5 HACKS FOR AP WORLD HISTORY

Summary

The transcript offers five essential study hacks for AP World History students to excel in exams. It emphasizes the importance of understanding periodization, recognizing South Asia's significance, and mastering belief systems like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Confucianism. The transcript also highlights the significance of units five and six, which cover revolutions and the Industrial Revolution, as pivotal for the course. Lastly, it advises students to write for the readers, focusing on the rubric to impress the graders during the exam.

Takeaways

• 📅 Embrace Periodization: Understanding the time frames used in AP World History is crucial for answering exam questions effectively.
• 🌏 Prioritize South Asia: India and its history are significant in AP World History, and students should pay special attention to South Asia's role in various historical periods.
• 🇨🇳 Recognize China's Importance: Alongside India, China's history is also a key part of the world history narrative and should not be overlooked.
• 🧘 Learn Belief Systems: Basic knowledge of major belief systems such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Confucianism is essential for understanding historical events and their impacts.
• 🔄 Focus on Units Five and Six: These units, covering modern history and including topics like the Industrial Revolution, are particularly important and frequently tested in AP World History.
• ✍️ Write for the Readers: Students should aim to write their essays and responses in a way that will impress the exam readers, who will be evaluating their work based on the rubric.
• 📝 Importance of Writing to the Rubric: Knowing and applying the rules for writing essays, including the LEQ and DBQ, is vital for scoring well on the exam.
• 🎓 Don't Neglect Early Units: While units five and six are crucial, students should also not disregard the content from earlier units, as they provide foundational knowledge.
• 🌐 Global Perspective: The course is about world history, not just American or European history, so students should maintain a global perspective in their studies.
• 📚 Utilize Resources: The speaker suggests using resources like their channel, which is dedicated to AP World History, for additional study materials and guidance.
• 👍 Appreciate Your Teacher: While the exam readers are important, students should also value the efforts of their teachers in preparing them for the exam.

Q & A

What is the main issue with how teachers and students often approach review sessions in courses?

The main issue is that review sessions are often backloaded to the end of the course, with the last few weeks dedicated to studying or reviewing material from throughout the school year.

What is the significance of periodization in AP World History?

Periodization is significant because almost all questions on the AP World History exam are bracketed by some time frame, and understanding these time frames helps to chunk out the course content effectively.

Why is South Asia, particularly India, important in the context of AP World History?

South Asia, including India, is important because it is a region that is often involved in various historical events and can add interest to potentially boring parts of history. It also represents a significant portion of the world's population.

What is the role of belief systems in AP World History, and why are they important to know?

Belief systems are important because they provide a foundation for understanding cultural and historical developments across different periods and regions. Knowing the basics of major belief systems like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Confucianism can be applied in various contexts throughout the course.

Why are Units 5 and 6 of AP World History considered particularly important?

Units 5 and 6 are important because they cover the period of revolutions and imperialism, which significantly changed the course of world history and are frequently tested in the AP World History exam.

What is the significance of the Industrial Revolution in AP World History?

The Industrial Revolution is significant as it marked a major turning point in history with the advent of factories, migrations, and other changes that continue to impact the world today.

Why is it important to write for the readers in AP World History essays?

Writing for the readers is crucial because the readers, who grade the essays, need to be impressed by the student's understanding and application of historical knowledge. Writing to the rubric ensures that the essay meets the criteria for scoring.

What is the purpose of the 80-day countdown mentioned in the script?

The 80-day countdown starting in February is a tool to help students prepare for the AP World History exam by providing a structured timeline for review and study.

What does the script suggest about the importance of focusing on certain regions like India and China in AP World History?

The script suggests that focusing on regions like India and China is important because these regions represent a large part of the world's population and have had significant historical impacts, which is essential for a world history course.

How does the script recommend students approach their study of AP World History to be better prepared for the exam?

The script recommends students to focus on periodization, pay attention to regions like South Asia and China, understand major belief systems, prioritize Units 5 and 6, and write essays that align with the rubric to impress the readers.

What is the final piece of advice given in the script for students preparing for the AP World History exam?

