AP World History - Unit 1 Notes

Unit 1: The Global Tapestry

Historical Developments and Processes

  • Empires and states in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity in the 13th century.
    • Example: Song Dynasty of China
      • Utilized traditional methods of Confucianism and imperial bureaucracy to maintain and justify its rule.
Topic 1.1
  • Chinese cultural traditions continued and influenced neighboring regions.
    • Cultural Traditions:
      • Filial piety (respect for elders) in East Asia.
      • Influence of Neo-Confucianism (syncretic) and Buddhism in East Asia.
      • Confucian traditions of respect for and expected deference from women.
      • Chinese literary and scholarly traditions and their spread to Heian Japan and Korea.
  • Buddhism and its core beliefs continued to shape societies in Asia.
    • Branches of Buddhism:
      • Theravada
      • Mahayana
      • Tibetan
  • Economy of Song China:
    • Became increasingly commercialized while depending on free peasant and artisanal labor.
    • Flourished due to increased productive capacity, expanding trade networks, and innovations in agriculture and manufacturing.
    • Technological Innovations:
      • Champa rice (from Vietnam, allowed for double harvests).
      • Transportation innovations like the Grand Canal expansion.
      • Steel and iron production.
      • Textiles and porcelains for export.
Topic 1.2
  • Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and their core beliefs and practices shaped societies in Africa and Asia.
  • As the Abbasid Caliphate fragmented, new Islamic political entities emerged, dominated by Turkic people.
    • These states demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity.
    • New Political Entities:
      • Seljuk Empire
      • Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt
      • Delhi Sultanates
  • Muslim rule expanded in Afro-Eurasia due to military expansion.
  • Islam expanded through the activities of merchants, missionaries, and Sufis.
  • Muslim states and empires encouraged significant intellectual innovations and transfers.
    • Innovations:
      • Advances in mathematics (Nasir al-Din al-Tusi) - spherical trigonometry.
      • Advances in literature (A’ishah al-Bu’uniyyah) - female mystic/writer.
      • Advances in medicine (Islamic Medical Texts).
    • Transfers:
      • Preservation and commentaries on Greek moral and natural philosophy.
      • House of Wisdom in Abbasid Baghdad (collapsed to Mongols during siege).
      • Scholarly and cultural transfers in Muslim and Christian Spain.
  • Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism shaped societies in South and Southeast Asia.
    • Beliefs and Practices:
      • Bhakti movement (Guru Kabir, aimed to eliminate the distinction between Hinduism and Islam).
      • Sufism (emphasized being one with Allah over strict adherence to Islamic doctrine).
      • Buddhist monasticism
  • State formation and development demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity.
    • New Hindu and Buddhist states emerged in South and Southeast Asia.
    • Hindu/Buddhist States:
      • Vijayanagara Empire - South Asia
      • Srivijaya Empire - South Asia
      • Rajput kingdoms - South Asia
      • Khmer Empire - Southeast Asia
      • Majapahit - South Asia
      • Sukhothai kingdom - Southeast Asia
      • Sinhala dynasties - South Asia
Topic 1.4
  • In the Americas, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity.
    • State Systems in the Americas:
      • Maya city-states - Central America
      • Mexica (Aztecs) - Central America
      • Inca - South America
      • Chaco - South America
      • Mesa Verde - North America
      • Cahokia - North America
Topic 1.5
  • In Africa, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity.
    • State Systems in Africa:
      • Great Zimbabwe - known for protective stone walls and involved in trade/wealth in East Africa.
      • Ethiopia - East Africa (remained Christian).
      • Hausa kingdoms
Topic 1.6
  • Christianity, Judaism, and Islam shaped societies in Europe.
  • Europe was politically fragmented.
    • Decentralized monarchies, feudalism, and the manorial system (exchange of feudal structure based on social status).
  • Europe was largely an agricultural society dependent on free and coerced labor, including serfdom.
Topic 1.7
  • State formation and development demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity in various regions.
    • As the Abbasid Caliphate fragmented, new Islamic political entities emerged, dominated by Turkic peoples.
    • Empires and states in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity in the 13th century (e.g., Song Dynasty of China).
    • New Hindu and Buddhist states emerged in South and Southeast Asia.
    • State systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity, and expanded in scope and reach in the Americas.
    • State systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity, and expanded in scope and reach in Africa.

