AP World Unit 2 MCQ

"Throughout its history, Central Asia has provided the ancient civilized empires on its borders with new Shahs, Sultans, or Sons of Heaven. These periodic invasions by the nomads of the steppe, whose khans ascended the thrones of Changan, Luoyang, Kaifeng, or Beijing, of Isfahan or Tabriz*, Delhi or Constantinople, became one of the geographic laws of history. But there was another, opposing law which brought about the slow absorption of the invaders by the ancient civilized lands. The civilizations of China and Persia, though conquered, would in the long run vanquish their conquerors, intoxicating them with the pleasures of settled life, lulling them to sleep, and assimilating them culturally. Often, only fifty years after a conquest, the culturally Sinicized or Persianized former barbarian would be the first to stand guard over his adopted civilization and protect it against fresh nomadic onslaughts."

*capital cities of various Chinese dynasties

**capital cities of various Persian dynasties

René Grousset, French historian of Central Asia, The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia, 1939

Which of the following demonstrates the assimilation of nomadic conquerors into conquered societies during the period circa 1250-1450 ?

A) The rulers of the Mali Empire converting to Islam through the influence of North African merchants and missionaries

B) The rulers of the Yuan dynasty adopting Chinese court culture and methods of rule

C) Trading states in Southeast Asia such as the Khmer and Srivijaya empires adopting syncretic Hindu-Buddhist practices

D) Chinese, Persian, and Indian artisans expanding their output because of a rising demand for luxury goods in Afro-Eurasia

B) The rulers of the Yuan dynasty adopting Chinese court culture and methods of rule

Correct. The Mongol conquerors of China established the Yuan dynasty and slowly adopted Chinese court rituals and bureaucratic methods of governance necessary to control their Chinese territories.

"Throughout its history, Central Asia has provided the ancient civilized empires on its borders with new Shahs, Sultans, or Sons of Heaven. These periodic invasions by the nomads of the steppe, whose khans ascended the thrones of Changan, Luoyang, Kaifeng, or Beijing, of Isfahan or Tabriz*, Delhi or Constantinople, became one of the geographic laws of history. But there was another, opposing law which brought about the slow absorption of the invaders by the ancient civilized lands. The civilizations of China and Persia, though conquered, would in the long run vanquish their conquerors, intoxicating them with the pleasures of settled life, lulling them to sleep, and assimilating them culturally. Often, only fifty years after a conquest, the culturally Sinicized or Persianized former barbarian would be the first to stand guard over his adopted civilization and protect it against fresh nomadic onslaughts."

*capital cities of various Chinese dynasties

**capital cities of various Persian dynasties

René Grousset, French historian of Central Asia, The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia, 1939

Which of the following developments in the period circa 1250-1450 represents a situation that did not lead to conquerors assimilating into the cultures of the conquered societies?

A) Invading armies establishing and maintaining a separate community, as illustrated by the European crusader kingdoms in the Middle East

B) Merchants establishing diasporic communities and introducing their own traditions into the indigenous cultures, as illustrated by South Asian Muslim merchants spreading Islam to the islands of Southeast Asia

C) Settled societies successfully resisting nomadic encroachments, as illustrated by the Mamluks of Egypt defeating the Mongols or Muscovy expelling the Golden Horde from Russia

D) Conquering states fragmenting into several units because of political and social friction, as illustrated by the breakup of the Mongol Empire into individual khanates

A) Invading armies establishing and maintaining a separate community, as illustrated by the European crusader kingdoms in the Middle East

Correct. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, Turkic peoples began converting en masse to Islam and migrating to South Asia and the Middle East. Turkic peoples such as the Seljuqs integrated into Islamic societies and established their own states.

"Throughout its history, Central Asia has provided the ancient civilized empires on its borders with new Shahs, Sultans, or Sons of Heaven. These periodic invasions by the nomads of the steppe, whose khans ascended the thrones of Changan, Luoyang, Kaifeng, or Beijing, of Isfahan or Tabriz*, Delhi or Constantinople, became one of the geographic laws of history. But there was another, opposing law which brought about the slow absorption of the invaders by the ancient civilized lands. The civilizations of China and Persia, though conquered, would in the long run vanquish their conquerors, intoxicating them with the pleasures of settled life, lulling them to sleep, and assimilating them culturally. Often, only fifty years after a conquest, the culturally Sinicized or Persianized former barbarian would be the first to stand guard over his adopted civilization and protect it against fresh nomadic onslaughts."

*capital cities of various Chinese dynasties

**capital cities of various Persian dynasties

René Grousset, French historian of Central Asia, The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia, 1939

The Mongol conquests resulted in all of the following developments EXCEPT

A) a revival of trade on the overland Silk Roads

B) transfers of scientific and technological knowledge

C) the initial diffusion of Buddhism and Christianity to East Asia

D) the spread of pathogens across Eurasia, including the bubonic plague

C) the initial diffusion of Buddhism and Christianity to East Asia

Correct. Buddhism and Christianity had spread into East Asia well before the Mongol conquests. While the Mongols expanded cultural exchanges across Eurasia, the particular religious transfers mentioned in the answer choice do not represent a result of the Mongol conquests.

"[Between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries] . . . Muslim maritime traders from Egypt sought goods coming from China and Southeast Asia [and] purchased these items on India's southwestern coast. . . . Sea voyages between Egypt and India were still dangerous and still involved long voyages, as well as long stays in harbors where they waited, sometimes for several months, for the winds to shift direction. . . .

