Pre-AP World History Test #8

Question 1

Steppe Land

Answer 1

Dry, grassy plain in Eurasia
Occur in temperate climates, which lie between the tropics and polar regions.
0 degrees in winter to 100 in summer
Soil barely only supports wheat
Small population, Mongolia has the lowest pop density

Question 2

Eurasian Steppe

Answer 2

5000 miles from Hungary to China
250-500 miles North to South
Divided by Altai Mountains
Ideal for horseback travel
Nomadic pastoralists grazed horses, sheep, and yaks

Question 3

Grasslands (global)

Answer 3

Prairie/Plain - USA
Savannah - Africa
Pampas - South America

Question 4

Nomadic Pastoralism

Answer 4

Organized into clans with related languages
Good for grazing, little rain, few rivers
A love hate relationship of war & trade
Two social classes: nobles & commoners

Question 5

What factors allowed the Mongolians to build an empire?

Answer 5

Control of trade routes (Silk Road)
Use of captured soldiers
Superior military
Weakness of China and Abbasid Empires
Known for brutal methods (use of fear)
Methods of controlling conquered peoples
Religious toleration
Adopted local customs

Question 6

Genghis Khan aka Temujin (1162-1227;65yrs)

Answer 6

Through a united Mongol army, set sights on attacking agricultural societies
Allowed religious toleration of conquered people
Used terror tactics when fighting

Question 7

Silk Road and Trading Routes

Answer 7

Connected China with central Asia, India, the Middle East, Turkey, and Europe
130 BC - 1453 AD
Crucial for spreading technology, knowledge, political ideas, and luxury goods
Traded gunpowder, weapons, and compasses.
Traveled by foot, camel caravans, and boat.

Question 8

Mongol Empire

Answer 8

Superior military, religious toleration, controlled conquered people, used fear/brutal methods
Herded animals, especially horses
Lived as nomadic clans, constantly searching for better pasture lands
Tough warriors who occasionally raided nearby settlements

Question 9

Pax Mongolica

Answer 9

1200-1300’s stability and law
Safe passage of trade caravans, travelers and missionaries
Trade between Europe and Asia increased
Bubonic plague possibly came from the Mongols

Question 10

Kublai Khan

Answer 10

Founded the Yuan Dynasty
Built a new squared-wall capital at the sight of modern Beijing
United China for the first time in 300 years
Opened China to greater foreign contracts and trade
Tolerated China culture and made few changes

Question 11

Yuan Dynasty

Answer 11

Capital: from karakorum to peking
Founded by kublai khan

Question 12

Marco Polo and his route

Answer 12

Left home in Venice, Italy in 1271 with his father Niccolo and his uncle Maffeo
They were caravan traders who traveled the silk road
Interested in the riches of the east
Took 4 years

Question 13

Marco Polo in China

Answer 13

All of his stories were told through his cellmate
Worked for the Mongols
Europe was confuzzled and intrigued
We get to know about yuan from him

Question 14

Arguments over Marco Polo and China

Answer 14

Believed he didn’t reach it as he didn’t discuss many important features of China during that time (drinking tea, chopsticks, foot binding)

Question 15

Geography of Mongol Empire

Answer 15

Harsh climate of Eurasian steppe (area with little rain and extreme temperatures)