Ancient China Geography & Agriculture
What major river is known as the “cradle of Chinese civilization” due to early farming communities settling along its banks?
What is the Huang He (Yellow River)?
What was the Mandate of Heaven?
The belief that rulers were chosen by heaven and must rule justly.
Which philosophy teaches respect within families and society? What term means "respect for elders?"
Confucianism; Filial Piety
Which luxury product from China was most famous along the Silk Road?
Silk
What is a polis?
A Greek city-state.
Which city-state focused on military training and discipline?
Sparta.
Who is known as the “Father of Medicine”?
Hippocrates.
How did China’s mountains and deserts affect its contact with other civilizations?
They limited interaction and made travel/trade difficult.
What happened to a dynasty that lost the Mandate of Heaven?
It could be overthrown and replaced by a new dynasty.
Which thinker believed people needed strict laws and harsh punishments?
Han Fei Zi (Legalism).
Why were caravans used along the Silk Road?
They provided protection and could carry goods across deserts.
What type of democracy developed in Athens?
Direct democracy.
Which city-state valued education, arts, and public speaking?
Athens.
What type of government and cultural blend did Alexander the Great’s empire create?
Hellenistic culture (a mix of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian)
Why did early Chinese farmers build irrigation systems along rivers?
To control flooding and support large-scale agriculture.
Name one event that ancient Chinese people believed showed a ruler had lost the Mandate of Heaven.
Natural disasters, famines, or rebellions.
Which philosophy encourages harmony with nature and following “the way”?
Daoism (Laozi).
Name one idea or invention that spread along the Silk Road.
Buddhism, paper-making, or new farming techniques.
Explain the concept of rule of law in ancient Greece.
All citizens were expected to follow laws equally.
What caused the Persian Wars?
Persian attempts to conquer Greek city-states.
Name one major architectural achievement of ancient Greece.
The Parthenon.
Describe one way geography influenced population distribution in ancient China.
Most people lived in fertile river valleys because they supported farming.
How did the Mandate of Heaven help justify the Zhou takeover of the Shang?
The Zhou claimed the Shang had become corrupt and lost heaven’s approval.
Give one example of how Confucian teachings still influence China today.
Respect for elders, education values, or government merit systems (aka, civil service exams)
How did maritime (sea) routes across the Indian Ocean benefit traders?
Faster travel and the ability to carry heavier goods.
Name one democratic idea from Greece that influenced the U.S.
Voting, trial by jury, or citizen participation.
What was one effect of the Peloponnesian War?
It weakened Greek city-states and made them vulnerable to invasion.
What mathematical idea is Pythagoras known for?
The Pythagorean theorem.
Explain how the physical landscape impacted the development of industry in ancient China.
Limited farmland encouraged innovation such as metalworking and textile production.
Explain how the Mandate of Heaven helped create the dynastic cycle.
It justified the rise and fall of dynasties based on virtue and leadership quality.
Explain one major difference between Confucianism and Legalism.
Confucianism emphasizes moral behavior; Legalism emphasizes strict control.
Explain how the Silk Road connected Asia, East Africa, and the Mediterranean culturally.
It spread religions, languages, technologies, and artistic styles.
Which group in Athens was considered full citizens with voting rights?
Free men born in Athens.
Give one major difference between daily life in Athens and Sparta.
Athens valued education; Sparta valued military training.
Explain one important contribution of the Hellenistic period.
Advances in astronomy, mathematics, art, or science.