AP World History Practice Test Questions

1.Which of the following occurred as a result of the development of agriculture in societies that previously relied on hunting and gathering? (a) Conditions for women improved. (b) The incidence of disease declined. (c) Population density increased. (d) Polytheism disappeared. 2.Which of the following was a major reason for the rapid expansion of Islam during the seventh and the eighth centuries? (a) The advanced military technology of the Islamic forces (b) The political divisions within the Byzantine and other neighboring empires (c) The political unity of the North African peoples (d) The discovery of moveable type, which made the Quran widely available 3.The Crusades launched by European Christians at the end of the eleventh century were motivated primarily by (a) the desire of Italian city-states to seize control of the spice trade from Central Asian and Chinese merchants (b) the desire to demonstrate Europes new technological supremacy over Islam (c) resentment toward Islamic missionaries seeking to spread their faith along the Mediterranean (d) papal efforts to unite western European rulers and nobles in support of the papacy 4.Which of the following is accurate regarding both West Africa and South America before 1000? (a) Both areas depended on the trade in gold and salt. (b) Most people were polytheists in both areas. (c) Both areas depended on grains such as wheat and rye as major dietary components. (d) Both areas developed an extensive and widely used written language. 5.Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the political systems in western Europe and China during the time period 10001300? (a) Western Europe developed multiple monarchies, while China maintained a single empire. (b) Developments in the legal systems of China emphasized individual political rights, while western Europe concentrated on maritime law. (c) Both societies began an aggressive policy of imperialism and territorial expansion. (d) Both societies gradually adopted a representative democratic system. 6. Which of the following developments in the Western Hemisphere most directly resulted from the French Revolution? (a) The expansion of the slave trade in the Americas (b) The extension of the plantation economy in the Caribbean (c) The colonization of Brazil (d) The British conquest of Quebec 7.Which of the following provides the most accurate description of the Columbian Exchange? (a) European food to the Western Hemisphere; Western Hemisphere diseases to Europe; African population to Europe (b) African livestock to the Western Hemisphere; European technology to Africa; Western Hemisphere food to Europe (c) European technology to Africa; Western Hemisphere population to Africa; African food to the Western Hemisphere (d) African population to the Western Hemisphere; Western Hemisphere food to Europe and Africa; African and European diseases to the Western Hemisphere 8.Most agricultural laborers in the Ottoman Empire were (a) slaves (b) free peasants (c) serfs (d) indentured servants

9.We shall not repeat the past. We shall eradicate it by restoring our rights in the Suez Canal. This money is ours. The canal is the property of Egypt. The quotation above by Gamel Abdel Nasser (in power 19521970) was most influenced by (a) Soviet communism (b) Islamic thought (c) nationalism (d) constitutionalism 10.The North and South American independence movements of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries shared which of the following? (a) Limitation of civil rights to a minority of the population (b) Reliance on Christian teachings to define revolutionary demands (c) Industrial economies that permitted both areas to break free of European control (d) The desire of a majority of revolutionary leaders to create a politically united hemisphere (e) Political instability caused by constant warfare among the new states 11.A key issue that historians have debated in explaining the reasons for nineteenth-century slave emancipations involves (a) the decline of export industries (b) the powers of African governments (c) the role of humanitarianism (d) racist interpretations of the theory of evolution 12.Which of the following societies successfully resisted foreign penetration and domination from 1650 to 1850? (a) The Japanese (b) The South Africans (c) The Latin Americans (d) The Chinese 13.In the early twentieth century, nationalist movements in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East were led primarily by (a) the urban working class (b) the nobility (c) labor unions (d) educated urban elites 14.During the 1980s and continuing into the 1990s, the governments of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile moved politically toward (a) communism (b) totalitarianism (c) corporatism (d) representative democracy 15.Which of the following best describes an important difference between the theories of revolution of Mao Zedong and those of Lenin? (a) Lenin stressed the need for a powerful state structure. (b) Lenin thought that Marxs writings were important. (c) Mao thought that communism was appropriate only for some nations and cultures. (d) Mao placed emphasis on the revolutionary potential of peasants. 16.Which of the following best describes both the Roman and Han Empires? (a) The empires used the family as the model for state organization. (b) Merchants were viewed as key to the survival of both empires. (c) The cost of defending imperial frontiers led to economic and political crises. (d) Emperors were Sons of Heaven. 17.Which of the following staple crops is most associated with the rise of Mesoamerican civilizations? (a) Manioc (b) Potatoes

