2022 Live Review 1 | AP World History | Trade and Economic Production

The video begins with an introduction of the hosts, Mason Lojero and Amy Laporte Lewis, who are both teachers from different schools. They explain that they will be guiding viewers for the next two weeks to prepare for the AP History test, covering all the necessary history content and skills. They discuss the importance of the upcoming test and the need to review sample questions. The hosts also humorously debate about what theme music should accompany their presentation, settling on the idea of using something from John Williams' compositions.

The main topic of this paragraph is the exploration of labor systems and trade routes. The host emphasizes the significance of understanding these systems in history, as they are frequently tested in the AP exam. He introduces the concept by asking broad questions about labor systems, such as who is involved and how goods are produced. The host provides examples of different labor systems, including feudalism, free peasant labor, coerced labor like slavery, and industrial work. The discussion also touches on the organization of labor and the types of goods and services produced by labor.

This section delves into the continuities and changes in labor systems from 1200 to the present. The host encourages viewers to think about how labor systems have evolved over time, using feudalism as an example of a system that declined over the centuries. The conversation also addresses the end of slavery and coerced labor by the 19th and 20th centuries, the rise of large-scale industrial work, and the emergence of new types of labor such as migrant workers. The host suggests using timelines to organize this information, but cautions against focusing too much on exact dates, instead emphasizing the big ideas and trends.

The focus shifts to long-distance trade routes and their historical significance. The host outlines the importance of understanding why and how goods were traded over long distances. The discussion includes the impact of natural resources on trade and the influence of strong governments in promoting trade. The host identifies major trade routes such as the Silk Road, Indian Ocean trade, and Sahara Desert trade, and emphasizes their roles in spreading culture and religion. The host also introduces the concept of using Venn diagrams to compare and contrast these trade routes and their characteristics.

This part of the discussion examines the development of global trade and the evolution of trade routes from 1200 to the present. The host highlights the establishment of new trade routes across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the impact of these routes on global trade. The conversation touches on the continuity of currency use and banking in facilitating trade, as well as the changes in the types of goods traded and the increase in trade volume. The host also discusses the rise of joint-stock companies and multinational corporations as a result of increased trade and the need for capital.

The host provides guidance on how to approach essay writing for the AP test, specifically focusing on context and thesis statements. The host uses a sample prompt to illustrate how to brainstorm and develop a thesis statement that includes at least two arguments. The importance of having a strong thesis in the introduction and reiterating it in the conclusion is emphasized. The host also discusses the role of contextualization in providing a historical backdrop for the essay and suggests using the Mongol Empire as an example of a significant event impacting trade routes during the specified time period.

The host assigns a homework task for viewers to practice creating thesis statements and considering context for a new essay prompt about 19th-century industrial society reforms. The main takeaways from the session are summarized, with an emphasis on understanding labor systems and trade routes, recognizing their similarities and differences, and identifying continuities and changes over time. The host encourages viewers to focus on crafting strong contexts and thesis statements for essay writing, as these are crucial for scoring well on the AP test.