AP World History is a great class to consider taking in high school. However, everyone's situation is unique, and it can be difficult to know if this course will be a good fit for you.
Of course, many people are interested in the academic benefits. Like all Advanced Placement courses, you can earn college credit by scoring high enough on the exam in May. AP classes are one way to take challenging coursework in high school. This is appealing to admissions boards, but it also helps students develop skills that improve the likelihood of success after college. AP World History skills improve their reading and writing skills. They also gain knowledge about the world and it's people.
The other major consideration is interest. AP classes are more challenging and require more effort than most classes. It's easier to be successful in a class if the material is interesting. I'm a professional tutor who has helped dozens of students succeed in their classes. I wrote up this article so you can get a preview of the course. That way, you can decide if this course is a good fit for you.
Note: This article focuses on the content in AP World History. Click here if you are more interested in the types of questions that appear on the AP World History exam.
Period 1: 1200 - 1450 CE
Unit 1: The Global Tapestry
Unit 2: Networks of Exchange
This is where we get into the real heart of the course! Love them or hate them, first up is the Mongols. Under the leadership of Genghis Khan, they created the largest land empire ever. In the process they toppled both of the previous world powers, Song China and the Abbasid Caliphate. In the 1200s! With no phones, internet, radios, trains, planes, or automobiles! It's incredible.
The other major theme of this unit is trade networks. There are three big ones in Africa, Europe, and Asia during this time. One that crosses the Sahara Desert, one that crosses the Indian Ocean, and another one that crosses ALL OF ASIA. The course covers the technological, economic, and political changes that made this possible, and in doing so highlights how incredible the whole endeavor was. I couldn't get across my county with a magnetic compass, to say nothing of an ocean or an ocean of sand!
Finally, the unit comes to an untimely end with the spread of the Black Plague. The Mongol Empire and Europe are reduced to shambles, and the Silk Roads never recover. On the upside, the Indian Ocean trade network flourishes, and with it a whole new set of empires.
Period 2: 1450 - 1750 CE
Unit 3: Land-Based Empires
This unit focuses on groups of people who rose to power after the Mongol Empire collapsed. Their weakening empire caused a power vacuum that other groups were able to exploit. Many of these groups were able to expand their empires because the Mongols introduced gunpowder to their regions. Groups that successfully adapted this technology to warfare gained a huge advantage over their neighbors. This includes the Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire, and Mughal Empire. We call these three empires the Gunpowder Empires.
Other empires also formed during this time. In China, the Ming Dynasty flourished after its founders removed Mongol control of the government. The Qing Dynasty followed the Ming Dynasty. The Russian Empire also formed as Mongols were unable to maintain control of the edges of their territory. In the Americas, the Incan and Aztec Empires flourished.
All of these empires needed to centralize and legitimize their power. Centralizing power means giving power to one national government, instead of many local governments. In the case of empires, it was often the emperor who wanted to control as much power as possible. Of course, nobles and peasants often objected to losing power or the way that the emperor used it. This made it important for rulers to legitimize their power. This means that they had to convince other people that they were the rightful ruler. If done effectively, this prevented being murdered in their sleep.
Rulers used many strategies during this time to legitimize their rule. First, they used religion and religious ideas. Some rulers claimed that a god or gods had specifically chosen them for the job. Others gave money to the church or built religious buildings to gain favor with religious leaders. These religious leaders would often promote the ruler's good deeds to their followers while also discouraging rebellions. Rulers also spent money on monumental architecture, art, literature, and science. They demonstrated that ruler had a lot of money, and enough control over the country to coordinate large groups of people. In other words, not to be messed with. Rulers funded art, literature, and science for the same reasons. Enough coordination and money to spend on nonessential things meant a country could also fund a formidable military.
Of course, all of this requires coordination and money. As a result, we see significant expansion in bureaucracies during this period. Bureaucrats helped run the government by collecting taxes, recruiting soldiers, and paying workers. The most successful empires during this time developed extensive bureaucracies that helped the ruler legitimize and centralize power.
Unit 4: Transoceanic Interactions
Europe lagged behind while impressive empires developed in the Americas and Asia. The Bubonic Plague led to mass famines and the collapse of many European economies. European governments did not have a tradition of centralizing power and using bureaucrats. This made Europe much weaker than Asian or American empires.
