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PART I
INTRODUCTION
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Chapter 1
Eight Keys to Success
on the AP® World History: Modern Exam
“So . . . what do I need to know?” you’re asking yourself. Oh, not much . . . only about 800 years of global history. Wait, don’t throw away this book and run screaming from the room. First, take a deep breath and examine the facts: More than 300,000 high school students just like you will take the AP® World History: Modern exam this school year and about half of them will earn college credit. Why not you? You’re clearly a clever and motivated person—after all, you’re reading this Crash Course study guide.
Good news: You don’t have to know everything from around 1200 CE to the early 2000s to do well on the AP® World History: Modern exam. By studying efficiently and strategically, you can get college credit and add that special AP®-credit sparkle to your transcript. This book will help you understand and use the following keys to success:
1.Know the Content of the Exam
The AP® World History: Modern exam content is divided into the following chronological categories. “Exam weight” refers to the percentage of the exam that will come from each historical period.
| Units | Historical Periods | Exam Weight |
| Unit 1: The Global Tapestry | c. 1200 to c. 1450 | 8%–10% |
| Unit 2: Networks of Exchange | c. 1200 to c. 1450 | 8%–10% |
| Unit 3: Land-Based Empires | c. 1450 to c. 1750 | 12%–15% |
| Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections | c. 1450 to c. 1750 | 12%–15% |
| Unit 5: Revolutions | c. 1750 to c. 1900 | 12%–15% |
| Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization | c. 1750 to c. 1900 | 12%–15% |
| Unit 7: Global Conflict | c. 1900 to the present | 8%–10% |
| Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization | c. 1900 to the present | 8%–10% |
| Unit 9: Globalization | c. 1900 to the present | 8%–10% |
A close look at the chart, for example, reveals that the era c. 1200–c. 1450 is only 16% to 20% of the exam. This helps you focus your plan of study. In addition, though the AP® World History: Modern exam states that it covers human history “to the present,” the reality is that you shouldn’t expect any exam questions past 2001. Look at the chart again. The 20th century is divided into three units that cover up to 30% of the exam. So you can’t take the 20th century lightly.
The latest updates to AP® World History: Modern exam content and structure can be found at http://apcentral.collegeboard.org.
2.Know Your Competition
Don’t be intimidated by your competition—you have an advantage over most students by paying attention to the guidance in this book. About 80% of students who take the AP® World History: Modern exam are sophomores, and most of them are taking their first AP® exam. The next biggest group is composed of freshmen, then juniors and seniors. Typically about half of all AP® World History test-takers pass the exam and get college credit by scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Caution: Even though a passing score may seem easily attainable, don’t get overconfident and think you’ve got it made. Taking an AP® exam and receiving college credit takes a lot of focused work. You need serious, organized preparation to be successful.
3.Know the Format of the Exam and How it is Scored
The AP® World History: Modern exam has two main parts: Section I, which consists of multiple-choice questions and short-answer questions, and Section II, which has two essay questions. The multiple-choice portion is scored by machine, contains 55 questions, and must be completed in 55 minutes. It is worth 40% of the total exam score. Just like any multiple-choice test, you will answer some questions very quickly and others will take more time. When the multiple-choice part of the exam is over, you will then have 40 minutes to answer three out of four short-answer questions, worth 20% of the total exam score. Then you will have a short break and return for the essay part of the exam. Bring a snack and a bottle of water for the break.
In Section II of the exam, you will write two essays: a document-based question (DBQ) and a long essay. You will have 100 minutes to complete both essays. The DBQ is worth 25% of your overall score and the long essay is worth 15%. Each essay is read and scored by a trained AP® World History teacher or a World History college professor. Your essay scores are then added to your Section I scores to arrive at your final AP® score.
You’ll find more tips about tackling the multiple-choice and short-answer questions, as well as the essays, in the discussions about test-taking strategies found in Part IV of this book.
4.Know What Your Final Score Means
The College Board uses a formula to rank your combined multiple-choice, short-answer, and free-response score into five categories:
5 = Extremely Well Qualified
4 = Well Qualified
3 = Qualified
2 = Possibly Qualified
1 = No Recommendation
A 3 on all AP® exams is considered a passing grade. About 10% of AP® World History: Modern test-takers earn the top score of 5, but keep reading—the scoring range is more generous than you think. If you get about half of the exam’s multiple-choice questions right, earn about 4 out of 9 possible points on the short-answer questions, and earn about half of the points on the two essays, you should reach a 3. That doesn’t mean the exam is easy—the opposite is true.
In AP® World History, about half of all test-takers have typically made a “3” or better. Many colleges award course credit for a score of 3; other colleges take nothing below a 4, while still others give college credit only for 5’s. Be aware that colleges and universities can change their AP® acceptance policies whenever they want. Stay up-to-date by checking the AP® policies on their websites.
5.Know How AP® World History: Modern Is Different from Traditional World History
You might think that history is history, but AP® World History: Modern is different from traditional approaches: Learning lists of “Kings and Wars” or “The West and the Rest” doesn’t cut it. The AP® World History: Modern test developers want you to see the big picture. They want you to make connections across the globe and across time and to analyze common human experiences like migration, trade, religion, politics, and society. Think of it this way: Studying AP® World History: Modern is like learning American History. You don’t examine the histories of 50 individual states—instead you learn about the important themes, people, and events of the 50 states together. The same idea applies to AP® World History: Modern—think globally, not nationally, and you’ll do well.
Bear in mind: If your World History textbook doesn’t say “Advanced Placement®” or “AP®” on the cover, look at the introduction to see whether the authors discuss concepts like global history and making connections between civilizations across time and place. If not, you may need to find a different textbook that explains hist...
