Download World History Midterm Exam Review (Units 1-6)

World History
Midterm Exam Review
(Units 1-6)
Unit 1: Ancient Civilizations:
Students may find the following textbook sections helpful in reviewing material:
 Ch.1.2: Humans Try to Control Nature (p.14-18)
 Ch.1.3: Civilization- Case Study: Ur in Sumer (p.19-23)
 Ch.2.1: City-States in Mesopotamia (p.29-34)
 Ch.3.3: Seafaring Traders (p.72-76)
 Ch.3.4: The Origins of Judaism (p.77-83)
 Ch.2.2: Pyramids on the Nile (p.35-43)
 Ch.4.1: The Egyptian and Nubian Empires (p.89-94)
 Ch.4.2: The Assyrian Empire (p.95-98)
 Ch.4.3: The Persian Empire (p.99-103)
 Neolithic Revolution- the major change in human life caused by the beginnings of farming- that is, by peoples shift
from food gathering to food producing (p.15)
‒ Neolithic Revolution was characterized by a shift to agriculture
 The Bronze Age was so significant because bronze made for better agricultural tools which fueled an increase in
populations
 Civilization- a complex culture with 5 characteristics (p.20):
1. Advanced cities
2. Specialized workers
3. Complex institutions
4. Record keeping
5. Advanced technology
 All early river valley civilizations were polytheistic.
 Fertile Crescent- an arc of rich farmland in SW Asia, between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea (p.29)
‒ The region of the Fertile Crescent includes parts of present day: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq.
 Mesopotamia- Greek word for, “land between 2 rivers” – Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
‒ Hammurabi’s Code- first formal legal system in Mesopotamia
 Hammurabi – remembered for his law code, a collection of 282 laws
‒ Ziggurat- religious structure used by the Mesopotamians;
 Ziggurat- an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive
stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top; also : a structure or object of similar form
‒ LEGO Sumerian Ziggurat- it takes a full team of
our young architects and engineers to create a
Sumerian Ziggurat of this size out of LEGO. The
Ziggurat our students studied for this model was
built in Mesopotamia over 4000 years ago!
 Sumerians:
o one of the first groups of people in history to form a civilization- 1st
civilizations arose in Sumer, located in Mesopotamia, modern Iraq
o City-states- Sumerian city-states: Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, and Ur
o Sumerian city-state of Ur was built on the Euphrates River.
o The invention of cuneiform is credited to the Sumerians.
 Cuneiformod
 Cultural diffusion- the process of exchanging parts of your culture with other cultures
 Babylon:
‒ Hanging Gardens- constructed in Babylon to display not only power and wealth, but also innovations in irrigation
 Hebrews:
‒ Torah- sacred (holy) text of the Hebrews
‒ Monotheism -describes the Hebrews' belief; unusual for the time; that their God was one and only God
‒ Ten Commandments became the basis for the civil and religious laws of Judaism.
 Phoenicians:
‒ Phoenicians- most able seafarers of the early Mediterranean
‒ A Phoenician contribution that people still benefit from today was the invention of the Phonetic Alphabet.
 Hittites:
‒ Hittites: Hittites were able to excel at war because of their knowledge of ironworking
 Egyptians:
‒ Nile River Valley
‒ The pyramids showed that the Old Kingdom dynasties of Egypt:
1. The leadership, economy and government were strong.
2. They had access to a good supply of stone (limestone and granite).
3. They had well-developed mathematical and engineering skills.
‒ The history of Egypt begins around 3100 BC when Narmer (Menes) united Upper and Lower Egypt.