The final advice is to subscribe to the channel and explore its content, which is devoted to AP World History, to find additional resources and insights that can help students prepare for the exam.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Effective Study Strategies for AP World History

The speaker introduces five study hacks to prepare for the AP World History exam effectively. The first hack is understanding periodization, which is crucial for answering exam questions that are often time-frame specific. The second hack emphasizes the importance of Indian history, suggesting that South Asia's historical events are engaging and significant throughout the course. The third hack is to be familiar with the basics of major belief systems such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Confucianism, as they provide a valuable context for understanding historical events post-1200. The fourth hack highlights the significance of units five and six, which cover modern history, including the Industrial Revolution and its impact. Lastly, the speaker advises students to write for the readers, focusing on the rubric to impress the exam graders, rather than just pleasing their teachers.

Keywords

💡Periodization

Periodization refers to the division of history into distinct and significant time periods. In the context of the video, it is crucial for understanding the structure of the AP World History course, as the College Board uses these time frames to organize the curriculum. The script mentions the importance of knowing the focus of different periods, such as the post-Classical period from 1200 to 1450, which is centered around governance and trade.

💡South Asia

South Asia, often denoted as India in the script, is a significant region in the AP World History course. The video emphasizes the importance of paying attention to South Asian history, which includes the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, and British India, among others. This region's history is highlighted as being particularly engaging and integral to the course's narrative.

💡China

China is a key player in world history and is given special emphasis in the AP World History course. The script suggests that understanding Chinese history is essential, as it is a major part of the world's population and has had a profound impact on global events and developments.

💡Belief Systems

Belief systems, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Confucianism, are foundational to the understanding of cultural and historical contexts. The video stresses the importance of knowing the basics of these belief systems, as they provide a framework for analyzing historical events and their spread, which significantly influenced world history after 1200.

💡Revolution

Revolution is a term used in the script to describe major transformative events, particularly the Industrial Revolution. The video points out that units five and six, which cover modern history, are pivotal as they discuss the Industrial Revolution's impact on factories, migrations, and other aspects of society, marking a significant shift in world history.

💡Imperialism

Imperialism, while not explicitly defined in the script, is implied as a significant theme in AP World History, especially in the context of revolutions and the changes they brought about. It is a concept that involves the extension of a nation's power through colonization or hegemony, which is a key topic in understanding the historical shifts discussed in the video.

💡AP World History

AP World History is the subject of the video and the course for which the study tips are provided. It is a comprehensive study of world history from approximately 1200 to the present, with a focus on significant global events, cultural developments, and historical figures that have shaped the world.

💡Exam Preparation

Exam preparation is the overarching theme of the video, offering strategies and hacks to prepare for the AP World History exam effectively. The script provides specific advice on how to study and what to focus on to be ready for the exam, emphasizing the importance of understanding the course's structure and content.

💡Free Response Questions

Free Response Questions (FRQs) are a part of the AP World History exam that require students to write essays in response to prompts. The video advises students to write for the readers, who are the graders, and to understand the rubric to maximize their scores on these questions.

💡Rubric

The rubric is the set of criteria used by the readers to grade the free response questions on the AP World History exam. The video stresses the importance of understanding and writing to the rubric to ensure that students can effectively communicate their knowledge and earn points.

💡Study Hacks

Study hacks refer to the strategies and techniques provided in the video to help students prepare more efficiently for their exams. These hacks include understanding periodization, focusing on South Asian and Chinese history, knowing belief systems, recognizing the importance of certain units, and writing effectively for the exam's readers.

Highlights

Avoid backloading review to the end of the course; start focusing on these 5 hacks now to prepare for the exam.

Periodization is crucial; know the time frames used to chunk out the course, as they appear in almost every question.

Understanding the focus of each time period, like governance and trade in the post-Classical period (1200-1450), is key.

South Asia, including India, is present in every unit and adds interest to history. Pay attention to key South Asian developments.

India and China are important in AP World History; don't just focus on American or European history.

Knowing the basics of belief systems like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Confucianism is valuable across periods and regions.

Understanding how belief systems spread and their impact on world history after 1200 is essential.

Units 5 and 6 covering modern history, including the Industrial Revolution, are particularly important and frequently tested.

