AP World History Modern Quiz: Continuity Change In A Globalized World

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Continuity Change In A Globalized World, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for AP World History Modern.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

Question 1

1. It shows globalization ended permanently, with countries returning to isolated village economies and eliminating long-distance trade entirely.
2. It shows continuity in interdependence, alongside change as states more actively managed supply-chain risk through strategic policy interventions. (correct answer)
3. It shows continuity because supply chains were never global; all production and consumption always occurred within national borders.
4. It shows change because governments stopped regulating economies, abandoning tariffs, subsidies, and emergency powers during crises.
5. It shows change because international organizations forced all firms to relocate production to one continent to simplify trade routes.

Explanation: This question addresses recent supply chain disruptions and government responses. The correct answer (B) identifies continuity in global interdependence (supply chains remain global) alongside change as states more actively manage risks through policies like reshoring and stockpiling. The COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions didn't end globalization but prompted states to balance efficiency with resilience. Options A, C, D, and E present extreme scenarios that didn't occur (like globalization ending permanently or governments stopping all regulation). The evolution from pure market efficiency toward strategic management of global integration represents change within an ongoing system of interdependence.

Question 2

1. Migration steadily declined after 1850 because industrialization eliminated the need for mobile labor in both colonies and metropoles.
2. A continuity was that states attempted to regulate migration through laws, documentation, and enforcement even as routes and motives changed. (correct answer)
3. A change was that migration became entirely voluntary after 1945, ending coerced labor systems and refugee movements worldwide.
4. A continuity was that all migrants moved only within their own empires, with no significant transoceanic movement after 1900.
5. A change was that migration ended as a major historical force once air travel made border controls impossible to enforce.

Explanation: This question examines continuity and change in global migration from 1850-2020. The correct answer (B) identifies the continuity of state attempts to regulate migration through laws and documentation, even as migration patterns evolved. Throughout this period - from the age of mass European emigration through postcolonial movements - states consistently tried to control who could enter and work within their borders. Options A, C, D, and E all make false claims about migration patterns (like migration declining after 1850 or becoming entirely voluntary after 1945). The regulatory impulse of states toward migration represents a significant continuity across different eras of globalization.

Question 3

1. Governments ended all regulation of cross‑border finance, allowing capital to move without oversight for the first time in world history.
2. Multinational corporations replaced states entirely as the primary actors in diplomacy, eliminating national sovereignty in most regions.
3. States continued to use laws and border policies to manage flows of people and goods even as global trade networks expanded. (correct answer)
4. All countries adopted a single global currency, reducing transaction costs and ending exchange-rate politics worldwide.
5. International organizations abolished intellectual-property rules, making technology transfer universally free and immediate across borders.

Explanation: This question asks about continuity within globalization since 1945. The correct answer (C) identifies that states have continuously maintained their regulatory powers over borders, trade, and migration even as globalization expanded. This represents continuity because throughout history, states have always sought to control cross-border flows - this didn't change with modern globalization. Options A, B, D, and E all describe radical changes that never actually occurred (like ending all financial regulation or adopting a single global currency). The persistence of state sovereignty and border controls alongside expanding global networks is a key continuity in the globalization era.

Question 4

1. Change: states withdrew completely from economies; continuity: empires still directly ruled colonies to secure raw materials and captive markets.
2. Change: states replaced markets with central planning; continuity: multinational corporations disappeared as governments nationalized global supply chains.
3. Change: states shifted toward market-oriented policies; continuity: governments still provided public goods and enforced rules shaping economic activity. (correct answer)
4. Change: states ended taxation; continuity: local guilds controlled production and prices, limiting long-distance commerce and industrial investment.
5. Change: global institutions eliminated sovereignty; continuity: feudal obligations remained the primary basis for labor and landholding worldwide.

Explanation: Between 1980 and 2020, many states adopted market-oriented reforms such as privatization and trade liberalization to foster economic growth in a globalized world. This marked a change from earlier heavy state involvement in economies, often seen in socialist or protectionist models. Continuity existed as governments continued to provide essential public goods like education, infrastructure, and border security, maintaining their role in shaping economic environments. Option C best describes this CCOT by noting the shift toward markets while emphasizing ongoing state functions. Other options, such as A or E, incorrectly suggest a return to imperial or feudal systems, which do not align with modern globalization trends. This framework illustrates how states adapted to global pressures without fully withdrawing from economic oversight.

