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Continuity and Change from 1450 to 1750

Caleb Thomas

Caleb Thomas

8 min read

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AP World History: Modern - Ultimate Study Guide (1450-1750)

Hey! Let's get you prepped for the AP World History exam. We're focusing on the big picture here, making sure you connect all the dots. Ready? Let's dive in!

🌍 The Interconnected World: 1450-1750

The Bridge Between Hemispheres

  • What Made it Possible?
    • Economic Factors: Europe wanted more trade and faster routes. 🚢

    • Technological Factors:

      • Compass & Astrolabe: Made navigation safer and more accurate. 🧭
      • Improved understanding of wind patterns and currents. 🌬️
    • Political Factors: European powers sought new territories for resources and influence. 👑

Key Concept

The combination of economic, technological, and political factors drove European expansion and global trade.

  • The Columbian Exchange: More than just goods! 🔄
    • Exchanges: People, religions, cultures, ideas, and technology. 💡
    • Knowledge: Classical, Islamic, European, and Asian knowledge spread.
    • Biological Exchange: Plants, animals, and... diseases. 🦠
      • Devastating Diseases: Smallpox, measles, malaria, and yellow fever decimated indigenous populations. 💔
      • Syphilis: Spread to Europe from the Americas.
Memory Aid

Think of the Columbian Exchange as a giant swap meet, but with some really bad surprises (diseases).

The Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange. Image courtesy of Reddit.

🌾 Old Systems, New Methods: Agriculture

Why Agriculture Remained Crucial

  • Technological Innovations: Focused on making agriculture more efficient. 🚜
    • Crop Rotation & Heavy Plow: Increased productivity and output. 📈
    • Primary Employment: Agriculture remained the main job in rural areas.

Changes in Agricultural Labor

  • Increased Demand: For raw materials and finished products. 🏭
  • Intensified Traditional Agriculture.
    • Atlantic Slave Trade: Brutal system of buying and selling enslaved Africans. ⛓️

Remember the link between increased agricultural output and the demand for labor, including the horrific Atlantic slave trade. This is a key connection for the exam.

🔄 Changes in Agriculture: Implications

Impact on Gender Structures

  • Shift in Roles:
    • Men increasingly focused on cash crops. 👨‍🌾
    • Women often relegated to domestic tasks. 👩‍🍳
  • Africa: Demographic crisis due to the slave trade.
    • ...