian phalanx.
Syncretism: The blending of cultural or religious elements.
Timelines
Cultural/Religious Landmarks Timeline (Pre-1200)
East Asia (Confucianism & Daoism):
6th–5th c. BCE: Life of Confucius, Laozi.
ca. 206 BCE–220 CE: Confucianism as state ideology (Han Dynasty).
111 BCE–939 CE: Chinese rule in Vietnam.
4th–11th c. CE: Confucianism takes root in Korea/Japan.
7th c. CE: Shinto/Confucianism in Japan.
Neo-Confucianism flourishes in Song China (960–1279 CE).
South Asia (Hinduism & Buddhism):
800–400 BCE: Hindu Upanishads compiled.
ca. 566–486 BCE: Life of Buddha.
100–300 CE: Mahayana Buddhism emerges.
5th–2nd c. BCE: Buddhism/Hinduism take root in Southeast Asia.
600–1300 CE: Bhakti movement.
1200 CE: Buddhism largely disappears in India.
12th c. CE: Influence of Zen Buddhism in Japan.
Middle East:
9th–6th c. BCE: Jewish prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah).
ca. 4 BCE–29 CE: Life of Jesus.
ca. 6–67 CE: Life of Saint Paul.
Christianity established in Roman Empire, Armenia, Axum.
570–632 CE: Life of Muhammad.
7th c. CE: Emergence of Sunni/Shia split.
750–900 CE: Islam established in Persia.
800 CE: Beginnings of Sufi Islam.
1054 CE: Schism between Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Landmarks in World History (Before 1450)
Asia:
800–400 BCE: Upanishads in India.
6th–5th c. BCE: Confucius, Laozi, Buddha.
206 BCE–220 CE: Han China.
618–907 CE: Tang China.
960–1279 CE: Song China.
1206–1368 CE: Mongol Empire.
1368–1644 CE: Ming China.
Middle East/Islamic World:
4 BCE–29 CE: Jesus.
570–632 CE: Muhammad.
632–661 CE: Rashidun Caliphate.
750–1258 CE: Abbasid Caliphate.
1299–1922 CE: Ottoman Empire.
Europe/Christendom:
4th c. CE: Christianity state religion in Armenia/Axum/Rome.
5th–7th c. CE: Christianity introduced to China.
527–565 CE: Justinian rules Byzantine Empire.
711–718 CE: Muslim conquest of Spain.
800 CE: Charlemagne crowned.
1054 CE: Catholic-Orthodox schism.
1095–1291 CE: Crusades.
1347–1350 CE: Black Death.
Africa:
300–400 CE: Start of Trans-Saharan trade.
700–1200 CE: Kingdom of Ghana.
1200–1500 CE: Swahili civilization flourishes.
1230–1450 CE: Mali Empire.
1250–1500 CE: Great Zimbabwe.
1440s CE: Songhay established.
Americas/Pacific Oceania:
250–900 CE: Maya civilization.
550–950 CE: Teotihuacan.
After 1000 CE: Tonga-centered trade in Pacific.
860–1130 CE: Chaco Phenomenon.
10th c. CE: Emergence of urban complexes on Micronesian islands.
1000–1100 CE: Cahokia in North America.
15th c. CE: Aztec and Inca empires.
Additional Key Themes and Concepts
Rise of Civilizations: Explains how agriculture led to the first civilizations (~3500 BCE), with surplus food enabling specialization, cities, governments, and technologies. Emphasizes causation (e.g., environmental factors like river valleys caused stability or instability) and contextualization (placing civilizations in broader global patterns).
Civilizations and Environment: Human societies shaped and were shaped by environments (e.g., river floods provided fertility but caused destruction). Examples include Mesopotamia (unstable Tigris/Euphrates), Egypt (stable Nile), Indus Valley (urban planning), China (Yellow/Yangzi stability), Mesoamerica (Olmec/Maya), and Andes (Chavin/Inca precursors).
Patriarchy "Then and Now": Ancient male dominance in families/societies persisted into modern times but has been challenged. Compares historical subordination of women (e.g., limited rights) to 20th–21st century progress (e.g., suffrage, education).
Social Structures (Caste Systems): Rigid hierarchies like India's caste (varnas/jatis) enforced purity/pollution, limiting mobility. Evidence from sources (e.g., photos, texts) shows distinctions between castes.
Roman Empire Infrastructure: Map highlights roads connecting Europe, North Africa, Middle East; enabled trade, military control, and cultural diffusion.
Significant Information
Key Dates:
~3500 BCE: Emergence of first civilizations (Mesopotamia, Egypt).
~2500 BCE: Indus Valley cities peak (Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro).
~2000 BCE: Early Chinese civilizations (Shang Dynasty).
~1500 BCE: Olmec in Mesoamerica; Chavin in Andes.
