AP World History Study Guide

AP World History Study Guide Unit 1: The Global Tapestry (8%-10% of the AP test) (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 1.1 Developments in East Asia from c. 1200 to c. 1450

CHINA

• Significance of the Song Dynasty (960-1279):
    - Great wealth and political stability.
    - Flourishing artistic and intellectual innovations.
    - Developed the greatest manufacturing capability in the world.
    - Became the most commercialized society, transitioning from local to market production.
    - Spread of Buddhism and Confucianism.   - Expanded bureaucracy through meritocracy, enhancing social mobility.

Economic Developments in Postclassical China

• The Grand Canal:
    - An efficient waterway transportation system that established China as the most populous trading area in the world.

• Gunpowder:
    - The technology spread from China to Eurasia via Silk Roads traders.

• Agriculture:
    - Elaborate irrigation systems and heavy plows pulled by water buffalo or oxen increased productivity.
    - Food production surged, resulting in a rapid population increase.

• Tribute System:
    - States paid money or provided goods as tribute to honor the Chinese emperor, creating a flow of income.

Social Structures in China

• Government initiatives included aid to the poor and public hospitals for care.

• Women were expected to defer to men, exemplified by foot binding practices.

Religious Diversity in China

• Buddhism:
    - Arrived from India via Silk Roads. Influenced by three forms — Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan Buddhism.
    - Adherence to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

• Neo-Confucianism:
    - Evolved between 770 and 840, synthesizing rational thought with Daoism and Buddhism.

JAPAN

Feudalism

• For centuries, Japan operated as a feudal society without central governance.

• Landowning aristocrats (daimyo) vied for control, while most were rice farmers.

Government

• In 1192, the Minamoto clan established the first shogunate (military government) that ruled for four centuries, marked by regional conflicts among aristocrats.

• A unified central government was established only in the 17th century.

KOREA

Connection to China

• Korea maintained a direct relationship with China, characterized by a tributary system.

• Adopted a centralized government modeled after Chinese practices.

• Cultural adoption of Confucianism and Buddhism combined with local traditions.

• Aristocracy:
    - A more powerful landed aristocracy in Korea limited social mobility compared to China.

VIETNAM

Social Structures

• Vietnamese women enjoyed more independence compared to their Chinese counterparts following Confucian norms.

• Preference for nuclear families (parents and children living together).

• Political centralization was weak, with villages operating independently.

• Established a merit-based bureaucracy, prioritizing loyalty to village peasants over the central emperor.

TOPIC 1.2 Developments in Dar al-Islam from c. 1200 to c. 1450

Innovations

• Advances in Mathematics:
    - Nasir al-Din al-Tusi advanced trigonometry as a distinct discipline.

• Advances in Literature:
    - ‘A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah emerged as a notable female Muslim author before the 20th century, chronicling her spiritual journey.

• Advances in Medicine:
    - Improvement of medical care in hospitals like those in Cairo; introduction of licensing examinations for physicians.

Social Structures

• Merchants held a prestigious status in Islamic society, unlike in Europe and Asia.

• Revival of trade on the Silk Roads fostered immense wealth among merchants in the Indian Ocean and Central Asia.

• Women's Status:
    - Higher than their Christian or Jewish counterparts; women could inherit property, retain ownership post-marriage, receive cash settlements in divorce, and have access to birth control.

Transfers

• Preservation and commentary on Greek moral and natural philosophy through institutions like the House of Wisdom in Abbasid Baghdad.

• Scholarly exchanges flourished in Muslim and Christian Spain.

Islamic Rule in Spain

• Muslim forces invaded Spain in 711, ruling for seven centuries with a backdrop of concurrent Christian dominance.

• Under Umayyad Córdoba, religious tolerance allowed Muslims, Christians, and Jews to coexist peacefully, fostering substantial trade that integrated Chinese and Southeast Asian products.

TOPIC 1.3 Developments in South and Southeast Asia from c. 1200 to c. 1450

SOUTH ASIA

Political Structures in South Asia

• Southern India, under the Chola Dynasty (850-1267), witnessed stability, while northern India faced instability and turmoil post-Gupta Empire.

• The Delhi Sultanate:
    - Ruled for three centuries from the 13th to 16th centuries, marking the introduction of Islam into India.

