WHAP Unit 0 study guide

When did the universe begin?

Approximately 4.7 billion years ago.

How long after the Earth formed did life emerge?

About 600 million years.

What was the Permian Mass Extinction?

A mass extinction event around 250 million years ago that eliminated approximately 96% of living species.

What factors contributed to the Permian Mass Extinction?

Massive volcanic eruptions, large quantities of CO2 and CH4 in the atmosphere, and global warming.

What significant event occurred near the Yucatan Peninsula during the Permian Mass Extinction?

A huge asteroid, almost 6 miles in diameter, landed there.

What characterizes the Paleolithic age?

Hunting and gathering, which accounted for more than 95% of human existence.

What major change occurred around 12,000 years ago?

The Agricultural Revolution, marked by the domestication of plants and animals.

What was the impact of the Industrial Revolution around 1750?

An increase in the rate of technological change and productivity.

When did Homo sapiens first appear?

Around 250,000-200,000 years ago in Africa.

What cultural behaviors did early Homo sapiens develop?

Hunting, fishing, creating art, and using ochre.

What significant migration occurred between 100,000-60,000 years ago?

Homo sapiens began to migrate out of Africa and spread across the world.

What was the population of humans around 30,000 years ago?

Approximately 500,000.

What role did women play in early egalitarian societies?

Women were primary gatherers, contributing 70% of the diet.

What changes occurred in cultures around 25,000 years ago?

The use of smaller tools and more refined spear points in the Afro-Eurasian world.

What was the significance of the Agricultural Revolution?

It allowed for larger populations, complex societies, and the growth of cities.

Where did the first full Agricultural Revolution occur?

In the Fertile Crescent, an area in Southwest Asia.

What factors influenced the spread of agriculture?

Climate, geography, and culture.

What was the impact of the Agricultural Revolution on hunting and gathering societies?

It led to their decline and loss of biodiversity.

What agricultural products were cultivated in highlands of Ethiopia?

Teff and enset.

When was maize first domesticated?

In southern Mexico by 4000 to 3000 B.C.E.

What was the 'secondary products revolution' around 4000 B.C.E.?

Technological innovations involving new uses for domesticated animals, such as milking and wool harvesting.

What was the population of humans by the beginning of the common era?

Approximately 250 million.

What health issues arose from farming communities?

Deterioration in health and increased disease.

What materials did Paleolithic peoples use?

Stones, bones, fossilized seeds, rock paintings, and engravings.

What characterized the societies of early agricultural communities?

The development of irrigation systems and new forms of social organization.

What region is known as the cradle of civilization where chiefdoms emerged around 6000 B.C.E.?

The Tigris-Euphrates river valley, known as Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq).

When did the evolutionary line of Homo Sapiens begin?

Around 5-6 million years ago.

What significant development did Homo Habilis achieve approximately 2.3 million years ago?

They began to make and use simple stone tools.

What major migration event occurred with Homo Erectus about 1 million years ago?

They began to migrate out of Africa.

When did Homo Sapiens emerge and when did they migrate out of Africa?

Homo Sapiens emerged approximately 250,000 years ago and migrated out of Africa about 45,000 years ago.

What is the significance of the Neolithic Era?

It marks the period before 1200 B.C.E. when early agricultural practices began.

What are the core principles of Confucianism?

Class equality, patriarchy, feudalism, superstition, and the importance of honor.

What is the primary focus of Daoism?

Looking to nature for guidance.

What was the economic foundation for early civilizations?

Irrigated agriculture.

Which civilization is known for its unified territorial state and pharaohs?

Egyptian civilization.

What was the first known written language and where did it originate?

Sumerian civilization likely gave rise to the world's earliest written language.

What civilization developed along the central coast of Peru from 3000 B.C.E. to 1800 B.C.E.?

Norte Chico, with the largest urban center being Caral.

What civilization is known for its chiefdoms, temples, and pyramids around 1200 B.C.E.?

The Olmec civilization.

What was the largest city in ancient Mesopotamia, and what was notable about it?

Uruk, known for its walls over twenty feet tall and a population of around 50,000.

What was the significance of the Code of Hammurabi in ancient Mesopotamia?

It prescribed punishments based on social status.

What was the role of scribes in ancient Mesopotamia?

Scribes recorded goods and administrative functions, supported by productive agriculture.

What was the social hierarchy in ancient India based on?

Birth and religious status, with the priestly caste at the top and enslaved people at the bottom.

What is the main difference between Buddhism and Hinduism regarding social structure?

Buddhism does not have a caste system like Hinduism.

What was the significance of the Upanishads in Indian civilization?

They are a collection of sacred texts from 800 to 400 B.C.E.

What was the impact of the Phoenicians on written language?

They developed the first known alphabet, influencing the Greeks.

What was a major characteristic of the Roman Empire's decline?

The empire fell in 476 C.E. due to its size, while the Eastern half remained for many more years.

What was the significance of the Qin Dynasty in Chinese history?

It established legalism and the Mandate of Heaven after the Warring States period.

What was the role of the Han Dynasty in relation to the Roman Empire?

It lasted approximately 400 years, contemporaneous with the Roman Empire.

What were the major achievements of the Moche civilization?

It flourished from 100-800 C.E. and was controlled by a class of warrior priests.

What was the significance of the Axum civilization?

It existed from 100-700 C.E. in Ethiopia and Eritrea, contributing to early trade and culture.

What was the status of women in Mesopotamia during the second millennium b.c.e.?

Women had less rights and were subject to patriarchal authority, although laws offered some paternalistic protection.

How were women treated legally in ancient Egypt compared to Mesopotamia?

Women in Egypt were recognized as legal equals to men, able to own property, make wills, and initiate divorce, unlike in Mesopotamia where they faced more restrictions.

What significant legal code did Hammurabi create, and what was its purpose?

Hammurabi's law code aimed to enforce righteousness, protect the weak, and eliminate wickedness, claiming divine inspiration from the god Marduk.

What was the Mandate of Heaven in ancient China?

The Mandate of Heaven was a principle that justified the emperor's rule, stating that poor behavior could lead to the loss of this mandate and the emperor's overthrow.

What actions did Qin Shihuangdi take against scholars?

Qin Shihuangdi allegedly buried alive 460 scholars and burned their books to suppress dissent and unify China.

What caused the urbanization of Mesopotamia's city-states?

Frequent warfare among Sumerian city-states forced rural populations to flee to walled cities for protection.

Which peoples conquered Sumer's city-states after 2350 b.c.e.?

The Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians conquered Sumer's city-states, creating larger territorial states.

What was the impact of changes in weather around 2200 b.c.e. on Egypt?

The failure of the Nile to flood properly discredited the pharaoh's authority, leading to the dissolution of central rule into local principalities.

What regions did Egyptian trade extend to?

Egyptian trade extended to the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Nubia, and Punt along the East African coast.

How did Mesopotamian culture influence the Hebrews?

Hebrew sacred writings reflected Mesopotamian influence, particularly in legal principles like 'eye for an eye' and flood narratives.

What cultural adaptations did the Phoenicians make from Mesopotamian civilization?

The Phoenicians adapted the Sumerian cuneiform writing system into a simpler alphabetic system that influenced Greek and Latin writing.

How did Nubia interact with Egyptian culture?

Nubia traded with Egypt, experienced military intervention, and adopted Egyptian cultural practices while maintaining its distinct identity.

What was the significance of the Nubian kingdom of Kush in relation to Egypt?

The Nubian kingdom of Kush invaded Egypt in 760 b.c.e. and ruled it for about 100 years, asserting its political independence.

What influence did Egypt have on Minoan civilization?

Egyptian influence is evident in Minoan art, which emerged on the island of Crete around 2500 b.c.e.

What was the controversy surrounding Martin Bernal's book 'Black Athena'?

Bernal's book claimed that ancient Greek culture was heavily influenced by Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations, sparking debate about the originality of Greek culture.

