HISTORY FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2024

Early Greeks/Geography:

• Minoans

Language: Linear A: could not be translated

Culture: peaceful; had advanced culture; built grand palaces and gained a lot of wealth from trade. Had indoor plumbing. Known for architecture and art.

Fall of the Minoans: mysterious disappearance after 1628 BC reduced to ruins after Thera; a volcano erupted. Lingered and then conquered by Myceaneans.

• Mycenaeans

Language: Linear B, “first form of Greek”-could be translated

Culture: war-like; had kingdoms built on hilltops, warriors/ traders/ sailors

The fortress at Mycenae - why was it there? Kingdoms were built on hilltops and it provided protection

Fall of the Mycenaeans - what group of people took over? Dorian invasion (mask of agamemnon)

• Geography of Greece/Landscape: Mountains, Seas and Seaports, Poor farmland, and cities developed independently.

• Role of the sea in Greek society: People could trade more efficiently through the sea.

• Contributions of the Greeks to modern civilization: Searched for answers to life's big questions, architecture/design of columns.

Trojan War:

• Who was involved? (Who was fighting?) Trojans and Greeks

• Why did it happen? (According to Homer vs. reality) Because of the conflicts between characters in the Iliad and Odyssey. Reality-Control of trade routes between the Aegean and the Black Sea.

• Around what year did it take place? 1260-1250 BC

• What work(s) of literature contains these stories? Who wrote them? The Iliad and The Odyssey, written by Homer.

• Heinrich Schliemann/Archaeology - what were his contributions to understanding the Trojan War: He discovered the remains of ancient Troy.

Government in Athens:

• Democracy: Rule of the people

• Oligarchy: rule of the privileged few

• Tyrant: rule by force (bad now, not then)

• Athenian Voting: Democracy

  • How did the Athenians vote and where? Voted with a show of hands, broken shards of pottery, and pebbles. They voted in Athens.

  • Who was allowed to vote? Male citizens only

  • Direct Democracy (Athens) vs. Representative Democracy (U.S.) - why can’t we vote the way Athenians did? Representative: the people decide on policies without any intermediary or representative, whereas in a representative democracy, people vote for representatives who then enact policy initiatives.

• Pericles: Created the first Democracy in Athens.

• Why were the Athenians willing to fight armies that outnumbered them significantly? Better armor and preparation than other armies/ better tactics (phalanx)

Sparta Vs. Athens:

• What were Sparta and Athens known for in the following categories? How did they differ from each other- know which is which and be ready to answer Sparta, Athens, or both: There will for sure be a section on this.

1. Education: Athens had a higher value of education than Sparta did, Sparta still had educated people but in different ways (arts etc.)

2. Military: Sparta was known fully for their military and training of men for war, Athens had a good military but not as intense. Sparta were trained from age 7-20 and served in the military from age 20-60. Athens only had to serve 2 years from age 18-20.

3. Ethics & Morals: Both had good ethics and morals, but Sparta was less moral than Athens because of their treatment of young men.

4. Women’s role in society: Women had low roles in Athenian society but in Sparta were allowed to be educated to train their sons for war.

5. Government: Athens was a democracy and Sparta was an oligarchy, where a council of older men made all decisions.

Greco-Persian War:

• Which two empires/countries fought in this war? Who ended up winning? Athens and Persia; The Greeks won

• Around what year did the powerful Persian Empire begin attacking Greece? 499 BC

• What major battle began the Persian Wars? Ionian Revolt

• If the Athenians had lost the battle of Marathon what might have happened? Persia would have been proven as the most powerful army.

• How would Western Civilization/culture look different today had Persia won? They would have been seen as unbeatable, and war would look different. Government would change since Athens started democracy.

• Leader of the Persians at Marathon: King Darius

• Thermopylae- importance of Spartans, significance of the battle

  • Leader of the Greeks (Spartans): Leader of the Persians: Greeks: Leonidas, Persians: Xerxes I

  • Who won? Persia

  • Why was this significant? Allowed for Xerse's passage into southern Greece, expanding the Persian empire, battle of persistence against impossible odds.

• Salamis: what was significant about this battle? Athens won against an “undefeatable” army, they were also outnumbered.

  • Why did Athens have an advantage over the Persians on the water? They had tricked the Persians into leading their big and slow ships into the narrow strait of Salamis, and they knew the water better than the Persians.

  • Triremes and their significance: Allowed the Greeks an advantage on the water and mobility against the Persian fleet.

• Plataea, significance of this battle: Largest and final major battle of the Persian Wars, the Greeks won even though they were outnumbered.

• Historian who wrote about this war- how did he get his information? Herodotus listened to Greek myths and legends and took note of them.

• Significance of this War? Greeks won because of their better weapons and fighting formations (Phalanx formation)

Greek Golden Age:

• Timeframe for Golden Age - both big picture (200 years) and smaller scale (about 75 years) 500-300 BCE, the time between the Persians wars (479 BC) and Peloponnesian War (431 BC)

• Delian League: Alliance between Athens and other islands of the Aegean Sea.

  • Why was this an important alliance for the Greeks? Protected them in case of an invasion from the Persians

  • What were the main purposes of this alliance? Trade, keeping Persians in check

• Who was the great leader of Athens during the heart of their Golden Age? Pericles.

• What great building was he responsible for constructing? Parthenon

Peloponnesian War:

• Why was the war fought? Or How did it start? Athenian control of the Delian league

• Peloponnesian League: a military coalition of city-states led by Sparta vs. Delian League: coalition of Greek city-states led by Athens

• Between what two city-states was it fought? Athens and Sparta

• When was it fought? 431 BC

• What was the strategy of the Athenians during the war? Avoid open battles and rely on a superior fleet

• What were some of the factors that led to the eventual downfall of Athens? Democracy, leadership, and arrogance

• Romulus and Remus: they were ordered to be killed but were saved by putting them in the river. They washed up as babies and were raised by wolves. Then they founded a city on the banks of the Tiber River. However, they couldn’t decide who the land should be named after. Romulus killed Remus so that he could rule Rome and have it named after him. (why Rome has its name)

• Year of Rome’s founding- 753 BCE

• Tiber River- allowed for trade and communication for Rome, Rome built upon.

• Significance of 509 BCE-What started this year?- The Roman Republic was born.

• Defining a Republic-What is a republic characterized by? People choose officials to represent them. Consuls, senate, magistrate, assembly/ tribune

• What type of government does the United States have? How does this differ from Rome and Greece? indirect democracy

• Dictators-what were they? Details about what they could do/how long?

A leader whose law would overrule the consuls during the time needed for 6 month

• Who was Thucydides? Why was his “style” of recording history important/significant? Athenian historian and general of the army, wrote documents and interviewed participants about events recorded. They are proved to be factual.

Alexander the Great:

• Who were the Macedonians, and where were they located? A small kingdom in Northern Greece, mainland Greece. Macedon.

• Philip II: King of Macedonia from 359 BC-356 BC

• Alexander the Great- was he Greek? Macedonian King, no he was Macedonian

  • What was his leadership style: Lead by example

  • Tutor of Alexander and how that influenced his “Greekness”: Aristotle, a Greek philosopher helped him study the works of Homer; a famous Greek poet.

• At what age did Alexander begin his conquests, and at what age did he die? At age 20 he began his conquests, he died at age 32

• What were some of the possibilities/causes of Alexander’s death? Poisoning, assassination, or disease.

• Phalanx: a body of heavily armed infantry in ancient Greece formed in close deep ranks and files

Philosophers:

• Who are the three main philosophers? Socrates (469-399 BC), Plato (427-347 BC), Aristotle (384-322 BC)

• What is philosophy? Love of wisdom

• Why does philosophy matter? Laid foundation for mathematics, science, history, and political science.

• How does philosophy impact Ancient Greece? Helped it become advanced in every way and impact the world and its discoveries.

Archaeologists:

• Sir Arthur Evans- Found the remains of Minoans

• Heinrich Schleiman- Found the remains of Troy

Historians:

• Who are the two historians we talked about? Herodotus (Father of History) and Thucydides (Peloponnesian War)

• Why do they matter? The records kept by them help future historians study Greece and the different wars within it. Herodotus wrote about Persian wars and he was named the “father of history.” Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian wars.