(c) Beans (d) Maize

18. The map above demonstrates which of the following about the Indian Ocean trade? (a) Monsoons prevented trade from taking place along the East African coast. (b) Europeans were active in bringing goods from West Africa to the Indian Ocean. (c) Trade involved most of the regions bordering the Indian Ocean as well as China. (d) Arab and Indian traders were better traders than the Chinese. 19. In the three centuries after Columbus voyages, most of the people who came to the Western Hemisphere originated in which of the following regions? (a) Southern Europe (b) Northern Europe (c) Western Africa (d) Eastern Africa 20. Which of the following most clearly differentiates the sixteenth century from the previous period in world history? (a) Establishment of nation-states in the Americas (b) Use of steamships (c) Interest in Asian spice trade (d) Existence Atlantic slave trade 21. Which country is the worlds largest democracy, by population? A. United States B. India C. Russia D. Indonesia 22. Mohandas K. Gandhi I.. preached a policy of nonviolence in Indias nationalist movement II.. was a Buddhist monk III. called for the overthrow of British power by whatever means was necessary IV. worked with Jawaharlal Nehru in gaining independence for India A. I, II, and III B. II, III, and IV C. I and IV only E. III and IV only 23. What benefits did the discovery of agriculture NOT bestow upon early societies? A. a greater ability to affect the environments in which they lived B. the opportunity to survive with a less diverse supply of food C. the ability to establish permanent communities, and the reasons to do so D. an increased tendency to cooperate and form more cohesive societies

24. As a result of the first Opium War I. the Qing government was forced to open more ports to foreign trade II. the Chinese government had to lower tariffs on British goods III. Hong Kong fell under British control IV. British law took precedence in designated parts of Chinese territory A. B. C. D. I, II, and III II, III, and IV I and III only all of the above

25. Which of the following is an example of a technological innovation that occurred roughly simultaneously in two different regions of the world? A. In both the Middle East and China, toolmakers began to mix copper and tin to create bronze sometime between 4000 and 3000 B.C.E. B. People in Europe and the Middle East invented the wheel at the same time. C. Both the Sumerians and Celts invented writing, sometime between 3500 and 3000 B.C.E. D. Both Egyptians and the Celts invented beer at the same time. 26. Which of the following accurately describes Indias ethnic composition in the 1300s? A. Northern parts tended to be populated by Indo European Aryans, the southern by darkerskinned Dravidians. B. Northern parts tended to be populated by darker-skinned Dravidians, the southern by descendants of the Aryans. C. Indias middle provinces were largely Arab. D. India was ethnically homogeneous at that time. 27. At the Berlin Conference (1884-1885) I. Otto von Bismarck presided over the proceedings II. European leaders set parameters for intervening in Europe. III. European powers established rules for making new claims in Africa IV. Socialist parties adopted an international manifesto. A. I, II and III B. II, III, and IV C. I and II only D. II and IV only 28. The Delhi Sultanate and the Aztecs had which of the following methods of governing in common? A. use of slaves and prisoners of war as human sacrifice B. tribute system C. use of priests as advisors D. use of viceroys to administer far-flung parts of the empire 29.All of the following factors contributed to significant growth in worldwide population between 1700 and 1800 EXCEPT A. decline of epidemic disease B. introduction of American food crops C. expansion of land under cultivation D. decline in infant mortality rates E. improvement in medical care 30. Although different in their sources of power, the governments of Great Britain and France had which of the following characteristics in common? A. The power to levy taxes was controlled by the monarch in both nations. B. Neither nation had wide class differences. C. By the mid-1700s, the prime minister had become the real power in British and French politics, not the monarchy.

D. Both nations had a small elite of landowning aristocrats who were considered the natural
ruling class with power and influence in the government. 31. Which of the following is an accurate description of a cultural characteristic that the Celts, Slavs, and Germans of northern Europe had in common around 200 C.E.? A. These people were primarily hunters and gatherers. B. The Celts, Slavs, and Germans evolved into regional kingdoms. C. These cultures lacked all knowledge of metallurgy. D. The Celts, Slavs, and Germans were matriarchal. E. Their social organization was highly stratified. 32. Which of the following best describes the East African trading centers prior to the arrival of the Portuguese? A. The trade network to and from the East African coast was fairly local and limited to a small portion of the interior and to nearby coastal islands. B. The slave trade was an important element of the economies of the East African trading centers. C. Ife was the most important of these East Coast cities. D. The cities were a mix of black African and Islamic peoples and culture traits. 33. Liberalism denied the State in the name of the individual; Fascism reasserts the rights of the State as expressing the real essence of the individual. And if liberty is to be the attribute of living men and not of abstract dummies invented by individualistic liberalism, Fascism stands for liberty, and for the only liberty worth having, the liberty of the state and of the individual within the State. The words above were written by which of the following? A. Boris Yeltsin B. Fredrik Engels C. Adolph Hitler D. Benito Mussolini 34. All of the following are general characteristics of pastoral nomadic societies EXCEPT A. Kinship was patrilineal. B. There was little social stratification C. .Wives lived with their husbands families. D. There was little intertribal warfare. 35. Darwins theories were interpreted by Social Darwinists to indicate that A. select human groups would dominate those less fit B. European countries were more nationalistic C. non-White groups were better adapted to tropical climates D. imperialism went against the theory of natural selection 36. It is the object of that system to enrich a great nation rather by trade and manufactures than by the improvement and cultivation of land, rather by the industry of the towns than by that of the country. In this quotation from the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith is referring to which system? A. Industrialization B. Mercantilism C. Monetary system D. Capitalism 37. Which of the following statements best describes global trends in the 1990s A. Globalization has decreased ethnic conflicts as a more homogenous culture is created. B. Infant mortality rates have increased throughout the world. C. Global corporations contribute to the McDonaldization of the world. D. Illiteracy rates continue to decrease in every region of the globe.