 Persians:
‒ Cyrus the Great- King of Persia, established the Persian Empire, military genius, kindness toward conquered people,
respected local religions of conquered lands
‒ Cambyses- Cyrus’s son, named for Cyrus’s father; expanded Persian Empire by conquering Egypt; scorned Egyptian
religion,
‒ Darius- member of the king’s bodyguards, seized the Persian throne with help from an elite group of Persian
soldiers, the Ten Thousand Immortals; spent years putting down revolts; next he spent years establishing a wellorganized and efficient administration
 Darius is famous for his extraordinary skills as a government administrator and for his military conquests
‒ Susa- eastern most city on the Royal Road
Unit 2: The European Experience
Students may find the following textbook sections helpful in reviewing material:
 Ch. 5- Classical Greece (p.120-151)
 Ch. 6- Ancient Rome & Early Christianity (p.155-185)
 Ch. 11- Byzantines, Russians (p.301-313 Byzantines & Russians only, p.314-317 Turkish Empire will be covered in Unit 3)
 Ch. 13- European Middle Ages (p.353-375)
 Ch. 14- The Formation of Western Europe (p. 379-397; p.398-403 The Hundred Years War & The Plague will be covered in Unit 7)
 Ch.11.1: The Byzantine Empire (p.301-306)
 Ch.11.2: The Russian Empire (p.307- 313)
 Ch.13.1: Charlemagne Unites Germanic Kingdoms (p.353-357)
 Ch.13. 2: Feudalism in Europe (p.358-363)
 Ch.13.3: The Age of Chivalry (p.364-369)
 Ch.13.4: The Power of the Church (p.370-373)
 Ch.14.1: Church Reform & the Crusades (p.379-386)
 Ch.14.2: Changes in Medieval Society (p.387- 392)
 Ch.14.3: England & France Develop (p.393- 397)
Ch.5- Classical Greece (p.120-151)
 The Dorian Age is known as the Dark Age of Greece b/c very few records exist from that time.
 Pericles- Athenian leader associated most with its Golden Age
‒ Golden Age of Athens- culture flourished under the leadership of Pericles (495-429 B.C.), a brilliant general, orator, patron of the
arts and politician—”the first citizen” of democratic Athens, according to the historian Thucydides.
o Pericles transformed his city’s alliances into an empire and graced its Acropolis with the famous Parthenon.
o His policies and strategies also set the stage for the devastating Peloponnesian War, which would embroil all Greece in
the decades following his death.
 The Greek word, polis = city-state. This is where we gets words like police, politics.
 Persian War:
‒ Battle of Marathon – Persian War battle that gave us the word, “marathon”
o Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of
Athens and a Persian force. The battle was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to conquer
Greece. The Greek army decisively defeated the more numerous Persians, marking a turning point in the Greco-Persian
Wars.: Athens (Greeks) won.
o Marathon- is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 26 miles, 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The
event was instituted in celebration of the fabled/legendary run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the
Battle of Marathon to Athens.
‒ Battle of Thermopylae- Persian War battle, 300 Spartan warriors fought to the death to give
Athenians time to escape
o Battle of Thermopylae- fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of
Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second
Persian invasion of Greece. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first
Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of
Marathon in 490 BC. Xerxes had amassed a huge army and navy, and set out to conquer all of
Greece. The Athenian general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the
advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, and simultaneously block the Persian
navy at the Straits of Artemisium.
 A Greek force of 7,000 men marched north to block the pass of Thermopylae in the summer of 480 BC. Persian army
(allegedly over one million men but today considered to have been much
smaller: 100k-150K). The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for
seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in
one of history's most famous last stands. During two full days of battle, the
small force led by Leonidas (blocked the only road by which the massive
Persian army could pass. After the second day of battle, a local resident named
Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing that a small path led behind the
Greek lines. Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the
bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard their retreat with 300 Spartans,
700 Thespians, 400 Thebans, and perhaps a few hundred others, most of
whom were killed: Persian Victory
o 300 - King Leonidas of Sparta and a force of 300 men fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.
 Delian League- was formed in order to repel any future Persian Attacks
‒ Delian League- founded in 478 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, members numbering between 150 to 173, under the
leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of
Plataea at the end of the Second Persian invasion of Greece
 Peloponnesian War‒ Peloponnesian War: Athens & Sparta
‒ Peloponnesian War: won by Sparta
‒ (431–404 BCE), war fought between the two leading city-states in ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta. Each stood at the head of
alliances that, between them, included nearly every Greek city-state. The fighting engulfed virtually the entire Greek world, and
it was properly regarded by Thucydides, whose contemporary account of it is considered to be among the world’s finest works of
history, as the most momentous war up to that time.
‒ Athens and Sparta, both powerful Greek city-states, had fought as allies in the Greco-Persian Wars between 499 and 449 B.C. In
the wake of the Persian retreat, however, Athens grew more powerful and tensions rose, escalating into nearly three decades of
war. Sparta emerged victorious, while the constant fighting left Athens bankrupt, exhausted and demoralized. Neither city-state
regained the military strength they once had.
