Early Empires Assessment

Question 1

Sea Peoples

Answer 1

Migrants from north of the Mediterranean who invaded cities of Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Levant.

IMPORTANCE: They contributed to the decline of cultures and caused social chaos. This lead to more violent societies with iron weapons.

Question 2

Empire

Answer 2

A group of states or ethnic groups governed by a single sovereign power.

IMPORTANCE: Empires are important because they share a common language, religion, political systems, trade techniques, and military might. This, depending on the degree of centralization, strengthens unity.

Question 3

Greeks

Answer 3

Greek city-states both worked together and fought against the Persians, revolting in wars that showed their strength and resistance.

IMPORTANCE: Developed political ideas like democracy and city-state governance. These news topics influencing future politics and Western civilization.

Question 4

Phoenicians

Answer 4

(Greek for “purple people” due to the rare purple dye they manufactured + traded) Supplied luxury goods to Neo-Assyrian kings and built a large trade network in the Mediterranean.

IMPORTANCE: Created an alphabet that changed communication. The alphabet also influenced many languages, and helped further improve trade.

Question 5

Israelites

Answer 5

The Israelites often interacted with nearby empires like the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, being effected by and following their ways of life.

IMPORTANCE: The Israelites shifted from believing in many gods (polytheism) to worshipping one God (monotheism), creating a religious base that influenced Jewish, Christian, and Islam practices.

Question 6

Brahmin

Answer 6

The highest social class in the varna system, which consists of Vedic priests who communicated with the gods.

IMPORTANCE: Brahmins provided guidance on how to live in balance with the forces of nature. The word of the Brahmin (brahmsnism) also was reborn as hinduism, a religion strongly in action today.

Question 7

Varna

Answer 7

A system categorizing the four ranked social groups within early Vedic society (priests, warriors, commoners, and laborers).

IMPORTANCE: In the Varna System, as you are socially ranked by birth, this determines economics, rather than economics determining social ranking within present day society. Since each varna group would socialize with ONLY those who belonged in their class, this provided a basis of unity for Vedic Cultures.

Question 8

Upanishads

Answer 8

Vedic wisdom literature, in the form of a dialogue between students and teacher.

IMPORTANCE: Together with the Vedas, they brought a cultural and spiritual unity to much of south Asia.

Question 9

Mandate of Heaven

Answer 9

The religious belief created by Zhou leaders to show that their right to rule came from their highest god.

IMPORTANCE: Helped convince the Zhou civilians follow under the rule of their leader. The mandate later became part in the Chinese political doctrine.

Question 10

Vaishya

Answer 10

The merchant and landowner class in the varna system.

IMPORTANCE: The Vaishya were responsible for agriculture and commerce (buying and selling). They are just above the shundra (lowest class) on social class pyramid.

Question 11

Monotheism

Answer 11

The belief in a single, all-powerful deity, as opposed to polytheism, which involves the worship of multiple gods.

IMPORTANCE: AN idea that encourages the general religious fixation on one god within a society instead of many. This helps unite the many religious followings into one.

Question 12

Kshatriya

Answer 12

The warrior and ruler class in the varna system.

IMPORTANCE: Responsible for protection and governance. They are the second level on the pyramid high up just underneath the Brahmin.

Question 13

Cyrus the Great

Answer 13

The founder of the PERSIAN Empire.

IMPORTANCE: He had a unique way of ruling, showing respect for the cultures of the places he took over. Conquered= Medes, unified = Iranian kingdoms.

Question 14

Vedas

Answer 14

Rhymes, songs, and texts spoken in Sanskrit by Brahmin (priests).

IMPORTANCE: Became important works later in Hinduism.They continued passing down rituals and beliefs.

Question 15

Sennacherib

Answer 15

A king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (son of Sargon II). Famous for his military attacks on Babylon and Judah.

IMPORTANCE: His famous prison (his Prisim), demonstrates his strength. His victories marked the beginning of a new time when empire ahcived bigger goals in geography, politics, and culture than ever before.

Question 16

Alphabet

Answer 16

Phoenician- created system of writing based on relatively few letters (22) that combined to make sounds and words.

IMPORTANCE: Helped continue passing down texts, stories, etc. Adaptable to many languages, the alphabet was simpler and more flexible than writing based on symbols (ex: cuneiform).

Question 17

Brahma

Answer 17

The god mentioned in the Upanishads who was believed and followed by many of the Vedic people.

IMPORTANCE: Stated within the Upanishads, when someone dies, their soul departs from their body and they become one with intelligence and Brahma (the god). This belief united the Vedic people.

Question 18

Shudra

Answer 18

Means “small ones”; workers and enslaved people from outside the vedic lineage.

IMPORTANCE: They are commoners, servants, and peasants. They are on the Bottom of the Vedic culture social varna pyramid.

Question 19

Politics

Answer 19

People govern themselves
Pursuit and exercise of government power
Ideas about government, along with institutions
Ex. constitutions

Question 20

Economics

Answer 20

How people live
Production and distributions of goods and services
Occupations and roles in civilizations, NOT just economics
Different economics system
Ex. communism, capitalism

Question 21

Society

Answer 21

How people live with each other
Organizations and practices of family and social groups

Question 21

Culture

Answer 21

Think of themselves
Activities reveal civilization views of everyone
Ex. literature, plays, movies, dances

Question 22

How did the art of the Zhou Dynasty evolve from Shang Dynasty artwork?
(STUDY USING BLURT)

Answer 22

Claim: Zhou dynasty art evolved from Shang dynasty art, shown through similar functioned materials, tools, and techniques.

Evidence: After Zhou took over the Shang dynasty:
1. Zhou clearly inherited the Shang molding techniques as they contained the same complex and detailed and “painstaking” process.

2. Zhou initially used bronze but later switched to stronger iron used by the Shang dynasty for their jade art.
3. Zhou lost some Shang techniques but created new ones with the iron tools based off the Shang original idea.

Analysis:
- There was clear improvement in the Zhou jade art strength and complexity after transitioning from bronze to iron.
- Zhou kept some Shang methods while innovating, blending tradition with new ideas.
- The loss of techniques pushed Zhou to explore new methods, forming a unique artistic identity.

Question 23

Why do you think these smaller civilizations were able to have such a significant and lasting impact, despite this being an age dominated by major empires?
(STUDY USING BLURT)

Answer 23

Claim: Smaller civilizations had less to control, leading to more frequent societal advancements.

Evidence:
-The Phoenicians developed the alphabet
-The Sea Peoples introduced iron weaponry
-Greeks created early democratic political systems.

Reasoning:
- Smaller civilizations: because they were less populated, there were fewer hurdles & easier decisions
- Because of this: there quicker adoption of these new innovations and practices
- The following advancements in communication, military tech, & governance, are what makes a larger impact in societal progress.