AP WORLD HISTORY PRACTICE
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Salon.
Answer: A reformer who preserved Athenian democracy by initiating a
series of compromises between aristocrats and commoners.
◍ Vikings.
Answer: one of a seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of
northern and western Europe from the eighth through the tenth century.
◍ Sikhism.
Answer: the doctrines of a monotheistic religion founded in northern India
in the 16th century by Guru Nanak and combining elements of Hinduism
and Islam
◍ devshirme.
Answer: Ottoman policy of taking boys from Christian peoples to be trained
as Muslim soldiers
◍ Alexander the Great.
Answer: Successor of Philip of Macedon; 1st global empire, but no lasting
bureaucracy; spread of Hellenism is greatest achievement
◍ Ahura Mazda.
Answer: Main god of Zoroastrianism who represented truth and goodness
and was perceived to be in an eternal struggle with the malign spirit angra
mainyu.
◍ Hellenism.
Answer: Civilizations represented on this map
,◍ horse collar.
Answer: Harnessing method that increased the efficiency of horses by
shifting the point of traction from the animal's neck to the shoulders;
increased agricultural production in Europe b/c soil was harder there and
required more work to plow
◍ Ashoka.
Answer: Third ruler of the Mauryan Empire in India (r. 270-232 B.C.E.). He
converted to Buddhism and broadcast his precepts on inscribed stones and
pillars, the earliest surviving Indian writing.
◍ Huns.
Answer: Nomadic invaders from central Asia; invaded India; disrupted
Gupta administration (Overthrew Gupta)
◍ Aztecs.
Answer: Also known as Mexica, they created a powerful empire in central
Mexico (1325-1521 C.E.). They forced defeated peoples to provide goods
and labor as a tax (tribute system). Practiced human sacrifice and used
religion to justify their rule. Capital was Tenochtitlan in modern-day Mexico
City.
◍ Socrates.
Answer: Greek philosopher; socratic method--questioning; sentenced to
death for corrupting Athens youth
◍ Neoconfucianism.
Answer: term that describes the resurgence of Confucianism and the
influence of Confucian scholars during the T'ang Dynasty; a unification of
Daoist or Buddhist metaphysics with Confucian pragmatism
◍ Ming Dynasty.
Answer: Succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until
1644; initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and
elsewhere, but later concentrated efforts on internal development within
China.
, ◍ Augustus Caesar.
Answer: The first empreror of Rome, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, help
Rome come into Pax Romana, or the Age of Roman Peace
◍ Chandragupta Maurya.
Answer: He founded India's first empire (Mauryan). He was an Indian
prince who conquered a large area in the Ganges River valley soon after
Alexander invaded western India.
◍ Ptolemaic Empire.
Answer: The Hellenistic empire in Egypt area after Alexander's death;
created by Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals.
◍ Counter Reformation.
Answer: the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church to the Reformation
reaffirming the veneration of saints and the authority of the Pope (to which
Protestants objected)
◍ Jesus of Nazareth.
Answer: Founder of Christianity. His teachings were based on Judaism but
eventually became a separate faith and spread throughout the Roman
Empire and the world.
◍ Ashoka.
Answer: The grandson of Chandragupta Maurya; extended conquests of the
dynasty; converted to Buddhism and sponsored its spread throughout his
empire.
◍ Mauryan Empire.
Answer: The first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent. It was
founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 324 B.C.E. and survived until 184
B.C.E. From its capital at Pataliputra in the Ganges Valley it grew wealthy
from taxes. (184)
◍ Jati.
Answer: a Hindu caste or distinctive social group of which there are
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Salon.
Answer: A reformer who preserved Athenian democracy by initiating a
series of compromises between aristocrats and commoners.
◍ Vikings.
Answer: one of a seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of
northern and western Europe from the eighth through the tenth century.
◍ Sikhism.
Answer: the doctrines of a monotheistic religion founded in northern India
in the 16th century by Guru Nanak and combining elements of Hinduism
and Islam
◍ devshirme.
Answer: Ottoman policy of taking boys from Christian peoples to be trained
as Muslim soldiers
◍ Alexander the Great.
Answer: Successor of Philip of Macedon; 1st global empire, but no lasting
bureaucracy; spread of Hellenism is greatest achievement
◍ Ahura Mazda.
Answer: Main god of Zoroastrianism who represented truth and goodness
and was perceived to be in an eternal struggle with the malign spirit angra
mainyu.
◍ Hellenism.
Answer: Civilizations represented on this map
,◍ horse collar.
Answer: Harnessing method that increased the efficiency of horses by
shifting the point of traction from the animal's neck to the shoulders;
increased agricultural production in Europe b/c soil was harder there and
required more work to plow
◍ Ashoka.
Answer: Third ruler of the Mauryan Empire in India (r. 270-232 B.C.E.). He
converted to Buddhism and broadcast his precepts on inscribed stones and
pillars, the earliest surviving Indian writing.
◍ Huns.
Answer: Nomadic invaders from central Asia; invaded India; disrupted
Gupta administration (Overthrew Gupta)
◍ Aztecs.
Answer: Also known as Mexica, they created a powerful empire in central
Mexico (1325-1521 C.E.). They forced defeated peoples to provide goods
and labor as a tax (tribute system). Practiced human sacrifice and used
religion to justify their rule. Capital was Tenochtitlan in modern-day Mexico
City.
◍ Socrates.
Answer: Greek philosopher; socratic method--questioning; sentenced to
death for corrupting Athens youth
◍ Neoconfucianism.
Answer: term that describes the resurgence of Confucianism and the
influence of Confucian scholars during the T'ang Dynasty; a unification of
Daoist or Buddhist metaphysics with Confucian pragmatism
◍ Ming Dynasty.
Answer: Succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until
1644; initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and
elsewhere, but later concentrated efforts on internal development within
China.
, ◍ Augustus Caesar.
Answer: The first empreror of Rome, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, help
Rome come into Pax Romana, or the Age of Roman Peace
◍ Chandragupta Maurya.
Answer: He founded India's first empire (Mauryan). He was an Indian
prince who conquered a large area in the Ganges River valley soon after
Alexander invaded western India.
◍ Ptolemaic Empire.
Answer: The Hellenistic empire in Egypt area after Alexander's death;
created by Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals.
◍ Counter Reformation.
Answer: the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church to the Reformation
reaffirming the veneration of saints and the authority of the Pope (to which
Protestants objected)
◍ Jesus of Nazareth.
Answer: Founder of Christianity. His teachings were based on Judaism but
eventually became a separate faith and spread throughout the Roman
Empire and the world.
◍ Ashoka.
Answer: The grandson of Chandragupta Maurya; extended conquests of the
dynasty; converted to Buddhism and sponsored its spread throughout his
empire.
◍ Mauryan Empire.
Answer: The first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent. It was
founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 324 B.C.E. and survived until 184
B.C.E. From its capital at Pataliputra in the Ganges Valley it grew wealthy
from taxes. (184)
◍ Jati.
Answer: a Hindu caste or distinctive social group of which there are
