| 2480492718 | How would climate determine where people would settle? | People settle in areas that have climates that would accommodate agriculture and livestock. | | 0 |
| 2480514071 | What does the Paleolithic Age refer to? | The Paleolithic Age refers to about 12,000 BC. During this time people were nomadic. | | 1 |
| 2480522048 | What does the Neolithic Age refer to? | The Neolithic Age refers to the age from about 12,000 BC to about 8000 BC. It is during this time that people settled in communities and civilization began to emerge. | | 2 |
| 2480528129 | What do the River Valley Civilizations refer to? | The River Valley Civilizations refer to about 3500 to 1500 BC. | | 3 |
| 2480535067 | What do the Classical Civilizations refer to? | The Classical Civilizations refer to about 1000 BC to 600 CE. The major civilizations to emerge were Zhou and Han China, Greece and Rome, and the Gupta Empire. | | 4 |
| 2480547319 | Each early civilization developed its own unique ways of life, but what are some common characteristics between them? | They all shared complex irrigation systems, legal codes, money, art and written literature, more formal scientific knowledge, numbering systems, and calendars, and intensification of social inequality. | | 5 |
| 2480564011 | What was the culture of Mesopotamia (developed by 3500 BCE)? | Cuneiform;
Extensive trade with Egypt and the Indus Valley.
Epic of Gilgamesh.
Early use of bronze tools, chariots.
Advanced astronomy; math based on 60.
Pessimistic view of the world, perhaps due to irregular, unpredictable flooding of the rivers.
Polytheism- gods powerful and often cruel.
Kings powerful, but not divine. | | 6 |
| 2480579911 | What was the political organization of Mesopotamia (developed by 3500 BCE)? | City-states and warrior kings.
Hammurabi's Code.
Competition among city states as well as frequent invasions led to less political stability than in Egypt. | | 7 |
| 2480589674 | What was the social structure of Mesopotamia (developed by 3500 BCE)? | Job specialization- farmers, metal merchants, craftsmen, political administrators, priests; Social classes;
Marriage contracts, veils for women; women of upper classes less equal than lower class counterparts | | 8 |
| 2480612319 | What was the culture of Egypt (developed by 3000 BCE)? | Concerned with decorative arts, shipbuilding, some medical knowledge.
Less advanced in math and astronomy than Mesopotamians.
Less extensive trade, especially in earlier eras.
Polytheism, with pharaoh as a god.
Optimistic view of life (regular, controllable flooding of the river).
Strong belief in the afterlife; Book of the Dead.
Hieroglyphics- complex, pictorial language. | | 9 |
| 2480636519 | What was the Political Organization of Egypt (developed by 3000 BCE)? | Divine kingship- the pharaoh; highly centralized, authoritarian government.
Generally stable government throughout the 3 kingdoms.
Extensive bureaucracy; pharaoh's power channeled through regional governors. | | 10 |
| 2480679035 | What was the social structure of Egypt (developed by 3000 BCE)? | Smaller nobility than Mesopotamia; fewer merchants.
Some social mobility through the bureaucracy.
Priests have high status (only ones who understand the complex hieroglyphic written language).
Women- probably higher status than in Mesopotamia; love poetry indicates some importance place on male/ female relationships.
One female pharaoh- Hateshepsut.
Influential wife of pharaoh- Nefertiti. | | 11 |
| 2480707405 | What was the culture of Indus Valley (developed by 2500 BCE) | Writing system only recently
decipherable
Soapstone seals that indicate
trade with both
Mesopotamians and China
pottery making with bulls
and long-horned cattle a
frequent motif
Small figurines of women
Cruder weapons than
Mesopotamians - stone
arrowheads, no swords
Polytheism - naked man with
horns the primary god;
fertility goddesses
Two cities: Harappa and
Mohenjo-Dara | | 12 |
| 2480710911 | What was the political organization of Indus Valley (developed by 2500)? | Assumed to be complex and
thought to be centralized
Limited information, but large
granaries near the cities indicate
centralized control | | 13 |
| 2480718734 | What was the social structure of Indus Valley (developed by 2500 BCE)? | Priests have highest status, based on
position as intermediaries between gods
and people
Differences in house sizes indicate strong
class distinctions
Statues reflects reverence for female
reproductive function | | 14 |
| 2480726686 | What was the culture of Shang China (developed by 1700 BCE)? | Oracles bones used to
communicate with ancestors
Pattern on bones formed
basis for writing system;
writing highly valued,
complex pictorial language
with 3000 characters by end
of dynasty
Uniform written language
became bond among people
who spoke many different
languages
Bronze weapons and tools,
horse-drawn chariots
Geographical separation
from other civilizations,
though probably traded with
the Indus Valley . | | 15 |
| 2480735560 | What was the political organization of Shang China (developed by 1700 BCE)? | Centralized government, power
in the hands of the emperor
Government preoccupied with
flood control of the rivers Job
specialization - bureaucrats,
farmers, slaves | | 16 |
| 2480746993 | What was the social structure of Shang China (developed by 1700 BCE)? | Social classes - warrior aristocrats,
bureaucrats, farmers, slaves
Patriarchal society; women as wives and
concubines; women were sometimes
shamans. | | 17 |
| 2480761199 | What was the culture of Meso and South America (developed by 1200 BCE)? | Olmecs in Mesoamerica:
Highly developed
astronomy; used to predict
agricultural cycles and
please the gods
Polytheism; religious rituals
important, shamans as
healers
Ritual ballgames
Irrigation and drainage
canals
Giant carved stone heads;
probably with religious
significance
Jaguar symbol important
Chavin in Andean region:
Polytheism; statues of jaguar
men
Square stone architecture, no
mortar
Well-developed agriculture
based on maize
Unique geography: lived on
coast, in mountains, and in
jungle | | 18 |
| 2480786896 | Type of system--
Agricultural societies- cultivate crops 8,000 BCE. | Types of technology developed--
Domestication of plants and animals; iron tools writing systems; constant development.