Question 5

1. Change: societies returned to wood and animal power; continuity: steam engines dominated shipping and rail, shaping global trade patterns.
2. Change: renewables and nuclear expanded in some regions; continuity: fossil fuels continued to underpin industrial production and global transport. (correct answer)
3. Change: energy use stopped growing worldwide; continuity: all states banned automobiles, making long-distance travel rare and expensive again.
4. Change: coal disappeared by 1980; continuity: preindustrial artisan workshops remained the main sites of production in urban economies.
5. Change: oil became irrelevant after 1991; continuity: global shipping relied primarily on sail, reviving early modern maritime trade routes.

Explanation: From the 1970s, oil crises and environmental concerns prompted diversification into renewables and nuclear energy in various regions, altering global energy portfolios. This change aimed to reduce dependency on finite resources. However, continuity persisted as fossil fuels remained essential for industrial production, transportation, and economic growth worldwide. Option B effectively describes this CCOT, highlighting shifts in energy sources alongside fossil fuel dominance. Choices like A or C misrepresent the period by suggesting returns to pre-industrial energy or stagnation in use. Examining this reveals the challenges of transitioning energy systems in a globalized economy.

Question 6

1. A continuity was that empires directly governed most of the world through colonies, making international institutions largely irrelevant after 1945.
2. A change was the increased importance of multilateral institutions, alongside continuity in state sovereignty and bargaining power in enforcement. (correct answer)
3. A change was that international institutions eliminated war entirely, producing a world without conflict or military alliances.
4. A continuity was that international institutions did not exist before 1945, so global governance remained unchanged from earlier centuries.
5. A change was that all states immediately surrendered their armies to the UN, ending national militaries and defense policies.

Explanation: This question examines the role of international institutions after 1945. The correct answer (B) identifies both change (increased importance of multilateral institutions like the UN and IMF) and continuity (state sovereignty and varying enforcement power). While these institutions did expand significantly after WWII, states retained their ability to negotiate, withdraw from, or ignore international rules - sovereignty persisted. Options A, C, D, and E make false claims (like empires still governing through colonies or international institutions eliminating war). The tension between growing international governance and persistent state sovereignty captures the complex reality of post-1945 global order.

Question 7

1. Continuity: inequality in health outcomes persisted. Change: global connectivity increased the speed of disease spread and coordination of responses. (correct answer)
2. Continuity: disease disappeared after 2000. Change: people stopped traveling internationally, so epidemics became impossible.
3. Continuity: only magic explained illness. Change: germ theory was rejected globally as traditional medicine replaced hospitals.
4. Continuity: vaccination was unknown. Change: antibiotics were invented in the 2000s, ending bacterial infections everywhere immediately.
5. Continuity: plague remained confined to one city. Change: international organizations banned all scientific research to prevent panic.

Explanation: This question addresses global public health in the 2000s-2020s, particularly relevant given COVID-19. Answer A correctly identifies persistent health inequality as a continuity—disparities in healthcare access, life expectancy, and disease burden continued between rich and poor nations and communities. The change to increased speed of disease spread and response coordination accurately captures how air travel accelerated pandemic potential while digital communication enabled rapid information sharing, contact tracing apps, and coordinated vaccine development. Options B, C, D, and E contain false claims about disease disappearing, magic explaining illness, or vaccination being unknown—all factually incorrect.

Question 8

1. Continuity: education remained entirely religious. Change: universities disappeared as apprenticeships replaced all formal schooling worldwide.
2. Continuity: states shaped schooling and access. Change: cross‑border study and credentialing expanded, linking education more directly to global labor markets. (correct answer)
3. Continuity: literacy declined steadily. Change: printing was invented in 2000, enabling the first mass textbooks and public schools.
4. Continuity: caste alone determined jobs. Change: industrial guilds regained legal control over hiring, ending professional mobility across borders.
5. Continuity: schooling was universally equal. Change: governments eliminated all national languages, mandating a single global language by treaty.

Explanation: The question examines education and labor markets in the late 20th century globalized context. Answer B correctly identifies states' continued role in shaping education as a continuity—governments maintained control over national curricula, language policies, and school systems despite globalization. The change to expanded cross-border study and credentialing accurately captures phenomena like international student mobility, recognition of foreign degrees, professional certifications valid across borders, and the rise of English as a lingua franca in business and academia. Options A, C, D, and E contain historical inaccuracies about religious education dominance, literacy decline, caste-based employment, or universal language mandates.

Question 9

1. Continuity: command economies dominated everywhere. Change: money was abolished as digital barter replaced national currencies.
2. Continuity: states played economic roles. Change: neoliberal reforms expanded markets, privatization, and cross‑border investment in many regions. (correct answer)
3. Continuity: mercantilism controlled trade. Change: chartered companies replaced corporations and reestablished colonial monopolies after 1990.
4. Continuity: feudal dues financed governments. Change: peasants became the main shareholders in global banks through hereditary privilege.
5. Continuity: economies were self-sufficient. Change: long-distance trade ended as nations banned imports to protect artisans.

Explanation: The question examines economic policy shifts during 1980-2020 globalization. Answer B correctly identifies states' continued economic roles as a continuity—even during neoliberal reforms, governments maintained regulatory functions, central banks, and various interventions. The change to neoliberal reforms accurately captures the Washington Consensus era of privatization (selling state enterprises), deregulation, trade liberalization, and encouragement of foreign direct investment, exemplified by Thatcher's Britain, Reagan's America, and structural adjustment programs. Options A, C, D, and E incorrectly reference command economies everywhere, mercantilism, feudal systems, or the end of long-distance trade—all historically inaccurate for this period.

Question 10

1. Cultural exchange ended after 1980 because digital technology isolated societies, reducing contact compared to the age of radio and print.
2. A continuity was that cultures remained completely unchanged, since foreign media cannot influence tastes, identities, or political discourse.
3. A change was faster diffusion of cultural products, while continuity persisted in local identities that adapted global influences to regional contexts. (correct answer)
4. A change was the total disappearance of local languages, replaced everywhere by a single global language mandated by international law.
5. A continuity was that only elites consumed foreign culture, as mass consumption and youth culture did not develop in the late 20th century.

Explanation: This question addresses cultural globalization since the 1980s. The correct answer (C) identifies change in the speed of cultural diffusion through new technologies while recognizing continuity in how local identities adapt global influences to regional contexts. This captures the reality of cultural globalization - Hollywood movies spread quickly worldwide, but they're interpreted differently in different places, and local cultures persist and evolve. Options A, B, D, and E make extreme claims that don't reflect reality (like cultural exchange ending or local languages disappearing entirely). The dynamic interaction between global and local culture represents both change and continuity.

Question 11

1. It shows a continuity in labor exploitation within capitalist production, even as the geographic scale and supply-chain complexity expanded. (correct answer)
2. It shows a change in which industrial capitalism disappeared, replaced entirely by household artisanal production and local exchange networks.
3. It shows a continuity in guild regulation of labor, with medieval craft organizations controlling wages and training in modern factories.
4. It shows a change because worker protections became universal, eliminating sweatshops and unsafe conditions across the global economy.
5. It shows a change because states banned international trade in manufactured goods, forcing firms to relocate production domestically.

Explanation: This question connects modern global supply chains to historical patterns of industrial capitalism. The correct answer (A) identifies continuity in labor exploitation within capitalist production, even as the scale and complexity increased. Just as 19th-century factory workers faced harsh conditions, modern workers in export-processing zones often experience low wages and limited protections - the exploitation continues despite the global scale. Options B, D, and E describe changes that never happened (like industrial capitalism disappearing or universal worker protections). Option C incorrectly suggests medieval guild regulation continues. The persistence of labor exploitation across different phases of capitalism represents a significant continuity.

Question 12

1. A change was deindustrialization in some regions and industrial growth in others, while continuity remained in profit-driven investment decisions. (correct answer)
2. A continuity was that manufacturing stayed concentrated in Western Europe, since Asia lacked infrastructure and access to global markets until 2010.
3. A change was the end of wage labor worldwide, replaced by subsistence farming as the dominant economic activity after 1990.
4. A continuity was that states banned foreign investment, preventing firms from relocating production across borders during the late 20th century.
5. A change was that global trade ceased due to universal protectionism, causing all regions to return to autarky and local exchange.

Explanation: This question examines the shift in global manufacturing during the 1990s-2000s. The correct answer (A) correctly identifies the change (deindustrialization in some regions, industrial growth in others) and the continuity (profit-driven investment decisions). Manufacturing did shift from the US and Western Europe to Asia, but this was driven by the same capitalist logic that has always guided investment - seeking lower costs and higher profits. Options B, C, D, and E present false scenarios (like manufacturing staying in Europe or wage labor ending). The geographic reorganization of production while maintaining capitalist motivations exemplifies change within continuity.

