Chapter 1 Test Review Flashcards
-Keeping field notes from excavation sites
-Analyzing radiocarbon dating test results
-Examining and cataloging artifacts
Which social scientist directly engages in these activities?
Archaeologist
“Genetics are tracing the movements of people in prehistoric Europe using our DNA as a time machine…”
This passage suggests that modern science can be used to
aid historical analysis
One reason that many historians study geography is to
show connections between people and places.
One contribution to the study of history by Louis and Mary Leakey is
the excavation of the Leatoli footprints
Which of these best describes the effect the switch to agriculture had on food supplies?
They became more reliable but not necessarily more diversified.
In what way might civilization have prompted the development of family and marriage laws?
Civilization produced a new understanding of property.
The Neolithic Revolution, and the trade of goods associated with it, directly produced all of the following EXCEPT
monotheism
The first civilizations developed in geographic areas where
agriculture flourished
What are civilizations?
Groups of people cooperating toward a common goal.
Which of the following best describes the development of agriculture during the Neolithic Revolution?
It was a gradual process, developing independently in different parts of the world.
Why was the planting of grains and vegetables important for people during the Neolithic Revolution?
It provided a reliable food source throughout the year.
At the end of the last ice age around 10,000 B.C.E, the major change that occurred was
the shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture
At the end of the last Ice Age. how did the global climate change?
The Earth became significantly warmer and moister.
Which of the following shows the MOST LIKELY sequence of events during the Agricultural Revolution?
Animal and crop domestication… larger populations… finding of permeant settlements…
Compared to agriculturalists, pastoralists tended to be
more mobile.
The Agricultural Revolution gave birth to all of the following EXCEPT
worship of fertility goddesses.
Most Neolithic technology was related to
farming
The phrase “without agriculture, there is no culture” implies all of the following except
farmers are more affected by culture than others.
Aryan literature
Vedas, Rigveda, Mahabarata, Upanishands, Written in Sanskrit
Aryans
Nomadic invaders from Central Asia that conquer the Indus Valley
Bhagavad Gita
Aryan text
Bureaucracy
Delegation of power
Carved Seals
Indus Valley; shows ownership
The Egyptian civilization arose in
The Nile River Valley
How was Egyptian hieroglyphics different from cuneiform?
It was mainly written on papyrus rolls.
What effect did the Nile cataracts in the south and deserts in the east and west of Egypt have on the early development of Egypt?
They served as natural barriers protecting it from invasion.
Geographically, how long was Lower Egypt distinct from Upper Egypt?
In Lower Egypt, the Nile branches out into a triangular-shaped delta.
How did the predictability of the Nile floorings inhibit the initial development of state society in Egypt?
People would aggregate during these times of flooding and then they would disperse
What was the “miracle” of the Nile for the ancient Egyptians?
Its annual floodings made the surrounding land fertile.
“The bringer of food, rich in provisions, creator of all good, lord of majesty, sweet of fragrance.” The hymn above if referring to which of the following?
The Nile River.
Which of these is an example of neighboring civilizations that became culturally and economically integrated?
Egypt and Nubia.
What was one result of the increased power of the priesthoods in Egypt?
The central authority of the pharaohs decreased
At the end of the New Kingdom, what happened to leadership in Egypt?
It was largely dominated by invading Libyans. Nubians, Persians and Macedonians.
All of the following contributed to periods of weak central authority and social discord in ancient Egypt EXCEPT
rise of the rulers
What was the importance of the vizier (local government) in Egyptian society?
He was in charge of the bureaucracy.
Which of the following was NOT a deity (divine) in ancient Egyptian religion?
Hatshepsut
How was the concept of ma’am integrated into the responsibilities of the pharaoh?
Pharaohs were expected to preserve order, truth, and harmony in Egypt.
Around 3100 B.C.E. Narmer (Menes) king of Upper Egypt, did which of the following?
Conquered the northern rulers to create a unified government.
The periods of weak political leadership, invasion and decline in ancient Egypt were called
Intermediate Periods
How did the predictability of the Nile floodings inhibit the initial development of state society in Egypt?
There was no need to implement large-scale irrigation projects.
A major similarity between the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations was
both features social stratification with a priestly and landowning elite class on top.
The Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom were periods of 1. strong monarchial authority 2. a flourishing cultural and literary tradition 3. extensive temple building and monumental architecture.
1, 2, and 3
What effect did the Nile cataracts in the south and deserts in the east and west of Egypt have on the early development of Egypt?
They served as natural barriers protecting it from invasion.
Why was the Middle Kingdom considered to be a period of democratization in Egypt?
Luxury items previously exclusive to the pharaohs became more widely available.
An important characteristic of Egyptian civilization was
the supreme importance of religion in society
Caste system
Rigid class system with no social mobility; Aryans bring it to India.
Catal Huyuk
Early Neolithic village; shows signs of emergence of religion
Cataracts
Rapids along the Nile River
city-states
Urban centers with surrounding farmlands
Code of Hammurabi
First set of codified law; based on social classes (harsh and favored upper classes)
The major building material for the Sumerian cities was
mudbrick
Gilgamesh was king of
Uruk
The Sumerian economy was primarily
agricultural, although commerce and manufacturing developed as well.
The Mesopotamian civilization was located in
the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys
The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian epic poem, was originally written in
cuneiform
The Epic of Gilgamesh is notable for being
one of the oldest surviving works of literature
What does the prominence of the ziggurat suggest about the Sumerians?
Religion was integral to the economic, political, and social aspects of daily life.
The cuneiform writing system originated in
Mesopotamia
Which of these best describes how the Code of Hammurabi addressed differences in social status?
