🌎 2023 AP World History Study Plan
A plethora of resources that cover everything! This toolkit is constantly being updated with more resources!
🚨 All you need to know about the 2023 AP World History Exam!
The AP World History: Modern exam
A breakdown of the exam by percentage.
| Unit | Exam Weighting |
| Unit 1: The Global Tapestry | 8%–10% |
| Unit 2: Networks of Exchange | 8%–10% |
| Unit 3: Land-Based Empires | 12%–15% |
| Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections | 12%–15% |
| Unit 5: Revolutions | 12%–15% |
| Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization | 12%–15% |
| Unit 7: Global Conflict | 8%–10% |
| Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization | 8%–10% |
| Unit 9: Globalization | 8%–10% |
Historical Thinking Skills
By taking this course, you'll be able to develop critical thinking skills in the following areas:
| Skill | Description |
| 1. Developments and Processes | Identify and explain historical developments and processes. |
| 2. Sourcing and Situation | Analyze sourcing and situation of primary and secondary sources. |
| 3. Claims and Evidence in Sources | Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources. |
| 4. Contextualization | Analyze the contexts of historical events, developments, or processes. |
| 5. Making Connections | Using historical reasoning processes (comparison, causation, continuity and change), analyze patterns and connections between and among historical developments and processes. |
| 6. Argumentation | Develop an argument. |
AP World History Study Guides for Every Unit
🐎 Unit 1 (1200-1450) - Global Tapestry
- 1.0 Overview of Unit 1
- 1.1 East Asia from 1200-1450
- 1.2 Dar-al-Islam from 1200-1450
- 1.3 South and Southeast Asia from 1200-1450
- 1.4 The Americas from 1200-1450
- 1.5 Africa from 1200-1450
- 1.6 Europe from 1200-1450
- 1.7 Comparisons in the Period from 1200-1450
🐪 Unit 2 (1200-1450) - Networks of Exchange
- 2.0 Overview of Unit 2
- 2.1 Silk Roads
- 2.2 The Mongols
- 2.3 Indian Ocean Trade Routes
- 2.4 Trans-Saharan Trade Routes
- 2.5 Cultural Effects of Trade
- 2.6 Environmental Effects of Trade
- 2.7 Comparison of Trade from 1200-1450
🕌 Unit 3 (1450-1750) - Land-Based Empires
- 3.0 Overview of Unit 3
- 3.1 Expansion of Land-Based Empires
- 3.2 Governments of Land-Based Empires
- 3.3 Belief Systems of Land-Based Empires
- 3.4 Comparison of Land-Based Empires
🍕 Unit 4 (1450-1750) - Transoceanic Connections
- 4.0 Overview of Unit 4
- 4.1 New Technologies from 1450-1750
- 4.2 Exploration from 1450-1750
- 4.3 Columbian Exchange
- 4.4 Maritime Empires Established
- 4.5 Expansion of Maritime Empires
- 4.6 Resistance to European Expansion
- 4.7 Class and Race from 1450-1750
- 4.8 Continuity and Change from 1450-1750
✊ Unit 5 (1750-1900) - Revolutions
- 5.0 Overview of Unit 5
- 5.1 The Enlightenment
- 5.2 Revolutions from 1750 to 1900
- 5.3 Industrial Revolution
- 5.4 Spread of Industrialization
- 5.5 Technology in the Industrial Age
- 5.6 State-Led Industrialization
- 5.7 Economic Effects of Industrialization
- 5.8 Responses to Industrialization
- 5.9 Social Effects of Industrialization
- 5.10 Continuity and Change in the Industrial Age COMING SOON
🚂 Unit 6 (1750-1900) - Consequences of Industrialization
- 6.0 Overview of Unit 6
- 6.1 Rationales for Imperialism
- 6.2 Expansion of Imperialism
- 6.3 Indigenous Responses to Imperialism
- 6.4 Global Economic Development from 1750 to 1900
- 6.5 Economic Imperialism
- 6.6 Causes of Migration from 1750 to 1900
- 6.7 Effects of Migration from 1750 to 1900
- 6.8 Causation in the Imperial Age
💣 Unit 7 (1900-Present) - Global Conflict
- 7.0 Overview of Unit 7
- 7.1 Shifting Power After 1900
- 7.2 Causes of World War I
- 7.3 Conducting World War I
- 7.4 The Economy in the Interwar Period
- 7.5 Unresolved Tensions After World War I
- 7.6 Causes of World War II
- 7.7 Conducting World War II
- 7.8 Mass Atrocities After 1900
- 7.9 Causation in Global Conflict
🥶 Unit 8 (1900-Present) - Cold War & Decolonization
- 8.0 Overview of Unit 8
- 8.1 Setting the Stage for the Cold War and Decolonization
- 8.2 The Cold War
- 8.3 Effects of the Cold War
- 8.4 Spread of Communism After 1900
- 8.5 Decolonization After 1900
- 8.6 Newly Independent States
- 8.7 Global Resistance to Established Order After 1900
- 8.8 End of Cold War
- 8.9 Causation in the Age of the Cold War and Decolonization
✈️ Unit 9 (1900-Present) - Globalization
- 9.0 Intro to Globalization
- 9.1 Advances in Technology and Exchange after 1900
- 9.2 Technological Advances and Limitations after 1900: Disease
- 9.3 Technological Advances: Debates about the Environment after 1900
- 9.4 Economics in the Global Age
- 9.5 Calls for Reform and Responses after 1900
- 9.6 Globalized Culture after 1900
- 9.7 Resistance to Globalization after 1900
- 9.8 Institutions Developing in a Globalized World
- 9.9 Continuity and Change in a Globalized World
Reviews by Theme
View the entire course from 1200-the Present within the lens of one theme.
- How to Think Thematically
- Theme 1 (ENV) — Humans and the Environment
- Theme 2 (CDI) — Cultural Developments and Interactions
- Theme 3 (GOV) — Governance
- Theme 4 (ECON) — Economic Systems
- Theme 5 (SOC) — Social Interactions and Organizations
- Theme 6 (TECH) — Technology and Innovation
Reviews by Region
- Asia from 1200 to the Present
- The Pacific from 1200 to the Present
- The Americas from 1200 to the Present
AP World History Writing
- ✍🏽 Ultimate Guide to the DBQ: A point-by-point breakdown of the entire DBQ rubric, writing process, along with tips and advice from exam readers. Examples and practice prompts are included.
- 🖊️ AP World History Short Answer Question: A complete breakdown of the SAQ writing and thinking process. Examples and practice prompts are included.
- 📹 Practice AP World SAQs: A replay of a livestream that goes over practice SAQs.
- 📜 SAQ, DBQ, & LEQ Rubrics Explained: A point-by-point breakdown of all three rubrics, including tips, advice, and links to more resources!
- 🤯 DBQ & LEQ FRQ Help: A complete breakdown of the writing and thinking process of the DBQ and LEQ, including tips and advice from previous AP World History students.
- Check out some practice essays written by fellow students and see feedback from AP World Teachers! 📝 📝 📝
Historical Thinking Skills
- 📏 Comparison in AP Histories
- ➡️ Causation in AP Histories
- 💥 Continuity and Change Over Time in AP Histories
Quicklinks
- 📕 Best AP World History Prep Books: A breakdown of the top 3 prep books for AP World History!
- ✨ Unit 0 Overview: Want to know about the history that was taken out of the course? We got you!
Related Questions:
- Where can I find Fiveable's AP World History resources?
- Do you provide support for AP World History?
- Does Fiveable help students pass the AP World History exam?