AP World History Unit 2 Overview

Time Period

• 1200 to 1450
• Focus on connections between states through networks of exchange

Key Concepts

• Networks of Exchange (Trading Routes): Not just economic, but also for cultural diffusion

Major Networks of Exchange

1. Silk Roads

   • Mainly luxury goods (e.g., Chinese silk, porcelain)
   • Expansion due to increased demand and innovations
   • Innovations: Caravan Sarai, money economies (paper money), and credit systems
   • Rise of trading cities like Kashgar

2. Indian Ocean Network

   • Trade of common goods and luxury items
   • Dependent on understanding of monsoon winds
   • Innovations: Magnetic compass, astrolabe, ship designs like the Chinese junk
   • Growth of states like the Swahili city-states
   • Rise of diaspora communities and spread of Islam
   • Notable figure: Zheng He and his voyages

3. Trans-Saharan Trade Network

   • Expansion due to camel saddle improvements
   • Empire of Mali: Wealth through gold trade
   • Influence of leaders like Mansa Musa

Effects of Connectivity

Cultural Consequences

• Religious/spiritual spread: Buddhism to China via Silk Roads
• Literary/artistic transfers: Islamic scholars in Baghdad, Renaissance foundations
• Scientific/technological transfers: Gunpowder spread

Environmental Consequences

• Crop Transfers: Champa rice to China
• Disease Spread: Bubonic plague via trade routes

Rise and Fall of Cities

• Rise: Hangzhou in China
• Fall: Baghdad by Mongols

Notable Travelers

• Ibn Battuta: Documented travels across Dar al-Islam

The Mongol Empire

• Largest land-based empire: Replaced powerful empires (e.g., Song Dynasty, Abbasid Empire)
• Facilitated increased trade and connectivity (Pax Mongolica)
• Technological and Cultural Transfers
  • Greek and Islamic medical knowledge to Europe
  • Adoption of the Uighur script for official purposes

Study Resources

• AP World History Heimler Review Guide: Videos, notes, and practice materials

Note: For more detailed study, consider using supplementary resources such as practice exams and additional videos covering specific topics.