History Flashcards from notebook LM

What evolutionary advantage did bipedalism provide to early hominins?

Walking upright freed the hands for tool use

What were the four key factors that contributed to Homo sapiens becoming the "last hominin standing?"

superior communication, symbolic culture, enhanced cooperation, and advanced social networks

What was the general timeline of human migration out of Africa starting around 100,000- 65,000 years ago

the migration followed a path from Africa to Asia then Europe, Australia and finally the Americas

The Neolithic Revolution (c. 10,000 years ago) is defined as the transition from _____ societies to sedentary agricultural communities

nomadic hunter- gather

Besides the Fertile Crescent name two other key regions of early agricultural development

China (rice/millet) Mesoamerica (corn/beans), New Guinea (banana/taro)

What were two positive consequences of the Neolithic Revolution

food surpluses, population growth, permanent settlements, specialized labor, or expanded trade networks

What were two negative consequences or challenges that arose from the Neolithic Revolution

increased social stratification, susceptibility to disease, harder physical labor, or dependence on specific crops

What was the essential prerequisite for urbanization that allowed for the support of non- farming populations

an agricultural surplus

name 3 of the 6 listed characteristic's of early cities

concentrated populations, centralized authority, social classes, organized religion, writing systems and monumental architecture

The Akkadian Empire is historically significant for being the first ____

multi-ethnic empire

What was the key innovation of Mesopotamian civilization that enabled complex governance and legal frameworks

cuneiform writing, a wedge- shaped script

What geographic feature was central to the development of Egyptian civilization, providing fertile land and transportation

The Nile River and its annual floods

The sophisticated urban planning of the Indus Valley Civilization is exemplified by which major city

Mohenjo- Daro

What artifacts from the Shang Dynasty provide evidence of an early Chinese writing system and were used for divination

oracle bones

Who was Fu Hao in Shang Dynasty China

a women who held significant power as both a military leader and a priestess

What sacred texts containing hymns and rituals were central to the Vedic Period in India

The Vedas w the Rig Veda being the most important

The Varna system of the Vedic period initially divided society into what 4 classes

Brahmins (priests)

Kshatriyas (warriors)

Vaishyas (merchants/ farmers)

Shudras (laborers)

What revolutionary concept from the Zhou Dynasty justified political rule based on virtue and divine approval

The Mandate of Heaven

The fragmentation and chaos of the later Zhou Dynasty led to a period known as the ___

Warring States Period (771-256 BCE)

Which Chinese philosophy emphasizes moral virtue, education, and hierarchical social relationships to achieve social harmony

Confucianism

Which Chinese philosophy advocates for harmony w nature and "wu wei" (non action) rejecting rigid social order

Daoism

Which Chinese philosophy used by the Qin Dynasty, argued for strict laws and harsh punishments to maintain political stability

Legalism

In Hinduism what is the term for the universal spirit or ultimate reality

Brahman

In Hinduism what is the term for the liberation from the cycle of rebirth

Moksha

What are the 4 Noble Truths in Buddhism

Life involves suffering, suffering is caused by desire, suffering can end, and the way to end it is to follow the Eightfold Path

What is the core principle of Jainism, involving radical nonviolence toward all living beings

Ahimsa

What was the key difference in focus btwn the religions of India and the philosophies of China during the classical era

Indian religions focused on spiritual liberation while Chinese philosophies focused on social and political order

Who was the founder of the Persian Achaemenid Empire known as a liberator who allowed conquered peoples to keep their customs

Cyrus the Great

What ancient Persian artifact is considered one of the earliest declarations of human rights

The Cyrus Cylinder

How did Darius I administer the vast Persian Empire

He used a Satrapy System dividing the empire into 20 provinces ruled by governors called satraps

What was the purpose of the 'King's Eyes and Ears' in the Persian Empire

They were royal inspectors who traveled the empire to prevent corruption among the satraps

Name two major innovations implemented by Darius I in the Persian Empire

A standardized currency (daric and siglos), a fixed taxation system, or the Royal Road

What is the central concept of Zoroastrianism

A cosmic battle btwn good (Ahura Mazda) and evil, where humans have free will to choose a side

What was the moral code of Zoroastrianism

Good thoughts, good words, good deeds

How did the geography of ancient Greece influence its political development

The mountains and islands led to the formation of independent city- states (poleis) rather than a unified empire

In the Greek polis system who was typically considered a citizen w political rights

only free- born adult males

Contrast the political systems of ancient Sparta and Athens

Sparta was a militarized oligarchy while Athens evolved into a democracy

What was the initial cause of the Persian Wars

The Ionian Revolt where Greek cities in Asia Minor rebelled against Persian rule w Athenian support

Which battle in the Persian Wars proved that the Persians were not invincible

The Battle of Marathon (490 BCE)

What was the strategic importance of the Battle of Salamis (480 BCE)

The Greek naval victory destroyed the Persian fleet forcing Xerxes to retreat and turning the tide of the war

