2021 Live Review 5 | AP World History | Cultural Developments & Social Organizations

Sheri Pinchum, a teacher from Boston Latin School, welcomes viewers to the second week of AP World History review sessions aimed at preparing students for the upcoming exam. The video offers a recap of the previous week's coverage of units 1 through 9 and the five Cs of skills and reasoning. For the current week, the focus shifts to themes of cultural developments and social organizations, with a detailed schedule including topics for each day, culminating in test-taking strategies. Pinchum emphasizes the accessibility of previous sessions on demand for those who missed them.

Pinchum reviews a homework assignment from the last session involving a short answer question (SAQ) comparing Gandhi and Che Guevara, focusing on the political uses of art in the 20th century. She presents examples of responses from students that effectively demonstrate comparison and analysis skills. The examples highlight how political leaders used art to inspire nationalism and loyalty, emphasizing the significance of visual symbols in political movements. The session provides tips on answering SAQs, including the TIE (Topic sentence, Identify, Explain) strategy, encouraging students to integrate comparison into their responses.

The session transitions to a broad overview of cultural developments and interactions before 1450 across various regions, including East Asia, Dar al-Islam, South and Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It outlines key religious, philosophical, and cultural exchanges such as the spread of Buddhism, the rise of Islam, the Crusades, and the significant contributions of travelers like Ibn Batuta and Marco Polo. This overview serves as a study guide, urging students to delve into specific cultural phenomena that shaped early global interactions and societies.

The video delves into the social interactions and organizations before 1450, detailing the roles of gender, class, and social structures across different regions. It highlights how societal norms and institutions, like patriarchy, influenced political, economic, and cultural dynamics. The segment covers diverse topics such as gender roles in pastoral societies, the impact of religion on social structures, and the significance of trade goods as markers of social status. This comprehensive overview helps students understand the complexity of early social organizations and their influence on historical developments.

Pinchum presents a primary source from the Seljuk Empire, focusing on the training and social advancement of military slaves, known as Mamluks. Through detailed analysis, she demonstrates how to interpret the document through cultural and social lenses, then applies sourcing techniques to understand its historical context, intended audience, purpose, and point of view. The analysis provides insights into the Seljuk military organization and highlights the broader implications of military training practices on social structures and governance.

The session explores cultural developments and social changes between 1450 and 1900, offering snapshots of key themes like the Enlightenment, the Protestant Reformation, the impact of imperialism, and the evolution of social hierarchies. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of cultural expressions and social movements, such as nationalism and feminism, with global historical events. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these developments as part of their exam preparation, recognizing the profound impact of cultural and social dynamics on world history.

Pinchum guides students through a Document-Based Question (DBQ) practice on the impact of communist movements on women's struggle for rights in the 20th century. She breaks down the process of analyzing documents, constructing a thesis, and organizing an essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The practice emphasizes the importance of sourcing documents, using outside evidence, and demonstrating complex reasoning to construct a coherent argument. This segment equips students with essential skills for approaching DBQs on the AP exam.

In the concluding segment, Pinchum addresses common mistakes made by students in identifying and connecting themes, as well as in sourcing documents. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of themes and the significance of providing detailed explanations for sourcing. Pinchum also encourages feedback through a Google form, aiming to improve future sessions. The session ends with a reminder of the importance of thorough preparation and understanding of world history themes and skills for the AP exam.