Download Sixth Grade Study Guide for Test on Asia and the Americas

Sixth Grade Study Guide for Test on Asia and the Americas
Chapter 4 (Lessons 1, 2, and 3) and Chapter 6 (Lesson 1 only) – The World

Some information on early India will come from Chapter 5 (World History). This book stays at
school, but all information from this text is on your study guide and/or in your notebook under the
“Daily Challenge” section.

Study your answers from the ICS, and learn/understand the vocabulary words as applied to the
concepts in the chapters.

Test will consist of multiple choice, 3-4 short answer questions, and one essay (constructed
response).

Be able to explain the differences between Hinduism and Buddhism. Know the terms below that
pertain to each religion and be able to give examples of each.

Hinduism – Aryans – Sanskrit – Vedas - Reincarnation – Caste system
Caste System
o Priests
o Rulers and warriors
o Farmers, craftspeople, and traders
o Workers and servants

Buddhism – Siddhartha Gautama – Buddha-The Enlightened One – Eightfold Path (page 195 in The
World) - Nirvana

Monsoons –Seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons. In the summer, monsoon winds
blow into India from the Indian Ocean bringing heavy rains that can cause terrible floods. From the
Indian Ocean (Summer) – In the winter, winds blow down from the mountains (Himalayas) .

Mountains are natural barriers that separated and often protected early civilizations from invaders.

Loess – (p. 143) – Enriched soil of the Huang He (Yellow River or River of Sorrows) Valley. Like the
Nile River, The Huang He River in China provided water for fertile soil to grow crops, but also
produced heavy flooding at times to destroy lives and crops. Loess gave the Huang He a yellow color.

Early Chinese people raised silkworms for silk. People all over the world eventually wanted silk from
the Chinese. Silk has been a major resource and product from China for thousands of years.

Olmecs – Rubber people – Rubber came from the trees in the rainforest. First ball game -

Slash and Burn farming – Used to clear heavy shrubs and trees from the forests to get the rich soil
for growing crops.
Page 2

Know the main ideas from previous chapters: Chapters 1 -3 in The World.

Examples of Primary Sources (original diary, photographs, historical document, autobiography, art, etc…)

Examples of Secondary Sources (biography, textbook, copy of a picture)

Prehistory – Time before writing

Division of Labor – Know the meaning and importance to growth of civilization

Domestication of plants and animals – Why was this important?

Agriculture (Agricultural Revolution) - Advantages and Disadvantages

Sumerians – The wheel, plow, arch, cuneiform (writing), Tigris-Euphrates River Valley

Mesopotamia – Sargon – First King

King Nebuchadnezzar – Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Code of Hammurabi – First laws of justice/taxation – King of Mesopotamia

Monotheism - Belief in one God (Judaism, Christianity, Islamic)

Polytheism – Belief in many gods (Sumerians, Egyptians, Hindu, early Greeks and Romans)

First Alphabet – Phoenicians -Why was writing important? Written records and later for trade

Phoenicians – Shipbuilders –Alphabet – Merchants and traders sailed all over the world spreading their ideas.

Be able to recognize the different writing of all civilizations we have mentioned so far this year.

Major rivers and river valleys – Reason civilizations grew up in this area – fertile soil and water

Cultural Diffusion – Give examples (Phoenician purple, Sumerian wheel, Sumerian cuneiform, etc…)

Egyptians – Hieroglyphics – papyrus (long lasting paper-like material from reeds)

Importance of the Nile River

Rosetta Stone - Artifact with different languages (Hieroglyphics and Greek) - found in the Nile Delta

Great Pyramid of Egypt – Sphinx (Body of a lion and head of animals or humans) in Giza

Hatshepsut – “The She-He Pharaoh – First woman pharaoh

King Tutankhamen - King Tut –

Kush – Meroe (center for trade) Rich in iron for weapons and tools