Book 1, Chapter 3, Set 8 Flashcards
Who were the Maya? (page 140)
They were a people inhabiting a wide swath of Central America. The “Classic” period of their civilization is from c. 300 to 900 CE. They were known for their large, pyramidal stone temples. While the Olmec developed writing, the Maya are largely considered to be the creators of the first “real” Mesoamerican writing because theirs was more closely related to actual speech. Their system had at least 800 glyphs (symbols). The Maya also developed a sophisticated calendar probably borrowing from older Olmec models. It was largely influenced by advanced astronomical knowledge that plotted the positions of the sun and moon and also predicted solar eclipses.
Who were the Zapotecs? (page 140)
They were a people in south Mexico based in their major city at Monte Alban.
Who were the Paracas? (page 140)
A South American people in the Peruvian peninsula of Paracas. They were mostly agricultural, but also were skilled weavers and embroiderers. Their art is preserved in the cloaks they wrapped around their mummified dead.
Who were the Nazca? (page 140)
A people living on Peru’s southern coast, with an important center at Cahuachi in Nazca Valley. They created irrigation systems that allowed for intensive grain farming, but also made puzzling “lines” in various shapes in the desert that remain a mystery today.
Who were the Moche? (page 140)
A people based on Peru’s northeast coast. Known as formidable warriors but also innovative artists, they also created advanced valley irrigation techniques.
Describe the origins of Hinduism. (page 145)
Aryan horsemen from Central Asia invaded the Indus Valley in northern India about 1500 BCE. These invaders worshipped a creator god named Indra along with a pantheon of lesser deities. These were the Vedic gods of who appear in the “Vedas”, a large body of texts composed in Sanskrit that form the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. The religion evolved to focus on three main gods: the senior, somewhat remote deity Brahma, Vishnu the creator, and Shiva the destroyer. These main three are accompanied by their consorts or “shaktis”. From the 6th century BCE Brahmanism became the main form of Hinduism and triggered the composition of the Brahmanic, Epic, and Puranic literature.
Briefly describe the Battle of Milvian. (page 149)
Constantine the Great of Byzantium wanted sole rule of the Western Roman Empire, while Maxentius held onto the title with the Roman Senate’s backing as he lay in siege in Rome itself. Leading up to the battle, Constantine suddenly converted to Christianity, supposedly after seeing visions involving fiery crosses in the sky and divine orders to put crosses on his soldiers’ shields. Christianity had been gaining influence for three centuries, especially after laws promoting religious tolerance. In 312 BCE, Constantine fought Maxentius outside Rome and defeated and killed him. Constantine proceeded to issue orders like the Edict of Milan, which returned confiscated property to Christians and increased their status and political standing. His new Christianity along with the his program of building massive churches gave a foothold to Christianity and shape Byzantine culture, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and medieval Christian society.