Religion in South Asia

• Predominantly Hindu before the arrival of Islam; significant differences between Hinduism and Islam (monotheism vs. polytheism, caste system vs. equality).

• Bhakti Movement:
    - Beginning in the 12th century, some Hindus emphasized emotional devotion to deities over ritualistic practices.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Influences from South Asia

• Strong influence from South Asia on Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

Sea-Based Kingdoms

• Srivijaya Empire (670-1025):
    - A Hindu maritime kingdom based in Sumatra, profiting from fees on ships navigating between India and China.

• Majapahit Kingdom (1293-1520):
    - A Buddhist kingdom based in Java with extensive tributary relations at its peak.

Land-Based Kingdoms

• Sinhala Dynasties:
    - Established in Sri Lanka with a heritage rooted in early Indian immigrant communities and becoming a center of Buddhist learning.

• Khmer Empire (802-1431):
    - Located near the Mekong River; achieved prosperity through sophisticated irrigation and drainage systems.

TOPIC 1.4 State Building in the Americas

THE MISISSIPPIAN CULTURE

• North America’s first large-scale civilization, initiated in the Mississippi River Valley, characterized by a rigid class structure with matrilineal social organization.

THE MAYA CITY-STATES

• The height of the Maya civilization lasted from 250 to 900 CE, spanning southern Mexico and present-day Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala.

• Government centered around city-states, each ruled by a king who claimed divine heritage.

• Mayan societal structure linked science, particularly astronomy, with religion.

THE AZTECS

• Initially hunter-gatherers from the north, the Aztecs established Tenochtitlan in 1325, forming a significant urban center with advanced infrastructure (aqueducts, pyramids).

• Developed a tributary system and a theocratic government, prioritizing worship of numerous deities through elaborate rituals and human sacrifice.

• Women's contributions to the tribute system, notably in textile production, were vital to economic stability.

THE INCA

• Comprised four provinces, each with its governance; implemented the mit’a system for mandatory public service instead of tribute.

• Revered Inti, the sun god, and priests carried roles across various societal functions including diagnosis and sacrifice decisions.

• Utilized terrace farming techniques for crop cultivation, successfully growing potatoes and maize; conquered by Spain in 1533.

TOPIC 1.5 State Building in Africa

Political Structures in Inland Africa

• Bantu-speaking migrations shaped Sub-Saharan Africa, creating kin-based networks for self-governance.

• Villages consolidated into districts governed by collaborative chiefs.

Political Structures of West and East Africa

• Trade facilitated wealth and cultural diversity; Islam's spread increased the continent's religious complexities.

• Mali:
    - Emerged as the foremost trading society following declines of Ghana; greatly profiting from the gold trade.

• Zimbabwe:
    - Societal prosperity was dependent on agriculture and gold mining.

• Ethiopia:
    - Flourished through trade with India, Arabia, and the Roman Empire, following the spread of Christianity from the Mediterranean region.

Social Structures of Sub-Saharan Africa

• Societies organized around kinship, age, and gender structures.

• Gender roles: Men dominated skilled professions while women engaged in agriculture and gathering.

• The demand for enslaved labor led to the Indian Ocean slave trade with the Middle East.

Cultural Life in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Traditional religions involved ancestor veneration, with music serving as communication with the spiritual realm.

• Distinctive rhythmic patterns intermingled with vocal and percussive elements characterize African music.

TOPIC 1.6 Developments in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450

Feudalism: Political and Social Systems

• Provided security for peasants, equipped warriors, and allocated land to serfs working for lords.

• Wealth measured in land and agricultural output rather than currency.

• The manorial system ensured economic self-sufficiency, limiting external trade.

Political Trends in the Later Middle Ages

• Growth of powerful monarchies reduced the influence of feudal lords through bureaucratic governance and military strength.

• King Philip II of France was instrumental in developing bureaucracy in the middle ages.

The Estates-General

• Advisory body consisting of representatives from three estates (clergy, nobility, commoners) in France, influencing governance.

Hundred Years' War

• Fought between England and France from 1337 to 1453, fostering a sense of unity among soldiers despite linguistic differences.

Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages

• The Great Schism of 1054 split Christianity into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches.

• Played a pivotal role in education, establishing the first universities in Europe.

