ap world compare and contrast essay

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1.7 Comparisons in the Period from 1200-1450

8 min read • april 7, 2023

William Dramby

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A direct comparison is a method of comparing two or more things by looking at them side by side and examining their similarities and differences. A direct comparison can be used to compare almost anything, including people, objects, ideas, events, or concepts. When making a direct comparison, it is important to focus on the specific aspects of the things being compared and to consider how they are similar or different. A direct comparison can be useful in understanding the characteristics of something or in making a decision between two or more options.

College Board will challenge students to find comparisons during the same period from dramatically different parts of the world. Here are a few:

Direct Comparisons (Based on the Years)

There were many significant changes and developments that took place in the period from 1200-1450, both within Europe and in other parts of the world. Some of the key comparisons and contrasts from this period include:

Europe in the 1200s was marked by feudalism , while in the 1400s it was experiencing the early stages of the Renaissance , a cultural and intellectual movement that marked a shift towards greater individualism and humanism.

In the 1200s, the Catholic Church was a powerful force in Europe and exercised significant influence over political and cultural life. In the 1400s, the Church was facing challenges from emerging Protestant movements that rejected many of its teachings and practices.

In the 1200s, Europe was facing a number of external threats, including invasions by the Mongols and the Ottoman Turks . In the 1400s, these threats had receded, and Europe began to focus more on exploration and expansion overseas.

In the 1200s, Africa and the Middle East were important centers of trade and cultural exchange, and the trans-Saharan trade network and the Indian Ocean trade network played a key role in the global economy. In the 1400s, Europe began to emerge as a major player in global trade, and the voyages of exploration undertaken by figures such as Columbus and Vasco da Gama had a significant impact on the global economy.

Direct Comparisons (Based on Dynasties)

While Song China had a large bureaucracy to rule, Japan was very feudal and regional.

While the Abbasid Caliphate used religion to help solidify its power, Western European kingdoms were separate from the power of the Roman Catholic Church .

While the Swahili Coast was very interconnected to trade routes, Western Europe was very slow to develop because it was outside these trade routes.

While the Silk Road connected large empires of Song China and the Abbasid Caliphate , Western Europe had no land-based trade routes to help it develop.

In Europe, the three-field crop rotation , and Champa rice in China promoted larger populations.

Both the Mali Kingdom and the Abbasid Caliphate used Islam to unite peoples who were not united before.

Both Song Dynasty and northern India kingdoms saw an increase in religious diversity causing political and religious conflict.

Both Christianity and Buddhism saw various divisions in their faiths causing political and religious conflict.

New States Emerged

Mamluk empire (former abbasid).

The Mamluk Sultanate was a medieval realm in the Middle East that lasted from the 13th to the 15th century. It was centered in Egypt and ruled by a series of slave soldiers, known as Mamluks, who had originally been purchased as children from various parts of the Islamic world. The Mamluks were able to overthrow their masters and establish themselves as the ruling class in Egypt, eventually expanding their territory to include much of the surrounding region. The Mamluk Sultanate is known for its military prowess and its cultural achievements, which included significant advances in science, literature, and the arts. The Mamluk Empire came to an end in 1517, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire.

Selijuk Empire (Former Abbasid)

The Seljuk Empire was a medieval Turkic empire that existed from the 11th to the 14th centuries. It was founded by the Seljuk Turks, a group of nomadic warriors who had migrated from Central Asia to the Middle East. The Seljuk Empire was characterized by its expansionist policies, and at its height, it controlled a vast territory that included parts of modern-day Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The Seljuk Empire is known for its significant cultural and artistic achievements, as well as its political and military impact on the region. It was eventually conquered by the Mongols in the 13th century, and its remnants were later absorbed by the Ottoman Empire.

Delhi Sultanate (Former Gupta)

The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim empire in India that lasted from the 13th to the 16th century. It was founded in 1206 by the Turkic ruler Qutb al-Din Aibak, who established the city of Delhi as his capital. The Delhi Sultanate was known for its cultural and artistic achievements, as well as its military power. It was a period of great political and social change in India, as the Delhi Sultans, who were of Turkic and Afghan origin, introduced many new ideas and practices to the region. The Delhi Sultanate was ruled by a series of powerful dynasties, including the Mamluk dynasty, the Khalji dynasty, the Tughlaq dynasty, and the Sayyid dynasty. It eventually came to an end in 1526, when it was conquered by the Mughal Empire.

Former Empires Were Revived

Song dynasty (based on han dynasty).

The Song Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that ruled from 960 to 1279. It is also known as the Song Empire, and it is considered one of the most brilliant periods in Chinese history. The Song Dynasty was characterized by its economic, cultural, and technological achievements, as well as its political and social reforms. It was a time of great prosperity and progress in China, and many important innovations took place during this period, including the development of printing, the use of gunpowder, and the adoption of a paper currency. The Song Dynasty is also known for its artistic and literary achievements, including the famous novel " The Tale of Genji " and the poetry of Li Qingzhao . The Song Dynasty came to an end in 1279, when it was conquered by the Mongols .

Mali Empire (Ghana Kingdom)

The Mali Empire was a West African state that flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. It was founded by the Malinke people, and its capital was the city of Niani. The Mali Empire was known for its wealth, particularly its gold trade, and it was an important center of Islamic learning. The Mali Empire was ruled by a series of powerful kings, the most famous of whom was Mansa Musa , who is known for his extensive hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca in the 14th century. During his reign, the Mali Empire reached its peak of power and influence, and it extended its control over a large portion of West Africa. The Mali Empire eventually declined in the 15th century and was eventually replaced by the Songhai Empire.

Holy Roman Empire (Based on Kuman Empire)

The Holy Roman Empire was a medieval empire that was centered in Central Europe and existed from the 9th to the 19th century. It was a complex political structure that included numerous territories and jurisdictions, and it was characterized by a large degree of decentralization. The Holy Roman Empire was ruled by an elected emperor, who held the title "Emperor of the Romans," and was considered the successor to the Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire was a major power in Europe during the Middle Ages, and it played a significant role in the history of the continent. It came to an end in 1806, when it was dissolved by the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II , following his defeat in the Napoleonic Wars.

Different Traditions Were Synthesized

Japan (Chinese and Japanese), Delhi Sultanate (Hindu and Islamic), Neo-Confucianism

Expansion in Scope

Aztecs (Mesoamerica)

The Aztecs were a Native American civilization that flourished in Mexico from the 14th to the 16th century. They were not located in Mesopotamia, which is a region in the eastern Mediterranean. The Aztecs built a powerful empire that controlled much of central and southern Mexico, and they are known for their sophisticated culture, advanced system of government, and impressive architectural and artistic achievements. The Aztecs practiced a religion that was based on the worship of a pantheon of gods, and they developed a complex system of writing and record-keeping. The Aztec Empire came to an end in the 16th century, when it was conquered by the Spanish conquistadors.

Incas (South America)

The Incas were a Native American civilization that flourished in South America in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were located in the Andes Mountains of South America and built an extensive empire that stretched along the western coast of the continent. The Incas are known for their advanced system of government, sophisticated architecture, and impressive agricultural and engineering achievements. They developed a complex system of roads and communication, and they built impressive structures such as the citadel of Machu Picchu. The Incas practiced a religion that was based on the worship of a pantheon of gods, and they had a complex system of writing and record-keeping. The Inca Empire came to an end in the 16th century, when it was conquered by the Spanish conquistadors.

City-States (East Africa)

East Africa is a large region that encompasses a diverse range of cultures and societies. During different periods of history, various city-states and empires have emerged in East Africa. Some examples of city-states that have existed in East Africa include the Swahili city-states that flourished along the eastern coast of Africa from the 9th to the 16th centuries, and the city-states of the Kingdom of Aksum , which flourished in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea from the 1st to the 8th centuries. In more recent history, several independent city-states have also existed in East Africa, such as Mombasa and Zanzibar. These city-states have played an important role in the history and development of East Africa, and they have contributed to the region's rich cultural heritage.

