Untitled Flashcards Set

Flashcard 1

Question: What are the major Chinese dynasties and their founding contexts?

Answer:

Shang (1600 BCE): Earliest known Chinese dynasty.

Zhou: Introduced the Mandate of Heaven, legitimizing the emperor’s rule.

Qin (221 BCE): Unified China under Qin Shi Huang with Legalism.

Han (206 BCE - 220 CE): Expanded borders and made Confucianism the state philosophy.

Flashcard 2

Question: What were the key geographic features of early China?

Answer:

Yellow River Valley: Core of early Chinese civilization, providing fertile soil for agriculture.

Great Wall of China: Built during the Qin dynasty to protect from northern invasions.

Flashcard 3

Question: How was China politically organized during these dynasties?

Answer:

Early Dynasties: Centralized, absolute monarchy with the Emperor holding supreme power.

Han Dynasty: Introduced a bureaucratic system based on Confucian principles.

Flashcard 4

Question: What were the main philosophical and religious ideas in early China?

Answer:

Ancestor Worship: Early Chinese religious practice.

Confucianism: Focused on filial piety and social harmony.

Daoism: Emphasized spontaneity, contrasting with formal authority.

Legalism: Promoted strict law enforcement and centralized control.

Flashcard 5

Question: What was the social structure in ancient China?

Answer:

Hierarchy: Emperor at the top, followed by nobles, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

Women's roles: Primarily domestic, though some held power (e.g., Empress Wu).

Flashcard 6

Question: What led to the decline of the Chinese dynasties?

Answer:

Qin Dynasty: Fell due to harsh rule and rebellion.

Han Dynasty: Weakened by corruption, land distribution issues, and internal strife.

Flashcard 7

Question: What were the key features of the Greek city-states Athens and Sparta?

Answer:

Athens: Known for democracy and philosophical contributions.

Sparta: Militaristic society with an oligarchic political system.

Flashcard 8

Question: What was the geography of Athens and Sparta?

Answer:

Athens: Coastal city-state with a focus on trade and philosophy.

Sparta: Mountainous, isolated, and military-focused.

Flashcard 9

Question: What were the political systems in Athens and Sparta?

Answer:

Athens: Democracy, citizens voted on laws.

Sparta: Oligarchy, military-focused leadership.

Flashcard 10

Question: How were society and religion organized in Athens and Sparta?

Answer:

Athens: Polytheistic, with prominent philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Society divided into free citizens, metics, and slaves.

Sparta: Polytheistic, with a focus on military training. Helots (serfs) were at the bottom, warriors at the top.

Flashcard 11

Question: What led to the decline of Athens and Sparta?

Answer:

Sparta: Declined due to internal strife and defeats.

Athens: Weakened after the Peloponnesian War and the rise of Macedon.

Flashcard 12

Question: What was the historical context of Alexander the Great's empire?

Answer:

Alexander, son of King Philip II of Macedon, built an empire through military conquest in the 4th century BCE.

Flashcard 13

Question: What was the geographical extent of Alexander’s empire?

Answer:

The empire stretched from Greece to Egypt and India, creating a vast multicultural realm.

Flashcard 14

Question: What was the political structure of Alexander the Great’s empire?

Answer:

Centralized under Alexander but fragmented after his death, divided by his generals.

Flashcard 15

Question: What were the religious and philosophical ideas in Alexander the Great's empire?

Answer:

Greek culture and philosophy spread, but local religions also persisted

Flashcard 16

Question: What was the social structure in Alexander’s empire?

Answer:

Hierarchical with Alexander at the top, followed by nobles, soldiers, and local populations.

Flashcard 17

Question: What led to the decline of Alexander the Great’s empire?

Answer:

After his death, infighting among generals fragmented the empire into Hellenistic kingdoms.

Flashcard 18

Question: What were the key features of the Roman Republic and Empire?

Answer:

Roman Republic (509 BCE): Elected officials, tensions, corruption, and civil wars.

Roman Empire (27 BCE): Ruled by emperors, Pax Romana brought peace and prosperity.

