Where's That?
Two-word name for the area where Western civilization likely began, given that it was easy to grow crops there (with the Tigris and Euphrates rivers nearby):
Fertile Crescent
Why did Sparta become a militarized state?
Because the helots (slaves) they controlled often rebelled and fought for their freedom.
Darius and Xerxes were leaders of which nation:
Persia
"Hellenistic" means:
Spread of Greek culture (art, philosophy, achievements)
True or false: The ancient Romans believed in ancestor worship.
Yes, they did practice ancestor worship, just like other civilizations, including the ancient Chinese.
This city was the epicenter or heart of the Renaissance:
Florence, Italy
What did pharaoh Akhenaten try to do that got his name scratched out from almost all Egyptian records?
He tried to make Aten, the sun god, the only god (monotheism) for Egypt. His son, Tutankhamun, reversed his father's actions.
Hannibal was the leader in what wars?
The Punic Wars with Rome
The word "hajj" means what?
For an Islamic believer, a hajj is a spiritual journey expected at least once in his lifetime to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
True or false: Rome reached its pinnacle of power, the highest point of its rule, at around 300 A.D.
False; it was around 100 A.D.
What are the "cataracts" often found in the Nile River?
Rocky waterfalls that boats cannot pass through.
The "iconoclast controversy" was over what issue within the Catholic Church?
Whether or not icons (religious images, statues, etc) could be used and worshipped.
Who was Cincinnatus and why is he still remembered?
A temporary Roman ruler who helped during a crisis but willingly gave the power back to the people when the troubles were over. He set a good example for others, such as our George Washington, in sharing power.
A "stoic" person is usually:
Serious, without emotion, rational
True or false: Augustus was the emperor who started building the Roman coliseum.
False: It was Vespasian
The "Third Rome" was located in what (Eastern) city?
Moscow
Which Crusade (# 1 through 8) saw the Muslim defenders of Jerusalem retake the Holy Lands back from Christian invaders, after the Christians had taken it in the First Crusade?
Second Crusade
Formerly a strong persecutor of the early Christians, this man had a transformative experience and became a leader for the Christian faith, writing almost a third of the New Testament of the Bible:
Paul (formerly called Saul)
The Treaty of Tordesillas was a decision made by Pope Alexander VI .... what was its outcome?
To divide the entire world between Spain and Portugal, regardless of the inhabitants
True or false: Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Aztec Empire and destroyed Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, and built Mexico City on the ruins.
False: It was Hernan Cortez that destroyed the capital
What did the "Reconquista" of 1492 accomplish?
Spain removed the last of the Muslim invaders from its lands
What was the "Great Schism" all about?
Popes who argued over having the papacy (where the pope lived and worked) either in Avignon, France, or in Rome. Multiple popes = much confusion!
Which emperor divided the Roman Empire between Rome and Constantinople?
Diocletian
Cuius regio, eius religio ("Let the Ruler Decide") was a result of the Peace of Augsburg in 1555. What was the ruler or leader allowed to decide?
The ruler decided the religion (either Catholicism or Protestantism) of the nation.
True or false: The once-powerful Habsburgs of Spain eventually lost power, for a number of reasons. One reason they declined has been said that the family was not healthy, given the in-breeding (relations between close relatives) that caused physical deformities and shortened lives.
True: The famous "Habsburg jaw" is proof of their in-breeding practice.