Strategies and Skills for Multiple Choice Questions

  • The most correct answer.

  • Multiple Choice Stimulus Usage:

    • 25% require referring to a specific part of the stimulus (passage, illustration, or chart) for comprehension.
    • 25% are helpful but not completely necessary.
    • 50% stimulus is reference only, understanding question is more important because it could ask for something related to the content.

  • Common Question Styles:

    • "Which of the following best explains…"
    • "Limitation of using the document"
    • "The differences in the passages above are most likely a result"
    • "…is most directly significant to understanding the author’s point of view about"
    • "Which of the following accurately explains the historical significance"
    • "Image is best understood in the context"
    • "Taken together, the two sources best support which of the following conclusions regarding the situation"
    • "Based on the passage, it can be inferred that the author might also support which of the following assertions?"

  • Types of Multiple Choice Questions:

    • Skill-Based
    • "Big-Picture"-Based
    • Content-Based
    • Opposite Answers
    • Categorized
    • Reading Comprehension
Skill-Based Multiple Choice

  • Based on reading comprehension and sourcing of the document. No content knowledge of curriculum is required.

    • Asks for author's claim, or argument against the author’s claim.

    • Asks about HIPP (historical situation, intended audience, purpose, point of view, and possibly even bias and limitation).

    • Blend exists : stimulus-based question based on content too.

    • Example 1:

      • Simón Bolívar, Jamaica Letter, 1815
        • Argues against Spanish mercantilist policies that restricted free trade in Latin America.

    • Example 2:

      • Document produced by the Brazilian government of Getúlio Vargas circa 1940. Talks about Work Tribunal.
        • Significant limitation of using the document:
          • The document likely exaggerates the extent to which the reforms benefited Brazil’s middle and upper classes.
"Big Picture"-Based Multiple Choice

  • Requires knowledge of HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS (from Unit Guides). The answer is a BIG PICTURE generalization of the time period, pattern of history, or common understanding of the prompted question.

  • The answer is not specific. You may think several are correct.

  • Example:

    • Treaty between British colonial authorities and the Windward Maroons, Jamaica, 1739.
    • The actions of the Maroons are best explained as evidence of reactions against:
      • The actions of the Maroons that forced British colonial authorities to conclude a treaty with them are best explained as evidence of reactions against which of the following global trends in the period 1450–1750?
        • The increasing expansion and centralization of state power.
    • The passage could best be used to explain which of the following developments in the Americas in the period 1500–1750?
      • Enslaved peoples and their descendants used violent means to escape oppression and maintain their freedom.
Content-Based Multiple Choice

  • Asks for a content specific that is directed by the prompt in response to the document provided. This requires you to be able to connect what you know from your knowledge of history based on your understanding of the document. Therefore, two big things to look for in the document is “What’s the time frame is asking about, and where is it asking about?".

  • Example:

    • THE TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE, CIRCA 1450-1900
      • The trade illustrated by the map contributed most directly to which of the following?
        • The Haitian Revolution
General Tips

  • LOOK AT THE SOURCE FIRST!

  • THEN…. look at the QUESTION. (sometimes it directs you to a specific area of the document).

  • THEN….read, analyze, or look over the document.

  • THEN….make your selection.

  • You are multitasking, trying to get the TIME, LOCATION, PERSON, etc. all at once (do a quick HIPP).

  • Try to eliminate between 1-2 answers that are obviously wrong if possible.

  • Ask yourselves these questions

    • Does the answer fall out of the time period? (unless a causation question)
    • Is this answer completely irrelevant to the question asked?
    • Is it referring to another region outside the realm of the question?
Document Analysis Example
  • Nizam al-Mulk, senior adviser to the sultan of the Muslim Seljuq Empire, The Book of Government, treatise composed circa 1092 discusses the training of military slaves (ghulam).