38. Which of the following is the most accurate statement of the cartoonists meaning? A. World War I is the crime of the ages. B. All nations involved in World War I at its outbreak are to blame for it. C. Russia and Austria are blamed unfairly. D. The nations of Europe are blaming one another. 39. Which of the following statements best describes events in the Communist countries of Asia and Europe during the Cold War? A. Russia and China were firmly allied with one another and on good diplomatic terms throughout the Cold War era. B. Mao Zedong saw the workers as the heart of a Communist revolution, while Lenin believed the peasants would lead Russia through a revolution. C. Early in the Cold War, Nikita Khrushchev moved away from Stalins policies while later in the Cold War, Den Xiaoping in China also moved away from the isolationism of his predecessors. D. Russian leaders such as Nikita Khrushchev focused on exporting the revolution abroad, while leaders such as Mao Zedong focused on developing the revolution at home. 40. Which of the following areas was NOT influenced by Greek culture as a result of Alexander the Greats conquest? A. Egypt B. China C. Persia D. Asia Minor 41. Which of the following statements best describes both Christianity and Buddhism? A. Both had a tremendous impact on Southeast Asia. B. Both of their founders taught that they were divine. C. Both originated in South Asia. D. Both religions grew after leaders of empires and kingdoms converted and helped to spread their teachings. 42. The design of the Khmer temples at Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat show A. both the influence of Hindu and Buddhist traditions B. the growing influence of Islam C. a definite influence from the Tang dynasty D. that the Khmer were the only kingdom in southeast Asia which avoided Indian influence 43. The leader of the Protestant Reformation in Zurich was A. Calvin B. Luther

C. Zwingli D. Charles VII 44. What was NOT true of the Russian Revolution and the French Revolution? A. Both had as an early result the end of their respective monarchies. B. Both have often been interpreted by leading scholars as the culmination of class struggles. C. Intellectuals played a leading role in both revolutions. D. Both tried to create a representative government. 45. How did the French colonization of North America differ from that of the English? A. The French primarily established trading colonies, whereas the English established settlement and plantation colonies. B. The French primarily established settlement and plantation colonies whereas the English established trading colonies. C. The French colonized in the southeast whereas the English primarily colonized the northeast. D. The French had hostile relations with native Americans whereas the English had no major difficulties with them. 46. Between 1450 and 1750, A. Indian Ocean trade became dominated less by Europeans and more by Muslims. B. The Ottoman Empire increased production of factory goods for exports. C. Chinas treasury was drained of silver from unequal trade with Europe. D. Japan changed its position of initial interest in Western goods to resistance to Western influence. 47. (Source: Rudyard Kipling, The White Mans Burden) Take up the white Mans burdenThe savage wars of peaceFill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease. Kiplings poem received its rationale from which of the following nineteenth-century philosophies? A. Laissez-faire economics B. Conservatism C. Liberalism D. Social Darwinism 48. The concept of extraterritoriality involves A. unique economic privileges within a foreign country allowing spheres of influence to evolve. B. the grant of citizenship to foreigners who have lived at least ten years in the country. C. the imposition of economic imperialism through unequal treaties. D. the privilege of foreigners to be tried in their own courts rather than by courts of the country where they reside. 49. Which of the following was NOT the result of colonialism in the period 1750 to 1914? A. Europeans, North Americans and Japanese imperialists acquired feelings of superiority toward the peoples they dominated. B. Global trade increased significantly. C. National identities among subject peoples were eliminated. D. Global migration increased because of imperialist recruitment of labor forces. 50. All of the following are true concerning the nationalist struggle in Vietnam EXCEPT A. The French wanted to use Indochina to regain its world status. B. Unlike other former colonies, the Vietnamese were untouched by the Cold War. C. The Geneva Conference (1954) divided Vietnam. D. The new South Vietnamese government was unpopular with the general public. 51. Which of the following best describes the most significant aspect of relations between China and European nations during the nineteenth century?

A. Chinas relations with the outside world were characterized by its claim to cultural superiority. B. China granted Western nations a series of unequal treaties that gave them most-favored
nation trading status.