• Most thinkers of this period were religious figures, with the Church accumulating significant power and wealth.

Christian Crusades

• Motivated by the desire to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control, driven by economic and social pressures within 11th-century Europe.

Economic and Social Change

• Growth of the middle class, known as the bourgeoisie, encompassing shopkeepers and merchants.

• Urbanization promoted populations in cities, establishing a market economy.

• Jews faced widespread discrimination and expulsion from various European nations, while Muslims faced similar prejudice, exemplified by the Spanish Inquisition leading to diaspora.

Renaissance

• Cultural movement characterized by a revival of interest in classical literature and art, emerging from increased trade and interactions with the Muslim world.

• The invention of the movable-type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg facilitated the spread of literature and ideas.

TOPIC 1.7 Comparisons in the Period from c. 1200 to c. 1450

State-Building and New Empires

• The Song Dynasty in China continued progressive governance.

• The Abbasid Caliphate fragmented under invasions.

- Centralized governments emerged in Mali, while the Aztecs and Incas exemplified tributary and mit’a systems respectively.

Four Types of State-Building

State-Building through Trade

• Increased trade led to technology and innovation exchanges; for instance, paper manufacturing originated in China and facilitated European literacy growth.

Patriarchy and Religion

• Most cultures showcased patriarchal structures, though convents and religious communities offered women education and influence.

• In China, foot binding signaled declining women’s independence.

Unit 2: Network of Exchange: 8%-10% of the AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 2.1 The Silk Roads

Causes of the Growth of Exchange Networks

• The Crusades facilitated the East-West exchange expansion, introducing Eastern fabrics and spices to Europe.

• The Rise of the Mongol Empire:
    - Unified parts of the Silk Roads under a single authority, enhancing safety and trade efficiency.

• Transportation Improvements:
    - Such as saddle innovations for camels and advancements in naval technology (rudder and magnetic compass).

Effects of the Growth of Exchange Networks

• Cities along transit routes for trade became commercial hubs.

• China’s response to increasing trade was the development of credit systems, notably flying cash.

• The growing luxury goods demand fuelled production increases, notably irony and steel manufacturing, leading to early industrialization in China.

TOPIC 2.2 The Mongol Empire and the Making of the Modern World

Genghis Khan

• Initiated campaigns in the early 13th century, conquering the Jin Empire and Islamic territories, culminating in an empire stretching across Asia.

• Promoted religious tolerance within his empire, enabling diverse faith coexistence.

The Mongolian Empire's Expansion

• Genghis Khan's successors established kingdoms, further broadening Mongolian influence.

• 1236 invasion of Russia led by Batu established the Golden Horde, collecting tributes and integrating Russian principalities into the Mongolian domain.

Long-Term Impacts of Mongolian Invasions

• Established the largest contiguous land empire, enhancing trade routes and transferring knowledge across Eurasia.

• Influenced changes towards centralization in post-Mongolian Europe.

TOPIC 2.3 Exchange in the Indian Ocean

Causes of Expanded Exchange in the Indian Ocean

• Islam spread, enhancing trade connections; network demands escalated for specialized products.

• Maritime innovations boosted trade revenues and conflicts over labor, particularly through the enslaved populations.

Effects of Expanded Exchange in the Indian Ocean

• Trade augmentation led to cultural diasporas and wealth concentration in city-states like those on East Africa’s coast, notably the Swahili states.

TOPIC 2.4 Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Trans-Saharan Trade

• By the 8th century, renowned for significant African trade, specifically gold.

• Major West African kingdoms like Ghana and Mali flourished economically.

West African Empire Expansion

• The Mali government profited from taxing trade routes, enhancing cities like Timbuktu into educational and commercial hubs, promoting Islam.

TOPIC 2.5 Cultural Consequences of Connectivity

Influence of Buddhism on East Asian Culture

• Buddhism entered China from India, growing in popularity with figures like Xuanzang.

• Korea and Japan adopted Buddhism alongside Confucianism, influencing social structures.

Spread of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam

• Indian religions expanded through trade, notably influencing cultural practices in Southeast Asia.

Scientific and Technological Innovations

• Islamic scholars preserved and translated classic texts, making significant advancements in various fields, including medicine and mathematics.

TOPIC 2.6 Environmental Consequences of Connectivity

Agricultural Effects of Exchange Networks

• China’s population growth necessitated southward migration, stressing local resources.

