Neolithic Revolution, Early River Civilizations, Classical Civilizations, Byzantine Empire, Middle Ages, West/East Africa, Religions, Chinese Dynasties

Flashcards on Neolithic Revolution, Early River Civilizations, Classical Civilizations, Byzantine Empire, Middle Ages, West/East Africa, Religions, Chinese Dynasties

What did man transition from during the Neolithic Revolution?

Hunting and Gathering (nomadic) to settling along rivers and practicing agriculture

What rivers defined Mesopotamia?

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

What rivers defined the Indus Valley Civilization?

Indus and Ganges

What river defined Egypt?

Nile River

What river defined early China?

Yellow River

What skills did man learn during the Neolithic Revolution?

Farming and domesticating animals

How did population change after the Neolithic Revolution?

Small to large, patriarchal social hierarchy

What are the factors that lead to the beginning of civilization?

Food surplus, specialized labor, complex institutions

What was the political structure of Mesopotamia?

City states

Name three Mesopotamian city states.

Summer, Ur, Babylon

What was the Code of Hammurabi based on?

Punishments based on social class and gender

What was the Indus Valley Civilization the first to practice?

Urban planning

Name two achievements of the Indus Valley civilization.

Indoor plumbing, grid cities

What items were used to label products in the Indus Valley?

Harrapan seals (labels)

What type of government was in place in Ancient Egypt?

Theocracy

Name four Classical Civilizations

Han China, Mauryan/Gupta, Greece, Rome

What was Liu Bang’s (Han Dynasty) first goal?

Destroy his rivals' power by creating a centralized government

What philosophy did the Han Dynasty support?

Confucianism

What system of government did Wudi return to?

Returned to a centralized government.

Who founded the Mauryan Empire?

Chandragupta Maurya

What is Ashoka (Mauryan Empire) known for?

Conversion to Buddhism and efforts to spread the religion

What was the purpose of the Pillars of Ashoka?

communicate his Dharma policies and spread Buddhist teachings

What did the Mauryan army use to rule?

Used Military Strength to rule

What type of system did the Mauryan establish for their government?

bureaucratic system for efficient governance.

What type of advancements did the Mauryan period see?

Advancements in architecture, art, and literature

What led to the Fall of the Gupta Empire?

Did not prioritize military expansion or strengthening their army

What group's invasions damaged the Gupta military?

The Huns invasions

Who established an autocratic government in Rome?

Augustus

How did the Roman empire grow?

military conquest

Who ruled the Roman Empire?

Emperors

What was the Roman legal system known for?

codified laws

What was the function of the Roman army?

Conquer and maintain control over vast territories

Name three aspects of Roman culture that influenced Western civilization.

Language, architecture, and literature

Name three examples of Roman engineering.

roads, aqueducts, and public baths

What did Diocletian do to the Roman Empire?

Split the empire into two

Who was the first Caesar to accept Christianity?

Constantine

Name four factors that contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire.

political instability, economic problems, military overspending, and invasions by Germanic tribes

Name three aspects of Rome's legacy

language, legal system, architecture

What emerged in Athens, Greece?

democratic institutions

Name two Greek tragedy playwrights.

Sophocles and Euripides

What impact did cultural and intellectual achievements of Classical Greece have?

lasting impact on Western civilization

What is Emperor Justinian known for?

Legal reforms, military conquests, and patronage of the arts

What legal work is Justinian responsible for?

Codified Roman law into the Corpus Juris Civilis

Other than codifying laws, what else was Justinian able to do to the empire?

Reclaimed lost territory

What did Justinian's armies accomplish?

restore some of the territory previously held by the Western Roman Empire.

What type of city was Constantinople?

strategic and prosperous city.

What type of system was feudalism?

social, economic, and political organization

What events mark the beginning and end of this time period?

Fall of the Western Roman Empire and transition into the Renaissance

What role did the Catholic Church play in the Middle Ages?

played a central role in medieval society

What was the primary cause of the Crusades?

Regain control of the Holy Land from Muslim rule

Name two motivations for the Crusades

Religious zeal and the Byzantine Empire's plea for help

What was one result of the Crusades?

Greater trade and cultural exchange

What was the political impact of the Crusades?

Contributed to the decline of feudalism and the rise of national monarchies

What pandemic significantly impacted European populations in the 14th century?

Black Death

What type of society were Ghana, Mali, and Songhai originally?

Original stateless societies

With the introduction of Islam, what occurred in Ghana, Mali, and Songhai?

Political rulers use religion to solidify their rule

What made Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire significant?

Controlled vast gold reserves and other valuable resources

What impact did Mansa Musa's pilgrimage have on the value of gold?

Caused the value of gold to plummet

Mansa Musa sought to replicate what type of cultural and intellectual centers in his own empire?

Islamic

Name two cities where Musa commissioned the construction of mosques and universities.

Timbuktu and Gao

Who introduced Islam to the Swahili coast?

Arab traders and settlers

What is the primary form of Islam practiced on the Swahili coast?

Sunni

What is Syncretism?

Islam was blended with pre-existing African traditions and beliefs

In Buddhism, what is complete peace and happiness known as?

Nirvana

Who was the founder of Buddhism?

Buddha

What is the first of the Four Noble Truths?

All life is suffering

According to Buddhism, how does one eliminate suffering?

eliminate desire

What is nirvana?

Union with the universe and release from the cycle of death and rebirth.

According to Confucianism, what should social order be based on?

Social order, harmony, and good government should be based on strong family relationships.

Who founded Confucianism?

Confucius

According to Confucianism, what is important to a well-ordered society?

Filial Piety

What is required to ensure social order?

Individual must find and accept his or her proper place in society

According to the Torah, what covenant did God make?

God made a covenant to be the god of the Hebrews

Name the main gods in Hinduism

Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva

What is reincarnation?

the rebirth of the soul in a new body

In Hinduism, what releases you from earthly desires?

Moksha

Who was the son of God and the Messiah in Christianity?

Jesus Christ

What was Jesus' mission?

Bring salvation and eternal life

What is the sacred text of Christianity?

The bible

Who is the God of Islam?

Allah

Who founded Islam?

Muhammad

What is the holy book of Islam?

The Qur’an

List the Five Pillars of Islam

Faith, almsgiving, fasting , pilgrimage to Mecca, and prayer

Under whose leadership was the Grand Canal in China constructed?

Emperor Yang of Sui

Why was the Grand Canal constructed?

facilitate trade and transport

What type of developments during Song times increased yields?

Rice cultivation

Where was rice grown primarily during the Song Dynasty?

South of the Yangzi River

What does rice cultivation require?

level the paddy fields, clear irrigation ditches, plant and especially transplant the seedlings

Who was the only woman to rule China in her own name and was a patron of Buddhism?

Empress Wu Zetian

Name two factors that contributed to Wuzong's suppression of Buddhism

Economic concerns and political control

What type of printing did the Tang and Song Dynasties develop?

Woodblock printing

What is the Song Dynasty credited with developing?

Gunpowder

What type of money did the Song Dynasty introduce?

paper money

What navigational tool was invented during the Song Dynasty?

The compass