AP WH Timeline

Kievan Rus

840

Characteristic: Political
Info: A medieval Slavic state that divided itself into “volosts,” or individual governments/lands. A volost contains many communities, named “vervs.” A local official in these communities was called a “volostel.”

Song Dynasty

960

Characteristic: Technological
Info: A period of economic prosperity under a dynasty founded by Emperor Song. The state saw massive developments in technology, such as gunpowder, or economically, such as paper money and urban centers.

Champa Rice

1000

Characteristic: Economic
Info: Originally from the Champa Kingdom, gifted to Song China, champa rice was a quick-maturing type of rice that allowed for early and multiple harvests every growing season, which aided in feeding and growing the population of China at this time.

Trade Development In Africa

1100

Characteristic: Economic
Info: Africa became popular in trade due to its abundance of rare desirable ores (gold silver) as international trades and exchanges become more prominent. Certain African states became well known trade centers along the Trans-Sahara trade routes such as Mali, Ghana, and Great Zimbabwe.

Monsoon Winds

1100

Characteristic: Interactions between humans and environment
Info: Monsoon winds were periodic cycles of large winds most prominent along the Indian Ocean that followed the seasons, winds blow from southeast during winter and blow from northwest during summer. Maritime traders used the knowledge of when the monsoon winds would come to time when to come and go according to the winds for faster travel and efficiency.

Pax Mongolica

1200

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: The Mongol Empire was known to be religiously tolerant to other religions, especially to those that were conquered. The Mongols allowed for Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Daoism to flourish throughout the Mongol Empire, even though the Mongols practiced Tengrism.

Timbuktu

1300

Characteristic: Economic
Info: Timbuktu was notably known as a center for gold trade and Islamic scholarship. It became a permanent settlement in the 12th century, but peaked during the gold, silver, and ivory trade from 1300 to 1500, mainly while empires like the Mali were flourishing. It became a trading hub in the Sahara for West Africa and other kingdoms.

Aztecs

1325

Characteristic: Economic
Info: Hunter-gathers migrated to central Mexico in the 1200s and founded Tenochtilian. They created the Triple Alliance and expanded their empire from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. Tribute systems and theocracy governed them.

Ottoman Empire Devshirme System

1326

Characteristic: Political
Info: Christian boys from the Balkans were taken, converted to Islam, and trained as Janissaries. These were elite military units loyal to the sultan that helped consolidate imperial authority.

Bubonic Plague

1346

Characteristic: Interaction with Environment
Info: The bubonic plague is a bacterial infection transmitted through bites from fleas, primarily found from rodents and rats. Symptoms include painful nodes, fever, headache, chills, and weakness. This was a devastating pandemic at this time period, killing millions in Europe and Asia.

Zheng He

1371

Characteristic: Political
Info: Zheng He was regarded as one of the greatest Chinese explorers and admirals in history, as he conducted seven treasure expeditions under the Yongle Emperor. During this, he commanded numerous large ships and navy units, showcasing China’s large and powerful naval influence. He used this large force to establish tributary relationships with foreign nations.

Tax Collection Systems

1399

Characteristic: Economy
Info: To increase economic prosperity, land-based empires used tax collection systems to gain more from the conquered. For example, the Zamindar System of the Mughal Empire made nobles collect taxes on behalf of the emperor. Tax Farming was used in the Ottoman Empire, where individuals paid for the right to collect taxes. This led to an increase in corruption.

Sikhism

1400

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: In the Mughal Empire, a mix of Hinduism and Sufism created a new religion called Sikhism. This highlighted religious tolerance in the Mughal Empire.

Columbian Exchange

1492

Characteristic: Economic
Info: The widespread transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds. This transfer was started after Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas, where he established European settlements and influence there.

Mercantilism

1500

Characteristic: Economic
Info: An economic policy that dominated in this period. This is a policy aiming to increase national wealth through limited import and high volume export.

Atlantic Slave Trade

1501

Characteristic: Economic, Social, Cultural
Info: The forced migration of Africans to the Americas for labor on plantations. This was caused by the increased trade in gunpowder weapons in exchange for slaves between Europe and Africa. This led to a cultural spread of African culture.

Encomienda System

1503

Characteristic: Social, Economic
Info: A Spanish labor system that exploited Indigenous peoples in the colonies. Established in the Americas. In exchange, they offered protection and religious education to the indigenous people.

Protestant Reformation

1517

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: The Protestant Reformation was a period of major separations of people from the Roman Catholic church and the creation of new forms and beliefs of Christianity. Prominent figures such as John Wycliffe, John Calvin, and Martin Luther (who wrote 95 theses) argued against the practices of the Roman Catholic Church split from the religion to form new beliefs such as Calvinism and Lutheranism.

Joint-Stock Companies

1600

Characteristic: Economic
Info: This period introduced the rise of joint-stock companies, which are businesses owned by its investors. Each investor owns a share of the company based on the amount they invested in.

Thirty Years’ War

1618

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: Conflict between the Holy Roman Empire and Protestants. It began as a religious war but evolved into a political war between European powers.

Industrial Revolution

1758

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: This is a period of time where mass production increased due to factories and technological advancements. It started in Europe, but spread throughout the world. By the end of the 19th century, the United States was the biggest industrial power in the world.

American Revolution

1775

Characteristic: Political, Social
Info: Inspired by Enlightenment ideals and a lack of political representation in British Parliament, the American Revolution highlights the creation of the United States. The Declaration of Independence established their independence.

French Revolution

1789

Characteristic: Political
Info: This was caused by a period of radical social and political change in France, ending monarchy. Enlightenment ideals influenced revolt against the King and Queen, resulting in this revolution. The French Republic was established as a result.

