Regents Final Exam 2024 Global History Review Notes

Final Exam Logistics: Global History and Geography 2024

• Exam Date: Thursday, June $13$, $2024$.

• Exam Time: Noon — $3\,pm$ (Students must arrive by $11:50\,am$).

• Required Materials: Pencil and blue or black pen.

• Location: $A$ Gym.

• Test Format:

  • $28$ stimulus-based multiple-choice questions.

  • $2$ Constructed Response Questions (CRQs).

  • $1$ Enduring Issues Essay.

• Grading: Grading will be conducted using the NYS Regents Exam in Global History Scoring Conversion Chart.

Introduction to Global History and Social Scientists

• Social Scientist Categorization:

  • Anthropologists: Specialized in the study of past and present human cultures.

  • Archaeologists: Study past and present human cultures specifically through the analysis of physical human remains.

  • Historians: Examine and interpret written records of past events.

  • Geographers: Study the earth’s surface and the specific impact it has on human populations.

  • Economists: Analyze how societies utilize available resources and the production of goods and services.

• Map Types:

  • Physical Map: Displays the land features and topography of the earth.

  • Political Map: Illustrates man-made boundaries, including countries and cities.

• Source Categorization:

  • Primary Source: A first-hand account or original document (e.g., a diary or original letter).

  • Secondary Source: An account created later by someone who did not experience events first-hand (e.g., a textbook).

The Neolithic Revolution ($8000$ — $3000\,BC$)

• Shift in Lifestyle: Humans transitioned from being nomadic (people who wander from place to place hunting and gathering for food) to being settled (living in permanent villages).

• Agricultural Discovery: Humans discovered Agriculture (farming) and the domestication (raising) of animals.

• Urbanization: Permanent villages created during this period eventually developed into the world’s earliest civilizations.

Early River Valley Civilizations ($3000\,BC$)

• Food Surplus: The ability to create extra food (a surplus) was the fundamental requirement for the development of civilization.

• Geographic Centers: The first civilizations emerged around $3000\,BC$ in river valleys.

• Global Locations:

  • Northeast Africa (Egypt): Centered on the Nile River.

  • Middle East (Mesopotamia): Centered on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

  • South Asia (India): Centered on the Indus River.

  • East Asia (China): Centered on the Yellow (Huang He) River.

• Sumer Civilization (Mesopotamia): Developed cuneiform, a writing system using wedge-shaped symbols.

• Babylonian Law: King Hammurabi established the world’s first known set of written laws (Hammurabi’s Code). These laws were characterized by harsh punishments, famously following the principle of ‖an eye for an eye.‑

• Harappan Civilization (Indus Valley): Recognized for highly organized city planning, which utilized a grid system where streets were organized into intersecting vertical and horizontal rows.

• Religion: Earliest civilizations practiced polytheism (belief in more than one god), with many deities associated with nature (e.g., Sun, Rain).

Classical Civilizations ($1000\,BC$ — $500\,AD$)

• Golden Age Definition: A period characterized by significant achievements in art, literature, mathematics, and science.

• Ancient Greece:

  • Geography: The mountainous terrain and rugged land contributed to a lack of political unity among city-states (polis).

  • City-States: Each polis had its own government. The two most prominent were Athens and Sparta.

  • Sparta: A highly militaristic society where men trained for warfare for most of their lives; citizens possessed very little freedom.

  • Athens: Developed the world’s first democracy. It was also a cultural hub for philosophers like Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato, and writers like Homer.

  • Religion: Polytheistic. The Olympic Games were held every $4$ years north of Greece to honor the god Zeus.

  • Alexander the Great: A leader who conquered Greece, Egypt, Persia (modern-day Iran), and portions of India. His conquests resulted in Hellenistic Culture, a mixture of Greek, Egyptian, Persian, and Indian influences.

• Ancient Rome:

  • Geography: Located on the peninsula of Italy.

  • Empire Building: Expanded from a city-state to a massive empire by conquering regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

  • Infrastructure: Extensive road networks and the Mediterranean Sea facilitated trade and maintained imperial unity.

  • Legal Legacy: The Twelve Tables of Rome were written laws displayed publicly to create social stability. They introduced concepts like ‖innocent until proven guilty‑ which are still utilized today.

• Classical India:

  • Maurya Dynasty: Leader Asoka is known for writing laws on tall rock pillars and converting to Buddhism. He promoted kind treatment of people and animals.

  • Gupta Dynasty: Known as the Golden Age of India. Achievements include the invention of the numeral zero, the development of the Sanskrit writing system, and Buddhist artwork.

  • Caste System: A rigid social hierarchy where people were born into a class and could not move. The sequence included: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaisyas (merchants/artisans), and Sudras (laborers). The lowest group was known as the Untouchables. This system provided social order and is closely tied to Hinduism.

• Classical China:

  • Qin Dynasty: Lasted only $15$ years. Rulers used Legalism, which posited that humans were inherently evil and required harsh punishments to maintain order (similar to Hammurabi’s Code).

  • Han Dynasty: Lasted over $400$ years. Established the Civil Service System, where government positions were awarded based on merit to individuals who passed difficult exams.

World Religions and Philosophies

• Monotheistic Religions: The belief in only one God. The three main religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

  • Judaism and Christianity: Follow the Ten Commandments, a behavioral code prohibiting acts like killing, stealing, and false worship.

  • Islam: Follows the Five Pillars, requiring pilgrimage to Mecca and praying five times daily.

• Religions of India:

  • Hinduism: Core beliefs include Reincarnation (rebirth of the soul) and Karma (good and bad deeds during a lifetime). Good karma leads to a higher rebirth; bad karma leads to a lower rebirth. The ultimate goal is Moksha (ending the cycle of reincarnation).

  • Buddhism: Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). Similar to Hinduism regarding Reincarnation and Karma. The ultimate goal is Nirvana. Achieving Nirvana requires accepting the Four Noble Truths (the idea that life is suffering caused by selfish desire) and following the Eightfold Path (a code for right behavior, meditation, and kindness).

• Philosophies of China:

  • Legalism: Human nature is evil; harsh punishments maintain order.

  • Confucianism: Focuses on social order and calmness. Key concepts:

    • The Five Relationships: Specific roles (e.g., son obeying father) maintain harmony.

    • Filial Piety: Deep honor and respect for elders and family loyalty.

• Nature Religions:

  • Animism (Africa) and Shinto (Japan): Both believe that spirits reside in living and non-living things in nature (trees, mountains, rivers).

The Byzantine Empire ($500$ — $1453\,AD$)

• Origins: The eastern portion of the Roman Empire that survived the fall of the West in $476\,AD$.

• Culture: Primarily Greek in language and culture.

• Constantinople: The capital city and a major trade crossroads linking Europe and Asia.

• Religion: Eastern Orthodox Christianity (famous landmark: Hagia Sophia). This branch was formally created during the Great Schism in the mid-$1000s$.

• Justinian Code: A comprehensive written law system created by Emperor Justinian, based on Roman law and later adopted by European civilizations.

• Preservation: The Byzantines preserved and passed on vital texts from Greek and Roman civilizations.

• Influence on Russia: Facilitated through cultural diffusion; passed on the Eastern Orthodox religion and the Cyrillic Alphabet to Russia.

The Golden Age of Islam ($700$ — $1200\,AD$)

• Religion Fundamentals: Monotheistic belief in Allah. The holy book is the Koran (Qu’ran). Followers are Muslims.

• Founder: Muhammad, born in Mecca. In $622\,AD$, he fled to Medina in a journey known as the Hegira.

• Achievements:

  • Medical encyclopedias.

  • Mathematical advancements, particularly Algebra.

  • Art forms including calligraphy, woolen carpets, and textiles.

The Middle Ages and Feudalism ($400$ — $1400\,AD$)

• Context: The era in Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire and prior to the Renaissance.

• Feudalism: A political system of decentralized government. Kings gave land to nobles in exchange for loyalty and military service.

  • Knights: Warriors who followed Chivalry (a code of bravery and loyalty).

  • Power: Land was the primary basis of wealth and power.

• Manorialism: An economic system based on the Manor (noble’s land) which was self-sufficient, leading to a decrease in overall trade.

• Religion: The Roman Catholic Church and the Pope were extremely wealthy and the most influential forces in Western Europe.

• The Crusades ($1100$ — $1300\,AD$): Religious wars where European Christians fought to reclaim the Holy Land (Jerusalem) from Muslims.

