S.P.I.C.E.

Definitions and Guiding Questions

The five AP World History themes serve as unifying threads through which you can examine broader themes throughout
each period. We use the acronym S.P.I.C.E. to help categorize and remember the 5 areas of analysis. Civilizations rarely
exist in a vacuum. Think of the “Big Picture”

Theme 1: Social
How does the group relate to one another? How is the group organized (hierarchies)? What tare the family and gender
relations (patriarchy/matrilineal)? Are there any inequalities?
A. Gender Roles & Relations C. Family & Kinship
B. Racial & Ethnic Constructions D. Social and Economic Classes

Theme 2: Political
Who is in charge? What is the basis of power? Who gives that person or group power? What’s the government
structure? Are there significant wars, treaties, courts, or laws? Are there revolts and revolutions? If yes, what were the
causes and effects? Did the political boundaries change? Did the political power shift?
A. Political Structures and Forms of Governance D. Empires
B. Nations and Nationalism E. Revolts & Revolutions
C. Regional, Transregional, Global Structure, & Organizations

Theme 3: Interaction of Humans & Environment

In what geographic region is this empire/country located? What geographic landscape makes up the region? How are
the people/events affected by the geography? How do the people interact with the environment? How does the
environment define the culture/civilization? What are the patterns of settlement (urban/rural)? How do demography,
migration, and movement affect the spread of disease?
A. Physical (location, region, climate, natural barriers) D. Demography and Disease
B. Migration E. Patterns of Settlement
C. Technology

Theme 4: Cultural
What is the religion or belief system and what are the basic tenets? Are there leaders of documents that define religion?
What are the philosophies & ideologies? How do people learn & from where do they receive knowledge? What are the
developments in math & science? What innovations, technologies, and inventions were developed? How do they
express themselves through art, music, writing, and literature?
A. Religions C. Belief Systems, Philosophies, and Ideologies
B. Science & Technology D. The Arts & Architecture

Theme 5: Economic
Is the economy based on agriculture, pastoralism, commerce, small trades or professions, or industry? Where’s the
money? What is the system (capitalism, socialism, mercantilism, and communism)? What are the valued & traded
commodities (silk, sugar, spices, cotton, consumer goods)? What are the patterns of trade & commerce between various
societies (Silk Road, Triangle Trade)? What is the labor system (slavery, coerced, semi-coerced, wage labor?
A. Agricultural and Pastoral Production D. Industrialization
B. Labor Systems E. Economic Systems
C. Trade and Commerce
 S.P.I.C.E. Chart
Culture/Civilization: Time Period:

SOCIAL
 Gender Roles & Relations
 Racial & Ethnic
Constructions
 Family & Kinship
 Social and Economic
Classes

POLITICAL
 Political Structures and
Forms of Governance
 Nations and Nationalism
 Regional, Transregional,
Global Structure, &
Organizations
 Empires
 Revolts & Revolutions

INTERACTIONS/ENVIRONMENT
 Physical (location, region,
climate, natural barriers)
 Migration
 Technology
 Demography and Disease
 Patterns of Settlement

CULTURAL
 Religions
 Science & Technology
 Belief Systems,
Philosophies, and
Ideologies
 Arts & Architecture

ECONOMIC
 Agricultural and Pastoral
Production
 Labor Systems
 Trade and Commerce
 Industrialization
 Economic Systems