279-a

Regional and Interregional Interactions

Part Three of this text corresponds to Period 3 of the AP^® course outline and constitutes 20 percent of the AP^® exam. Here we will focus our attention on both the disparate histories of various civilizations and societies during the third-wave era (600-1450) and the connections and common patterns that linked them to one another. You will see that Chapters 7 and 11 are structured thematically, with Chapter 7 exploring the cross-cultural interactions born of long-distance trade and Chapter 11 probing the world of pastoralism with a particular focus on the Mongols and their encounters with major Eurasian civilizations. Sandwiched between the thematic landscapes, Chapters 8, 9, and 10 examine Chinese, Islamic, and Christian civilizations in a regional and comparative manner, with an eye on their engagement in larger patterns of Afro-Eurasian historical development. Chapter 12 then provides a global view of the fifteenth century. It serves to review the human journey thus far and to establish a benchmark from which the enormous transformations of following centuries might be assessed.

279-b