One important theme in AP World History is technology and innovation. Questions on the exam will ask you to identify new technological developments and track the impact of those changes.
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 what counts as technology and innovation AND 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.
Table of Contents
Technology and Innovation
Definition
Finally, the last category! Both of these terms refer to the process of creating or improving tools. Innovation can also refer to scientific or intellectual breakthroughs. In AP World History, our goal is not to name different scientific advancements. We also want to understand how technology and innovation affected people.
Innovation
Innovation is the broader term in this category. Innovation refers to human discovery and development of new scientific ideas. It can also describe the process of making an existing theory or product better. One influential scholar was Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. He helped translate ancient Greek writings on math and science into Arabic. This helped these ideas spread throughout the Islamic World. Al-Tusi also made several contributions to the field of astronomy. He developed the Tusi Couple to calculate the movements of the planets. He predicted that many stars make up the Milky Way before technology existed to verify this. He also helped establish trigonometry as a separate mathematical field.
Technology
Technology refers to tools that humans use to achieve their goals. Developing new technology requires humans to use their understanding of science. Today, we use the word "technology" to refer to computers and machines. It is important to note that in AP World History, the definition is much wider. Many forms of technology do not need electricity to help people achieve goals. One of the most important innovations in human history is the lateen sail. A lateen sail is a triangular sail. The shape of the sail makes it easier for ships to change direction. This could help ships travel faster, avoid dangers, and outmaneuver hostile ships. Lateen sails were simple. People only needed rope, cloth, and wood to make a lateen sail. In AP World History, they count as technology. They made it easier for humans to achieve their goals and solve problems.
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