117 CE: Roman Empire at height (map reference).
1789 CE: French Revolution (women's limited gains).
1848 CE: Seneca Falls Convention (U.S. women's rights).
1920 CE: U.S. women's suffrage (19th Amendment).
1960 CE: Birth control pill approved in U.S.
1979 CE: UN Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
2018 CE: Saudi Arabia allows women to drive (last country at time).
Key Events and Developments:
Agricultural Surplus: Caused population growth, specialization (e.g., priests, artisans), and hierarchies; led to cities (e.g., Uruk in Mesopotamia ~4000 BCE).
Environmental Challenges: Mesopotamia: Salinization/erosion from irrigation led to decline. Egypt: Predictable Nile floods enabled longevity. Rome: Roads/aqueducts supported urban life but overextension contributed to fall (476 CE West).
Patriarchy Persistence: Ancient: Men controlled property, women subordinate (e.g., Roman paterfamilias). Modern: Feminist movements (1960s–70s) achieved voting/education rights; by 2018, women in workforce (47% U.S.), but gaps remain (e.g., 25% China university enrollment female in 2016).
Caste in India: Enforced social purity; low castes (e.g., untouchables) faced pollution stigma, limited contact/jobs.
Roman Roads: Connected empire (e.g., from Britain to Syria); facilitated administration, trade, military (map shows major routes like Appian Way).
Key People/Figures:
No specific individuals named in context of early societies, but references to "big men/chiefs."
Pharaohs (Egypt).
Paterfamilias (Rome).
Modern: Implicit feminists (e.g., suffragists in 1920 U.S.).
Vocabulary
Ziggurat: A Mesopotamian stepped pyramid or temple, often dedicated to a deity.
Paterfamilias: The male head of a Roman household, who held absolute authority over his family and property.
Caste System: A rigid, hereditary social hierarchy in India, based on purity and pollution, limiting social mobility.
Salinization: The process of soil degradation where the salt content in the soil increases, often due to improper irrigation, as seen in Mesopotamian decline.
Aqueduct: A Roman engineering marvel, a channel or bridge-like structure designed to transport water, vital for urban life.
Varnas/Jatis: The primary divisions (varnas: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) and sub-castes (jatis) within the Indian caste system.
Purdah: The practice of secluding women, common in some Islamic and Indian contexts.
Feminism: A range of social movements and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve political, economic, personal, and social equality of sexes (e.g., waves for suffrage, reproductive rights).
Contextualization (AP Skill): The ability to connect historical events and processes to specific circumstances of time and place as well as broader regional, national, or global processes.
Causation (AP Skill): The ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate the relationships between historical causes and effects, or between a single cause and multiple effects, or multiple causes and a single effect.
development from the Paleolithic Era (hunter-gatherers, migrations out of Africa ~100,000 years ago) through the Agricultural Revolution (~10,000 BCE), which enabled settled societies, surplus production, cities, and early civilizations. It discusses how agriculture led to population growth, technological innovations, and social complexities, using examples like modern Confucian descendants in China to show cultural continuity amid changes (e.g., communism's impact on traditions). The chapter connects pre-1200 patterns to later periods, including the rise of religions and philosophies.
Timelines outline cultural landmarks before 1200, detailing the origins and spread of major world religions and philosophies across regions:
East Asia: Confucianism, Daoism, Neo-Confucianism.
South Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism, Bhakti movement.
Middle East: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sunni/Shia split, Sufism.
Broader landmarks extend to 1450, covering events like Mongol conquests (1206-1368), Crusades (1095-1291), Black Death (1347-1351), and regional developments in Africa (e.g., Ghana, Mali), Americas (e.g., Maya decline, Cahokia), and Oceania (Polynesian migrations).
A thematic table for Understanding AP Themes in Period 1 organizes key concepts across environment, cultures, governance, economies, social structures, and technology, highlighting interactions like Silk Road trade, spread of Islam/Buddhism, rise of empires (e.g., Byzantine, Mongol), and innovations (e.g., Chinese gunpowder, compass).
First Reflections poses analytical questions on chronology (starting at 1200 CE), diversity processes by 1450, and identifying "modern" era traits, encouraging connections between ancient patterns and post-1200 developments.
Overall, the pages stress that 1200-1450 laid foundations for global connectivity through diverse, interactive regional spheres, setting the stage for later unification via exploration and exchange.
Important or Highlighted Vocabulary summary
Paleolithic Era: Pre-10,000 BCE period of hunter-gatherer societies and early human migrations.
Neolithic Revolution/Agricultural Revolution: ~10,000 BCE shift to farming, domestication, and settled communities leading to surplus and civilizations.
Civilizations: Complex societies with cities, writing, governments, and specialized labor.
Confucianism: East Asian philosophy emphasizing hierarchy, education, and moral governance; Neo-Confucianism as its revived form (960-1279 CE).
Daoism: Chinese philosophy focused on harmony with nature and simplicity.
Hinduism: South Asian religion with concepts like dharma, karma; Bhakti movement emphasizing devotional practices (600-1200 CE).
Buddhism: Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (~566-486 BCE), emphasizing enlightenment; spread across Asia but declined in India.
Judaism: Monotheistic faith with prophets (9th-6th c. BCE), foundational to Christianity and Islam.
