AP World History Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections covers the period from 1450 to 1750 CE and focuses on the significant developments in global maritime exploration, trade, and cultural exchange. It examines the interconnections established through transoceanic voyages and their profound impact on societies around the world.

During this unit, students study key themes and topics such as the Age of Exploration, European colonization, the Atlantic slave trade, and the emergence of global trading networks. They analyze the motivations behind European maritime exploration, the encounters between European explorers and indigenous peoples, and the consequences of colonization.

Unit 4 explores the establishment of European colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Students examine the economic systems of these colonies, including the plantation economy, mercantilism, and the exploitation of natural resources. They also study the social and cultural impacts of colonization on both the colonizers and the indigenous populations.

The unit highlights the Atlantic slave trade as a significant aspect of transoceanic interconnections. Students analyze the origins of the slave trade, the triangular trade routes, and the consequences of the transatlantic slave trade on African societies and the New World.

Trade networks play a crucial role in this unit, with students studying the emergence of global trading systems. They examine the development of trading networks such as the Spanish-controlled Manila galleon trade, the Indian Ocean trade, and the growing involvement of European powers in global commerce.

Unit 4 also addresses the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies between different regions. Students explore the Columbian Exchange and its impact on both the Old World and the New World, including the transfer of crops, diseases, and cultural elements.

Furthermore, the unit examines the cultural interactions and syncretism that occurred as a result of transoceanic connections. Students analyze the diffusion of religions, artistic styles, and languages, as well as the blending of diverse cultural traditions.

Overall, AP World History Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections provides students with an understanding of the profound changes brought about by maritime exploration, colonization, and global trade networks during the period from 1450 to 1750 CE. It explores the economic, social, cultural, and demographic consequences of transoceanic interconnections and their enduring impact on the world.

Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections 

4.1 Technological Innovations

4.2 Exploration: Causes and Effects

4.3 Columbian Exchange

4.4 Maritime Empires Link Regions

4.5 Maritime Empires Develop

4.6 Internal and External Challenges to State Power

4.7 Changing Social Hierarchies

4.8 Continuity and Change from 1450-1750