Amber Mewett

7 AP World History
AP WORLD HISTORY UNIT 2 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
ORGANIZATION AND REORGANIZATION OF HUMAN SOCIETIES, c. 600 BCE to
c. 600 CE
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Essential Questions:
1. How did the development and growth of the major belief systems of
this time period affect the political systems, social systems, and the
culture of the region? (Daoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Christianity,
Buddhism)
a. The development and growth of major belief systems provided
an ethical code to live by, but with these codes leaders could use
to advanced their personal agenda, example: justifying war.
b. Religious and political ways portrayed rulers as divine or the
mandate of heaven for instance used religion, along with military
and legal structures, to justify their rule and ensure its
continuation.
c. It generated conflicts amongst the wealthy and the poor (partly
because beliefs and practices varied greatly within and among
societies0
d. Status in society was determined by religion, ex: pagan in
Christianity civilization would be lower status
e. Also people who converted to the main religion of that civilization
wouldnt have to pay religious taxes, but if you didnt the taxes
were required
f. Establishing places of worship in undeveloped territory increases
the chance for colonization
g. With religion came architecture of grand buildings. Ex: Hagia
Sophia
h. Adopting the same religion would unite cultures, for the Roman
empire and European barbarians
i. Daoism:
1. The main belief of Daoism is the belief of balance
between humans and nature, it is thought that it
indirectly altered the Chinese political system and
Chinese culture. Ex: medical theories and practices,
poetry, metallurgy, architect
ii. Confucianism:
1. Confucianisms core beliefs and writings were
elaborated by key disciples who sought to promote
social harmony by outlining proper rituals and social
relationships for all people in China including the
rulers.
iii. Hinduism:

1. The core beliefs outlined in the Sanskrit scriptures

formed the basis of Hinduisms that show some
influence of Indo-European traditions in the
development of the social and political roles of a
caste system and in the importance of Brahma to
promote teachings about reincarnation.
iv. Christianity:
1. The core beliefs preached by Jesus of Nazareth drew
on the basic monotheism of Judaism, and initially
rejected Roman and Hellenistic influences.
Christianity spread through the efforts of
missionaries and merchants through many parts of
Afro-Eurasia, and eventually became the official
religion of the Roman Empire by Constantines rule.
v. Buddhism:
1. Buddhism changed over time as it spread throughout
Asia, first through the support of the Mauryan
Emperor Asoka, and then through the efforts of
missionaries and merchants and the establishment of
educational institutions to promote its core teachings
2. How were gender roles impacted by these religions?
a. Buddhism and Christianity encouraged monastic life and
Confucianism emphasized filial piety.
b. Hinduism, Confucianism, and Christianity all encouraged
patriarchy
c. Women became the teachers of religion inside the home
d. In Buddhist cultures, nunneries were used as places of education
for women as well as nurseries
e. In Islamic cultures, men practiced polygamy, and women's rights
were often limited.
3. In what regions of the world were animism and Shamanism still
important?
a. Both Shamanism and Animism were primarily found outside the
areas in which religious traditions were being codified, However,
elements of both could be found in major civilizations,
particularly among those who did not learn to read. Could be
found in Africa, The Mediterranean Region, East Asia, and Andean
Areas
4. How did imperial governments/societies maintain the production of
food necessary for their population, and provide rewards for the loyalty
of their elites? Give specific examples.
a. Imperial societies relied on a range of methods (slavery, peasant
communities, trading) to maintain the production of food and
provide rewards for the loyalty of the elites. Including corvee,

slavery, rents and tributes, peasant communities and family and

household production.
5. What environmental reasons contributed to the decline of the classical
empires? (Give specific examples)
a. Deforestation, desertification, soil, erosion, or silted rivers
created major contributions of the decline
b. Through excessive mobilization of resources, imperial
government caused environmental damage (such as
deforestation, desertification, soil erosion or silted rivers) and
generated social tensions and economic difficulties by
concentrating too much wealth in the hands of elites.
6. What external problems created security issues along the frontiers of
the classical empires? (Give specific examples)
a. External problems resulted from security issues along their
frontiers, including the threat of invasions (such as between
Northern China and Xiongnu; Gupta and the White Huns; or
among Romans, Parthians, Sassanid, Kushan).
7. What were the major tenets of Greco-Roman philosophy and science,
and how did they differ from other systems of philosophy?
a. The science and philosophy of Greco-Roman is based on logic,
the nature of political power and, hierarchy empirical
observation, and to understand the existence and function of the
universe without supernatural reasoning. The philosophers of the
roman civilizations wanted to explain a good life without the
use of Greeks myths, only using logic. Other philosophies like
Stoics emphasize moral independence, and duty to aid others
and lead virtuous lives. Epicureans identifies themselves with
luxury, or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious
tastes or habits. Skepticism believed you had to question
anything and everything, doubting the certainty of knowledge
8. What technological developments enabled long-distance trade to occur
in this time period?
a. yokes
b. saddles
c. stirrups, all of which together permitted the use of domesticated
pack animals. (horses, oxen, llamas, or camels)
d. Maritime technologies
i. lateen sail
ii. dhow ships
iii. advanced knowledge of monsoon wind
iv. Navigation
9. What were the effects of the spread of disease on the classical
civilizations?
a. Diseases caused a population to drop, leading to a civilizations
decline, this caused some empire to collapse. Even with the

population drop, people started to get immunity to these

diseases aiding the future generations
10.
What were the causes and effects of the collapse of the major
empires in this period?
a. The Roman, Han, Mauryan, and Gupta empires - created
political, cultural, and administrative difficulties that they could
not manage, led to their decline, collapse and transformation
into successor empires or states.
b. Zhou Qin captured Chengzhou (city), then Zhous leader was
killed
c. Qin leader died, led to chaos
d. Han lacked resources necessary, fear of barbarians causing
Huns to destroy their weakness
e. Gupta Huns invaded, lasted 2 centuries, fully collapsed
f. Mauryan death of Asoka, collapsed without a strong king
g. Hellenistic conflicts between city-states, empire broke apart
h. Roman Conquered by Germanic tribes
i. Teotihuacan natural disasters (volcano)
j. Moche lacked resources necessary
11.
What were major trading patterns within and among classical
civilizations? How did they affect the development of these societies?
a. Types
i. Eurasian Silk Roads China (became less secluded) to the
west (200BCE)
ii. Trans-Saharan caravan routes North Africa trade of gold
and salt (development of Kanem-Bornu Empire)
iii. Indian Ocean sea lanes Middle East and East Asia,
pottery, wine, slaves, metals, and gold
iv. Mediterranean Sea lanes Mediterranean civilizations, salt
(saltpans; Phoenician trade basis)
b. Large empires started long distance travel, resulted from
demand of raw material and luxury items.
12.
Why was the collapse of empire more severe in Western Europe
than it was in the eastern Mediterranean or China?
a. The collapse of the empire in Western Europe was more severe
because a series of outside invasions from the Gaul, the
Visigoths, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoth. With these wars, an
incredible amount of money was being spent causing next to no
money for the empires people and services. People were fighting
over power, Emperor, and government was a mess and this
cause the centralized government to disband. The Empire was
large and transportation was hard and communication was
worse.
b. The end of the Western Roman Empire was much more drastic
than that of the Byzantines because of outside invasion, loss of
centralized government, and transportation as well as

communication flaws. The other two empires avoid the Germanic

Tribes all together.