Untitled Flashcards Set

What are the major Chinese dynasties and their founding contexts?

Shang (1600 BCE): Earliest known dynasty. Zhou: Introduced the Mandate of Heaven. Qin (221 BCE): Unified China with Legalism under Qin Shi Huang. Han (206 BCE - 220 CE): Expanded borders, made Confucianism state philosophy.

What were the key geographic features of early China?

Yellow River Valley: Core of early civilization, fertile soil for agriculture. Great Wall of China: Built to protect from northern invasions during Qin dynasty.

How was China politically organized during these dynasties?

Early Dynasties: Centralized, absolute monarchy with Emperor's supreme power. Han Dynasty: Introduced a bureaucratic system based on Confucian principles.

What were the main philosophical and religious ideas in early China?

Ancestor Worship, Confucianism (filial piety, social harmony), Daoism (spontaneity), Legalism (strict law enforcement, centralized control).

What was the social structure in ancient China?

Hierarchy: Emperor at the top, followed by nobles, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Women's roles were primarily domestic, though some held power.

What led to the decline of the Chinese dynasties?

Qin Dynasty: Fell due to harsh rule and rebellion. Han Dynasty: Weakened by corruption, land distribution issues, and internal strife.

What were the key features of the Greek city-states Athens and Sparta?

Athens: Known for democracy and philosophy contributions. Sparta: Militaristic society with an oligarchic political system.

What was the geography of Athens and Sparta?

Athens: Coastal city-state focused on trade and philosophy. Sparta: Mountainous, isolated, military-focused.

What were the political systems in Athens and Sparta?

Athens: Democracy, citizens voted on laws. Sparta: Oligarchy, military-focused leadership.

How were society and religion organized in Athens and Sparta?

Athens: Polytheistic, philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle; divided society. Sparta: Polytheistic with military focus; helots at the bottom.

What led to the decline of Athens and Sparta?

Sparta: Declined due to internal strife and defeats. Athens: Weakened after the Peloponnesian War and rise of Macedon.

What was the historical context of Alexander the Great's empire?

Alexander, son of King Philip II of Macedon, built an empire through military conquest in the 4th century BCE.

What was the geographical extent of Alexander’s empire?

Stretched from Greece to Egypt and India, creating a vast multicultural realm.

What was the political structure of Alexander the Great’s empire?

Centralized under Alexander but fragmented after his death, divided by generals.

What were the religious and philosophical ideas in Alexander the Great's empire?

Greek culture and philosophy spread, local religions persisted.

What was the social structure in Alexander’s empire?

Hierarchical with Alexander at the top, followed by nobles, soldiers, and local populations.

What led to the decline of Alexander the Great’s empire?

Infighting among generals fragmented the empire into Hellenistic kingdoms after his death.

What were the key features of the Roman Republic and Empire?

Roman Republic (509 BCE): Elected officials, tensions, civil wars; Roman Empire (27 BCE): Ruled by emperors, Pax Romana.

What geographic features were important for the Roman Empire?

Located on the Italian Peninsula; Alps for protection and access to seas for trade.

What was the political organization of Rome?

Republic: Elected officials but tensions led to dictators; Empire: Centralized under emperors.

What were the religious and philosophical ideas in Rome?

Initially polytheistic, later adopted Christianity as state religion; Stoicism focused on emotional resilience.

What were the key intellectual and cultural contributions of Rome?

Roman law, gladiatorial games, architecture (Colosseum), roads, concrete; Greek influence in art and literature.

What was the social structure of Rome?

Hierarchical: Patricians (aristocrats), plebeians (commoners), and slaves; Women had limited rights but more freedom than Greek women.

What led to the fall of the Roman Empire?

Internal corruption, economic decline, invasions by barbarians; the empire split into Eastern (Byzantine) and Western Roman Empires.

What were the key features of the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Western Europe?

Byzantine: Founded by Constantine, centralized, Eastern Orthodox Christianity; Medieval: Feudalism, decentralized.

What were the key geographic features of the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Byzantine: Constantinople strategically located between Europe and Asia; Medieval: Decentralized, rural with castles.

What were the political systems in the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Byzantine: Ruled by emperors with central control; Medieval: Feudalism with decentralized power to nobles.

What were the religious ideas in the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Byzantine: Eastern Orthodox Christianity; Medieval: Catholicism in the West.

What was the social structure in Medieval Europe?

