AP World History Unit 1 Review

Time Period

• Covers circa 1200 to 1450
• Focus on major civilizations and their state-building and maintenance strategies

Key Concept: The State

• "State" is a politically organized territory under a single government (not like a U.S. state)
• Examples: United States, Japan

China: Song Dynasty

• Timeframe: 960 to 1279 (no need to remember exact dates)
• Main Methods of Rule:
  1. Neo-Confucianism
     • Revival of Confucianism from previous dynasty
     • Emphasized hierarchical society (e.g., filial piety)
     • Women's rights restricted (property became husband's, foot binding)
  2. Imperial Bureaucracy
     • Civil service exam based on Confucian classics
     • Jobs based on merit theoretically open to all socioeconomic statuses

Economy and Influence

• Prosperous with population growth
• Commercialization (excess goods sold in markets)
• Champa rice introduced, boosting agriculture and population
• Expansion of the Grand Canal facilitated trade

Religion

• Buddhism in Song China:
  • Originated in India; spread to China
  • Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path
  • Different forms (Theravada in Sri Lanka, Mahayana in East Asia)

Dar al-Islam

• Key Empires:
  • Abbasid Caliphate breaking up; rise of Turkic empires
  • Seljuk Empire: established by Turkic peoples
• Cultural Contributions:
  • Advances in science and math (Nasir al-Din al-Tusi)
  • Preservation of Greek philosophy

Expansion of Islam

• By military conquest, trade, and Sufi missionaries
• Influence in North and West Africa, South Asia

South and Southeast Asia

• Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam
• Hinduism: Predominant, with the Bhakti movement emphasizing devotion to one god
• State Building:
  • Delhi Sultanate (Muslim rule)
  • Hindu Rajput Kingdoms resisted Muslim rule
  • Vijayanagara Empire (Hindu revival) in the south

Americas

• Mesoamerica: Aztec Empire
  • Tribute system in place
  • Human sacrifices in religion
• Andean Civilization: Inca Empire
  • Centralized bureaucracy
  • Mita system for labor

Africa

• Swahili civilization on East African coast
  • Trade and Swahili language combining Bantu and Arabic
• West Africa: Ghana, Mali, Songhai empires
  • Islam spread through trade
• Great Zimbabwe: Prosperity through trade
• Ethiopia: Maintained Christianity

Europe

• Dominated by Christianity (Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic)
• Feudalism and manorialism as political and economic systems
• Decentralization with growing monarch power later

Additional Resources

• Consider reviewing additional materials such as the AP World History Heimler Review Guide