2021 Live Review 2 | AP World History | Discussing Units 4-6

The video begins with a warm welcome to the second day of the AP Daily Live videos on YouTube, a series designed to help students prepare for the upcoming AP World History exam. The host, Sherry Pincha, introduces herself as a teacher at Boston Latin School and outlines the purpose of the videos. She reviews the content covered on the first day, which focused on units one through three, and previews the schedule for the upcoming days, emphasizing the importance of practicing historical thinking skills and reviewing specific units and themes.

This segment delves into the content of units four to six, spanning from 1450 to 1900, with a particular emphasis on transoceanic interconnections. The host highlights the significance of this period, which accounts for a substantial portion of the AP exam. She discusses the age of revolutions and the consequences of industrialization, urging students to thoroughly review these topics. The skill of contextualization is introduced as the focus for this video, aiming to help students understand historical developments within a broader context.

Using the historical event of the Siege of Aden, the host illustrates the practice of contextualization. She provides a vivid description of the siege, led by Admiral Alfons de Albuquerque, and its significance in the context of European maritime expansion. The host emphasizes the intent of the Portuguese to control Indian Ocean trade, despite the siege's outcome. This example is used to demonstrate how to identify and describe the historical context of a specific event and its influence on broader historical processes.

The host presents a Document-Based Question (DBQ) sample prompt, asking students to evaluate the extent of Portuguese transformation of maritime trade in the Indian Ocean during the 16th century. She explains the importance of contextualization in answering DBQs, providing examples of how to connect the prompt's topic to broader historical developments. The host emphasizes the need to provide a fully fleshed-out contextualization statement that is relevant to the Portuguese impact on maritime trade, rather than just a reference to the time period.

This part of the video covers the Enlightenment period and its impact on nationalism and the Atlantic revolutions, including the American, Haitian, French, and Latin American revolutions. The host discusses the introduction of Enlightenment ideas, such as individual rights and social contracts, and how these ideas fueled revolutions and movements for independence. The video also touches on the global context of these events, including the expansion of European nations and resistance to colonialism.

The host uses a letter from Two Saint Louis, a leader of a slave revolt in Saint Dominque (now Haiti), to practice contextualization. She provides a brief overview of the Haitian Revolution and its significance within the broader context of the Atlantic revolutions. The host then offers examples of how to contextualize the letter within the historical development of the Enlightenment and the resulting movements for liberty and abolition, highlighting the skill of connecting specific events to larger historical processes.

The focus shifts to the period of industrialization and its effects, as well as the reactions to it, from 1750 to 1900. The host reviews the spread of industrial ideas and factories, the role of governments in industrialization, and the varied reactions from different parts of the world. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding the global narrative of industrialization and its impact on societies and cultures worldwide.

The host uses a photograph of Tahitian people celebrating Bastille Day to practice contextualization with visual sources. She discusses the influence of French nationalism and imperialism on the celebration of a French holiday in a colonial territory. The host provides examples of how to connect the image to the broader historical context of imperialism and the spread of nationalistic sentiments as a result of colonialism.

The host shares insights from her experience as an AP exam reader, highlighting common mistakes students make when attempting contextualization. She advises against providing context that is too broad or unrelated to the question and emphasizes the importance of connecting historical developments to the specific topic of the prompt. The host recommends providing detailed contextualization statements at the beginning of essays and offers tips for earning full credit for contextualization on the AP exam.

The host encourages students to provide feedback on the live session through a Google form, expressing the value of student input in tailoring future sessions to best serve their needs. She invites students to share questions about content and skills covered in the session, as well as suggestions for future topics. The host reiterates the goal of the AP Daily Live videos to ensure students are well-prepared for the upcoming AP exam and encourages continued participation in the series.