To protect themselves, Muslim merchants organized karim, convoyed merchant fleets. The rulers of Egypt began providing an armed escort for the fleets and succeeded in making the trade between the Red Sea and India a government-protected, regularly accomplished endeavor.

The karim merchants were organized in large family firms with substantial assets and clients in markets all over the trading networks. In the Indian Ocean trade, Muslim traders not only dealt with other Muslims, but also Hindus, Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews. Traders of various religious backgrounds boarded the same ships or stayed in the same caravanserai. In Egypt, many Jewish traders actually operated their businesses within the framework of Muslim business networks."

Xinru Liu and Lynda Norene Shaffer, historians, Connections across Eurasia, published in 2007

The "long stays in harbors" mentioned in the description of the sea journeys in the first paragraph were most likely necessary because Indian Ocean maritime trade in the period circa 1200-1450

A) increased significantly in volume, creating bottlenecks in key ports

B) required the approval of Muslim religious authorities to make sure it was carried out in accordance with Islamic principles

C) had to take into account environmental factors such as the timing and direction of the monsoons

D) could only be carried out if ships stayed close to shore through the entire journey from Egypt to India

C) had to take into account environmental factors such as the timing and direction of the monsoons

Correct. The passage mentions that the merchants had to stay in the harbors to wait for the winds to shift. Because the monsoon winds were seasonal and tended to flow only in one direction, merchants would often have to wait in harbors for long periods of time, depending on the direction in which they were intending to travel.

"[Between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries] . . . Muslim maritime traders from Egypt sought goods coming from China and Southeast Asia [and] purchased these items on India's southwestern coast. . . . Sea voyages between Egypt and India were still dangerous and still involved long voyages, as well as long stays in harbors where they waited, sometimes for several months, for the winds to shift direction. . . .

To protect themselves, Muslim merchants organized karim, convoyed merchant fleets. The rulers of Egypt began providing an armed escort for the fleets and succeeded in making the trade between the Red Sea and India a government-protected, regularly accomplished endeavor.

The karim merchants were organized in large family firms with substantial assets and clients in markets all over the trading networks. In the Indian Ocean trade, Muslim traders not only dealt with other Muslims, but also Hindus, Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews. Traders of various religious backgrounds boarded the same ships or stayed in the same caravanserai. In Egypt, many Jewish traders actually operated their businesses within the framework of Muslim business networks."

Xinru Liu and Lynda Norene Shaffer, historians, Connections across Eurasia, published in 2007

Based on the pattern of trade described in the third paragraph, the Egyptian karim merchants were most likely directly involved in which of the following broader developments in the Indian Ocean in the period circa 1200-1450 ?

A) The establishment of diasporic merchant communities

B) The transfer of European scientific knowledge to South Asia

C) The creation of new monotheistic religions

D) The introduction of new financial innovations such as paper money

A) The establishment of diasporic merchant communities

Correct. The pattern of trade described in the passage most directly illustrates that the karim merchants held property across the Indian Ocean trading networks, which likely indicates the establishment of diasporic merchant communities. Indeed, the karim merchants often maintained branches in both Egypt and along the coast of India, where members of the firm settled in local ports to organize business transactions, acquire products to be shipped to Egypt, and ensure that the goods brought from Egypt would be sold in India.

"[Between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries] . . . Muslim maritime traders from Egypt sought goods coming from China and Southeast Asia [and] purchased these items on India's southwestern coast. . . . Sea voyages between Egypt and India were still dangerous and still involved long voyages, as well as long stays in harbors where they waited, sometimes for several months, for the winds to shift direction. . . .

To protect themselves, Muslim merchants organized karim, convoyed merchant fleets. The rulers of Egypt began providing an armed escort for the fleets and succeeded in making the trade between the Red Sea and India a government-protected, regularly accomplished endeavor.

The karim merchants were organized in large family firms with substantial assets and clients in markets all over the trading networks. In the Indian Ocean trade, Muslim traders not only dealt with other Muslims, but also Hindus, Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews. Traders of various religious backgrounds boarded the same ships or stayed in the same caravanserai. In Egypt, many Jewish traders actually operated their businesses within the framework of Muslim business networks."

Xinru Liu and Lynda Norene Shaffer, historians, Connections across Eurasia, published in 2007

The pattern of trade described in the passage was most characteristic of which of the following types of goods in the period 1200-1450 ?

A) Daily food staples such as bread or milk

B) Bulk commodities such as grain or coal

C) Luxury goods such as spices or porcelain

D) Livestock such as pigs or cattle

C) Luxury goods such as spices or porcelain

Correct. The karim merchants were primarily involved in the trade in luxury goods. Indeed, the use of convoys to protect merchant ships and the establishment of large firms in multiple places along the Indian Ocean trade networks were expensive endeavors for states and merchants that would only be profitable if the goods traded could be sold at high prices. Only the trade in luxury goods such as silks, spices, cottons, and aromatic woods would bring in high enough returns to be worth such large investments.

"The eleventh king of the sultanate of Kano* was Yaji Ali [reigned 1349-1385]. In Yaji's time merchants came from the north bringing Islam. They commanded the king Yaji to observe the times of prayer. He complied, and made one man an imam (prayer leader) and another a muezzin (the person reciting the call to prayer from a mosque). The king commanded every town in his kingdom to observe the times of prayer. So they all did so. A mosque was built beneath the sacred tree facing east, and prayers were made at the five appointed times in it.