City-States (Southeast Asia)

Southeast Asia is a region in Asia that has a long history of city-states. Throughout history, various city-states and empires have emerged in Southeast Asia, and these city-states have played an important role in the region's politics, culture, and economy. Some examples of city-states that have existed in Southeast Asia include the city-states of the Kingdom of Funan , which flourished in present-day Cambodia and Vietnam from the 1st to the 6th centuries, and the city-states of the Srivijaya Empire , which flourished in present-day Indonesia and Malaysia from the 7th to the 13th centuries. In more recent history, several independent city-states have also existed in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore and Brunei . These city-states have contributed to the rich cultural heritage of Southeast Asia and have played a significant role in the region's development.

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Key Terms to Review ( 45 )

Abbasid Caliphate

Catholic Church

Champa Rice

Delhi Sultanate

Delhi Sultanate (Hindu and Islamic)

Direct Comparisons

Ghana Kingdom

Han Dynasty

Holy Roman Empire

Indian Ocean Trade Network

Japan (Chinese and Japanese)

Kingdom of Aksum

Kingdom of Funan

Kuman Empire

Li Qingzhao

Mali Empire

Mali Kingdom

Mamluk Empire

Neo-Confucianism

Ottoman Turks

Protestant Movements

Renaissance

Roman Catholic Church

Seljuk Empire

Song Dynasty

Srivijaya Empire

Swahili City-states

Swahili Coast

The Tale of Genji

Three-field Crop Rotation

Trans-Saharan Trade Network

Vasco da Gama

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How to write a good thesis for the AP World History Compare and Contrast essay?

My teacher grades my exams in a AP fashion, so using the AP tactics I can possibly master his tests. I’ve been struggling on making thesis throughout his class, I was wondering if anyone has a good format on creating an excellent thesis for the AP World History Compare and Contrast essay? My teacher grades super hard on his essays.

Here was an example thesis that I made for his first exam on the compare and contrast essay:

Topic: Compare and contrast Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Mesopotamia and Egypt are both parallel when relating to the objective of their rulers, but are distinguishable in the their religious believes throughout their societies.

My teacher commented: "The thesis is vague, it needs to be more specific.

I received a 8/15 on my thesis.

Here is his rubric for the thesis:

Thesis (out of 15 points) Must get first 5 points to get other points:

• Valid, underlined the thesis in the essay, in the introduction paragraph. (I received a 5/5)
• Includes major points (at least one similarity and one difference) (I received a 3/5)
• Major points are adequately explained (I received a 0/5)

I’m emphasizing the thesis a lot because the thesis is surprisingly HALF of the full essay grade. The full essay grade is out of 30 points for a full 100, but the thesis is worth 15 of those points.

I understand no one knows anything about my teacher; however, all I need is for a good format to create a thesis for the AP World History Compare and Contrast essay. Also, please do give feedback over my terrible thesis…

I was in AP World last year and got a 5, but the test might be changing this year, so I’m not sure how much I can help you. However, a thesis is still a thesis, and while yours shows a good mastery of language and style, it is vague. Also, remember that your thesis can be more than one sentence, but you should go with what style fits best for you.

You don’t want to give too many details in the thesis (save your evidence for the body paragraphs), but you need to provide some more elaboration on exactly what their objectives were and what aspects of their religions made them different. It’s hard to explain, but you need to be specific enough so that the reader knows exactly what the focus of your essay will be, but general enough so that major details are left for your supporting paragraphs. Format is not really your issue here, because your structure is fine. Your problem is making the thesis too general so that the reader won’t know what your essay will exactly be about. Consider the following examples that I’ll make up:

“Imperial Spain and Britain had similarities in their economic goals, but there were differences in how their colonies developed.”