Unit 5 and 6 are the hinge point in the course, connecting ancient and modern history.

Write for the readers - the graders in Kansas City who will read your free response questions in June.

Focus on writing to the rubric to impress the graders and earn points.

Appreciate your teacher's hard work, but remember the person who matters most is the grader evaluating your essays.

Subscribe to the channel for more AP World History resources and videos.

Good luck on the AP World History exam in May.

Transcripts

what I've been Freeman from

freemanpedia.com and as teachers and

students we tend to backload the review

stuff to the end of the course like the

last few weeks of class before the exam

is dedicated to studying or reviewing

stuff from throughout the school year

hell I even have an 80-day countdown

starting in February to help you out but

what if I told you there were five hacks

you should start focusing on right now

to make your life easier on the exam in

may now these are in no particular order

but if you go into the course knowing

that these things are crucial when it's

exam time you'll be ready to go first

periodization it's lame it's boring I

know but you just have to know these

almost all the questions will be

bracketed by some time frame and they

won't always be these periods

specifically but the College Board uses

these to chunk out the course and you'll

see them on almost every single question

it's earlier in the year but if you

can't tell me the focus of the post

Classical period 1200 to 1450 then

you're doing it wrong it's governance

and trade so it's not some dumb numbers

in a timeline I think appearance is the

boundaries of the field that is AP World

History to play the game you gotta know

the field second no Indian in history

just do they're in every unit plus

they're crazy interesting some parts of

History can be boring if India is

involved it will not be boring I say

India by the way but I really mean South

Asia so as you go through the school

year keep an ear out for the south Asia

stuff that's stuff like the deli

sultanate the Mughal Empire morata's

British India Trading Company Indian

Ocean trade routes see and that's only

through unit four I think it goes

without saying that China is important

in AP World History but it is needed to

be said that India is at least one big

remember there are courses in American

history and European history so don't

Focus there or just go take those

courses Instead This is world history

and where does the plurality of the

world live Indian China no Indian

history three know the belief systems

just the basics but those facts are more

valuable than other facts knowing the

basics of the belief systems will give

you info you can use in any period in

multiple regions if you know the basics

of Islam that's a huge chunk of the plan

the Mongols are cool but the models are

gone Islam remains throughout the course

so be at least conversational in

Buddhism Hinduism Christianity Islam and

Confucianism you don't gotta convert but

you do need to know the basics of the

beliefs and equally importantly how they

spread and how that affected world

history after 1200. fourth units five

and six are a big deal they are I hate

to say that some units are more

important than others or show up more

often than others but they do they're

two of the most asked about units in AP

World History modern you're probably not

there yet but when the word revolution

starts to get thrown around and more

specifically the Industrial Revolution

with factories and migrations and stuff

that's a red flag heads up this is

crucial do not sleep through this plus

it's often only January and February so

you can kind of zone out because it's

cold in the middle of the school year

don't units five and six are crucial

they are the hinge point in the course

units one and four will come off as

ancient and old-timey unit 7 and 9 will

seem way more modern and connected to

the times we live in why because unit

five and six changed the game fifth

write for the readers your teacher is

awesome don't you just love him or her

or them they're great take a minute and

appreciate them for all the hard work

and effort great job having said that

they don't matter they don't I know

that's harsh but the person that matters

to you is someone you will never know

they only exist to you in June of this

coming year they are sitting at a table

in Kansas City they are reading your

free response questions you need to

impress this person you need to write

for them that means you need to write to

the rubric so when your teacher starts

going over how to write the essay you

the leq and the DBQ this is the most

crucial bit of the entire year if you

don't know the rules you can't play the

game so as you go through the year

remember these five hacks to help you

out periodization matters Indian history

is always important don't convert but

learn the belief systems revolutions and

imperialism are the biggest of deals

finally write to the readers write to

the rubric get those points if any of

this was helpful hit that subscribe

button look around my channel it's 100

devoted to AP World History stuff

there's videos and all kinds of stuff

there's bound to be something to help

you out all right that's all I got good

luck this year and more importantly good

luck on the exam in May

[Music]