The nineteenth king of the Hausa kingdom was Yakubu [reigned 1452-1463]. He was a good king. In his time traders came to Kano from Mali bringing with them books on Islamic divinity and the study of the Arabic language. Formerly our religious scholars had, in addition to the Qur'an, only a few books of Islamic law. At this time too, salt became common in Kano. In the following year merchants from the region of Gwanja in the south began coming, and from the north Berbers** came in large numbers, and a colony of Arabs arrived."

*a West African state established by the Hausa people of present-day northern Nigeria

**ethnic group from the western part of North Africa

Excerpts from The Kano Chronicle, an oral tradition that records the exploits of the kings of Kano, written down in the late nineteenth century

The integration of West African states into wider regional and transregional economic networks in the period circa 1200-1450 was carried out mostly via the

A) Swahili coast trade routes

B) Silk Road trade networks

C) trans-Saharan trade routes

D) Indian Ocean trade routes

C) trans-Saharan trade routes

Correct. The trans-Saharan trade routes extended from the coast of the Mediterranean across the Sahara Desert and connected West African states such as the Hausa Sultanate, the Ghana Empire, and the Mali Empire to wider regional and transregional economic networks.

"The eleventh king of the sultanate of Kano* was Yaji Ali [reigned 1349-1385]. In Yaji's time merchants came from the north bringing Islam. They commanded the king Yaji to observe the times of prayer. He complied, and made one man an imam (prayer leader) and another a muezzin (the person reciting the call to prayer from a mosque). The king commanded every town in his kingdom to observe the times of prayer. So they all did so. A mosque was built beneath the sacred tree facing east, and prayers were made at the five appointed times in it.

The nineteenth king of the Hausa kingdom was Yakubu [reigned 1452-1463]. He was a good king. In his time traders came to Kano from Mali bringing with them books on Islamic divinity and the study of the Arabic language. Formerly our religious scholars had, in addition to the Qur'an, only a few books of Islamic law. At this time too, salt became common in Kano. In the following year merchants from the region of Gwanja in the south began coming, and from the north Berbers** came in large numbers, and a colony of Arabs arrived."

*a West African state established by the Hausa people of present-day northern Nigeria

**ethnic group from the western part of North Africa

Excerpts from The Kano Chronicle, an oral tradition that records the exploits of the kings of Kano, written down in the late nineteenth century

The spread of Islam into sub-Saharan West Africa in the period circa 1200-1450 was mostly a result of the conversion of the rulers of which of the following states?

A) Mamluk Egypt

B) The Mongol khanates

C) The Ming dynasty

D) The Mali Empire

D) The Mali Empire

Correct. The rulers of the Mali Empire converted to Islam under the influence of Berber traders from North Africa in the early thirteenth century. Other African political leaders, such as those of the sultanate of Kano in the grasslands regions that bordered the Sahara, soon followed suit.

"The eleventh king of the sultanate of Kano* was Yaji Ali [reigned 1349-1385]. In Yaji's time merchants came from the north bringing Islam. They commanded the king Yaji to observe the times of prayer. He complied, and made one man an imam (prayer leader) and another a muezzin (the person reciting the call to prayer from a mosque). The king commanded every town in his kingdom to observe the times of prayer. So they all did so. A mosque was built beneath the sacred tree facing east, and prayers were made at the five appointed times in it.

The nineteenth king of the Hausa kingdom was Yakubu [reigned 1452-1463]. He was a good king. In his time traders came to Kano from Mali bringing with them books on Islamic divinity and the study of the Arabic language. Formerly our religious scholars had, in addition to the Qur'an, only a few books of Islamic law. At this time too, salt became common in Kano. In the following year merchants from the region of Gwanja in the south began coming, and from the north Berbers** came in large numbers, and a colony of Arabs arrived."

*a West African state established by the Hausa people of present-day northern Nigeria

**ethnic group from the western part of North Africa

Excerpts from The Kano Chronicle, an oral tradition that records the exploits of the kings of Kano, written down in the late nineteenth century

In the period circa 1200-1450, which of the following most directly enabled merchants to bring salt and other bulk products to markets in sub-Saharan Africa?

A) The diffusion of new maritime technologies such as the lateen sail

B) The adoption of innovative practices in overland trading, such as the use of camel caravans and saddles

C) The transfer of East Asian technologies to western Afro-Eurasia during the period of Pax Mongolica

D) The shared use of the Arabic language and common practice of Islam by both North African and sub-Saharan merchant communities

B) The adoption of innovative practices in overland trading, such as the use of camel caravans and saddles

Correct. The Muslim conquest of North Africa in the eighth century encouraged an increase in trans-Saharan trade, largely carried by camel caravans, some with thousands of camels. Such large caravans made possible an expansion of trade in bulk items such as salt.

"On several occasions, Ghazan Khan went to the observatory at Maragha* and watched the Muslim, Christian, and Chinese astronomers make their observations. He looked at all the operations and instruments, studied them, and asked about their procedures, which he understood in spite of their difficulty. He also ordered the construction of a dome in order to investigate the Sun's motion and he spoke out with his astronomers about it. All of them said that although they had never seen such an instrument, it was reasonable and sensible.

He gave orders for the construction of an observatory next to his tomb in Tabriz in Persia. He explained how to construct the observatory with such clarity that local wise men marveled at his intelligence, because such work had not been done in any era. Those wise men said that constructing the observatory would be extremely difficult. He guided them, whereupon they commenced building it and they finished it following his instructions. Those wise men and all the engineers agreed that nobody had done such a thing before nor had imagined doing it."