“Imperial Spain and Britain were similar in that they had goals to extract wealth from colonized lands in the New World. However, Spain’s colonies developed from a system of subjugation of the native population and massive exploitation of resources while Britain’s grew by creating colonial communities composed of opportunistic English immigrants.”

“Similarities existed in how both Imperial Spain and Britain sought gold and other rare resources in the New World to gain wealth for their respective monarchs; doing so allowed both of them to become prominent European powers with influence over the rest of the world. Britain, however, developed societies of mostly English immigrants who sought a better life in the colonies, such as the Puritans who were looking for religious freedom. On the other hand, Spain had relatively limited immigration and instead focused on creating labor systems called encomiendas that allowed the Spanish monarch to achieve unprecedented wealth and over-abundance of silver.”

Examine the first thesis’s claims - “similar economic goals” & “differences in how they developed”. That is very vague because it doesn’t specify or analyze their economic goals. “Economic goals” could mean a lot of different things, and your reader isn’t going to infer it from your thesis. The same thing applies to “how their colonies developed”. You have to give more specific detail on exactly how they developed.

The second thesis is your ideal one. It clearly specifies the types of motives that both Spain and Britain had - they wanted to extract wealth from the areas they colonized. Then, it focuses on exactly how their development differed - Spain’s was based on subjugation and exploitation of resources while Britain’s was based on distinct English communities. It saves all key details for the body paragraphs, like encomiendas, Spanish silver, Puritans, Jamestown, etc, but includes what major points the rest of your essay will discuss.

The third thesis is obviously too much. There are way too many details that should be put in the body paragraphs, and it isn’t effective at being concise and to the point.

What you’re doing is only listing the categories or aspects that they had similarities and differences in; you need to concisely specify what those aspects include for the things you’re comparing. Again, you can go with whatever format that works for you, but remember to explain the major points of your essay without making it too general or using important details for the body paragraphs. Revise your current thesis and post it as a reply to me.

Thank you!! This really helped with great examples and explanations.

Maurya and Gupta India and Achaemenid Persia were similar in that they had parallel interactions since they dominated other lands near their own civilization’s borders and consisted of major economic hubs; however, the civilizations differed in religious believes effecting how they construct their society , and the methods their countries utilized to organize for political harmony.

Would that be a good thesis? ^^^ It’s a thesis for a take home essay I have.

Significant improvement, I would just add 2-4 details to be more specific. For example, where you say “dominated other lands”, specify what respective region. Additionally, where you say “religious beliefs …contruct society”, say something like “lead to a development of a social hierarchy where x would be at the top and y at the bottom”, or whatever seems appropriate. In your thesis, you want to try to satisfy the reader so they know what to expect in the rest of your essay.

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AP World History: Teaching the Compare and Contrast Essay Using Fruit

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AP interview: Divisions among the world's powerful nations are undermining UN efforts to end crises

The UN peacekeeping chief says deep divisions especially among the world’s most powerful nations have significantly undermined what the United Nations can do to help nations move from conflict to peace

UNITED NATIONS -- Deep divisions especially among the world’s most powerful nations have significantly undermined what the United Nations can do to help nations move from conflict to peace, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix told The Associated Press in an interview that these divisions – most notably between the U.S. and the West on one side and Russia and often China on the other -- don’t only affect peacekeeping but everything the United Nations does in trying to promote peace and security.

The result is that in some cases the rivalry can lead to the presence of U.N. peacekeepers being questioned by the parties to the conflict -- or even asked to leave, as happened in Mali and is happening in Congo, he said.

Twenty years ago, Lacroix said, a united international community pushed in the same direction as the United Nations to restore peace to East Timor, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cambodia.

“But we don’t have that anymore,” he said ahead of the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers on Wednesday.

“Yes, we still have a U.N. presence in many different crisis situations, but we don’t have the same united, committed push of the membership to advance those political agreements between the parties,” he said. “And sometimes, those agreements just unravel or they stagnate and create frustration.”

