Introduction to
World History
AP
Tools for Learning
History
• Think about the Big Picture
o Marker events that make a difference in the course of history
• Think about themes
o Unifying threads that can be separated but often intertwine
o Themes in AP world: humans and the environment, cultures, political
structures and power (govts and politics), economic systems, and social
structures
• Think about chunks
o Periodization
o Marker events make one period distinct from another
o Five main periods in AP world
Tools for Learning
History
• Think comparatively
o Think about comparisons with big pictures, themes, and chunks.
• Think about change over time
o What happens in the beginning, causes things to change, how does the
characters influence the ending?
• Think like a historian
o Look at evidence to reconstruct the past
o Analyze perspective or point of view
Necessary Habits for a
Historian
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Evaluation based on evidence
Analysis of primary documents and data
Comparison and continuity and change over time
Understanding both global and local events
Understanding how the past impacts the present
and the future
Ap World History exam
Basics
• Given in May in a 2 week period
• Test is 3 hours and 5 minutes
• Half the grade is multiple choice and other half
based on 3 essays
Section I: Multiple Choice
• 70 multiple choice questions based on give time
periods in 55 minutes
• All periods equally represented with slightly more
questions on 600-1450 CE
Section I: Multiple Choice
• Scoring:
o Subtracts ¼ of the number of questions answered incorrectly from number
of questions answered correctly
o Answered 30 questions right and 10 questions wrong. 10 x ¼ = 2.5, so get
credit for 27.5 questions
• Pay attention to any visual (maps, charts,
photographs, etc) information given, including titles
o Sometimes it requires content knowledge to answer.
• Be prepared for EXCEPT, NOT, LEAST
Section II: Free-Response
• You have 130 minutes to answer 3 free-response (essay)
questions
• You can allocate your time however you like so don’t
get too bogged down in any one question
• Part A is the Document Based Question (DBQ) that
includes a 10 minute reading period and a 40 minute
writing period
• Part B is an essay that deals with continuity and change
in one of the 5 time periods (40 minutes)
• Part C is a compare and contrast essay between at
least two societies (40 minutes)
• You do not have to answer them in order; just allow
enough time for each
• Scores range from 0-9
The Document Based
Question (DBQ)
• Designed to measure our skills as an historian
• Question first then set of primary documents that
must be read before the question can be answered
• You come up with a thesis and back it with specific
evidence from the documents
The Document Based
Question (DBQ)
• Response graded on these guidelines:
o Thesis – answer the question, not just repeat it
• Requires some judgment and interpretation of the evidence
• Focus on the question
• Example: Tensions existed between nomadic and sedentary people
during the period before 600 C.E.” is NOT A GOOD THESIS
o Be specific
o Use all of the documents
• You must USE ALL THE DOCUMENTS in your response
• Must be clear which document you are referring
o Can refer by number (Document 1), author, or brief description
• Must demonstrate understanding of documents but you can
misinterpret one and still get the point
The Document Based
Question (DBQ)
• Response graded on these guidelines:
o Supporting evidence
• You may use quote from a document or simply describe which part
you are using. Do not quote extensively from documents because it is
too time consuming.
• Receive 1-2 points for this part
o 2 for appropriate evidence from all but one doc
o 1 point from all but two docs
o Point of View
• Must analyze the author’s point of view in at least TWO documents
• Look carefully of when it was written and evaluate how objective the
author might be
• You are seeking the truth and all docs must be evaluated for reliability
The Document Based
Question (DBQ)
• Response graded on these guidelines:
o Grouping documents
• Group docs based in ways that make sense based on the question
• Group chronologically, region, culture, or theme
• May also group by authors who agree with each other
• Make sure groups are clearly identified
• You get 2-3 points for this
o Additional documents
• Identify one additional document or source and explain why it would
you answer the question
• “If only I have this document” and why
Continuity and Change
Over Time
• Analyze change and continuities over the course of
at least one timer period
• Usually have to explain how one aspect of a society
or region changed and/or stayed the same over
time
Continuity and Change
Over Time
• Graded on:
o Acceptable thesis
• Answer the question, not just repeat it.
• Has some judgment and interpretation of evidence
• Must be focused on the question
o Complete answer
• Answer ALL parts
• Must address both CHANGES and CONTINUITY (things that stay the
same)
• 2 points for answering all of the question, 1 point for addressing most
of the question
Continuity and Change
Over Time
• Graded on:
o Supporting evidence
• Evidence must come from content knowledge
• No required evidence – question is so broad that many different
pieces of evidence can be presented
• 2 points for providing appropriate evidence
• 1 point for partially substantiating the thesis
o World Historical Context
• Must be explained in the broader world history of the time period
o If your question is about China, put China within the context of
the era. What contacts did China have with other civilizations
that affected its politics, etc?
Continuity and Change
Over Time
• Graded on:
o Analysis of the process of continuity and change
• Determine how various factors or parts of the topic relate to the
change or explain the continuity
• Why did the changes occur?
The Comparative Essay
• Compare at least two societies or regions in terms of
one of the major themes
• Asks for both similarities and differences and usually
some choice of the societies involved.
The Comparative Essay
• Graded on:
o Acceptable thesis
• Answer the question, not just repeat it
• Requires some judgment and interpretation and focused on the
question
o Complete answer
• Answer ALL parts of the question
• Discuss both similarities and differences
• 2 points is awarded for answering ALL parts of the question
• 1 point is awarded for address MOST parts of the question
The Comparative Essay
• Graded on:
o Supporting evidence
• Must come from content knowledge
• Usually so broad that there are many different pieces of evidence
that may be presented
• 2 points for provided appropriate historical evidence
• 1 point is awarded partially substantiating the thesis
o Direct comparison
• Don’t present both societies and then not directly point out
differences or similarities between them
• Ex: Unlike in Rome, Chinese society was held together by
Confucianism”
• Organize essay topic, rather than by country or society
The Comparative Essay
• Graded on:
o Reason for a similarity or difference
o Explain why the two societies are different or similar
o Must be made without the context of a direct comparison
• Ex: The difference in the outcomes of the fall of the Rome and India
might be explained by the unifying influence of the fall of Rome and
India might be explained by the unifying influence of Hinduism in India
and the lack of a comparable unifying influence in Rome.