AP WORLD HISTORY
Study Guide: Chapter 9 – Eastern Europe: Byzantium & Orthodox Europe
If you skip a question, you CANNOT get an “A”.
Origins of the Empire
1. How does the Byzantine Empire originate?
2. How did early Byzantium differ from Classical Rome?
3. What threats did Byzantium face during its early years?
Justinian’s Achievements
4. What are the pros and cons of Justinian’s reign?
Byzantine Society & Politics
5. What are some of the characteristics of the Byzantine political system?
6. What are some of the characteristics of the Byzantine economy?
7. Describe the focus of culture in the Byzantine empire.
The Split Between East & West
8. Describe the relationship between Byzantium & Western Europe. Provide several
specific examples that show how the relationship evolved over time.
The Empire’s Decline
9. What allowed for the Turkish conquest of Byzantium, and specifically Constantinople?
Spread of Civilization in Eastern Europe
10. What characteristic of Byzantine culture was exported throughout Eastern Europe?
Explain how this spread differs from similar interactions between Arabic Muslims and
their surrounding neighbors.
The Emergence of Kievan Rus’
11. Describe the relationship between Byzantium and the Rus (Russians). Provide several
specific examples of how this relationship began and then changed over time.
Institutions and Culture in Kievan Rus’
12. Compare (and contrast) Russian & Byzantine culture. (Don’t use the thesis model…just
do bullet points)
The End of an Era in Eastern Europe
13. What effect did the fall of Byzantium and Russia have on the political/cultural
development of Eastern Europe? How might things have been different for Europe/the
world had one or both survived?