*ruler of the Mongol Ilkhanate, whose territories included most of the Muslim Middle East; reigned 1295-1304

**an astronomical observatory in present-day Azerbaijan, established by a grant from the first Ilkhanid ruler in the mid-thirteenth century

Rashid al-Din Hamdani, Persian Muslim historian and government minister in Ghazan Khan's court, excerpt from a universal history commissioned by Ghazan Khan, completed circa 1316

Which of the following best describes the author's purpose in the passage?

A) To provide detailed descriptions of the instruments used at the Maragha and Tabriz observatories

B) To evaluate the importance of the astronomical discoveries made by Ilkhanid scientists

C) To portray his patron as a generous supporter of the sciences and a man of unusual intelligence

D) To criticize Ghazan for his vanity and remind him to focus on religious and spiritual pursuits

C) To portray his patron as a generous supporter of the sciences and a man of unusual intelligence

Correct. Rashid al-Din claims that Ghazan Khan ordered the construction of a dome at the Maragha observatory and the construction of an observatory at Tabriz, that he understood the complex astronomical instruments that he studied at Maragha, that he explained how to construct a complex observatory at Tabriz to local wise men, and that those wise men marveled at Ghazan Khan's intelligence.

"On several occasions, Ghazan Khan went to the observatory at Maragha* and watched the Muslim, Christian, and Chinese astronomers make their observations. He looked at all the operations and instruments, studied them, and asked about their procedures, which he understood in spite of their difficulty. He also ordered the construction of a dome in order to investigate the Sun's motion and he spoke out with his astronomers about it. All of them said that although they had never seen such an instrument, it was reasonable and sensible.

He gave orders for the construction of an observatory next to his tomb in Tabriz in Persia. He explained how to construct the observatory with such clarity that local wise men marveled at his intelligence, because such work had not been done in any era. Those wise men said that constructing the observatory would be extremely difficult. He guided them, whereupon they commenced building it and they finished it following his instructions. Those wise men and all the engineers agreed that nobody had done such a thing before nor had imagined doing it."

*ruler of the Mongol Ilkhanate, whose territories included most of the Muslim Middle East; reigned 1295-1304

**an astronomical observatory in present-day Azerbaijan, established by a grant from the first Ilkhanid ruler in the mid-thirteenth century

Rashid al-Din Hamdani, Persian Muslim historian and government minister in Ghazan Khan's court, excerpt from a universal history commissioned by Ghazan Khan, completed circa 1316

Which of the following best describes the historical situation in Eurasia at the time the passage was written?

A) Frequent warfare limited the opportunities for cultural, scientific, and artistic innovation.

B) Political upheaval and reorganization increased cultural and scientific exchanges across regions.

C) Revived long-distance trade spread pathogens and infections to regions that had not been previously affected by them.

D) The invention and spread of new weapons and military tactics radically transformed the global balance of power.

B) Political upheaval and reorganization increased cultural and scientific exchanges across regions.

Correct. The establishment of the Mongol Empire and the subsequent expansion of the Ilkhanate led to the destruction of numerous Islamic states. Despite the destruction that these conquests caused, the Mongol expansion also facilitated cultural and scientific exchanges as illustrated by the fact that Muslim, Christian, and Chinese astronomers worked together at Maragha and that the Mongols ordered the construction of observatories in their realm.

"On several occasions, Ghazan Khan went to the observatory at Maragha* and watched the Muslim, Christian, and Chinese astronomers make their observations. He looked at all the operations and instruments, studied them, and asked about their procedures, which he understood in spite of their difficulty. He also ordered the construction of a dome in order to investigate the Sun's motion and he spoke out with his astronomers about it. All of them said that although they had never seen such an instrument, it was reasonable and sensible.

He gave orders for the construction of an observatory next to his tomb in Tabriz in Persia. He explained how to construct the observatory with such clarity that local wise men marveled at his intelligence, because such work had not been done in any era. Those wise men said that constructing the observatory would be extremely difficult. He guided them, whereupon they commenced building it and they finished it following his instructions. Those wise men and all the engineers agreed that nobody had done such a thing before nor had imagined doing it."

*ruler of the Mongol Ilkhanate, whose territories included most of the Muslim Middle East; reigned 1295-1304

**an astronomical observatory in present-day Azerbaijan, established by a grant from the first Ilkhanid ruler in the mid-thirteenth century

Rashid al-Din Hamdani, Persian Muslim historian and government minister in Ghazan Khan's court, excerpt from a universal history commissioned by Ghazan Khan, completed circa 1316

Which of the following best describes the historical circumstances of Rashid al-Din's career?

A) His career illustrates the destructive impact of the Mongol conquests on many established urban centers.

B) His career illustrates the possibilities for diffusion and intermingling of cultures brought about by the Mongol conquests.

C) His career illustrates the Mongols' success in preserving their nomadic and tribal culture despite the growing diversity of their subjects.

D) His career illustrates the importance of traveler accounts written by foreign visitors to the Mongol court.

B) His career illustrates the possibilities for diffusion and intermingling of cultures brought about by the Mongol conquests.

Correct. Rashid al-Din's position as a Persian at the court of a Mongol ruler and the fact that he oversaw the composition of a universal history illustrates how the Mongol conquests facilitated the transfer of cultural and intellectual traditions.

APPROXIMATE POPULATION OF MALES AGE 12 AND OLDER ON SELECTED MANORS IN ESSEX COUNTY, ENGLAND, CIRCA 1320-

Year 1320 1350 1400

Great Waltham 260 120 156

Hatfield Broadoak 500 325 200

High Easter 260 120 140

Total 1,020 565 496

The data is based on manorial population surveys ordered by the earls of Essex and on the court records of the earls' manor courts.