Haitian Revolution

1791

Characteristic: Political, Social
Info: Toussant L'ouverture led a revolt against slave owners. This was led by Enlightenment ideals and the French Revolution. Jacques Dessalines later on declared Haiti free, creating the first black-led republic.

Interchangeable Machinery

1798

Characteristic: Economic
Info: Eli Whitney created a system of interchangeable parts. This made machine parts easily replaceable and led to division of labor and creation of the assembly line during this period of time.

Berlin Conference

1839

Characteristic: Cultural, Social
Info: Due to imperialist ideals within European powers, there was a scrambling in African territory between them. As a result, the Berlin Conference was established to discuss the distribution of territory. This led to cultural impacts in Africa. It led to ethnic conflict due to new states.

Meiji Restoration

1868

Characteristic: Political, Technological
Info: The Meiji Restoration involved the restoration of imperial rule, the modernization of Japan, and adoption of Western technologies and ideas to strengthen the nation.

Social Darwinism

1870

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: Social Darwinism was the theory that certain races or nations are superior. This was an ideology used to justify political conservatism, imperialism, and racism.

Opium Wars

1870

Characteristic: Economic
Info: The Opium War highlights an economic war between China and Europe. Due to increasing demand of Opium in China, European powers established a large influence in the market in China. China’s loss in the war forced them to open its door to foreign trade.

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882

Characteristic: Cultural
Info: The Chinese Exclusion Act was a reform that limited Chinese immigrants in the United States. This was because of large scale social conflict regarding immigrants taking jobs of native American citizens. This highlights discrimination foreign people experienced in the United States during this period of time.

Nationalism

1897

Characteristic: Political
Info: Nationalism is the belief that people who share a common language, culture, history, or territory should have their own independent nation-state. People began to identify more with a national identity than with a king, empire, or region. Nationalism also sparked independence movements in the Austrian, Russian, and Ottoman Empires, as ethnic groups demanded their own nations.

Treaty of Versailles

Jun 28, 1919

Characteristic: Political
Info: The Treaty of Versailles was the peace treaty that officially ended World War I, signed on June 28, 1919, between the Allied Powers and Germany. It was the main peace settlement after World War I. It focused heavily on punishing Germany, which was blamed for starting the war.

Fascism

1922

Characteristic: Political
Info: Fascism is a political system where the state is glorified above the individual, a single-party dictatorship controls all aspects of life, and there is strong emphasis on national unity, military strength, and racial or cultural superiority.

Pol Pot

1925

Characteristic: Political
Info: Pol Pot was the leader of the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist group that took control of Cambodia in 1975. His regime is infamous for carrying out a genocide in an attempt to create a classless, agrarian society.

Great Depression

1929

Characteristic: Economic
Info: The Great Depression was a severe global economic crisis that began in 1929 and lasted through the 1930s. It had devastating effects on economies, governments, and societies around the world.

Decolonization

1940

Characteristic: Social, Political
Info: Decolonization refers to the process by which colonial powers withdrew from their overseas colonies, granting them independence. This process occurred most significantly after WWII, as empires weakened and colonies increasingly demanded self-determination.

Green Revolution

1940

Characteristic: Technological
Info: The Green Revolution refers to a series of agricultural innovations and technological advancements that dramatically increased food production worldwide in the mid-20th century. It is often credited with transforming agricultural practices, especially in developing countries, and addressing food shortages, but it also had mixed social, environmental, and economic impacts.

Apartheid

1948

Characteristic: Social
Info: Apartheid refers to a system of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the South African government between 1948 and 1994. It was a policy that systematically oppressed the non-white population of South Africa, particularly the Black majority, through laws that restricted their rights and freedoms.

NATO

1949

Characteristic: Political
Info: NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a military alliance formed in 1949 during the early Cold War to provide collective security against the threat of the Soviet Union and communism. NATO was primarily created to protect democratic nations from possible Soviet aggression.

Korean War

1950

Characteristic: Political
Info: The Korean War was a major Cold War conflict between communist North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, and capitalist South Korea, backed by the United States and the United Nations. It was the first armed conflict of the Cold War and a clear example of a proxy war: a war fought indirectly between superpowers through other nations.

Vietnam War

1955

Characteristic: Political
Info: The Vietnam War was a major Cold War-era conflict in Southeast Asia between communist North Vietnam and non-communist South Vietnam, with heavy involvement from the United States and Soviet Union. It is a key example of a proxy war, where superpowers supported opposing sides without directly fighting each other.

Quiet Revolution

1960

Characteristic: Political, Social, Cultural
Info: The Quiet Revolution refers to a period of rapid social, political, and cultural change in Quebec, Canada, during the 1960s. It was a non-violent movement that aimed to modernize Quebec and reduce the influence of the Catholic Church and increase French Canadian control over their economy and politics.

Asian Tigers

1960

Characteristic: Economic
Info: The Asian Tigers refer to the highly developed and rapidly growing economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. These nations experienced remarkable economic growth from the 1960s to the 1990s, and are often cited as examples of successful economic development in the post-World War II era.

Knowledge Economy

1980

Characteristic: Economic
Info: A Knowledge economy refers to an economy that is primarily driven by the production, distribution, and use of knowledge and information rather than traditional industries like agriculture or manufacturing. This shift became particularly prominent in the late 20th and early 21st centuries with the rise of information technology, globalization, and an increasing focus on education and innovation.

Communication Technologies

1989

Characteristic: Technological
Info: Communication technologies refer to the advancements in tools and systems used for transmitting information over distances. These technologies have drastically shaped societies, economies, and political structures throughout history, especially in the 20th and 21st centuries. These inventions include cellular communication and the radio.