Notecards - FALL

Question 1

Homer

Answer 1

1. Wrote Iliad, story of the Trojan War, and Odyssey, man’s decade long journey
2. Greek writer who wrote two famous stories.
3. Stories became basis of knowledge, legends of myths and heroes inspired people, stories live on today.

Question 2

Janissaries

Answer 2

1. As Muslims were conquering places, people believed that Islam needed fighting forces, would use conuered people.
2. Christian boys who were taken by Muslims, converted to Islam, and trained to be elite soldiers for Islam.
3. Had a giant army that could be used for conquest, Muslim religion survived because it was defended.

Question 3

guilds

Answer 3

1. People organized themselves by their art / craft
2. Trade organizations
3. Restricted competition

Question 4

Magna Carta

Answer 4

1. Nobles feared kings would abuse powers
2. King John forced to sign document created by nobles
3. Limited King’s power and government and executive power

Question 5

Darius I

Answer 5

1) Confusion surrounding rebellion; death of Cambyses
2) Ruler of Persia; had to fight to restore rebellion ; began to strengthen / reorganize his empire; made permanent army; new training system. Choose governors called satraps
3) Strengthened economy; encouraged trade

Question 6

Mansa Musa

Answer 6

1) Mali reached height under his reign. Helped Mali become wealthy
2) Relative of Sundiata, came to power in 1307
3) Mali territory expanded and population may have reached 40 million

Question 7

Astrolabe

Answer 7

1. Muslims would ues planets and stars to plan events to worship Gpds.
2. Instrument used in astronomy to plan religious gatherings, based on star and planets, used to find new stars
3. developed calendars, improved observations, calculate latitude and longitude

Question 8

Obelisks

Answer 8

1) Egyptian built temples to honor gods, many included obelisks
2) Tall, thin pillars with pyramid-shaped tops. made from a single piece of stone, had carved intricate designs
3) Advancements in ancient technology; help provide info for historians

Question 9

Minarets

Answer 9

1. Architecture developed distinctive features
2. Tall towers which the faithful are called to prayer
3. Mosques show influences too, such as Persian or Turkish features

Question 10

Bantu

Answer 10

1) Agriculture and technology spread, spoken languages were based on Proto-Bantu
2) Language developed in Cameroon and Nigeria
3) Bantu speakers migrated east and south, spread knowledge of farming, became dominant groups

Question 11

Cunneiform

Answer 11

1) In Meopotamia, civilization rose with city-states called Sumer. Was created during Sumer’s height of culture. Need to have info recorded in trade, government..etc
2) The first type of writing developed by the Sumerians, wrote on clay tablets
3) Influenced other civilizations to create/adopt their own system of writing. First used to write business accounts & records. Later written by scribes for lit.

Question 12

Charlemagne

Answer 12

1. Part of the Carolingian family, ruer of the Franks, invaded the Lombards,
2. Grandson of Charles Martel
3. crowned Emperor of the Roman People, converts Anglo-Saxons to christians, subdues Lombards, built Carolingian palace

Question 13

Indo-Europeans

Answer 13

1. Nomadic tribes from steppes. South of Russian and north of the Black Sea moved into the region of the Babylonian Empire as the Babylonian Empire declines
2. Several tribes that spoke related languages and invaded Mesopotamia, Europe, Anatolia and India
3. Brought knowledge of chariots and ironworking to the region. One of the tribes, the Hittites in Asia Minor conquered surrounding people and formed a strong empire

Question 14

Satraps

Answer 14

Cause: Daruis’s empire expanded far out of his control, needed to rule all of land but couldn’t do it himself. Created satraps to maintain order and rule

Definition: a local leader/governor to maintain order in an area

Impact: Empire was under control and no rebellions happened, could control all land at once.

Question 15

Pax Romana

Answer 15

1. Beginning of Augustus’ reign (27 BC) to last of good emperors reign (AD 180)
2. The Roman Peace, characterized by stable government, strong legal system, widespread trade and peace
3. Smooth working of government wasn’t interrupted by war or invasion

Question 16

Rosetta Stone

Answer 16

1) Historians couldn’t decipher heiroglyphs. 1799 French soldiers discovered granite store near Rosetta
2) A piece of granite stone containing the same text in Greek, demotic and hieroglyphics
3) Used stone to decipher Egyptian writing.

