African Kingdoms
This kingdom successfully won its independence from Egypt and temporarily conquered them before falling to Aksum.
What is Kush?
The first strong, unified empire established in ancient India
What is the Mauryan Empire?
This harsh but highly centralized dynasty began constructing the Great Wall of China.
What is the Qin dynasty?
This Chinese philosopher is renowned for his wise sayings, social order guidelines, and emphasis on family loyalty.
Who is Confucius?
This societal practice, common in many historical African tribes, is defined as being married to more than one spouse at a time.
What is polygamy?
This kingdom served as the ancient nucleus of the modern nation of Ethiopia and embraced Christianity.
What is Aksum?
This famous Mauryan ruler fiercely promoted Buddhism and sent out widespread missionary networks across Asia.
What is Asoka?
This prominent Han ruler drove back the Huns and aggressively extended China's territorial borders.
Who is Wu Ti?
This social group in India strongly resisted Buddhism to maintain their elevated social status and rank.
Who are the Hindu priests (Brahmins)?
The belief that distinct spirits live inside animals, plants, and natural geographic features.
What is animism?
Believed to be the oldest city in West Africa, this settlement is a key focal point of early African civilization.
What is Djenne-Djeno?
Known as one of the finest periods of Indian art, architecture, literature, and science, this empire provided temporary unity.
What is the Gupta Empire?
Instead of an alphabet, Chinese writing relies fundamentally on this unique system of symbols.
What are characters?
The primary religion practiced by a vast majority of historic populations living in sub-Saharan Africa.
What are tribal religions (or Animism)?
This famous invention allowed China to develop the world's first efficient paper money system.
What is paper?
This massive historical migration of people across central and southern Africa spread a unified foundational language group.
What is the Bantu migration?
This brilliant classical writer is widely celebrated as "the Indian Shakespeare".
Who is Kalidasa?
This critical trade route flourished during the Han Dynasty, linking Eastern goods to the Western world.
What is the Silk Road?
This apostle is historically credited with bringing the Gospel message directly to India.
Who is Thomas?
Unlike European feudal systems, historic African tribal leadership was heavily decentralized and relied on this body of elders.
What is a tribal council?
The primary trade goods that drove economic wealth and connection between early West African civilizations and northern trade routes.
What are gold, salt, and ivory?
This group of nomadic invaders repeatedly attacked and ultimately caused the collapse of the Gupta Empire.
Who are the White Huns?
This rigorous system was established by the Han dynasty to ensure government officials were chosen by merit and testing rather than favor.
What is the Civil Service Exam?
The key Confucian virtue that demands absolute respect, devotion, and obedience to one's parents and ancestors.
What is filial piety?
This major worldview lens is emphasized throughout BJU Press materials to evaluate how these global civilizations fit into a overarching providential timeline.
What is a Biblical Worldview?