Potential Short Answer Questions (Greece):

• Why/how did the geography of Ancient Greece lead to the formation of city-states? The geography was mountainous and hard to travel on for trade, so by splitting up into separate city-states they could be independent regions.

• The myth, legend, and truth behind Troy- what aspects of the story might be true, and what aspects might be exaggerated? The land where it took place and the history might be true but the aspects and characters within the Iliad and Odyssey might be exaggerated.

• Was Alexander deserving of the title “Great”? Why or why not? Yes, he was a great military leader in his conquest during his life, more so than others.

• What do all “Greeks” have in common? Language, Religion

• Compare and contrast the Delian League and the European Union (from the last unit) The Delian League’s main purpose was trade, and to keep the Persians in check. The European Union unionized Europe.

• How did Alexander the Great contribute to the spread of Greek ideas throughout the world? He set up cities like those of Greece to spread Greek culture. When he spread conquered land, he allowed them to keep their cultures but mixed them in Greece’s culture.

• Contributions of Greece to today? The victory was won by both sides who were thought to have lost these wars, and new armor, tactics, formations (for fighting), and weapons were used.

Early Republic and Beginnings

• Romulus and Remus, legends of the founding of Rome- Two brothers who were a threat to the throne, s. Absolute power.

• Cincinnatus- were all dictators considered bad? Who was Cincinnatus and why was he considered a great leader for Rome?

No, some dictators were good and helpful in an urgent time. He was a loved dictator, he helped defeat an army (after he immediately returned to working on his farm), and withheld power from leaders. The hope of survival for Rome.

• Plebeians:

the common farmers, artisans, and merchants who made up the majority of the population. Given little rights.

• Patricians:

the aristocratic landowners holding the most power.

• Role of social class in Roman government and culture:

Classes were based on birth, either Plebeians or Patricians. Rigid lines between the two.

Government and Society

• Magistrates:

basic name for elected officials (make laws at the advice of the Senate)

• Consuls:

2 of them had to agree, the supreme power in a republic

• Roman Senate:

300 former magistrates, they did not make the laws but could advise magistrates. Aristocratic bunch.

• Tribunes:

leaders of the plebeians eventually had veto power (after the uprising in 494 BCE)

• What group of people did Tribunes serve in Rome?

Plebeians

• Assembly:

made up of patricians and plebeians-main job was to elect magistrates. Patricians and Plebeians, to elect magistrates.

• Veto:

”I Forbid” -both consuls had to agree and tribunes had to agree with the consuls (forms a tripartite government but will change throughout the years)

• Checks and Balances:

All governmental issues pass through each system in the Roman Republic, however, dictators have the power to make final decisions.

• Roman Forum-What went on in this area of the city? (Refer to page 306 in text)

It was the center of day-to-day life—elections, triumphal processions, public speeches, criminal trials, gladiatorial matches, and commercial affairs.

• 12 tables-

examples of Roman Laws, and the reason for the posting in the middle of the city.

• Please re-read the 12 tables of the laws. Why was this a significant turning point in the Roman Republic? (Good short answer question)

posted in the middle of the city (forum) for all people to see, represents the first formal codification of Roman laws. Laws being created was a huge turning point for Rome. Now they had to follow the rules.

Punic Wars

• Legions & formation of legions-

Legionaries type of army in Rome's effort in war to expand/conquer because phalanxes were too large and slow.

Cavalry-

equites (equestrian class) 300 cavalrymen in every legion, divided into 10 groups of 30 men, Auxiliary men drawn into the army from across the Roman empire sometimes voluntarily, sometimes by force.

• Equipment and gear and weapons of the Romans, how did it differ from the Greek Phalanx? Why did it differ? (Good short answer question)

Javelin, Wooleen tunic, Groin Protection, Sword, Sandals, Helmet, Shoulder Plates, Body Armour, Dagger, Shield. Better and more advanced than the Greek Phalanx. Especially the Macedonian Phalanx (that of Alexander the Great). The Macedonian Phalanx was very vulnerable, and not advanced compared to the Roman Legions.

• Role of the Roman roads in society-

“all roads lead to Rome”, used for transportation of the military. Very durable layers: sand, stone slabs in cement, crushed stone in cement, stone blocks, drainage ditches. Raised in the middle.

• Why were the Punic Wars fought? What was the result? (Good short answer question)

Maritime soldiers drug Rome and Carthage into the war. The result is that Rome is the dominant power in the known world and Rome controls the Mediterranean.

Punic Wars, the significance of the victory for Rome?

Rome became the dominant superpower in the known world, they controlled Italy, Spain, and North Africa. They control the Mediterranean and Carthage is no longer a world power. No longer a unified force to stop the Romans from expanding their territory.

• “Mare Nostrum”- what does this phrase mean “in Latin” for Rome at this point in history?

“Our sea”, they controlled the Mediterranean Sea.

• Punic Wars-how many were there? Names?

3 wars:

1. Dispute over Sicily

2. Rise of Hannibal

3. Destruction of Carthage

• How did the Romans handle the defeated Carthage?

They burned it and sowed salt in the soil so no crops could grow and wiped out a large portion of their population or sold them into slavery.

Hannibal-What empire did he represent?

Carthage

• Hannibal’s Conquest through the Alps- Why go through the Alps?

He wanted to take the fight to Halian Soil, the only way to do that would be going through the Alps.

• Scipio - his role in the Punic Wars- what side did he represent, who did he defeat? What decision did he make to get Hannibal out of Italy and how did that change the course of the war? (Good short answer question)

Represented the Romans, and defeated the Carthaginians. Went to (Carthage) Africa to encourage Hannibal to get out of Rome, Hannibal had to leave Rome and save Carthage.

• What is the result of the Punic Wars? Why is Rome able to expand their territory so much following these wars?

Rome has dominance. There is no longer a unified force to stop the Romans from expanding their territory.

• What is decimation?

The complete defeat of a group; also, it is the killing of one in every ten of a group of soldiers in a legion as a punishment for a soldier running away/refusing to fight

• What does the Latin term “Mare Nostrum" mean?

Our sea

Decline of the Roman Republic

• What were the two main reasons why the Roman Republic started to decline (Good short answer question)

Tensions between upper (patricians) and lower classes (plebeians). Increasing power of Roman generals/soldiers loyal to the general over the state

• Role of slavery/unemployment in tension within the Roman Republic.

Slaves took over most of the population, therefore, Plebeians became unemployed and left without jobs.

• Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus-What were these young men killed for? What branch of government were they a part of? Why was Tiberius Gracchus’ death a significant turning point in the Republic? (Good short answer question)

Killed for wanting to give public land to the poor. Part of the Plebeians/ tribunes. His death introduced violence to the Republic (the start of its downfall).

• Marius-who was he, what did he do, what did his leadership in Rome begin to change: what is his role in the decline of the republic?

Julius Caesars’ uncle. Marius reforms the military by giving pay and benefits to poor non-land owners, who could serve. The army becomes loyal to him, and this helps him gain power. Killed supporters of Sulla. Violence

• Military reforms/ideas

• Sulla-who was he, what did he do, what did his leadership in Rome begin to change: what is his role in the decline of the republic?

Sulla learned about war and politics under Marius and killed supporters of Marius for supporters. Violence

• Civil war and use of violence

• How does violence play a role in political action at the end of the Roman Republic? Give some specific examples (Good short answer questions)

Violence leads to the destruction of Rome. People dying, and following corrupt leaders.

• What is the purpose of Roman Roads?

The Roman Roads lead to Rome and are used for trade and travel. Used to transport the military.

• Who is Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar was known as one of Rome’s greatest generals and politicians, death marked the transition between the Roman Republic and Empire. Born in Rome in 100 BC, and the nephew of Marius.

• Which famous leader during the fall of Rome is Julius Caesar related to?

Marius (nephew of Marius)

Beginning of the Empire

• Octavian/Caesar Augustus

Julius Caesar’s successor

• What does Augustus mean? Majestic, Great, Venerable

  • 2nd Triumvirate

    • What is triumvirate

Group of three men holding power

• Who made up the 2nd

Augustus Caesar, Mark Antony, Lepidus

• Princeps-what does it mean?

First citizen

• Contributions to the city of Rome (Augustus) Passed laws to encourage martial stability and renew religious practices, instituted taxation and census, and fixed Roman roads.

  • The role of Marble in the architecture of the city symbolizes economic wealth. Marble floors, statues, and monuments.

Julio Claudian Emperors (first 5 emperors)­

• Who they were and a little bit about all of them

1. Augustus Caesar - (31 BC-14AD) Known as the princeps/first citizen

“Found it of brick, left it of marble” Grandnephew of Julius Caesar.

1. Tiberius - (14AD-37AD) Wanted to be like Agustus, not trusted by the senate. Initial success as a leader/ helped Rome flourish financially; not a successful politician and spent their final years ruling from Capri.

2. Caligula- (37 AD-41 AD) After an illness wanted to be called a god and neglected his duties to seek entertainment, a brutal leader known for murder and executions, killed by the Praetorian Guard after a four-year rule, Caligula was a nickname; he grew up around the army so his name meant “little boots”.

3. Claudius- (41 AD-54 AD) Uncle of Caligula- unlikely leader due to physical condition, main accomplishment-conquering Britain, very popular with the lower class and people, not a good relationship with the senate. Bad taste in women, poisoned by a second wife to ensure that her son would become the next emperor.

4. Nero- (54 AD-68 AD) Brutal reign marked by executions, murders, and Christian persecution: blamed fire in Rome on Christians. Roman legions rose against him, fled the city, and died.

• Neros’s role in the persecution of Christians & fire of Rome-Nero blamed the fire in Rome on Christians, when he was in charge of persecuting Christians.

• Pax Romana­ along with the things that characterized the period

• What does Pax Romana mean by actual translation and explain what it is

Its literal translation is Roman Peace, it was 200 years of peace and economic prosperity in Rome which means, Rome entered into a time of peace. It started with Augustus Caesar.

Flavian Dynasty

• Who they little bit about the three of them: Leaders during the Flavian Dynasty

1. Vespasian - established the new Flavian dynasty, their son was Titus, who began the Colosseum and stabilized Rome after Nero, a godlike

2. Titus - made the army more professional and loyal, squashed the Jewish rebellion, finished the Colosseum, and expanded the Senate.

3. Domitian - hated the emperor, was not successful in campaigns, created a military formation (Rhine Danube), and made some building contributions that did not last. Assassinated.

   • The transition from Princeps to Lord: The Flavian Dynasty was significant in the moving of the emperor from Princeps (first citizen) to emperor or absolute monarch.

   • Colosseum & Gladiator contests**

   • Vespasian and Titus built the Colosseum to win over the people of Rome

   • 50,000-80,000 people could potentially fit inside the stadium

   • Gladiatorial contests were always a part of Roman culture, but now, the greatest stadium ever built was for all the people

   • Entertainment was free to the public

   • Often free food and drinks were given out to the crowds at the games

   • On hot days, a canopy was pulled out of the top section of the Colosseum for cover

   • Activities included: the execution of criminals, animal fights, naval battles (supposedly the floor was occasionally flooded), and of course gladiatorial contests

   • The majority of gladiators were either slaves, or condemned criminals, but occasionally a wealthy individual would fight for fame and fortune

   • Role in Jewish Rebellion-Titus caused the Jewish rebellion, he was the emperor at the time of the rebellion.

“Five Good Emperors,”­ know a bit about some of the major achievements of this period.-the emperors appointed following the killing of Domitian (end of Flavian dynasty) were chosen based on capability, not blood, and brought prosperity to the Roman empire and apex of civilization. (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius)

• How was the new emperor chosen? Capability, not blood

• Aqueducts (why did Romans need these? Aren’t they on a river anyhow?), Arches, ­ How did this material greatly change the ability of Roman architects? What was different about it? Were incredible works of engineering and architecture, carried up to 300 million gallons of water to Rome every day. Arches were used in the Colosseum to build higher with less building material.