Spread of Epidemics through Exchange Networks

• The Mongolian conquests facilitated the spread of the Bubonic Plague, resulting in catastrophic population declines across Europe and Asia.

TOPIC 2.7 Comparison of Economic Exchange

• Similarities among Networks of Exchange:
    - Silk Roads: specialized luxury goods.
    - Indian Ocean: facilitated bulk goods trade, leveraging monsoon winds.
    - Trans-Saharan routes: salt trade with gold-rich West Africa.

Exchange Effects

• Brokerage cities emerged as vital nodes within trade networks, influencing wealth distribution and centralization dynamics.

Unit 3: Land-Based Empires: 12%-15% of the AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 3.1 Empires Expand

The Gunpowder Empires

• Definition: Large multi-ethnic empires reliant on firearms for expansion and control, including Russian, Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires.

EUROPE

• By the mid-15th century, Europe saw the close of the plague wave and the diminishing Hundred Years’ War; breakthroughs in literacy marked the rise of new knowledge frameworks.

RUSSIA

• Linked to Europe closely in location and influence; expansionist pursuits began under Ivan IV.

EAST ASIA

• Following the Mongol Yuan Dynasty's fall, Ming Dynasty emerged until 1644, culminating in the Qing's rise.

TOPIC 3.2 Empires: Administration

Centralizing Control in Europe

• England: Belief in divine right under King James; reliance on justices of the peace for order maintenance.

• France: Evolved towards absolute monarchy with figures like Louis XIV asserting centralized authority.

RUSSIAN EMPIRE

• The boyars (nobles) retained significant power over serfs and merchants; Peter the Great modernized state structures.

LEGITIMIZING POWER through Religion and Art

• Built St. Petersburg to signify closer ties with Western Europe and promote culture.

• Askia the Great unified Songhai through Islamic professing and bureaucratic efficiency.

• Artistic contributions flourished in Istanbul, especially under Ottoman patronage.

TOPIC 3.3 Belief Systems

Protestant Reformation

• Lutheranism: Martin Luther’s 95 Theses opposed Church malpractices, advocating for salvation through faith.

• Calvinism: John Calvin’s writings emphasized predestination and established a governance model around the elect in Geneva.

• Anglicanism: Establishment of the Church of England by Henry VIII to assert autonomy from papal rule.

Counter-Reformation

• Strategies: Increased Inquisition activity, promotion by the Jesuits, and reforms established at the Council of Trent to assert Catholicism’s role.

WARS OF RELIGION

• Notably, the Peace of Augsburg legalized Lutheranism in German states and the Edict of Nantes granted Huguenots rights in France.

• The Thirty Years’ War ensued, devastating much of Europe, culminating in territorial and religious alterations.

SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION

• Trend of empiricism began, led by thinkers like Francis Bacon.

TOPIC 3.4 Comparison in Land-Based Empires

Military Might

• Utilizing slave armies (Janissaries, Ghulams) helped counter tribal loyalties; territorial conflicts marked Ottoman and Safavid borders.

Centralized Bureaucracy

• Each empire implemented taxation strategies to support religious adherence and peasants, with varying degrees of success across empires.

UNIT 4: Transoceanic Interconnections: 12%-15% of the AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 4.1 Technological Innovations

• Innovations in transoceanic travel culminated with Columbus's voyages linking Afro-Eurasia and the Americas; commodities exchanged included sugar, tobacco, and enslaved labor.

CLASSICAL, ISLAMIC, and ASIAN TECHNOLOGY

• Advances like gravity discovery influenced navigational techniques.

• Improvements in cartography and vessel design enhanced trade efficiency.

TOPIC 4.2 Explorations: Causes and Events

TOPIC 4.3 Columbian Exchange

Diseases and Population Catastrophe

• Indigenous resistance to European disease led to significant mortality rates; smallpox was particularly devastating.

Animals and Foods

• Introduction of livestock like horses transformed indigenous cultures; crops like maize returned to Europe, incentivizing agricultural diversity.

Cash Crops and Forced Labor

• Growth of sugar brought about extensive African slave trade; harsh labor conditions in plantations led to high mortality among workers.