Flashcard 19

Question: What geographic features were important for the Roman Empire?

Answer:

Located on the Italian Peninsula with mountains like the Alps for protection.

Access to seas for trade and military expansion.

Flashcard 20

Question: What was the political organization of Rome?

Answer:

Republic: Elected officials, but tensions led to the rise of dictators.

Empire: Centralized under emperors, starting with Augustus.

Flashcard 21

Question: What were the religious and philosophical ideas in Rome?

Answer:

Initially polytheistic, later adopted Christianity as the state religion.

Stoicism: Focused on emotional resilience and inner strength.

Flashcard 22

Question: What were the key intellectual and cultural contributions of Rome?

Answer:

Roman law, gladiatorial games, architecture (e.g., Colosseum), roads, and concrete.

Greek influence in art, literature, and science.

Flashcard 23

Question: What was the social structure of Rome?

Answer:

Hierarchical: Patricians (aristocrats), plebeians (commoners), and slaves.

Women had limited rights but more freedom than Greek women.

Flashcard 24

Question: What led to the fall of the Roman Empire?

Answer:

Internal corruption, economic decline, and invasions by barbarian groups. The empire split into the Eastern (Byzantine) and Western Roman Empires.

Flashcard 25

Question: What were the key features of the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Western Europe?

Answer:

Byzantine Empire: Founded by Emperor Constantine, centralized, with Christianity (Eastern Orthodox) shaping the region.

Medieval Western Europe: Feudalism, decentralized, and the rise of monarchies after the fall of Rome.

Flashcard 26

Question: What were the key geographic features of the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Answer:

Byzantine Empire: Constantinople strategically located between Europe and Asia.

Medieval Europe: Decentralized, rural with castles and manorial systems.

Flashcard 27

Question: What were the political systems in the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Answer:

Byzantine Empire: Ruled by emperors with central control.

Medieval Europe: Feudalism, with power decentralized to nobles.

Flashcard 28

Question: What were the religious ideas in the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Answer:

Byzantine Empire: Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Medieval Europe: Catholicism in the West.

Flashcard 29

Question: What was the social structure in Medieval Europe?

Answer:

Structured around feudal relationships with serfs at the bottom and kings and lords at the top.

Flashcard 30

Question: What led to the decline of the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe?

Answer:

Byzantine Empire: Fell in 1453 due to the Ottoman conquest.

Medieval Europe: Ended with the rise of centralized monarchies, the Black Death, and the Renaissance.

Mesopotamia

Q: Who were the founders of Mesopotamian civilization?

A: The Sumerians, around 3500 BCE.

Q: What geographic features were crucial for the development of Mesopotamia?

A: Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, providing fertile land but also prone to flooding.

Q: How was Mesopotamia politically organized during the Sumerian period?

A: Mesopotamian city-states were ruled by kings, each with their own military.

Q: What was Hammurabi’s Code?

A: A set of laws created by the Babylonian king Hammurabi that protected individual rights.

Q: What is the significance of the Epic of Gilgamesh in Mesopotamian culture?

A: It is one of the earliest works of literature and was written using the first writing system, cuneiform.

Q: What was the social structure in Mesopotamia like?

A: Society was hierarchical, with priests and kings at the top, followed by merchants, farmers, and slaves.

Q: Why did Mesopotamia decline?

A: The civilization fell due to invasions from the Persians and Macedonians, and agricultural challenges as the soil became infertile.

Egypt

Q: Who unified Egypt and when?

A: King Narmer unified Egypt around 3100 BCE.

Q: What geographical feature was essential to Egypt’s prosperity?

A: The Nile River, which provided fertile land and irrigation.

Q: How was Egypt politically organized?

A: Egypt was a centralized, theocratic monarchy with the pharaoh considered both king and god.

Q: What religious shift did Pharaoh Akhenaten attempt?

A: He promoted the worship of one god, Aten, but the old polytheistic religion was restored after his death.

Q: How did the Egyptians track time and seasons?