Europeans found a new way to exert power: the ocean. People had been using the sea to trade, explore, and travel to important cities for centuries. However, the oceans remained a distinct threat. Travelers typically stayed close to shore and only ventured out into larger bodies of water in times of desperation. Being blown off course meant a slow and certain death. No good.
Europeans changed this. First, they adopted knowledge and technology from older civilizations in Europe. They combined these ideas with new technology and knowledge that traveled to Europe through trade routes. Then, they created new technologies, including larger, faster, and more nimble ships. Larger ships and better navigational technology made it possible for Europeans to travel long distances, further from shore, without facing probable death.
Like other groups during this time, Europeans used new technology to improve their economic position and assert their power. Previous empires had typically conquered people who lived just outside the empire's borders. Europeans created empires that were connected by oceans. In Asia and Africa, ships helped establish and defend trading posts that enriched Europeans. In the Americas, Europeans used their ships to transport thousands of soldiers to conquer indigenous peoples. Then, they connected existing trade networks on both sides of the Atlantic.
The consequences of these voyages is significant. For the first time, it was possible to have sustained trade across the Atlantic Ocean. Europeans, and animals they brought with them, unwittingly introduced dozens of new diseases to the Americas. These diseases killed millions of people. While the introduction of disease was usually inadvertent, Europeans did capitalize on the chaos to conquer Native peoples and often failed to render aid to those who were suffering. Conquest exacerbated disease outbreaks. Indigenous people often fled from oncoming armies, and Europeans forced indigenous people to move after conquering them. This weakened people's immune systems and caused diseases to spread to new places.
European conquest also created the first global trade networks. Animals and plants moved from one side of the globe to the other. In Asia and Europe, this caused significant population growth. New crops could be grown in areas that other groups did poorly in, and they often provided nutrition that was missing in traditional diets. In the Americas, several imported plants flourished. Sugar, indigo, and rice were all popular and could be transported over long distances. Demand for these products led to the development of plantations and the expansion of coerced labor. Millions of people from Africa and the Americas were enslaved to grow cash crops that enriched Europeans.
Period 3: 1750 - 1900 CE
Units 5 and 6 take place in a new time period. This time period starts in 1750 CE. Like before, this is when the previous time period ended. By this time period, Europeans have colonized most of the Americas. By the end of this period, they will have lost control of almost all of it. This is one reason why this time period is distinct from the previous period. This time period ends in 1900 CE. This is a logical place to transition. There are significant changes in global power, trade, and technology that occur in the 1900s. These changes occur rapidly and create a world that is familiar to us today. It helps to separate this information into its own section.
Unit 5: Revolutions
This is one of my favorite units because it's astonishing how quickly things changed during this time! The name revolutions is quite apt.
The first revolution that took place during this time was the Enlightenment. Enlightenment philosophers developed new ways of looking at the government. They believed that human beings were rational, and could use reason to improve societies. Enlightenment philosophers wanted ordinary people to choose their leaders. This would create a system where the government would protect the people. Enlightenment philosophers also believed government should protect the rights of individuals. Enlightenment philosophers tended to be critical of the role of religion in the government and daily life. They dismissed it as "irrational."
Nationalism in another major force in politics. Nationalism is devotion for one's nation. A nation is a group of people who have a shared history, culture, and often come from a specific geographic region. Nationalist often argue that one's affiliation with a nation should be the most important aspect of someone's identity. Nationalists often advocate for each nation having it's own government. This is called a nation-state.
The Enlightenment and nationalism reflect new ways of thinking about government, and they caused political turmoil. The AP World History curriculum covers five revolutions during this period. They are the American Revolution, French Revolution, Haitian Revolution, Mexican Revolution, and the Southern American Revolution. Collectively, we refer to these events as the Atlantic Revolutions.
The other major revolution during this period is the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution is a period of time where humans began using machines to do work instead of human or animal labor. This fundamentally changed human economics. First, humans developed hundreds of new machines and ways of using those machines. These machines allowed goods to be produced quickly and in large quantities. Second, it created a society where more and more people worked in factories for wages that were used to purchase goods.