TOPIC 4.4 Maritime Empires Established

State-Building and Empire Expansion

• Portuguese exploration advanced through Kongo and Benin; attempts to Japanese isolation intensified.

TOPIC 4.5 Economic Imperialism

Types of Labor

• Distinct systems emerged, including slave labor, serfdom, indentured servitude, and free peasant systems.

TOPIC 4.6 Causes of Migration

Migration Through Labor Systems

• Mobility connected by labor draw, dictating migration patterns among Indian, Chinese, and Japanese workers seeking new opportunities in emerging economies.

TOPIC 4.7 Effects of Migration

• Ethnic enclaves formed in diverse urban areas; significant prejudice persisted, notably against Chinese immigrants through legislation that limited their rights.

UNIT 5: Revolutions: 12%-15% of the AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 5.1 The Enlightenment

Important Thinkers of the Enlightenment

• Feminism: Olympe de Gouges fought for women's rights, while Mary Wollstonecraft advocated for women’s education in the late 18th century.

TOPIC 5.2 Nationalism and Revolutions in the Period from 1750 to 1900

The French Revolution

• Summary: Revolution began in the late 1780s, marked by the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.

• The Reign of Terror highlighted internal conflict and suppression.

The Haitian Revolution

• Inspired by preceding revolutionary movements, led by Toussaint L’Ouverture towards Haitian independence.

Nationalism and Unification in Europe

• The Unification of Italy involved leaders like Cavour and Garibaldi; German Unification involved Bismarck’s realpolitik approach.

TOPIC 5.3 Industrial Revolution Begins

Growth of Technology

• Key inventions like the spinning jenny and water frame revolutionized textile manufacturing.

Britain’s Industrial Advantages

• Britain’s access to resources and colonies made it a frontrunner in the Industrial Revolution.

TOPIC 5.5 Technology of the Industrial Age

A Second Industrial Revolution

• Introduced new practices in steel, chemicals, and electrification, transforming modern industrial capabilities and societal norms overall.

TOPIC 5.7 Economic Developments and Innovations in the Industrial Age

• New business organizational forms and mass culture emerged as a direct consequence of industrial advancement, impacting societal structure and worker rights.

UNIT 6: Consequences of Industrialization: 12%-15% of AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 6.1 Rationales for Imperialism

• Economic, cultural, and nationalist motives driving imperialism shape global dynamics post-Industrial Revolution.

TOPIC 6.2 State Expansions from 1750 to 1900

• Colonial borders often disregarded local cultures, leading to conflict and instability in newly formed states.

TOPIC 6.4 Global Economic Developments from 1750 to 1900

• Transportation developments and mutually beneficial trade agreements shaped colonial economic structures; global trade patterns were significantly altered in this era.

TOPIC 6.5 Economic Imperialism in Asia

• The East Indian Company and Dutch Economic policies defined respective regional politics, leading to intense competition.

TOPIC 6.6 Causes of Migration in an Interconnected World

• Mobility among labor systems reflects global economic demands, with significant movements arising to meet industrial demands.

TOPIC 6.7 Effects of Migration

• Social dynamics in receiving countries evolve as immigrant populations affect cultural landscapes.

UNIT 7: Global Conflict: 8%-10% of AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 7.1 Shifting Powers After 1900

• Russia's internal strife and external conflicts weakened its power stance leading to revolutions and shifts in governance.

TOPIC 7.3 Conducting World War I

• Key roles of new military technology altered the landscape of warfare, while U.S. entry was pivotal in the war's outcome.

Economic and Political Unrest post-WWI

• Economic conditions, particularly the Great Depression, set the stage for political revolutions across nations post-war.

UNIT 8: Cold War and Decolonization: 8%-10% of the AP test (c. 1200 to c. 1450)

TOPIC 8.1 Setting the Stage for the Cold War

• Alliances formed during the war lay grounds for emerging tensions between East and West blocks.

TOPIC 8.5 Decolonization After 1900

• Rise of nationalist movements in Asia and Africa, particularly in India and Algeria, reshaping political alliances and identities.

TOPIC 8.6 Newly Independent States

• Israel's fragments from the Zionist movement served as a focal point for geopolitical tensions that persisted throughout the era.

Women Gain Power in South Asia

• Political transitions facilitated women’s empowerment, leading to historic roles in governance within emerging nations.