Unit 1: Pre History
What stands for "Anno Domini" AKA after death
A.D?
Who was the leader of the Mongol Empire
Genghis Khan?
What Italian explorer, sailing for Spain in 1492, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Americas
Christopher Columbus?
What is the name of the four river valley civilizations
Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient China?
What desert is the largest in Africa, and was crossed by merchants trading gold, salt, and other goods
Sahara Desert?
What is the difference between a century and a millennium?
A century is 100 years, a millennium is 1,000 years?
Who were the Mongols, and where did their empire originate
The Mongols were nomadic warriors from the Central Asian steppes who built the largest land empire in history?
Which European country sent monarchs to sponsor voyages to North America, establishing trading posts and seeking new wealth and influence overseas?
France?
Which ancient Mesopotamian ruler is famous for creating one of the world’s first law codes
Hammurabi?
What was the main trade good from West Africa
Gold?
What is the difference between Prehistory and History
Prehistory is the period of human existence before writing was invented, while history is events that occurred since writing was developed?
How long did it take the Mongols to fully conquer China
3 generations, 60-90 years?
Which country, blocked from Mediterranean trade by Spain, built a network of fortified trading posts along the African and Asian coasts, using heavily armed ships to control trade
Portugal?
Which civilization developed the base-60 number system, which is why we have 60 minutes in an hour and 360 degrees in a circle
Mesopotamia (Sumerians)?
Why was the Mali Empire so successful in trade
It controlled trade routes and taxed gold and salt exchanges?
Who was Montesquieu and what was he known for
Montesquieu was a French social commentator and political thinker who developed the idea of separation of powers in government.
Which traveler spent nearly two decades serving Kublai Khan, later shared his experiences in a bestselling book, and inspired European explorers to journey farther east
Marco Polo?
Which nation, entering the age of exploration later than others, leveraged its booming textile industry, challenged Catholic Spain, and began establishing overseas colonies
England?
Which civilization centralized power under pharaohs, built massive pyramids as tombs, and developed complex religious rituals to ensure life after death
Ancient Egypt?
What animal was known as the “ship of the desert,” and was crucial for carrying gold, salt, and other goods across the harsh Sahara Desert
The camel?
How did the development of agriculture change human society and lead to permanent settlements during the Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution changed human society by replacing the nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle with farming, which required people to stay in one place to tend crops, leading to permanent settlements?
How did the Mongols use the Silk Roads to strengthen their empire
They secured and expanded the Silk Roads to boost trade, communication, and wealth?
Which Protestant nation, ruled by Spain until achieving independence, became Europe’s wealthiest through trade, dominating markets with powerful ships and merchant companies
Dutch Republic (Netherlands)?
Which civilization had a strong central government and advanced urban planning, including plumbing, sewer systems, and grid-like streets
Indus Valley Civilization?
How did geography both challenge and benefit the trans-Saharan trade system
Harsh deserts limited travel, but oases and camel adaptation made long-distance trade possible?