Christianity: Based on Jesus' life (~4 BCE-29 CE); spread via Roman Empire, Crusades (1095-1291).
Islam: Founded by Muhammad (570-632 CE); Sunni/Shia split (7th c. CE); Sufism as mystical branch (800-1000 CE).
Mongol Empire: 1206-1368 conquests under Genghis Khan, facilitating Eurasian trade and cultural exchange.
Silk Roads: Ancient trade networks connecting East Asia to Europe/Middle East.
Trans-Saharan Trade: Routes across Sahara linking West Africa to North Africa/Mediterranean.
Feudalism: Medieval system of lords, vassals, and land-based obligations.
Nomadic: Mobile lifestyles, often pastoral herders influencing settled societies.
Pastoralism: Herding-based economies impacting environments and interactions.
Black Death: 1347-1351 plague devastating Eurasia, altering demographics and economies.
Crusades: 1095-1291 Christian military campaigns to reclaim Holy Land, boosting trade/cultural exchange.
Renaissance: ~1350-1600 European revival of art, learning, and humanism post-Black Death.
Paleolithic Era: "Old Stone Age" (~2.5 million–10,000 BCE); characterized by hunter-gatherer societies, nomadic lifestyle, and egalitarian social structures.
Neolithic Era/Agricultural Revolution: "New Stone Age" (~10,000–4000 BCE); marked by the shift to farming, animal domestication, and settled villages.
Civilization: A complex society characterized by cities, a centralized government, writing, job specialization, and social hierarchies.
Syncretism: The blending of cultural or religious elements.
Filial Piety: In Confucianism, the virtue of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors.
Nomads/Pastoralists: Mobile herders (e.g., Mongols) who rely on grazing animals; key to trade and conquest.
Trans-Saharan Trade: An extensive trade network across the Sahara desert, primarily exchanging gold and salt, connecting Africa to the Mediterranean.
Silk Road: An ancient overland trade network linking China, India, the Middle East, and Europe, facilitating the exchange of goods (silk, spices), ideas, and diseases.
Indian Ocean Trade: A vast maritime trade network influenced by monsoon winds, connecting East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and China.
Feudalism: A medieval European social and political system characterized by lords granting land (fiefs) to vassals in exchange for military service and loyalty, resulting in decentralized power.
Caliphate: An Islamic political-religious state ruled by a caliph, a successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
Mandate of Heaven: An ancient Chinese philosophical concept that rulers have divine approval to rule, which can be lost if they become unjust.
Bhakti Movement: A devotional Hindu movement (~600–1200 CE) emphasizing personal devotion to specific deities over elaborate rituals.
Zoroastrianism: An ancient Persian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster, characterized by a dualistic cosmology (good vs. evil) and the worship of Ahura Mazda.
Diaspora: The dispersal of a people from their original homeland (e.g., Jewish Diaspora after Roman conquest).
Hegemony: The dominance of one group or state over others, often through cultural or economic means (e.g., Mongol hegemony).
Satraps: Provincial governors in the ancient Persian empire.
Persepolis: The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Zoroastrianism: An ancient monotheistic Persian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster.
Patricians: Members of the elite, land-owning class in ancient Rome.
Plebeians: The common people of ancient Rome, including farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Punic Wars: A series of three major wars between Rome and Carthage over control of the Mediterranean.
Jewish Diaspora: The dispersion of Jews from their homeland, particularly after the Roman conquest and destruction of the Second Temple.
Edict of Milan (313 CE): A proclamation by Constantine I and Licinius that granted religious toleration throughout the Roman Empire, effectively ending the persecution of Christians.
Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE): An edict issued by Emperor Theodosius I, making Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Hellenistic: Relating to Greek history, language, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony (323 BC to 31 BC).
Sarissa pikes: Long spears, up to 66 meters (2020 feet) in length, used by the Macedonian phalanx.
Syncretism: The blending of cultural or religious elements.
Ziggurat: A Mesopotamian stepped pyramid or temple, often dedicated to a deity.
Paterfamilias: The male head of a Roman household, who held absolute authority over his family and property.
Caste System: A rigid, hereditary social hierarchy in India, based on purity and pollution, limiting social mobility.
Salinization: The process of soil degradation where the salt content in the soil increases, often due to improper irrigation, as seen in Mesopotamian decline.
Aqueduct: A Roman engineering marvel, a channel or bridge-like structure designed to transport water, vital for urban life.
Varnas/Jatis: The primary divisions (varnas: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) and sub-castes (jatis) within the Indian caste system.
Purdah: The practice of secluding women, common in some Islamic and Indian contexts.
Feminism: A range of social movements and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve political, economic, personal, and social equality of sexes (e.g., waves for suffrage, reproductive rights).
Contextualization (AP Skill): The ability to connect historical events and processes to specific circumstances of time and place as well as broader regional, national, or global processes.
Causation (AP Skill): The ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate the relationships between historical causes and effects, or between a single cause and multiple effects, or multiple causes and a single effect.