Structured around feudal relationships: serfs at the bottom, kings and lords at the top.

What led to the decline of the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Byzantine: Fell in 1453 to Ottoman conquest; Medieval: Ended with rise of centralized monarchies, Black Death.

Who were the founders of Mesopotamian civilization?

The Sumerians, around 3500 BCE.

What geographic features were crucial for the development of Mesopotamia?

Located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, providing fertile land but prone to flooding.

How was Mesopotamia politically organized during the Sumerian period?

City-states were ruled by kings, each with their own military.

What was Hammurabi’s Code?

A set of laws created by Babylonian king Hammurabi that protected individual rights.

What is the significance of the Epic of Gilgamesh in Mesopotamian culture?

One of the earliest works of literature, written in cuneiform.

What was the social structure in Mesopotamia like?

Hierarchical: priests and kings at the top, followed by merchants, farmers, and slaves.

Why did Mesopotamia decline?

Fell due to invasions from Persians and Macedonians, agricultural challenges.

Who unified Egypt and when?

King Narmer unified Egypt around 3100 BCE.

What geographical feature was essential to Egypt’s prosperity?

The Nile River, providing fertile land and irrigation.

How was Egypt politically organized?

Centralized, theocratic monarchy with the pharaoh as king and god.

What religious shift did Pharaoh Akhenaten attempt?

Promoted worship of Aten, a single god, but polytheism was restored posthumously.

How did the Egyptians track time and seasons?

Developed a 365-day calendar to track Nile flooding.

What was the social hierarchy in Egypt like?

Hierarchical with pharaoh at the top, priests, scribes, artisans below.

Why did Egypt decline?

Faced invasions, internal strife, conquered by Alexander the Great and Romans.

Who founded the Persian Empire?

Cyrus the Great founded the Persian Empire in 550 BCE.

What was the political structure of the Persian Empire?

Centralized with regional governors, known as satraps.

What was the main religion in Persia?

Zoroastrianism, emphasizing dualism and the battle between good and evil.

How was Persian society structured?

Stratified, with king and aristocracy at the top, followed by soldiers, merchants, and peasants.

Why did the Persian Empire collapse?

Fell due to internal strife, weak leadership, and invasion by Alexander the Great.

Who founded the Umayyad Caliphate?

Muawiya I founded the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE.

What was the geographic range of the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates?

Spanned vast areas from Spain to India, promoting cultural exchange.

What religious divisions existed in the Caliphates?

The Sunni and Shia divisions within Islam became prominent.

What was the intellectual legacy of the Abbasid Caliphate?

Promoted advancements in science, math, philosophy through institutions like the House of Wisdom.

Why did the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates decline?

Umayyads were overthrown, Abbasids weakened by invasions, especially by the Mongols.

What were the founding empires in West Africa?

The Ghana Empire (circa 300 CE), followed by Mali Empire (13th century) and Songhai (15th century).

What geographic feature was central to the West African kingdoms' trade?

The Niger River and the Sahara Desert, facilitating trade.

What religion influenced the West African kingdoms?

Islam, introduced through trade, became significant for governance and education.

How was society organized in these West African empires?

Stratified with a powerful ruling class, merchants, and farmers; women held power in Mali.

Why did these empires decline?

Declined due to internal strife, invasion, and disruption of trade routes.

When did Axum rise to prominence?

Axum rose to prominence around the 4th century CE.

What was the major religion of Axum?

Christianity became the state religion in the 4th century.

How was the geography of Great Zimbabwe significant?

Inland, known for its stone structures.

What was the political structure in these kingdoms?

Centralized with powerful monarchies and trade-based economies.

What caused the decline of Axum and Great Zimbabwe?

Axum declined due to environmental factors and trade route changes; Great Zimbabwe suffered from resource depletion.

Who were the early Mesoamerican civilizations?

The Olmec civilization (circa 1200 BCE) and the Chavin civilization (circa 900 BCE).

What geographic regions did the Olmec and Chavin civilizations occupy?

Olmec were in Gulf Coast of Mexico; Chavin in highland valleys of Peru.

What religious practices were common in both civilizations?

Polytheism, ritual bloodletting, and human sacrifice.

What type of art did the Olmec and Chavin create?

Olmec known for colossal stone sculptures; Chavin for carved stone monuments and pottery.

What caused the decline of the Olmec and Chavin civilizations?

Olmec declined due to environmental changes; Chavin faded due to political fragmentation and challenges.