AP Prep World History
Mr. Henderson
Study guide for Final Exam
Fall, 2006

Study Tips: Your final exam in AP Prep World History will consist of multiple choice questions and will not have any writing or essay component.  The test is comprehensive and covers basic information from the beginning of the school year (but not all the details).  I have listed below the main topics covered this year with general knowledge questions beneath each topic.  In most cases there are hyperlinks to notes as well.  In using the notes, try and find answers to the study points below; however, do not study the posted notes in every detail.  For example, the first set of notes has a chart with information on all the River Valley civilizations.  It would be a waste of time to memorize that.  Only use the notes to find the content points listed below, and do not study every single detail from the notes or from class.  Also, don't forget that if you have a question about any of the points below you may ask it on my forum page and I will answer you (You do not have to register to ask a question or read responses to other questions).  Here is the link: http://forums.historyhaven.com/.  As of tonight (Sunday) the study guide is still a work in progress. Check back later for more notes on more recent topics. 

Topics and Content

The Neolithic Revolution and the Beginning of Civilization         

            Describe Paleolithic life
            Describe the Neolithic revolution and its affects (social, demographics, gender).
            What were the effects of different metal technologies on human organization?
            What is civilization and what are some problems with its definition?
            What were some contributions of the River Valley civilizations?

Classical civilizations of India and China

            What were the phases and dynasties in the development of classical Chinese
            civilization?
            In what way did belief systems reinforce social and political structures in India and China ?
            What are the basic beliefs of Confucianism and Hinduism?
            How is Buddhism similar and different than Hinduism?

Classical civilizations of Greece and Rome

            What were the effects of geography on the social, political and economic structure of ancient Greece ?
            Contrast Athens and Sparta
            What are some of the basics of Greek philosophy, religion, and drama?
            What was the importance of Aristotle? Pythagoras?
            What does Greek architecture tell us about Greek thinking?             
            What was the Impact of the conquests of Alexander the Great?
            The Roman Republic
            How did the Punic wars lead to the fall of the Roman Republic?
            The Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity
            Why was the fall of the Roman Empire more permanent and devastating than the fall of Indian and Chinese classical civilizations. 
            How was Rome divided and Christianized? How was Byzantine civilization similar and different to the western Roman Empire?

The Rise of Islam and its Influence

            How did Islam begin? What are its primary beliefs?
            What led to the formation of different forms of Islam such as Sunni, Shiite and Sufism?
            What political and economic effects does Islam generally have?
            Why were social patterns of conversion different in India and Africa?               
            What as the impact of Islam on India and Africa?
            What are the contributions of Islamic civilization to World History?

The Recovery of Chinese Civilization and the European Middle Ages

            How did Chinese civilization recover and thrive during the Tang and Song Dynasties?
            What were the weaknesses of the Song Dynasty that led to China's downfall? 
            Why were the Franks so important to European civilization during the Dark Ages?
            What were the consequences of the Norman Invasion of England in 1066?
            What was Feudalism and what events necessitated it?
            What institution took the place of the Roman Empire in Europe after Rome's fall? How was this institution arranged?
            What does the structure of Gothic architecture tell us about how people in the Middle Ages thought about life?
            What were the causes and the results of the Crusades?
            What changes led to a revival of civilization during the High Middle Ages in Europe?
            What were the three crises that brought and end to the civilization of the European Middle Ages?

The Renaissance and Reformation

            In what ways was the Renaissance different than other periods of recovery in Europe?
            What roles did the fall of Constantinople, the printing press, and the rise of the bourgeoisie play in the coming of the Renaissance?
            How were Renaissance artists and writers different from those of the Middle Ages?
            What does the Renaissance slogan ad fonte mean? What are some examples?
            What issues in Medieval Christianity provoked Luther to protest the Catholic Church?
            How are Protestant beliefs different than Roman Catholic beliefs?
            What was the Radical Reformation and why were they (Anabaptists) different than other Protestants?
            Explain the Catholic response to the Reformation (Catholic Reformation, Council of Trent, Counter-Reformation)

The Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment, and French Revolution

            What ideas do the Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution have in common?
           In what way did the Scientific Revolution change the methods people used to learn about the material world?
           What were the primary accomplishments of Copernicus, Galileo and Newton?
           What is are the differences and similarities between the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment?
           What were the main ideas of Locke, Hobbes, and Rouseau?
           How did the ideas of these men affect the American and French Revolutions?
           What were the primary causes of the French Revolution?
           What were the results of the French Revolution (its successes and failures)?

The Age of Industrialism and Imperialism

           What was the Industrial Revolution?
            What characteristics made Britain perfect for Industrialization?
           What were some of the new technologies involved in the textile industry and what function did they perform?
            How did industrialization affect imperialism?
           What were some of the social changes brought about by industrialization?
              What is socialism?  What was Marx's criticism of industrialization?
            How did Darwin affect people’s view of progress?
            What were the Berlin Conference and the Great Scramble?
            What were the long term consequences of the colonization of Africa ?

World War I and II

                How did each of the following contribute to World War I?
                Imperialism
                Militarism
                System of Alliances
                Nationalism
            What was Germany ’s biggest strategic problem in WWI?
            How did Germany plan on getting around this problem at the beginning of the war? What happened to this plan?
            What were some of the new weapons of war and why did they make the war so devastating?
            What did battles such as the Somme do to people's view of progress?
            What did the Germans finally do to get out of a two-front war? What were the long term consequences of this?
            Why did Americans start to favor the Allies in WWI?
            What were Wilson ’s reasons for bringing the US into WWI? Explain in detail.

The Cold War and the War on Terror