Pre- History
What do we call the time before writing?
Prehistory
Which two rivers was Mesopotamia between?
Tigris and Euphrates
The Silk Road connected which two regions?
China and Europe
What desert did traders cross in Africa?
The Sahara Desert
European explorers wanted “God, Gold, and ____”?
Glory
What do we call people who move from place to place for food?
Nomads
What writing system did ancient Egyptians use?
Hieroglyphics
Who united the Mongols and built the empire?
Genghis Khan
What two main goods were traded across the Sahara?
Gold and Salt
Which empire ruled the Indian Ocean trade before Europeans?
The Ottoman / Islamic Empires (and also Swahili city-states)
What discovery allowed people to farm and settle?
Agriculture (farming)
The Indus Valley Civilization was in what country today?
India / Pakistan region
Name one positive effect of Mongol rule on trade.
Safer travel / more goods traded
What Mali king was famous for wealth and a trip to Mecca?
Mansa Musa
Who was the first Portuguese explorer to sail around Africa to India?
Vasco da Gama
What type of society hunts animals and gathers plants?
Hunter-gatherer
What idea said Chinese rulers had approval from the gods?
Mandate of Heaven
What deadly disease spread on the Silk Road?
The Black Death (plague)
How did camels help trade?
They carried goods and survived in the desert
What was the Spanish forced labor system in the Americas?
The Encomienda system
Name one difference between Paleolithic and Neolithic life.
Paleolithic = hunting/gathering, moving around; Neolithic = farming, staying in one place
How did geography affect one river valley civilization?
Mesopotamia – fertile land but invasions; Egypt – Nile flooding helped farming; China – rivers gave crops but caused floods
How did the Mongols help cultural exchange?
They connected Europe and Asia, spreading ideas, goods, and technologies
How did Islam affect West African trade and culture?
It spread religion, education, and new ideas
How did sea empires change trade in the 15th–17th centuries?
They created global trade networks linking Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas