xWorld History I Final Review Guide

Identifications via Chapter/Section

Chapter 1/2/3: Ancient Civilization
● Ziggurat - Structure build to honor gods
● Polytheistic - Believe in many gods
● Cuneiform - denoting or relating to the
wedge-shaped characters used in the
ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia,
Persia, and Ugarit,
● City-State - a city that with its
surrounding territory forms an
independent state.
● Agricultural Revolution - the name given
to a number of cultural transformations that
initially allowed humans to change from a
hunting and gathering subsistence to one of
agriculture and animal domestications. Chapter 4: Ancient Greece
(surplus crops, build cities, trade, centralized ● Historical Bias- having a bias towards a
government) (Advantages-Controllable people group when recording history (ie
food supply, Create food surpluses, Can writing about greeks vs romans but having a
happen ANYWHERE) bias to the Greeks)
(Disadvantages-Drastic changes to ● Direct Democracy-a form of government
environment, Hard work os hard) in which policies and laws are decided by a
majority of all those eligible rather than by a
● Sumerians - people of southern body of elected representatives.
mesopotamia whose civilization flourished ● Illiad- The Iliad is one of two major
between 4100-1750 BCE (established city ancient Greek epic poems attributed to
states in Eridu, Ur, and Uruk) Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works
● Mesopotamia- Mesopotamia is a historical of literature still widely read by modern
region of West Asia situated within the audiences
Tigris and Euphrates river system, in the] ● Peloponnesian War- The Peloponnesian
northern part of the Fertile Crescent. (Land War was an ancient Greek war fought
between 2 rivers created writing and taxes) between Athens and Sparta and their
respective allies for the control of
● Egypt - A country in Africa. Known for
Pelopenisia. The war remained undecided
the pyramids.
for a long time, until the decisive
● Tigris - The river flows south from the
intervention of the Persian Empire in
mountains of the Armenian Highlands
support of Sparta.
through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and
● Alexander the Great- Alexander the Great
empties into the Persian Gulf.
was one of the greatest military strategists
● Euphrates- The Euphrates is the longest
and leaders in world history. He was also
and one of the most historically important
ruthless, dictatorial, and ambitious to the
rivers of Western Asia. Together with the
point of regarding himself as divine. His
Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of
conquests of the Mediterranean states, the
Mesopotamia
Persian empire, and parts of India spread
● Map of Mesopotamia- Hellenistic culture across these regions.
● Aristotle -Aristotle was an Ancient Greek
philosopher and polymath. His writings
cover a broad range of subjects spanning the
natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, intended to help restore order in state of
economics, politics, psychology, and the arts confusion. (Dao ways 1. Duty and
● Plato-Plato, born Aristocles, was an Humanity= Constant relationships between
ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical Parent and child, Husband and Wife, Older
period who is considered a foundational Sibling and Younger Sibling. You must
thinker in Western philosophy and an respect elders. Dao way 2. Compassion and
innovator of the written dialogue and Humanity= Golden rule, believed in return
dialectic forms to the golden age (Zhou Dynasty)
● Socrates-Socrates was a Greek Government service was open to all men of
philosopher from Athens who is credited as great talent and not necessarily noble birth.)
the founder of Western philosophy and ● Silk Road- A huge trade route from China
among the first moral philosophers of the to the Roman Empire.
ethical tradition of thought. Wanted to ● Great Wall of China-The Great Wall of
correct incorrect thinking China is a series of fortifications that were
● Polis-a city state in ancient Greece, built across the historical northern borders of
especially as considered in its ideal form for ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as
philosophical purposes. protection against various nomadic groups
● Agora-The agora was a central public from the Eurasian Steppe
space in ancient Greek city-states. It is the ● Qin Shi Huang- Emperor during the Qin
best representation of a city-state's response dynasty, buried the Terracotta army because
to accommodate the social and political it was told to protect him in the afterlife.
order of the polis. The literal meaning of the ● Qin Dynasty: 221-206 BCE (Defeated war
word "agora" is "gathering place" or lords and gained control, built great wall of
"assembly" china)
● Sparta-Sparta was a prominent city-state ● Three Kingdoms Period- The Three
in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and
the city-state was known as Lacedaemon, Eastern Wu dominated China from 220 to
while the name Sparta referred to its main 280 AD following the end of the Han
settlement on the banks of the Eurotas River dynasty.
in the Eurotas valley of Laconia, in ● Civil Service System-The civil service
south-eastern Peloponnese. exam system in imperial China was a system
● Athens-Welcome to the birthplace of of testing designed to select the most
democracy, arts, science and philosophy of studious and learned candidates for
western civilisation. Home of Plato, appointment as bureaucrats in the Chinese
Socrates, Pericles, Euripides, Sophocles, government
Aeschylus. Athens is one of the world's ● Zhou Dynasty- During the Zhou dynasty,
oldest cities. Its recorded history spans China underwent quite dramatic changes.
around 3.400 years and it has been inhabited Iron, ox-drawn plows, crossbows, and
since the 11th millennium B.C. E. horseback riding were all introduced;
large-scale irrigation and water-control
Chapter 6 + 11: Ancient China, East Asia projects were also instituted for the first
● Mandate of Heaven- Belief that the ruler time, greatly increasing the crop yield of the
had the approval of the gods to rule North China Plain.
(however rulers could be removed if “signs'' ● Legalism- (Qin Dynasty) Human beings
started to appear such as famine, natural are evil in nature, Needs Authoritarian state
disaster) power, Only brought to correct power by
● Oracle Bones- a way of fortune telling harsh laws.
● Confucianism- (Han Dynasty) ● Dynastic Cycle- Insurgent dynasty (takes
Emphasized harmony, “dao ways”, not a over falling dynasty, brings peace), The new
spiritual religion, based on political ideas, dynasty (Comes to power, brings to power
and builds new infrastructures, and ideas),
Aging dynasty (Becomes weaker, ruler
becomes corrupt), Falling Dynasty (Suffers
conflict, people become rebellious)

