COURSE OUTLINE
Periodization 1:
Technological and Environmental
Transformations (to 600 BCE)
 Unit 1:Early Humans & River
Valley Civilizations
Periodization 2:
Organization and Reorganization
of Human Societies (600 BCE600 CE)

Unit 2: India and China

Unit 3: Greece & Rome
Periodization 3:
Regional and Transregional
Interactions (600-1450)
 Unit 4: Islam & Africa
 Unit 5: Byzantine Empire
& the Middle Ages
 Unit 6: Americas, China,
& the Mongols
Periodization 4: Global
Interactions (1450-1750)
 Unit 7: The Renaissance
& Protestant Reformation
 Unit 8: Exploration &
Scientific Revolution
Periodization:
Industrialization and Global
Integration (1750-1900)
 Unit 9: The Middle East,
Japan, & China
 Unit 10: Enlightenment,
Revolutions, & Napoleon
 Unit 11: Industrial Revolution
& Imperialism
Periodization 6:
Accelerating Global Change and
Realignments (1900-Present)
 Unit 12: World War I, Rise of
Consumerism, and Global
Depression
 Unit 13: World War II
 Unit 14: The Cold War
 Unit 15: Decolonization
& Globalization
Friendly High School AP World History
Summer Work: Chapters 1 - 10
The Big Picture:
When modern humans emerged, their intellectual abilities allowed for the gradual adoption of farming which allowed permanent
settlements to become possible. In Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India, permanent settlements gave rise to the first civilizations among
the fertile soils provided by the major rivers of these areas. These first civilizations were different from other settlements and from
each other in their use of irrigation, cities, writing, religion, government institutions, and labor forces. China and India went on to create
such advanced cultural innovations;; historians refer to their later development as “classical civilizations.” While civilization began in the
fertile river valleys of Asia and Africa, the first “classical civilizations” emerged along the Mediterranean Sea in ancient Greece and
Rome. From a series of independent city-states, such as Athens and Sparta, Classical Greece achieved a high level of cultural achievement
in math, science, philosophy, theater, and government based on democracy. This “Hellenistic” culture was spread by Alexander the Great
who conquered the Greeks, Egyptians, and Persians. Like the classical cultures of Gupta India and Han China, much of the “Greco-Roman”
achievements of the classical era are still used today. The development of the classical empires led to increased connections between
people.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Homework:
Read & Outline Chapters 1 –
10.
Complete the attached
reading guides.
Study Notes, Reading Guide &
Key Terms to Prepare for
Test
Watch videos on AP World
page
Key Terms and Phrases:
1. Syncretism
2. Historiography
3.Homo Sapiens Sapiens
4.Nomadic Pastoralism
5.Neolithic Revolution
6. Epic of Gilgamesh
7. Cultural Diffusion
8. Mesopotamia
9. Hammurabi’s Code
10. Animism
11. Monotheism vs. Polytheism
12. Theocracy
13. Indus River
14. Mohenjo-Daro and Harrappa
15. Huang He
16. Ten Commandments
17. Judaism (Hebrews)
18. Zoroastrianism
19. Cuneiform
20. Phoenicians
21. Egypt
22. Pharaohs
23. Hieroglyphics
24. Olmecs and Chavin
25. Maurya Empire
26. Aryans
28. Reincarnation
29. Gupta Dynasty
30. Emperor Ashoka
31. Hinduism
32. Buddhism
33. Caste System
34. Dynastic Cycle
35. Mandate of Heaven
36. Zhou Dynasty
37. Qin Dynasty 3
8. Qin Shi Huangdi
39. Han Dynasty
40. Examination System
41. Confucianism “Classical”
Culture
42. Patricians and Plebeians
43. Greek mythology
44. Christianity
45. Greco-Roman Culture
46. Indian Ocean Trade
47. Mayas and Moche
48. Axum, Kush, Ethiopia
49. Cultural Diffusion
50. Geography of Greece
27. Rig Veda
51. Greek Polis
53. Sparta
52. Athens
54. Democracy
55. Oligarchy
56. Peloponnesian Wars
57. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
58. Euclid and Pythagoras
59. Alexander the Great
60. Hellenism
Essentials Questions (EQs):
1. How did the Neolithic Revolution and geographic features contribute to the rise of river valley civilizations in Mesopotamia,
Egypt, India, and China?
2. How did the river valley civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China differ in their: (a) religions, (b) governments, and
(c) economies?
