AP World - Topic: Environmental Issues

Environmental Issues

Period 1 – Foundational Era - 10,000 BCE – 600 BCE

·         Warming and melting of glacial ice leave vast river valleys humans settle in: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus, Mesoamerica, Yellow River, and the Andes

·         Agricultural and human clearing of trees and irrigation drastically reduce environmental diversity as humans farm specific crops

·         Deforestation in the Yellow River results in soil erosion

Period 2 – Classical Era – 600 BCE – 600 CE

·         Environmental features determined the location and characteristics of trade routes:  Indian Ocean Trade Network (sail-based and use of Monsoon Winds); camels used to traverse Sub-Saharan African Trade Network and desert / mountains of Silk Road

·         Imperial empires clear massive amounts of forest for fueling fires, metallurgy, and civilization (deforestation)

Period 3 – Post-Classical Era – 600 CE - 1450 CE

·         Scandinavians (longboats in rivers), Arabs and Berbers (camels in the Sahara), and Central Asia pastoralists (horses to travel the steppes) use environmental knowledge and tech to adapt and travel

·         A gradual warming in global temperature from 800-1300 resulted in better agricultural conditions and production, resulting in population increase

Period 4 – Early Modern Era – 1450 CE – 1750 CE

·         European agricultural techniques and plantation systems affected the American environment, often resulting in soil depletion (use of nutrients) and deforestation to plant new crops

·         Little Ice Age - 1350-1850 saw a reduction in global temperatures contributing to changing agricultural practices and reduction of settlements in the North  Hemisphere

Period 5 – Modern Era – 1750 CE – 1900 CE

·         Industrialization resulted in rapid deteriorating of environments with over mining, deforestation, and pollution

Period 6 – Contemporary Era – 1900 CE – Present

·         Decades of industrialization resulted in global warming as Earth’s temperatures continues to rise at unprecedented levels due to greenhouse gases

·         Extensive deforestation, desertification, pollution of air and water, and overhunting as a result of human activity have occurred and intensified as humans competed over these and other resources

·         Developed nations have formed global and domestic agreements to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

·         Developing countries with weak or ineffective governments continue to industrially pollute and emit greenhouse gases

·         Green Part Movement started on a global scale, with developing countries forming political parties bent on educating the population and protecting the environment

·         Greenpeace Movement and Earth Day formed to enlighten and celebrate the environment and cooperate on reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions