Social Science Section 2 Flashcards
What is the IUGS?
International Union of Geological Science
What was the estimated Human Population before the Holocene?
Approx. 10 million
What geological event started the Holocene?
The end of the last Ice Age
“Technically The Holocene is a _______, a warm period between ice ages”
Interglacial Period
When did the Holocene begin?
About 11,700 years ago
T or F: The Planet Would be slowly cooling right now, even without Human Intervention
True
T or F: Humans did NOT have a much longer history before Holocene
False
T or F: The Holocene is a interglacial period
True
How many parts is the Holocene divided into?
3
What was something that contributed to the major glacial meltwater?
Solar Cycles for about 14,000 years
Which Part of The Holocene is the Warmest
The Early Holocene
At The Start of the Holocene, Humans were inhabiting how many of the 7 continents?
6, the one missing is Antarctica
When did the Last Glacial Maximum occur?
20,000 years ago
In North America, the beginning of the Holocene coincides with…
the Extinction of many large mammals
What does Interglacial period mean?
interval of warmer global average temperature
T or F: Climate change is not the same everywhere
True
During the Early Holocene humans… 1. Started settling in Cities. 2. Still maintained moving communities
- Still Maintained moving communities
What is the Quaternary period?
Geologic time that consists of the Holocene and Pleistocene
What time was the Mesopotamian around?
Around 3500 BC
The Middle Holocene is also called
Northgrippian Stage/Age
The Early Holocene is also called
Greenlandian Stage/Age
What is the name of the still debated Climate age that we are living in that started in the middle of the twentieth century
Anthropocene
In What year did the IUGS deny a proposal to accept the New time period?
2024
When did the late Holocene begin?
Around 4,250 years ago
The Late Holocene is also called
Meghalayan Stage/Age
What does NGRIP2 say about the onset of Holocene?
At a depth of 1,49.45 meters into ice
Where is the ice core NGRIP2
About 75 degree longitude greenland
When was the Younger Dryas period?
It was around 12,900-11,700 years ago
T or F: By the start of Holocene humans were spread all around the world
True
What does 0 represent in the Western calendar system?
The estimated date of the birth of Christ
How do scholars in the climatology field date past events?
According to how long ago they happened with 1950 C.E. and 2000 C.E. as the marker for the present
According to the Western calendar used in human history what year did the Holocene begin?
9,700 B.C.E.
Where in Egypt did the Egyptian civilization arise?
Nile Delta
Which most recent geological epochs lasted 2.6 million years?
The Pleistocene
If the late Holocene began 4,250 years ago according to climate history, that is the same time as what in human history timeline?
2250 B.C.E.
True or False? 50 years in climate history (difference between interchangeably using 1950 C.E. and 2000 C.E.) is important/a big deal
False; it is largely within the margin of error when it comes to estimating dates, however, in human history this is not true
What ancient civilization is considered the birthplace civilization and the start of human history?
Mesopotamia in 3500 BCE
True or False? The start of human history that began with Mesopotamia also marks the start of climate history?
False, climate history goes back WAY farther than human history
Human history from the rise of Mesopotamian civilizations in 3500 BCE to the Late Middle Ages in 1350 CE (discussed in Section II of Guide), correlates to what time period in climate history?
the last centuries of the Middle Holocene into the Late Holocene and just before the Little Ice age (LIA)
What is the Little Ice Age?
a period from 1300 to 1850 during which Earth experienced cooler temperatures on average globally
What rivers did the Mesopotamian water supply come from?
Tigris and Euphrates River
This empire was established in 2234 BCE and collapsed in 2218 BCE? It also had ruled Mesopotamia.
the Akkadian Empire
True or False? Following the notable climate in Mesopotamia in 2250 BCE, it became cooler and dryer? Why is this important?
True. It is important because it is commonly debated by scholars if this shift was a major factor in the decline of the Akkadian Empire which ruled Mesopotamia at the time by considering their collapse occured at roughly the same times as in Egypt/other regions. On the contrary, some argue the climate-change did not cause it because some cities in Mesopotamia were resistant and may not have even collapsed.
What were some ruling powers in Mesopotamia?
Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians
What are some features that some scholars consider to represent the dawn of human civilizations?
much larger communities of people than previously seen settled down for long periods of time, altered the environment for agriculture and building of great buildings, roles and classes in society developed, and developed forms of writing
What weather event during the major climate shifts of 2250 (as discussed with Mesopotamia) is linked with the fall of the Old Kingdom in Egypt?
A drought
True or False? Brief glimpse at some of the more famous early agrarian societies that arose in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and the Americas
True
Where is Mesopotamia located
around current national boundaries of Iraq
When did the Sumerians in Mesopotamia develop writing, priestly classes, planned cities?
Around 3600 and 3000 BCE
T or F: Early Harappan phase lasted from 3200-2600 BCE. Mature Harappan phase lasted from 2600- 1900 BCE. Late Harappan phase from 1900 to 1000 BCE
True
What year was a historical turning point for the Indus Civilization.
2250 BCE
In Mesoamerica from when did the Olmecs rule?
around 1200 to 400 BCE
Who conquered Egypt and Persian and even went to India with his army?
A Greek King named Alexander the Great.
When did the Roman Empire inherit some of the region Alexander had united?
117 CE
True or False: it is easy to conceptually gasp the different scales of the historical timeless for human history, and environmental?
False
The Pleistocene is only lasted how many years in earth’s four billion year history?
2.6 million years
True or False: Climate is suppose to change slowly
True
What year did the Western Roman Empire finally collapse?
476 CE
What parts of afro-Eurasia were effected by the LIA
All
Was the fall of the Western Roman Empire gradual or immediate?
Gradual
What did the fall of Roman represent?
The transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages/medieval period
What does LIA stand for?
Little Ice Age
How long did the Middle Ages last?
around 476 - 1450/1500
When did the Little Ice Age take place?
1300-1850 CE
Why were the indigenous people able to survive in Florida while the new people were not
Because they were not use to the cold harsh Temperature
In what climatic conditions did the Europeans discovered America?
During the LIA
What is the Renaissance?
The transition between medieval times and modern times
Who were the European states that built empires overseas.
Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, British, and French.
How long did the Renaissance last?
1300-1600
Why were the Middle Ages described as a Dark Age?
A supposed decline in culture and technology
What pandemic took place at the beginning of the LIA?
The Black Death
What “Age” of humanity was it near the middle/end of the LIA?
The Medieval Age
True or false. The LIA influenced the trajectories of overseas empires in European states as well as abroad.
True
True or False: The fall of Rome is considered to have ushered in a dark era of human history
True
True or false. Florida was warm and humid during the LIA
False
How did the cold in the 1590s interact with the cultural and economic conditions of Spain’s residents?
It encouraged impoverished Spanish residents to stay in Spain and move to urban centers.
How did the cold in the 1590s interact with the cultural and economic conditions of England’s residents?
English residents were incentivized to move overseas and participate in settler colonialism.
What year was the climate anomaly that fits the “Dark Ages” theory?
536 CE
True or False. during the medieval age the people knew exactly what caused the LIA
False
What were the leading causes of the LIA?
Volcanic forcings and periods of lower solar activity identified by a lack of sunspots known as solar minima.
What was the climate anomaly of 536 CE?
It was a series of volcanic eruptions that brought about several of the coldest summers in the Northern Hemisphere for the next decade and a half.
T or F: The LIA stopped before year 1000
False
When did the solar minima take place?
1280-1350 (Wolf minimum), 1654-1715 (Maunder minimum), and 1790-1820 (Dalton minimum)
Who famously said that 536 was the worst year to be alive?
Michael McCormick
What stop the Dutch Empire from finding a maritime route to China?
Seas to the north were frozen
True or False. The LIA impacted the entire globe evenly
False
Where were the effects of the LIA particularly noticeable?
The Northern Hemisphere
True or False. The cooling of the LIA was consistent over the centuries it spanned.
False
What did the minima roughly corresponded to?
The three periods of glacial advances in European Alps that took place from the late 1200s to around 1380, 1580s to around 1660, and from around 1810 to 1860
Under what system did Christopher Columbus begin to conquer land and people?