• Role of the Roman roads in society Built to assist trade and communication around the empire. Many still exist today.

Life in Rome/Pompeii

• Religion in the Empire Rome and Christianity did not agree with one another, and with the loss of Christianity came the loss of traditional values.

• Christ’s Birth in the empire (around what years), What emperor was in power during his birth? Circa 4 AD-36 AD First Roman Emperor

• Masada­-What happened at Masada? Why would the Jewish people have chosen this fate/outcome?: The last Jewish Zealots revolting against the empire took this fortress to use against the empire. The Roman army followed them, and as the fortress was on top of a plateau, they could not reach it and instead encircled the Jews with a wall. They also constructed a massive ramp to the top of the plateau at a 25° angle. When the Romans finally breached the two walls of the fortress, they found all of the Jews had committed suicide rather than be captured by the empire. They did this because they wanted to take their life into their own hands and not let an impersonal government decide how they died for them.

• Constantine: Emperor who made Christianity the main religion in Rome

  • Edict of Milan: 313 AD: Christianity is tolerated

  • Conversion to Christianity Edict of Thessalonica

    • Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion

Fall of Rome (Western Empire)

• What factors contributed to the downfall of Rome? Invasions of Visigoths and Germanic Tribes, Heavy taxes, shrinking middle class, not enough farmers, governmental corruption, people stop supporting the government, population decline from war and famine, people got lazy.

• Date for the “fall” of the Western empire 476 AD

• Division of the Empire into East and West Diocletian divided the empire into the Eastern and Western empires. The Western Empire fell into chaos and the Eastern Empire remained thriving and became the Byzantine Empire.

• Who divided the empire? Diocletian

Byzantine Empire

• Diocletian­-His role in the division of the empire After the sheer size of the Roman Empire became too much to govern, Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire. The Western Empire fell into ruin while the Eastern Empire thrived.

• Nicene Creed: A creed made by the council of Nicea

MAP ANSWER KEY

Dates:

BC

753 - Year of Rome’s Founding

509 - Start of the Roman Republic

133 - Fall of the Republic

100 - Julius Caesar is born

33 - Start of the Roman Empire

27 - August Caesar is named principal/emperor

AD

313 - The Edict of Milan is created

476 - Fall of Western Empire

People:

Julius Caesar - Rome’s greatest general/politician, death marked the transition between Republic & Empire; born in 100 BC; nephew of Marius

Augustus Caesar - 1st emperor of Rome; Julius Caesar’s grandnephew

Diocletian - Emperor; divided Rome into Western and Eastern empire

Constantine - Emperor; 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, and 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; reforms the military & gives them pay/benefits to poor non-land owners who could serve; army loyal to him, helps him gain power; killed supporters of Sulla.

Sulla - learned about war/politics under Marius, held different beliefs than him; killed supporters of Marius

Terms:

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

China

People:

Justinian- Served at the height of the Byzantine Empire (r.537-565 AD)

Empress Theodora- Wife of Emperor Justinian (d.548 AD)

Confucious- Chinese philosopher who was born during the Warring States period and his discussions on many topics were written about by his students, created a philosophy after his death; Confucianism

Qin Shi Huagdi- First emperor of the Qin Dynasty of China, he took over after the Zhou Dynasty and instituted a philosophy of Legalism

Liu Bang- Founding emperor of the Han Dynasty after revolting against the Qin

Empress Lu- An empress in the Han Dynasty, created a strong administration

Han Wudi- An emperor in China's Han Dynasty, was called the “martial” emperor, ruled for 54 years and was a strong mandate of heaven believer

Wang Mang- Tried to replace the Han Dynasty, but the peasants disapproved and reinstated the Han Dynasty

Dynasties:

Xia Dynasty- The First Dynasty, only known by stories (2070-1600 BC)

Shang Dynasty- Second Dynasty, the first to have written record, used oracle bones (1600-1046 BC)

Zhou Dynasty- The third Dynasty, led by bureaucracy, split the empire into states that developed rivalries and became their own kingdoms, used the “Mandate of Heaven” to justify the overthrow of the Shang (1046-476 BC)

Qin Dynasty- In the fourth Dynasty, Qin Shin Huangdi conquers warring states, makes a new dynasty, and institutes a harsh policy of legalism (221-202 BC)

Han Dynasty- The Fifth Dynasty, Liu Bang overthrows the Qin Dynasty and goes back to bureaucracy, the longest dynasty and considered China’s Golden Age, founded on Confucianism (202 BC-220 AD)

Dates:

1766 BC - Zhou overthrew Shang

221-202 BC - Qin Shin Huangdi conquers warring states and becomes the first emperor

202 BC-220 AD- Han Dynasty

532-537 AD- Period of the construction of the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom)

537-565 AD- Reign of Emperor Justinian

Other Terms:

Hagia Sophia- A giant church built during the reign of Emperor Justinian, constructed in 5 years and the biggest monument built during Justinian’s reign

Constantinople- Capital of Byzantine Empire

Geographic Features of China- Benefits: the soil is very fertile, and there is access to many resources. Challenges: unpredictable floods “China’s sorrow”

River of Sorrows- civilization emerges from in Huang River Valley

Dynastic Cycle- Dynasties needed the Mandate of Heaven

• A ruler’s approval came from the gods and could be lost

• This led to the Dynastic Cycle lasting until the 20th Century AD

Silk Road/Making- most valuable export, trade route created by Wudi, connected China to Western countries, Chinese would trade silk for grapes, figs, cucumbers, fur, and glass, 4,000 miles long

Terracotta Army (which emperor?)- Qin Shin Huang

The Great Wall of China- Shi Huangdi’s greatest achievement. 25 feet high, thousands of miles long. Feudal states built their own walls, now they were united together. Used to protect the civilization from nomadic bands north of the wall

Ideographs- Written characters that stood for ideas and words, not sounds

Oracle Bones- Shells and bones (like a turtle shell) that are engraved with ideographs

Mandate of Heaven- A philosophy/belief that the emperor was in favor of heaven and was the reason why they were in power. When the emperor fell out of favor with heaven, then a rebellion was acceptable

Bureaucracy- officials make important decisions, not representatives

Period of Warring States- A period where multiple states that were under the power of aristocrats fought with each other

Describe the distinct Culture of China- Sons respected their parents and took care of them, even after death. Great respect for elders and authority figures and ideas based on the principles of Confucianism

Filial Piety- “Son or daughter’s duty/devotion to their parents”

Social Classes- Made up of 4 classes

1. Land owning aristocrats

2. Farmers

3. Artisans

4. Merchants

Qin Centralization- process to unify government/economic/social aspects of the empire

Legalism- Harsh rules and strict policies, people did not like this; people and books opposing legalism during the Qin would be burned (as shown below)

Questions:

What is the imperial goal of the Byzantine Empire? Unity

What is their motto (hint: One… One… One)? One God, One Empire, One Religion

Understand the order of the Dynasties.

• Xia (2070-1600 BC)

• Shang (1600-1046 BC)

• Zhou (1046-476)

• Warring states period (476-221 BC)

• Qin (221-202 BC)

• Han (202 BC-220 AD)

What was one of the determining factors of why Dynasties lasted or ended? Mandate of Heaven

Overarching Themes:

Be able to understand and describe the differences between Ancient China (Eastern World) versus Rome/Greece (Western World).

Confucianism:

Relationships/family- Parents should be respected. Children should be obedient and take care of their parents. When dad dies, the oldest son has to make offerings to dad/grandparents.

THINGS TO KNOW / SEMESTER THEMES / PARAGRAPHS:

REMEMBER SPECIFIC DETAIL IS KEY!

1. Be able to choose a key leader from a list and write an essay about the influence they had on their culture

Know:

for Greece, Alexander The Great

for Rome, Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar

for China, Qin Shi Huangdi

1. Be able to talk through the differences between Eastern and Western Civilizations

Easter Civilization: China

Western Civilization: Greece and Rome

1. What are the similarities and differences between Rome and China

Use Venn Diagram on political/philosophical differences between Rome and China

1. Be able to give a detailed explanation of one of the three civilizations we talked about this semester with who they are, how they developed, and what influence they have left on our world today.