AP Daily: AP World History (1.1)

Summary

This video focuses on the developments in East Asia from 1200 to 1450, particularly the systems of government in Chinese dynasties. It introduces key skills like identifying and describing historical processes, using the Song Dynasty as a case study. Students will learn about the significance of Confucianism and imperial bureaucracy in governance, and the role of examinations in recruiting officials. The video emphasizes understanding the formation, expansion, and decline of states, alongside how governments maintained power through various systems. It also highlights the importance of these skills in AP exams.

Takeaways

• 😀 East Asia includes China, Korea, and Japan, and it is distinct from Southeast Asia and South Asia.
• 😀 The video focuses on two skills: 'Identify' and 'Describe,' which help in understanding historical processes.
• 😀 'Identify' means to state a name, place, or example without elaboration, while 'Describe' means to provide relevant characteristics and details.
• 😀 Students must understand the chronology of Chinese dynasties, particularly the Song Dynasty, and how they fit into a broader historical context.
• 😀 Governance in East Asia involved various internal and external factors that contributed to the formation, expansion, and decline of states.
• 😀 The Song Dynasty used traditional methods of Confucianism and imperial bureaucracy to maintain and justify their rule.
• 😀 The examination system, which began under the Han Dynasty, continued through the Song Dynasty and was used to recruit officials.
• 😀 The imperial exam system in China was competitive, and although it was theoretically open to all, it was practically inaccessible to the poor.
• 😀 A new class emerged in China under the Song Dynasty, largely driven by an increase in productive power, wealth accumulation, and the exam system.
• 😀 Students will apply the skills of 'Identify' and 'Describe' in various assessment formats, such as short-answer questions, document-based questions, and long essays.
• 😀 The video emphasizes how understanding governance and historical processes will be important throughout the course, from Unit 1 to Unit 9.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is developments in East Asia from around 1200 to 1450, focusing on systems of government, specifically the Song Dynasty, and the skills of identifying and describing historical processes.

What are the two key skills emphasized in the video?

The two key skills emphasized in the video are 'identify,' which means to indicate or provide information about a specified topic, and 'describe,' which means to provide relevant characteristics or details about a topic.

What geographical regions make up East Asia?

East Asia is made up of China, Korea, and Japan. It's important to distinguish this from Southeast Asia and South Asia.

What are the four Chinese dynasties mentioned, and which one is the focus of the video?

The four Chinese dynasties mentioned are the Han, Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties. The focus of the video is on the Song Dynasty.

What is the main role of governance in East Asia, as described in the video?

Governance in East Asia, particularly during the Song Dynasty, was influenced by internal and external factors that contributed to the formation, expansion, and decline of states. Governments maintained order through administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and exercised power in various ways and for different purposes.

What system did the Song Dynasty use to maintain and justify their rule?

The Song Dynasty utilized traditional methods of Confucianism and an imperial bureaucracy to maintain and justify their rule. This system was linked to the use of examinations for recruiting officials.

What was the role of the imperial examination system in the Song Dynasty?

The imperial examination system in the Song Dynasty was used to recruit officials. It was based on Confucian texts and had local, regional, and state-level exams. While it was theoretically open to all qualified applicants, in practice, it was not accessible to poor people.

What is the historical process identified in the secondary source from the 2020 practice exam?

The historical process identified in the secondary source is the rise of a new class in China under the Song Dynasty, which concentrated on scholarship. This class emerged as a result of increased productive power, the imperial examination system, and a rise in the number of men passing the exams.

What were the steps leading to the creation of the new class in the Song Dynasty, as described in the video?

The steps leading to the creation of the new class were: first, an increase in China's productive power, leading to the accumulation of wealth; second, the implementation of the examination system, which was open in principle but not to the poor; and third, a sudden rise in the number of men granted degrees by passing the imperial exams.

How does the skill of 'describe' differ from 'identify' in historical analysis?

The skill of 'describe' involves providing a detailed and step-by-step account of a historical process, including its characteristics, while 'identify' involves simply naming or pointing out specific elements without elaboration or explanation.