honors world history exam flashcards

What geographical feature best describes Japan's formation?

archipelago

Which of the following is NOT one of Japan's four major islands? Hokkaido, Honshu, Okinawa, and Kyushu

Okinawa

According to Japanese mythology, who created the Japanese islands?

Shinto deities

When did the first Japanese society, known as Jomon, emerge?

12,000 years ago

What significantly influenced early Japanese culture?

Chinese civilization

Which clan established the first imperial dynasty in Japanese history?

Yamato

What was the basis of early Japanese social organization?

clan system (uji)

Which religious figure became connected to the imperial line of Japan?

Amaterasu

Who created Japan's first centralized government and constitution?

Prince Shotoku

What term describes a powerless emperor controlled by the shogun?

puppet emperor

What was the warrior class that emerged during the Heian period?

samurai

What system dominated Japan for approximately 800 years?

feudalism

What code did the samurai follow?

Bushido

What was a masterless samurai called?

Ronin

What group developed stealth tactics to protect their land?

Ninja

What was the primary sign that the Aztecs used to determine where to establish their settlement?

An eagle perched on a cactus

Which agricultural innovation did the Aztecs develop to support their growing population?

Chinamaps

How did Montezuma I contribute to the Aztec Empire's growth?

he expanded territorial control and military power

What role did tribute play in the Aztec Empire?

it was a system of collecting goods and services from conquered peoples

What made Tenochtitlan unique among ancient cities?

Its location on an island in Lake Texcoco

What strategic decision did Cortés make to prevent his men from leaving?

He sank his ships

Which advantage did NOT help the Spanish in their conquest? Guns, knowledge of the local terrain, horses, or steel weapons and armor

knowledge of the local terrain

What primarily weakened Tenochtitlan before its fall to the Spanish?

smallpox

According to Migration Theory A, how did the first Americans arrive?

across Beringia

What does Migration Theory C suggest about early Americans?

they were connected to Asian Pacific populations

How many calendars did the Maya use?

Two

What were the purposes of Mayan calendars?

one was 260-days long, and used for ceremonial and agricultural purposes, while the 365-day calendar was used for civil purposes and to track the solar year.

Slash and burn

What agricultural method did the Maya use to maintain soil fertility?

According to Inca religious beliefs, which deity was considered the most important?

Inti (sun god)

What innovative communication system did the Inca use to maintain control over their vast empire?

a system of runners at spaced intervals

Why was trade limited within the Inca Empire?

The Sapa Inca owned all the property

What evidence suggests the Olmec had a theocratic form of government?

monumental stone heads & religious sculptures

What was the primary reason the Olmec weren't recognized as the oldest Mesoamerican civilization until the 20th century?

Their artifacts were attributed to later civilizations

Which physical feature creates two distinct regions in Africa by separating North Africa from Sub-Saharan Africa?

the Sahara dessert

What was the first culture to domesticate rice in Africa?

Djenne Djeno

What belief system was common among early African societies?

animism

Which of the following best describes the Sahara Desert's impact on Africa?

it divides Africa into North and sub Saharan regions

The Congo River is significant because…

it has the highest biodiversity in Africa

their control of trade routes

What was a key factor in Mali Empire's economic success?

Which ancient African kingdom was located in modern-day Ethiopia?

Aksum

What role did griots play in early African societies?

oral historians

Lake Victoria is significant because…

it is the source of the Nile river

What distinguished the Kalahari Desert from the Sahara Desert?

The Kalahari received more rainfall

Which empire's decline was influenced by the introduction of firearms?

Songhai empire

What was unique about Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca?

he distributed so much gold it caused inflation

What factor contributed to the decline of Great Zimbabwe?

decreased soil fertility

What does Migration Theory B state?

the first inhabitants used boats to travel down the coast

What does Migration Theory D state?

dual evolution

What was Olmec religion like?

polytheistic

Who was the creator deity of the Mayans?

quetzalcoatl

What was Mayan social structure like?

patrilineal

What was the name of the most influential emperor of the Aztecs?

Montezuma I

What were capullis in the Aztec empire?

groups of families

What was the name of the cave where the Incans originated?

Tampu T’oqo

Who was the creator god in Incan soceity?

Viracocha

What was the Sapa Inca?

the Incans’ political and religious leader

What system of economy did the Incans have?

Inca socialism

What are clans?

groups of people with common ancestors

Where was the Kingdom of Ghana located?

modern-day southeastern Mauritania and western Mali

Who was the most famous king of Mali?

Mansa Musa

Who were the two greatest Songhai rulers?

Sonni Ali and Mohammed Askia

How much of Africa does the Sahara cover?

one third

Where is the Savana located?

central Africa

Where is the Congo River located?

west central Africa

What is the longest river in the world?

Nile River

what was the first dynasty in Japan?

Yamato

where was the capital of the Yamato dynasty?

Nara

what was the capital during the Heian dynasty?

Kyoto

which family led the Heian dynasty?

Fujiwara

in which dynasty did feudal Japan rise?

Heian dynasty

which class held the power in Feudal Japan

landowing class

how long did Feudal Japan rule

800 years

who actually had the power in Feudal Japan

shogun

which family did the first shogun come from

Kamakura

who were the nobles of the Feudal Japan

daimyos

seppuku

ritualistic sucide

what is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people?

Shintoism

what is a main crop in Japan

rice

what are some scientific and mathematic contributions from Islam?

numerical systems, algebra, and chemistry

what are some cultural contributions from Islam?

literature, art, advancements in navigation

what are some architectural marvels from Islam?

mosques and palaces

Prince Henry the Navigator

established navigation schools to train explorers in the art of seamanship, rudimentary cartography, and celestial navigation

Vasco da Gama

became the first European to reach India by sailing around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope

Christopher Columbus

set sail in 1492, discovering the Caribbean islands, although he mistakenly believed he had reached India

Amerigo Vespucci

recognized that Columbus had discovered a new continent, later named America in his honor

Ferdinand Magellan

became the first to circumnavigate the globe

Juan Ponce de Leon

searched for the mythical Fountain of Youth and discovered Florida

Hernando de Soto

discovered the Mississippi River

John Cabot

claimed what is now the northeastern United States for England

Henry Hudson

explored present-day Canada and discovered the Hudson Bay

Sieur de La Salle

navigated the Mississippi River and claimed surrounding territories for France

Hernán de Cortés

conquered the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico

Francisco Pizarro

defeated the Incan Empire in modern-day Peru

Ecomienda System

system implemented by the Spanish to regulate Native American and labor and autonomy

Thomas Hobbes

wrote the Leviathan and came up with the social contract

John Locke

came up with the natural rights and that people can overthrow the government

Montesquieu

wrote The Spirit of Laws and came up with the separation of powers model

Voltaire

championed freedom of speech and inspired US and French governments

Jean Jacques Rousseau

wrote about the social contract and popular sovereignty

Cesare Beccaria

came up with criminal justice reforms