Punishments were scaled depending on social status.
The Code of Hammurabi was produced in
Babylonia
What does the Code of Hammurabi reveal about Sumerian society?
It emphasized a strict system of justice.
In ancient Mesopotamia, the Code of Hammurabi was important for which of the following?
It established laws pertaining to daily life.
Which of the following was NOT a responsibility of a Sumerian ruler?
Supervising the temples.
As new civilizations came to power in the Fertile Crescent, what happened to the cultural heritages of those civilizations already there?
They were adopted and adapted by the newcomers.
The development of which of the following military innovations explains why the Hittites eventually dominated Mesopotamia
Iron weapons
A major reason for the collapse of the Mesopotamian civilization was
the constant invasions from foreigners..
Which of the following was necessary for the expansion of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent?
Large-scale irrigation projects
City-state political organization in Mesopotamia tended to be
regional rather than imperial
Which of the following was an famous piece of Mesopotamian literature?
The Epic of Gilgamesh
In ancient Mesopotamia, writing was used primarily to
record business transactions of daily life
Which of the following was NOT a responsibility of a Sumerian ruler
Supervising the temples
Which of the following is correct about the Sumerian cities?
Kings, priests, and nobles owned much of the land.
All of the following were features of the Mesopotamian civilization EXCEPT
a monotheistic religion.
Cuneiform
Sumerian written language; used for writing records
Demotic
Egyptian written language
Egyptian deities
Gods and goddesses; Osiris, Re, etc.
Elements of civilization
Religion, government, language, etc.
Epic of Gilgamesh
Sumerian written epic; author unknown
Food surplus
Grain; have a reliable food source over the winter,
Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro
Indus city-states
Harappan
Indus written language; not decipherable
Hieroglyphics
Egyptian language (symbols)
Hinduism
Polytheistic religion of the Aryans
Which of the following statements best describes the material culture of the Harappan civilization?
It was particularly advanced in weapons production due to the constant threat of invasion.
Between 1500 and 1000 B.C.E as the Aryans arrived in India, what notable aspect of their culture did they bring with them?
a rigid class system based on a ruling warrior class
Decline of the Harappan civilization, which group came to power in the Indus Valley?
Aryans
Many scholars believe that Indus Valley cities like Harappa and Mohenjo Daro were
city-states controlled by a small number of merchants, landowners, and religious leaders
Which of the following was a Harappan innovation for indication ownership of items
carved seals
Why were sophisticated irrigation works needed to support the agricultural system of the Harappan cities?
There had to be a way to control the monsoon floods.
Which of the following were achievements of the Harappan Civilization? 1.Planned cities 2.Silk production 3.An elaborate sewage system
1 and 3 only
Modern scholars have had more difficulty learning about Harappan Civilization than ancient Egypt because
unlike hieroglyphics, the Harappan writing system has not yet been deciphered.
Which of these civilizations was located in the Indus River Valley
Harappa
What effect did the influx of foreign goods like copper, tin, and lapis lazuli have on the Harappans?
Many became traders and artisans as well as farmers
In order to ensure a sustainable harvest, both Mesopotamian and Indus Valley city-states had to do which of the following
Develop complex irrigation systems.
In which of the following ways, did Harappan civilization resemble that of Mesopotamia and Egypt?
It had a centralized state with extensive town planning
In contrast to the rulers of Mesopotamia and Egypt, Indus Valley rulers
did not immortalize themselves with elaborate monuments or mortuary temples.
Which of the following was an important reason for the early development of Harappan civilization?
Detailed city planning complete with north-south, east-west grids.
Hittites
Iron weapons
Intermediate periods
Time periods between the New, Middle, and Old Kingdoms in Egypt
Iron weapons
Hittites
Ma’at
Divine order of the universe in Egypt
Menes/Narmer
United Upper and Lower Egypt
Mesopotamian literature
Epic of Gilgamesh
Mudbrick
Sumerian buildings
Neolithic Era
Shift from hunting and gathering to farming; lower status if women 10,000 B.C.E.
Neolithic Revolution
Gradual change to agriculture
Reliable food source
Grain; surplus
Why did Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus collapse?
Egypt: decline in power of the pharaoh, invasions from Lybians, Nubians, etc.
Indus: system failure, arrival of the Aryans
Mesopotamia: Constant invasion
Why did the pharaohs begin to lose power in Egypt? Who took the power from them? When did this happen?
Importation of luxury goods, priests gain power, New Kingdom
How did property ownership lead to laws?
We need to protect our stuff, see you gets our stuff when we die.
In what ways did a reliable food source improve (or not improve) life in the Neolithic Age?
More food, but not better food. Paleolithic is healthier. Neolithic man had a wide diversity of food.
List some Aryan works of literature
Bhagavad-Gita, the Vedas, Rig Veda, Mahabharata
Compare the governmental system (ex: who had power) for Egypt, the Indus River Valley, the Aryans and the Mesopotamians
Egypt: monarchy/pharaoh/divine/ma’at/viziers
Mesopotamia- city-states/semi-divine
Indus- city-states
Aryans- caste system
What natural barriers protected Egypt
deserts on both sides of the Nile
How did one get their caste in Hindu society
by birth or occupation
Why didn’t Hinduism spread to other parts of the world?
Strict, complicated, different, couldn’t convert, no one likes the caste system, poor treatment or women
Role of women in Neolithic Era, Mesopotamia, & Egypt
Neo: traditional
Mesopotamia: could own property
Egypt: anything
Sanskrit
Language of the Aryans
Sumerians
First people of Mesopotamia
Vizier
Advisor to the pharaoh of Egypt
Writing systems
records business transactions
Ziggurats
Mesopotamian temples.
