AP World History Review Session - Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Covers content from the Colonial Age to the Age of Industrialization.
• Focuses on both content and the DBQ (Document-Based Question).
• Dr. Kfales contributed significantly to the presentation.

Incentives for Exploration

European Competitiveness

• Europe, post-Rome 496 AD, fragmented into cities and kingdoms.
• Competition among regions led to exploration.
• Motivations included Asian riches, avoiding taxes from Ottoman Empire.

Explorative Nations

• Spain and Portugal led exploration due to proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
• Treaty of Tordesillas divided the world between Portugal (East) and Spain (West), except Brazil.

Financial Developments

• Rise of banks, joint-stock companies, and monarch-led investments.
• The Columbian Exchange: Major exchange between Europe and the Americas.
  • Europe gained livestock, crops, and diseases.
  • Native populations suffered from diseases like smallpox.
  • Cultural and agricultural impacts were profound.

Asian Empires and Maritime Influence

Portuguese Influence

• Established port cities and introduced cannons in the Indian Ocean.
• Faced competition from China.

Major Maritime Empires

• Portuguese: First to establish overseas trade routes.
• British: East India Company dominated trade and colonization.
• Dutch: Dutch East India Company played a significant but brutal role.

Colonial Push and Pull Factors

English Colonization

• Stability post-Spanish Armada defeat promoted exploration.
• Enclosure Movement pushed rural populations into cities.

Economic and Religious Motives

• Northern colonies: Religious motivations.
• Chesapeake colonies: Economic opportunities in tobacco.

Enlightenment and Revolutions

Key Thinkers

• John Locke: Life, liberty, and property.
• Adam Smith: Capitalism and free markets.

Nationalism

• Emergence of nation-states with common language, culture, and religion.
• Us vs. Them mentality promoted.

Major Revolutions

• American, French, Haitian, Latin American Revolutions: Demand for local representation.
• Led to abolitionist and feminist movements.

Industrial Revolution

Origin and Spread

• Started in England; fueled by coal discovery.
• Spread worldwide, impacting Ottoman Empire, China, the US, Japan, Latin America, and Russia.

Economic and Social Impacts

• Urbanization and job creation.
• Harsh working conditions led to unionization and calls for socialism.

Document-Based Questions (DBQ)

DBQ Structure

• Importance of thesis, contextualization, supporting documents, and sourcing.
• Counter-thesis strategy: Include opposing arguments.
• Address all documents to earn maximum points.

Example DBQ Analysis

• Evaluated economic factors in the Mexican Revolution.
• Highlighted the importance of contextualizing and sourcing documents.

Conclusion

• DBQ requires careful analysis and structuring.
• Focus on thesis, supporting paragraphs, and avoid unnecessary conclusions.

Final Tips

• Continually review and practice for the AP test.
• Attend review sessions for further clarification.