 Socrates- Greek philosopher that was condemned to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens”
 Military defeat caused the decline of Athens’ Golden Age & the end of democracy
 Plato- wrote The Republic, a book that set forth his vision of a perfectly governed society
 Alexander the Great: after conquering Greece, he conquered Persian Empire, Egypt, and the Indus Valley
 Hellenistic- mixture of Greek and Middle Eastern culture that formed during and after Alexander the Great
Ch. 6- Ancient Rome & Early Christianity (p.155-185)
 Constantine (Roman Emperor):
‒ Converted to Christianity and allowed religious toleration
‒ Built Constantinople and moved the capital of the Empire
‒ Reunified the Eastern & Western Empires
 2nd Punic Wars: Hannibal= famous Carthaginian general
 Design of the Roman aqueducts made significant use of the architectural structure of the arch
 Tribunes- representatives of the plebeians in the Roman Republic
 Julius Caesar’s reforms:
‒ Improved status of those in conquered provinces
‒ Created jobs through public works projects
‒ Increased pay to soldiers
 Octavian Caesar- became the first Emperor of Rome by creating a system of government that survived for centuries
 Pax Romana- (pax = peace) (Romana = Rome)- peace in Rome, the Roman Empire experienced peace & prosperity
 Contributed to the spread of early Christianity throughout the Roman Empire:
‒ Pax Romana
‒ Advanced system of roads
‒ Ministry of Paul the Apostle (Saul) (he was Roman so he could travel the Roman Empire freely)
 Roman rulers opposed Christianity b/c Christians would not worship Roman gods.
 Diocletian- emperor that divided Rome into the Greek-speaking East and the Latin-speaking West
Ch. 11- Byzantines, Russians (p.301-313 Byzantines & Russians only)
 Constantine- emperor that moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium
 Justinian Code- body of civil law created for the Byzantine Empire
 Byzantine Empire survived (and the Western Roman Empire declined) b/c Constantinople was located in the east, meaning the
power moved from the Western Empire to the Eastern Roman Empire
 The dispute that divided the Christian church was over the use of icons
 Vladimir- Princess Olga’s grandson, who converted the Russian people to Orthodox Christianity
 Pope= head of the Roman Catholic Church
 Patriarch= head of the Eastern Orthodox Church
 Ivan III of Russia = czar (tsar) - refused to pay tribute to the Mongols, leading to Russia’s freedom
 Cyrillic- alphabet created to allow the Slavic people to read the Bible in their own language
 Justinian set up a panel of experts to compile laws to regulate a complex society
 Yaroslav’s death and division of his realm among his sons- caused political instability in Kiev
 Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire & Yarolsav the Wise of the Russian Empire, both created effective legal codes
 Orthodox Christianity became the state religion of the Byzantine Empire
 Russia achieved liberation from Mongol rule after the Russian and Mongol armies refused to fight, and both sides went home
 Belisarius- expanded Justinian’s Empire and suppressed the Nika Revolt
 Eastern Orthodox- form of Christianity that developed in the Byzantine Empire
 Byzantine capital was strategically located where Europe meets Asia
 Byzantines used diplomacy to keep their enemies at bay
Ch. 13- European Middle Ages (p.353-375)
 Serf = peasant
 Canon Law- deals with issues under the authority of the Church
 The significance of Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne emperor- it joined unified Germanic groups with the Church and crowned
the first emperor since the Roman Empire
 The Crusades were undertaken to keep the Holy Land (Jerusalem) out of Muslim (Islamic) control
 Peasants were enticed to join the Crusades for:
‒ Freedom form feudal bonds
‒ The promise of immediate salvation if killed
‒ Possibility of wealth
 Feudalism- social order
 Manor System- economic arrangement that supported Feudalism
 Treaty of Verdun- resulted in the division of Charlemagne’s empire into 3 parts (given to his grandsons)
 Woman in the Middle Ages:
‒ Status of women improved  their roles remained limited to the home and convent
Ch. 14- The Formation of Western Europe (p. 379-397; p.398-403 The Hundred Years War & The Plague will be covered in Unit 7)
 Chief goal of the Crusades= to recover Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Muslim Turks
 Major cause of the Great Schism: arguments about which man holding the position of pope was the true pope
 Central issue of the Hundred Years War: the throne of France
 Most important effect of the Hundred Years War: it caused the development of national identities in England & France
 Developments that did the most to end the Middle Ages:
‒ Longbow
‒ Bubonic plague
‒ Hundred Years’ War
‒ Great Schism
Unit 3: Islamic World, Islamic Empires, and Africa
Students may find the following textbook sections helpful in reviewing material:
 Ch.10.1- The Rise of Islam- p.263-268
 10.2- Islam Expands- p.269-272
 10.3- Muslim Culture – p. 273-274
 11.3- Turkish Empires Rise in Anatolia- p.314-317
 18.1- The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire – p.507-511
 18.-2-Cultural Blending, Case Study: Safavid Empire – p.512-515
 18.3- The Mughal Empire- p.516-521
 15.1- North and Central African Societies- p.409-412
 15.2- West African Civilizations- p.413-419
 15.3- Eastern City-States and Southern- p.422- 427
 Muslim’s pray toward the city of Mecca.