3. Compare the cultural achievements of the Persian Empire, Gupta India, and Han China.
4. Explain the differences in government in: (a) Greece, (b) the Roman Republic, (c) the Roman Empire
5. How did Alexander the Great change Greece?
6. What factors led to the fall of the Greeks ?
Unit 1 Reading Guide␣River Valley and Classical
Civilizations
12. List the five differences that separate Mesolithic from Paleolithic peoples.
Reading Assignment 1: World Civilizations - Chapter One
1. The human species has existed for about _______________________.
2. List the four drawbacks associated with the human species.
13. List the two differences that separate Neolithic from Mesolithic peoples.
3. List the five benefits associated with the human species.
14. It was the invention of ____________________________ that most clearly
moved the human species towards more elaborate social and cultural patterns.
4. Define the term Paleolithic.
15. Where did the Neolithic Revolution first occur?
5. All human races today are descendants of _____________________.
16. Explain the reason why the term “Neolithic Revolution” is a bit misleading.
6. Why do hunting and gathering groups tend to be small?
17. How did agriculture lead to labor specialization?
7. Speech developed in ____________________ about _________________
years ago.
18. How did agriculture encourage scientific discovery?
8. Why did people first develop rituals?
19. ______________________ was the first metal that people learned to work.
9. _______________________ often played a prominent role in the religious
pantheon.
20. The _______________________ began about 3000 B.C.E.
21. List the benefits of metalworking.
10. Define the term culture.
Reading Assignment 2: World Civilizations Chapter 1
1. Explain the technique of “slash and burn” agriculture.
11. List two discoveries that facilitated the spread of Paleolithic groups
throughout the world.
2. List the two advantages to living in one area.
3. _______________________ and _________________________
encouraged villages (agricultural communities) to develop instead of a series of
isolated farms.
4. Describe the four traits of the Neolithic village, Catal Huyuk, in southern
Turkey.
14. List the three Sumerian achievements that added to their region’s agricultural
prosperity.
15. The Sumerians were conquered by the_____________________________.
16. ___________________________ introduced the earliest written law codes.
5. The origins of civilization dates to approximately ___________________.
6. Economic surplus led to _____________________________. And this led to
_____________________________________________________________.
7. List the three reasons why cities are crucial to agricultural societies. 8. List the
four benefits that writing brings to societies.
17. _______________________ code established ______________________
for courts of law and________________________________ and the duties of
___________________________, setting harsh punishments for crimes.
Reading Assignment 3 - World Civilizations, Chapter Two & 3
1. Egyptian civilization formed around ___________________________.
9. Explain why hunting or nomadic people could not generate a civilization.
2. How was Egypt able to retain a unified state throughout most of its history?
3. Explain how the Egyptian economy differed from the Mesopotamian economy.
10. List the five problems created by civilizations.
4. _____________________________ was considered a god by the Egyptians.
5. Explain how Egyptian art and religion differed from Mesopotamian art and
religion.
11. List the two religious notions of the Sumerians that influenced Jewish,
Christian, and Muslim cultures.
6. What mathematic concept do we get from the Egyptians?
7. When did civilization emerge along the Indus River?
12. Sumerian political structure stressed tightly organized city-states, ruled by a
king who claimed_________________________________________________.
13. Sumerian religion was regulated by the_____________________________.
8. What feature is unique about houses in the cities of Harappa and MohenjoDaro?
9. The Indus River people traded with ________________________________.
10. Who conquered and destroyed the Indus River civilization?
22. The Jews were a ____________________ people who were influenced by
Babylonian civilization and settled near the Mediterranean around 1200 B.C.E.
11. Chinese civilization first developed along the_________________________.
23. ___________________ is the god of the Jews.
12. China’s first king was __________________________________________.
24. Explain why the Jewish religion has been very durable (unchanging) throughout
history.
13. List the five achievements of Chinese culture that can be seen by 2000 B.C.E.
25. Explain the main difference between the Jewish god and earlier gods from
Mesopotamia and Egypt.
14. Why didn’t early Chinese culture construct massive monuments?
15. The ______________ rulers were the first to construct impressive tombs
and palaces.
16. List the six basic achievements of early river valley civilizations.
Reading Assignment 4: World Civilizations, Chapter 5 & 8
1. What does the yin and yang represent in Chinese culture?
2. The Chinese developed a well-integrated system in which government,
philosophy, economic incentives, the family, and the individual
________________________________.
3.
Define the term dynasty.
4.
List the three dynastic cycles that cover the classical period of Chinese
history.
17. Explain the difference between Mesopotamian and Chinese view of nature.
18. ___________________________ art and _________________________
architecture has a more measurable influence on Greek styles, and later European
and Muslim culture.
19. The __________________________ devised the modern alphabet with 22
letters around 1300 B.C.E. It was adopted and changed by the Greeks and later
Latin alphabets.
20. The _____________________ were the first to introduced coined money.
21. The _____________________ were the first to develop a monotheistic
religion.
5. List the three contributions that the Zhou dynasty made to the development of
China.
6. During the late sixth and early fifth centuries B.C.E., the philosopher known as
________________________________ wrote on political ethics, and provided
the core of China’s distinctive philosophical heritage.
7. List the steps taken by Qin Shih Huangdi to reduce the regional power of the
Chinese aristocracy.
8. List the political and cultural innovations of the Chinese during the reign of Qin
Shih Huangdi.
20. Roman society collapsed following an invasion by nomadic tribes. Explain why
Chinese culture and political structure endured after China was invaded by
nomadic tribes.
9. What were the military achievements of the Han dynasty?
10. DirectcontactwithIndialedtocontactwiththe____________________ of the
Middle East, through which trade with _______________________ was
conducted.
11.
Under the Han dynasty, the government was linked to
__________________ that emphasized the values of
______________________________.
21.
When and why was the use of chopsticks developed in China? 22. List the
two messages of Confucius.
23. According to Confucius, what three traits should characterize the leaders of
society?
12. Who invaded China ca. 220 B.C.E. and conquered the Han dynasty?
13. List the differences between the Qin dynasty and Han dynasties?
24. What were the Analects?
14. Chinesefamilyauthority&unitywasenhancedbythepracticeof
__________________________________, which united each family member
through rituals devotion to their dead relatives.
25. According to Confucius, what three traits did a man need in order to be
considered for political service?
15. What role did landed nobles play in classical Chinese culture?
16. ____________________________createdthefirstlawcodeand uniformed
tax system for the entire Han Empire.
26. According to Confucius, true happiness rests in ___________________.
27. List the differences between “Legalism” and Confucianism.
17. ____________________________establishedexaminationsforhis
bureaucrats. The first examples of civil service test in the world.
18.
Most judicial matter, crimes and legal disputes, were handled by
____________________________________________
19. List the economic achievements of the Han dynasty.
28. List the scientific achievements of classical China.
29. List the social groups of classical Chinese society.
8. Chandragupta’s style of government was highly _____________________,
relying on the ruler’s personal and military power.
9. Chandragupta’s grandson was __________________________.
30. List the economic innovations of classical China.
10. Why did Ashoka convert to Buddhism?
11. Ashoka sent Buddhist missionaries to ____________________ in the Middle
East.
12. The next great Indian empire was the_________________ beginning in 320 C.E.
31. Explain how the Chinese viewed the world. And explain how that view influenced
their ideas of themselves and other societies. (Be specific!)
13. Gupta rulers maintained political control by _________________ with local
princes and ____________________ with their families.
14. The Gupta Empire was conquered in 535 C.E. by a new invasion of nomadic
warriors, the ________________________.
Reading Assignment 5 - World Civilizations, Chapter 4 & 9
1. India’s agricultural regions are located along the _______________________
and __________________________.
15. The Mauryan rulers depended heavily on the ___________________ to
maintain political control.
16. Why did Gupta rulers favor Hinduism over Buddhism?
2. What is Sanskrit?
3. India’s epic age was from _________________ to __________________.
The characteristic Indian caste system began to take shape during the Vedic and
Epic ages, as a ________________________________________
4. The basic castes are divided into smaller subgroups, called______________.
5.
Identify the term Indra.
6.
________________________________ became the first ruler of the
Maurya dynasty, and the first ruler to unify much of the Indian subcontinent.
17. Some of the achievements of Gupta Empire were that it did spread a uniform
______________________________, built __________________, and were
patrons of _____________________________.
18. One reason for India’s political disunity was that Indian religion did not
generally stress the importance of ___________________, but rather the
preeminence of _______________________________ as a source of authority.
19. Another reason for India’s politica limitations can be explained partly by the
importance of __________________________ of government, village
government, and by the social relationships under the _____________________.
7. List the three governmental achievements of the Mauryan dynasty.
20. The caste system provided away for India’s various races, the conquerors and
the conquered, to ______________________________.
21. List the two positive aspects of the caste system.
32. According to Buddhism, a holy life could be achieved through
_____________________________________________________.
22. List the two political consequences of the caste system.
33. Buddhism spread outside of India to China, Korea, and Japan, by
______________________________________________________.
23. _____________________________ was the only cultural cement because it
crossed political and language barriers, and across the castes.
