AP Worldipedia
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Welcome to AP Worldipedia, the free encyclopedia for Mr. Henderson's AP World History classes at West Forsyth High School. Below are the Key Concepts on which this course is based. Each has been filled out into a narrative text. Although they do not necessarily follow the chronological sequence that the content will be delivered in class, it should prove sufficient in covering the basics of the course. Below the Key Concepts are the content articles which are written entirely by students. Our goal is to form an online repository of knowledge to help ourselves and other students with the content in Advanced Placement World History. This site is not connected to or endorsed by the College Board in any way.
About AP World History
Course Themes
The content of this course would be overwhelming were it not organized around major themes and key concepts. As you read and write articles for AP Worldipedia, you should keep them relevant to these themes. The Course Themes are as follows:
- 1) Interaction between Humans and the Environment -The environment impacts human beings even as human activity impacts the environment. From the earliest discoveries of fire and agriculture, this relationship has been driven by new technologies, migrations of human beings, disease and demographic changes, and patterns of human settlement.
- 2) Development and Interaction of Cultures -Throughout history, humans have held many belief systems and religions. They have developed philosophies and ideologies, technologies and forms of artistic expression. As societies interact, these aspects of culture adapt, blend or react to one another and often form new and complex mixtures.
- 3) State-building, Expansion, and Conflict -Humans developed forms of authority, or governance, to bring order and efficiency to their lives. These took the form of tribes or clans based on kinship, empires built by conquest, modern nation-states, and other hierarchical systems. All political systems are formed on the concept of legitimacy and when legitimacy is lost, revolts and revolutions transform the system.
- 4) Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems -This theme deals with how human beings use their resources and labor to produce and exchange wealth. It includes means of acquiring food, forms of labor, how things are bought, sold, and traded, as well as ideologies about wealth such as capitalism, mercantilism, and socialism.
- 5) Development and Transformation of Social Structures -All human societies develop assumptions about how human beings are grouped. These are almost always hierarchical, with some classes or castes higher than others. The most basic social structure has always been the family, but kinship, race, ethnicity and economic level are also ways of grouping. Most societies have assumptions about the role of gender also.
Course Content by Key Concept
Period 1 Key Concepts
Period 2 Key Concepts
Period 3 Key Concepts
Period 4 Key Concepts
Period 5 Key Concepts
Period 6 Key Concepts
Course Content by Unit
Unit I and II (8000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.)
Agriculture, Metals, and Civilization
- The Bronze Age (Sample Article)
River Valley Civilizations
Classical Civilizations
Classical Belief Systems and Their Social and Political Implications
Course Theme Summaries: Units I and II
- Interaction between Humans and the Environment:Units I and II
- Development and Interaction of Cultures: Units I and II
- State-building, Expansion, and Conflict: Units I and II
- Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems: Units I and II
- Development and Transformation of Social Structures: Units I and II
Unit III (600 to 1450)
Islamic Civilization
The Recovery and Influence of China
The Mongols
New and Continuing Civilizations
- Medieval Japan
- The Byzantine Empire
- The Rise of Russia
- The Americas
- Western Europe
- African Civilization
Changes in Belief Systems
Trans Regional Connections
Course Theme Summaries: Unit III
Unit IV (1450 to 1750)
Unit V (1750 to 1900)
Unit VI (1900 to the Present)
The Essays
The essays on the AP World History test are graded on a scale from 1 to 9. The rubrics below show how you gain those points. If you get all 7 of the Basic Core points, your essay will be considered for 2 additional,or Expanded Core, points.
Document Based Question
On the DBQ the student performs the task of the historian. The student must read and analyze historical documents and answer a prompt based on them. It is grade according to this rubric:
| Basic Core | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable Thesis | 1 point | ||||||||
| Addresses all of the Documents | 1 point | ||||||||
| Uses all the Documents as Evidence | 1 or 2 points | ||||||||
| Groups the Documents | 1 point | ||||||||
| Analyzes Point of View | 1 point | ||||||||
| Identifies an Additional Document | 1 point | ||||||||
Change and Continuity over Time
| Basic Core | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptable Thesis | 1 point | ||||||||
| Addresses all parts of the Question | 1 or 2 points | ||||||||
| Uses Appropriate Evidence | 1 or 2 points | ||||||||
| Uses World Historical context | 1 point | ||||||||
| Analyzes the reason for Change or Continuity | 1 point | ||||||||
Compare and Contrast
How to Write Articles
How to put an Image in your Article
Grading Rubric for Writing Articles
This wiki is currently being revised for the new College Board curriculum framework for AP World History.