C. Europeans living in China were given the right of extraterritoriality.

D. Great Britain lost the Opium War to China. 52. The self-imposed seclusion of the Tokugawa government included A. forbidding Japanese from becoming Buddhist B. forbidding Japanese from going abroad and Europeans from trading in Japan C. forbidding Chinese and Dutch merchants from trading in Japan D. forbidding scholars of neo-Confucianism from teaching in Japan 53. Newly independent nations in Africa have been confronted by all of the following problems EXCEPT A. rule by the military. B. one-party rule that evolved into authoritarian government. C. ethnic rivalries that have culminated in civil war. D. lack of cash crops for export. 54. All of the following are characteristics of Japan under the Meiji Restoration EXCEPT A. The rise of the zaibatsu. B. The revocation of the special status afforded the samurai. C. Shift of population from the agricultural countryside to urban industrial centers. D. Equal rights for women. 55. The major reason why pastoral nomadism did not develop in the Americas was A. The lack of large domesticated animals such as cattle. B. The inability of Native Americans to domesticate the buffalo. C. The lack of horses for herders to use in order to control herds. D. The uneven amount of moisture that falls across the two continents. 56. A major difference between the Amerindians of North America and the Aztec of Mesoamerica prior to the arrival of Europeans was A. the lack of hunting and gathering among the North Americans. B. the importance of kinship as the unit of organization among the North Americans. C. the lack of a class system among the Aztec. D. the absence of large-scale building among the North American culture regions. 57. The reconnaissance of the Pacific Ocean by European mariners resulted in all of the following except A. the discovery of a northwest passage from Europe to Asia. B. the circumnavigation of the world by Ferdinand Magellan C. a reasonably accurate understanding of the worlds ocean basins, their lands and their people D. the claiming of Pacific islands as territorial extensions of European countries 58. Which of the following does NOT explain why Martin Luther had enthusiastic support? A. he attacked the sale of indulgences that the poor could not afford B. he supported the translation of their Bible from Latin into the vernacular C. he argued against the use of golden icons in church services D. he gave the German kings an opportunity to become independent of papal power 59. What odd twist of diplomatic convention assisted the Portuguese in establishing their American empire in Brazil? A. the Spanish empires disinterest in Brazil B. the Treaty of Tordesillas C. the successful resistance of Indians in Brazil D. the Andes Mountains height and impassibility 60. Queen Nzinga is celebrated as an important figure in the history of sub-saharan Africa because she

A. married into Dutch aristocracy B. organized and led military resistance C. entered into a trading alliance with the Portuguese D. acted as ago-between in the Boer War 61. What was the direct cause of the rebellions in Latin America in the first part of the nineteenth century? A. Slave revolt in Haiti C. The American Revolution B. Napoleons invasion of Spain D. The French Revolution 62. When Ottoman expansion swept into the Balkans the Christian population contributed A. food and clothing for the militant Turks B. young boys known as devshirme C. horses, which were a scarce and valuable commodity D. weapons technology that was far in advance of that of the Turks 63. Tsar Ivan III reigned like the Byzantine emperors, which meant that he A. was the head of the state and the church B. organized a liberal constitutional monarchy and declared himself the head C. allowed religious freedom for his subjects and thus won their support D. ruled through terror and fear with bands of peasants who carried out his orders 64. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels criticized the injustices of capitalism as an economic model and A. asserted that the economy should be run by an invisible hand B. called for a return to agrarian life C. asserted that socialism would lead to a fair and just society D. put their efforts into creating a socialist utopia 65. All the archeological evidence from early Indian history suggests to historians that A. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were powerful central authorities B. the Harappan world was one of constant civil war C. there was little true culture in India before the arrival of the Indo-Europeans D. early Indian cities remained small and unsophisticated by comparison to the rest of the ancient world 66. The classical Persian empires approach to government was A. the use of relentless terror to oppress the conquered tribes B. the imposition of their own religious beliefs on the people of their empire C. the appointment of members of the Persian royal family to every government post D. the adoption of an enlightened and tolerant approach 67. The Chinese philosophy that criticized social activism and instead proposed a life of reflection and introspection was A. Legalism B. Daoism C. Confucianism D. Manichaeism 68. The Spartans were constantly afraid of the prospect of A. a war with Macedonia B. an uprising of the helots C. an invasion by the Minoans D. the spread of plague from Athens 69. the most important new crop introduced into China during the Tang and Song period was A. indigo B. a new strain of cotton C. fast-ripening rice D. citrus oranges in the south 70. What was the MOST IMPORTANT result of the Neolithic Revolution? A. food surplus led to advanced civilizations B. large game animals were driven to extinction C. Trace networks evolved across largely uninhabited regions D. Rice became the most important crop world wide.