Based on the information in the table, the Black Death outbreak of the bubonic plague struck Essex County in which of the following periods?

A) Before 1320

B) Between 1320 and 1350

C) Between 1350 and 1400

D) After 1400

B) Between 1320 and 1350

Correct. According to the table, the population declines most severely between 1320 and 1350, indicating that the Black Death struck during this period.

APPROXIMATE POPULATION OF MALES AGE 12 AND OLDER ON SELECTED MANORS IN ESSEX COUNTY, ENGLAND, CIRCA 1320-

Year 1320 1350 1400

Great Waltham 260 120 156

Hatfield Broadoak 500 325 200

High Easter 260 120 140

Total 1,020 565 496

The data is based on manorial population surveys ordered by the earls of Essex and on the court records of the earls' manor courts.

A comparison between the data for the three manors shown in the table best illustrates which of the following about the bubonic plague?

A) It was equally devastating across all areas of western Europe.

B) It had virtually no effect on the populations of some regions of England.

C) In some but not all areas, the population was beginning to recover by 1400.

D) In most areas, the population reverted to pre-1320 levels by 1400.

C) In some but not all areas, the population was beginning to recover by 1400.

Correct. The table shows that in both Great Waltham and High Easter manors, but not in Hatfield Broadoak, the population was beginning to recover by 1400.

APPROXIMATE POPULATION OF MALES AGE 12 AND OLDER ON SELECTED MANORS IN ESSEX COUNTY, ENGLAND, CIRCA 1320-

Year 1320 1350 1400

Great Waltham 260 120 156

Hatfield Broadoak 500 325 200

High Easter 260 120 140

Total 1,020 565 496

The data is based on manorial population surveys ordered by the earls of Essex and on the court records of the earls' manor courts.

Which of the following best describes the change in the total population of males age 12 and older in the three manors shown in the table from 1320 to 1400 ?

A) It declined to less than a quarter of its 1320 level (over 75% decline).

B) It increased to more than double its 1320 level (over 50% increase).

C) It declined to less than a half of its 1320 level (over 50% decline).

D) It stayed virtually unchanged compared to its 1320 level.

C) It declined to less than a half of its 1320 level (over 50% decline).

Correct. The population of males age 12 and older in the three manors declined from roughly 1,020 to 496 persons, a decline of slightly more than 50%.

TOTAL LAND DEVOTED TO THE PRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS AS MEASURED IN MILLIONS OF HECTARES*, 1200-1400

Year 1200 1300 1400

China 55.2 44.2 40.2

Europe 71.1 87.4 61.2

India 43.5 40.8 38.2

Middle East 7.8 6.1 5.7

*a hectare is equivalent to roughly 2.5 acres

Source: Data adapted from Our World in Data, found online at https://ourworldindata.org/yields-and-land-use-in-agriculture

Which of the following best describes a way in which the table illustrates how the spread of rice cultivation contributed to changing the total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops in China, India, and the Middle East between 1200 and 1300 ?

A) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined in China and the Middle East but rose in India.

B) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined more substantially in India than it did in the Middle East and China.

C) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined in all three regions.

D) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops increased in every region except China.

C) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined in all three regions.

Correct. Based on the table, the total amount of land devoted to agricultural production declined in all three regions because rice cultivation does not require as significant a devotion of land as does wheat or other grain-based crops.

TOTAL LAND DEVOTED TO THE PRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS AS MEASURED IN MILLIONS OF HECTARES*, 1200-1400

Year 1200 1300 1400

China 55.2 44.2 40.2

Europe 71.1 87.4 61.2

India 43.5 40.8 38.2

Middle East 7.8 6.1 5.7

*a hectare is equivalent to roughly 2.5 acres

Source: Data adapted from Our World in Data, found online at https://ourworldindata.org/yields-and-land-use-in-agriculture

Which of the following best describes a way in which the table illustrates how an emphasis on wheat cultivation in Europe affected the total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops there compared with the rice-producing regions of China and India between 1200 and 1300 ?

A) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops in Europe increased at the same rate that the total amount of land devoted to agricultural crops in China and India declined.

B) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops in China, India, and Europe remained relatively stable.

C) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined in all three regions.

D) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops increased considerably in Europe and declined in China and India.

D) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops increased considerably in Europe and declined in China and India.

Correct. As the table illustrates, the amount of land devoted to agricultural production in Europe sharply increased between 1200 and 1300, while it decreased in China and India. This development largely derives from the fact that Europe primarily relied on wheat cultivation, which requires more land than rice cultivation.

TOTAL LAND DEVOTED TO THE PRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS AS MEASURED IN MILLIONS OF HECTARES*, 1200-1400

Year 1200 1300 1400

China 55.2 44.2 40.2

Europe 71.1 87.4 61.2

India 43.5 40.8 38.2

Middle East 7.8 6.1 5.7

*a hectare is equivalent to roughly 2.5 acres

Source: Data adapted from Our World in Data, found online at https://ourworldindata.org/yields-and-land-use-in-agriculture

Which of the following best describes how the table illustrates the effect of the spread of the bubonic plague on the total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops in Europe and the Middle East between 1300 and 1400 ?

A) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops did not change significantly in either region.

B) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops decreased more substantially in the Middle East than in Europe.

C) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined substantially in Europe and slightly in the Middle East.

D) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops increased slightly in the Middle East and in Europe.

