AP Exam

AP World History Exam Study Guide

This study guide provides a comprehensive overview of the AP World History exam, covering key themes, periods, and strategies for success.

I. Exam Structure

The AP World History exam is divided into two sections:

  1. Section I: Multiple Choice and Short Answer

    • Part A: Multiple Choice (55 questions, 55 minutes, 40% of exam score)
    • Part B: Short Answer (3 questions, 40 minutes, 20% of exam score)

  2. Section II: Free Response Questions (FRQ)

    • Document-Based Question (DBQ) (60 minutes, 25% of exam score)
    • Long Essay Question (LEQ) (40 minutes, 15% of exam score)
II. Key Themes

  1. Humans and the Environment (ENV)

    • Demography and disease
    • Migration
    • Patterns of settlement
    • Technology

  2. Cultural Developments and Interactions (CDI)

    • Religions
    • Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies
    • Science and technology
    • The arts and architecture

  3. Governance (GOV)

    • Forms of political organization
    • Empires
    • Nations and nationalism
    • Revolts and revolutions
    • Regional, transregional, and global organizations

  4. Economic Systems (ECN)

    • Agricultural and pastoral production
    • Trade and commerce
    • Labor systems
    • Industrialization
    • Capitalism and socialism

  5. Social Interactions and Organization (SIO)

    • Gender roles and relations
    • Family and kinship
    • Racial and ethnic constructions
    • Social and economic classes

  6. Technology and Innovation (TEC)

    • Impact of technology on society
III. Historical Periods

  1. Period 1: Technological and Environmental Transformations (c. 8000 BCE – c. 600 BCE)

    • The Neolithic Revolution
    • Early civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and China

  2. Period 2: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies (c. 600 BCE – c. 600 CE)

    • Classical civilizations: Greece, Rome, Han China, and Mauryan/Gupta India
    • Major belief systems: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Christianity

  3. Period 3: Regional and Interregional Interactions (c. 600 CE – c. 1450 CE)

    • The rise of Islam
    • The Tang and Song Dynasties in China
    • Developments in Europe: Feudalism and the Crusades
    • The Mongol Empire
    • Trade routes: Silk Road, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan

  4. Period 4: Global Interactions (c. 1450 CE – c. 1750 CE)

    • The Renaissance and the Reformation
    • Maritime exploration and the Columbian Exchange
    • The rise of the Ottoman, Mughal, and Qing Empires
    • The Atlantic slave trade

  5. Period 5: Industrialization and Global Integration (c. 1750 CE – c. 1900 CE)

    • The Industrial Revolution
    • The French Revolution and Napoleon
    • Imperialism and colonialism
    • Nationalism and nation-state formation

  6. Period 6: Accelerating Global Change and Realignments (c. 1900 CE – Present)

    • World War I and World War II
    • The Cold War
    • Decolonization
    • Globalization
IV. Strategies for Success
  1. Understand the Question: Read each question carefully to identify what it is asking.
  2. Plan Your Response: Before writing, create a brief outline to organize your thoughts.
  3. Use Evidence: Support your arguments with specific historical evidence.
  4. Analyze and Explain: Don't just state facts; explain their significance and connect them to the question.
  5. Practice Time Management: Allocate your time wisely to ensure you complete all sections.
  6. Review Key Concepts: Regularly review key concepts, themes, and historical periods.
  7. Practice with Past Exams: Use past AP World History exams for practice.
V. Essential Skills
  1. Historical Argumentation: Construct and support arguments using historical evidence.
  2. Causation: Analyze cause-and-effect relationships.
  3. Comparison: Identify and explain similarities and differences.
  4. Continuity and Change Over Time: Analyze patterns of continuity and change.
  5. Periodization: Explain ways historical events are organized into periods.
  6. Interpretation: Analyze different historical interpretations.
VI. Key Vocabulary
  • Civilization: A complex society with cities, organized government, art, religion, class divisions, and a writing system.
  • Empire: A large political unit in which a number of different lands or peoples are governed by a single ruler.
  • Nationalism: A feeling of pride, loyalty, and protectiveness toward one'