Question 17

Sahel

Answer 17

1) Africa’s climate and vegeation varies: northern Africa had Sahara; South of Sahara - rivers; further South - Savanna
2) South of Sahara where rivers flow across plains including Congo, Zambazi, & Niger is called the Sahel. Sahel - a strip of land that divides the desert from wetter areas
3) This region’s vegetation supports hardy grazing animals

Question 18

Harun al-Rashid

Answer 18

1. trade was a source of funds for cultural acheivements.
2. Most prominent caliph of Abbasid caliph
3. Helped produce achievements in Islamic arts and sciences, brought Muslim culture to great heights from 768 to 809

Question 19

Papyrus

Answer 19

1) Wanted a place to write
2) Reedy plant that grows along Nile
3) Used to make paperlike sheets

Question 20

Hatshepsut

Answer 20

1. Cause: Egypt was expanding its territory and pharaohs were increasing trade
2. Definition: One of the few woemn to rule Egypt; promoted trade
3. Impact: She was responsible for organizing a large trading expedition. She sent to Punt; she boosted Egypt’s economy by promoting trade.

Question 21

Pope Urban II

Answer 21

1. Turks attacked the Byzantine Empire; the emperor feared that the Turks would soon destroy Constantinople so he turned to Western Europe and Pope Urban II
2. A pope who aided Byzantine Emperor
3. He called on the First Crusades “God Wills It” inspired the Crusades

Question 22

Helots

Answer 22

1. Spartans were very focused on war. Didn’t have time for farming, housework, etc.
2. Spartan slaves captured from conquered places
3. Citizens had time to train for war, become most powerful in all of Greece

Question 23

Cataracts

Answer 23

1) Nile’s course includes mountaineous East Africa. Nile flowed through cataracts. This inhibits invasion from other civilizations
2) Rocky stretches marked by swift currents and rapids
3) Egypt was protected by cataracts. Boats couldn’t sail through. People from South couldn’t use Nile as invasion route. Northern people didn’t get attacked as much.

Question 24

Griots

Answer 24

1) Many societies didn’t have writing, passed through by oral traditions
2) African storytellers responsible for passing stories
3) Help keep history alive, were highly respected

Question 25

Justinian I

Answer 25

1. Reigned from 527 to 565, his dreams were to reclaim the western Roman Empire
2. Emperor of Byzantine Empire, tried to regain the western Roman Empire.
3. After a rebellion against him arose, his wife Theodora convinced him to take action against the rebels. Known as the Blues and the Greens. He ordered his last general to lure and kill the rebels in the Hippodrome. He also developed a code of law called Justinians code.

Question 26

Reconquista

Answer 26

1. Christians embarked on campaigns to retake Iberian Peninsula
2. Reconquest in Spanish
3. Lots of Christian kingdoms became part of Christianity

Question 27

Ziggurat

Answer 27

1. Large cities emerged in Sumer 3000 BC. In the center, there was a temple containing a ziggurat
2. At the heart of the temple, pyramid-shaped structure rose to the sky where priests offered gods food and drinks and held ceremonies
3. Very important part of the temple, religion shaped peoples’ lives - survive far into future, copied by many civilizations

Question 28

Black Death

Answer 28

1. Took two forms: bubonic and pneumonic plague
2. Plague between 1347 and 1351
3. Killed lots of people

Question 29

Ge’ez

Answer 29

1) Ezana’s statement about ruling with Christianity was inscribed on a stone monument (stelae)
2) On stelae shows example of Geez - written and spoken language of Aksum, one of the first written languages developed in Africa
3) Is the basis of written language used in Ethiopia toady, still used in Ethiopian religious ceremonies

Question 30

Pericles

Answer 30

1. Rebuilt most of Athens, elected for general in 460 BC, champion of democracy
2. Skilled politician and gifted public speaker, greatly influenced Athens
3. He also was a patron of the arts and beautified Athens. Commissioned building of Parthenon