One important theme in AP World History is political organization or governance. Questions on the exam will ask you to explain different types of government and how they have changed over time. You'll also need to describe how countries maintain their power.
I'm a licensed teacher and professional tutor with over ten years of experience in education. I've helped dozens of students improve their grades in their AP World History class. This article will cover different aspects of political organization. It will also show you relevant examples from AP World History. Read on for tips you can use to improve your grades today!
Note: This post is part of a series on historical themes covered in AP World History. A common way to remember these themes is using the acronym SPICE-T. You can learn more about the basics of historical themes and SPICE-T at this link.
Political Organization
Definition
Political organization describes a country's government. It also describes the people who work in or for the government. The College Board refers to this as "governance."
Military and War
A military requires a lots of organization and money. There are some exceptions, but most militaries exist because of governments. Few other groups have enough resources to organize a military. Maintaining a military allows the government to achieve specific goals. These goals may be offensive or defensive. The Gunpowder Empires show a connection between the government and the military. The Gunpowder Empires formed because they gained a military advantage over their neighbors. They were able to secure reliable access to gunpowder. As a result, they could form larger armies and gain advantages by using guns. This meant they could expand by conquering neighboring groups.
Imperialism and Conquest
Imperialism is the process of forming and maintaining an empire. An empire is a type of government where one group rules over one or more other groups. This is often done by conquering different groups of people. Imperialism can also occur when one country controls another country's economy or governance. This can occur without a full-fledged invasion. The Mongols created the largest continuous empire in World History. At it's height, they had conquered most of Asia and ruled a quarter of the world's population. The sheer size of this empire meant that it was very diverse. Many different religious and ethnic groups lived in the Mongol Empire.
Legal System
Most governments create a legal system. This system outlines various crimes and punishments for specific crimes. Legal systems also explain how to determine if someone is guilty or innocent. In some places, legal systems are informal or unwritten. One reason why Islam spread through the Indian Ocean basin was its legal system. Islamic law provides clear guidance for creating contracts and resolving disputes. This reduced risk for merchants because they only had to worry about one set of laws. It was more difficult and risky to navigate many legal systems. This encouraged people to convert. It also encouraged non-Muslim rulers to allow Muslims to use their own courts.
Government
A government is a way of organizing and controlling a community. In AP World History, we focus on governments that rule over countries or empires. Smaller communities also form their own local governments. People may organize a city government or a government for a specific religious group. One system of government is a republic. The Enlightenment philosophers proposed this as an alternative to monarchies. In a republic, a country's citizens vote for their political leaders. These political leaders would then make decisions on behalf of the public.
Administrators and Bureaucrats
Administrators are people who carry out tasks in a government. Administrators are also called bureaucrats. The tasks they do keep the government running on a day-to-day basis. They collect taxes and oversee projects. They also issue permits and write reports. Administrators are often appointed or hired. China's scholar-bureaucrats had high status. Each bureaucrat had to take the civil service exams. People who earned higher scores got better positions in the government. They were responsible for carrying out day-to-day government tasks. They collected taxes, kept records, and gave aid out after disasters.
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