2021 Live Review 7 | AP World History | Humans, the Environment, Technology, & Innovation

The video begins with a warm welcome to the AP Daily live review session for the AP World History Modern course. The speaker, Sherry Pincham, a teacher at Boston Latin School, reviews the content covered in the previous week, including units one through nine and the five C's of skills and reasoning. She also outlines the plan for the current week, which focuses on cultural developments, economic systems, governance, humans and the environment, technology, and innovation. The session also includes a discussion on thesis statements for a DBQ comparing land reforms and revolutions in Mexico and Russia, highlighting the importance of specificity and clarity in argumentation.

This segment delves into the importance of visual sources in the AP exam. The speaker explains that visual sources, including artwork, photos, posters, cartoons, and data sets, are integral parts of the exam and provides strategies for analyzing them. The focus is on identifying trends, patterns, and the relationship between images and historical events. The speaker also gives an overview of the exam structure, emphasizing the role of visual sources in multiple-choice, short answer, and DBQ sections. A step-by-step guide on how to approach a DBQ is promised for the end of the session.

The speaker discusses the theme of humans and the environment, explaining how human societies shape and are shaped by their environment. Using a study guide approach, historical developments are explored across different time periods, from before 1450 to the present. The speaker encourages students to familiarize themselves with key events and trends, such as the Little Ice Age and the Colombian Exchange, and to prepare for potential exam questions. The segment also begins to draw connections between this theme and technology and innovation.

This part continues the exploration of the human-environment relationship, focusing on the impact of technological advancements. The speaker uses specific historical examples, such as the invention of the saddle and the development of terrace farming, to illustrate how technology has allowed humans to adapt to and modify their environment. The segment also discusses the broader implications of these changes, including the development of trade networks and the challenges of farming in mountainous regions.

The speaker examines the effects of industrialization on the environment and society, using the transformation of Leeds from a small city to a bustling industrial hub as a case study. The segment discusses the environmental changes brought about by industrial growth, such as pollution and urban sprawl, and the societal shifts, including population density and living conditions. The speaker also touches on the cultural and commercial significance of such developments.

The segment discusses the environmental impact of nuclear weapons, using an image of military personnel observing an atomic test as a focal point. The speaker describes the devastating effects of nuclear detonation, including air, soil, and water contamination, and the far-reaching consequences for surrounding areas. The discussion serves as a stark example of how technological advancements can have unintended and severe environmental repercussions.

The speaker guides students through analyzing a visual source, a chart showing the total land devoted to agricultural crop production from 1200 to 1400. The exercise aims to demonstrate how to use visual sources to answer multiple-choice questions effectively. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the source, making accurate interpretations, and relating the information to the specific historical context of the question.

This part of the script focuses on the theme of technology and innovation, particularly in the context of agricultural developments. The speaker provides a list of technological advancements and innovations across different time periods, from the invention of the astrolabe to the development of the Bessemer process. The emphasis is on understanding not just the technologies themselves, but also their historical impact and how they connect to the theme of humans and the environment.

The speaker discusses the impact of maritime technology on global trade and exploration, highlighting the evolution of sailing vessels such as caravels, galleons, and ships with lateen sails. The segment explains how these innovations allowed sailors to travel further and carry more cargo, significantly increasing trade volumes across oceans and shaping world history.

The speaker highlights two key technologies from the Industrial Revolution: the Bessemer process for steel production and the electric light. The segment explores how these innovations revolutionized manufacturing, enabled round-the-clock industrial operations, and transformed urban life. The speaker also considers the environmental implications of these technological advancements, such as pollution and landscape changes.

The speaker examines the role of advanced technology in modern warfare, using images of a Soviet freighter and a replica of the 'Fat Boy' atomic bomb as examples. The segment discusses the Cuban Missile Crisis and the historical significance of the atomic bomb's use in World War II. The speaker emphasizes the devastating human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons, as well as the broader implications for international relations and global security.

The speaker guides students through the process of answering a DBQ (Document-Based Question), focusing on the prompt to evaluate the extent to which a chosen technology affected the process of empire building. The speaker selects railroads as the technology and provides a step-by-step breakdown of how to parse the prompt, analyze documents, and construct a thesis. The segment aims to improve students' DBQ skills and understanding of how to effectively incorporate historical evidence into their arguments.

The speaker concludes the session with a practical exercise on the impact of railroads on imperialism, providing a sample DBQ prompt and guiding students through the process of sourcing documents, forming a thesis, and structuring an essay. The segment emphasizes the importance of specificity, accurate interpretation of visual sources, and the ability to make complex arguments that consider multiple perspectives and factors.