  • Causes: Desire for forgiveness of sins, removal of Muslim control, escaping poverty, and gaining trade wealth.

  • Effects: Increased trade between Europe and the Middle East (benefiting Italian cities like Venice), exposure to Muslim advancements in science and math, and the decline of feudalism (death of nobles and escape of serfs).

Golden Age of China ($600s$ — $1200s\,AD$)

• Dynasties: Tang and Song Dynasties.

• Inventions: Gunpowder, the Compass (improved navigation), Block Printing, and Porcelain.

• Trade: Utilized the Silk Road for land trade and the Indian Ocean Trade Network for maritime trade.

• Cultural Diffusion: Buddhism became popular in China through trade routes.

• Governance: Continued the use of the Civil Service exam system.

History and Geography of Japan

• Geography: An archipelago (group of islands) in East Asia with an irregular coastline. Characterized by mountainous terrain.

• Terrace Farming: Digging flat areas into mountainsides to grow crops (a technique also used by the Inca in Peru).

• Religion: Shinto is the native religion. Buddhism later became popular after being introduced by China.

• Chinese Influence: Japan adopted Chinese writing, the transition of the Buddhist religion, and the cultivation of tea.

• Japanese Feudalism: A decentralized system involving the Emperor/Shogun (rulers), Daimyo (land-owning nobles), and Samurai (warriors).

  • Bushido: The samurai code of behavior (loyalty and bravery), similar to the European code of Chivalry.

African Civilizations and the Bantu Migrations

• Geography: Very diverse (deserts like the Sahara, savannas, and rainforests). Currently facing desertification (the expansion of desert land).

• Religion: Animism (nature spirits).

• Bantu Migrations ($500\,BC$ — $1500\,AD$): Mass movement due to land shortages. Spread the Bantu language, iron technology, and agricultural techniques across southern Africa.

• West African Empires (Ghana, Mali, Songhai): Gained wealth through Trans-Saharan Trade, specifically the exchange of gold and salt.

• Mansa Musa (Mali): Most famous ruler; a devoted Muslim who performed the Hajj to Mecca and transformed Timbuktu into a center of Islamic learning.

The Mongol Empire ($1100s$ — $1400s\,AD$)

• Leadership: Genghis Khan facilitated the conquest of the largest empire in history, spanning most of Asia.

• Marco Polo: Italian merchant who spent $20$ years in Mongol China; his primary source writings increased European interest in Chinese trade.

• Pax Mongolica: A period of peace promoted by the Mongols that vastly increased trade and travel between Europe and Asia.

• Russia: The Mongols conquered Russia and kept it isolated from Western European developments while enforcing a tribute system (requiring annual payments).

Transformation of Western Europe

• The Black Death ($1347$ — $1351\,AD$): Bubonic plague that killed $25$ million people in Europe (approx. $1/3$ of the population). Spreads via trade routes like the Silk Road.

  • Effects: Population dropped from $85$ million to $60$ million; feudalism declined.

• The Renaissance ($1400$ — $1600\,AD$): The Golden Age of Western Europe.

  • Characteristics: Humanism (focus on human life vs. religious life); study of Greco-Roman classics.

  • Origin: Started in Italian city-states (Venice/Florence) due to trade wealth.

  • Machiavelli: Wrote The Prince, advising rulers to use absolute power and any necessary means to stay in power (‖The Ends Justify the Means‑).

• The Protestant Reformation ($1500s\,AD$): Religious revolution against the Catholic Church.

  • Causes: Corruption and the sale of indulgences (pardons for sins).

  • Leaders: Martin Luther ($95$ Theses), Henry VIII (created Anglican Church for divorce), John Calvin (Predestination).

  • Effects: Decline of Church/Pope power, increase in Monarch power, and end of religious unity in Europe.

• Printing Press: Invented by Johannes Gutenberg. Facilitated the spread of the Reformation and increased literacy by making books cheaper.

Pre-Columbian Civilizations of the Americas

• Maya: Mesoamerican civilization; developed a complex calendar, writing system, and the mathematical concept of zero.

• Aztec: Founded Tenochtitlan in Mexico. Used chinampas (‖floating gardens‑) to farm in lakes due to land shortages.

• Inca: Located in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Built a vast network of roads and footbridges (similar to the Romans). Utilized terrace farming to adapt to their mountainous environment.