Unit 0: AWH, Ancient and Classical Eras

Question 1

Paleolithic Period

Answer 1

Old Stone (Ice) Age, 2.5 million BCE- 8,000 BCE, Hunter-Gatherers/Nomads

Question 2

Neolithic Revolution/Agricultural Revolution, river valleys

Answer 2

Discovery that plants could be cultivated with proper care; led to development of civilizations

Question 3

hunters and gatherers

Answer 3

nomadic people who live chiefly by hunting and fishing, and harvesting wild food.

Question 4

artifacts

Answer 4

remains of human-made objects

Question 5

fossils

Answer 5

any trace of a living thing of a former geologic age

Question 6

plows

Answer 6

farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting- metal plows invented by Sumerians

Question 7

wheels

Answer 7

The Sumerians invented wheels using rotating wooden discs.

Question 8

metallurgy

Answer 8

branch of science and technology concerned with the properties of metals and their production and purification- advancements made by Sumerians during the Bronze Age

Question 9

pastoralist

Answer 9

a sheep or cattle farmer.

Question 10

labor systems

Answer 10

various people had various occupations.- Mesopotamia first region known to have a division of labor

Question 11

specialization of labor

Answer 11

In Mesopotamia many worked as farmers, but when stable crops experienced high yields, some began perusing more specialized trades (ie: priests, scribe, etc)

Question 12

Patriarchy

Answer 12

society dominated by men- all early civilizations

Question 13

Mesopotamia

Answer 13

“between rivers”, “the cradle of civilization”, fertile soil, between the Tigris and Euphrates.

Question 14

Egypt

Answer 14

Ancient civilizations settled around the Nile River. Floods made soil fertile. Known for growing papyrus.

Question 15

Indus

Answer 15

River; the valley of Indus was the site of some of the earliest civilizations

Question 16

China

Answer 16

first civilization there developed in eastern china including the Huang He and the Chiang Jiang rivers.

Question 17

Iron Weapons

Answer 17

The Zhou dynasty (early Chinese civilization) is known for creating Iron Weapons most efficiently with blast furnaces; Iron Age took place around the sixth century BCE

Question 18

Ziggurats

Answer 18

Sumerians made large, religious, stepped temples called ziggurats; center of life

Question 19

Pyramids

Answer 19

Large Egyptian stone structures made mostly during “The Old Kingdom” (2660-2190 BCE); had tombs for rulers; huge feats of architecture and geometry

Question 20

Streets & Roads

Answer 20

expanded trade (internal and foreign) and increased urbanization; Known to be constructed by many of China’s first rulers

Question 21

sewage and water systems

Answer 21

Canals and other irrigation systems very popular in early Mesopotamian civilizations; Sumerians built canals and dams and influenced later civilizations (ie: Babylon). Also, Ancient Rome is known for efficient and complex sewage systems.

Question 22

cuneiform

Answer 22

Sumerians created the world’s FIRST writing system called cuneiform; marks on wet clay tablets

Question 23

hieroglyphs

Answer 23

Nile River Valley people used symbols that represented ideas & sounds known as hieroglyphics

Question 24

pictographs

Answer 24

Developed by the Shang dynasty; written script of pictographs-> each represented an idea, concept, or object, as opposed to a single sound in letter systems

Question 25

alphabet

Answer 25

Phoenicians popular for developing an alphabetic script, as system of (22) letters that represented sounds of speech around 1000 BCE

Question 26

Code of Hammurabi

Answer 26

King Hammurabi, Babylonians most powerful king, created a famous set of laws: the Code of Hammurabi; 282 laws carved in stone stele/pillars; first instance of laws being put into writing for all to see; to protect peoples' rights, but very harsh punishments

Question 27

pharaoh

Answer 27

In The Old Kingdom (2660-2160 BCE) in Egypt, the kind/queen in charge was known as a pharaoh; theocrats: help both religious and political power.

Question 28

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Answer 28

Produced by Sumerians about one of their kinds; oldest written story on Earth

Question 29

monotheism

Answer 29

a belief in only one deity; introduced by The Hebrews

Question 30

polytheism

Answer 30

worship of many gods; most early civilizations were polytheistic

Question 31

theocracy

Answer 31

system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.

Question 32

Judaism

Answer 32

the monotheistic religion of the Jewish people; Jews persecuted by Rome and many future civilizations; Christianity evolved from Judaism

Question 33

Hinduism

Answer 33

Began in India; spread in sixth century BCE; performing one's dharma should be their goal in life to end birth/rebirth cycle; believed that one's caste had to do with one's karma

Question 34

Confucianism

Answer 34

One of the Three Great Philosophical Traditions in China; teachings of philosopher, K'ung Fu-Tzu, argued for respecting social hierarchies; focused on behavior in everyday life; Importance of family, revere ancestors

Question 35

Daoism

Answer 35

Also known as Taoism, Dates back to the 500s BCE (Zhou Dynasty); Founded by Laozi; seek happiness and wisdom by way of the path; renounce worldly ambitions; seek harmony with nature; Yin & Yang; involves much inward reflection

Question 36

Christianity

Answer 36

Popular in Rome- introduced by Peter & Paul spread it; Monotheistic religion; appealed to people hungry for answers about life and an afterlife; Christians refused to respect Roman deities->persecuted; Later became official religion of Rome through Emperor Constantine

Question 37

Dynastic Cycles

Answer 37

series of rulers who all belong to the same family; popular in early Chinese civilizations- Xia Dynasty first

Question 38

Mandate of Heaven

Answer 38

Introduced by The Zhou Dynasty; idea that a ruler's power was bestowed by the gods; severe invasions or natural evens seen as a sign that a ruler no longer had the mandate; justified overthrow of rulers

Question 39

the Caste System

Answer 39

Social Organization: The Caste System; began with Aryan people in India (1500 BCE); Four Castes: (1) Brahmins: priestly class, (2) Vaishyas: merchants/artisans, (3) Shudras: peasants/farmers, (4) Dalits: lowest, everyone outside varnas, performed the unpleasant work

Question 40

Zoroastrianism

Answer 40

Persian religion, belief in only one god: Ahura Marzda

Question 41

Vedas

Answer 41

Most ancient Hindu scriptures; lessons taught through tales of heroism, romance, and adventure

Question 42

Buddha

Answer 42

Siddhartha Gautama traveled & meditated and called himself the Buddha ("the enlightened one")-> spread his beliefs (Buddhism); the Four Noble Truths: All life involves suffering, suffering comes from worldly pleasures, suffering ends when one eliminates earthly desires, desire can be eliminated by following Buddhism's path; involves much inward reflection

Question 43

Confucius

Answer 43

Philosopher K'ung Fu-tzu; born 551 BCE into poverty; traveled across china gaining disciples and his idea became the foundation of Confucianism

Question 44

civil service exam

Answer 44

Created by the Han Wudi of the Han Dynasty in China; people hired basted on their test-taking abilities instead of personal/family connections

Question 45

city-states

Answer 45

popularly exemplified with Greek tribes (poleis); independent local governments; each had an agora: center for trade and gov., often caused internal tensions

Question 46

empires

Answer 46

extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority. Ex: Persian Empire

Question 47

Alexander the Great

Answer 47

Succeeded Macedonian king Philip II who conquered all Greek city-states; led many conquests that earned him the name; adopted much of Greek culture and spread it through conquest

Question 48

Ashoka Maurya

Answer 48

Most celebrated of all Mauryan rulers; ruled 268-232 BCE; ferocious warrior; military experiences affected him spiritually; converted to Buddhism and ended violent ways; as a leader he was a strong advocate for Buddhism; he made many economic achievements; ended slavery; inscribed policies & philosophies on rocks and pillars; promoted peace through diplomacy; increased trade

Question 49

Augustus Caesar (Octavian)

Answer 49

Proclaimed himself sole leader of Rome after the Battle of Actium (31 BCE); his and his successors' will was absolute; strengthened family values, tried his best to keep the peace & promote prosperity-> Pax Romana (Roman Peacetime) lasted for the next 200 years

Question 50

Great Wall of China

Answer 50

Started by the cruel leader: Qin Shihuangdi of the Qin Dynasty in China; enlisted people to work on many infrastructure projects

Question 51

Mauryan Empire

Answer 51

Spirituality and social organization stand out most in Indian history; divided into provinces; provinces ruled by prince (rep of emperor); provinces divided into districts governed by a minister; made India an important trading crossroads and popular in maritime trade; many achievements cam from Ashoka Maurya;

Question 52

Gupta Empire

Answer 52

Last major Indian dynasty; 3rd or 4th century CE; was a Golden Age for India; made India an important destination an important destination along the Silk Road; made many health care improvements (ie: inoculations); developed the numerical symbols 0 through 9 that we use today

Question 53

Han Dynasty in China

Answer 53

Han Wudi most significant ruler of this dynasty; Pax Sinica (Chinese peace) during Wudi's rule; Silk production increased, 100 CE- China invented paper, calculated a year, improved iron plow and yoke.

