Spodek Text
Period Two: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies
600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.
Part I: Empire and Imperialism: What are Empires and Why are they
Important?
Howard Spodek, Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8
Part II: The Rise of World Religions: Not by Bread Alone, Religion in
World History
Howard Spodek, Chapters 9 & 10
1. Read From City State to Empire on pages 118 – 121 in the textbook. Respond
in writing in your spiral to questions 1 – 3 which are found on page 121. ___/6
2. a. Read Empire and Imperialism 2000 B.C.E. to 1100 C.E. on pages 122 and
123. Write a summary paragraph about what we will be focusing on during the
first part of this unit. Solid writing for history should always be paragraphs of at
least eight sentences: introductory sentence with a thesis or topic; sentence with
commentary, commentary backed with two sentences of concrete details (the
evidence – facts, dates, details, examples, reasons, causes, effects etc). Another
sentence of commentary; two more sentences with concrete details backing up
the commentary; a concluding sentence. This is just a guide. In history the
evidence is generally two to one (one commentary, two concrete details) while in
Language Arts it may be one to one. ___/4
b. Read The Rise of World Religions 2500 B.C.E. to 1500 C.E. on pages 268 –
269. Write a summary paragraph about what we will be focusing on during
the first part of this unit in relation to world religion. ___/4
3. Read Politics and Religion on pages 264 - 267 in the textbook. Respond in
writing in your spiral to questions 1 – 3 which are found on page 267. ___/6
4. a. Read Waves of Invaders: The Babylonians and the Hittites on pages 128 129. Describe the impact of their invasions and innovations that resulted from
the migration. ___/4
b. Describe the story of travel and interchange told by the Relief from the
temple of Beit el-Wali from page 131. Conduct Internet research to
determine where the goods featured came from using APWH map regions as
part of the description. ___/4
5. Compare the stories of migration and trade shown in the maps Trade across the
Sahara (aka Trans-Saharan route) page 112 and The spread of Bantu on page
113. ___/6
6. Use APWH map regions and oceans and seas as a foundation to compare
Achaemenid Persia as shown on the map on page 135 with Classical Greece as
shown on page 152. ___/6
7. Compare methods of political control in the Classical Period (600 B.C.E. to 600
C.E) for two of the following: Han China, Mauryan or Gupta India, Persian
Empires ___/10
8. a. Analyze the map on page 154 Empire of Alexander. Read about The Reign of
Alexander the Great and The Legacy of Alexander pages 155 – 159. Describe the
movement of goods, people, ideas and innovations during this time. ___/4
b. Now go to page 168 and describe the geographic location of The Roman
Empire. Describe the advantages of this imperial location. ___/4
9. Read Contemporary Historians Evaluate the History of Rome on page 171.
Respond to the three questions posed at the end. ___/4
10. Analyze the map on page 183 Eurasian Trade. Use APWH map regions and
ocans and seas as a foundation for describing the migration of people and goods
depicted. Use the text or the Internet. Draw simple sketches with short but
meaningful descriptions of a Sahara Caravan (caravanserai), Arab Dhows,
Chinese Junks. Look up one of the following and describe it in relation to this
time period and Eurasian trade: Alexandria, Oc Eo, Ctesiphon, Kashgar. ___/8
11. Read pages 191 – top of page 198. Think about the decline of Rome. What
were the causes and effects of the decline. Identify at least 10 steps or key
events in the progression. ___/6
12. Read about The Empire in the East on pages 198 – 201. What factors enabled the
eastern, Byzantine Empire to survive for one thousand years after the end of the
Roman Empire? ___/4
13. Read about a weakened Han dynasty on page 221, peasant revolt on pages 221 –
222, disintegration and reunification on page 222, and reunification under the
Sui and Tang Dynasties. Identify at least 10 steps or key events in the
progression. Create a 10 to 12 block story with captions that tell this story. Why
might historians say that the Roman Empire was “dismembered” rather than say
it fell? ___/12
14. Read Legacies for the Future: What differences do they make on pages 234 –
235. Create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting Roman and Chinese
Empires. ___/8
15. Read Sea trade and cultural influence from Rome to Southeast Asia and
Southeast Asia – Greater India on pages 257 – 259. On one side of a large note
card or on a half sheet of printer paper create a picture postcard or Borobudur
Java or Angkor Wat Cambodia. Then on the other side write to a friend or
family member as if you had traveled to the region. Use APWH map regions
and water bodies as part of your geographic description. Explain how Empires
of India influenced Southeast Asia until it came to be known as “greater India”.
Explain how the Indian Ocean made this diffusion possible.___/12
16. Look at the map on page 284. Describe the travel and interchange on the Silk
Route and the main route known in APWH as the Indian Ocean World. What
AP geographic regions are connected and brought into contact with one another
on these routes. ___/6
17. Describe the spread of Christianity by analyzing the map on page 326. Include
APWH map regions and water bodies in the description. ___/6