First Six Weeks Exam
Version A
1. Which of the following Chinese Dynasty’s established a Confucian educational system for
training government bureaucrats?
a. Shang
b. Zhou
c. Qin
d. Han
2. The Olmec and Chavin civilizations
a. Developed in Mesoamerica
b. Relied heavily on the llama for transportation, food, and wool
c. Developed self-sufficient economies that did not trade with other civilizations
d. Declined with the arrival of Europeans in Latin America
3. Which of the following helped enable the Chavin to become an influential civilization?
a. They were located at the crossroads of key trade routes, which gave them an economic
advantage over their rivals.
b. They did not have strong religious beliefs, which helped them get along well with the diverse
peoples of the neighboring areas.
c. They were the first civilization in the Americas to effectively use the wheel, which gave them
an economic advantage in the region.
d. They granted economic autonomy to neighboring states, which then helped the Chavin
defeat invaders.
4. Olmec political society was structured in which way?
a. Democratic
b. Authoritarian
c. Socialist
d. No political organization existed
5. Which of the following is true of the political organization of both Egypt and Mesopotamia?
a. Kings dominated each bureaucracy.
b. Political legitimacy in Egypt and Mesopotamia came from the belief that the leaders
descended from the gods.
c. Egypt spent far more money on buildings and structures to legitimize their rule than
Mesopotamia.
d. Immigration placed great strains on the culture of both societies.
1
6. Which of the following was true of the Roman and Han Empires?
a. The Roman Empire relied on agriculture as the main source of wealth while Han China
was far more urban.
b. The Roman Empire had a professional military while Han leaders relied on peasants to
serve as farmers and soldiers.
c. Both empires built roads to provide military and economic advantages and to connect a
network of cities and towns.
7. The Chavin need for creating an empire was based on one need, this was
a. The need to find sea routes to the north
b. The need to supply vast number of slaves to work their extensive agriculture
c. The need to connect the three ecological zones from the Andes to the sea for trade
d. The need to provide large number of sacrificial victims to their jaguar god
8. Which two developments arose in Ancient Egypt?
a. hieroglyphics and papyrus
b. hieroglyphics and gunpowder
c. cuneiform and papyrus
d. monotheism and the concept of zero
9. Which of the following is an accurate description of how Egypt changed from the Old Kingdom to
the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom?
a. Egypt’s power and role in the region decreased dramatically.
b. Egypt undertook economically motivated expansion.
c. Egypt turned inward economically and ceased long-distance trade
d. Egyptian civilization moved away from the Nile River
10. Which of the following was the largest geographic challenge for the people settling in
Mesopotamia?
a. The unpredictable nature of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
b. The absence of useful building materials
c. The great distance from regional and long-distance trade routes
d. Poor soil for agriculture
11. All of the following were characteristic of city-states in Mesopotamia EXCEPT
a. Clear social divisions
b. Provision of food for the city by farmers
c. Specialized labor
d. Diminished role of religion
2
12. Which of the following best describes women’s roles in city-states in Mesopotamia?
a. The opportunity arose for women to occupy positions of political power.
b. They gained more freedom and choice in marriage.
c. Women no longer worked outside of the home.
d. Fewer children were needed, so women had more time to work and acquire skills.
13. Which of the following best describes how the Assyrians treated the people they
conquered?
a. The king ruled directly over the people of the empire so as to maintain tight control.
b. Freedom and autonomy were granted to conquered people in an effort to win their
allegiance,
c. Mass deportation and terror were used to keep people in line.
d. In an effort to control subjects, all long-distance trade was halted.
14. The primary job of the vassals under the Shang Dynasty was to…
a.
Conquer new lands to support the king and his court
b.
Provide sons to serve as servants to support the king and his court
c.
Collect tribute in the form of produce to support the king and his court
d.
Supply large numbers of horses and livestock to support the king and his court
15. During the 12th Century the Shang Dynasty overthrew the Zhou Dynasty using the “Mandate
of Heaven” as its justification.
a.
True
b.
False
16. Which of the following civilizations is the exception to the generalization that cities began in
river valleys?
a. Indus
b. Nile
c. Huang He
d. Inca
e. Tigris
17. One of the main innovative ideas in Hammurabi’s law code was that
a. The ruler’s will is to be followed at all costs.
b. The upper classes are to have the most rights
c. A consistent set of regulations should govern society.
d. Anyone who spoke against the king would be executed.
3
18. In 3100 B.C.E. the history of Egypt is said to have begun when
a. Cleopatra met Mark Antony.
b. King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt.
c. The Egyptians rebelled against Hyksos rule.
d. Pyramids were constructed.
