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AP World Periodization, Themes, and Key Concepts
Periodization
Since the history of the world is so large, historians divide world history into specific periods that share a
set of common characteristics. These periods begin and end with what historians consider turning points
in the world. The dates that historians choose for these turning points are subjective, meaning that the
historian has used their personal opinion to select the specific dates. This means that there is debate
among historians among what dates to use for periodization. This is why you will see different dates
used by different sources and textbooks to characterize a certain period.
In AP World History, there are six “periods”. The designations BCE and CE are used for dates. BCE refers
to Before Common Era and replaces BC while CE refers to Common Era and replaces AD. Each period is
listed below along with its key dates and some big picture developments.
Period
Dates
Big Picture Key Developments
Period 1 (Foundations):
Technological and Environmental
Transformations
To 600 BCE
• Peopling of the Earth
 Neolithic Revolution
(inventions of agriculture)
 Early societies/civilizations
Period 2 (Classical Era):
Organization and Reorganization
of Human Societies
600 BCE to 600 CE
 Classical religions
 Development of empires
 Trade networks emerge
Period 3 (Postclassical Period):
Regional and Transregional
Interactions
600 CE to 1450
 Trade networks expand
 Empires continue to grow
 Economies evolve
Period 4 (Early Modern Era):
Global Interactions
1450 to 1750
Period 5 (Modern Era):
Industrialization and Global
Integration
1750 to 1900
Period 6 (Contemporary):
Accelerating Global Change and
Realignments
1900 to present
 Global trade networks
 New forms of social class
and labor
 Empires consolidate and
expand
 Industrialization
 Imperialism and new
nations
 Nationalism, revolution,
and reform
 Global migrations
 Science and
environmental changes
 Global conflicts
 New ways of organizing
the economy, society,
and culture
AP World Periodization, Themes, and Key Concepts
AP World: Key Themes
In the AP World course, it is critical to recognize patterns across time and region. This is important to be
able to see how things have changed and stayed the same over time. It is also important in order to
compare and contrast key events. Rather than memorize thousands of facts, the AP World course is
focused on five common themes throughout each period. The course is heavily focused on the how and
why of history. In short, you will be studying the process of history. As a result, these themes allow for
comparisons and analysis of change and continuity over time. These themes are listed below with a
series of questions to help you think about them.
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Theme
Simplified and Overarching Questions
Interaction between Humans and the
Environment:
Simplified: Human-Environment Interaction
Demography and disease
Migration
Patterns of settlement
Technology
Development and Interaction of Cultures
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Religions
Belief systems, philosophies, and
ideologies
Science and technology
Arts and architecture
1. How have people used diverse tools and
technologies to adapt to and affect the
environment over time?
2. How and to what extent has human
migration and settlement been influenced
by the environment during different
periods in world history?
3. How has the environment changed as a
consequence of population growth and
urbanization?
4. How have processes of industrialization
and global integration been shaped by
environmental factors and in turn how has
their development affected the
environment over time?
Simplified: Culture
1. How and why have religions, belief
systems, philosophies, and ideologies
developed and transformed as they spread
from their places of origin to other
regions?
2. How have religions, belief systems,
philosophies, and ideologies affected the
development of societies over time?
3. How were scientific and technological
innovations adapted and transformed as
they spread from one society or culture to
another?
4. In what ways do the arts reflect
innovation, adaptation, and creativity of
specific societies?
AP World Periodization, Themes, and Key Concepts
State Building, Expansion, and Conflict
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Political structures and forms of
government
Empires
Nations and nationalism
Revolts and revolutions
Regional, Transregional, and global
structures
Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic
Systems
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Agricultural and pastoral production
Trade and commerce
Labor systems
Industrialization
Capitalism and socialism
Development and Transformation of Social
Structures
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Gender roles and relations
Family and kinship
Racial and ethnic constructions
Social and economic classes
Simplified: Political
1. How have different forms of governance
been constructed and maintained over
time?
2. How have economic, social, cultural, and
environmental contexts influenced the
processes of state building, expansion, and
dissolution?
3. How have conflicts, exchanges, and
alliances influenced the processes of state
building, expansion, and dissolution?
Simplified: Economic
1. How and to what extent have modes of
production and commerce changed over
time?
2. How have different labor systems
developed and changed over time?
3. How have economic systems and the
development of ideologies, values, and
institutions influenced each other over
time?
4. What is the relationship among local,
regional, and global economic systems;
how have those relationships changed
over time?
Social
1. How have distinctions based on kinship,
ethnicity, class, gender, and race
influenced the development and
transformation of social hierarchies?
2. How, by whom, and in what ways have
social categories, roles, and practices been
maintained and challenged over time?
3. How have political, economic, cultural, and
demographic changes affected social
structures over time?
AP World Periodization, Themes, and Key Concepts
AP World: Key Concepts
Since there is no way to learn everything, the AP World course has 19 important developments that
historians consider to be the most important in world history. These are called the key concepts. In a
sense, you are examining the big picture of world history. We will go over all of the content for each of
these together, but if you would find it helpful to actually see the key concepts, I have listed theme
below by periodization:
Periodization 1 (to 600 BCE):
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1.1: Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
1.2: Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
1.3: Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
Periodization 2 (600 BCE to 600 CE):
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2.1: The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
2.2 The Development of States and Empires
2.3 The Emergence of Transregional Networks of Communication and Exchange
Periodization 3 (600 CE to 1450):
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3.1: Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange
3.2: Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions
3.3: Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences
Periodization 4 (1450-1750)
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4.1: Globalizing Networks of Communication and Exchange
4.2: New Forms of Social Organization and Modes of Production
4.3: State Consolidation and Imperial Expansion
Periodization 5 (1750-1900)
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5.1: Industrialization and Global Capitalism
5.2: Imperialism and Nation-State Formation
5.3: Nationalism, Revolution, and Reform
5.4: Global Migration
Periodization 6 (1900-present)
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6.1: Science and the Environment
6.2: Global Conflicts and Their Consequences
6.3: New Conceptualizations of Global Economy and Culture
AP World Periodization, Themes, and Key Concepts