C) The total amount of land devoted to the production of agricultural crops declined substantially in Europe and slightly in the Middle East.

Correct. The table shows that Europe experienced a substantial decline in the amount of land dedicated to agricultural crop production, while the Middle East only experienced a slight decrease.

"It is widely accepted that the rise of the Mongol Empire greatly expanded trade and the circulation of goods. . . . Since the fall of the Uighur Empire [in the ninth century], Mongolia was a region removed from the main trade routes. Thus the Mongols irrupted into the wider world as a relatively unknown society. As the Mongol Empire dominated Eurasia, envoys, merchants and travelers came to the court of the Mongols . . . and participated in . . . the exchange of goods, ideas, technology and people precipitated by the Mongol conquests."

Timothy May, United States historian, academic article, 2016

The expansion of the Mongol Empire most directly led to which of the following political developments in Afro-Eurasia?

A) The spread of feudalism to western Europe, as the Mongol conquests greatly weakened centralized monarchies

B) The expansion of the Mali Empire in West Africa, as the Mongol conquests destroyed the Abbasid Caliphate

C) The collapse of previously existing states, such as the Song dynasty of China

D) The adoption of Islamic systems of rule by Turkic states in the Middle East, such as the Seljuq Empire

C) The collapse of previously existing states, such as the Song dynasty of China

Correct. Several previously existing states such as the Song dynasty of China and the Abbasid Caliphate collapsed as the result of the expansion of the Mongol Empire.

"It is widely accepted that the rise of the Mongol Empire greatly expanded trade and the circulation of goods. . . . Since the fall of the Uighur Empire [in the ninth century], Mongolia was a region removed from the main trade routes. Thus the Mongols irrupted into the wider world as a relatively unknown society. As the Mongol Empire dominated Eurasia, envoys, merchants and travelers came to the court of the Mongols . . . and participated in . . . the exchange of goods, ideas, technology and people precipitated by the Mongol conquests."

Timothy May, United States historian, academic article, 2016

The breakup of the Mongol Empire into separate khanates during the mid-thirteenth century was most connected to which of the following developments?

A) The spread of the bubonic plague following the expansion of trade along the Silk Roads weakened the Mongol Empire demographically and militarily.

B) Mongol traditions emphasized tribal and personal loyalties and made it difficult to establish long-lasting centralized dynastic rule, which led to civil war.

C) Rebellions in China overthrew Mongol rule there and led to the reestablishment of Han Chinese rule under the Ming dynasty.

D) The attempts of Mongol rulers to force their subjects to convert to Islam led to widespread rebellions in Central and East Asia.

B) Mongol traditions emphasized tribal and personal loyalties and made it difficult to establish long-lasting centralized dynastic rule, which led to civil war.

Correct. Civil wars between rival factions were the direct cause of the breakup of the Mongol Empire into separate khanates during the mid-thirteenth century.

"It is widely accepted that the rise of the Mongol Empire greatly expanded trade and the circulation of goods. . . . Since the fall of the Uighur Empire [in the ninth century], Mongolia was a region removed from the main trade routes. Thus the Mongols irrupted into the wider world as a relatively unknown society. As the Mongol Empire dominated Eurasia, envoys, merchants and travelers came to the court of the Mongols . . . and participated in . . . the exchange of goods, ideas, technology and people precipitated by the Mongol conquests."

Timothy May, United States historian, academic article, 2016

Which of the following best describes an effect of the establishment of the Mongol Empire upon Silk Road long distance trade?

A) The Silk Road trade declined because the Mongol merchants preferred to use maritime long-distance trade networks instead.

B) The Silk Road trade increased because the Mongol conquests helped connect more regions of Eurasia economically and commercially.

C) The Silk Road trade was not affected by the Mongol conquests because the tribal and nomadic nature of Mongol society meant that Mongol demand for luxury goods was virtually nonexistent.

D) The Silk Road trade collapsed following the Mongol conquests because most trading cities along the Silk Roads were destroyed and never recovered.

B) The Silk Road trade increased because the Mongol conquests helped connect more regions of Eurasia economically and commercially.

Correct. The establishment of the Mongol Empire resulted in the creation of a large unified territory with a highly sophisticated infrastructure of roads and posts that linked more regions of Eurasia and facilitated greater communication between them, directly leading to the growth of trade along the Silk Road networks.

"The first man who came to Pate* was Sulayman, son of Mudhafar. He was a king in Arabia, but he had been driven out. He came to Pate in 1203 and married the daughter of the king of Pate. Because of this marriage, the Swahili adopted a custom that still lasts to this day: seven days after a wedding, the husband goes to see his wife's father, who then gives him something. Indeed, seven days after the wedding, Sulayman went to see his father-in-law, who handed over the kingdom to him.

In 1291, Sulayman's great-grandson Muhammad reigned, and he kept on conquering the towns of the Swahili coast in many wars. His son, Sultan Umar, became very powerful and gained possession of all of the Swahili towns.

In 1331, Sulayman's great-great grandson Muhammad ruled the whole kingdom of his father by peaceable means. He was extremely fond of money and trade. He ordered his merchants to undertake voyages to India to trade there, and because of this he became very wealthy."

*an island located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Kenya

A Swahili History of Pate, chronicle based on an ancient oral tradition, written down in Swahili in 1903. Swahili is a Bantu language that contains a significant number of Arabic words and phrases.

The first paragraph most directly illustrates how increasing regional interactions led to which of the following developments in the Indian Ocean in the period 1200-1450?