Colonialism
What species’ oldest fossil record dates back to 300,000 years ago?
Homo sapiens
Which epoch predates the Holocene?
Pleistocene
Why would the global population not have surpassed ten million before the Holocene?
The harsh environmental conditions were not hospitable
Which event occurred approximately 20,000 years ago?
a. the Chicxulub impactor
b. the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction
c. Halley’s Comet flyby
d. founding of Ancient Mesopotamia
e. the Last Glacial Maximum
the Last Glacial Maximum
Why were Earth’s sea levels noticeably lower in the Pleistocene Epoch?
Most water was locked up in glaciers and ice sheets.
What are the previous 1,200 years of the Pleistocene Epoch referred to as?
the Younger Dryas period
What event occurred 14,000 years ago that caused a negative feedback for over a thousand years?
solar cycle warming
Which of the following are NOT descriptors of the present?
a. Northgrippian
b. Holocene
c. Quaternary
d. Phanerozoic
e. Cenozoic
Northgrippian
How do Milankovitch cycles affect the climate?
They affect the solar energy absorbed by Earth.
Which of the following is matched correctly?
a. Last Glacial Maximum: Holocene
b. interglacial period: Pleistocene Epoch
c. climate: Quaternary Period
d. epoch: Younger Dryas
e. interglacial period: Holocene
interglacial period: Holocene
In terms of climatic patterns, what defines the Quaternary Period?
ice growth and recession
How many interglacials have there been in the past 800,000 years?
8
How has humanity’s impact on the environment changed from the Pleistocene to the Holocene Epoch?
It has intensified and expanded globally.
What factors other than climate might have influenced the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene?
geological events
What is the relationship between climate and human flourishing during the Holocene?
Humans have thrived under very particular environmental conditions.
The Early Holocene is also known as the
Greenlandian Stage/Age
The Early Holocene lasted from about 9700 BCE through about
6200 BCE
The demarcation point between the Early and Middle Holocene Epochs was the collapse of an ice sheet in modern-day
Canada
Scientists dated the beginning of the Early Holocene through examining
ice cores
Which of the following statements about humans during the Early Holocene is TRUE?
a. Humans had not reached Australia by the time that the Early Holocene began.
b. The wide majority of Early Holocene humans lived in agricultural societies.
c. Humans had reached South America by the time that the Early Holocene began.
d. The Early Holocene Epoch witnessed the birth of literacy.
e. No Early Holocene human communities developed agricultural practices.
Humans had reached South America by the time that the Early Holocene began.
The Early Holocene in North America was a time of extinction for many species of
large mammals
The Middle Holocene is alternatively referred to as the
Northgrippian Stage/Age
Which of the following statements BEST defines the Mid-Holocene Transition?
a. The Mid-Holocene Transition was a period of declining solar energy intensity that led to a drop in global temperatures.
b. The Mid-Holocene Transition marked the advent of organized religion within farming communities.
c. The Mid-Holocene Transition was the process by which the majority of human groups adopted agricultural practices.
d. The Mid-Holocene Transition was a period in which consistent volcanic eruptions damaged crop yields.
e. The Mid-Holocene Transition was a series of natural disasters that demarcated the Middle and Late Holocene Epochs.
The Mid-Holocene Transition was a period of declining solar energy intensity that led to a drop in global temperatures.
Which of the following ice sheets’ collapses precipitated the beginning of the Middle Holocene?
the Laurentide Ice Sheet
Which of the following statements about the Middle Holocene is TRUE?
a. The Middle Holocene was generally a period of rising temperatures.
b. Social stratification substantially intensified during the Middle Holocene.
c. The Middle Holocene lasted roughly 2,000 years.
d. No metalworking took place during the Middle Holocene.
e. Human societies entered the Iron Age during the Middle Holocene.
Social stratification substantially intensified during the Middle Holocene.