19. What do many researchers now think brought about the fall of the Indus River society?
a. fighting between the Hindus and Sikhs.
b. Outside invasion from Mesopotamia
c. Environmental factors
d. Population growth
20. Why was the Zhou dynasty in China so long-lived?
a. It innovated technology and increased China’s political sophistication by obligating
the leader to rule fairly.
b. It’s leaders were ruthless and it created massive armies to suppress and control the
people.
c. It prevented average people from acquiring weapons.
d. It actually was very short-lived.
21. Which people developed the world’s first true alphabet?
a. The Lydians
b. The Phoenicians
c. The Hebrews
d. The Persians
e. The Egyptian
22. China’s elite maintained careful control of access to which two metals that were used to
make bronze?
a.
Iron and steel
b.
Copper and tin
c.
Steel and copper
d.
Copper and manganese
23. In what city-state did democratic government emerge before the modern era?
a. Athens
b. Sparta
c. Rome
d. Venice
e. Thebes
4
24. “The ruler should be just; those who are ruled should be loyal. The father should be loving,
the son respectful.”
This principle is likely part of which belief system?
a. Christianity
b. Hinduism
c. Daoism
d. Buddhism
e. Confucianism
25. Daoist thought is
a. Based on reason.
b. Only proclaimed by the one god, Dao.
c. Based exclusively on Confucianism.
d. Largely antirational, following the flow.
e. Intrinsically linked to Islam.
Questions 26 and 27 are based on the following quote:
“I have not blasphemed a god,
I have not robbed the poor,
I have not done what the god abhors,
I have not maligned a servant to his master.
I have not caused pain,
I have not caused tears…”
26. The quote is excerpted from the
a. Hammurabi’s Law Codes
b. Book of the Dead
c. Confucian Analects
d. Pericles Funeral Oratory
27. The quote is a reflection of the civilization’s interest in
a. Social equality
b. Honoring political leaders
c. Literacy
d. The Afterlife
5
28. Which of the following is an accurate comparison of Indus River Valley civilization and
civilization in ancient Egypt?
a. The Egyptian economy was more complex than that in the Indus River Valley.
b. Egyptians worshipped mother goddesses but the people of the Indus River Valley did
not.
c. Scholars have had more difficulty in deciphering the writing system of the people of
the Indus River Valley.
d. Cities in Egypt were larger than cities in the Indus River Valley.
29. Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about Confucianism?
a. The ethical system is primarily concerned with relationships.
b. Specific duties are tied to one’s status in society.
c. It prescribes the correct organization of the state to achieve the maximum benefits
for the most members of society.
d. Only those who are devout and lead moral lives will be saved.
30. A very clear example of cultural diffusion from Mesopotamia to China can be seen in the fact
that this item was found in China
a.
b.
c.
d.
Silk
Bronze
Chariots
Gunpowder
31. The civilizations of the Sumerians, the Phoenicians, and the Maya were similar in that each
a. Developed extensive writing systems.
b. Emphasized equality in education.
c. Established monotheistic religions.
d. Encouraged democratic governments.
32. The philosophy of Confucianism placed an emphasis on…
a.
Success through money, thus placing merchants at the top of society
b.
Success through warfare, thus placing warriors at the top of society
c.
Success through poverty, thus placing peasants at the top of society
d.
Success through learning and service, thus placing scholars at the top of society
33. The process, in which a dynasty rose, became strong under a good ruler, weakened, and
became conquered by a new dynasty was known as…..
a. Dynastic coup d’état
b. Dynastic cultural diffusion
c. Dynastic cycle
d. Cycles of Mandate
6
34. The ancient Chinese work of literature that deals with Confucianism is known as?
a.
The Book of Changes
b.
The Book of History
c.
The Analects
d.
The Book of Songs
35. Which of these is an example of patriarchal society in the classical world?
A.
Young men went to live with their wives’ families.
B.
After marriage, a woman moved to the residence of her husband’s family.
C.
Family descent and property inheritance traced through the female line.
D.
A woman could have had more than one husband.
E.
Women and men had equal legal rights as written into the first law codes.
36. Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism….
A.
Were officially sanctioned doctrines of the Chin and Han emperors.
B.
Are religions that developed in classical India.
C.
Emphasized the needs of the individual over the welfare of the state.
D.
Had little influence upon China and Chinese society until the late 900s C.E.
E.
Originated as responses to societal problems during times of disruption.
37. Athenian democracy
A.
Was limited to males whose parents had both been citizens.
B.
Allowed married couples including women to vote
C.
Permitted all residents who swore an oath to vote.
D.
Distrusted elitism and special interest groups.
E.
Created elected representatives to speak and vote for constituents.
“After a period of instability pharaohs’ regained power during this long and peaceful period.
Trade with neighbors became more extensive, and a small middle class of officials and
merchants developed. Period ended with the invasion of the Hyksos, a people who came from
the north to conquer the Nile Delta.”
