AP Comprehensive Study guides

The final unit explores the effects of globalization in the 20th and 21st centuries, including technological advancements, economic interdependence, and environmental challenges. You will learn about the rise of international organizations, global trade networks, and social movements that advocate for human rights and environmental sustainability. Additionally, this unit covers the cultural and demographic shifts brought on by increased global interconnectedness.

In this unit, you will study the post-World War II world, focusing on the ideological and political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Topics include the spread of communism, proxy wars, and the nuclear arms race. You will also explore the process of decolonization in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and how newly independent nations navigated the Cold War's pressures.

Unit 7 covers the global conflicts of the 20th century, including World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. You will examine the causes, conduct, and outcomes of these wars, as well as their impact on global politics, economies, and societies. Additionally, this unit explores the rise of authoritarian regimes, the effects of decolonization, and the global shifts in power during this turbulent period.

This unit delves into the global effects of industrialization, focusing on the expansion of European imperialism and its impact on colonies. Key topics include the motivations for imperialism, resistance to colonial rule, and the economic and environmental consequences of industrialization. You will also explore the effects of technological advancements and the changes in labor systems, class structures, and gender roles during this time.

This unit explores the causes and consequences of political revolutions that reshaped societies in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as the American, French, Haitian, and Latin American revolutions. You will also examine the Industrial Revolution's far-reaching economic and social changes, as well as the rise of nationalist movements and the global spread of Enlightenment ideas.

Unit 4 focuses on the transformative effects of transoceanic exploration and exchange. Topics include European exploration, the Columbian Exchange, and the development of the Atlantic slave trade. You will learn about the economic and social changes caused by global trade, including the rise of mercantilism, the establishment of colonial empires, and the displacement and migration of peoples.

This unit covers the rise and consolidation of powerful land-based empires such as the Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Ming empires. It emphasizes how these empires maintained power through military conquest, administrative innovation, and cultural integration. You will explore the methods of governance and the influence of religion on political power, along with the challenges these empires faced in maintaining control over vast territories.

Focusing on the period between 1200 and 1450, this unit covers the development and impact of expansive trade networks such as the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean trade, and Trans-Saharan trade routes. Key topics include the diffusion of technology, religion, and culture across regions, as well as the economic and environmental impacts of increased trade. You will also learn about the role of merchants, travelers, and nomadic groups in shaping cross-cultural interactions.

This unit explores the major civilizations around the world before 1450, emphasizing their social, political, and economic structures. Key topics include the growth of Chinese dynasties, the rise of Islamic states, the influence of Mongol rule, and the flourishing of pre-Columbian American civilizations. You will also examine state-building, cultural exchange, and trade networks that linked regions globally.