Five AP World History Themes Help to organize historical information Help to get the “big picture” Can assist in seeing similarities and differences, and continuities and changes in history. In theory, all characteristics and events in history fall into one or more of these 5 themes.

Theme 1: Interaction Between Humans and the Environment How the environment shapes human societies How humans impact/use the environment (pollution, deforestation, natural resources, etc.) Technology that helps humans conquer the environment Diseases and their impacts The larger the population, the greater the human influence on the environment, especially after the Industrial Revolution Eventually, human conservation/protection of the environment

Theme 2: Development and Interaction of Cultures Origins, uses, spread, and adaptation of ideas, beliefs, and knowledge within and between societies By identifying the cultural characteristics of a society, we can better identify what makes them similar and different from other cultures around the world By analyzing the culture of a society over time, we can better understand major changes to belief systems in a society, along with the causes and effects of those changes

Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict Understanding and comparing different types of governments over time, and how those governments change Different types of states (civilizations, empires, nations, etc) and comparisons between them Relationships between various states, including diplomacy, warfare, exchanges economically and culturally, and international organizations Understanding how the development of a state is related to that states culture, environment, social structures, forms of production, and gender roles

Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems Patterns and systems that humans have developed to produce, distribute, and consume goods and services Major changes in economic systems over time (rise of farming, industrial rev. etc.) Development and transformation of labor systems over time (slavery, job specialization, free labor, working class, etc.) Effects of trade systems including increased communication, cultural and technological diffusion, migration, and creation of new societies

Theme 5: Development and Transformation of Social Structures Relationships between humans, how societies develop ways of grouping/organizing their people. Societies often group themselves based on kinship (families by blood), religion, and hierarchies of gender, race, wealth, and class. Understand the causes and effects of how these social structures and practices are created, maintained, and transformed over time

Easy to remember right? Or, we can remember SPICE Pass out SPICE charts! On the SPICE chart, write down the theme name next to the category you think it best matches.

Works Cited College Board Norma Marsh Google Images World History For Us All