Download File - World History

World History
Here are the answers to MOST of the questions on the 6 Week Benchmark
Study Guide.
Unit 1
1.
What is cuneiform? Where did it originate? system of writing from Sumeria
2.
What was a period of ruling power referred to as in ancient China? dynasties
3.
Describe nomads. highly mobile people moving from place to place
4.
What is the Greek translation for the word “Mesopotamia?” land between the rivers
5.
What is an example of something that may be found in Hammurabi’s Code? eye for an eye
6.
List the major achievements of ancient Egypt. pyramids, mummification, hieroglyphics, surgery, pain killers
7.
What was unique about the Hebrews religion? monotheistic
8.
What was the most important contribution of the seafaring Phoenicians? alphabet
9.
Who founded Hinduism? Where did this take place? Siddhartha Gautama, India
10. What is the biggest difference between Hinduism and Buddhism? they disagree on the caste system
11. How did Buddhism spread to Asia? trade and travel
12. Rivers – Nile River vs. Huang He – How were they different? flooding of the Nile was seasonal and predictable while the
flooding of the Huang He was not
Unit 2
13. What physical features helped shape Greek culture? sea, mountains, climate
14. What Greek founded modern geometry? Euclid
15. What were Pericles’ three goals for Athens? strengthen democracy, strengthen empire, glorify Athens
16. How did Athens anger the other Greek city-states during their Golden Age? used money from the Delian League to improve
Athens
17. What accomplishments are the Greeks known for? sculpture, drama, astronomy
18. What two powers fought in the Peloponnesian Wars? Sparta & Athens
19. What regions did Alexander the Great conquer? Greece, Persia, Egypt, Indus Valley (India)
20. What is a republic? government where citizens elect officials to represent them
21. List four languages that are based in Latin? (romance languages)
French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian
22. In the Roman republic, who were the consuls? chief executives
23. What factors allowed Christianity become popular in the Roman Empire? message was for all people, ease of travel due to Pax
Romana and good roads, promise of eternal life
24. Why did Diocletian divide the Roman Empire into two halves? to make the empire more efficient and easier to manage
25. What is the importance of the Emperor Constantine concerning Christianity? he allowed Christianity to be a legal option in the
Roman Empire
26. List the reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire. huge military spending, inflation, invading tribes, disruption of trade
routes by pirates
27. What was the Pax Romana? 207 years of Roman peace and prosperity
28. What is the cultural legacy of Rome? (3 areas) architecture, law, language
29. Why is 476 AD cited as the year that Rome fell? that was when the last emperor was removed from power
Unit 3
30. What are Bedouins? desert nomads
31. List the Five Pillars of Islam.
Shahadah – testimony of faith
Salat – prayer five times a day facing Mecca
Zakat – giving alms to the poor
Sawm – fasting during Ramadan
Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca
32. Which branch of Islam which believes that Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali should have replaced him as caliph?
33. Which branch of Islam believes that the first four Caliphs were correctly chosen?
Shi’a
Sunni
34. What is calligraphy?
The art of beautiful handwriting used by Muslims because Islam discourages art depicting living creatures because only Allah
can create life
35. What did The Muslim mathematician Al-Khwarizmi develop?
algebra
36. What did the Turks rename the city of Constantinople after capturing it?
Istanbul
37. The Byzantine Empire was the surviving portion of which once powerful empire?
Roman Empire
38. Who was the empress of the Byzantine Empire who was disliked by some for her scandalous background and also because of the
high degree of influence she had over her husband?
Theodora
39. After the conversion of Vladimir, the Russians shared what religious faith with the Byzantine Empire?
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
40. The Mongol conquests took most of Asia, with the exception of what two lands?
India & Japan
41. What military tactics most contributed to the Mongol’s success as conquerors?
use of the recurve bow & horsemanship
42. How did Chinggis Khan succeed as a leader?
brilliant military strategy, promoted the most skilled and loyal, being ruthless