History Final Study

Minoans

Peaceful culture with advanced architecture, indoor plumbing, and wealth from trade; disappeared mysteriously after Thera eruption, conquered by Mycenaeans.

Mycenaeans

War-like culture with hilltop kingdoms, known for warriors, traders, sailors; fell to Dorian invasion, used Linear B language.

Trojan War

Fought between Trojans and Greeks around 1260-1250 BC; described in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Heinrich Schliemann discovered ancient Troy.

Athenian Democracy

Rule of the people, voting in Athens with show of hands, only male citizens could vote; Pericles created the first democracy in Athens.

Sparta Vs

Sparta known for military training, Athens valued education; Sparta an oligarchy, Athens a democracy.

Greco-Persian War

Greeks vs. Persians, Greeks won; significant battles at Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea.

Greek Golden Age

500-300 BCE, Delian League protected Greeks, Pericles led Athens, Peloponnesian War fought between Athens and Sparta.

Alexander the Great

Macedonian king, conquered at 20, died at 32; influenced by Aristotle, used Phalanx formation in conquests.

Philosophers

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle; philosophy as love of wisdom impacting mathematics, science, history, and political science.

Archaeologists

Sir Arthur Evans found Minoan remains, Heinrich Schliemann found Troy; historians Herodotus and Thucydides recorded Greek history.

Roman Codification of Laws

The first formal codification of Roman laws posted in the middle of the city for all to see, marking a significant turning point for Rome.

Legionaries

Soldiers forming the legions in Rome's army, replacing the large and slow phalanxes in war efforts for expansion and conquest.

Mare Nostrum

Latin for "Our Sea," signifying Rome's control over the Mediterranean Sea.

Punic Wars

A series of three wars fought over disputes, the rise of Hannibal, and the destruction of Carthage, leading to Rome's dominance and territorial expansion.

Decimation

The punishment of killing one in every ten soldiers in a legion for cowardice or disobedience.

Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus

Young men killed for advocating land distribution to the poor, part of the Plebeians/tribunes, marking a significant turning point in the Republic.

Marius

Roman military leader who reformed the army by offering pay and benefits to non-landowners, leading to loyalty and power struggles, contributing to the Republic's decline.

Pax Romana

Latin for "Roman Peace," a period of 200 years marked by peace and economic prosperity in Rome, starting with Augustus Caesar.

Flavian Dynasty

Rulers including Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian, who transitioned Rome from a Princeps to an absolute monarch, stabilizing the empire after Nero's reign.

Colosseum & Gladiator Contests

The iconic amphitheater built by Vespasian and Titus for entertainment, hosting gladiatorial contests, animal fights, and other spectacles for the public.

Augustus Caesar

1st emperor of Rome and grandnephew of Julius Caesar

Diocletian

Emperor who divided Rome into Western and Eastern empire

Constantine

Emperor who made persecuting Christians illegal with the Edict of Milan

5 Good Emperors

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, Marcus Aurelius

Julio-Claudian Emperors

Augustus Caesar, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero

Flavian Dynasty Leaders

Vespasian, Titus, Domitian

1st Triumvirate

Julius Caesar, Crassus, Pompey

2nd Triumvirate

Augustus Caesar, Mark Antony, Lepidus

Marius

Julius Caesar’s uncle who reformed the military and gained power

Sulla

Opponent of Marius who killed his supporters

Pax Romana

“Roman Peace”; 200 years of peace and prosperity in Rome

Justinian

Byzantine Emperor at the height of the Byzantine Empire

Empress Theodora

Wife of Emperor Justinian

Confucious

Chinese philosopher during the Warring States period

Qin Shi Huangdi

First emperor of the Qin Dynasty of China

Liu Bang

Founding emperor of the Han Dynasty

Empress Lu

Han Dynasty empress known for creating a strong administration

Han Wudi

Emperor in China's Han Dynasty known as the “martial” emperor

Wang Mang

Attempted to replace the Han Dynasty in China

Xia Dynasty

First Chinese dynasty known by stories

Shang Dynasty

Second Chinese dynasty with written records

Zhou Dynasty

Third Chinese dynasty that used the “Mandate of Heaven”

Qin Dynasty

Fourth Chinese dynasty known for Legalism

Han Dynasty

Fifth Chinese dynasty considered China’s Golden Age

Hagia Sophia

Giant church built during Emperor Justinian’s reign

Constantinople

Capital of the Byzantine Empire

River of Sorrows

Huang River Valley in China

Dynastic Cycle

Belief that rulers needed the Mandate of Heaven

Silk Road

Trade route connecting China to Western countries

Terracotta Army

Army buried with Qin Shi Huangdi

Great Wall of China

Built by Shi Huangdi for protection

Ideographs

Written characters representing ideas

Oracle Bones

Engraved shells and bones with ideographs

Mandate of Heaven

Belief that rulers were favored by heaven

Bureaucracy

System where officials make decisions

Filial Piety

Duty/devotion of children to parents

Qin Centralization

Unification of government/economic/social aspects

Legalism

Harsh rules and strict policies in China

Nero

54 AD to 68 AD.

Augustus Caesar

31 BC to 14 AD.

Peloponnesian War

431 BC.

Persian Wars

479 BC.

Caligula’s reign

37 AD to 41 AD.

Trojan War

1260-1250 BC.

Tiberius’ reign

14 AD to 37 AD.

Claudius’ reign

41 AD to 54 AD.

Persian Empire began attacking greece

499 BC.

Xia Dynasty

(2070-1600 BC)

Shang Dynasty

(1600-1046 BC)

Zhou Dynasty

(1046-476 BC)

Warring states period

(476-221 BC)

Qin Dynasty

(221-202 BC)

Han Dynasty

(202 BC-220 AD)