Quiz 5: Classical India and China

Question 1

Who is Ashoka the Great?

Answer 1

Grandson of Chandragupta – ruled during
height of Maurya Empire

Question 2

How was Ashoka the Great different from earlier rulers of India? What are his accomplishments?

Answer 2

He gave up conquest after winning a war - first king in the history to do this.
Originally brutal king and conqueror –
renounced war after conversion to
Buddhism
Sent Buddhist missionaries throughout Asia
– practiced religious tolerance in India
Established India’s first codified law –
reorganized Indian bureaucracy to ensure
justice

Question 3

How did Ashoka´s reign impact the rest of Asia?

Answer 3

He sent Buddhist missionaries all throughout Asia.

Question 4

Who is Qin Shi Huang?

Answer 4

originally Ying
Zheng: ruled State of Qin w/in Zhou Empire since 247 BC

Question 5

Why is is Qin Shi Huang considered the founder of modern China? What are his accomplishments?

Answer 5

Conquered other feudal lords, appointed himself
“First Emperor” (Huangdi) of unified China

Harsh legalist, believed force was key to unity –
established strong central gov.

Built Great Wall of China

Buried in elaborate mausoleum guarded by
terracotta warriors

Question 6

What artistic or technological features are attributed to Qin Shi Huang?

Answer 6

The Great Wall of China

Question 7

How was the Han Dynasty connected to the rest of the world?

Answer 7

China expanding into neighboring
territories – global trade via Silk Roads

Question 8

How was Chinese society and government organized during the rule of the Han dynasty?

Answer 8

Chinese feudal system abolished
during Qin Dynasty – Han gov’t run by Confucian
Scholar-Officials

Question 9

What major artistic, cultural, technological, or religious developments were made during the reign of the Han?

Answer 9

Silk and paper production mastered
– early use of water wheels for automation. Early versions of Daoism and Confucianism as state religions – Buddhism arriving via trade w/ India

Question 10

Who is Muhammad ibn Abudllah? What religious movement did he lead?

Answer 10

Member of Banu Hashim clan
(descendent of Ishmael) of Mecca

Wealthy merchant, travelled
throughout region and encountered
Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians

Led Muslim/Islam

Question 11

How did Muslim spread, and what happened to this movement after Muhammad’s death?

Answer 11

Muhammad and followers retook Mecca, soon entire Arabian Peninsula. Muslim community split after Muhammad’s death over who would be his successor.

Question 12

What is the “Islamic Golden Age?” What Arabic dynasty ruled during this period?

Answer 12

flourishing of arts and
culture – Baghdad as major
center of knowledge; Abbasid Caliphate

Question 13

What developments were made during the “Islamic Golden Age” time to earn the “golden” title?

Answer 13

Classical knowledge preserved by Byzantium, carried on by Baghdad.
Advancements in math and science.

Question 14

How did Christianity arrive in Ethiopia?

Answer 14

Ethiopian Eunuch baptized by St. Philip, brought
Christianity to W. Africa

St. Ezana (r. 320-360): First Christian King of
Ethiopia

Question 15

How was Medieval Ethiopia connected to other Christian kingdoms? How is Ethiopian Christianity different from the forms of Christianity found elsewhere in the Medieval world?

Answer 15

Major trade link between Byzantium and the East – Yemen conquered ca. 530 by King Kaleb (aka St. Elesbaan)
Ethiopian Christianity started from a single testimony rather than tons of missionaries spreading the Gospel, like other places had.

Question 16

How did Islam arrive in West Africa?

Answer 16

North African traders were major actors in introducing Islam into West Africa. Kings likely converted for economical reasons.

Question 17

How was Medieval Mali connected to other Muslim kingdoms?

Answer 17

North African traders were major actors in introducing Islam into West Africa.

Question 18

Who is Mansa Musa, and what lasting impact does his life and reign have on the history of Mali and Islam?

Answer 18

North African traders were major actors in introducing Islam into West Africa. 1324: Completed Hajj (pilgrimage
to Mecca) – made Malian wealth
famous throughout Muslim World

Reportedly spent enough gold in
Cairo to destroy economy

One of most famous and powerful
rulers in African History

Influential for colonialism:
European empires seeking wealth
of African rulers.

Question 19

Who is Wu Zetian? How did she rise to power?

Answer 19

From a wealthy family, believed to be descendant of ancient
Zhou Dynasty

Well educated, originally served as concubine and secretary
for Emperor Taizong

Married Taizong’s successor Emperor Gaozong, became
Huanghou (“empress consort”) in 655 AD

Seized control after Gaozong’s death – ruled as regents for her
sons Zhongzong and Ruizong

Question 19

How was Wu Zetian’s rule over Tang China differ from others both before and after her?

Answer 19

First she was a woman. Second, under her reign, China grew larger, becoming one of the great powers of the world. Chang’an is believed to have housed at least 1 million residents within its city walls during the reign of Empress Wu.She provided more rights for women, she gave the people religious freedom, and she overall made a China a better place.

Question 20

Who is Genghis Khan? How did he unite the wandering tribes and hordes of the Eurasian steppe into the most powerful empire to date?

Answer 20

Born as Temüjin, son of Yesugei Baghatur. Belonged to the Borjigin (literally “like nine”)
family, believed to be lucky – family of
Hotula, the previous Khamag Khan. Used alliances and marriages to unite the five
Khanates, proclaimed Khagan in 1206.

Question 21

How did the Mongol Khaganate maintain control of its vast territories?

Answer 21

How did the Mongols control their vast empire?
The central power rested with the khan, who was assisted by military and political councilors. No departmental administration was, however, established during the early stages of Genghis Khan’s empire. The highly hierarchized military organization of the Mongols had no political or administrative counterpart.

Question 22

How did the Mongol empire differ from other empires we have studied? In what ways is it similar?

Answer 22

Differing from other empire, the Mongols did not establish their empire with modern weapons or large sea-faring vessels and colonialism but with their bows and swords. The Mongol Empire resembled other empires in that it relied on the military capabilities of pastoral peoples; brought together numerous pastoral clans under a single leader’ and relied on the extraction of resources from settled societies to hold its confederation together.