Early Civilizations
Its name translates as "between the rivers." Often nicknamed the Cradle of Civilization, what ancient civilization is credited with inventing the wheel, the plow, and the legal system of Hammurabi's Code?
Mesopotamia
Though its exact origins are difficult to pinpoint, this religious system likely evolved during the Vedic Period of the Indus River Valley Civilization between 2300 and 1500 BCE. What is this religion, whose central ideas include the process of reincarnation, or Samsara, that is driven by a person's actions and responsibilities?
Hinduism
Also known as the Achaemenid Empire, this empire stretched for about 2.1 million square miles at its peak and contained present-day Iran. What is this empire, founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE, and conquered by Alexander the Great in 334 BCE?
The Persian Empire
This was the basis of many political systems during the Middle Ages. Featuring a structural hierarchy with kings on top, nobles pledging loyalty to kings, knights fighting for nobles, and serfs on the very bottom, what is this political system?
Fuedalism
This man was a legendary figure of Portuguese sea exploration despite never embarking on an exploration himself. Who was this man of royal descent, famous for funding numerous explorations to the New World and establishing a navigation school to teach people the science of map-making and navigating the open seas?
Prince Henry the Navigator
This civilization is remembered for such wonders as the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. What is this civilization located in northern Africa along the Nile River, whose rulers were believed to be descendants of gods known as Pharoahs?
Egypt
An offshoot of Hinduism, this religion was founded by Prince Siddhartha Gautama and has central beliefs of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. What is this religion, the followers of which believe they can achieve Nirvana by overcoming greed, hatred, and ignorance?
Buddhism
The founding of this city-state/republic/empire is shrouded in the myth of the twin brothers Romulus and Remus. Revered for its tendency to conquer its neighbors for the purpose of territorial expansion, what is this early European power, credited with such inventions as the aqueduct, and which hosted gladiatorial games in its grand Colosseum?
Rome
These were a series of "holy wars" fought over control of the holy lands around Jerusalem, the ancestral homelands of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. What are these conflicts, the first being launched by Pope Urban II in 1095 with the goal of using military force to take back Jerusalem from Muslim invaders?
The Crusades
Born in February of 1480 and dying in April 1521 after being struck by a poison tipped arrow during a scuffle with natives on the Philippine island of Mactan, this explorer is remembered for discovering the sea passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, proving the Earth is spherical in shape, and being the first person to sail around the globe. Who was this explorer?
Ferdinand Magellan
Despite flourishing in its early history, this civilization mysteriously disappeared around 1900 BCE. What is this civilization, famous for the city of Mohenjo-Daro?
The Indus River Valley Civilization
This religion can trace its origins to the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century, with the Prophet Mohammad receiving his revelation from Allah in 610 CE marking its beginning. What is this religion, one of the three Abrahamic religions, holding the Quran as its holy book and Mecca as its holy city?
Islam
This civilization, at its peak under leadership of Alexander the Great, spanned over approximately 2 million square miles. Credited with such inventions as cartography, the odometer, and even early versions of the alarm clock, what is this kingdom which laid the foundations for western Democracy?
Greece
This famous ruler held such titles as King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and emperor of what is now the Carolingian Empire from 800. Who was this ruler, famous for unifying much of Western Europe, kickstarting the Holy Roman Empire, and creating many political systems that are still used in Europe today?
Charlemagne the Great
Even though his voyages to the New World were sponsored by the Spanish, this explorer was actually of Italian ancestry. Making four voyages in total across the Atlantic, with his most famous being in 1492, who was this explorer who charted and claimed much of the Carribean for the Spanish crown?
Christopher Columbus
Known as the oldest continuous civilization in history, this civilization was made famous for a series of rising and falling dynasties before eventually becoming a prominent world power in modern history. What is this civilization, credited for the invention of gunpowder, paper, and the magnetic compass?
China
This religion has roots extending back as far as 3500 years ago in the region around modern Israel and Palestine. What is this monotheistic religion, with its holy book as the Torah, and its holy city as Jerusalem?
Judaism
This empire, built on its wealth rather than conquest, is one of the more famous West-African civilizations. Extending over 400,000 square miles at its peak, including the present-day countries of Senegal, Gambia, and Burkina Faso, what is this empire, remembered for its famously wealthy king, Mansa Musa?
The Mali Empire
Perhaps the most destructive pandemic in human history, this famous outbreak of the Bubonic Plague killed off an estimated 50% of the population of 14th-century Europe between 1346 and 1353. What was this tragic historical event that spread from infected fleas on rats traveling aboard trade ships from China and the far east?
The Black Death
This empire was the strongest and most successful of the Mesoamerican civilizations, until it was conquered by Hernan Cortes and his conquistadors in 1521. What was this empire, spanning much of modern Mexico and Central America, with its capital being the floating city of Tenochtitlan on Lake Texcoco?
The Aztecs
One of only six "pristine" world civilizations, referring to a civilization that developed independently from external influences, this is the oldest of the Mesoamerican civilizations. What is this civilization, famous for its enormous stone head statues carved from volcanic rock?
The Olmec Civilization
Tracing its origins back to the 1st century CE in the areas surrounding modern day Israel and Palestine, it is one of the three Abrahamic Religions along with Judaism and Islam. What is this religion, with its core beliefs holding to the trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, with its holy book as the Bible?
Christianity
At its peak, this empire stretched for over 9 million square miles, making it the largest contiguous empire in history, and contained 28 modern-day countries. What is this empire, with famous leaders being Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, and Timur the Great?
The Mongol Empire
One of the most revolutionary thinkers during the Renaissance, this man was an Italian painter, scientist, engineer, and architect. Credited with creating plans for devices from flying machines to self-propelled vehicles, who was this famous painter of the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper?
Leonardo da Vinci
Perhaps one of the most successful French explorers during the Age of Exploration, this man was the first European to chart the St. Lawrence River and the Canadian Atlantic coast between 1534 and 1542. Who was this explorer, who used the Iroquois word "kanata" to lay the foundations for the settlement and eventual country of Canada?
Jacques Cartier