Question | Answer |
Leader of Mali who held power from 1307 to 1332; conquered the Kingdom of Songhai. Expanded trade, supported the arts, and promoted Islam. | Mansa Musa |
First century Jewish teacher and prophet; founded Christianity and taught about kindness and love of God. These teaching spread through the Roman Empire and, eventually, the rest of the world. | Jesus of Nazareth |
social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line; broadly : control by men of a disproportionately large share of power | patriarchy |
Western African trading states the began as early as 300 CE; they dominated the trade of gold, salt, and merchandise between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. | Ghana, Mali, Songhay |
Considered one of the most successful empires in history; Grew from a small town in Italy into a vast empire that embraced England, continental Europe, most of Asia west of the Euphrates, northern Africa, and the islands of the Mediterranean | Ancient Rome |
A monotheistic religion originating with the Israelites, tracing its origins to Abraham; the holy text is the Torah | Judaism |
A Chinese political philosophy that holds the most effective government is that which rules the people by a harsh set of laws. | Legalism |
The blending of Greek cultures with those of Persia, Egypt, and Central Asia following the conquests of Alexander the Great | Hellenistic Era |
A belief system based on the Chinese philosopher Confucius, that stressed treating one another humanely and honoring one's family. | Confucianism |
The New Stone Age; the time period after the Old Stone Age; marked by the introduction of agriculture and a shift from food gathering to food collection | Neolithic |
Mauryan emperor from c. 273-232 BCE; one of the greatest rulers of ancient India, he brought nearly all of India under one authority for the first time in history. He also promoted the spread of Buddhism. | Ashoka |
ancient cities of the Indus River Valley; Many people lived in sturdy brick houses & had bathrooms and toilets that connected to the world's first sewer system. An irrigation system of canals provided a reliable source of water for growing wheat & barley. | Mohenjo-Daro / Harappa |
Area that prompted an African society to emerge in the late 1100s. Located on the East African coast and combined elements of African, Asian, and Islamic cultures. | Swahili Coast |
An empire defined by its political, philosophical, artistic, and scientific achievements; Boasted such great intellectuals as Socrates, Pythagorus, Archimedes, Aesop, and more; Left a legacy of unparalleled influence on Western civilization | Ancient Greece |
The area that lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Southwest Asia (modern-day Iraq) | Mesopotamia |
Founded by Cyrus the Great around 550 B.C; Became one of largest empires in history, stretching from Europe's Balkan Peninsula in the West to India's Indus Valley in the East; called the Achaemenid Empire; Fell to the invading armies of Alex the Great | Persian Empire |
Greek philosophers who believed in creating a better society through education and inquiry. | Socrates, Plato, & Aristotole |
Apostle to the Gentiles; worked to spread Jesus' teachings and wrote letters that explained key ideas of Christianity. | St. Paul |
Also known as the Old Stone Age; a prehistoric period that lasted from about 2.5 million years ago to about 8,500 BCE | Paleolithic |
a complex Pre-Columbian society that included as many as 30 major population centers in what is now a region of north-central coastal Peru. It is the oldest known civilization in the Americas. | Norte Chico |
Mongol warrior and ruler; forged the Mongol tribes into a fighting force that conquered much of Asia, including parts of China. | Genghis Khan |
Consists of 282 laws dealing with everything from trade and theft to injury and murder; recorded law code for all to see; named after the king of Babylon | Code of Hammurabi |
Prophet of Islam whom Muslims recognize as Allah's messenger to all humankind. His teachings form the basis of Islam. | Muhammad |
A Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher in early Chinese history. HIs teachings stressed harmony and filial piety. He emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. | Confucius |
The period of European history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West in the 5th century to the fall of Constantinople in the 15th century | Middle Ages |
the first elaborate pre-Columbian civilization of Mesoamerica (c. 1200-400 BCE) and one that is thought to have set many of the fundamental patterns seen in later American Indian cultures of Mexico and Central America, notably the Maya and the Aztec. | Olmec civilization |
The largest city of ancient Mesopotamia | Uruk |
A lifestyle where nomads kept herds of livestock on which they depended for most of their food | Pastoral |
An early river civilization so named because the region would not have been able to support a significant human population without the flooding that provided rich silt deposits and made agriculture possible | Egypt: the gift of the Nile |
Maintained an empire over northern and parts of central and western India from the early 4th to the late 6th century CE; Produced the decimal system, great Sanskrit epics & Hindu art and contributed to the sciences of astronomy, mathematics, & metallurgy | Gupta Empire |
First Qin ruler of China; built institutions that helped China remain unified for almost 2,000 years. | Shi Huangdhi |
A period of peace in the Roman Empire lasting from the beginning of Augustus's reign until the death of Marcus Aurelius. | pax Romana |
King of Macedon and conqueror of much of Asia; he is considered one of the greatest generals of all time. | Alexander the Great |
Trade routes stretching from China to the Mediterranean, which allowed for the exchange of goods and ideas from China to the Roman Empire. | Silk Road |
male citizens had = political rights, freedom of speech, & opportunity to participate in the political arena. citizens participate in a direct democracy. served in institutions that governed them, & they directly controlled parts of the political process | Athenian democracy |
a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and Greek city-states that started in 499 BCE and lasted until 449 BCE. | Greco-Persian Wars |
A region of rich farmland that curves from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf centered on the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers | Fertile Crescent |
A religion based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; holy text is the Bible | Christianity |
The second great imperial dynasty of China (206 BCE-220 CE); Had a highly centralized government, dividing the country into administrative areas ruled by appointed officials; Promotions were based on merit; Adopted Confucianism | Han Dynasty |
Routes along the Indian Ocean linking the Eastern hemisphere; played a pivotal role in trade and commerce between c. 500 CE and 1500 CE; aka The Indian Ocean Trade Network | Sea Roads |
The largest religion in India whose faithful believe in reincarnation and strive to break away from the cycle of rebirth; Has no single founder | Hinduism |
A large tribe united under the rule of Genghis Khan during the 13th century | Mongols |
"Rebirth"; following the Middle Ages, a movement that centered on the revival of interest in the classical learning of Greece and Rome | Renaissance |
Empire in ancient India; a state centered at Pataliputra near the Ganges River; Lasted from about 321 to 185 BCE; Covered most of the Indian subcontinent | Mauryan Empire |
A monotheistic religion whose prophet is Muhammad and whose holy book is the Qur'an; the term means "achieving peace through surrender to God" | Islam |
A religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, which teaches the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path | Buddhism |
A series of wars carried out by European Christians to gain control of the Holy Land from their Muslim rulers. | Crusades |
Empire centered in what is now Guatemala; Excelled at agriculture, pottery, writing, calendar-making and mathematics; Left behind impressive architecture. Most of their cities were abandoned by 900 C.E. and that remains a "mystery of history" | Mayan Empire |
Beginning in 618 CE, these families created a period in China with a strong, stable government, that lasted until 1279 CE. | Tong & Song dynasties |
First emperor of Rome; established the Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus. Created the imperial system of administration, established new coinages, and encouraged trade. | Augustus |