38. This description best describes which period of Egyptian political history?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
Ancient Egypt
7
39. Sumerian civilization produced the first
A) Written law code.
B) Monotheistic religion.
C) Examples of warfare among people.
D) Mass literacy.
E) Coined money.
40. The Confucian value of xiao emphasizes the importance of
a. Devotion of the individual to family.
b. Kindness and benevolence.
c. A sense of propriety and orderly rituals.
d. The mandate of heaven.
41. Which river valley civilization was most completely destroyed by natural disasters such as
climate change?
A) Hwanghe
B) Indus
C) Nile
D) Tigris-Euphrates
E) Mekong
42. A "dynasty" in Chinese history was
A) Any emperor who lasted more than two decades.
B) A family that passed the imperial title from generation to generation.
C) Powerful bureaucrats who ran the state.
D) Big business families who monopolized overseas trade.
E) Kings dominated by foreign interests.
43. The Qin dynasty differed from the Zhou in that
A) It lasted longer.
B) It practiced Confucianism.
C) It was more centralized.
D) It was defeated by invading Huns.
E) It eventually declined and fell.
44. Chinese views of nature emphasized
A) Harmony and balance.
B) A powerful, all-seeing God.
C) That nature was uncontrollable.
D) That the key to understanding lay through scientific experiments.
E) Deities that punished sinful people.
8
45. Daoists would agree with Confucianists on all of the following EXCEPT
A) The importance of political activity.
B) Scorn for greed.
C) Basic harmony of nature.
D) Importance of restraint in personal life.
E) The importance of tradition.
46. From a Confucian viewpoint, the Roman Empire might have been criticized for placing too
much confidence in
A) Divine status of the emperor.
B) Public works functions.
C) Laws rather than trained officials.
D) Harsh punishments of criminals.
E) Religious conviction.
47. Among the early river civilizations
A) The Huang He (Yellow River) culture in China was the most isolated.
B) Sedentary agriculture first developed in Mesoamerica.
C) Writing was only found in the Nile river valley.
D) West Africa developed the first empire.
E) The use of metal tools spread very slowly.
48. The ancient Chinese used one primary method to divine the future. This method made use
of what?
a.
High priest who would receive signs from the gods in visions
b.
Reading signs in nature such as bird movements, storms, water flows, etc.
c.
Dictates from the emperor, ‘son of heaven’, who would receive the words of the gods
d.
Burn patterns were read on bones by Shamans who wrote questions on them
49. The Indian caste system served to an extent as a political institution by
A) Enforcing rules about social behavior.
B) Unifying the subcontinent under a single government.
C) Creating widespread interest in constitutional issues.
D) Promoting a belief in individual rights.
E) Causing unrest and rebellion.
9
50. Hindu ethics involved
A) A detailed set of prohibitions on sexual activity.
B) Emphasis on an individual carrying out the obligations of life.
C) Attack on all opposing religious faiths.
D) Condemnations of money-making.
E) Finding ultimate happiness.
51. Hinduism urged that
A) Withdrawal from the world was the only path to holiness.
B) Brahmins would automatically gain nirvana after death.
C) All living creatures participated in the divine essence.
D) Worship of nature's spirits and images was blasphemous.
E) Monotheism was superior to polytheism.
52. "Nirvana" meant
A) Full union with the divine essence.
B) Reincarnation in a higher caste after a good life.
C) The Hindu holy book.
D) Obedience to the rules of the caste system.
E) Acquiring earthly wealth.
53. If the Greek genius was politics, the Roman genius was
A) Engineering.
B) Poetry.
C) Science.
D) Agriculture.
E) Music.
54. This Chinese dynasty was the first that can be proven in the archaeological record, emerging
between 1750 and 1500 BCE. This dynasty was known as
a.
Luoyang
b.
Xia
c.
Zhou
d.
Shang
55. Hammurabi’s law code mainly identified
a.
Three distinct social classes
b.
Prices for goods
c.
Rules for going to war with neighboring peoples
d.
None of these
10
56. Food surpluses lead to “civilization” – why?
a.
Governments needed to control food supplies
b.
A food surplus meant that specialization could occur
c.
Civilization was begun by wars; wars were fought over food surpluses
d.
Religion centered itself around food production, which gave rise to civilization
57. Ashoka was the greatest ruler of the _________ Dynasty, and was significant because
a.
Mauryan; he renounced violence after years of conquering surrounding peoples
and adopted Buddhism
b.
Guptan; he renounced violence after seeing his grandfather Chandragupta
Maurya die in battle, adopting Hindusim afterwards
c.
Mauryan; he conquered the most territory for the Mauryan Empire, only to give
it up after his conversion to Buddhism
d.
Guptan; he conquered the most territory for the Guptan Empire, only to give it
up after his conversion to Hinduism
58. The Silk Road
a.
Was held together by a tightly centralized and controlling empire
b.
