AP World History: Modern is generally considered a challenging AP course. Its difficulty stems from several factors:

• Vast Scope: The course covers global history from approximately 1200 CE to the present. This means a significant amount of content, including diverse cultures, political systems, economic developments, and social changes across different regions.
• Skill-Based: Beyond memorizing facts, the course heavily emphasizes historical thinking skills, such as analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, understanding causation, and developing arguments supported by evidence.
• Reading and Writing Intensive: Students need strong reading comprehension skills to process complex texts and must develop proficiency in writing analytical essays, particularly the Document-Based Question (DBQ) and Long Essay Question (LEQ).
• Pacing: To cover the extensive curriculum, the course often moves at a fast pace.

However, "hard" is subjective. Students with a genuine interest in history, strong reading/writing skills, and good study habits often find the course manageable and rewarding. It's less about memorizing every date and more about understanding broad patterns, connections, and historical arguments.

The AP World History: Modern exam is typically 3 hours and 15 minutes long.

It is divided into two sections, each with two parts:

• Section I (1 hour and 40 minutes total)
  • Part A: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
    • 55 questions
    • 55 minutes
    • Accounts for 40% of the exam score
  • Part B: Short-Answer Questions (SAQs)
    • 3 questions (Question 1 is required, choose between Question 2 or 3)
    • 40 minutes
    • Accounts for 20% of the exam score
• Section II (1 hour and 40 minutes total)
  • Part A: Document-Based Question (DBQ)
    • 1 question (with 7 documents)
    • 1 hour (includes a 15-minute reading period)
    • Accounts for 25% of the exam score
  • Part B: Long Essay Question (LEQ)
    • 1 question (choose from 3 prompts)
    • 40 minutes
    • Accounts for 15% of the exam score

Always verify the most current exam structure and timing on the official College Board website, as details can occasionally be updated.

In AP World History: Modern, the Crusades are typically understood as a series of religious and military expeditions primarily undertaken by Latin Christian Europe during the High Middle Ages (roughly late 11th to 13th centuries, though some continued later).

Key aspects relevant to the course include:

• Motivations: Primarily religious (to reclaim Jerusalem and Holy Lands from Muslim rule), but also driven by political ambitions (e.g., Byzantine Emperor seeking aid), economic desires (trade routes, plunder), and social factors (outlet for knightly class).
• Key Events/Periods: While there were many, the First Crusade (successful capture of Jerusalem) and the Fourth Crusade (diversion to sack Constantinople) are often highlighted.
• Impacts on Europe: Increased papal power initially, exposure to Eastern goods and knowledge (reintroduction of classical texts via Islamic scholars), stimulation of trade (especially by Italian city-states), and long-term impact on Christian-Muslim relations.
• Impacts on the Middle East: Disruption and destruction, but also periods of coexistence and cultural exchange. Helped unify some Muslim states in response.
• Connections to Themes: The Crusades connect to APWH themes like Cultural Developments and Interactions (religious conflict, exchange of ideas), Governance (state-building, papal authority), and Economic Systems (trade, resource mobilization).

They are generally covered in the earlier parts of the course, often contextualizing the period around 1200 CE.

Success in AP World History: Modern requires consistent effort and strategic studying:

• Understand the Themes: Familiarize yourself with the six course themes (Humans and the Environment, Cultural Developments and Interactions, Governance, Economic Systems, Social Interactions and Organization, Technology and Innovation). Try to connect events and developments to these themes.
• Active Reading: Don't just passively read the textbook. Take notes, summarize sections in your own words, and ask "why" and "how" questions.
• Master Historical Thinking Skills: Practice identifying causation, continuity and change over time, comparison, contextualization, and argumentation.
• Practice Writing (DBQ & LEQ): This is crucial. Learn the rubrics for the DBQ and LEQ. Practice outlining and writing full essays under timed conditions. Focus on crafting strong thesis statements and using evidence effectively.
• Use Timelines: Create or use timelines to understand the chronological order of events and see connections across different regions and periods.
• Review Regularly: Don't cram. Set aside time each week to review notes and concepts. Spaced repetition is more effective.
• Utilize Review Materials: Use reputable AP review books, online resources (like Khan Academy, Heimler's History), and practice questions provided by the College Board.
• Focus on Connections: Look for connections and comparisons between different societies, regions, and time periods.
• Form Study Groups: Discussing concepts and practicing skills with peers can be very helpful.

The Scientific Revolution (roughly 16th to 18th centuries) is a key development in AP World History: Modern. It primarily falls within the course's chronological framework of c. 1450 to c. 1750.

In the College Board's AP World History: Modern Course and Exam Description (CED), content related to the Scientific Revolution is most prominently featured in:

• Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections (c. 1450 to c. 1750) - Specifically, topics like 4.1 (Technological Innovations from 1450-1750) touch upon the intellectual shifts.
• It also serves as crucial context for Unit 5: Revolutions (c. 1750 to c. 1900), as the ideas of the Scientific Revolution heavily influenced the Enlightenment, which in turn fueled political revolutions.

The Scientific Revolution involves a new way of thinking about the natural world based on observation, experimentation, and reason, challenging traditional authorities. Key figures include Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, etc.

College policies on accepting AP scores for credit or placement vary significantly. There's no universal rule.

• Some colleges may accept a score of 3 on the AP World History: Modern exam for introductory history credit, elective credit, or to fulfill a general education requirement. This is more common at less selective public universities or community colleges.
• Many colleges, especially more selective institutions, typically require a score of 4 or 5 to grant credit or placement.
• Some highly selective universities may not grant credit for AP World History at all, or only for a score of 5, but will still view a strong score favorably in the admissions process.

The best approach is to check the specific AP credit policy of each college you are interested in. This information is usually available on the college's admissions website or by searching for "[College Name] AP credit policy."

In AP World History: Modern, Rome is located in Europe, specifically on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe.

While the height of the Roman Empire predates the c. 1200 CE start of AP World History: Modern, its legacy is profoundly important:

• The Roman Catholic Church, centered in Rome (Vatican City), plays a significant role in European history throughout the course.
• The Italian city-states, including Rome, were central to the Renaissance.
• Rome later became the capital of a unified Italy in the 19th century.

So, when discussing events involving the Papacy, the Renaissance, or Italian unification, Rome's location in Europe is key.

The Abbasid Caliphate (c. 750 – 1258 CE) was centered in the Middle East (also referred to as Southwest Asia).

• Its capital, Baghdad (in modern-day Iraq), was a major center of learning, culture, and trade during its golden age.
• The Caliphate stretched across vast territories, including parts of North Africa, Persia (Iran), Mesopotamia (Iraq), and the Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan).

In AP World History: Modern, the Abbasid Caliphate is crucial for understanding the context leading up to 1200 CE. Its decline and fragmentation (e.g., due to Seljuk Turk invasions, Mongol conquest of Baghdad in 1258) are significant events at the beginning of the course's timeframe, paving the way for new Islamic empires like the Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals.