Foundations: Classical Era (600 BCE - 600 CE) Practice Flashcards

Fill-in-the-blank practice flashcards covering the Classical Era (600 BCE - 600 CE), including major empires, religions, and social structures.

Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion that emerged during the Persian Empire and promoted morality and the struggle of __________.

good versus evil

The Persian Empire was established by __________ in Southwest Asia during the Classical era and spanned three continents.

Cyrus the Great

The __________ was a highway reorganized and rebuilt by Darius the Great to facilitate rapid communication.

Royal Road

__________ conquered the Persian empire, combined Greek and Persian culture, and advanced its borders to India.

Alexander the Great

The governor of a province in the Persian Empire, responsible for protection and forwarding tribute, was called a __________.

Satrap

__________ was a culture derived from Greek civilization that blended Greek, Egyptian, Persian, and Indian ideas.

Hellenism

The Greek philosopher __________ taught that knowledge was based upon observation of phenomena in the material world.

Aristotle

The powerful city-state of __________ was a leader in arts, sciences, philosophy, democracy, and architecture.

Athens

The Greek city-state of __________ was ruled by an oligarchy, focused on the military, and used slaves for agriculture.

Sparta

__________ was an Athenian philosopher who developed a specific method of questioning and shifted philosophical emphasis to ethics and human behavior.

Socrates

__________ is the theory that all knowledge originates in experience and relies on direct observation.

Empiricism

The blending of foreign beliefs with indigenous beliefs to create a newly formed culture or religion is known as __________.

Cultural Syncretism

The civilization of __________ consisted of independent city-states along the Mediterranean and invented the 1st alphabet.

Phoenicia

A __________ was a roadside Inn along trade routes like the Silk Road that allowed for commerce and information to flow between merchants.

Caravanserai

The Roman Republic, which lasted from __________ to $31\,bce$, was largely governed by the aristocratic Senate.

$$507$$

The __________ were a series of three wars between Rome and Carthage over dominance of the Mediterranean.

Punic Wars

Ordinary Roman citizens were known as __________.

Plebeians

The wealthy class of landowners in Roman society were called __________.

Patricians

__________ was a Roman General who conquered Gaul and overthrew the Republic before being assassinated in $44\,bce$.

Julius Caesar

The Roman Empire was established by __________ in $27\,bce$.

Augustus Caesar (Octavian)

Meaning 'Roman Peace', the __________ was a period of stability in the $1-2$ centuries that facilitated the spread of culture and ideas.

Pax Romana

__________ is a monotheistic extension of Judaism that emerged from Southwest Asia in the $1st$ century $ce$.

Christianity

The __________ unified South Asia under one government and expanded territory under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya.

Maurya Empire

The __________ is considered the 'Golden Age of India' due to advancements in education, healthcare, trade, and numbers.

Gupta Empire

__________ is the world's oldest religion and is characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms.

Hinduism

The highest of the varnas or caste groups, consisting of priests, is the __________.

Brahmin

The __________ was the first Vedas scripture and laid out the principles for thought and development in India.

Rig Veda

The __________ is a major book in Hinduism that explains the divine force informing the whole universe.

Upanishads

The Hindu god considered the creator of the world is named __________.

Brahma

The __________ in India was a rigid social class hierarchy with four distinct groups or varnas.

Caste System

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the endless cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth is called __________.

Samasara

__________ is the moral law of cause and effect of actions that determines the nature of one's rebirth.

Karma

The duties and obligations of each Hindu caste are referred to as __________.

Dharma

A Hindu caste or distinctive social sub caste is called a __________.

Jati

An Indian ritual where a widow threw herself on her deceased husband's funeral pyre was called __________.

Sati

The __________ were a set of laws that formalized long-held Hindu traditions and the caste system.

Laws of Manu

The Maurya Empire reached its height under __________, who supported Buddhism and built roads to increase trade.

Ashoka

__________ is the belief that an individual soul is reborn in a different form after death.

Reincarnation

The religion of __________ was founded by Siddhartha Gautama and holds that enlightenment is reached by suppressing worldly desire.

Buddhism

The __________ form the foundation of Buddhism and include the idea that desire is the cause of all suffering.

Four Nobel Truths

In Buddhism, the rules of behavior leading to an end of suffering—including right views, intentions, and mindfulness—are the __________.

Eightfold Path

The Buddha was an Indian prince named __________ who renounced his wealth after becoming enlightened.

Siddharma Gautama

In Buddhism, __________ is the release from pain and suffering achieved after enlightenment.

Nirvana

Founding the philosophy of Daoism, __________ emphasized living in harmony with 'the way' or natural order of the universe.

Laozi

The __________ lasted only $14$ years but laid the foundation for centralized rule in China using Legalist policies.

Qin Dynasty

__________ is a system of ethics and statesmanship stressing ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony.

Confucianism

The __________ are the writings of Confucius's teachings recorded by his disciples.

Analects

In China, __________ refers to having the utmost respect for parents as well as political authorities.

Filial Piety

__________ was the 1st Emperor of China, built the Great Wall, and believed in strict laws called Legalism.

Shi Huangdi

The Han Dynasty ruled China from $206\,bce$ to __________ and created the civil service exam.

$$221\,ce$$

The __________ were based on Confucian teachings and were used to select government officials in China.

Civil Service Exam

Until the $1400’s$, the __________ was the largest sea trading area, connecting Southeast Asia to Africa and the Middle East.

Indian Ocean Trade Network

The __________ was an interconnected series of trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean used to exchange luxury goods.

Silk Road

Around $600\,ce$, the __________ were a prominent civilization in modern-day Peru that depended on trade and agriculture.

Moche

Influenced by the Olmec, the __________ civilization in Southern Mexico established independent city-states and invented a calendar.

Mayan

An __________ is a form of government where a small number of upper-class citizens make the decisions.

Oligarchy

A government thought to be guided by divine power and controlled by religious leaders is a __________.

Theocracy

A __________ is a political system in which supreme power lies with citizens who elect representatives.

Democracy

A form of government where power is held by the nobility and is usually hereditary is an __________.

Aristocracy