Question 13

1. A continuity was that environmental issues were never connected to economic activity, so industrial growth had no ecological consequences over time.
2. A change was the rise of transnational environmental activism and agreements, while continuity persisted in states prioritizing development and sovereignty. (correct answer)
3. A change was that all countries fully met treaty targets, eliminating pollution and ending debates over resource use by the early 2000s.
4. A continuity was that environmental cooperation has been the dominant feature of world politics since 1500, replacing warfare and trade.
5. A change was that globalization reduced resource extraction everywhere, as corporations stopped mining, drilling, and logging to avoid criticism.

Explanation: This question addresses environmental challenges in the context of globalization since the 1970s. The correct answer (B) identifies change in the rise of transnational environmental activism and agreements (like the Kyoto Protocol) while recognizing continuity in states prioritizing development and sovereignty over environmental protection. This captures the tension between growing environmental awareness and persistent economic nationalism. Options A, C, D, and E make false claims (like environmental issues never being connected to economic activity or all countries meeting treaty targets). The ongoing struggle between environmental cooperation and national interests represents both change and continuity.

Question 14

1. A change was the complete disappearance of competition for influence, as all states agreed to avoid diplomacy and foreign investment after 1991.
2. A continuity was that economic tools like loans and aid served geopolitical aims, even as the leading donor states and institutions changed. (correct answer)
3. A change was that military alliances ended and were replaced by a single global empire directly ruling most regions through colonial governors.
4. A continuity was that only private charities, never governments, provided development assistance or used it to shape international outcomes.
5. A change was that trade and investment stopped mattering to diplomacy, since ideology alone determined all international relationships.

Explanation: This question examines how economic tools serve geopolitical purposes across different eras. The correct answer (B) identifies the continuity - economic tools like loans and aid have consistently served geopolitical aims, whether during the Cold War (US Marshall Plan, Soviet aid) or after (Chinese Belt and Road Initiative). While the leading donor states changed, the practice of using economic leverage for political influence remained constant. Options A, C, D, and E present false scenarios (like competition disappearing or only private charities providing aid). The instrumental use of economic power for geopolitical advantage represents a significant continuity in international relations.

Question 15

1. Change: communication became slower and more localized; continuity: handwritten manuscripts remained the dominant form of mass information distribution.
2. Change: global communication expanded dramatically; continuity: powerful institutions continued attempting to control information through censorship and monitoring. (correct answer)
3. Change: printing presses disappeared; continuity: telegraphs replaced digital networks as the primary technology connecting global markets.
4. Change: states abandoned propaganda; continuity: there were no efforts to shape public opinion because media became fully independent everywhere.
5. Change: literacy declined worldwide; continuity: isolated villages remained the main centers of political debate and cultural innovation.

Explanation: In the early 21st century, advancements in smartphones and social media revolutionized global communication, enabling instant cross-border information sharing and connectivity. This change dramatically increased the speed and reach of information flows. However, continuity was seen in efforts by governments and institutions to control information through censorship, surveillance, and propaganda. Option B best reflects this CCOT, noting expanded communication alongside persistent control mechanisms. Choices like A or C incorrectly suggest regressions to slower or outdated technologies, which do not fit the digital age. Understanding this helps explain how technology transforms society while power structures endure.

Question 16

1. Continuity: migrants sent money and ideas back home. Change: faster communication strengthened transnational identities and diaspora networks. (correct answer)
2. Continuity: migration ended after 1990 due to strict international law. Change: states abolished passports and borders to encourage settlement.
3. Continuity: migration was exclusively rural-to-rural. Change: cities disappeared as economic centers because telework eliminated urban jobs.
4. Continuity: enslaved labor was the main migrant stream. Change: plantation economies replaced service economies across the Global North.
5. Continuity: all migration was voluntary. Change: warfare ceased to influence population movement as global institutions prevented conflicts.

Explanation: The question addresses migration patterns from the 1990s to 2010s during heightened globalization. Answer A correctly identifies the continuity of remittances and transnational connections—migrants have historically sent money and maintained ties with their homelands, a pattern that persisted. The change highlights how digital technology (social media, video calls, instant messaging) strengthened these connections, creating more robust transnational identities and diaspora networks than ever before. Options B through E contain factual errors: migration did not end after 1990, cities remained economic centers, enslaved labor was not the main migrant stream in this period, not all migration was voluntary (refugees exist), and conflicts continued to drive displacement.

Question 17

1. Continuity: cottage industries supplied most goods. Change: industrialization ended as handmade craft replaced factory production worldwide.
2. Continuity: states banned foreign investment. Change: consumers rejected global brands and returned to local subsistence economies.
3. Continuity: environmental costs of production persisted. Change: deindustrialization in some regions accompanied offshoring of manufacturing to others. (correct answer)
4. Continuity: most people produced only for household use. Change: transoceanic trade ceased due to piracy and the collapse of shipping.
5. Continuity: guilds controlled prices. Change: feudal obligations replaced wage labor as the dominant global labor system.

