Overview
This lecture introduces Unit 1 of AP World History: Modern, focusing on global political developments and key empires from 1200 to 1450 CE, with emphasis on periodization and major trends across Afro-Eurasia and the Americas.
AP World History Structure and Periodization
- AP World covers history from 1200 CE to the present, divided into nine units and several distinct time periods.
- Periodization helps historians divide history into manageable segments, often using significant turning points.
- The first AP World period (1200-1450) begins with the rise of post-classical empires and ends with the Renaissance and European expansion.
Key Regional Developments (1200-1450)
- Unit 1 emphasizes political structures and the interconnectedness of societies in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas.
- The SPICE(T) themes (social, political, interaction with environment, culture, economics, technology) guide comparisons between empires.
Trends in Afro-Eurasia
- African empires like Ghana, Mali, and Songhai thrived, with notable figures like Mansa Musa and literature such as the Epic of Sundiata.
- In Western Europe, the fall of Rome led to feudalism and dominance of the Catholic Church during the so-called "Dark Ages."
- Eastern Europe featured powers like the Byzantine Empire and Mongol-controlled Russia (Golden Horde), with the growth of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- China experienced dynastic cycles with the Song and Yuan dynasties; Sinicization and Mongol influence were significant.
- The Middle East was shaped by Islamic caliphates (Umayyad and Abbasid) and the spread of Islam, including into Spain.
Trends in the Americas
- The Americas were largely isolated, fostering unique societies like the Aztec and Inca empires.
- Students will compare political and social structures in the Americas to those in Afro-Eurasia.
- The Americas illustrate continuity and change, a key historical analysis skill.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Periodization — The division of history into distinct periods for analysis.
- Post-classical period — Era after the fall of Rome, marked by new empires (ca. 476 CE onward).
- Mansa Musa — 14th-century ruler of Mali, famed for wealth and pilgrimage to Mecca.
- Epic of Sundiata — Oral tradition telling the founding of Mali by Sundiata Keita.
- Feudalism — A political and social system of medieval Europe based on land, loyalty, and hierarchy.
- Byzantine Empire — Eastern Roman Empire, noted for Orthodox Christianity and caesaropapism.
- Sinicization — The spread of Chinese culture and influence to neighboring regions.
- Caliphate — Islamic state led by a religious and political leader, the caliph.
- SPICE(T) — Framework for analyzing societies: Social, Political, Interaction with Environment, Culture, Economics, Technology.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review definitions and major empires in each region from 1200 to 1450 CE.
- Prepare to compare empires using SPICE(T) themes.
- Note how periodization shapes the study and argumentation in AP World History.