AP World History Unit 1-3 Study Guide
Unit 1: Transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic
Unit 1-2: Early and Classical Civilization
Unit 3: Regional and Transregional Interactions / Post Classical Civilization
1. What was Europe like intellectually after the collapse of the Roman Empire and prior to the year 1000 or so?
2. What are the general PERSIA characteristics of the transition from hunting, foraging, and gathering to
settled, agricultural society?
3. All of the early core foundational societies (the “river civs”) had what in common? What are some examples
of things they didn’t have in common?
4. Who was connected with whom on the Silk Roads? Which societies traded which items in exchange for
what?
5. What were some of the new crops that spread to Africa, the Middle East, and Europe during the period
1000-1450?
6. Who carried on the glory of the Roman Empire for another 1000 years after the Roman collapse of 476
C.E.?
7. How would you compare the political systems and structures of the post classical world? Who was similar
and different to one another politically?
8. What’s the central idea behind Confucianism?
9. What were the motivating factors for the average Crusaders? What did they hope to “get” for participating in
this holy pilgrimage?
10. What was scholasticism? How and why did this reflect the growing influence of Christianity (Roman
Catholicism) in Western Europe during this period?
11. Why did the Ming Dynasty suddenly halt their epic naval exploration in the early 1400s (remember Zheng
He and his treasure junks?)?
12. Which of the post classical societies did Russia have the closest connection with? Why did they have such
a close connection with them and how were these ties forged?
13. Which two or three societies of the post classical world had the closest thing that resembled a “golden age”?
What were the defining features of each of these “golden ages”? By the way, what’s a “golden age” and
when does it usually happen?
14. How are certain religions we’ve studied similar and different in the way they’ve developed and spread?
Which ones spread where, when, and to what places? See your religions graphic organizer to make some
of these comparisons.
15. Describe and explain the general PERSIA characteristics and features of Paleolithic society compared to
Neolithic society. Refer to the Paleolithic vs. Neolithic graphic organizer.
16. What are the key features of the culture, politics, and economics of the core/foundational civilizations or
“civilization 1.0” that we’ve studied? Is there a pattern? (Mesopotamia/Sumerian, Egyptian, Shang/Zhou,
Harrapa/Mohenjo-daro, Olmec/Mayan/Chavin):
17. What are the key features/characteristics/founders/texts of the South and East Asian world religions we’ve
studied? How would you describe their political, social, economic, and cultural influence on the various
societies they impacted? Refer to your Asian religions graphic organizer.
18. What are the origins and key features of legal codes across time and societies, including important
milestones and examples in codification of legal codes.
19. If you were asked to match the key intellectual and technological developments with early and classical
societies we’ve studied in Unit 1, 2, and 3, what would some good illustrative examples be … and why? Do
this for each of the civilizations we’ve studied in all the units up to this point. The Romans were known for
this … The Chinese were known for this, etc.
20. Describe the “collapse” pattern of civilization, with particular focus on the classical societies of Unit 1 (Rome,
Greece, Mauryan/Gupta India, Qin/Han China). You should be able to illustrate this pattern of both internal
and external pressures in multiple societies by citing key examples from our study.
21. What are the significant demographic (health, size, and movement of populations) trends in Units 1-3?
Consider the major spikes up and down in general size of populations, major movements, and the reasons
behind it.
22. What is the significance of the Silk Roads in the first 3 units of study? Which societies were directly linked
by it? What were some of the major products, pathogens, and cultural elements travelling on it from
different places?
23. Describe the key features and characteristics of both the manorial and feudal system (what’s the
difference?) and how it influenced Europe in the “Dark Ages”. How did this compare with Japanese
feudalism?
24. What are the key features of the Islamic and Christian (Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christianity) art and
architecture? In what ways were the religions’ values expressed through their “art” and architecture?
25. What are the key features of the politics, economics, and culture of the “post classical” empires? (Ummayad
& Abbasid Dynasties, Byzantine Empire, Sui/Tang/Song Empires, Mongol Empire, Medieval and High
Middle Ages Europe):
26. Describe the political, economic, and pop culture role of Christianity in medieval and high middle ages
Europe.
27. The end of the classical period (about 500 C.E.) saw the collapse of all the classical empires. Which of
these areas had the most extensive collapse and urban decline? Why?
28. What’s the reason for the split between Sunni and Shia Muslims?
29. How would you describe the “Reconquista”? Was this a short or a long term process?
30. What’s monasticism and how did monastic culture reflect the larger post classical trend of Christian
influence in Europe during the period?
31. How did the rise and influence of religion and other guiding philosophies in this period influence women’s
status and roles? Who gained the most and who lost the most in terms of status?
32. What was the unique nature of political rule in the Byzantine Empire?
33. What were some of the key end results of the spread of Mongol control (think PERSIA)?
34. What are the features and characteristics of India’s role in the post classical period as a political, economic,
and cultural force?
35. What are the patterns of trade in the Indian Ocean Basin during this period? Who was involved in it? Why
was India so influential?
36. Identify the geographic location of major empires, trade networks (regions and states involved in each), and
miscellaneous events and processes from our study of world history:
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Spread of Early Humans
Early Mesopotamian Empires & Kingdoms and
Empire of Africa
China Under the Qin Dynasty
Andean South America
Classical Greece AND Classical Persia /
Achaemenid & Seleucid Empires
Growth and Fall of Roman Empire
The Silk Roads
The Mauryan and Gupta Empires
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Byzantine Empire
Growth of Islam
Song Dynasty
States of Postclassical India
Carolingian Empire
Mongol Empires
Post Classical Empires of Africa
The Crusades AND The Expulsion of Jews
The Silk Roads AND The Spread of the Black
Plague