#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, strength, and determination.

Mansa Musa depicted in the Catalan Atlas

#Europe

• Two Regions: Western and Eastern Europe, divided roughly by modern-day Germany.
• Western Europe: Effects of the fall of Rome led to the Middle Ages.
  • Feudalism: Major political system with distinct social classes. 🏰
  • Catholic Church: Enhanced role; Pope vs. Kings shaped political systems.
  • Dark Ages: A misnomer, as much of the world was thriving.
• Eastern Europe: The Mongols (Golden Horde) in Russia and the Byzantine Empire.
  • Political Systems and Cultural Values: Eastern Orthodox Church, caesaropapism. ⛪
  • Byzantine Art: Mosaics, Hagia Sophia.
  • The fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 is another reason to end the period in 1450.

A depiction of Feudalism

#Asia

• China: Dynastic system (families of rulers cycle through power).
  • Song and Yuan Dynasties: Impact on surrounding areas via Sinicization. 🇨🇳
  • Mongols: Significant role in China and trade route growth.

Yuan Dynasty Porcelain Buddha

#Middle East

• Rise of Islam: New religion led to the growth of the Middle East (Dar al-Islam).
• Caliphates: Muslim empires that grew after Muhammad's death in 632 CE.
  • Umayyads and Abbasids: Two major caliphates. ☪️
  • Impact on Spain: Art and architecture.

Islamic Geometric Art

#🌎 Trends in the Americas

• Isolation: Developed separately from Afro-Eurasia (Vikings had minimal impact).
• Unique Development: Distinct societies, cultures, and trade systems.
• Major Empires: Aztecs and Incas. ⛰️
• Continuity and Change: Note what changed and what stayed the same.

Aztec Calendar

#🎯 Final Exam Focus

#High-Priority Topics

• Periodization: Be able to justify the start and end dates of the period (1200-1450).
• Comparison: Use SPICE to compare different empires and regions.
• Interconnectedness: Understand how different regions interacted through trade and other means.
• Major Empires: Know the political structures of the main empires in each region (Mali, Song, Yuan, Byzantine, etc.).
• Continuity and Change: Identify what changed and what remained the same over time, especially in the Americas.

#Common Question Types

• Multiple Choice: Expect questions testing your knowledge of specific empires, trade routes, and historical figures.
• Short Answer Questions (SAQs): Be prepared to compare and contrast different regions or explain the significance of a particular event.

* **Free Response Questions (FRQs)**: These will require you to make an argument supported by historical evidence.

#Last-Minute Tips

• Time Management: Don't spend too long on any one question. If you're stuck, move on and come back later.

* **Common Pitfalls**: Avoid vague generalizations. Use specific historical evidence to support your claims. * **Strategies for Challenging Questions**: If you're unsure, try to eliminate obviously wrong answers. Look for clues in the question itself.

#📝 Practice Questions

Practice Question

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following best describes the political structure of the Byzantine Empire? a) A decentralized feudal system b) A theocracy led by the Pope c) A centralized state with a powerful emperor d) A collection of independent city-states

2. The pilgrimage of Mansa Musa is significant because it: a) Led to the spread of Christianity in West Africa b) Demonstrated the wealth and power of Mali c) Resulted in the collapse of the Trans-Saharan trade d) Established a new political alliance with the Byzantine Empire

3. Which of the following is a major difference between the Aztec and Inca empires? a) The Aztecs had a more centralized government than the Incas b) The Incas did not practice human sacrifice, while the Aztecs did c) The Aztecs relied more on maritime trade than the Incas d) The Incas had a more extensive road system than the Aztecs

#Free Response Question (FRQ)

Prompt:

Analyze the political and economic effects of the expansion of trade networks in Afro-Eurasia between 1200 and 1450. Point-by-Point Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): Presents a historically defensible thesis that responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must establish a line of reasoning. Example: "The expansion of trade networks in Afro-Eurasia between 1200 and 1450 had significant political effects, including the rise of powerful trading states and the spread of new political ideologies, while also driving economic growth through increased commercial activity and the exchange of goods and technologies."
• Evidence (2 points): Provides specific examples of political and economic effects of trade expansion. Examples:
  • Political: The rise of the Mali Empire due to its control of gold trade, the growth of Swahili city-states due to Indian Ocean trade, the influence of the Mongol Empire on trade routes.
  • Economic: The spread of luxury goods along the Silk Road, the growth of markets in trading cities, the exchange of technologies such as shipbuilding and navigation.
• Analysis (2 points): Explains how trade expansion led to political and economic changes. Examples:
  • Political: Increased wealth from trade allowed rulers to consolidate power, leading to the rise of centralized states. Competition for control of trade routes led to conflicts and alliances between states.
  • Economic: The exchange of goods and technologies stimulated economic growth and innovation. The demand for luxury goods led to the development of new industries and trade networks.
• Complexity (1 point): Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic by considering multiple perspectives or making connections between different historical developments. Example: Acknowledging the negative impacts of trade expansion, such as the spread of diseases like the Black Death, or the social tensions that arose from increased economic inequality. Or, explaining how the political and economic effects of trade were interconnected and mutually reinforcing.

You've got this! Remember to stay calm, take your time, and trust your preparation. Good luck! 🍀