AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP World History Units 1-2 Flashcards

8000 BC to 600 CE

Terms : Hide Images
271884446TradeCurrency developed, interaction happened0
271884447Change and ContinuityChange: Development of agriculture, Continuity: nonrepresentative type governments throughout the world1
271884448DemographyNeolithic Revolution: Discovery of agriculture, also pastoral nomadism developed2
271884449TechnologyUse of metals: Copper to bronze and then to iron3
271884450SocialFood surplus leads to job specialization, and social structure starts on economic roles. Families: Women excluded from positions of power (except for Africa)4
271884451CultureCave paintings to architecture, writing for keeping records and communication, world religions5
271884452Cooperationsettle in larger groups to cooperate6
271884453Citiessurplus and job specialization,:7
271884454CivilizationsOrganized governments, religion, social structure, job specialization, public works, writing, arts and architecture8
271884455GovernmentsMost were nonrepresentative monarchies or oligarchies: Democracy or republics were uncommon9
271884456EmpiresExpanded original area of one state and conquered surrounding neighbors to build and empire10
271884457Neolithic RevolutionDemographics: Slash-and-burn agriculture Society: Job specialization and surplus of food, gender roles had women become more domestic and men rose in importance Religion: Usually related to nature and life Technology: Copper, bronze, and the wheel11
271884458Pastoral NomadismAlternative to agriculture during Neolithic Revolution alternative: depend on herd for survival and travel to find grass or steppe for grazing Learn fighting skills12
271884459River CivilizationsRivers provide transport and communication and water13
271884460MesopotamiaFertile Crescent: Sumer Society has social order14
271884461EgyptNile River: Floods at right times, developed hieroglyphics. Women can take on jobs, but not pharaoh status15
271884462IndusIndus River: Language not understood, but polytheistic. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro: City planning and social hierarchy16
271884463AryansNomadic Indo-European people, entered India. Had the Vedas, and started the caste system17
271884464ShangDeveloped around Yellow River. Started development of Chinese language, also developed bronze metallurgy18
271884465ZhouFurther cements Chinese tradition: Mandate of Heaven, veneration of ancestors. Iron metallurgy makes it to China19
271884466MesoamericaOlmecs settle near Gulf of Mexico: San Lorenzo and La Venta, and Colossal Heads20
271884467South AmericaAndean heartland: beans, peanuts, sweet potatoes. Chavin religious cult21
271884468HinduismDharma, karma, samsara, reincarnation, moksha, Brahma and its avatars. Role of Women: not included in religious things22
271884469Caste systemImpacts Hinduism: Brahmins, ksatriyas, vaisyas, shudras and untouchables: purity and pollution23
271884470BuddhismSiddhartha Gautama, enlightenment under a bodhi tree for the 4 noble truths and eightfold path to give up desire and get to nirvana. Missionaries. Role of Women: Can participate in religion24
271884471AsokaMauryan emperor, supported Buddhism25
271884472ConfucianismFilial piety, benevolence, correct actions and morals: 5 key relationships. Role of Women: Men superior to women26
271884473DaoismLaozi: Way of nature, wu wei, and government is useless. Encouraged relaxation: end of Warring States27
271884474LegalismMan is inherently evil and must have strict laws and punishment28
271884475JudaismExodus and YHWH, 10 commandments and the covenant. Foundation of Israel as Promised Land, then Diaspora by Romans. Monotheism.29
271884476ChristianityJesus born in Judea, preaches Kingdom of God, eternal life, and his disciples write the New Testament. Role of Women: equal in eyes of God30
271884477Edict of MilanMakes Christianity legal in Roman Empire31
271884478Nestorian ChristianityForm of Christianity, continues to spread across Silk Roads into Cental Asia, India and China32
271884479GreecePolitics: Center around polis, City-state (Sparta and Athens).33
271884480Persian WarGreek cities in Anatolia resented Persian Empire rule and started the war: Moral victory for Athenians34
271884481Delian LeagueAlliance of Greeks against the Persians, but leadership caused resentment35
271884482Peloponnesian WarSparta vs. Athens, weakens Greece, so stronger power from Macedonia takes over36
271884483Alexander the GreatConquered Persia after his father (King Phillip II), and northwest regions of Indian subcontinent.37
271884484Hellenistic Empire and EraEmpire left by Alexander the Great: Divided among Antigonid (Greece and Macedonia), Ptolemaic (Egypt) and Seleucid (Persia)38
271884485GreeceEconomy: Relied heavily on trade by Mediterranean, and caravan through Persia to the west39
271884486GreeceSociety: Patriarchal, women under male authority unless became a priestess. Literacy existed among upper-class Greek women. Slaves exist.40
271884487GreeceCulture: Polytheistic religion. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle do philosophy, astronomy, ethics, biology, physics etc.41
271884488IndiaPolitics: Small decentralized regional kingdoms (Continuity: decentralization remains)42
271884489MauryansChandragupta Maurya: Fill power-vacuum after Alexander the Great, sets up bureaucracy. Ashoka continues conquest, then rule with morals. After Ashoka's death, India returns to decentralization but stays with trade43
271884490Gupta EmpireChandra Gupta conquers many of regional kingdoms (other than south), but leaves local administration in power. Invasion of White Huns causes weakening44
