AP World History UNIT 4 REVIEW—1450-1750

AP HEIMLER REVIEW GUIDE (formerly known as the Ultimate Review Packet):

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In this video Heimler will review the big ideas that you need to know for AP World History Unit 4. The main theme in this unit is the establishment and expansion of sea-based (maritime) empires. The major player from 1450-1750 is Europe.

Because they harnessed maritime technology like the lateen sail and the magnetic compass and improved astrological charts, they were able to sail west to seek a passage to Asia. Instead, they bumped into the Americas.

Because the dominant economic system was mercantilism, these European nations had great incentive to colonize these new lands for the sake of raw materials. Thus, the economy became globalized.

One effect of this new contact was the Columbian Exchange in which food, plants, animals, diseases, and humans were exchanged between the eastern and western hemispheres. Sometimes the effects were devastating, as with smallpox. Other times it was the cause of population explosion, as in Africa and the introduction of new foods.

But one of the more devastating effects of this new contact was the rise in coerced labor systems, the most damaging of which was the introduction of chattel slavery into the Americas.

If you have any questions, leave them below and Heimler will answer forthwithly.

[PLBXNews]

Me: *procrastinates on work all unit*
Me, today the day before the test: ... I need to review
Steve Heimler: *DID SOMEONE SAY THEY NEEDED TO REVIEW?*

[ryansohn]

Kevin Heimler and John Green are the true gods of school.

[Motivation]

It's crazy to think there was a world where APWH students didn't have a heimler to guide them.

[earlgreymilktae]

My notes:

Expansion of maritime empires in 1450-1700 was facilitated by new technology, such as:
- Smaller, faster, cheaper to build ships, built specifically for trade (fluyt, caravel, and carrick)
- Lateen sail allowed for wind on both sides of boats/ships
- Better astronomical charts + astrolabe + magnetic compass

Europeans explored Atlantic Ocean for a new sea route bc Muslims controlled most land based trade routes —> Columbus (arguably) “discovered” the Americas, leading to the Columbian Exchange (transfer of people, food, animals, and disease between the Americas and the Old World/Europe)

Disease:
- Smallpox from Europe
- Syphilis from America
- ~50-90% of natives killed by disease

Plants and animals:
- Sugar and horses from Europe
- Potatoes and maize from America

People:
- Atlantic slave trade bc better farming conditions in the Americas but their natives were dying and too weak to do labor, whereas African slaves were already exposed to and more immune to Afro Eurasian disease (chattel slavery, people became property)

Labor systems in the Americas:
- Encomienda: Spanish conquistadors would protect natives but in exchange the natives would have to work on their land
- Hacienda: Spanish landowners turned encomienda land into plantations
- Mita: Borrowed from the Incas, the Spanish used coerced labor for temporary labor for private gain (whereas the Incas used it for public works)
- Indentured servitude: In North America, British indentured servants worked temporarily, and after their contracts ended, they could go free

Mercantilism: economic theory in which countries aimed to accumulate as much of the world’s wealth as possible, in gold and silver —> increased competition amongst European mercantilist states —> New European colonies to gain raw materials to produce goods for export

For example, the Portuguese set up a trading post empire along the African coast, gaining some control over the Indian Ocean commercial network.

How did they pay for this exploration and colonization? Usually from taxes and whatnot, but also the British and Dutch joint stock trading companies, in which financial investors shared the burden of costs in exchange for some of the profit.

Socially, there was a new social hierachy in the Americas, known as the casta system:
- Peninsulares (ppl born in Europe)
- Creoles (Europeans born in the Americas)
- Mestizos (Mixed European and indigenous)
- Mulattoes (Mixed European and African)
- Zambos (Mixed indigenous and African)
- Indigenous
- African

[jaredn.]

I love how this came out when I took my unit 4 test 25 minutes ago

[avasimone]

Fell asleep watching this, hopefully I wake up with Steve’s voice in my head so I can get a beautiful grade on this damn midterm

[motivationallizard]

Hey you, yea you!! What are flying duck are you doing looking at comments with how CLOSE YOUR EXAM IS. Keep on studying and good luck we all are gonna need it, but don’t be entirely consumed by the stress and anxiety. This whole year feels like a poop pile stacking contest with each dump each month being worse. Just take a deep breath and get what you need to get done and treat yourself afterwards, you deserve it.

[lu-gcgm]

do you need surgery from carrying every single ap world history student on your back

[sanskrutijoshi]

I swear, I have never ever binged watched so many history vids in my entire life. You are a literal Savior for this exam. I never knew someone could actually help me understand history as much as you do in ONE FREAKING VIDEO!!

[NatalieJordan-lw]

APWH exam tomorrow and I’m just trying so hard to review and make sure it’s in my head instead of falling asleep

[김하은-ms]

Thank you Heimler for saving my panicking self for the exam!

I am a freshman studying AP WH by myself and I had so much trouble until I came across your channel! I will keep watching your videos on APUSH and AP Euro throughout my upcoming highschool years please keep posting your amazing videos

[untitled]

Just letting yall know, this dude is good. With him, I got a 4 on my AP exam. Also, his livestream reviews right before the AP were lifesavers.

[brissa]

What would I do without you Mr.Heimler

[A_Eye-]

AP World Curriculum: The Americas were actually discovered by columbus


Vikings: 5:25

[austinmiller]

Thank you for taking the time to do this- by far one of the most helpful resources around

[youngminlee]

I could never relate to the "i'm reviewing right now and tomorrow's the exam" until I found myself doing the exact thing right now

[sionpark]

who is watching this 1h before the test

[karanarora]

Not only are these vids a great way to prepare but makes students WANT to prepare because it’s so easy to get notebook paper out and just start taking notes to your nicely narrated and organized videos. Appreciate it!

[jianna]

i used your vids to study and i got a 100% on my entire unit 4 test :)

[dedraliv]

i literally CANNOT thank you enough!!!! i was panicking so much the night before my apwh final since our teacher barely taught us anything. i felt so much more prepared and ended up getting a 96! again, thank you so much!!!