Four years ago, the United Nations had approximately 110,000 peacekeepers deployed in 13 missions around the world. Today, there are about 80,000 military and civilians in 11 peacekeeping operations.

At the same time, as Switzerland’s U.N. ambassador told the Security Council last week, there are over 120 armed conflicts around the world and millions of people are suffering.

What actions could really make a difference? “It’s a million-dollar question,” Lacroix said.

In many situations today, he said, multiple foreign countries are intervening on behalf of their own interests.

He pointed to the Central African Republic, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Mali as examples, adding “the list is long and expanding.”

Last July, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the post-Cold War period is over, and the world is moving toward a new multipolar era already marked by the highest level of geopolitical tensions and major power competition in decades.

He warned that these divisions are undermining the cornerstone of the United Nations – having all countries work together to solve global challenges. And he outlined his “New Agenda for Peace” to address the new threats facing the world, stressing the importance of multilateralism.

Lacroix said in many crises where peacekeepers are involved, the U.N. is seeing an increasing influence of the drivers of conflict that are not properly addressed -- inequality, poverty, the impact of climate change and transnational criminal activities.

The undersecretary-general for peace operations said much more needs to be done to address the drivers of conflict as well as terrorism, and this can only be done multilaterally with countries working together.

“The more division we have, the more we’re incapable to address crises, then the more challenging it is to deal effectively with those pressing global challenges,” Lacroix said.

In outlining his “New Agenda for Peace” last year, Guterres said that while peacekeepers have saved millions of lives, “longstanding unresolved conflicts, driven by complex domestic, geopolitical and transnational factors, and a persistent mismatch between mandates and resources, have exposed its limitations.”

Put bluntly, he said, “peacekeeping operations cannot succeed when there is no peace to keep.”

The secretary-general’s proposed peace agenda urges nations to move toward “nimble, adaptable” peacekeeping models with exit strategies, and to support “peace enforcement action by regional and sub-regional organizations” that are mandated by the Security Council, paid for by U.N. member states, and backed by political efforts to promote peace.

It will be high on the agenda at the “Summit of the Future” Guterres has invited world leaders to at September’s annual gathering. The summit is aimed at trying to repair what Guterres has called “a great fracture” among nations and promote the United Nations’ founding objective after World War II – to bring nations together and save future generations from war.

Lacroix said there seems to be a consensus that the drivers of conflict are global threats, but other challenges also need to be on the table as the U.N. contemplates peace operations in the future.

“How do we deal with the new technologies that can be enablers of conflict?” he said, pointing to digital technology and artificial intelligence that promote fake news and disinformation.

The United Nations has no standing military force, and its peacekeepers who wear distinctive blue berets or helmets are contributed by member nations.

“We will never have a mandate to do peace enforcement, which is another name for war,” Lacroix said. “And we would never find troop contributing countries to do that because it’s a very different proposition.”

He stressed this doesn’t mean U.N. peacekeeping is being replaced. Rather, it means there should be other models like the arrangement the U.N. now has with the African Union. In December, the Security Council adopted a resolution to consider African Union requests for U.N. member nations to fund African-led peace support operations – a key AU goal.

Richard Gowan, U.N. director for the International Crisis Group, his colleague Daniel Forti and African legal scholar Solomon Dersso presented an assessment of U.N. peace operations to a U.N. police retreat in February which concluded they are “in a period of change with no clear end in sight.”

“In contrast to the early 2000s, when the Security Council treated blue helmet operations as a `go to’ response to many civil wars,” they said, “we have entered a period in which the Security Council, regional organizations and individual states are turning to a wide range of alternative security options to deal with new crises.”

The three analysts said the options range from regional peace enforcement missions, as the African Union has carried out in Somalia, to bilateral deployments by one country, like Russia in Mali, and mercenary forces such as Russia’s Wagner Group which is reportedly still operating in Mali, the Central African Republic and elsewhere in Africa.

“We need to have a greater variety of options to address crises,” Lacroix said.

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