R

AP World History

1. The Global Tapestry (c. 1200 CE to c. 1450 CE)

  • State Building and Expansion:

    • East Asia: Song Dynasty China's economic revolution (e.g., Champa rice, Grand Canal), neo-Confucianism, tribute system.

    • Dar al-Islam: Abbasid Caliphate fragmentation, rise of Mamluk Sultanate, Delhi Sultanate in India, House of Wisdom.

    • South and Southeast Asia: Hindu and Buddhist states, Srivijaya Empire, Khmer Empire.

    • Americas: Aztec (Mexica) Empire, Inca Empire (mita system), Cahokia (Mississippian culture).

    • Africa: Mali Empire (Mansa Musa, Timbuktu), Great Zimbabwe.

  • Networks of Exchange:

    • Silk Roads: Revival, luxury goods (silk, porcelain), spread of religion (Buddhism, Islam), technology (gunpowder, paper).

    • Indian Ocean Trade Routes: Monsoon winds, specialized goods (spices, cotton), Swahili city-states, diasporic communities.

    • Trans-Saharan Trade Routes: Gold, salt, slaves, spread of Islam.

    • Cultural Exchange: Scientific and technological innovations (astronomy, mathematics, medicine) from Islamic and Indian centers to Europe.

  • Impact of Nomadic Pastoralists: Mongol Empire's impact on trade, cultural diffusion, and state structures across Eurasia.

2. Global Interactions (c. 1450 CE to c. 1750 CE)

  • The Connected World:

    • The Columbian Exchange: Transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia.

    • Maritime Empires: Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French, and British. New trading posts and routes.

    • Mercantilism: Economic theory emphasizing state control of trade for national wealth.

  • Land-Based Empires:

    • Qing Dynasty (China): Expansion, distinct Manchu identity.

    • Mughal Empire (India): Islamic rule over a Hindu majority, religious tolerance (Akbar).

    • Ottoman Empire: Janissaries, devshirme, millet system.

    • Safavid Empire (Persia): Shia Islam, conflict with Ottomans.

    • Russian Empire: Expansion, westernization efforts (Peter the Great).

  • Social and Cultural Changes:

    • Reformation: Protestant and Catholic reformations, impact on religious and political structures.

    • Renaissance and Enlightenment: Humanism, scientific revolution, new ideas about government and individual rights.

    • Labor Systems: Chattel slavery, indentured servitude, encomienda, hacienda systems.

  • Technological Innovations: Caravel, compass, astrolabe, gunpowder weapons.