 Main difference between the Sunni and Shi'a branches of Islam
‒ Shi'a believed that the caliph needed to be a relative of Muhammad.
 The Seljuks converted to the religion of Islam.
 Seljuk rulers are called Shahs.
 Ghana’s decline was due to Almoravid conquest that disrupted the gold-salt trade
 The Swahili language developed from a mixture of languages: Arabic and Bantu languages
 Matrilineal society- if an African society is matrilineal, it means children trace their ancestors through the mothers.
 Increase in trade and commerce had the greatest effect on the growth of Islam in East Africa
 Ottomans- provided the model on which the Safavids based their government
 Shah Jahan ordered the building of the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal
 Incompetent leadership contributed to the decline of both the Ottoman and Safavid Empires
 Suleyman the Lawgiver - supported government reform and cultural achievements
 Pursuit of religious converts, trade, and conquest led to the cultural blending in the Ottoman Empire
 Akbar- Mughal ruler was most like Shah Abbas in his views on cultural blending
 Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire and the Mughal Empire all had
‒ They were all Muslim empires.
‒ The majority of the time they practiced tolerance of other religions.
‒ They experienced Golden Ages with growth in wealth and intellect.
 Sultan- title for leaders in the Ottoman Empire
 Constantinople- famous city did the Ottoman Empire take that had previously been the center of another great empire
 Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was changed into a Muslim mosque.
 The Gupta Empire is known for
‒ Extensive trade with the Middle East and Asia.
‒ A limited understanding of gravity.
‒ The writing of many dramas.
Unit 4: India
Students may find the following textbook sections helpful in reviewing material:
 Ch.2.3: Planned Cities on the Indus (p.44-49)
 Ch.3.1: The Indo-Europeans (p.61-65)
 Ch.3.2: Hinduism & Buddhism Develop (p.66-71)
 Ch.7.1: India’s First Empires (p.189-192)
 Ch.7.2: Trade Spreads Indian Religions & Culture (p.193-199)
 Asoka's laws, which stressed concern for others, are known today as the rock edicts.
Intro to Indus Valley- Ch.2.3 “Planned Cities on the Indus”
1. Subcontinent- large landmass that forms a distinct part of a continent
2. Indian Subcontinent- landmass that includes India, Pakistan, and Bangledesh, a wall of the highest mountains in the
world separates this region form the rest of the Asian continent:
a. Highest mountain ranges in the world that separate the Indian Subcontinent from the rest of the Asian
continent:
i. Hindu Kush
ii. Karakorum
iii. Himalayan
3. Harrappan civilization- another name for the Indus Valley civilization that arose along the Indus River, possibly as
early as 7000 B.C; characterized by sophisticated city planning
4. Harrappan/Indus River Valley civilization:
a. Agriculture, domestic sheep & goats; farming
b. Sophisticated city planning:
i. City laid out in precise grid system
ii. Citadel= fortified area that contained the major buildings of the city
iii. Oven baked bricks
iv. Sophisticated plumbing & sewage systems
v. Uniform city planning & design  centralized gov’t
5. Harrappan cities are notable for their grid-like layouts & underground sewers
6. We don’t know a lot about the Indus River Valley civilization b/c it/s written language has not yet been deciphered
7. We know the people of the Indus Valley traded with the Sumerians b/c Indus seals were found in Sumer & Sumerian
items were found in the Indus Valley
Indo-Europeans- Ch.3.1 “The Indo-Europeans”
1. English, Sanskrit, Persian, and Spanish all derived from the Indo-European language.
2. Aryans- an Indo-European people who, about 1500 BC, began to migrate into the Indian subcontinent; Aryan =
“nobles” in their own language
a. Vedas- sacred literature of the Aryans; 4 collections of prayers, magic spells, rituals; most important of the
Vedas was the Rig Veda (1028 hymns to Aryan gods); not written for a while, passed on through word of
mouth for generations
b. Dasas- “dark”- this is what the Aryans called the people in India, referring to their skin color; dasas eventually
became the Aryan word for “slave”; town dwellers, lived in communities protected by walls.