Main geographic locations--
River valleys in Mesopotamia, Nile River valley, India, China, MesoAmerica, Andes. | | 19 |
| 2480796044 | Type of system--
Pastoral societies- domesticated animals 8,000 BCE. | Types of technology developed--
Domestication of horses and camels.
Main geographic locations--
Steppes, grasslands, deserts, mountain ranges. | | 20 |
| 2480809697 | Type of system--
Foraging societies- hunting and gathering 35,000 BCE. | Types of technology developed--
Baskets for gathering and storing and hunting tools.
Main geographic locations--
Everywhere until sedentary agricultural societies and then empires took over the most fertile areas. | | 21 |
| 2480835761 | The three areas of classical civilizations developed their own beliefs, lifestyles, political institutions, and social structures, However, what were their important similarities? | Patriarchal family structures - Like the river valley civilizations that preceded them, the classical civilization valued
male authority within families, as well as in most other areas of life.
• Agricultural-based economies - Despite more sophisticated and complex job specialization, the most common
occupation in all areas was farming.
• Complex governments - Because they were so large, these three civilizations had to invent new ways to keep their
lands together politically. Their governments were large and complex, although they each had unique ways of
governing
• Expanding trade base - Their economic systems were complex. Although they generally operated independently, trade
routes connected them by both land and sea. | | 22 |
| 2480846072 | What was the culture of Greece (about 800-300 BCE)? | Most enduring influences come from
Athens:
Valued education, placed emphasis on
importance of human effort, human
ability to shape future events
Interest in political theory: which form
of government is best?
Celebration of human individual
achievement and the ideal human form.
Philosophy and science emphasized the
use of logic
Highly developed form of sculpture,
literature, math, written language, and
record keeping
Polytheism, with gods having very
human characteristics
Cities relatively small
Great seafaring skills, centered around
Aegean, but traveling around entire
Mediterranean area | | 23 |
| 2480858967 | What was the political organization of Greece (about 800-300 BCE)? | No centralized government; concept of
polis, or a fortified site that formed the
centers of many city states
Governing styles varied (Sparta a
military state, Athens eventually a
democracy for adult males)
Athens government first dominated by
tyrants, or strong rulers who gained
power from military prowess; later came to be ruled by an assembly of free
men who made political decisions.
Both Athens and Sparta developed
strong military organizations and
established colonies around the
Mediterranean. Sparta theoretically
equal; wealth accumulation not allowed | | 24 |
| 2480870075 | What was the social structure of Greece (about 800-300 BCE)? | Slavery widely practiced
Men separated from women in
military barracks until age 30;
women had relative freedom;
women in Sparta encouraged to
be physically fit so as to have
healthy babies; generally better
treated and more equal to men than women in Athens
Athens encouraged equality for
free males, but women and
slaves had little freedom. Neither
group allowed to participate in
polis affairs.
Social status dependent on land
holdings and cultural
sophistication. | | 25 |
| 2480875996 | What was the culture of Rome (about 500 BCE to 476 CE, although eastern half continued for another thousand years)? | Perfection of military techniques:
conquer but don't oppress; division of
army into legions, emphasizing
organization and rewarding military
talent
Art, literature, philosophy, science
derivative from Greece
Superb engineering and architecture
techniques; extensive road, sanitation
systems; monumental architecture -
buildings, aqueducts, bridges
Polytheism, derivative from Greeks,
but religion not particularly important
to the average Roman; Christianity
developed during Empire period, but
not dominant until very late
Great city of Rome - buildings, arenas,
design copied in smaller cities | | 26 |
| 2480880925 | What was the political organization of Rome (about 500 BCE to 476 CE, although eastern half continued for another thousand years)? | Two eras:
Republic - rule by aristocrats, with
some power shared with assemblies;
Senate most powerful, with two consuls
chosen to rule, generally selected from
the military
Empire - non-hereditary emperor;
technically chosen by Senate, but
generally chosen by predecessor
Extensive colonization and military
conquest during both eras
Development of an overarching set of
laws, restrictions that all had to obey;
Roman law sets in place principle of
rule of law, not rule by whim of the
political leader | | 27 |
| 2480888435 | What was the social structure of Rome (about 500 BCE to 476 CE, although eastern half continued for another thousand years)? | Basic division between
patricians (aristocrats) and
plebeians (free farmers),
although a middle class of
merchants grew during the
empire; wealth based on land
ownership; gap between rich and
poor grew with time
Paterfamilias - male dominated
family structure
Patron-client system with rich
supervising elaborate webs of
people that owe favors to them
Inequality increased during the
empire, with great dependence
on slavery during the late
empire; slaves used in
households, mines, large estates,
all kinds of manual labor | | 28 |
| 2480890514 | What was the culture of China (about 500 BCE to 600 CE)? | Confucianism developed during late
Zhou; by Han times, it dominated the
political and social structure.