Found its “glue” keeping it together to be pastoral nomads of Central Asia who
helped transport goods and provided protection
c.
Ended after the emergence of the Huns in the 5th century CE
d.
Was tightly run by Buddhist nomads who sought to only promote Buddhism on
the road, and traded only with other Buddhists
59. Who was at the top of Han society, in terms of social classes?
a.
Ordinary citizens
b.
Slaves
c.
Warriors
d.
The scholar-gentry or shi
60. If I wanted to get a job in the Han government, how would I go about doing so?
a.
I would study my tail off at the university in Xi’an to prepare for the Han
examination system, which if I did well would land me a bureaucratic job.
b.
I would ask my government employed dad for a job, and probably get one. But I
wouldn’t have to study anything whatsoever, not even Confucian texts!
c.
I would study combat, metallurgy, and swordsmanship and earn my job on the
battlefield
d.
I would simply kill the first government worker I saw and take his job.
11
61. The Qin Dynasty favored ______________ as their dominant philosophy, whereas the Han
favored _______________.
a.
Legalism; legalism
b.
Confucianism; Buddhism
c.
Buddhism; legalism
d.
Legalism; Confucianism
62. ‘_____________ believed that humans were naturally evil and would only obey authority
through force. They advocated strict laws, harsh punishments, and sacrifice of personal freedom
for the good of the state.” This passage accurately describes
a.
Daoism
b.
Confucianism
c.
Legalism
d.
Buddhism
63. The Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 B.C.E.) gave China some much-needed centralized power, as
made evident by the Great Wall’s construction during this dynasty, after the turbulent
a.
Shang Dynasty
b.
Warring States Period
c.
Laozi Era
d.
Han Dynasty
64. In terms of art, architecture, and religion, the Romans
a.
Stole everything from the Carthaginians
b.
Borrowed heavily from the Greek tradition, and even improved it
c.
Had unique styles that were mildly influenced by their Etruscan predecessors
d.
Did not value these whatsoever, instead aiming for more practical use of their
talents
65. “Ours is an unrivaled constitution. So far from owing anything to our neighbors, it sets the
standard for them. On account of its popular basis, it has come to be called Democracy or Rule
of the Masses. But, in fact, we enjoy, as between man and man, complete equality of legal
status. In our public life individual talent is the one thing valued. “
Who wrote this quote?
a. Confucius
b. Socrates
c. Solon
d. Pericles
e. Homer
12
66. Greek Rationalism is
a. The believe that each life is lived according to principles of Dharma and Karma
b. The believe in many gods who demand animal sacrifices
c. The believe that human reason or intellect is the true source of knowledge
d. The believe that humans should follow the flow of the universe and not resist
67. The basis of all Classical economies was
a. Iron-making for weapons
b. Trade items for Central Asian nomads
c. Agriculture for food surpluses
d. Livestock production
Map-based section
68. Identify A
a. Nile
b. Indus
c. Huang He
d. Tigris
69. Identify B
a. Persia
b. Parthia
c. Mesopotamia
d. Judaea
70. Identify C
a. Nile
b. Indus
c. Huang He
d. Euphrates
71. Identify D
a. Athens
b. Sparta
c. Carthage
d. Rome
72. Identify E
a. Athens
b. Sparta
c. Carthage
d. Rome
13
73. Identify F
a. Guptan Empire
b. Mauryan Empire
c. Han Dynasty
d. Qin Dynasty
74. Identify G
a. Trans-Saharan Route
b. Royal Road
c. Silk Road
d. Trans-Himalayan Trade
75. Identify H
a. Maya
b. Inca
c. Aztecs
d. Chavin
76. Identify I
a. Maya
b. Inca
c. Aztecs
d. Chavin
77. Identify J
a. Parthia
b. Persepolis
c. Babylon
d. Harappa
78. Identify K
a. Crete
b. Cyprus
c. Sicily
d. Sardinia
79. Identify L
a. Andes
b. Ganges
c. Himalayas
d. Taurus
80. Identify M
a. Byzantium
b. Babylon
c. Persepolis
d. Jerusalem
14
1.
2.
3.
4.
Exam Key
D
A
A
B
5. a
6. c
7. c
8. a
9. b
10. a
11. d
12. c
13. c
14. c
15. b
16. d
17. c
18. b
19. c
20. a
21. b
22. b
23. a
24. e
25. d
26. b
27. d
28. c
29. d
30. C
31. a
32. d
33. c
34. c
35. b
36. a
37. a
38. b
39. a
15
40. a
41. b
42. b
43. c
44. A
45. A
46. C
47. A
48. D
49. A
50. B
51. B
52. A
53. A
54. D
55. A
56. B
57. A
58. B
59. D
60. A
61. D
62. C
63. B
64. B
65. D
66. C
67. C
16