Question 54

Greek Classical Age

Answer 54

Made up of many diverse and independent city-states, came together for the Olympic Games, defeated Persian Empire: Sparta and Athens most powerful; Sparta: society organized around producing a powerful military, boys taken from mothers at 7 to train, slaves did all the agricultural work and infrastructure projects; Athens: many political and intellectual achievements, was a (direct) democracy for a bit, arts, mathematics, and literature created by Athenians formed the basis of academic disciplines studied today, life was hard for women and slaves

Question 55

Julius Caesar

Answer 55

became dictator of Rome for life in 46 BCE after vanquishing Pompey (major foe); revised calendar, increased size of senate, extended citizenship, etc.; led many conquests as far as Germany & Egypt; March 15, 44 BCE: senator intimidated by his popularity amongst many Roman citizens assassinated him-> caused downfall of the Republic and establishment of the Roman Empire

Question 56

Legalism

Answer 56

Struck a chord during the Qin Dynasty in China, Concerned with how people behaved, believed human nature to be bad and that society needed a system of strict laws & punishments to control people; most citizens should live as either farmers or soldiers; One should observe their neighbors and relatives and repot them to authorities if they break the law

Question 57

monarchy

Answer 57

King (one person) who rules

Question 58

aristocracy

Answer 58

Nobles rule; wealth & social ties

Question 59

democracy

Answer 59

all citizens participate in government

Question 60

republic

Answer 60

a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.

Question 61

reincarnation

Answer 61

the rebirth of a soul in a new body; popular in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and more

Question 62

Roman Republic v. Roman Empire

Answer 62

Republic: Elected officials, representative democracy, the Assembly of Tribunes (for Plebeians and Magistrates), Tribunes plebeian elected officials to represent them & sometimes got veto power, Consuls (2) most important elected magistrates & could veto, Laws of the Twelve Tables displayed for all to see Empire: Started by Octavian, one person's will was absolute, Pax Romana (Roman Peacetime), women's rights expanded a bit

Question 63

scholar-gentry

Answer 63

social leader who taught and oversaw community projects, preached Confucian moral teachings, etc.; ex: Confucius & his disciples, Peter & Paul (Christianity)

Question 64

Qin Dynasty China

Answer 64

established in 221 BCE after Zhou; Qin Shihuangdi created a very centralized gov. under his personal control- cruel leader- tomb decorated with 7,000 life-sized terracotta soldiers; Legalism became popular; expanded size of Chinese Empire; standardized coinage, weights, and measures; many infrastructure improvements;

Question 65

Polis

Answer 65

Another name for a Greek (independent) city-state. Plural: poleis

Question 66

Royal Road

Answer 66

Built during the reign of Persian Kind Darius; 1,500 mi across Persian Empire, roads built to encourage trade; efficient courier service

Question 67

Laws of the Twelve Tables

Answer 67

Roman laws displayed for all to see; dealt with almost every aspect of life (ex: business transactions, property boundaries, and penalties for crimes), created career path for lawyers

Question 68

Pax Romana

Answer 68

Roman Peacetime, took place during the Roman Empire, started with Octavian's rule and lasted for the next 200 years

Question 69

Shihuangdi

Answer 69

means "first emperor", Qin Shihuangdi of the brief Qin Dynasty was a very cruel leader, Legalism appealed to him, abolished local laws and replaced local leaders, burned books that didn't align with his beliefs, people who resisted his authority were executed or exiled, people drafted to work on infrastructure projects

Question 70

Han Wudi

Answer 70

Han Dynasty's most significant emperor; ruled 141-87 BCE; oversaw a vast expansion; defeated the nomadic Xiongnu peoples; established agricultural colonies; introduced a civil service examination; created a university to prepare young men for employment

Question 71

Silk Road

Answer 71

Network of ancient trade routes connecting the East and West; also spread many cultures, ideas, religions, and diseases

Question 72

caravanserai

Answer 72

markets and inns for people traveling the Royal Road built by Darius of Persia

Question 73

stirrups

Answer 73

Probably invented during the Jin Dynasty in China and popularly used during the Han Dynasty in China; made cavalry more effective and horses more useful