Ancient World: Civilizations & Religions-4000 B.C.–A.D. 500
1. Early civilizations of the Nile River Valley, Mesopotamia, and the Huang He were similar b/c they were
dependent on fertile land
monotheistic
industrialized societies
dependent on each other for trade
2. The ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt were similar in that both cultures
established trade routes to China.
used the ziggurat form for their temples.
developed along rivers.
used a hieroglyphic writing system.
3. The silk road was important to China because it provided
a means of administering civil service examinations
contact with other cultures through trade
a military route for the defense of the northern border
a means for the country to expand its borders
4. The Upanishads, the Ramayan, & the Bhagavad Gita are significant pieces of Indian literature b/c they
provide guidelines for Hindu living & behavior
identify basic Buddhist principles
show the constant class struggle in Indian life
reflect the similarities between Hindu & Muslim religions
5. A major contribution of the Roman empire to western society was the development of
gunpowder.
the principles of feudalism.
monotheism.
an effective legal system.
6. The invention of writing systems and the growth of cities occurred only in civilizations that
originated in South America.
developed matriarchal leadership.
developed complex institutions.
borrowed heavily from the Greeks and Romans.
7. The Quran, Mecca, and hijra are most closely associated with the practice of
Islam.
Judaism.
Christianity.
Buddhism.
8. The hijra, Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D. is important to Muslims b/c the journey
resulted in Muhammad's early death
ended Muhammad's attempts to spread Islam throughout Arabia
established Byzantine rule throughout the region
signified the establishment of the Islamic faith
9. India's earliest civilizations were located in
mountainous areas.
river valleys.
coastal regions.
dry steppes.
10. River valleys of the Tigris-Euprhates, the Nile, and the Indus were centers of civilization b/c they
had rich deposits of iron ore and coal.
were isolated from other cultural influences.
were easy to defend from invasion.
provided a means of transportation and irrigation.
11. One similarity between the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments is that both
support a belief in reincarnation.
promote learning as a means to salvation.
encourage the use of statues to symbolize God.
provide a guide to proper ethical and moral behavior.
12. A major result of the development of civilization in ancient Egypt was the
conquest and settlement of Western Europe by the Egyptian empire.
establishment of a democratic system of government in Egypt.
establishment of trade routes between Egypt and other kingdoms.
decline of agriculture as an important occupation in Egypt.
13. A major impact of ancient Greece and Rome on western civilization was that
the Greeks and Romans achieved a classless society, which was later copied in Western Europe.
Greek sculpture and Roman architecture were much admired and copied in Western Europe in later centuries.
Greece and Rome transmitted Islamic philosophy to the areas they conquered.
Greek and Latin are still widely spoken in universities throughout the West.
14. All citizens in ancient Athens had the right to attend the assembly, where they could meet in the
open to discuss and cast votes. This situation is an example of
direct democracy.
totalitarianism.
parliamentary democracy.
absolutism.
15. One similarity in Mesopotamian, Egyptian, ancient Indian, and ancient Chinese civilizations was
they each developed
democratic governments
monotheistic religions
irrigation systems
industrialized economies
16. The Eightfold Path, the Four Noble Truths, and the concept of nirvana are associated with the religion of
Islam.
Jainism.
Shinto.
Buddhism.
17. In traditional Chinese culture, which philosophy had the greatest influence on the development of
social order and political organization?
Taoism
Shintoism
Confucianism
Marxism
18. According to the teachings of Confucius, the key to the successful organization of society is that
individuals should know and do what is expected of them.
the evil in humans must be eliminated
the ruler should be chosen democratically.
ancestor worship should be discontinued.
19. One result of the Neolithic Revolution was
an increase in the number of nomadic tribes.
a reliance on hunting and gathering for food.
the establishment of villages and the rise of governments.
a decrease in trade between cultural groups.
20. In traditional India, the caste system and Hindu beliefs in karma and dharma most directly resulted in
the establishment of a set of rules for each individual in society.
the rapid industrialization of the economy.
a strong emphasis on the acquisition of wealth.
a strong belief in the importance of education.