c. Aryans- taller, lighter in skin color, spoke a different language than the people of India, no writing system,
pastoral people (they counted their wealth in cows!)
d. Aryans arrived in India, and divided into 3 social classes:
 The class that an Aryan belonged to determined his role in society.
 The 4 major groups came to be known as the “varnas” (b/c it was based on skin color)
1. Brahmins- priests
2. Warriors
3. Peasants- traders
4. (formed a 4th group) Non-Aryan laborers, and craftspeople (shudras)
 Shudras- laborers who did work that Aryans did not want to do
 Varna- skin color was the distinguishing feature of the caste (social) system.; varnas- the name given to the
different groups of the original caste system
 Pariahs- “slaves” that were outside of the Aryan social classes
3. Brahmins- in Aryan society, a member of the social class made up of priests. (see above)
4. Two great epics of ancient Indian literature are:
a. Ramayana- a Sanskrit epic poem ascribed to the Hindu sage and Sanskrit poet Valmiki. It is regarded as one of
the two great works of Indian literature, along with the Mahabharata. The Ramayana also plays an important
role in Hindu literature (cannot find Ramayana in the textbook!)
b. Mahabharata- reflects the struggles that took place in India as the Aryans moved south. Elements of the
Mahabharata indicate that a blending of cultures was taking place b/w Aryans and non-Aryan peoples;
 ex: Krishna- semi-divine hero of the Mahabharata, is described as dark-faced, suggesting he’s non-Aryan
Hinduism & Buddhism- Ch.3.2 “Hinduism & Buddhism Develop”
1. Reincarnation- in Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect
understanding
2. Karma- in Hinduism and Buddhism, the totality of the good and bad deeds performed by a person, which is believed
to determine his or her fate after rebirth; karma = the soul’s good or bad deeds, follows from one reincarnation to
another
3. Buddhism -Founder = Siddhartha Gautama
4. The main ideas of Buddhism are found in the Four Noble Truths
The Four Noble Truths
First Noble Truth
Second Noble Truth
Third Noble Truth
Fourth Noble Truth
5. Sangha- Buddhist religious order, the 5 disciples who heard the Buddha’s 1st sermon were the 1st monks admitted to
the sangha; sangha – was a community of Buddhist monks & nuns, later referred to the entire religious community
a. Buddhist Laity- whose who hadn’t devoted their entire life to religion, included in Sangha
6. “Three Jewels” of Buddhism:
a. Sangha- the religious community
b. Buddha
c. Dharma- Buddhist doctrine or teachings; dharma refers to carrying out of one’s personal duty
7. In the centuries after Buddha’s death, his teachings were most eagerly accepted in South & Southeast Asia. ;
Buddhism never gained a significant foothold in India, where it originated!
8.
Hinduism





Final goal: moksha (perfect
understanding of all things)
Karma
Dharma
Yoga
Many gods (polytheism)
BOTH:



Reincarnation
Single force governs the
universe
Humans can merge
w/universal force
Buddhism








Rejected the many gods of
Hinduism (polytheism)- Hindu
gods do not exist
Taught a way of
enlightenment- Eightfold Path
Rejected the caste systemagainst the privileges of the
Brahmin (Hindu) priests
Final goal: nirvana (peace)
4 Noble Truths
Varna system (caste system) is
not important to reach nirvana
Hinduism and Buddhism differ significantly in their beliefs about the caste system.
Moksha & Nirvana are very similar!
India’s First Empires- Ch.7.1 “India’s First Empires”
1. Asoka adopted Buddhism after witnessing the aftermath of a brutal battle:
 Asoka:
 Became king of the Mauryan Empire in 269 BC
 Waged war against neighboring state of Kalinga- 100k + soldiers & civilians died
 Asoka felt bad for that, studied Buddhism and decided to rule by Buddha’s teaching “peace to all beings”
 Rock edicts- stone edicts: Asoka built large stone pillars inscribed w/his new policies of peace to all/concern
for others- some edicts guaranteed that Asoka would treat his subjects fairly and humanly
‒ Edict- an official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority (definition not in
textbook)
2. Most of India was first brought under unified rule by the Mauryan Empire.
3. Gupta Empire is known for:
 The writing of many dramas
 extensive trade w/the Middle East & Asia
 a limited understanding of gravity
4. Golden Age of India occurred during the Gupta Dynasty:
 Golden age- an idyllic, often imaginary past time of peace, prosperity, and happiness; the period when a specified
art, skill, or activity is at its peak (definition of what a “golden age” is, not in textbook)
 Height of the Gupta Empire/ Golden Age: during the reign of the 1st 3 Guptas, India experienced a period of great
achievement in arts, religious thought, and science (golden age)
 India during the Gupta Empire- advances in literature, science and math
Impact of Trade – Ch.7.2 “Trade Spreads Indian Religions & Culture”
5. Increased trade encouraged the rise of the banking system in India.
Unit 5: China, Japan, & Mongols
Students may find the following textbook sections helpful in reviewing material:







Ch. 2.4- River Dynasties in China (p.50-55)
Ch. 4.4- The Unification of China (p.104-109)
Ch. 7.3- Han Emperors in China (p.200-207)
Ch. 12.2 – The Mongol Conquests (p.330-334)
Ch. 12.3 – The Mongol Empire (p.335-338)
Ch. 12.4 – Feudal Powers in Japan (p.339-343)
Ch. 12.5 – Kingdoms of Southeast Asia & Korea (p.344-347)
Ch. 2.4- “River Dynasties in China” (p.50- 55)
1. Shang dynasty kings tried to predict the future by scratching on oracle bones. (p.53)
2. Major advantage of the Chinese system of writing: people all over China could read it, even if they spoke other
languages. (P.53)
3. According to ancient Chinese belief, just & effective rulers would receive Mandate from Heaven. (p.54)
4. The Mandate of Heaven affected the government in China because it allowed new rulers to justify the overthrow of a
declining dynasty. (p.54)
5. Zhou & The Dynastic Cycle: (P.54)
A new dynasty established power
with a Mandate of Heaven
Old Dynasty is seen as
having lost Mandate of
Heaven; rebellion is justified
- Dynasty is overthrown
through rebellion &
bloodshed
- Restores order
- Peace & prosperity
Central government begins to
collapse; rebellions & invasions
begin
Dynasty rules successfully
for many years, then begins
to decline:
- Becomes corrupt
- Taxes are raised
- Power grows weaker
- Disasters, floods, famines
- Peasant revolts
- invasions
Ch. 4.4- “The Unification of China” (p.104-109)
6. The dynasty that ruled China for the longest was the Zhou Dynasty (p.104)
7. Daoism emphasizes harmony between the individual & nature (P.106)
8. The underlying objective that gave rise to the Chinese philosophies of Confucius, Laozi (Daoism), and the Legalists
(legalism) was how to restore social order, harmony, and respect for authority. (p.106)
9. The concepts of yin & yang involve the opposing forces present in nature (p.107)
10. Shi Huangdi’s statement, “anyone who uses the past to criticize the present… should be put to death, “was directed
against scholars who today might be called historians. (p.107)
11. Shi Huangdi unified China by defeating invaders and crushing internal opposition. (p.107)
12. The construction of the Great Wall of China began during the rule of Qin Shi Huangdi (p.109)
Ch. 7.3- “Han Emperors in China” (p.200- 207)
13. Wudi:
 Known as the Martial Emperor- he expanded China through war. (p.201)
 Continued Liu Bang’s centralizing policies (centralized government)(p.201)
 Integrated Confucian studies into the government (p.203)