34. List the three famous fairytales from the Indian collections known as
Panchatantra? What are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana?
24. Part of Hinduism’s success is due to its
ability______________________________________________.
25. Define the term varuna.
26. Explain how a Hindu holy man would live a good life.
27. Explain how a common follower of Hinduism would live a good life.
28. According to Hinduism what are the three obligations of life?
35. List the seven scientific discoveries of India.
36. List the seven mathematical discoveries of India.
37. According to an Indian code of law, a wife was to _____________________
38. Lack of female rights in India was enforced through _________________.
29. Explain how Hinduism reinforced the caste system in India.
30. Around 563 B.C.E., an Indian prince named __________________________
was born. He began to question the fairness of earthly life in which so much
poverty and misery abounded. He became known as
___________________________ or “enlightened one”.
31. ExplainthedifferencesbetweenBuddhismandHinduism?
39. What was the goal or purpose of arranged marriages?
Reading Assignment 1: World Civilizations - Chapter 7 & 10
12. ________________________marked the end of the classical period of
the Mediterranean civilization.
1.
______________________ came closer to conquering surrounding
peoples, but even its empire had to contend with strong kingdoms in the
_____________________________.
13. What are two things that the Greek city states developed?
2.
In the United States designers have copied ______________________
from Greek and Roman models. (Lincoln Memorial)
Reading Assignment 2: World Civilizations, Chapter 4: Greek and Roman
Political Institutions
3.
The development of ________________________ includes the rise
of_____________________________ in Greece.
14. Our word ________________________comes from the Greek citystate _______________..
4.
By __________. Cyrus the Great established a massive____________
across the Middle East and into north western India.
15. What did the “Good Life” of upper class Athenians or Romans include?
5.
The Persians advanced in ______________________, developed a new
religion called____________________________, and had a
__________________.
6.
The Persians were conquered by the Greeks and
____________________________.
7.
The Greeks themselves were an ______________________________
who took over the peninsula by _________________.
8.
_____________________________, represented a strong military,
and _______________________ represented a diverse commercial
state. They both became the two leading city states.
9.
It was during the fifth century B.CE. that the most famous Greek
political figure, ______________________________ , dominated
Athenian politics.
10. What was the democratic political structure that Pericles was a part of?
11. Greek art and culture merged together with other Middle Eastern forms
during the ______________________________________
period.
16. ____________________ and _____________________created some
similarities between Greco-Roman societies and the confusion values of
classical China.
17. Rule by individual strong was more common, and our word
_________________ comes from this experience in classical Greece.
18. What word is derived from the Greek word demos, meaning the people?
19. Only the minority of the Athenian population were _________________.
20. Half of all adult males were ________________ or ______________.
21. During the _____________________________________, Athens
demonstrated some of the potential drawbacks of Democracy.
22. What was the most widely preferred political framework of the classical
Mediterranean world?
23. _____________________________ was governed by a singularly
militaristic aristocracy, intent on retaining power on a large
.
24. What four things did the political theory in the classical Mediterranean
deal with?
25. Greek and Roman republican leaders had already developed an
understanding of the importance of codified _________________.
26. In Sparta the state eventually controlled the raising of ____________.
27. Emphasis on _______________ and___________________ and a
strong _______________________________tradition described
classical Mediterranean culture.
28. _______________________
Empire.
35. The Greeks believed what were the basic Elements?
36. The_____________________________ and
_______________________________ was written by a Greek poet
named Homer.
60. The rise of ____________________________________ in Greece and
then around Rome was one of the Prime forces leading to efforts to establish
an _________________.
(Approximately 3-5 sentences per answer.)
61. Compare and contrast the main features of the civilizations of Axum,
Kush and Ethiopia.
did arise during the Roman
29. Which god supervised the daily passage of the sun?
30. What are two features that Greco-Roman religion had?
31. This dominant religion lacked spiritual passion and failed to satisfy
ordinary ___________________and ___________________.
32. Philosophers like Aristotle and Cicero typically stressed the importance
of moderation and balance in ______________________________.
33. Socrates encouraged his pupils to question conventional wisdom, on the
grounds that the chief human duty was
“______________________________________________”.
34. What are the three perfect forms which Plato characterized Nature?
62. Identify 3 examples of syncretism in the development of Christianity and
Hinduism.
63. Compare and contrast the rise of civilization in the Americas and
Polynesia.
64. Trace the development of Ashoka’s leadership approach.