need to really master Units 7–9 for AP World. I’m going to go section-by-section and, for each major topic, give you: * Causes * Key developments * Effects * Continuities & Changes ( CCOT) This is essentially how AP graders want you to think. ⸻ 🌍 UNIT 7: GLOBAL CONFLICT (1900–1945) ⸻ ⚔️ World War I Causes * Long-term: * Militarism (arms race, war glorification) * Alliance system → chain reaction * Imperial rivalries (especially in Africa) * Nationalism (esp. Balkans) * Immediate: * Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand ⸻ Key Developments * Trench warfare → stalemate * Total war → governments control industry, food, labor * New weapons: gas, machine guns, tanks ⸻ Effects * Collapse of empires (Ottoman, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, German) * Treaty of Treaty of Versailles * Harsh penalties on Germany * Redrawing of borders (Middle East instability begins) * League of Nations (fails later) ⸻ Continuities & Changes Continuities * European dominance still strong (but weakening) * Nationalism continues to drive conflict Changes * Warfare becomes industrialized & more deadly * Civilians become direct targets (total war) * U.S. emerges as global power ⸻ Causation Chain WWI → harsh peace → economic instability → rise of extremism → WWII ⸻ 🔴 Russian Revolution Causes * Inequality under Nicholas II * Military failures in WWI * Food shortages ⸻ Key Developments * Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin seize power * Civil war → Red Army wins * Formation of USSR ⸻ Effects * Spread of communism globally * Fear of communism in capitalist countries * One-party authoritarian state ⸻ Continuities & Changes Continuities * Authoritarian rule (tsar → communist dictatorship) Changes * Shift from monarchy → communism * State-controlled economy replaces capitalism ⸻ 📉 Great Depression Causes * Stock market crash (1929) * Overproduction * Global economic interdependence ⸻ Effects * Massive unemployment worldwide * Collapse of global trade * Rise of extremist leaders ⸻ Continuities & Changes Continuities * Global economic inequality persists Changes * Governments take bigger role in economies (welfare, regulation) ⸻ Causation Depression → desperation → rise of dictators ⸻ 🧨 Rise of Authoritarianism Key Leaders * Adolf Hitler * Benito Mussolini * Joseph Stalin ⸻ Causes * Economic instability * Weak democracies * National humiliation (Germany esp.) ⸻ Key Features * Propaganda * Militarism * Suppression of dissent * Expansionism ⸻ Effects * Human rights abuses * Aggressive foreign policy → WWII ⸻ Continuities & Changes Continuities * Authoritarian rule still common globally Changes * Use of mass propaganda and modern tech to control people ⸻ 🌎 World War II Causes * Treaty of Versailles resentment * Expansion (Germany, Japan, Italy) * Appeasement failure ⸻ Key Developments * Blitzkrieg warfare * Holocaust * Atomic bombs ⸻ Effects * ~70 million deaths * Creation of United Nations * U.S. & USSR become superpowers ⸻ Continuities & Changes Continuities * War still central to global politics Changes * Nuclear weapons introduced * Decolonization begins * Europe declines in power ⸻ ⸻ ❄️ UNIT 8: COLD WAR & DECOLONIZATION ⸻ 🧊 Cold War Causes * Ideological conflict: * Capitalism (U.S

Got it—this is exactly the level you need to really master Units 7–9 for AP World. I’m going to go section-by-section and, for each major topic, give you:

• Causes

• Key developments

• Effects

• Continuities & Changes (CCOT)

This is essentially how AP graders want you to think.

🌍 UNIT 7: GLOBAL CONFLICT (1900–1945)

⚔ World War I

Causes

• Long-term:

  • Militarism (arms race, war glorification)

  • Alliance system → chain reaction

  • Imperial rivalries (especially in Africa)

  • Nationalism (esp. Balkans)

• Immediate:

  • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Key Developments

• Trench warfare → stalemate

• Total war → governments control industry, food, labor

• New weapons: gas, machine guns, tanks

Effects

• Collapse of empires (Ottoman, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, German)

• Treaty of Treaty of Versailles

  • Harsh penalties on Germany

• Redrawing of borders (Middle East instability begins)

• League of Nations (fails later)

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• European dominance still strong (but weakening)

• Nationalism continues to drive conflict

Changes

• Warfare becomes industrialized & more deadly

• Civilians become direct targets (total war)

• U.S. emerges as global power

Causation Chain

WWI → harsh peace → economic instability → rise of extremism → WWII

🔴 Russian Revolution

Causes

• Inequality under Nicholas II

• Military failures in WWI

• Food shortages

Key Developments

• Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin seize power

• Civil war → Red Army wins

• Formation of USSR

Effects

• Spread of communism globally

• Fear of communism in capitalist countries

• One-party authoritarian state

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Authoritarian rule (tsar → communist dictatorship)

Changes

• Shift from monarchy → communism

• State-controlled economy replaces capitalism

📉 Great Depression

Causes

• Stock market crash (1929)

• Overproduction

• Global economic interdependence

Effects

• Massive unemployment worldwide

• Collapse of global trade

• Rise of extremist leaders

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Global economic inequality persists

Changes

• Governments take bigger role in economies (welfare, regulation)

Causation

Depression → desperation → rise of dictators

🧨 Rise of Authoritarianism

Key Leaders

• Adolf Hitler

• Benito Mussolini

• Joseph Stalin

Causes

• Economic instability

• Weak democracies

• National humiliation (Germany esp.)