A: They developed a 365-day calendar to track the annual flooding of the Nile.

Q: What was the social hierarchy in Egypt like?

A: Egypt had a hierarchical society with the pharaoh at the top, followed by priests, scribes, and artisans.

Q: Why did Egypt decline?

A: Egypt faced invasions, internal strife, and eventually was conquered by Alexander the Great and the Romans.

Persia

Q: Who founded the Persian Empire?

A: Cyrus the Great founded the Persian Empire in 550 BCE.

Q: What was the political structure of the Persian Empire?

A: The Persian Empire was centralized, with regional governors called satraps managing various regions.

Q: What was the main religion in Persia?

A: Zoroastrianism, which emphasized dualism and the battle between good and evil.

Q: How was Persian society structured?

A: Persian society was stratified, with the king and aristocracy at the top, followed by soldiers, merchants, and peasants.

Q: Why did the Persian Empire collapse?

A: The Persian Empire fell due to internal strife, weak leadership, and the invasion of Alexander the Great.

Umayyad & Abbasid Caliphates

Q: Who founded the Umayyad Caliphate?

A: Muawiya I founded the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE.

Q: What was the geographic range of the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates?

A: Both Caliphates spanned vast areas, from Spain to India, promoting cultural exchange.

Q: What religious divisions existed in the Caliphates?

A: The Sunni and Shia divisions within Islam became prominent.

Q: What was the intellectual legacy of the Abbasid Caliphate?

A: The Abbasid Caliphate promoted intellectual advancements, especially in science, math, and philosophy through institutions like the House of Wisdom.

Q: Why did the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates decline?

A: The Umayyads were overthrown by the Abbasids, and the Abbasid Caliphate weakened due to invasions, including the Mongol conquest in 1258 CE.

West African Kingdoms: Mali, Ghana, Songhai

Q: What were the founding empires in West Africa?

A: The Ghana Empire (circa 300 CE), followed by the Mali Empire (13th century) and Songhai (15th century).

Q: What geographic feature was central to the West African kingdoms' trade?

A: The Niger River and the Sahara Desert, which facilitated trade.

Q: What religion influenced the West African kingdoms?

A: Islam, which was introduced through trade and became a significant force in governance and education.

Q: How was society organized in these West African empires?

A: Society was stratified, with a powerful ruling class, merchants, and farmers. In Mali, women, like Queen Djenne, could hold power.

Q: Why did these empires decline?

A: The empires declined due to internal strife, invasion, and the disruption of trade routes.

East African Kingdoms: Axum, Zimbabwe

Q: When did Axum rise to prominence?

A: Axum rose to prominence around the 4th century CE.

Q: What was the major religion of Axum?

A: Christianity became the state religion of Axum in the 4th century.

Q: How was the geography of Great Zimbabwe significant?

A: Great Zimbabwe was inland and known for its stone structures.

Q: What was the political structure in these kingdoms?

A: Both kingdoms were centralized with powerful monarchies and trade-based economies.

Q: What caused the decline of Axum and Great Zimbabwe?

A: Axum declined due to environmental factors and changes in trade routes, while Great Zimbabwe suffered from resource depletion.

Mesoamerican: Olmec, Chavin

Q: Who were the early Mesoamerican civilizations?

A: The Olmec civilization (circa 1200 BCE) and the Chavin civilization (circa 900 BCE).

Q: What geographic regions did the Olmec and Chavin civilizations occupy?

A: The Olmec were in the Gulf Coast of Mexico, while the Chavin were in the highland valleys of Peru.

Q: What religious practices were common in both civilizations?

A: Both civilizations practiced polytheism and engaged in ritual bloodletting and human sacrifice.

Q: What type of art did the Olmec and Chavin create?

A: The Olmec are known for colossal stone sculptures and intricate jade works. The Chavin produced finely carved stone monuments and pottery.

Q: What caused the decline of the Olmec and Chavin civilizations?

A: The Olmec declined due to environmental changes, while the Chavin faded due to political fragmentation and environmental challenges.