World History

Question 1

What were some of the factors that led to the fall of the Roman Empire?

Answer 1

1. Political instability: Frequent changes in leadership weakened the government.
2. Economic troubles like heavy taxation, inflation, and reliance on devalued currency.
3. Reliance on slave labor stunted technological innovation and created a rigid economic structure.
4. Invasions by barbarian tribes like the Visigoths, Vandals, and Ostrogoths.
   The Roman legions suffered several key defeats, including the Battle of Adrianopolis in 378 AD.

Footnote: The sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 AD and by the Vandals in 455 AD were critical blows.

Question 2

How did the Roman Empire impact civilisation as we know it?

Answer 2

The Roman Empire had a profound impact on civilization by spreading its legal system, language, and engineering feats.
- Roman law became the foundation for many modern legal systems
- Latin influenced numerous languages
- Roman innovations in architecture and infrastructure have left lasting legacies

Question 3

How far reaching was the Roman Empire at its peak, during the reign of Emperor Trajan?

Answer 3

The Roman Empire was one of the largest empires in the ancient world.
Here are its boundaries:

1. West: It extended to the Atlantic Ocean, including the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal)
2. North: It reached as far north as the British Isles, the Rhine River in Germany, and the Danube River.
3. East: stretched to the Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq.
4. South: extended deep into North Africa, covering the entire coastal region from modern-day Egypt (including Alexandria) to Morocco.

Footnote: Egypt was a particularly important province as a major source of grain for the empire.

Question 4

What were the main societal impacts of the Women’s Rights movements?

Answer 4

The main societal impacts of the Women’s Rights movement include:

• Expansion of voting rights.
• Challenging traditional gender roles.
• Advocated for equality in education, employment, and reproductive rights, leading to increased opportunities for women.
• Raising awareness about issues like domestic violence and sexual harassment.

Footnote: The suffrage movement led to women gaining the right to vote, a major milestone achieved with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in the United States in 1920

Question 5

What were the key factors that led to the start of World War I?

Answer 5

Key factors that led to World War I:

1. Nationalism:
   A key trigger was the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian Serb nationalist in 1914.
2. Alliances allowed local conflicts escalate into a larger war.
3. Militarism and arms race:
   European nations had been expanding their militaries.

Footnote:
Europe was divided into two major alliances: the Triple Entente (France, Russia, Britain) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy).