Essential Questions Flashcards
Why did early people migrate?
This occurred during the Paleolithic Era.
No permanent settlements - they needed to follow the herds for their food supply (nomadic)
Hunters (men) and gatherers (women) - groups were small to be able to move and to be able to feed everyone. Groups usually matriarchal because women were more likely to provide food easily.
2 theories of migration:
1) Out of Africa - life started in the Great Rift Valley and spread from there
2) Multi-Regional - life actually started in several “pockets” of the world and people migrated into various locations
How does geography help or hinder (hurt) the development of a nation or region?
Geographic Features: deserts, rivers, mountains, irregular coastlines, archipelago, climate
Desert - Egypt (Sahara), China (Gobi): difficult to cross with high temps, sand so protects from invaders but limits trade, isolates so limited cultural diffusion. Farming is limited, must have irrigation.
Rivers - River Valley Civs: allows for irrigation of crops, limited flooding brings allows for fertile soil, water source for people, transportation source, allows trade - leads to cultural diffusion. Flooding or extensive drought can hurt civilization
Mountains - Himalayas in China and India, Alps in Italy, Andes in Per: protects from invaders but limits trade and isolates from world - lack of cultural diffusion
Irregular Coastline - Greece: protects from invaders by sea; limited landing space. Trading is difficult for same reason - hurts cultural diffusion
Archipelago - Japan, Phillipines: difficult to achieve unity, citizens isolated from each other - mini cultures arise
What is the relationship between the Neolithic Revolution. And the development of River Valley Civilizations?
Neolithic Revolution = change from nomadic life to permanent settlements due to the start of agriculture and domestication of animals. This leads to a food surplus.
Everyone doesn’t need to participate in getting food for the group - they can specialize in their jobs (priests, leaders, artisans, architects, inventors, bankers, etc)
This leads to the development of civilizations - writing systems, advanced technology, government, cities, new structures, social systems.
What makes a civilization a “classic”?
A classic is something that is old but still used today and wanted today.
Examples: Han Dynasty (China) - Confucianism (filial piety, four relationships, civil service, order in society)
Greece - Law (direct-democracy), architecture (columns, arches), art (sculpture)
Rome - Law (republic, 12 Tables), architecture ( continues Greek ideas), infrastructure (roads, aqueducts)
Gupta - algebra (concept of 0, decimals), medicine (shots, surgery), physics
What are the major beliefs systems?
Judaism - monotheistic, Torah is the holy book, Abraham is the founder, Jerusalem is a Holy City - Wailing wall is there. Believes the messiah is still coming, follows the 10 Commandments
Christianity - monotheistic, evolved for, Judaism, believes Jesus Christ is the Messiah or savior, he is part of the Trinity, follow the 10 Commandments, Sacred text is Bible - Old Testament (Torah) and New Testament (life of Christ and his followers. Many different sects (groups). Jerusalem is. Holy City, Christ was crucified there.
Islam - monotheistic, Allah is the one true god, Muhammed is his prophet. Follow the 5 Pillars - faith, charity, prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage. Holy City is Jerusalem, Muhammed ascended to heaven there. Connected to Judaism through Abraham.
Hinduism - ancient Hinduism is polytheistic. Three main gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Belief in reincarnation - person is reincarnated based in their karma and drama in previous life (born into a caste based on this). Once a person has lifted their best life they attain Moksha and are no longer reincarnated.
Buddhism: NOT a Religion but an ethical system. Buddha is a person not a god. Believe in reincarnation but not the caste system. Follow the Four Noble Truths (it’s all about suffering) and the Eightfold Path to live your best life.
Confucianism: NOT a Religion: social order can be attained by following the Four Relationships and filial piety. Government officials must pass the civil service exam to prove they can do the job.
How do belief systems unite and divide people?
Unite: people have similar beliefs and traditions - leads to common culture.
Divide: opposing beliefs and traditions leads to misunderstandings, stereotypes, claims of barbarism and uncivilized lead to war
Examples: the Great Schism, the Crusades, the Protestant Reformation, the Inquisition, the Holocaust
What are the characteristics of a Golden Age?
A golden age is a period of peace and prosperity with a focus on learning and art
Peace: attained through cultural diffusion, conquering enemies, and alliances
Prosperity: people are fighting or defending life so they can set up trade networks (import, export). Since they have money can spend extra funds on learning, art. This leads to great achievements
Examples:
Islamic Empire: Math, Caligraphy, architecture, centers of wisdom
Gupta Empire: astronomy, math, medicine, silk roads
Tang and Song Dynasties: printing, gun powder, porcelain,
Byzantine Empire: building (Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome, walls, aqueducts), mosaics, Justinian Code
Why is the Medieval Period considered the Dark Ages?
Remember: Feudal Period, Middle Ages, Dark Ages, and Medieval Period are all the same time period. Refers to the Period of time between the classical period ( the empires of Greece and Rome) and the European Renaissance.
The term “dark” is used because Europe was in a period of cultural decline: learning is not for the masses (priests and very rich), little art, literature created, insecurity due to invasion, no centralized government, bad economy ( no extensive trade system)
Feudal Structure (King,Noble, knight, peasant/serf) is very strict, little movement ( all about land and loyalty)
Manorial System: self sufficient farming communities run by a Noble or knight. Peasants and serfs lived and work there in exchange for protection.
How did the Encounter change the world? Hint: it’s all about cultural diffusion and trade!
Encounter = first time European come into contact with people of the Western Hemisphere A.K.A. The Age of Exploration
Change 1: Europeans wanted different trade routes to cut out the Italians and the Ottomans (Silk Road and Mediterranean Sea) to get goods from Asia.
Change 2: new technology allows for longer, safer voyages at sea
Change 3: Columbian Exchange allows for new products to be distributed to the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. CULTURAL DIFFUSION and Trade expands.
Change 4: Triangular Trade goods going from the Americas, to Europe, to Africa. This includes human trafficking of slaves to the plantations in the Americas. Slaves imported after local populations decline and Europeans needed a new labor source. This leads to a loss of culture and family ties in Africa and a movement of culture to the Americas
Change 5: Mercantilism begin - economic system where a colony is used for its raw materials and a market for a dominate “mother country” Example: Britain and the North American colonies
Why did the power of the Church decline?
During the Feudal Period the church (Christian) gained power and strength due to the lack of central government and the peoples belief that “this life is gods will”. People gave tithes to the church which not used to create political alliances and war. No one questioned the laws or rules of he he church for fear of damnation.
Changes:
1) the Plague: people thought god was punishing them - no one was spared - Rich, poor, religious, not religious. They blamed god and in turn the church
2) Renaissance: post medieval and plague period. See a rebirth of Greece and roman ideas. Humanists believe in the power of the individual for success and not so much in leaving it all up to god ( secular viewpoint). Question the blind faith of following church leaders.
3) Reformation: people (Protestants) want to see reforms in the church. Ideas are spread quickly with use of printing press
- Martin Luther and 95 theses: no indulgences, faith alone can save, not good deeds, church leaders can’t interpret bible.
- Calvin: believed in predestination - faith won’t save you. God has already determined who will be saved.
- Henry VIII: act of supremacy - the King is greater than the Pope. England breaks from the church when H. Divorces his wife. Queen Elizabeth later creates the Anglican Church
What is an absolute monarchy?
An absolute ruler is an autocratic ruler. Power is passed down through the family - DIVINE RIGHT ( god given right to rule)
Examples:
Peter the Great of Russia - westernized Russia (people spoke French, dressed in European styles, men cut beards)
Louis XIV - French leader called “The Sun King”, created a standing army, spent lavishly on the Palace of Versailles, required Noble to live there, taxation system to gain funds, catholic - persecuted the French Protestants (huegonuts)
What are the Stages of A Revolution?
Stage 1: incubation - these are the long term causes
- social injustice
- religious persecution
- economic distress
- unfavorable ruler
Stage 2: symptomatic - short term causes
- speeches
- boycotts
- newspaper articles
Stage 3: Crisis: outright fighting between groups
Stage 4: Convalescence - period of post war recovery. Reforms made but sometimes there is no real change
How was the Industrial Revolution a Blessing and a Curse?
The industrial revolution is the movement from cottage industries to mass production in factories. This was enabled by the Agrarian Revolution - better technology allowed brought on food surpluses with fewer farmers.
Started in England - they had the factors of production (land, labor, capital)
Blessing - rise of cities, employment in factories, mass production of goods, steam engines lead to trains ( better transportation for goods and people), middle class rises, better standard of living for middle class
Curse - pollution, depletion of natural resources, crowded cities - poor sanitation, high crime, 12-14 hour days for factory workers, no safety measures in factories, child labor
Why was the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment considered turning points in history?
Scientific Rev - humanist ideas from Renaissance persist. Scientists work to answer mysteries of the world using the Scientific Method - this challenges the church’s authority.
Enlightenment - philosophers challenge accepted theories of government which inspires revolution worldwide.
- Locke - natural rights (3 Ls); right to rebel against abusive govt
- Voltaire - freedom of speech and religion
- Rousseau - social contract between the people and govt -democracy
- Montesquieu - separation of powers, checks and balances
- Mary Wollstencraft - women’s rights
- Baccaria - Rights of the accused
- Hobbes - social contract - people give up rights to govt for protection