The Industrial Revolution also changed the way people lived. Thousands of people moved to the city searching for new jobs in factories. This caused many problems, including disease outbreaks and crime. After moving to the city, many people found that jobs paid poorly and were unsafe. These folks used a variety of strategies to improve their circumstances. On the other hand, many people enjoyed a higher standard of living than they had before. Industrialization helped create new products, and existing products were often cheaper than they had been before.
Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization
The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain. From there, it spread to Western Europe and the United States. These countries had already developed economic and political connections around the world. Europeans and Americans used there new economic advantages to expand their influence.
The most important of these was the expansion of European "water-based" empires. Before the Industrial Revolution, Europeans were unable to conquer large portions of Africa and Asia. However, industrialization meant Europeans could create new technology. This gave them a military and economic advantage. As a result, by the end of the 1800s, Europeans controlled almost the entirety of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The United States also expanded it's influence in Latin America.
In turn, imperialism caused many changes. First, global trade increased in speed and volume. Larger quantities of natural resources were needed to keep up with the rate that machines could produce goods. Europeans used their military and economic advantages to secure access to these resources. In addition, more people moved from one country to another. Much of this movement was voluntary. Industrialization made it easier for people to move and people left to seek new opportunities. However, many people were forced to move. Europeans continued to use forced and coerced labor. Other people lost jobs as cheap European products undermined previously successful businesses. Several wars were fought during this time. This also forced people to move.
This unit also covers resistance to imperialism. Leaders like Yaa Asantewaa and Samory Touré used violence to resist European armies. Other people used nonviolent methods. This included hiding to avoid forced labor and invading armies. Others studied European languages and culture. This helped them communicate with colonizers to achieve political goals. Many colonized people used Enlightenment ideals to highlight inconsistencies between European values and actions.
Period 4: 1900 CE - Present
This is the final time period in AP World History. This time period has three units instead of two. This time period starts in 1900 CE. The turn of the previous century also correlates with an important shift in global trends. In the 1900s, European sea-based empires fragmented into pieces. At the same time, the United States and Soviet Union replaced Europeans as the dominant powers.
Technically, this unit continues until the present. The College Board does not give Long Essay Questions or Document-Based Questions based on events that occurred after 2001. In practice, this means that 2001 is the unofficial end of the course.
Unit 7: Global Conflict
This unit is one of the most popular and interesting units. Many students enjoy learning about the World Wars, Russian Revolution, and Global Depression.
The first major topic in this unit is World War I. Students learn about the precarious position that the world was in prior to the start of World War II. First, the balance of power shifted. Previously powerful empires, like the Ottoman, Russian, and Qing Empires were unable to keep up with Western Europe. In addition, almost all of the territory in Asia and Africa had been claimed by a European power. This didn't stop European ambition to best their neighbors. Europeans could see how vulnerable previously powerful empires were.
World War I fundamentally changed the world. First, it ushered in a new form of warfare known as total war. In a total war, all of a country's resources are dedicated to the war effort. Newspapers, radio stations, and posters encouraged people to support the war effort. Factories, railroads, and telegraph lines were repurposed for coordinating military activities. Total wars are also characterized by the blurring of combatants and noncombatants. Civilians played important roles in the war effort, especially in producing weapons and food for troops. Military troops targeted factories, farms, warehouses, and cities to cripple their enemies supply lines. As the war dragged on, this also undermined people's willingness to continue fighting.
World War I also caused the collapse of several world powers. The Russian Revolution occurred in the middle of World War I. The Russian royal family was killed, and the communist party took control. The country was renamed the Soviet Union. During World War II and the Cold War, the Soviet Union had a lot of influence and power. The Ottoman Empire also did not make it past World War I. France and Britain won the war. They divided most of the territory up between themselves.
Finally, World War I is a direct cause of World War II. After World War I, Britain and France wanted to punish the losing side. They felt that Germany was responsible for escalating the tensions into a full-blown war. As a result, they forced Germany to agree to particularly harsh terms. Germany lost territory and couldn't have a large military. They were forced to pay for damage in France. They also had to agree that they were fully responsible for starting the war. These terms damaged the German economy and national pride. When Hitler came to power, he gained support by promising not to follow the terms of the treaty.
