Neolithic Revolution
What was the Neolithic Revolution?
When people began farming and living in permanent settlements
100 – Which rivers surrounded Mesopotamia?
→ The Tigris and Euphrates.
100 – What was Hammurabi’s Code?
→ One of the first written law codes used to keep order in Babylon.
100 – What are monsoons?
→ Seasonal winds that bring heavy rains to India.
100 – What is another name for the Huang He River?
→ The Yellow River.
Why did early people settle near rivers?
→ Rivers provided fertile soil and water for crops.
200 – What river was most important to Egypt?
→ The Nile River.
200 – What was the purpose of the Ten Commandments?
→ To provide moral and ethical laws for people to follow.
200 – Name the two major Indus Valley cities.
→ Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
200 – What belief gave Chinese rulers the right to govern?
→ The Mandate of Heaven.
What allowed job specialization to develop?
→ A food surplus.
300 – What are two features of the Indus Valley’s city design?
→ Grid-pattern streets and advanced drainage/sewage systems.
300 – What is “cultural diffusion”?
→ The spread of ideas, goods, and technology between cultures.
300 – What were the Vedas?
→ Ancient Indian religious texts.
300 – What two dynasties started China’s history?
→ The Shang and Zhou Dynasties.
List two ways life changed after farming began.
→ Population grew, people built villages, developed trade, and social classes formed.
400 – Why was loess important in China?
→ It created fertile soil for farming along the Yellow River.
400 – How did religion help rulers maintain power?
→ Rulers claimed authority from the gods or divine approval to justify their rule.
400 – What is the caste (varna) system?
→ A social hierarchy that divided people by job and birth.
400 – What was the main difference between Confucianism and Daoism?
→ Confucianism focused on order and proper relationships; Daoism focused on harmony with nature and simplicity.
500 – Why was the Neolithic Revolution considered a turning point in human history?
→ It changed humans from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled farmers, creating the foundation for civilizations and complex societies.
500 – How did geography shape each early civilization?
→ River flooding provided fertile land for farming, which allowed stable food supplies and population growth; natural barriers offered protection but limited contact with outsiders.
500 – Compare Hammurabi’s Code and the Ten Commandments. What key idea did both share?
→ Both set clear rules for behavior that reflected their society’s values—establishing order and justice through law or moral guidance.
500 – How did Hinduism and Buddhism shape Indian society?
→ They taught ideas like karma, reincarnation, and the importance of moral behavior, which influenced people’s duties and how they viewed life and social order.
500 – How did the Mandate of Heaven and the dynastic cycle explain changes in Chinese leadership?
→ A ruler kept power as long as they ruled justly; disasters or corruption showed loss of divine approval, leading to rebellion and a new dynasty.