World History and Western Civ Readings

Which hominin species first migrated out of Africa approximately 2 million years ago?

Homo erectus

Which species is known for being one of the earliest users of stone tools, living between about 2 million and 1.5 million years ago?

Homo Sapiens

What characteristic is associated with Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis)?

Lived in Eurasia, used tools, controlled fire, and buried their dead

Which statement about modern humans (Homo sapiens) is NOT accurate?

They first entered Europe before they reached Australia.

What was one of the effects of the Neolithic Revolution (around 10,000 years ago)?

The development of agriculture and settled societies

Which of the following is not listed as one of the key common features of early urban civilizations?

Military alliances with overseas empires

What are two notable innovations associated with the Babylonians?

The Hanging Gardens and the division of the day into 24 hours

Which of the following accurately describes a characteristic of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Elaborate drainage systems and urban planning in cities like Harappa

The Shang Dynasty of ancient China is best known for which of the following achievements?

Oracle bone inscriptions and bronze casting

Which ancient empire is associated with the Royal Road that facilitated communication and trade?

Persian Empire

What is the period referred to as "The Mythical Period" in early Chinese history?

The era of Huangdi, Yao, Shun before the Xia

Which legendary ruler is credited with founding the Xia Dynasty around 2205 B.C.?

Yu the Great

The Shang Dynasty (c. 1766 B.C.–1122 B.C.) is noted for its social structure. Which of the following correctly lists its main social classes?

King & aristocracy → Military → Artisans & craftsmen → Peasants

What major cultural and philosophical concept originated during the Zhou Dynasty (1122 B.C.–256 B.C.)?

Mandate of Heaven

In the legendary line of early sage-kings before the Xia Dynasty, who is credited with appointing Yu the Great after demonstrating filial devotion, rather than favoring hereditary succession?

Emperor Shun

When did modern humans first settle the Indian subcontinent?

Around 65,000 years ago

Which two major cities are identified as part of The Indus River Valley Civilizations, and what was their estimated population size?

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro; possibly up to 5 million total

Who were the Aryans, and what did they contribute to Indian culture?

Nomadic peoples from Central Asia who introduced Vedic culture, Sanskrit, and the Vedas

What was the Mauryan Empire’s significance in the context of Indian history?

It emerged after Ashoka carved his laws and promoted Buddhism.

Early Athens featured two governing assemblies—one open to all citizens and one limited to an elite group. Who were these elites called?

Hippes

What unique reforms did Lykurgos introduce in early Sparta?

Established iron currency, communal meals, and that ceilings be finished with an axe instead of carved

What form of government replaced the monarchy when the Roman Republic was founded?

Aristocratic council with magistracies

Which two social classes were central to political conflict in the early Roman Republic?

Patricians (nobles) and plebeians (peasants)

What major administrative change did Emperor Diocletian introduce to stabilize the Roman Empire?

Division into Eastern and Western Empires

what is considered the immediate cause of the fall of the Western Roman Empire?

Barbarian invasions

What continued after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?

The Eastern half, later known as the Byzantine Empire

Who were the first two consuls of the Roman Republic, and what event catalyzed their rise?

Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus and Lucius Junius Brutus – overthrow of the monarchy

What major political transformation marked the end of the Warring States period

The rise of the Zhou dynasty and the introduction of the fengjian (feudal) system

Which of the following best describes the political structure of China before the Warring States period, as mentioned in the article?

A loose feudal system where land was distributed to nobles or relatives (fengjian system)

In Pre-Islamic Arabia, which of the following statements is most accurate?

Several urban centers like Mecca and Medina emerged as important trade and religious hubs.

Which of the following best describes the role of Abu Bakr in the early Islamic period?

He became the first caliph after Muhammad’s death, leading expansions by uniting Bedouin clans.

What was the main social and economic structure described in the Middle Ages according to the text?

Feudalism and manorialism

Who was the Early Frankish king known for implementing the Salic Law

Clovis

Which of the following best describes Viking activity in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages

Germanic Scandinavian raiders who also settled widely

What remarkable achievements are attributed to the Maya during their Golden Age (circa 500–850 AD)?

Development of a pictorial script, introduction of zero, and astronomically aligned architecture

How do the Native American cultures north of the Rio Grande compare to Mesoamerican or Andean civilizations, according to the text?

Less sophisticated, no writing, and smaller urban centers like Cahokia

What innovation allowed the Inca Empire to maintain control over such a vast territory in the Andes?

A vast road network and relay runners for communication

Which empire is accurately described with the following details:

• Existed from about 1235 to 1645 AD

• Became powerful through strategic trade, especially in gold

• Had Mansa Musa as its greatest ruler, who made Timbuktu a center of Islamic learning, home to the Sankore University

Which of these best characterizes the origins of the Swahili culture?

Mali Empire

Which of these best characterizes the origins of the Swahili culture, according to the text?

It emerged along East Africa’s coast through ports established by Arabic traders, and its language blends Arabic and local Bantu languages.

Prior to Nubia having a centralized government (such as during the Kerma period), what was the primary form of social and political organization among Nubians?

Disintegrated tribes, with authority held by elders of extended families

What was the name given to the unified Mongols and other nomadic steppe tribes under Temujin?

Golden Horde

Which of the following statements best describes how Mongol rule in Russia functioned after their conquest?

They allowed local kings to continue ruling while imposing taxes

What were two long-lasting outcomes of the Mongol Empire’s expansion as described in the "Aftermath of the Conquest"?

The integration of regions across the empire and stimulation of trade between Europe and Asia

In the late 14th century, what primarily motivated European explorers to embark on voyages of discovery and conquest?

Tales of riches, the Silk Road, and control of exotic trade routes

What role did Prince Henry the Navigator play in Portugal's maritime development?

He established a navigation school and promoted sea route development around Africa

Which motto sums up the motivations of Spanish explorers in the Americas, according to the text?

“Gold, Glory, and God”

Which Portuguese ruler played a key role in restoring independence from Castile (Spain) and initiating naval exploration?

John I of Portugal

What was the outcome of the Treaty of Tordesillas?

Split the world between Spain and Portugal with exclusive rights

Which European powers refused to comply with the Treaty of Tordesillas and began their own exploration and colonization?

England, France, and the Netherlands

Which of the following best describes one of the main causes of the French Revolution, according to the text?

Widespread famine and economic hardship, worsened by debt and nobility’s continued extravagance

What event marked the beginning of France’s revolution against the monarchy, as described in the article?

The storming of the Bastille

why was England the first country to industrialize?

the start of the Agrarian Revolution, an abundance of natural resources, available capital, and the political will to support innovation.

What medical advancement enabled European explorers to penetrate deep into Africa during the late 1800s?

Development of quinine as a treatment for malaria

Which two African nations remained independent and were not colonized by European powers by 1914?

Liberia and Ethiopia

Who led a highly effective guerrilla campaign by German forces in East Africa during World War I, causing significant British casualties?

Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck

How did King Leopold II initially govern the Congo before the Belgian government took control in 1908?

As his personal private property, exploiting its resources brutally

Which phrase best describes Germany's support for Austria-Hungary after the assassination?

The "blank cheque" (unconditional support)

What was the immediate trigger that officially began World War I?

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo

Which naval strategy by Germany provoked Britain to abandon its policy of "Splendid Isolation"?

Construction of the High Seas Fleet

What was the purpose of Germany’s “Schlieffen Plan”?

to quickly attack France through Belgium before Russia fully mobilized

Which of the following best describes the Balkans’ role before the outbreak of World War I?

A volatile area where nationalist unrest, particularly among Slavs, contributed to rising tensions

Why did Britain eventually enter World War I?

Because Germany invaded Belgium, violating its neutrality

Which event immediately triggered the February Revolution in Russia in early 1917?

Major defeats on the Eastern Front and food shortages

What was the outcome of the February Revolution?

A Provisional Government was formed and Russia became a republic

What was the October Revolution best known for?

Overthrowing the Provisional Government and transferring power to Bolshevik-dominated Soviets

Who were the “Reds” and the “Whites” in the Russian Civil War?

Reds were Bolsheviks; Whites were monarchists and capitalists, supported by Western nations

What was Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP)?

A temporary measure allowing limited private ownership to stabilize the economy after war communism

What was the “Second Industrial Revolution” during the 1920s characterized by?

The shift in energy sources from coal to oil, which stimulated economic growth and had geopolitical consequences

What was the primary cause of the Great Depression

A speculative stock market bubble followed by the Wall Street Crash of 1929

Benito Mussolini’s ideological shift during World War I involved which of the following?

He broke with socialism and supported Italy's entry into the war.

Upon leaving the Socialist Party and in March 1919, Mussolini founded a new party characterized by which symbol and orientation?

A Roman fasces—radical nationalist and anti-communist.

What major economic and political event in 1929 contributed to the collapse of the Weimar Republic?

The onset of the Great Depression and the death of Gustav Stresemann

Adolf Hitler’s attempted coup in Bavaria in 1923 is known as the ________. He was sentenced to five years but served only nine months, during which he wrote ________.

Beer Hall Putsch; Mein Kampf

Which factor contributed to the rise of radical ideas like fascism in post–World War I Europe?

Reparations and unemployment from World War I

Which peace-building initiative, formed after World War I, lacked enforcement power and failed to include major powers like the United States and the USSR?

The League of Nations

What event marked the formation of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis?

The Anti-Comintern Pact joined by all three powers

What was the Munich Pact an example of?

A moment of appeasement by Chamberlin, where territory was conceded to avoid war

Which of the following best explains why a land-based conflict among major industrial nations on the scale of World War II became very unlikely after 1945?

The introduction of highly destructive technologies like the atomic bomb

Which describes how Europe was politically divided following World War II?

Europe was split by an “Iron Curtain,” with Communist influence expanding in countries like Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.

Which rebellion launched the Algerian War of Independence in 1954?

National Liberation Front (NLF)

What percentage of the Algerian population fled, including Pieds-Noirs, following the war?

10%

When did Mozambique achieve independence, and which event triggered it?

June 25, 1975, after FRELIMO took control following the Carnation Revolution

Which guerrilla group in Guinea-Bissau declared independence unilaterally on September 24, 1973?

PAIGC

East Timor declared independence on November 28, 1975. What happened nine days later?

It was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces

What was the outcome for most French territories in sub-Saharan Africa after the creation of the French Community in 1958?

All, except Guinea, eventually opted for independence