Unit 1: Renaissance Europe
Unit 2: Worldviews in Conflict
Unit 3: From Isolation to Adaptation
General
Vocabulary
100
What does "Renaissance" mean?
In French, a rebirth. The time period was known as the "rebirth of classical knowledge and learning".
100
Who were the Aztecs?
The name given to the civilization created by a nomadic tribe who settled in the Valley of Mexico during the 1400s.
100
Why was Japan isolated from the rest of the world? (In terms of geography)
Japan is an island country, and the rough waters in the Sea of Japan made travel to and from there extremely dangerous.
100
What is the difference between "calmecac" and "telpochcalli"?
Calmecac: The Aztec school for nobles. Telpochcalli: The Aztec school for commoners.
100
Hierarchy
A social system in which status is ranked, and power is concentrated in the higher ranks.
200
Name the social classes that form the hierarchical feudal system in order from the top (most power) to the bottom (least power).
1. Monarch (King/Queen) 2. Nobles (Lords/Barons) 3. Knights 4. Merchants and Craftsmen 5. Peasants (Serfs and Freemen)
200
Why was Spain more "curious" than the rest of Europe? (Let the teacher decide if your answer is acceptable)
Different from other countries, Spain was pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, separated from the rest of Europe. They are isolated, and don't have as strong a connection with the rest. Because more than half of their borders are coasts, people are bound to be curious.
200
Who were the Ainu?
The Ainu were the Aboriginal people of Japan.
200
How did Japan control contact with the West?
By placing isolation or exclusion laws that prevented the people from interacting with Westerners.
200
Monotheism
The belief in which there is only ONE god.
300
Name the four main humanist concepts.
1. Human beings can use the power of reason, that is, thinking to find truth for themselves. 2. It is important for a person to have an open, curious, and questioning mind. 3. People can achieve great things though learning. 4. Individuals should be skilled in many different areas. They should develop not just their minds but also their bodies and spirits.
300
Name in order from most powerful to least powerful the hierarchy of the Aztecs.
1. Emperor - Nobility 2. Nobles and Priests - Nobility 3. Merchants, Artisans, Soldiers - Commoners 4. Farmers, Fishers, Women - Commoners 5. Slaves - Commoners
300
Name in order from most powerful to least the hierarchy of the Japanese.
1. Emperor 2. Shogun 3. Samurai 4. Peasants 5. Artisans 6. Merchants 7. Women 8. Outsiders (Ainu)
300
What is a worldview?
A worldview is how you see the world and what you live for. It defines how you interact with the world.
300
Upward mobility
The ability to move from one social class to a higher one.
400
Name at least one of the two things that mainly contributed to the collapse of the feudal system, and how they weakened it. (Let the teacher decide if your answer is acceptable)
1. The Hundred Years' War and the Peasants' Revolts - The high taxes from the war caused the peasants (mainly serfs) to rebel. They killed nobles and burned down manors, which changed how the feudal system was run. 2. The Black Death (Bubonic Plague) - Killed millions throughout Europe and Asia, but mainly the serfs because they were the last ones to receive treatment. This caused severe labour shortages and bankruptcy on the feudal estates.
400
Name one of the Aztec legends and explain how it affected them. (Let the teacher decide if your answer is acceptable)
1. The legend of Huitzilopotchli: The Aztec deity god, Huitzilopotchli, commanded them to travel south from the deserts of northern Mexico. They were to look for an eagle perched on a cactus and build a great city there. For more than 150 years the Aztecs traveled, eventually arriving in the Valley of Mexico. Many tribes were already occupying the fertile lands, so they settled in a swamp, where the eagle stood. Because they were convinced that this was the land the gods intended for them, they changed the island into one of the greatest cities of the world, Tenochtitlan. They were determined to survive there, so they changed the geography of the land to better suit their needs. 2. The legend of Quetzalcoatl: Once, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca had a great fight, making Quetzalcoatl leave Mexico. A priest prophesied that he would return from the east in the year "One-Reed", bringing the destruction of the Aztecs with him. Quetzalcoatl had white skin, and when Columbus came on his boats across the Atlantic, the Aztecs mistook him as Quetzalcoatl. This is why Moctezuma offered Columbus gifts and hospitality rather than challenging him to a war. It was his mistake that made his powerful nation crumble.
400
How did Tokugawa Ieyasu create a stable, "peaceful", country? Name at least 3 (there are 4).
1. Alternate attendance so that the diamyo did not have too much wealth 2. Holding hostages so that the shogun had the advantage if war did break out 3. Sharing power so that the diamyo did not control everything and have absolute power 4. Strict laws that reinforced the diamyo's loyalty and obedience
400
What is the chain that you learned about in the units?
Isolation → Intercultural Contact → Change
400
Vernacular
The language commonly spoken by the people who live in that area.
500
What was the European worldview in regard to the First Nations of the Americas? (Let the teacher decide if your answer is acceptable)
They believed that they, the Europeans, were superior to the peoples of the Americas. Although they needed the resources of the New World, they thought that they were "helping" them by giving them the gift of Christianity, while in reality the First Nations already had their own religions. Also, they disregarded their land rights because they thought that since they "discovered" them, they had the first claim, viewing them as a "savage, uneducated, and primitive people".
500
How and why did the Spanish who came to Mexico have an advantage over the Indigenous people who were already there? Name three. (Let the teacher decide if your answer is acceptable)
1. They were immune to the diseases that they brought over that killed many of the Indigenous people (eg. smallpox) 2. They had more technologically advanced weapons (eg. muskets and cannons) 3. The Aztecs thought Christopher Columbus was a god, so they were reluctant to harm him
500
How does the story of the 47 ronin illustrate the three levels of Japanese society? (Let the teacher decide if your answer is acceptable)
The ronin were first loyal to their diamyo, then the shogun and the emperor. The law required them to take revenge, but kill themselves afterwards. The ronin were the samurai, the diamyo the nobility, and the highest power, the emperor.
500
Name and explain the three main motivations for exploration.
God: Europeans thought that it was their duty to Jesus to spread His word wherever they went. Gold: They wanted more money to become wealthy and increase their trade. Spices were the main form of money for a long time, along with gold and silver. Glory: The expansionist worldview that Europeans had encouraged them to colonize and expand their territory. More land meant more resources, which led to more trade.
500
Homogeneous
A group of people similar in nature and character.
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