A) The establishment of diasporic merchant communities

B) The establishment of new trading cities

C) The introduction of new cultural traditions

D) The emergence of syncretic belief systems

C) The introduction of new cultural traditions

Correct. The first paragraph describes the introduction of a new cultural tradition, namely the adoption of an Arabic custom by the Swahili people of Pate that a wife's father must give something to his daughter's husband seven days after their wedding. The introduction of new cultural traditions such as this one was frequently the result of increasing regional interactions across the Indian Ocean in the period from 1200 to 1450.

"The first man who came to Pate* was Sulayman, son of Mudhafar. He was a king in Arabia, but he had been driven out. He came to Pate in 1203 and married the daughter of the king of Pate. Because of this marriage, the Swahili adopted a custom that still lasts to this day: seven days after a wedding, the husband goes to see his wife's father, who then gives him something. Indeed, seven days after the wedding, Sulayman went to see his father-in-law, who handed over the kingdom to him.

In 1291, Sulayman's great-grandson Muhammad reigned, and he kept on conquering the towns of the Swahili coast in many wars. His son, Sultan Umar, became very powerful and gained possession of all of the Swahili towns.

In 1331, Sulayman's great-great grandson Muhammad ruled the whole kingdom of his father by peaceable means. He was extremely fond of money and trade. He ordered his merchants to undertake voyages to India to trade there, and because of this he became very wealthy."

*an island located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Kenya

A Swahili History of Pate, chronicle based on an ancient oral tradition, written down in Swahili in 1903. Swahili is a Bantu language that contains a significant number of Arabic words and phrases.

The third paragraph most directly illustrates the ways in which rulers in the Indian Ocean in the period before 1450

A) used their military power to monopolize the trade in luxury goods

B) attempted to incorporate new territories and peoples into their commercial empires

C) sought to spread religious traditions by patronizing merchant communities

D) used expanding trade networks to facilitate state development

D) used expanding trade networks to facilitate state development

Correct. The third paragraph describes how Sulayman's great-great grandson Muhammad increased his wealth and power by encouraging trade between the Swahili Coast and India. This development directly illustrates how rulers in the Indian Ocean in the period before 1450 used expanding trade networks to facilitate state development.

"The first man who came to Pate* was Sulayman, son of Mudhafar. He was a king in Arabia, but he had been driven out. He came to Pate in 1203 and married the daughter of the king of Pate. Because of this marriage, the Swahili adopted a custom that still lasts to this day: seven days after a wedding, the husband goes to see his wife's father, who then gives him something. Indeed, seven days after the wedding, Sulayman went to see his father-in-law, who handed over the kingdom to him.

In 1291, Sulayman's great-grandson Muhammad reigned, and he kept on conquering the towns of the Swahili coast in many wars. His son, Sultan Umar, became very powerful and gained possession of all of the Swahili towns.

In 1331, Sulayman's great-great grandson Muhammad ruled the whole kingdom of his father by peaceable means. He was extremely fond of money and trade. He ordered his merchants to undertake voyages to India to trade there, and because of this he became very wealthy."

*an island located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Kenya

A Swahili History of Pate, chronicle based on an ancient oral tradition, written down in Swahili in 1903. Swahili is a Bantu language that contains a significant number of Arabic words and phrases.

Voyages such as those referred to in the third paragraph were most directly facilitated by which of the following?

A) A decrease in pirate activity following Zheng He's naval expeditions

B) Merchants' understanding of the patterns of the monsoon winds

C) An increase in the use of new forms of credit, such as paper money

D) Technological transfers from Europe, such as the compass

B) Merchants' understanding of the patterns of the monsoon winds

Correct. Mastering the patterns of the monsoon winds was the key to successful navigation in the Indian Ocean, and merchants used their knowledge of the monsoon wind patterns to travel back and forth between India and the Swahili Coast in the period from 1200 to 1450.

"After leaving India, we arrived in Sumatra. It is a fertile area, in which coco-palm, clove, Indian aloe, mango, and sweet orange trees grow. Local commerce is facilitated by tin and Chinese gold. The sultan was informed of our visit and sent the judge and experts on Islamic law to meet me. The sultan is an illustrious and generous ruler and a patron of religious scholars. He is constantly waging war against the non-Muslims of Sumatra, but is a humble man who walks on foot to Friday prayers. The non-Muslims of the area must pay a poll-tax to obtain peace.

One Friday after leaving the mosque, the sultan mounted an elephant and we and his entourage rode with him on horses until we reached the palace. Male musicians came into the audience hall and sang before him, after which they led horses into the hall. The horses were embroidered in silk and wore golden anklets and danced before the sultan. I was astonished, even though I had seen the same performance at the court of the Delhi sultan in India*. My stay at the sultan's court lasted fifteen days, after which I asked his permission to continue my journey to China because it is not possible to sail to China at all times of the year.

We then traveled to a kingdom on the Malay Peninsula aboard a Chinese ship. This kingdom is inhabited by non-Muslims and contains great quantities of aromatic spices and aloes. The merchants sell Indian aloe for a roll of cotton cloth, which is dearer to them than silk. The ruler is a non-Muslim. We then left the Malay Peninsula and sailed to another non-Muslim kingdom in Southeast Asia. After seventeen days at sea, with a favorable wind and sailing with maximum speed and ease, we reached the land of China."

*The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim state in northern India that was ruled by a Turkic elite.

Ibn Battuta, Muslim traveler from North Africa, account of his journey to China, circa 1345

The purpose of Ibn Battuta's account was most likely to

A) glorify himself by exaggerating the influence he had obtained over local rulers in Southeast Asia

B) warn Muslim merchants that China was beginning to dominate commerce in the Indian Ocean

C) encourage fellow Muslims in North Africa to participate more in maritime commerce

D) inform his audience about the cultural, political, and economic characteristics of the places he visited

D) inform his audience about the cultural, political, and economic characteristics of the places he visited

Correct. Ibn Battuta's larger work is a record of all his travels in Africa and Asia and describes the different aspects of the many societies he visited to his largely Muslim audience.

"After leaving India, we arrived in Sumatra. It is a fertile area, in which coco-palm, clove, Indian aloe, mango, and sweet orange trees grow. Local commerce is facilitated by tin and Chinese gold. The sultan was informed of our visit and sent the judge and experts on Islamic law to meet me. The sultan is an illustrious and generous ruler and a patron of religious scholars. He is constantly waging war against the non-Muslims of Sumatra, but is a humble man who walks on foot to Friday prayers. The non-Muslims of the area must pay a poll-tax to obtain peace.

One Friday after leaving the mosque, the sultan mounted an elephant and we and his entourage rode with him on horses until we reached the palace. Male musicians came into the audience hall and sang before him, after which they led horses into the hall. The horses were embroidered in silk and wore golden anklets and danced before the sultan. I was astonished, even though I had seen the same performance at the court of the Delhi sultan in India*. My stay at the sultan's court lasted fifteen days, after which I asked his permission to continue my journey to China because it is not possible to sail to China at all times of the year.

We then traveled to a kingdom on the Malay Peninsula aboard a Chinese ship. This kingdom is inhabited by non-Muslims and contains great quantities of aromatic spices and aloes. The merchants sell Indian aloe for a roll of cotton cloth, which is dearer to them than silk. The ruler is a non-Muslim. We then left the Malay Peninsula and sailed to another non-Muslim kingdom in Southeast Asia. After seventeen days at sea, with a favorable wind and sailing with maximum speed and ease, we reached the land of China."

*The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim state in northern India that was ruled by a Turkic elite.

Ibn Battuta, Muslim traveler from North Africa, account of his journey to China, circa 1345

Based on Ibn Battuta's description of the sultan of Sumatra in the first paragraph, his point of view could most likely be characterized as that of a

A) Sunni Muslim merchant who believes that commercial profits should be given greater consideration than religious purity

B) Sufi Muslim mystic who believes that Muslim rulers should encourage religious coexistence

C) Shi'a Muslim cleric who believes that false interpretations of Islam have corrupted the religion

D) Sunni Muslim jurist who believes that a Muslim ruler should patronize the religious elite and seek to expand Islam

D) Sunni Muslim jurist who believes that a Muslim ruler should patronize the religious elite and seek to expand Islam

Correct. Ibn Battuta praises the sultan for sending the qadi to greet him and for being generous to and loving toward theologians. He also appears to approve of the sultan's conquests of non-Muslims.

"After leaving India, we arrived in Sumatra. It is a fertile area, in which coco-palm, clove, Indian aloe, mango, and sweet orange trees grow. Local commerce is facilitated by tin and Chinese gold. The sultan was informed of our visit and sent the judge and experts on Islamic law to meet me. The sultan is an illustrious and generous ruler and a patron of religious scholars. He is constantly waging war against the non-Muslims of Sumatra, but is a humble man who walks on foot to Friday prayers. The non-Muslims of the area must pay a poll-tax to obtain peace.

One Friday after leaving the mosque, the sultan mounted an elephant and we and his entourage rode with him on horses until we reached the palace. Male musicians came into the audience hall and sang before him, after which they led horses into the hall. The horses were embroidered in silk and wore golden anklets and danced before the sultan. I was astonished, even though I had seen the same performance at the court of the Delhi sultan in India*. My stay at the sultan's court lasted fifteen days, after which I asked his permission to continue my journey to China because it is not possible to sail to China at all times of the year.

We then traveled to a kingdom on the Malay Peninsula aboard a Chinese ship. This kingdom is inhabited by non-Muslims and contains great quantities of aromatic spices and aloes. The merchants sell Indian aloe for a roll of cotton cloth, which is dearer to them than silk. The ruler is a non-Muslim. We then left the Malay Peninsula and sailed to another non-Muslim kingdom in Southeast Asia. After seventeen days at sea, with a favorable wind and sailing with maximum speed and ease, we reached the land of China."

*The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim state in northern India that was ruled by a Turkic elite.

Ibn Battuta, Muslim traveler from North Africa, account of his journey to China, circa 1345

Ibn Battuta's claim in the second paragraph that the ceremony that he observed at the court of the sultan of Sumatra was similar to a ceremony that he had seen at the court of the Delhi sultan in India is most likely understood in the context of which of the following developments in the Indian Ocean region in the period 1200-1450 ?

A) Expanding trade facilitated increased tolerance of the traditions of other religious groups.

B) Cultural exchange emerged from competition among maritime empires.

C) Increasing cross-cultural interactions facilitated the spread of cultural traditions.

D) Cultural exchange emerged from new patterns of regional commerce.

C) Increasing cross-cultural interactions facilitated the spread of cultural traditions.

Correct. The ceremony that Ibn Battuta describes in the passage was a common ceremony performed at the court of Turkic rulers such as the Delhi sultans of India. Since commerce and intercultural interaction in the Indian Ocean region increased in the period 1200-1450 and helped spread Islam across Southeast Asia and since the Indian Ocean trade routes linked India to Southeast Asia, it is most likely that this Turkic tradition also spread to Southeast Asia through the same process.