river valley civilization
name one of the 4 original rive valley civilizations.
Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Indus Valley, or Shang China.
What Chinese philosophy emphasized respect for elders and social harmony?
Confucianism
Name one powerful West African empire involved in gold-salt trade.
Ghana, Mali, or Songhai.
What civilization built their capital at Tenochtitlan?
The Aztecs.
What European country was first to explore maritime routes around Africa?
Portugal
Which writing system developed in Mesopotamia?
Cuneiform
Who founded Buddhism, and where did it originate?
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha); it originated in India.
What city became a major center of learning and trade in Mali?
Timbuktu
Name the Mesoamerican civilization known for pyramid building and city-states.
The Maya
Name one major result of the Columbian Exchange.
Spread of crops (like potatoes and maize), diseases (like smallpox), and animals (like horses).
What form of government was common in early river valley societies?
Monarchies or theocratic rule.
What is the Mandate of Heaven?
The belief that Chinese rulers were given the right to rule by the gods, but could lose it due to poor governance.
What role did Islam play in African empires?
It influenced law, education, and culture, especially among elites.
How did the Inca manage their vast mountainous empire?
Through a network of roads, relay runners, and centralized control.
What empire was built by the Portuguese and Spanish across the seas?
Maritime (Sea-Based) Empires in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
How did geography impact the development of the Nile River civilization?
The Nile’s predictable flooding allowed for stable agriculture and trade routes.
How did Confucianism influence the Chinese civil service system?
It promoted merit-based exams rooted in Confucian teachings.
How did African kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe demonstrate complex political organization?
They had centralized leadership, impressive architecture, and controlled trade routes.
What was the purpose of human sacrifice in Aztec religion?
To appease the gods and ensure the sun would rise.
How did the Renaissance help inspire the Age of Exploration?
It encouraged curiosity, innovation, and the pursuit of knowledge, including geographical discovery.
Compare the political systems of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.
Egypt had a centralized, divine monarchy (pharaoh), while Mesopotamia had city-states with individual rulers.
Compare Daoism and Legalism in terms of government role and human nature.
Daoism promotes harmony with nature and minimal government, while Legalism believes humans are inherently selfish and need strict laws.
Compare the political and economic structures of Mali and Songhai.
Both had strong central governments and thrived on trade, but Songhai was larger and used a more organized military bureaucracy.
Compare the social structures of the Maya and Aztec civilizations.
Both had hierarchical societies, but the Aztecs had a stronger military elite, while the Maya focused more on priest-scholars and regional kings.
Compare the motives and impacts of the Spanish and Dutch sea-based empires.
The Spanish focused on conquest, resource extraction, and Christianization; the Dutch emphasized trade, finance, and commercial networks (e.g., Dutch East India Company).