midterm

Define systematic agriculture and be able to explain its significance

deliberate, organized, and planned cultivation of crops and raising of livestock for specific purposes, not just survival

What influenced the development of permanent settlements?

Beliefs, Economy, Social Organization, Traditions, Political Organizations, Arts, Language

What purpose did religion serve in early civilizations?

allowed civilizations to make sense of the world around them (often had "nature gods")

Define polytheism vs monotheism

Polytheism = belief in more the one god or goddess
Monotheism = belief in one god

What are the 6 characteristics common to early civilizations?

Cities, Government, Religion, Social Structures, Writing, Art

How & where did Judaism emerge? What religious practices did they follow?

Monotheistic, "Abrahamic" religion, Torah "Hebrew Bible", Yom Kippur is one of their holiest days, sacred symbol is the Star of David; originated in the Middle East around 1,500 BCE

What are similarities & differences between Christianity & Judaism?

Similarities: Belief in the Old Testament, Monotheistic religions, persecuted for beliefs, Jesus was a real person, belief in the 10 Commandments, founded in Palestine

Differences: Jews have still not found their "Messiah" yet, unlike Jesus was the savior for Chirsitians. Hebrew is their sacred language, Christianity does not have one. Synagogue = Holy place for Jews. Church = Holy place for Christians

What is an oligarchy?

government led by a small group of people

What are the origins & key beliefs/practices of Hinduism & Buddhism?

Polytheistic; originated in India; reincarnation; karma

How are Hinduism and Buddhism different?

Caste System was specific to Hinduism, Buddhism rejected the Caste System; Hinduism founded between 5000 and 1500 BCE, Buddhism founded in the 5th century CE; Hinduism ultimate reality = Brahman, Buddhism ultimate reality = Nirvana

How are Hinduism and Buddhism similar?

Polytheistic; originated in India; reincarnation; karma

How did the caste system emerge?

was created to maintain order in Ancient Indian society and to keep elites at the top of the structure

What is the caste system's origin & impact on society?

its impact is that is kept civilians in line, each person had a specific job/role and did not question their role (dharma); wanted good karma so that they would be reincarnated upward in the Caste System structure

Who was Confucius?

Chinese philosopher

Why did Confucius develop his philosophy?

Confucianism was created toward the end of the Zhou Dynasty and was intended to help restore order to a society that was in a state of confusio

What are the major principles of Confucianism?

5 key relationships; duty & humanity

How were leaders chosen during Rome's time as a republic?

The Senate elected two consuls each year; one ran the government while the other ran the military.

What are the origins, practices & beliefs of CHRISTIANITY?

Monotheistic; Abrahamic; believed that all are equal in the eyes of God.

What were the reasons for the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire?

Christianity was seen as a threat to traditional Roman culture and leadership since it was monotheistic and emphasized that ALL people are equal (this changed the perspective of the social structure)

What are the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire?

Barbarian Invasions, Decline in Morals and Values, Environmental and Public Health Problems, Excessive Military Spending, Inferior Technology, Inflation, Political Corruption, Rise in Christianity, Unemployment, Urban Decay; Political Corruption, Population Decline from Plague, Military Spending

What are similarities in beliefs of Christianity, Judaism & Islam?

Monotheistic, "Abrahamic", all three religions founded geographically in/near the Middle East

What are differences in beliefs of Christianity, Judaism & Islam?

Religious text (Christianity = Bible, Old & New Testament; Judaism = Torah, Old Testament; Islam = Quran); J

Where did Islam originate?

Islam originated in the 6th century in the Arabian Peninsula.

What are the major beliefs of Islam?

Monotheistic; Abrahamic; Quran; Mohmmad is God's final prophet. Five Pillars = Faith, Prayer, Fasting, Charity, Pilgrimage

What are the characteristics of the Islamic Golden Age?

Focus on culture, education, learning, and trade.

Why did Feudalism develop?

political and social order that developed during the Middle Ages when royal governments were no longer able to defend their subjects; nobles offered protection and land in return for service

What is the Code of Chivalry?

in the Middle Ages, the ideal of civilized behavior that developed among the nobility; it was a code of ethics that knights were supposed to uphold

What was the purpose of the Magna Carta?

was created and signed to limit the power of the king (King John of England)

How is the Magna Carta similar to the English Bill of Rights (that is Ch. 18)?

Both documents were focused on limiting the king's power and outlining rights of citizens

How did the Mongol Empire come to rule in China?

Mongols overthrew China with their strong military (used horses and bows & arrows)

What impacts did Mongols have on the world?

increased trade (revived Silk Road); conquered China; peak of China's cultural diffusion, spreading trade, technology, ideas, and disease (Black Plague); marked the end of the Middle Ages

Who were the key people involved in the start of the Crusades?

Pope Urban II (called for Christians to unite and join the Crusades)

What were the motivating factors (reasons) for the Crusades?

Spread Christianity throughout as much of the world as possible
Stop the spread of Islam
Regain control of the Holy Lands (Jerusalem)

What were the effects of the Crusades on Europe?

Catholic Church did not permanently regain the Holy Lands
Significant loss of life
Trade greatly increased → there was a greater interest in trade
Led to attacks not only on Muslims, but Jews in Europe and the Middle East as well
Led to a breakdown of feudalism (nobles joining the crusades sold their land and freed their serfs)
Kings gained more control and created stronger central governments
Development of true nation-states in Europe: Spain, England, and France emerged as the strongest three

What was the trade relationship between African kingdoms on the west coast of Africa and those on the East Coast? (what was their route? What did they trade?)

Gold, Salt, and Ivory. Trade route = Trans-Saharan trade routes to East Africa and Arabian Peninsula

What are the similarities between the Aztecs, Inca and Maya?

Americas (Central and South America); economy based on farming; polytheistic; human sacrifices; Pyramids were religious structures; led by a King; created styles of calendars; Maya and Aztec had written language

What are the differences between the Aztecs, Inca and Maya?

Maya = Central America, Aztec = Central America + Mexico; Inca = South America (along the Andes Mountains); Inca had no written language (used quipu for keeping records); Maya = abandoned cities/disappeared, Aztec = conquered and destroyed by Spanish, Inca = civil war and Spanish invasion

What was the effect of the Renaissance of Western Europe?

Spread of ideas, art, language, and writing (books printed in common languages); revival of Roman culture
More focus on scientific ideas (breaking away from traditional views); used evidence to prove theories
Introduced humanism
Questioning tradition helped lead to the Reformation (breaking away from the Catholic Church)

How did Martin Luther impact the growth/change of religious beliefs in Europe?

disagreed with the idea of indulgences; he saw corruption in the Catholic Church; wrote the 95 theses; started Lutheranism

How did John Calvin impact the growth/change of religious beliefs in Europe?

disagreed with components of traditional religious ideas within the Catholic Church; he believed in the idea of predestination (God had already chosen a person's fate at birth); developed Calvinism

How did Henry VIII impact the growth/change of religious beliefs in Europe?

disagreed with the Catholic Church for personal reasons -- he wanted to divorce his wife and he wanted more control/power; he started his own church (Anglican Church)

What was the overall impact of the Reformation on religion in Europe?

led to new branches of Christianity being adopted and practiced = more religious diversity; end of religious unity across Europe

What is the theory of mercantilism?

a nation's wealth was based on the amount of gold/silver it had; colonies were acquired as markets and sources of raw materials

What was the major effect of the Columbian exchange?

led to increased trade of plants, crops, animals, and diseases between the Americas and Europe; introduction of new crops in Europe. It helped European nations to prosper, but it negatively affected indigenous people

How did Catholic missionaries affect Latin America?

led to the (forced) spread of Catholicism in Latin America by Spanish missionaries. It is the reason why many Latin American areas speak Spanish

How did European contact impact the indigenous (native) people of the Americas?

Europeans forced certain ideas on the natives, such as religion and education. Many native people were killed from the spread of disease (significant population loss)

What factors influenced the development of social classes in the Americas after they were colonized?

The prestige associated with one's occupation
Racial origins
The Spanish cultural hierarchy

What effects did Triangular Trade have on Africa?

Effects varied between regions; overall, Africa was devasted by the slave trade. It led to more wars/violence between tribes, and many of the strong men and women were taken away to become slaves. Depopulation was a major factor since slave traders sought a constant supply of enslaved persons

What is absolutism?

when one ruler maintains all power (no checks/limits of power).

How might an absolute monarch rule?

may lead to dictatorships and abuse of power

What are the key ideas put forth by John Locke regarding government?

pushed the ideas of a constitutional (limited) monarchy. He advocated for people's freedom/right to life, liberty, and property

Which Muslim Empire was the closest to the Christian world geographically?

Ottoman Empire

How did the Qing Dynasty handle the British desire for increased trade within China?

Chinese limited (and continued to limit) European trading rights to specific cities and ports

In what ways did Japan isolate itself from Europe? (What methods did they use?)

Japanese cut off almost all interactions with foreign nations, including trade and sharing ideas/beliefs (Christianity)