Chapter 7: Ancient Rome

● Pax Romana-The Pax Romana (Latin for
"Roman peace") is a roughly 200-year-long
period of Roman history which is identified
as a golden age of increased and sustained
Roman imperialism, relative peace and
order, prosperous stability, hegemonic
power, and regional expansion.
● Edict of Milan-The Edict of Milan was the
February 313 AD agreement to treat
Christians benevolently within the Roman
Empire.
● Ides of March-Ides of March, a day in the
ancient Roman calendar that falls on March
15 and is associated with misfortune and
doom. It became renowned as the date on
which Roman dictator Julius Caesar was
assassinated in 44 bce and was further
immortalized in the tragedy Julius Caesar by
English dramatist William Shakespeare.
● Dictatorship-A dictatorship is an
autocratic form of government which is
characterized by a leader, or a group of
leaders, who hold governmental powers with
few to no limitations
● Julius Caesar-He wielded his power to
enlarge the senate, created needed
government reforms, and decreased Rome's
debt. At the same time, he sponsored the
building of the Forum Iulium and rebuilt
two city-states, Carthage and Corinth. He
also granted citizenship to foreigners living
within the Roman Republic
● Constantine-Constantine I, also known as
Constantine the Great, was a Roman
emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first
Roman emperor to convert to Christianity.
● Emperor Augustus-Gaius Julius Caesar
Augustus, also known as Octavian, was the
founder of the Roman Empire. He reigned as
the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until
his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus ● Muhammad- . According to Islamic
initiated an imperial cult, as well as an era of doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired
imperial peace in which the Roman world to preach and confirm the monotheistic
was largely free of armed conflict. teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus,
● Colosseum-The Colosseum in Rome, and other prophets
Italy, is a large amphitheater that hosts
events like gladiatorial games. Design Pics
Inc. The Colosseum, also named the Flavian
Amphitheater, is a large amphitheater in Chapter 10: Medieval in Europe
Rome. It was built during the reign of the
Flavian emperors as a gift to the Roman
people. ● Franks- German people who lived in
West and Central Europe.
Chapter 9: Islam and Arab Empire ● Holy Roman Empire- Central European
Germanic empire.The Holy Roman Empire
● Sheikh-an Arab leader, in particular the ruled over much of western and central
chief or head of an Arab tribe, family, or Europe from the 9th century to the 19th
village. century. It envisioned itself as a dominion
● Quran- book of laws dictated by for Christendom continuing in the tradition
Muhammad as words from God. of the ancient Roman Empire and was
● Hajj- Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage characterized by strong papal authority.
to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for ● Crusades- Long series of wars with
Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty christians and muslims fighting over
for Muslims that must be carried out at least Jerusalem.
once in their lifetime ● Serfs-an agricultural laborer bound under
● Five Pillars of Islam- (Prayer 5x a day the feudal system to work on their lord's
facing Mecca, Pilgrimage To Mecca walk estate
around the Kaaba, Fasting during Ramadan ● Manorialism-Political, economic, and
from sunrise to sunset, Faith serving only social system by which the peasants of
Allah and Muhammad.) medieval Europe were tied to their land and
● Sharia- Sharia law is a religious law that their lord through serfdom. The basic unit
lays down governing principles for spiritual, was the manor, a self-sufficient landed
mental, and physical behavior that must be estate, or fief, under the control of a lord.
followed by Muslims. It categorizes all ● Feudalism- a system where people were
man's acts into five distinct categories: given land and money and had to fight in
obligatory, recommended, permitted, return.
discouraged, and forbidden. ● Charlemagne-, he was responsible for
● Muslim- a follower of the religion of uniting most of Europe under his rule by
Islam. power of the sword, for helping to restore
● Sunni-Sunnis, meaning followers of the the Western Roman Empire and becoming
sunnah, or “way” in Arabic, of Mohammed, its first emperor, and for facilitating a
are opposed to political succession based on cultural and intellectual renaissance, the
Mohammed's bloodline. ramifications of which were felt in Europe
● Shia-Shias, a term that stems from shi'atu for centuries afterward.
Ali, Arabic for “partisans of Ali,” believe ● Monarchies-Civilization ruled by a single
that Ali and his descendants are part of a person (usually a king or queen)
divine order. ● Maya-The Maya are an ethnolinguistic
● Umayyad-The Umayyads were the first group of indigenous peoples of
Muslim dynasty, established in 661 in Mesoamerica. The ancient Maya civilization
Damascus. was formed by members of this group, and
today's Maya are generally descended from
people who lived within that historical
region
● Toltec-The Toltec culture was a
pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture that
ruled a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo,
Mexico, during the Epiclassic and the early
Post-Classic period of Mesoamerican
chronology, reaching prominence from 950
to 1150 CE.
● Aztec-The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican
culture that flourished in central Mexico in
the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521.
(Credited with the invention of chinampas,
Tenochtitlan, chocolate, floating gardens)
● Inca-The Inca Empire, called
Tawantinsuyu by its subjects, was the largest
empire in pre-Columbian America. The
administrative, political, and military center
of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The MORE NOTES ON MY NOTION
Inca civilization rose from the Peruvian
highlands sometime in the early 13th
century. (Invented Cusco, Machu Picchu,
bridges and more)
● Compass- A device to tell you which way
is North
● Caravel- caravel, a light sailing ship of the
15th, 16th, and 17th centuries in Europe,

Chapter 15: The Renaissance

● Realism- Art style focused on realistic art

-Avoiding supernatural elements,
expressions,
-Use perspective and shading
● Feudal System to Kings-
-Kings-> Tax merchants & Use wealth
1. Build armies
-Hurt the power of feudal lords
- Losing $$$
2. Strong nations
-strong allies

● Medici- Rich family had lots of

connections and supported many people so
they had allies. Their daughters married
priests so the family could be connected to
the church.
● Machiavelli-Niccolo Machiavelli was a
Florentine Renaissance-born philosopher, ● Longhouse- A longhouse or long house is
public official, and author. He is most a type of long, proportionately narrow,
well-known for his political and war themed single-room building for communal
books of The Prince, Discourses on Livy, dwelling
and The Art of War. ● Renaissance Art- Renaissance art is
● Astrolabe-An astrolabe is an astronomical marked by a gradual shift from the abstract
instrument dating to ancient times. It serves forms of the medieval period to the
as a star chart and physical model of visible representational forms of the 15th century.
heavenly bodies. Subjects grew from mostly biblical scenes to
● Treaty of Tordesillas- The Treaty of include portraits, episodes from Classical
Tordesillas of 7 June 1494 involves religion, and events from contemporary life
agreements between King Ferdinand II of ● Nationalism- Nationalism identifies the
Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile and nation as the central form of community and
King John II of Portugal establishing a new elevates it to the object of supreme loyalty.
demarcation line between the two crowns, This fundamental concern for the nation and
running from pole to pole, 370 leagues to its flourishing can be fragmented into
the west of Cape Verde islands. narrower aims or objectives: national
● Spain- The beginning of the Renaissance autonomy, national identity, and national
in Spain is closely linked to the unity.
historical-political life of the monarchy of ● Humanism- intellectual movement of the
the Catholic Monarchs. Its figures are the 15th century when there was a new interest
first to leave the medieval approaches that in the classical world and studies which
secured a feudal scheme of weak monarchs focussed less on religion and more on what
over a powerful and restless nobility. it is to be huma
● Portugal-The Treaty of Tordesillas was an ● Patrons- A person who supported the arts
agreement between the Kingdoms of Spain
and Portugal that defined where each could
explore and claim lands. Brokered by Pope
Alexander the VI, the Spanish were granted
rights to all lands westward of a line drawn
through the Atlantic Ocean, and the
Portuguese received lands eastward.
● Machu Picchu-It was a royal estate for
Emperor Pachacuti. The construction of
Machu Picchu on the eastern slope of the
Peruvian Andes commenced in AD 1450. It
was essentially abandoned by AD 1540 after
the Inca Empire fell to the Spanish
conquistador Pizzarro.
1.What is a civilization and how is it made?

2. Based on their achievements, why do scholars consider the Sumerians to be innovative?

3. How does historical bias play into your perspective of others?

4. What is the difference between philosophies and religion? How does this play into how dynasties were
influenced?
5. How did the terrain become an advantage or disadvantage for empires?
6. How did the location, geography, and climate of Rome affect the development of civilization
there?
7. What were some of the most important contributions of the Romans?
8. How were the Romans influenced by Greek culture and ideas?
9. What causes religious groups to split within their community?
10. What were the outcomes of the exploration of the Americas?
11. What were the reasons to explore and not to explore in the Exploration of the Americas?
12. How can changes to political systems impact economic activities?
13. How can differing philosophies influence a culture?
14. What factors can help a dynasty stay in power?
15. How does location and placement of an empire affect other empires who are looking to invade?
16. Why did rivers play such an important role in the development of ancient civilizations?