The Late Holocene is alternatively referred to as the
Meghalayan Stage/Age
The series of abrupt climatic changes which mark the boundary between the Middle and Late Holocene Epochs are also known as the Holocene
Turnover
Proponents of an official Anthropocene often date its starting point to
1950
Which of the following statements BEST describes the response of the International Union of Geological Sciences to a proposal for the official designation of an Anthropocene?
a. The Union rejected the proposal to create an officially recognized Anthropocene.
b. The Union postponed a discussion on the issue until the year 2030.
c. The Union split into two rival factions over this contentious issue of geological dating.
d. The Union responded with their own proposal for an alternative system of geological dating.
e. The Union accepted the designation of an Anthropocene but rejected the demarcation date set out in the proposal.
The Union rejected the proposal to create an officially recognized Anthropocene.
A glacier collapse creates a massive influx of cold water to the ocean known as a(n)
meltdown event
How do climatologists mark the dates of past events?
They use 2000 CE to mark the present and count how many years before 2000 CE the event occurred.
Which event is meant to correspond with year 0 on the Western calendar?
the birth of Jesus Christ
When did the Late Holocene era begin?
4,250 years ago
How long was the Pleistocene era?
2.6 million years
What date do climatologists use as a marker for the present?
1950 CE
Agrarian societies FIRST emerged in the Near East nearest to modern-day
Syria and Israel
What year marks the start of civilization in Mesopotamia?
3500 BCE
Where is Mesopotamia located?
Middle East
What date is generally considered part of the late Middle Ages?
around 1350 CE
Which climate event happened around the late Middle Ages?
the Little Ice Age
Early agrarian societies initially developed written language for
recordkeeping
What river supplied water to Mesopotamia?
Tigris River
From 3600 BCE to 3300 BCE, the dominant group in Mesopotamia was the
Sumerians
Which group of people lived in Mesopotamia at one point?
a. the Mayans
b. the Aztecs
c. the Mughals
d. the Byzantines
e. the Assyrians
the Assyrians
Which empire ruled the area of Mesopotamia during the abrupt climate changes in 2250 BCE?
a. the Assyrian Empire
b. the Babylonian Empire
c. the Akkadian Empire
d. the Sumerian Empire
e. the Persian Empire
the Akkadian Empire
How did the environment of the Mesopotamian region change over time?
Precipitation levels decreased
The Mesopotamians sourced their water from the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
What innovations are MOST associated with the Sumerians?
writing and planned cities
All of the following civilizations developed in Mesopotamia EXCEPT
a. Persian
b. Assyrian
c. Babylonian
d. Akkadian
e. Anatolian
Anatolian
When did the Akkadian Empire rise to power?
the Middle Holocene
What of the Old Kingdom in Egypt?
droughts
How did the ancient Egyptians manipulate the environment?
by developing irrigation systems
Scholars believe the ancient Egyptians developed an early model of
sustainable farming
In which present-day country did the Indus Civilization develop?
Pakistan
What time period witnessed urbanization and population growth in the Indus Civilization?
the Early Harappan phase
How did the Indus Civilization change during the Late Harappan phase?
People settled in smaller villages
Where did the Inca Empire develop?
the Andes Mountains
Which of the following civilizations developed in the same region as the Maya and the Aztec?
a. the Nazca
b. the Olmec
c. the Cahokia
d. the Chavín
e. the Tiwanaku
the Olmec
The environment of the Americas PRIMARILY features
high mountains and extensive vegetation
How was the environment similar in both the Americas and the Eastern Hemisphere during the Holocene?
They had fluctuating climatic conditions.
Where was Alexander the Great born?
Macedonia
Which common language did Alexander the Great establish among conquered territories?
Greek
Around which year was the peak of the Roman empire?
117 CE
Which empire inherited Alexander’s conquered land?
Roman Empire
What climatic conditions prevailed in the Mediterranean from 800 to 500 BCE?
predictable rainfall
The growing power of Greek city-states in the Roman Empire could be linked to
favorable farming conditions
Which Chinese dynasty ruled from 618 to 907 CE?
Tang Dynasty
Which era lasted until about 1450 or 1500?
Middle Ages
Which era ran from 1300 to 1600?
Renaissance
Why are the early Middle Ages known as the Dark Ages?
They were defined by a decline in culture and technology.
Which year did Michael McCormick describe as the “worst year to be alive?”
536 CE
Chinese human records date from the
Shang Dynasty
What climatic conditions coincided with population growth in China?
warming periods
During which dynasty was the mandate of heaven established?
Zhou Dynasty
The mandate of heaven held that
external conditions validated rulers’ authority
Approximately how many years did the Little Ice Age last?
550 years
Which of the following events occurred FIRST?
a. the Counter-Reformation
b. the end of the Little Ice Age
c. Christopher Columbus’ expedition to America
d. the Dutch Empire finds a maritime route to China
e. the Black Death outbreak
the Black Death outbreak
Which of the following events was a leading cause of the Little Ice Age?
a. anthropogenic effects
b. large-scale storms
c. carbon sequestration
d. tectonic drift
e. solar minima
solar minima along with volcanic activity
Where were glacial advances MOST prevalent during the Little Ice Age?
the Alps
How many major cooling periods did the Little Ice Age contain?
three
The classical interpretation of the world’s climate used by early European explorers held that world conditions were all similar to
the Mediterranean
Which of the following European nations did NOT form a major empire in the sixteenth century?
a. Germany
b. Great Britain
c. France
d. Spain
e. Portugal
Germany
How did the cold spell of the 1590s affect British colonialism?
Lack of resources at home encouraged the British poor to immigrate
What complication hindered development of a Dutch trade route to China?
frozen seas
Which of the following effects of the Little Ice Age was the MOST prominent in Africa?
a. tornadoes
b. ground frost
c. tropical storms
d. droughts
e. flooding
droughts
During the Little Ice Age, monsoons were a persistent threat in
East Asia
Which of the following locations was the site of colonial conflict between the French, British, and Spanish?
a. British Columbia
b. Haiti
c. New York
d. Florida
e. Nova Scotia
Florida
Why did climate conditions worsen European relations with Native Americans?
The groups competed for limited food
Which of the following intellectual ages occurred MOST recently?
a. the Enlightenment
b. the Scientific Revolution
c. the Renaissance
d. the Reformation
e. the Classical Era
the Enlightenment
How did the weather patterns of the late Holocene affect the development of European society?
They encouraged empires to develop centralized organizations.
The Holocene dates from
11,700 years ago
Which event coincided with the beginning of the Holocene?
a. the rise of the first civilizations
b. the migration of early hominids out of Africa
c. the eruption of Mount Vesuvius
d. the end of the last ice age
e. the invention of agriculture
the end of the last ice age
Which of the following statements BEST describes human society at the beginning of the Holocene?
a. Humans had begun to domesticate animals.
b. Humans had established early trade networks.
c. Humans had migrated around the world.
d. Humans had developed complex social hierarchies.
e. Humans had begun to settle in permanent civilizations.
Humans had migrated around the world.
How many stages of the Holocene have historians designated?
three (Early Holocene, the Middle Holocene, the Late Holocene)
Approximately how long did the first stage of the Holocene last?
3,500 years
Which stage of the Holocene lasted the LONGEST?
the Late Holocene
When did the Late Holocene begin?
4,250 years ago
Which event occurred during the Late Holocene?
a. the Antarctic Cold Reversal
b. the Younger Dryas Period
c. the Last Glacial Maximum
d. the collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet
e. the Little Ice Age
the Little Ice Age
At the end of the Middle Holocene, humans had
formed large agrarian societies
It is unclear whether the climate played a major role in the
fall of the Roman Empire
Which development offers opportunities for fresh historical perspectives in understanding the climate?
a. integrating climate history into human history
b. analyzing geological records for climate patterns
c. estimating the role of human activity in driving the climate crisis
d. assessing the effectiveness of new climate policies
e. exploring the ethical implications of climate change
integrating climate history into human history
When did the Little Ice Age end?
1850
How long did the Little Ice Age last?
550 years
How did humans MOST likely survive the hardships of the Little Ice Age?
by building modern states
Which recent development has complicated historians’ view of the Little Ice Age?
a. current conditions of the Anthropocene
b. debates over biases in climate history
c. newly discovered archaeological findings
d. cultural shifts in understanding climate history
e. novel methods for analyzing climate data
current conditions of the Anthropocene