Explanation: The question examines shifts in global production and consumption from 1970 to 2020. Answer C correctly identifies environmental costs as a continuity—industrial production continued to generate pollution and resource depletion throughout this period despite growing awareness. The change to deindustrialization in some regions (like the U.S. Rust Belt) accompanied by offshoring to others (like China and Southeast Asia) accurately captures the geographic reorganization of manufacturing driven by labor cost differentials and trade liberalization. Options A, B, D, and E incorrectly suggest cottage industries dominated, states banned foreign investment, transoceanic trade ceased, or feudalism returned—all historically inaccurate for this period.

Question 18

1. Change: states disappeared from economic life; continuity: corporations replaced citizenship, and elections ended as markets became the only authority.
2. Change: policy shifted toward privatization and market reforms; continuity: states continued intervening through regulation and social programs, though in altered forms. (correct answer)
3. Change: all nations adopted communism; continuity: private property was abolished everywhere, eliminating foreign investment and global finance.
4. Change: welfare expanded uniformly after 1980; continuity: governments rejected international trade, returning to mercantilist empires and formal colonies.
5. Change: taxation ended globally; continuity: states relied only on tribute from peasants, with no modern budgets, banks, or public services.

Explanation: The question explores how state economic roles shifted toward market-oriented policies while government intervention itself persisted in new forms. Option B correctly identifies the change as policy shifting toward privatization and market reforms, reflecting the neoliberal turn of the 1980s-2020s. The continuity is that states continued intervening through regulation and social programs though in altered forms, shown by the expansion of targeted cash transfers and public health campaigns alongside privatization. This demonstrates that while the nature of state involvement changed, governments never fully withdrew from economic management. Other options falsely claim states disappeared entirely or all nations adopted communism.

Question 19

1. Globalization ended national economic policy, as states stopped regulating labor, borders, and currencies in favor of fully integrated world governance.
2. Change: production became transnational through supply chains; continuity: states still shaped markets via regulation, taxation, and migration controls. (correct answer)
3. Change: barter replaced money through digital platforms; continuity: most goods were produced locally, with little long-distance trade compared to 1500.
4. Change: manufacturing moved entirely to Europe and Japan; continuity: colonial empires continued to monopolize raw materials through chartered companies.
5. Change: global trade collapsed after 1970; continuity: autarky became the dominant policy as states withdrew from international institutions.

Explanation: In the era of globalization from the late 1900s to early 2000s, significant changes occurred as technologies like container shipping and the internet enabled transnational production through global supply chains, allowing companies to source materials and labor from multiple countries efficiently. This represented a major shift from more localized production in earlier periods. However, continuity persisted in the form of state interventions, where governments continued to regulate economies through tariffs, border controls, and labor laws to protect national interests. Option B accurately captures this balance of change and continuity, highlighting how globalization integrated economies while states retained sovereignty over key policies. In contrast, options like A overstate the decline of national policies, while C, D, and E misrepresent historical trends by suggesting reversals or inaccuracies in trade and production patterns. Understanding CCOT helps analyze how global forces interact with persistent local structures.

Question 20

1. Change: migration became mostly forced through slavery; continuity: plantation economies dominated global labor systems and drove intercontinental movement.
2. Change: migration expanded through global labor markets and crises; continuity: states maintained border enforcement and controlled legal status. (correct answer)
3. Change: migration ended because technology replaced labor; continuity: nomadic pastoralism remained the primary driver of population movement.
4. Change: all migrants gained automatic citizenship; continuity: passports and visas disappeared as international law mandated open borders worldwide.
5. Change: migration shifted only within empires; continuity: imperial subjects moved freely without documentation under colonial administrations.

Explanation: From 1970 to 2020, international migration surged due to global labor demands, conflicts, and economic opportunities, creating diverse diasporas and significant remittance flows. This represented a change in the scale and drivers of human movement compared to earlier eras. Continuity persisted as states maintained control over borders, visas, and citizenship, often restricting unauthorized migration. Option B precisely describes this CCOT, emphasizing expanded migration alongside ongoing state regulations. Options such as A or D misalign with history by suggesting forced labor dominance or open borders, which are not accurate for the period. This perspective highlights migration's role in global interconnectedness while underscoring national sovereignty.