The Great Depression started a decade after the end of World War I. The desperate economic circumstances caused government to become involved in the economy in new ways. In the United States, the New Deal led to an unprecedented increase in government regulations. In Germany, fascists promoted economic reforms and intervention to appeal to desperate citizens. During this time the Soviet Union also pioneered using Five Year plans to coordinate government attempts to enact communist reforms and industrialize the economy.
Economic distress and unresolved tensions from World War I helped cause World War II. After years of tension, the war officially began when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. The United States joined this conflict after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Like World War I, World War II was a total war. People in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia found their lives upturned by military service, invasion, restrictions on personal freedoms, and uncertainty. Millions of people died before the end of the war in 1945. The United States and its allies emerged victorious, but at great cost.
Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization
Unfortunately, this was not the end of global conflict. The end of World War II marked the start of the Cold War. World War II significantly weakened European powers and Japan. As a result, they lost power and influence. The Soviet Union and United States emerged as the two new world powers. This was because they had both developed nuclear weapons during the war. While the USSR was invaded by Germany during the War, both countries escaped the horrific devastation that weakened traditional powers.
The Cold War was fought differently than previous conflicts. Both the United States and the USSR had nuclear weapons. This gave both sides in the conflict the ability to destroy the other side. However, they could not do so before the other country had the opportunity to launch its own nuclear arsenal. Thus, both sides were motivated to avoid direct conflict. Instead, they used military alliances, proxy wars, espionage, nuclear proliferation, the Olympics, and the Space Race to gain power and frustrate the other side. These conflicts influenced the history of other countries. The Cold War ended in the 1990s when the Soviet Union broke into dozens of independent states.
At the same time, decolonization began. Decolonization occurs when a colony becomes an independent, self-governing country. After World War II, dozens of former colonies gained independence. World War II devastated European countries, and many of them could not afford to resist independence efforts. In addition, the United States and USSR both pressured their allies to grant independence to their colonies. This would create new allies for the USSR and the United States. Nationalist leaders in many colonies advocated for independence. Some leaders used violence to achieve these goals. Others used nonviolent protest and diplomacy to achieve independence.
Newly independent states faced numerous challenges. The boundaries that defined these new countries often created political challenges. Some countries experienced extreme violent conflicts after independence. Violence was often accelerated by existing religious and ethnic tensions. In other countries, economic progress was slow. Europeans had intentionally prevented colonies from industrializing. They also did not create democratic traditions in their colonies. This made it difficult for new governments to progress.
Unit 9: Globalization
The final unit of AP World History explores globalization. Globalization occurs when new technology makes it easier for people from around the world to communicate and trade with each other. In other words, technology helps overcome geographic barriers. Globalization did not start in the 1900s. However, the pace of technological development increased dramatically. This has created a world where we are more connected than we have ever been. This trend shows little sign of stopping.
The 1900s are characterized by waves of new technology. This technology has reshaped human lives. The radio, cellphones, and internet have made it easier for people to communicate across distances. People can share their ideas, culture, and resources with others. Shipping containers and air travel have made it easier to move people and goods around the globe. This has important implications for trade and warfare. Fossil fuels and nuclear energy provide fuel to keep these technologies going. New medical advances have helped people live longer. Finally, agricultural innovations have increased the amount of food that can be produced. This has supported a growing population.
Globalization has also influenced global politics and economics. Countries increasingly trade with other countries. This has led to many international trade agreements and organizations. These agreements can create new markets for a business's products. They also create more competition for businesses and workers. Many international organizations also create political agreements between countries. The most famous of these organizations is the United Nations. Increasingly, a country's politics and economics are influenced by global events.
Like most historical developments, globalization is not always positive. It is easier than ever for diseases to spread rapidly from one country to another. Health and economic improvements have led to an older population. Older people are disproportionately affected by many epidemics. They are also more likely to have noncontagious diseases that are more difficult to treat. Human activities can damage the environment and impact climate change. Terrorism remains a serious threat to global peace and security. Unfortunately, improved communications and transportation technology provide opportunities for those who wish to harm others. These issues remain unsolved, and they will continue to impact humans into the future.
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