AP World (2020-21)

Unit 1 The Global Tapestry c. 1200 to c. 1450

Unit 2 Networks of Exchange c. 1200 to c. 1450

Unit 3 Land-Based Empires c. 1450 to c. 1750

Unit 4 Transoceanic Connections c. 1450 to c. 1750

Unit 5 Revolutions c. 1750 to c. 1900

Unit 6 Consequences of Industrialization c. 1750 to c. 1900

Unit 7 Global Conflict c. 1900 to the present

Unit 8 Cold War and Decolonization c. 1900 to the present

Unit 9 Globalization c. 1900 to the present

AP Source

Themes

The themes serve as the connective tissue of the course and enable students to create meaningful connections across units. They are often broader ideas that become threads that run throughout the course. Revisiting them and applying them in a variety of contexts helps students to develop deeper conceptual understanding. Below are the themes of the course and a brief description of each.

THEME 1: HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (ENV)

The environment shapes human societies, and as populations grow and change, these populations in turn shape their environments.

THEME 2: CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS AND INTERACTIONS (CDI)

The development of ideas, beliefs, and religions illustrates how groups in society view themselves, and the interactions of societies and their beliefs often have political, social, and cultural implications.

THEME 3: GOVERNANCE (GOV)

A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes.

THEME 4: ECONOMIC SYSTEMS (ECN)

As societies develop, they affect and are affected by the ways that they produce, exchange, and consume goods and services.

THEME 5: SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND ORGANIZATION (SIO)

The process by which societies group their members and the norms that govern the interactions between these groups and between individuals influence political, economic, and cultural institutions and organization.

THEME 6: TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (TEC)

Human adaptation and innovation have resulted in increased efficiency, comfort, and security, and technological advances have shaped human development and interactions with both intended and unintended consequences.