Key Features

• Propaganda

• Militarism

• Suppression of dissent

• Expansionism

Effects

• Human rights abuses

• Aggressive foreign policy → WWII

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Authoritarian rule still common globally

Changes

• Use of mass propaganda and modern tech to control people

🌎 World War II

Causes

• Treaty of Versailles resentment

• Expansion (Germany, Japan, Italy)

• Appeasement failure

Key Developments

• Blitzkrieg warfare

• Holocaust

• Atomic bombs

Effects

• ~70 million deaths

• Creation of United Nations

• U.S. & USSR become superpowers

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• War still central to global politics

Changes

• Nuclear weapons introduced

• Decolonization begins

• Europe declines in power

❄ UNIT 8: COLD WAR & DECOLONIZATION

🧊 Cold War

Causes

• Ideological conflict:

  • Capitalism (U.S.)

  • Communism (USSR)

Key Developments

• Arms race (nuclear weapons)

• Space race

• Formation of alliances (NATO vs Warsaw Pact)

Key Events

• Cuban Missile Crisis

• Berlin Wall

Effects

• Constant global tension

• Fear of nuclear war

• Indirect wars (proxy wars)

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Great power rivalry continues

Changes

• Wars shift from direct → indirect (proxy wars)

• Nuclear deterrence replaces traditional warfare

🔥 Proxy Wars

Examples

• Korea

• Vietnam

• Afghanistan

Causes

• Superpower competition

• Fear of ideological spread

Effects

• Devastation in developing countries

• Political instability

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Wars still common

Changes

• Local conflicts become globalized

🌍 Decolonization

Causes

• European weakness after WWII

• Rise of nationalism

• Influence of WWII ideals (freedom)

Methods

Peaceful

• India → Mahatma Gandhi

Violent

• Algeria

• Vietnam

Effects

• Creation of new nations

• Borders often unstable

• Economic struggles

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Economic dependence on former colonizers

Changes

• Political independence achieved

• New national identities

Causation

WWII → weak Europe → independence movements → new states

🌐 Post-Colonial Challenges

Issues

• Poverty

• Corruption

• Ethnic conflict

Effects

• Continued instability

• Foreign influence (Cold War involvement)

🌐 UNIT 9: GLOBALIZATION

💰 Economic Globalization

Causes

• Technological advances

• Trade agreements

• Global institutions

Key Organizations

• World Trade Organization

• International Monetary Fund

• World Bank

Effects

• Increased global trade

• Outsourcing jobs

• Growing inequality gap

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Core-periphery inequality remains

Changes

• Faster global connections

• Rise of multinational corporations

🌎 Cultural Globalization

Causes

• Internet

• Media

• Migration

Effects

• Spread of Western culture

• Cultural blending (hybridization)

• Cultural resistance

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Cultural exchange has always existed

Changes

• Speed and scale massively increased

🌱 Environmental Issues

Causes

• Industrialization

• Population growth

Effects

• Climate change

• Pollution

• Resource depletion

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Humans impact environment

Changes

• Impact now global and severe

👥 Social Movements

Examples

• Civil rights

• Feminism

• LGBTQ+ rights

Causes

• Inequality

• Global communication

Effects

• Legal reforms

• Greater awareness

Continuities & Changes

Continuities

• Struggles for equality persist

Changes

• Movements become global, more organized

🧠 FINAL BIG-PATTERN CONNECTIONS (SUPER IMPORTANT)

🔗 Major Causation Chains

• WWI → WWII

• WWII → Cold War

• Cold War → Proxy wars & global tension

• WWII → Decolonization

• Industrialization → Globalization

🔄 Core Continuities Across Units

• Inequality between nations

• Conflict driven by power

• Influence of ideology

🔀 Major Changes Across Units

• Warfare → nuclear & indirect

• Empires → nation-states

• Local economies → global economy

• Slow communication → instant globalization

If you want next-level prep, I can:

•  Turn this into a DBQ with documents + full essay

•  Give you LEQ prompts with perfect-scoring outlines

• Or  make a 1-page cram sheet with ONLY what’s tested most