1. What happened with the Sui Dynasty? What major technological achievements were
done?
2. Why did Buddhism come into the Tang Dynasty? How did it spread? Why were
Confucianists not happy with it?
3. Explain the political and economic importance of Chang’an.
4. When the Tang lost their silk monopoly, how did they make up the loss in economic
value?
5. Who was Empress Wu?
6. Discuss all the economic and technological changes in Tang China?
7. Why did Confucianism overtake Buddhism? How did the religion change?
8. Why did the Tang fall?
9. Discuss the industrial nature of the Song Dynasty?
10. What major ships were produced in the Song and why? What had happened to the
Silk Road?
11. Discuss the Civil Service Examination?
12. What were the technology innovations in the Song? What was “flying money”?
13. How did women’s status decline? Explain.
14. Explain the idea and dissemination of shamanism in East Asia
15. What political and economic similarities were there between Japan and Chinese?
16. Describe Korea’s role in the creation of Japanese culture.
17. Describe the rise of the warrior (samurai) class in Japan. What role did it play?
18. Why do women seem to have had more power in South China and Vietnam than in
the other East Asian countries?
19. How did China get Champa rice and how was it used?
20. Discuss the various ways in which China influenced the rest of East Asia. In what
ways did Korea, Japan, and Vietnam remain culturally distinct?
Chapter 12
1. How is the political system of Teotihuacan different from other classic-period
civilizations (including most Eurasian civilizations)?
2. How are the Maya similar to the ancient Greeks?
3. How did the Maya solve the problem of supporting a large population in a tropical
climate?
4. How is Mayan civilization similar to the river valley civilizations of ancient
Mesopotamia and Egypt? Choose two categories to focus on: religion, art and
architecture, social class and gender, or political systems.
5. Describe Maya contributions to mathematics and writing (note that these were developed
completely independently of any Eurasian cultures).
6. The text states that the Toltecs were important in American history because they “created
the first conquest state based on largely military power.” What do you think this phrase
means, and why would it be important?
7. The text describes the Aztecs as moving from the north and “serving their more powerful
neighbors as serfs and mercenaries.” How did they go from such humble beginnings to
become the dominant power in Mesoamerica?
8. How were Aztec rulers chosen? What did the ruler have to do to maintain his
legitimacy?
9. What was the role of clans in Aztec society? Why did the importance of clans decline?
10. Describe some of the differences in the lifestyles of rich and poor in Aztec society. How
is this similar to other urban civilizations we have studied, like Rome?
11. Why was the tribute system vital to maintaining the Aztec way of life?
12. What evidence indicates that the Aztec empire, like Eurasian empires, relied on extensive
trade networks?
13. What was the religious and political significance of human sacrifice?
14. Look at the map on page 309. Looking at the territory controlled by mound-building
cultures, what geographic features probably influenced the spread of this culture?
15. What was the purpose of the mounds which were a distinctive feature of the Hopewell
culture?
16. What three crops (sometimes referred to as the “three sisters”) were the main agricultural
products of Mesoamerica and North America?
17. Why was mit’a labor essential to maintaining the complex cultures of the Andes? How
might the Spanish conquistadors take advantage of this labor system, once they took
control of South America? (note: because labor systems are an important part of the AP
test, you need to be sure that you have a clear understanding of mit’a labor and
understand how it is different from slavery)
18. Read the primary source quotation on page 313. How were women in the Andes similar
to women in today’s American culture? How is this different from traditional European
and Asian gender roles?