#AP World History: Modern - Unit 1 Study Guide 🚀

Hey! Let's get you prepped for the AP World History exam. This guide is designed to be your go-to resource, especially the night before the test. We'll make sure everything clicks and you feel confident!

#🕰️ Periodizing Time Period 1 (1200-1450 CE)

#Why 1200-1450? 🤔

• Periodization: Historians use this to organize history into manageable chunks.
• Turning Points: Dates are chosen based on significant shifts or changes.
• 1200 CE: Marks the growth of post-classical empires after the fall of Rome (476 CE). These include:
  • Byzantine Empire
  • African empires (Mali, Songhai, Ghana)
  • Song China
  • Delhi Sultanate
  • Southeast Asian trading empires
  • Abbasid Caliphate
• Trade Routes: Existing routes like the Silk Road and Indian Ocean, plus new ones like the Trans-Saharan, fueled imperial growth.
• 1450 CE: End of the post-classical era with the start of the Renaissance and European expansion. Before 1450, there were golden ages in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, while Western Europe was in the "Dark Ages".

#🗺️ What's Unit 1 All About?

#Focus

• Political Developments: Unit 1 primarily covers political changes across different regions.
• Interconnectedness: How different empires and societies interacted is crucial.
• Comparison: You'll need to compare empires using SPICE themes (Social, Political, Interactions with the Environment, Culture, Economics, and Technology).

#Geographical Breakdown

• Most of Unit 1 takes place in Afro-Eurasia (Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East).
• The Americas developed separately during this period.

#🌍 Trends in Afro-Eurasia

#Africa

• New Political Structures: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. 👑
• Trade Empires: Swahili Coast.
• Impact of Trade: New technologies and routes boosted empires.
• Key Figures: Mansa Musa. 💰
• Important Texts: Epic of Sundiata. 📜
• Pre-European Prosperity: African societies had rich cultures and experienced significant prosperity before European exploration.

#Mansa Musa

• Ruler of Mali in the 14th century.
• One of the wealthiest people in history due to gold abundance.
• Famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, which caused an economic crisis due to the amount of gold he distributed. 💸
• Supported education, arts, and built mosques and libraries. 📚

#Epic of Sundiata

• Traditional West African oral history about Sundiata Keita, founder of the Kingdom of Mali in the 13th century.
• Passed down by griots (storytellers). 🗣️
• Story of courage, ...