What was a major consequence of the Greek victory in the Persian Wars

it created temporary unity, fostered a Panhellenic identity, validated Greek political systems, and led to the Classical cultural flowering

What alliance initially formed for defense against Persia was later transformed into the Athenian empire

The Delian League

How did Pericles increase democratic participation for poor citizens in Athens

He instituted pay for public service allowing those without wealth to participate in government

What was the function of the Ecclesia (Assembly) in Athenian democracy

It was the main governing body where all male citizens could meet to vote on laws and policy

What was ostracism in ancient Athens

an annual vote where citizens could choose to exile a politician deemed too powerful or dangerous for 10 years

What was the fundamental contradiction of Athenian democracy during its Golden Age

It was a democracy built on the foundation of slave labor that excluded women foreigners (metics), and slaves from participation

Who was Ashoka the Great of the Mauryan Empire

an emperor who converted to Buddhism after the bloody Kalinga War and promoted peace, tolerance, and non- violence

What geographic challenges forced the Phoenicians to become a maritime and trade- focused civilization

they inhabited a narrow costal strip w limited agricultural land but had natural harbors and cedar forests

What was the Phoenicians' most significant innovation that influenced later civilizations like Greece and Rome

the creation of the phonetic alphabet

The powerful city of Carthage destroyed by Rome in 146 BCE was originally a colony founded by the ___

Phoenicians

Which Chinese dynasty lasting only 15 yrs was 1st to unify China under the Legalist Philosophy of Qin Shi Huangdi

The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE)

What was a key difference in governing philosophy between the Qin and Han dynasties

The Qin used strict Legalism, while the Han combined a centralized bureaucracy w more moderate Confucian values

What system did the Han Dynasty use to select government officials based on merit

Civil service exams based on Confucian texts

Who was Sima Qian?

A Han court historian who wrote ' Records of the Grand Historian' documenting China's past

The cultural fusion of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian cultures created by Alexander the Great's conquests is known as the ___

Hellenistic Age

After Alexander the Great's death his empire was divided among his generals known as the ___

Diadochi

What was a major cause of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE)

Spartan fear of Athenian imperialism and expansion through the Delian League

What was the ultimate consequence of the Peloponnesian War for the Greek city- states

all city- states were weakened and exhausted, leaving them vulnerable to the Macedonian conquest

The Roman Republic was established in 509 BCE w what primary goal in mind

to prevent one man rule by having shared power, checks and balances, and elected officials like consuls

The period of relative peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire from 27 BCE - 180 CE is known as the ___

Pax Romana

Who was the 1st Roman emperor who brought stability after decades of civil war

Augustus (reigned form 27 BCE- 14 CE)

What was the Third Century Crisis in the Roman Empire

a period (235-284 CE) of intense political instability, economic collapse, invasions, and plague that nearly destroyed the empire

What was Diocletian's solution to governing the vast Roman Empire, which involved dividing it into 4 administrative regions

The Tetrarchy

What was the significance of the Edict of Milan issued by Constantine in 313 CE

it legalized Christianity within the Roman Empire ending widespread persecution

In what year was the Roman Empire permanently divided in Eastern and Western halves

395 CE

The fall of the Western Roman Empire is traditionally dated to 476 CE but the Eastern Roman Empire also known as the ____ continued for another thousand years

Byzantine Empire

What is the Hijra of 622 CE

the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers form Mecca to Medina marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar

Name 2 factors that enabled the rapid expansion of Islam btwn 632 and 750 CE

weakened Byzantine? Sassanian empires, military expansion, appealing message of equality, use of existing trade networks

How did Buddhism reject the social and religious order of the Vedic period

it rejected the caste system and the authority of Brahmin priests teaching that anyone could achieve enlightenment

What is the central goal in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, respectively

Moksha (union w Brahman), Nirvana (enlightenment) and spiritual liberation through nonviolence

While Hinduism accepts the caste system Buddhism and Jainism both _____ it

reject

What key belief is shared by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism

they all believe in karma and a cycle of rebirth/ reincarnation

Which Indian religion takes the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) to the most extreme level

Jainism

Buddhism is known for promoting the 'Middle Way' which means avoiding what

extremes of self- indulgence and extreme asceticism

What is the key difference btwn how Hinduism and the other 2 major Indian religions view the Vedic tradition

Hinduism is a direct continuation and evolution of Vedic traditions, while Buddhism a d Jainism emerged as reforms movements against them

The Neolithic Revolution begins

c 10,000 years ago

Date 1046-256 BCE

Zhou Dynasty in China

The Persian Wars btwn Greece and Persia

499-449 BCE

Date: 431-404 BCE

The Peloponnesian War btwn Athens and Sparta

The Qin Dynasty unifies China

221-206 BCE

27 BCE

Augustus establishes the Roman Empire

The fall of the Western Roman Empire

476 CE

The ___ connected East Asia to the Mediterranean facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies

Silk Road

The transition form egalitarian hunter- gather societies to complex class systems as made possible by the development of ____

agricultural surplus