271884491IndiaEconomy: Agriculture surplus encouraged towns and marketplaces. Long-distance trade w/ China, Southeast Asia, and Mediterranean basin: Silk Roads. Sailors ride monsoons.45
271884492IndiaSociety: Patriarchal but with Caste system46
271884493IndiaCulture: Buddhism and Hinduism, stresses symbolism instead of representation. Geometry, algebra, pi, zero, decimals, and numbers47
271884494ChinaPolitics: Shang, Zhou, Era of Warring States, Qin, Han48
271884495Qin DynastyQin Shihuangdi: Ends era of warring states and starts central bureaucracy. Sponsors Great wall, standardizes law, currency, weights, measures and script.49
271884496Han DynastyWu Di: build toads and canals, university, Confucianism, civil service exams. Has Confucian ideals about ruling. Foreign policy of expansion to Vietnam, Korea and Central Asia50
271884497ChinaEconomy: agriculture, flourished with long-distance trade. Silk Roads flourish.51
271884498Tributary system of tradeFollowed by Han: Policy was that Han didn't need to trade with neighbors, so they demanded tribute and give trade goods in return. Also gifts were sent to nomads to prevent invasions52
271884499ChinaSociety: Patriarchal; women were useful to marry. Scholar-gentry was highest class, able to take civil service exams. Merchants considered low.53
271884500ChinaCulture: Family is the unit, made of living and dead. Filial piety etc. by Confucianism. Daoism promotes reverence for nature. Invention of wheelbarrow, watermills, sternpost rudder and compass, and paper.54
271884501RomePolitics: Etruscan king overthrown, and republic established. Then empire took over.55
271884502Roman RepublicPeople elect representatives: 2 consuls elected by assembly dominated by patricians. Senate advisors also patricians. Plebians (commoners) later gained right to elect tribunes to veto.56
271884503Roman mpireWealth and power of conquest causes problems, and growth of cities causes more lower class and poverty.57
271884504Julius CaesarLed Roman Army to conquer Gaul, and made himself dictator for life. Centralized military and politics, and started building projects. Assasinated.58
271884505Augustus CaesarOctavian: monarchy disguised as a republic: continues expansion and stimulates growing economy59
271884506Pax RomanaRoman Peace (2 and a half centuries starting with Augustus)60
271884507Twelve TablesRome's system of law61
271884508RomeEconomy: extensive roads, good for trade and creating markets. Tax revenue strengthened empire. Uniform currency used, but Latin for politics and Romans, while Greek for trade62
271884509RomeSociety: Patriarchal, pater familias rules as father of the family.63
271884510RomeCulture: Inspired by Greeks (polytheistic religion, columns, arches). Jews mostly tolerated until rebellions, then Diaspora. Christians were seen as a threat and were persecuted. Engineering advanced64
271884511Edict of MilanLegalized Christianity to stop the persecution, and Emperor Theodosius proclaims Christianity as official religion in 380 CE65
271884512Silk RoadsOriginated on diplomatic mission to Central Asia by nomads during Han: kicks off silk trade. Buddhism gets spread along.66
271884513Indian OceanSea version of Silk Roads: Went through to Persian Gulf. Mostly by Malay and Indian sailors. Buddhism and Hinduism spread.67
271884514Mediterranean SeaRoman Lake: Syra to Spain to North Africa: Free from pirates and trade thrived68
271884515DiseaseMeasles, smallpox, bubonic plague: Roman Empire population dropped by 25%, and trade declines69
271884516Bantu MigrationBantu occupied most of Sub-Saharan Africa: Migrate to new settlements as resources are lacking. Bantu language and culture spreads, along with clearing land and expanding agriculture. Bananas from India are grown. Many languages today can be traced back to Bantu migrations.70
271884517Polynesian MigrationSettlement of the islands could be accidental or planned. Yams, taros, breadfruit, bananas and dogs, pigs, chickens spread. Hierarchical chiefdoms.71
271884518Fall of HanXiongnu after empire weakens from drop in tax revenue, corruption, population increase72
271884519Fall of RomeTax paying neglected, law enforcement problems, plagues and lack of strength in Roman armies against nomads73
271884520Fall of GuptaTax lack, regional powers, nomadic invasion of White Huns74
271884521AnimismReligious belief that focuses on roles of various gods and spirits in the natural world and in human events: Polytheistic75
271884522Caste SystemSocial system of Aryans divided people into 4 castes: Varnas. Each of 4 main castes had specific roles.76
271884523ClassicalPeriod of great cultural significance in society before modern age: Usually refers to age of Athens in ancient Greece and Roman Republic/Empire. Also applied to others, eg. Qin Dynasty of China77
271884524Filial PietyForm of respect shown by children to parents: Crucial to Confucian thought78
271884525MonotheismReligious belief in one God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam79
271884526Neolithic RevolutionNew Stone Age: Humans discover agriculture and settle into fixed communities80
271884527NomadicWay of life in which people do not have a settled home but rather move from place to place in order to find places for animals to forage81
271884528PastoralGroup that herds domesticated animals for their livelihood, often nomadic82
271884529PolygamyCultural trait in which one person is married to more than 1 spouse at a time83
271884530PolytheismReligious belief in more than 1 god84
271884531Silk RoadsTrade routes that linked Mediterranean area of Roman Empire with the Chinese Qin Dynasty: Silk textiles and other precious trade goods traveled. Flourished under Mongol period of 13 century.85

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!