World History AP

 Impact of Geography & Environmental Interaction  Global Power & International relations  Political Developments  Economic and Environmental Developments  Cultural Developments  Gender Issues  Technological Advances

 In what ways did geography and climate affect the development of human society?  What were the economic and social results of the agricultural revolution?  What are the issues involved in using “civilization” as an organizing principle in world history?  What is the most common source of change: connection/diffusion or independent invention?  How do agricultural, pastoral and foraging societies differ? Use evidence from Africa, the Americas and Southeast Asia.  What was the impact of agriculture on the environment?  What was the importance of the introduction of bronze and iron?  Compare the basic features of two early civilizations? Choose two of the following: Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica, Shang, Indus  Compare the development of political structures in China with those in India.  How did social and gender structures in India differ from the Mediterranean?  Which regions were favored as areas of human settlement, given the technology available during the Classic period?  Describe the major classical period trading patters within and among China, India, and the Mediterranean?  What were the scientific and technological contributions of China, India, and the Mediterranean?  What were the artistic contributions of China, India, and the Mediterranean?  What were the basic features of the major world belief systems?  Polytheism  Hinduism  Daoism  Judaism  Christianity  Buddhism  What were the main emphases and the main changes in organized religion during the Classic period?  What interactions among regions favored changes in human society?  What changes in population and culture were brought about by migrations?  What were the Greek approaches to science and philosophy? Explain the role of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  What led to the diffusion of the major religions?  Why was the collapse of empire more severe in western Europe than it was in the eastern Mediterranean or in China?

 Describe the life of people in the Paleolithic Stone Age.  Compare/Contrast role of men and women.

 What changes resulted from the development of agriculture?  What effects did the agricultural revolutions have on Neolithic societies?  How did the ability to make simple tools change human life?  Compare/Contrast role of men and women

 What civilizations developed in Mesopotamia?  What role did geography play in the development of Mesopotamian civilization?  Why were the Sumerian city-states considered to be theocracy?  How did the Code of Hammurabi affect Babylonian society?  What role did the physical environment play in the way Mesopotamians viewed the world?  How did ancient Mesopotamian technological advances affected our lives today?

 How did flooding patterns of rivers in Egypt and Mesopotamia caused the two civilizations to develop differently?  How did the geography of Egypt impact their civilization?  What were the major differences among the Three Kingdoms in Egypt?

 What were the major cities of this civilization?  How did geography impact their civilization?  What are the political and economical structures of this civilization?  Describe the role of the family, and men and women.

 What isolated the Chinese people from peoples in other parts of the world?  How does geography affect Chinese civilization?  Describe the political and economical structure of Shang dynasty?  What was the different in political structure between the Shang/Zhou?  What was their religious

 What was the form of government in Assyria?  Why were the Assyrians so successful at conquering others?  How did religion (religious beliefs) play a role in government/politics?

 Hittites  Indo European (C. Asia), Nomads  2000 BC Migrated to Europe, India, W. Asia  First Indo-Euro’s to use iron  Threatened Egypt  1200 BC Invaded by “Sea Peoples” Phoenicians  Chaldeans  Responsible for the fall of the Assyrian Empire  Their empire/kingdom was short lived  Conquered by Persians

 What was the most significant invention of the Phoenicians? How did that impact their civilization?  What was the difference between Phoenicians economical system than most of the other civilizations of the time?  Why did they develop colonies? What was one of their most important colonies?

 Which aspect of the Hebrew culture had the greatest impact on Western civilization?  Why is the location of Israel important?  What was the belief system of the Hebrew?  How did the Assyrians affect the lives of Israelites?  What were the political structure of their leaders?  Who did they begin trading with?  Who did they fall to in 587 BCE?

 How did geography affect their civilization?  Compare/Contrast Minoans & Mycenaeans  What was the importance of a city-state?  How did Athens & Sparta differ?  Describe the political structures?  What was the basis of their economy?  How did colonization help Greek society?  What were the Persians Wars?  What was the Peloponnesian War? Effects?  How did Pericles affect Athens?  Describe Greek religion? Connection with Greek life?  What brought an end to the freedom of Greek city-states?  What were the achievements of Alexander THE GREAT?  Describe the Hellenistic Era? Achievements?

 Describe the organization of the Persian government.  What are the accomplishments of their leaders: Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius?  Who are the immortals?  What was developed to improve the communication system of their empire?  Describe their form of economy?  What was the family structure/relationship like?  What was caused the Persian Empire to decline after the death of Darius?  Why are the Persians considered to have made a religious contribution?  How were the Assyrians and Persian systems of government different?

 How did the geography of Rome affect their civilization?  What types of governments did Rome have?  Describe the social class system in Rome?  What were the Punic Wars? Results? Effects?  How did the Republic decline?  How did Augustus affect Rome? What did he do?  What is the Pax Romana?  Describe their economic system?  Why did the Roman Empire decline and fall?

 What were the different political structures in China?  How did the Qin dynasty influence the Han?  How did the their Han Dynasty change their political ideologies?  What are some of their achievements?  What are some of the reasons these dynasties decline?

 Who were the Aryans?  Describe the social class system in India?  What religions were “born” in India?  Describe the role of the family, especially women.  How does Karma and Dharma relate to Hinduism?  How does Buddhism differ than Hinduism?  Why was Asoka considered a great ruler?  What characteristics made the Gupta Empire so great?

 What was the purpose of these routes?  Silk  Indian Ocean?  Saharan  What was traded?  How did culture and religion play a role in the “exchange”?  What religions were diffused?

 Polytheism  Judaism  Hinduism  Christianity  Buddhism  Daoism  Confucianism  Legalism  Zoroastrianism  Janism