Medieval Europe & West Africa
Civilizations in the Americas
Renaissance, Reformation & Exploration
Skills: Establishing Context
Skills: Examining Sources & Claims
100
What name is given to the system in medieval Europe where lords gave land to vassals in exchange for military service?
Feudalism
100
What large island city was the capital of the Aztec Empire, built on a lake and known for causeways and chinampas?
Tenochtitlán
100
What invention by Johannes Gutenberg helped spread ideas and increase literacy in Europe?
The printing press (movable type).
100
What does the term "chronological sequence" mean?
Putting events in order by time.
100
What is a primary source? Give one example related to medieval or early modern history.
A primary source is an original firsthand account (example: a traveler's diary of Mansa Musa's pilgrimage, a medieval charter).
200
Name the West African kingdom known for its early wealth from gold trade before Mali became powerful.
Ghana
200
Name one technology or engineering method the Inca used to farm or move goods across mountains.
Terrace farming, suspension bridges, road systems (quipu for records).
200
Name one famous Renaissance artist or writer and one accomplishment.
Leonardo da Vinci (art and inventions), Michelangelo (sculpture/painting), William Shakespeare (plays/writing).
200
Give one example of change between medieval Europe and the Renaissance. (*Hint: What were they more focused on than religion?)
Change: more focus on humanism and science during the Renaissance.
200
How can historians tell if a source is biased? Name one clue they might look for.
Look for language that favors one side, missing viewpoints, or the author's relationship to events.
300
Who was the great Malian king famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca that displayed his wealth?
Mansa Musa
300
How did the geography of the Andes affect Inca agriculture and settlement? Give one specific example.
The Andes required terraces for farming and roads to connect regions; steep slopes meant llamas and terraces.
300
What was one major cause of the Protestant Reformation (name and explain briefly)?
Selling of indulgences and church corruption; Martin Luther's 95 Theses challenged Church practices.
300
Niger River.
300
Read the claim and source. What two types of evidence would you use to support or challenge the claim?
“In Timbuktu there are many judges, doctors, and scholars. Great numbers of books are sold, and more profit is made from books than from any other trade.”
— Leo Africanus
Claim:
Timbuktu was an important center of trade and learning in West Africa.
- Maps showing the Niger River and trade routes
- Artifacts or images of books, manuscripts, or schools
OR
- Secondary source texts about trade in Mali/Songhai
- Economic data or records showing trade goods (gold, salt, books)
400
Explain one way monasteries helped preserve knowledge during the Middle Ages.
Monasteries copied books, preserved Latin texts, and taught reading/writing
400
Describe one religious belief or practice of the Aztec people and how it connected to their society.
Example: Sun worship and human sacrifice tied to keeping gods pleased and ensuring crops/wars.
400
Compare the geocentric and heliocentric models: who is associated with each idea?
Geocentric = Earth-centered (ancient Greeks, Ptolemy); Heliocentric = Sun-centered (Copernicus).
400
Explain how physical geography (like mountains or rivers) can influence where people live and develop civilizations; give one example from the Americas or Africa.
Example: Rivers provide water for farming—Tenochtitlán used lakes and canals; Niger River supported trade in West Africa.
400
Explain how comparing two different sources (for example, a traveler’s account and an archaeological find) can help historians learn more about a past culture.
Each source offers different strengths—accounts show beliefs; artifacts show daily life—together they give fuller picture.
500
Describe two economic goods that were commonly traded across the Trans-Saharan caravan routes.
Gold and salt (also slaves, cloth, ivory accepted)
500
Explain how the Inca maintained control over a large empire without a written language (give one method).
Use of mita (labor system), road networks, governors, and record-keeping using quipu.
500
Explain two effects of the Columbian Exchange on the Americas or Europe (one biological/food and one cultural or demographic).
Foods: maize, potatoes to Europe; horses, wheat to Americas. Cultural/demographic: spread of diseases to Americas; introduction of Christianity.
500
Describe how the Hundred Years’ War or the Black Death led to long-term changes in Europe (pick one and explain two effects).
Black Death: labor shortages and decline of feudalism; Hundred Years’ War: rise of national identities and changes in warfare.
500
Construct a short claim (1–2 sentences) answering: "How did trade networks change cultures between 1000 and 1600?" Then list two types of evidence you would use to support the claim.
Example claim: "Trade networks changed cultures between 1000 CE and 1600 CE." Evidence: records of gold/salt trade routes; traveler accounts; archaeological finds showing foreign goods.