How did Indo-European pastoral peoples impact ancient civilizations?

Indo-European pastoral peoples domesticated horses and developed chariot technology, which they used to threaten ancient civilizations like Egypt and Mesopotamia.

What was the world's first written peace treaty?

The first written peace treaty was established between the Hittites and Egypt following conflict over control of Syria.

What technological innovations spread from the Hittites to other civilizations?

Chariot technology and knowledge of bronze metallurgy spread from the Hittites to both Egyptians and Mesopotamians, enhancing their military capabilities.

What challenges did Egypt face after 1650 b.c.e.?

Egypt faced migrations of foreigners and conflicts with neighboring peoples, disrupting the long-standing sense of security in the Nile Valley.

What stimulated the Egyptians to adopt new technologies?

The need to compete and innovate in response to external influences.

What types of innovations did the Egyptians adopt from Asia?

Horse-drawn chariots, new armor, bows, daggers, swords, improved spinning and weaving methods, new musical instruments, and olive and pomegranate trees.

By what year did Egypt become an imperial state?

By 1500 B.C.E.

What regions did the Egyptian empire bridge?

Africa and Asia.

What is the definition of 'civilization' according to historians?

A new type of human society made possible by the Agricultural Revolution, characterized by larger populations and organized states.

What are some cultural products of civilization?

Pyramids, temples, palaces, sculptures, written literature, complex calendars, and social hierarchies.

How many major locations did civilizations emerge independently after 3500 B.C.E.?

Seven major locations.

What was the 'cradle' of Middle Eastern civilization?

The competing city-states of Sumer in southern Mesopotamia.

What civilization developed along the central coast of Peru?

Norte Chico.

What distinguishes the Indus Valley civilization from others?

It generated no palaces, temples, elaborate graves, kings, or warrior classes.

What was the Xia dynasty, and when did it date to?

The Xia dynasty was an early Chinese civilization dating to perhaps 2200 B.C.E.

What characterized the continuity of Chinese civilization?

An impressive continuity of identity from its earliest expression into modern times.

What is a key factor in the origins of civilization?

The Agricultural Revolution, which allowed for surplus production to support large populations.

What role did geography play in the development of civilizations?

Civilizations often formed in biologically rich environments like wetlands, estuaries, and river basins.

What factors contributed to the rise of civilizations beyond agriculture?

Warfare, trade, and the need for organized irrigation projects.

What distinguishes the First Civilizations from earlier human societies?

They represented a very different kind of human society with organized states and social hierarchies.

What was the economic basis of the Central Asian or Oxus civilization?

Irrigation agriculture and stock raising.

What happened to the Oxus civilization by 1700 B.C.E.?

It faded away as a civilization.

What is one of the main questions historians ask about civilizations?

How did it get started?

What is a common misconception about the emergence of complex irrigation systems?

Complex water control systems appeared long after states and civilizations were already established.

What is the significance of elite leaders in the context of civilization?

They emerged from successful warfare, gaining land, a class of subordinated workers, and the power of a state.

What time period does the chapter cover?

500 BCE to 500 CE

What empire is associated with the Achaemenid Dynasty?

Persian Empire

Who were the notable monarchs of the Achaemenid Dynasty?

Cyrus (557-530 BCE) and Darius (522-486 BCE)

What was the administrative system used by the Persian Empire?

Satraps, where lower levels report to main authorities

What significant action did Cyrus take regarding the Jews?

Allowed the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and build temples in 539 BCE

What was a major contribution of the Persian Empire to commerce?

Standard coins, taxes, and canals from the Nile to the Red Sea

What was the political structure of ancient Greece?

Small city-states (polis system) with popular participation in politics

What significant event in Greek history began in 776 BCE?

The Olympic Games

What was the outcome of the Greco-Persian Wars?

Greeks won against the Persians, leading to Athens's Golden Age

Who was the first emperor of Rome?

Octavian/Augustus (27 BCE - 14 CE)