Download Period 2: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies 600

Period 2: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies
600 BC – 600 AD
Key Terms: Democracy, Polis, Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Hellenistic Culture, Julius Caesar, Nicene Creed, Pax
Romana, Attila the Hun, Mauryan Empire, Gupta Empire, Han Dynasty, Mayans
Concepts: Rise of Greek city states (Athens and Sparta), influence of Greek philosophers, organization of the Roman
Republic, life in Rome
Major Events: Persian Wars, Peloponnesian War, Alexander’s war with Persia, Punic Wars, Rise of Christianity, Fall of
Rome, Rise of Han Dynasty, Growth of the Mayan civilization
Periodization: Early civilizations of Europe and Asia
Timeline:
Period Two Notes
Polis- Greek city-state
Monarchy- kings or monarchs
Aristocracy- government ruled by a small group of noble, land-owning families
Oligarchy- government ruled by a few powerful people
Democracy- rule by the people
Athens: only free men count as citizens, slaves make up 1/3 of the population, builds limited democracy
Sparta: militaristic city state, focus on training soldiers, ruled by an assembly and council
Persian War: Greece vs. Persian Empire, four battles, ends in Greek victory
Athenian Golden Age led by Pericles
Peloponnesian War: Sparta vs. Athens, Sparta wins, Athens collapses
Alexander vs. Persia: Macedonian general who conquers the Persian Empire, creates Hellenistic Culture in the
aftermath
Philosophers: Socrates- “examine yourselves,” sentenced to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens; Platowrote The Republic about a perfectly governed society, not a democracy; Aristotle- his work is the basis of the
scientific method used today
Roman Republic- government- consuls, senate, army
Punic Wars- Rome vs. Carthage, 3 wars, ends with Rome gaining control of the Mediterranean Sea trade routes
Julius Caesar- conquered Gaul, comes back to Rome and takes over, named dictator for life by the senate, is
assassinated. Death ends the Roman Republic, leads to civil war and eventually the Roman Empire
Pax Romana- Roman peace
Life in Rome: education, religion, slaves
Christianity- rises in eastern Roman Empire, monotheistic belief, heaven and hell. Christians persecuted by
Rome, eventually become tolerated, and then becomes official religion of Rome
Nicene Creed- basic beliefs of the church, written to end conflicts among believers
Fall of Rome: invasions (Attila the Hun), famine, taxes, split of the empire, collapse of the Western half, leaves
behind Greco-Roman civilization
Han Dynasty- 202 BC- 220 AD, traded along silk roads, created a bureaucracy, create paper, wheel barrow,
water wheel, expert shipbuilders
Mauryan Empire- Unified northern India, helped the spread of Buddhism, tolerant of all religions
Gupta Empire- Spreads Buddhism further, came up with the concept of zero and decimal system
Valley of Mexico- south central Mexico, home of early Mesoamericans, founded city of Teotihuacan
Mayans- Yucatan region of Mexico extending south into Central America. Farming methods and diet,
government, culture, written history, slaves, calendar
Practice CCOT Prompts:
Analyze continuities and changes between Greek city-states in the period before Alexander the Great
and the communities of the Hellenistic Period following Alexander’s death in 323 BC.
Analyze continuities and changes between Greece and Rome between 500 BC and 500 AD in TWO of
the following areas:
-
Religion
Gender roles
Military conquest
Analyze continuities and changes in the societies and cultures of Mesoamerica from the Olmec through
the Mayans.
Practice Comparative Prompts:
Analyze similarities and differences between slavery in Rome (both the Roman Republic and the
Roman Empire) and slavery in ONE of the following cultures:
-
Egypt under the pharaohs
Greece in the age of Pericles
Compare the Mayan civilization with Han China in TWO of the following areas:
-
Government
Religion and art
Culture