AP WORLD HISTORY

Why Study History?

• Studying history is very important because it helps us learn from our past mistakes, as well as understand where we came from and give us an idea about why things are the way they are in the world. Plenty of what we have learned in history affects the world daily. The inventions we create, the Religions we follow, and the countries we live in all had a start, so why not learn about them to improve on past ideas and concepts. They also help us to avoid bad history and ideas that have failed, preventing massacres and Dark Ages in our modern day world.

Why Study Geography?

• Geography is important and a supporting concept to history. Geography can give us an idea of why cultures developed the way they did, as well as the natural resources and crops and how they are native to certain parts of the world. Furthermore, it tells you how trade routes develop, show land claims to give us a better idea about the land shifts in warring times. It also benefits us in the modern world by giving us context about places in the world we might not know about without context. When Europeans conquer all of Africa, what does that mean? How much land is that? Where is Africa in the first place? Geography answers these questions.

Key Ideas:

• Period 1: Period 1 is where all of civilization begins thanks to the power of the Neolithic Revolution. It is where people started governments in the forms of kings and the worlds first law systems were set up for example King Hammurabi's law code.
• Period 2: Period 2 covers second-wave civilizations in the world today. In this time, civilizations in Africa, Eurasia and Pacific Oceania begin to form. It also covers things like culture, religion, and commonalities between them.
• Period 3: Period 3 covers the age of accelerating connections, describing Christendom and Islam, as well as the commerce and culture currently existing in the world at this time. It also covers the rise of the Mongols.
• Period 4: Period 4 covers the early modern world. This time exists from 1450 - 1750 and has the scientific advancements and religious and cultural transformations. This is also the Age of Enlightenment.
• Period 5: Period 5 covers the Eurocentric shift in the world, appearing from 1750 - 1900. It gives information on the Industrial Revolution, colonial encounters in Asia, Africa, and Oceania, as well as further ideas like social equality and different forms of government.
• Period 6: Period 6 covers the most recent century and occurs from 1900 to present day. It also covers World War I, World War II, The Great Depression, and the re-balancing of the global powers at the time.