Pre-AP World History Test #1

Question 1

What is history?

Answer 1

History is an account of the past. The version of past events historians have decidedly agreed upon.
A re-creation from incomplete records.

Question 2

Why do we study history?

Answer 2

It helps us understand the problems of the present.
It helps one develop critical skills - tolerance, empathy, and an open-mind.

Question 3

Role of the Historian

Answer 3

Historians research, analyze, interpret, and write about the past by studying historical sources.

Question 4

Interpretation in History

Answer 4

Historical documents will reflect the authors’ interpretation. Interpretation is a big part of history, the way one interprets it could change what others believe and so much more.

Question 5

Human Evolution

Answer 5

Australopithecus, Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Neanderthals, Homo Sapiens

Question 6

Lifestyle of modern H/G?

Question 7

Transition to Agriculture - why?

Answer 7

Population Pressure
Climate Change (the Younger Dryas cold spell)
Cognitive Change (humans became smarter and more innovative)
Over-hunting of wild animals
Desire to settle down

Question 8

Jared Diamond’s Argument on Worst Mistake in History

Question 9

Primary Source

Answer 9

something (a document, photograph, or artifact) produced in the period of study.

Question 10

Secondary Source

Answer 10

interprets and analyzes primary sources

Question 11

Bias

Answer 11

a point of view that affects the ability to make impartial judgements.

Question 12

Homo Habilis (aka) Handy Man

Answer 12

2.3-1.6 mya
Co-existed with Australopithecus for 1 my
First human
Africa
First to make stone tools
Varied Diet: H/G
Bigger Brains
Attempted to understand the enviorment

Question 13

Homo Erectus (aka) Upright Man

Answer 13

2m-300,000 ya
Migrations: Africa, Asia, Europe
Discovered fire and how to use it.
Varied Diet: H/G
Lived in organized groups
Human-like body proportions

Question 14

Neanderthals

Answer 14

200,000-28,000 ya
Migrations: Europe, Southeast and Central Asia
Existed with us for 30,000-50,000 years
Adapted to the cold
Bad Rap
Showed a sophisticated level of intelligence

Question 15

Homo Sapiens

Answer 15

First appeared about 250,000 years in Africa
Left Africa for about 100,000 years bp before encountering other species.
40,000 years bp is a world full of us
Painting left on cave walls
Replaced the Neanderthals: the Replacement and Interbreeding Theory

Question 16

Replacement Theory

Answer 16

The populations were too different and couldn’t produce a sexual attraction to one another. Yet even if they could, they wouldn’t be able to produce fertile children due to the genetic differences. So, the two populations remained distant until the Neanderthals were killed/died off.

Question 17

Interbreeding Theory (Most Supported)

Answer 17

When Sapiens had met Neanderthals in the Middle East and Europe, they bred until the two populations merged. Likewise, when Sapiens reached Asia, they might’ve bred with Erectus until those two populations merged.

Question 18

Homo Floresiensis (Hobbits)

Answer 18

95,000-17,000 ya
Lived in Flores, Indonesia
Were dwarfs due to ecological pressures of the island (limited food resources)

Question 19

H/G (forager) Lifestyle

Answer 19

Small bands of 25-50 people
Low population density - extremely slow population growth
Seasonally mobile/nomadic
Food gathering less than 30 hrs a week = a lot of leisure time (subsistence involved less work than today)
No hierarchy

Question 20

H/G (forager) Belief System

Answer 20

Animism- the idea that the natural world has a spiritual connection

Question 21

Benefits of Fire

Answer 21

Easier to digest
Makes food nutritious
Helps fend off predators
Increased humans’ cognitive ability

Question 22

Paleolithic Cave Art

Answer 22

Cave art has been found in:
Western Europe
Southeast Asia
Australia
Africa
Function of Art:
Magic ceremonies to help with hunt
Shamanic rituals
Vision quests
Commemorate previous hunts

Question 23

Lascaux Cave

Answer 23

Discovered 1940 (France)
15,000-10,000 ya

Question 24

Chauvet Cave

Answer 24

Discovered 1955 (France)
32,000-30,000 ya

Question 25

Shaman

Answer 25

A shaman is one who is able to contact spirits and entities in order to help (usually to cure sickness).

Question 26

Out of Africa Migration:

Answer 26

First Wave: Africa to Middle East to Australia
Second Wave: East Asia
Third Wave: North and South America
Fourth Wave: Pacific Islands

Question 27

Original Affluent Society

Answer 27

H/G hunt for short periods of time, having leisure the rest, not having to do many chores - it all seems as if that is what the rich do today, living in a type of comfort.
Affluent- Material Success

Question 28

Fertile Crescent

Answer 28

Located in the middle East, it is where agriculture has seemed to originate first. Later, it was the development of one of the world’s first civilizations.

Question 29

Intensification

Answer 29

More is obtained for less. With agricultural intensification, a smaller amount of land could produce more food and resources (than what was possible by H/G). Greater amounts of food led to greater amounts of people, and therefore exploitation of land.

Question 30

Domestication

Answer 30

The changing of nature for the benefit of humankind, creating a mutual dependence.

Question 31

Venus figurines

Answer 31

Mother goddesses found throughout Europe (Paleolithic, Ivory)

Question 32

Neolithic

Answer 32

Time period from H/G to agriculture

Question 33

Göbeklitepe

Answer 33

Construction long associated with only agricultural civilizations. May have played a role in the breakthrough of farming

Question 34

Egalitarian

Answer 34

Equal

Question 35

Hierarchy/stratification

Question 36

When did the Neolithic Era start?

Answer 36

12,000 bp

Question 37

What is the world’s greatest land mass?

Answer 37

Afro-Eurasia

Question 38

What islands were settled last?

Answer 38

Pacific islands like New Zealand

Question 39

What were some of the earliest islands which were settled?

Answer 39

Australia