Early River Valley Civilizations & Religions
The Mesopotamians wrote ________________ on clay tablets, while the Egyptians wrote hieroglyphics on _______________.
Cuneiform, Papyrus
What geographic feature separated Greek city‑states(POLIS)?
Mountains
example of a polis- Athens and Sparta
Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, what did the Eastern Roman Empire become known as?
The Byzantine Empire
What language and culture emerged along the East African coast from the blending of Bantu-speaking natives and Arab traders?
Swahili
What term describes a belief system that worships only one single God?
Monotheism
What type of architectural structure was built in ancient Mesopotamia as a temple to honor their gods?
Ziggurat
What river valley was home to the Sumerians?
Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates Rivers)
Define Athenian democracy.
Citizens participated directly in making laws/policy (direct democracy).
What was Justinian's most lasting contribution to Western legal traditions and governance?
Justinian's Code (Corpus Juris Civilis)
Which two goods dominated West African trade across the Trans-Saharan routes?
Gold and Salt
What term describes a belief system that worships multiple gods or deities?
Polytheism
What type of large monumental structure was built in ancient Egypt to serve as tombs for pharaohs?
Pyramids
Why did Egyptians call their river the “Gift of the Nile”?
It provided fertile soil, water, and transportation.
Compare and contrast the Greek city-states of Sparta and Athens, focusing on their political systems and social values.
Sparta was a militaristic state, and women had rights. While Athens was a democracy, women did not have rights. Both were Greek polis.
Which famous architectural marvel built by Justinian served as the central cathedral of Eastern Orthodox Christianity?
The Hagia Sophia
Who was the famous ruler of Mali who undertook a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca, making Mali's vast wealth known throughout Europe and the Middle East?
Mansa Musa
Which ancient monotheistic religion considers the Abrahamic tradition its root and uses the Torah as its sacred text?
Judaism
What system of writing made up of hieroglyphs was developed in ancient Egypt?
Hieroglyphics
Who was the emperor that spread Buddhism throughout India?
Asoka (Maurya Empire)
Roman roads helped spread __________.
Christianity
Who served as Empress of the Byzantine Empire and exercised significant political power as Justinian's trusted advisor?
Empress Theodora
What animal was essential to enabling regular trade across the harsh conditions of the Sahara Desert?
Camels
What major world religion developed out of Judaism and was founded on the teachings of Jesus?
Christianity
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!
What process occurs when cultures, ideas, technologies, and traditions spread from one group of people to another through trade or migration?
Cultural Diffusion
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!
What separated India from other civilizations? And what is the name of strong seasonal winds with heavy rain?
Mountains or the Himalayas
Monsoons
Hellenism blended __________, __________, and __________ cultures.
Greek, Persian, Egyptian
Founder of Islam and the Muslim holy book?
Muhammad; the Qur’an
Who founded and unified the nomadic tribes to create the Mongol Empire?
Genghis Khan (Chinggis Khan)
What religion does not focus on worshipping gods, but rather on escaping the cycle of suffering to reach Enlightenment (Nirvana/Moksha)?
Buddhism
What major group of invaders repeatedly attacked the Western Roman Empire, contributing to its ultimate fall?
Germanic Tribes (or Barbarians)
Describe the role of the Mandate of Heaven in the Chinese dynasties of Zhou, Qin, and Han.
The Mandate of Heaven was the belief that an emperor's right to rule came from the gods, and if they ruled badly, they would lose that right.
Who was the first emperor of Rome?
Augustus Caesar
What primary issue caused the disagreement between the Pope in Rome and the Patriarch in Constantinople leading to the 1054 church split?
Papal authority/supreme leadership over the Christian Church
What period of regional stability and peace across Eurasia during the 13th and 14th centuries allowed trade along the Silk Road to flourish under Mongol rule?
Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace)
Which major polytheistic religion originated in India, supports the Caste System, and believes in Karma and reincarnation?
Hinduism
What wealthy West African kingdom, known for its gold and salt trade, was ruled by King Sunni Ali and King Askia Muhammad?
The Songhai Empire
Which Mesopotamian king created the first written law code?
Hammurabi (Hammurabi's Law Code)
Rome was a Republic first, what is a Republic?
DOUBLE POINT QUESTION!!!:
What did the Roman say when his wife was eaten by a lion?
A system where officials are elected to represent citizens.
Double Points Answer: Gladiator
Muhammad’s departure to Medina started which pilgrimage practiced by millions?
The Hajj
Which European trader visited Kublai Khan and wrote about China?
Marco Polo
What philosophical belief system in ancient China focused on social harmony, respect for elders, and proper family relationships?
Confucianism
Which ruler conquered the kingdom of Ghana and established the Mali Empire?
Sundiata
Which rivers did India settle around, and were they predictable?
Indus & Ganges; flooding was unpredictable
What was the 200-year period of relative peace and stability across the Roman Empire called?
Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
Why was the geographic location of Constantinople strategically and economically advantageous?
It sat at the crossroads of major trade routes connecting Europe and Asia.
WATER!!!
What happened to the political structure of the Mongol Empire following the death of Genghis Khan?
It was divided into four regional Khanates.
What major faith split into Sunni and Shia branches following a dispute over who should succeed its founding prophet?
Islam
What was the political structure of Athens during its Golden Age, governed by citizens making decisions directly?
Direct Democracy
Civil service exams in China were designed to __________.
Select qualified government officials.
What major engineering achievement did the Romans build to transport clean water directly into their cities?
Aqueducts
What central disagreement led to the division between Sunni and Shia Muslims after the death of the Prophet Muhammad?
Disagreement over whether the caliph should be a direct blood relative of Muhammad (Shia) or an elected competent leader (Sunni).
Name the three major West African gold-salt trading empires in chronological order.
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Name two core beliefs or concepts shared by both Hinduism and Buddhism
Karma, Reincarnation (rebirth), and Enlightenment (Moksha)
Justinian Law Code was created using the old ___________ laws to create his own.
Roman
__________ supports the caste system, __________ rejects it.
Hinduism; Buddhism
Which Roman emperor split the empire into Eastern and Western halves in an effort to save it from collapsing?
Diocletian
Name three foundational similarities shared by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
They are monotheistic, trace their roots to Abraham, and share sacred texts/prophets.
What military advantage permitted the Mongols to rapidly conquer and control the largest contiguous land empire in world history?
Expert horseback riding and advanced archery skills
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!
What religious trade route along the East African coast helped spread Islam to coastal trading cities like Kilwa and Mogadishu?
Trans-Saharan / Indian Ocean Trade Routes
What concept introduced by the Zhou Dynasty said that God chose the next leader?
The Mandate of Heaven