14. The Chinese accepted the Han emperor’s exercise of power because they considered the emperors to be semi divine.
(p.202)
15. The civil service examination system created an intelligent, capable governing class in China. (P.203)
16. To improve his system of bureaucracy, Wudi established schools for job applicants. (p.203)
17. Technological advances during the Han Dynasty: (p.203-204)
 Paper
 Collar harness for horses
 Two-bladed plow,
 Iron tools
 Wheel barrows
 Water mills
18. Confucian scholars considered agriculture the most important occupation during the Han Dynasty because the
population of China had increased and there were many people to feed. (P.204)
19. Silk production became a closely guarded secret in China. (p.205)
Ch. 12.1- “Tang & Song China” (p.323 – 329)
20. Chinese Dynasties in correct order: Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan
21. Women during the Tang & Song Dynasties:
 A woman declared herself emperor for the first time
 Foot-binding crippled women but enhanced their husbands’ status
 Women were considered subservient to men
22. Wu Zhao was the Chinese empress to hold power in her own right during the Tang Dynasty.
23. The increased emphasis on civil service exams and efficient bureaucracy during the Tang & Song Dynasties arose
because of the ideas of the Chinese thinker Confucius.
24. Shared accomplishments of the Tang and Song Dynasties:
 Emphasized Confucianism
 Extensive foreign trade
 Experienced a Golden Age of art & culture
Ch. 12.2 – “The Mongol Conquests” (p.330- 334)
25. A pastoralist makes his living by herding animals. (p.330)
26. The Mongol Empire was the largest unified land empire in history. (P.330)
27. Genghis Khan succeeded as a conqueror through brilliant military strategy and organization (P.331)
28. Immediately following the death of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire was expanded into other areas of Asia by his
successors. (p.333)
29. The Mongol Empire in Russia was called the Khanate of the Golden Horde (p.333)
30. During the Pax Mongolica, ideas and inventions spread w/trade between Europe & Asia due to the expanse of Mongol
Empire and the lack of competition or power. (p.333-334)
31. South Korea, North Korea, Russia were all once part of the Mongol Empire, but never India.
Ch. 12.3 – “The Mongol Empire” (p.335 – 338)
32. The Chinese dynasty established by Kublai Khan and the Mongols was called the Yuan. (p.335)
33. Kublai Khan was different from other khans because he settled in the area that he conquered, ruling there as emperor.
(p.335)
34. The kamikaze, or divine wind, stopped a Mongolian invasion for Japan. (p.336)
35. Kublai Khan hired foreigners to govern his empire, because the Chinese had local loyalties and therefore weren’t
considered to be trustworthy (p.336)
36. Internal struggles amongst Mongol family members helped the Chinese to overthrow the Mongol rulers. (p.338)
Ch. 12.4 – “Feudal Powers in Japan” (p.339 – 343)
37. Japan’s first contact with Chinese culture was in ancient times, the Japanese borrowed many Chinese practices from
the Chinese and adapted them. (p.339)
38. Japanese worshippers combined Shinto with Buddhism. (p.340)
39. Japan had both an emperor who served as a figurehead and a ruling power who reigned behind the throne. This dual
structure became an enduring characteristic of Japanese government. (p.340)
Ch. 12.5 – “Kingdoms of Southeast Asia & Korea” (p.344-347)
40. The Mongol conquest affected Korea. Koreans had to pay crushing tributes, in addition to building and supplying the
Mongol fleet (ships) that invaded Japan. (P.347)
Unit 6: The Americas
Students may find the following textbook sections helpful in reviewing material:
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Ch.9.1- The Earliest Americans (p.235- 239)
Ch.9.2- Early Mesoamerican Civilizations (p.240-245)- Olmec
Ch.9.3- Early Civilizations of the Andes (p.246-249)
Ch.16.1- North American Societies (p.441-445)
Ch.16.2- Maya Kings & Cities (p.446- 451)
Ch.16.3- The Aztecs Control Central Mexico (p.452- 458)
Ch.16.4- The Inca Create a Mountain Empire (p.459-465)
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Theories for the disappearance of the Mayans:
‒ Climate change
‒ Invasion by neighboring tribe
‒ Exhausted soil and resources
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Aztecs:
‒ They were an extremely warlike people
‒ They believed their sun god needed human blood
‒ They had valuable obsidian to trade with
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Main factor contributing to the end of the Aztecs: invasion by the Spanish
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Pachacuti stands out in Inca history as the ruler who expanded the kingdom into the empire
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In the Incan Empire, mita was a type of labor tribute or duty to the empire
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The decline of the Inca Empire can be traced to a struggle between rivals for Inca throne