Legalism and Daoism develop during
same era.
Buddhism appears, but not influential
yet
Threats from nomads from the south
and west spark the first construction of
the Great Wall; clay soldiers, lavish
tomb for first emperor Shi Huangdi
Chinese identity cemented during Han
era: the "Han" Chinese
Han - a "golden age" with prosperity
from trade along the Silk Road;
inventions include water mills, paper,
compasses, and pottery and silkmaking;
calendar with 365.5 days
Capital of Xi'an possibly the most
sophisticated, diverse city in the world
at the time; many other large cities | | 29 |
| 2480892217 | What was the political organization of China (about 500 BCE to 600 CE)? | Zhou - emperor rules by mandate of
heaven, or belief that dynasties rise and
fall according to the will of heaven, or
the ancestors. Emperor was the "son of
heaven."
Emperor housed in the forbidden city,
separate from all others
Political authority controlled by
Confucian values, with emperor in full
control but bound by duty
Political power centralized under Shi
Huangdi - often seen as the first real
emperor
Han - strong centralized government,
supported by the educated shi (scholar
bureaucrats who obtained positions
through civil service exams) | | 30 |
| 2480896173 | What was the social structure of China (about 500 BCE to 600 CE)? | Family basic unit of society,
with loyalty and obedience
stressed
Wealth generally based on land
ownership; emergence of scholar
gentry
Growth of a large merchant
class, but merchants generally
lower status than scholarbureaucrats
Big social divide between rural
and urban, with most wealth
concentrated in cities
Some slavery, but not as much
as in Rome
Patriarchal society reinforced by
Confucian values that
emphasized obedience of wife to
husband | | 31 |
| 2480900363 | What was the culture of India? | Aryan religious stories written down
into Vedas, and Hinduism became the
dominant religion, although Buddhism
began in India during this era; Mauryans Buddhist, Guptas Hindu
Great epic literature such as the
Ramayana and Mahabarata
Extensive trade routes within
subcontinent and with others;
connections to Silk Road, and heart of
Indian Ocean trade; coined money for
trade
So-called Arabic numerals developed in
India, employing a 10-based system | | 32 |
| 2480905926 | What was the political organization of India? | Lack of political unity - geographic
barriers and diversity of people; tended
to fragment into small kingdoms;
political authority less important than caste membership and group
allegiances
Mauryan and Gupta Empires formed
based on military conquest; Mauryan
Emperor Ashoka seen as greatest;
converted to Buddhism, kept the religion alive
"theater state" techniques used during
Gupta - grand palace and court to
impress all visitors, conceal political
weakness | | 33 |
| 2480910772 | What was the social structure of India? | Complex social hierarchy based
on caste membership (birth
groups called jati); occupations
strictly dictated by caste
Earlier part of time period -
women had property rights
Decline in the status of women
during Gupta, corresponding to
increased emphasis on
acquisition and inheritance of
property; ritual of sati for
wealthy women ( widow
cremates herself in her husband's
funeral pyre) | | 34 |
| 2480922496 | What was the silk road? | This overland route extended from western China, across Central Asia, and finally to the Mediterranean area.
Chinese silk was the most desired commodity, but the Chinese were willing to trade it for other goods, particularly for horses
from Central Asia. There was no single route, but it consisted of a series of passages with common stops along the way. Major
trade towns appeared along the way where goods were exchanged. No single merchant traveled the entire length of the road,
but some products (particularly silk) did make it from one end to the other | | 35 |
| 2480923692 | What was the Indian Ocean Trade? | This important set of water routes became even more important in later eras, but the Indian Ocean
Trade was actively in place during the classical era. The trade had three legs: one connected eastern Africa and the Middle East
with India; another connected India to Southeast Asia; and the final one linked Southeast Asia to the Chinese port of Canton. | | 36 |
| 2480925980 | What was the Saharan Trade? | This route connected people that lived south of the Sahara to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The
Berbers, nomads who traversed the desert, were the most important agents of trade. They carried goods in camel caravans, with
Cairo at the mouth of the Nile River as the most important destination. There they connected to other trade routes, so that Cairo
became a major trade center that linked many civilizations together. | | 37 |
| 2480927751 | What was the sub-Saharan trade? | This trade was probably inspired by the Bantu migration, and by the end of the classical era people south
of the Sahara were connect to people in the eastern and southern parts of Africa. This trade connected to the Indian Ocean trade
along the eastern coast of Africa, which in turn connected the people of sub-Saharan Africa to trade centers in Cairo and India. | | 38 |
