Full-Length AP World History Practice Exam
AP World History Short Answer Question Example 3
If you chose to answer question 3 of our AP World History SAQ questions, use our sample response below to evaluate your work and ensure you have the most important parts of a great answer.
3. Respond to parts a, b, and c.
- Describe ONE significant change in global trade patterns between 1200 and 1750.
- Explain ONE political or cultural impact of the spread of religions during this period.
- Identify and describe ONE technological or scientific advancement between 1200 and 1750 and explain its impact on a specific society or region.
Sample Perfect Answer
a. Describe ONE significant change in global trade patterns between 1200 and 1750.
One significant change in global trade patterns between 1200 and 1750 was the rise of European maritime trade networks that gradually displaced overland Silk Road routes as the dominant means of connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. Beginning with Portuguese exploration of African coastal routes in the 15th century, European powers established direct sea-based trade with Asia, reshaping the flow of goods like spices, silk, and precious metals across the globe.
b. Explain ONE political or cultural impact of the spread of religions during this period.
One significant political impact of the spread of religion during this period was the consolidation of Ottoman imperial authority through Islam. As the Ottomans expanded across the Middle East and North Africa, Islam served as a unifying political and legal framework, with the sultan claiming the title of caliph and Islamic law governing administration across a vast, ethnically diverse empire.
c. Identify and describe ONE technological or scientific advancement between 1200 and 1750 and explain its impact on a specific society or region.
One significant technological advancement between 1200 and 1750 was the development of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 15th-century Europe. By making books and written materials far cheaper and more widely available, the printing press dramatically accelerated the spread of ideas in Europe, directly enabling the Protestant Reformation by allowing Martin Luther’s critiques of the Catholic Church to circulate rapidly across the continent in a way that previous reform movements had been unable to achieve.
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