World History Exam #2

What is Polis?

a Greek city state that marked the beginning of democracy

What does Tyrants mean?

opposition to aristocracy and people who led the opposition

What were the problems with Tyrants?

Positions became hereditary, they were harsh, and oppositions usually ended in civil war or removal.

What was Sparta?

A militaristic society that had strict, limited citizenship. They fought rebellions against slaves and were a multi-faceted government.

What was Athens?

They first started out as an archaic society, then tyranny, and finally democracy. Citizenship was limited and it was a privilege to live there. This place was wealthy and culturally dominant.

Greek religion?

Gods were given human qualities to provide a closer connection.

What was the battle of marathon?

A battle between the Persians and Athens. Athenians defeated the persians and went to Athens to cut off personal fleet. The persians withdrew from the battle. As a result of the battle, greeks believes their society was great.

What was the battle of Thermopylae?

Part of the Persian war, 300 spartans hold off the Persian army

What happened as a result of the battle of Salamis?

Persian fleet was destroyed

Which battle was Persia defeated?

Battle of Platea

Were all greeks united against Persia?

No

What happened as a result of Persian War?

Athens was burned and the surrounding region was controlled by Persians, Athens became leader in Greek society, and Sparta withdrew.

Who was King Xerxes?

the son of King Darius who invaded Greece to destroy Athens and Sparta. He was later defeated at the Battle of Salamis and driven from Greece.

Pericles

Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon.

What were Pericles new rules?

No landholding requirements
Both parents must be citizens
Citizens can propose legislation

Athens in 5th century BCE

The population consisted of slaves, foreigners, and women. The citizens made up councils, assemblies, and juries. This city-state was the cultural center of the world.

Who was Socrates?

-The "Founder" of Western Philosophy, encouraged people to reflect on ethics instead of wealth, figure out right through questioning, and he was convicted by a jury for undermining Athenian society.

What was the Delian League?

A group of city-states establish a league to continue fighting Persians.

What was the causes and effects of the Peloponnesian War?

The causes of this war were the fear of Athen's power, Athens and Sparta rivalry,
The effects were Persia got involved, Athens was forced to surrender, most cities and democracies were destroyed, and various conflicts would continue over the next several years.

Peloponnesian War

(431-404 BCE) The war between Athens and Sparta that in which Sparta won, but left Greece as a whole weak and ready to fall to its neighbors to the north.

Who was King Philip II?

King of Macedonia, he rose to power with military skill, diplomacy, and Greek wars. Wanted Greeks to unite and conquer Persian (blamed them for Greece's problems)

Alexander the Great

son of Philip II; inherited his kingdom when he was 20 years old. He conquered Persia and created a vast empire. He was fought over by generals.

Ptolemaic Egypt

- Ruled by Ptolemy I, who was a general under Alexander.
- Home to the intellectual, scientific, cultural center of Hellenistic world, and the great lighthouse, Great Library.

What was Alexander the Great's legacy?

Merging local and Greek cultures would be key to a successful empire (Hellenistic culture). Hellenistic kingdoms lasted for 3 centuries, and allowed for Greek ideals to flourish.

Who was Shi Huangdi? (first august Emperor)

Assumed mandate of heaven- used large military, capable administrators, and centralized authority over the entire empire.

Qin Dynasty

Took advantage of peasants by taxing farmers, laborers for public works, military service, and urban workers.

Han Dynasty

Economic system grew to benefit everyone, and proclaimed to be true, virtuous, and proper rulers.

Who was Liu Bang?

He was an emperor that was part of uprising that defeated Qin- 202 BCE proclaimed himself emperor.
- He Adopted Qin administration
- Massive armies extended borders

Pax Sinica

China's imperial golden age- period of great success and expansion.

Wang Ming

seized power, expansion drained the economy and natural disasters caused shortages. He tried to help the poor by redistrubuting land, created inflation, and communal plot surplus system.

Romulus

Legendary hero who founded Rome

Early Republic

Period of time when Rome broke free of Etruscan rule- Oust Etruscan king
Male citizens divided by wealth into groups of 100 (centuries) each group cast 1 vote.
- Rome was very mistrustful of individuals with power.
o Settled by laws of 12 tables (basic law code)
o Creation of Tribunes

Struggle of orders

Class conflict (lower, middle, upper)

Punic Wars

A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264-146 B.C.); resulted in the destruction of Carthage and Rome's dominance over the western Mediterranean.

1st punic war

Rome and Carthage took opposite sides in Sicilian conflict, the roman naval victory became divisive battle, and Carthage was forced to surrender (they had to give up Sicily, pay money to cover costs, and give up Corsica and Sardinia.

2nd punic war

Carthage expanded in Spain and Rome did not like the move, Hannibal continually defeated Roman army. Rome's resources avoided conquests, and Carthage gave up empire.

3rd punic war

Rome demanded Carthage to abandon city, and Rome destroyed Carthage.

Internal problems after Punic Wars

o People lost land
o Disparity in wealth
o Shift in the Roman economy to a slavery
o Provincial and slave revolts
o Populares vs. Optimates political struggle

Populares

Reformers, did not hold power in the senate, represented the poor

1st triumvirate

1. Pompey- Romes greatest general, successful in East Med.
2. Crassus- General, very wealthy, defeated Spartacus
3. Caesar- General in Gaul, from great Roman family, Populares' supporter.

2nd triumvirate

1. Mark Antony- Caesar's top general
2. Marcus Lepidus- general
3. Octavian- Caesar's grandnephew and adopted son.

Julius Caesar

He defeated Pompey in Civil War and was named dictator for 10 years by senate. Senators hope he would heal wounds and restore republic.
- Proclaimed himself perpetual dictator
- Killed in 44 bce in plot led by Brutus and Cassius
- Rome falls into civil war.

Pax Romana

Roman Peace

Augustus

Ruled for 4 years as Consul- accepted title of Imperator- consolidated power. He kept his absolute authority by pushing reforms, expanding empire, and established imperial system to reshape Rome.

Christianity

Initially part of Judaism- later became separate.
It was appealing to masses because it was open to all, and their was no requirements (everyone was equal).

3rd century crisis

Rome is plagued by civil war which brings out the problems of overexpansion, poor economy, foreign threats

Diocletian

Divided empire into east and west
- Each ½ ruled by Augustus (senior) and Caesar (junior)
Diocletian ruled from East (Turkey) not Rome- shifted power away from Rome and the west.

What is a tetrarchy?

4 rulers

Who was Constantine?

Roman emperor who gained control of the west; made christianity legal; moved capital to Byzantium (later called Constantinople)

Visigoths

Germanic "barbarians" who became more powerful and turned on Rome. They did this because they were mistreated.

Byzantines

AKA Constantinople, considered themselves Greek, followed Christianity, and were hellenized. (also weak)

Why were the Byzantines important?

They lasted for 1000 years, conquered Ottomans, preserved classic works of Greece, protected religion and spread it, renaissance contribution.

Justinian

Byzantine emperor, wanted to regain Roman Empire, and created body of Civil law. Empire was last to be truly Roman.

Muhammad

founded Islam, messenger of Allah, teachings rooted in Christianity and Judaism, not accepted from Mecca, and eventually captured it.

Spread of Islam

Sucessors conquered lands, and wealth was acquired. Christians and jews allowed to practice beliefs, so this was widely accepted.