Unit Exam 7, Late Middle Ages
World History and Geography 1
Name
Please remain silent until all exams have been handed in.
Identify the following items (2 points each)
1
Chinese emperors claimed to rule with approval from the gods. This claim was meant to increase
the emperor’s authority, but it also established the right to overthrow an ineffective emperor.
Pioneered in ancient Greece, this form of government places power in the hands of the people.
2
3
These herders from the grasslands of central Eurasia learned to ride horses and to attack civilized
communities. Sometimes they conquered whole civilizations.
4
This is a period in a civilization’s history when the civilization undergoes significant advancement in
several fields. This period helps to define the civilization.
5
Under this social and military system of the Middle Ages in Europe, people provided income or
military service to those above, and those above provided land and protection to those below.
6
Although Rome fell in 476 AD, the eastern part of the Roman Empire lasted for another thousand
years under a new name. It was home to the Orthodox branch of Christianity.
7
After the angel Gabriel told him to recite messages from God, this caravan merchant from Mecca
started a major new world religion in the deserts of the Arabian peninsula.
8
This culture prospered during the early Middle Ages in southern Mexico and northern Central
America. It had writing, and it was the most advanced native civilization of the Americas.
10
It was during the reign of this important empire that Muslim traders, sailors, and preachers carried
Islam to new territories in Central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. This was one of
the most creative societies of all time.
This was the location of a string of prosperous Muslim port cities that brought the east coast of
Africa into the southern ocean trading network.
11
This empire of sub-Saharan Africa was rich in gold. It traded gold for salt carried by camels across
the Sahara Desert from the north. Mansa Musa was the empire’s best-remembered ruler.
12
During the late Middle Ages, Christian kings and knights went on several military expeditions to the
Middle East in an effort to capture Muslim lands. What is the name given to these expeditions?
13
The Muslim Abbasid Dynasty and many other kingdoms fell to these nomadic invaders from central
Asia. Led by Genghis Khan, these tribesmen created the largest land empire in world history.
9
14
15
16
If typhoon winds had not stopped him, Kublai Khan might have made Japan part of the Mongol
Empire. Who were the mounted warriors of Japan during this period that held jobs similar to the
knights of Europe?
Huge treasure ships sailed the Pacific and Indian Oceans collecting gifts from many kingdoms. With
these impressive sea voyages of the late Middle Ages, the Chinese demonstrated their immense
wealth and power.
This was the largest and longest-lasting Islamic empire to succeed the fallen Abbasid Dynasty. It
captured Constantinople, ending the 1000-year reign of the Byzantine Empire. These people made
Constantinople their capital and renamed it Istanbul.
17
This Italian teenager from Venice traveled to the court of Kublai Khan in China. He retuned home
24 years later, and wrote one of the most influential travel books of all time.
18
As life became more settled, and cities began to grow again during the Middle Ages in Europe,
craftsmen formed these organizations to regulate the price and quality of goods they sold.
19
20
This war marked the decline of feudalism in Europe. During this long war the people of France and
England developed loyalties to their kings rather than to local feudal lords, and Joan of Arc saved
France.
The Roman Catholic Church adopted this style of architecture during the height of its power and
glory. This architecture featured the pointed arch.
22
It began in Florence, Italy and spread to much of Europe during the late Middle Ages. This term
means reawakening or rebirth, and it refers to the rebirth of learning from classical Greece and
Rome.
This was a large empire of central and southern Mexico that flourished during the late Middle Ages.
These Native Americans practiced human sacrifice on a scale unknown elsewhere in history.
23
This long, skinny empire stretched for 3,000 miles along the Pacific Coast of South America before
Europeans discovered America. This culture kept accurate records on knotted strings.
21
24
These ocean expeditions marked the beginning of a new era in history when they connected the
Eastern and Western hemispheres, connected Europe to the Indian Ocean, and sailed around the
earth for the first time.
Map Identification Supply the appropriate letter from the map. (1 point each)
25.
Andes Mountains
29.
Maya
33.
France
26.
Holy Land
30.
Aztec
34.
England
27.
Byzantine Empire
31.
Inca
35.
Istanbul (Constantinople)
28.
Timbuktu
32.
Beijing
36.
Spain
37. ___ Portugal
Written response section. On a sheet of notebook paper, use good sentences to write complete
and thoughtful answers to the following questions. Support your answers with historical
evidence. (5 points each)
38. If Ming Dynasty emperors had continued to send Chinese fleets to explore the world’s
oceans, how might history have turned out differently? What force of history was involved here?
39. How did technology help to end the age of knights and castles in Europe?
40. How do the following events illustrate the “law of unintended consequences”: the Ming
decision to stop exploring the oceans and Spain’s decision to send Columbus into the Atlantic?
Extra Credit (4 points possible)
XC. Were the Aztecs any more bloodthirsty than the ancient Romans? Than Hitler? Explain
your answer.
DON’T FORGET THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS ON THE LAST PAGE!
Multiple Choice. Circle the letter of the best answer (3 points each)
41. Which of the following timelines is correct?
a. Trojan War, Roman Republic, Dark Ages, Abbasid Empire, Mongol conquests, Columbus
b. Indus River valley civilization, Mansa Musa, Buddha, Joan of Arc, Charlemagne
c. Yellow River valley civilization, Tang Dynasty, Grand Canal, First Emperor, Han Dynasty
d. a and c above
42. Which of the following was true of the Abbasid Empire?
a. Many non-Muslims enjoyed freedom of religion.
b. It absorbed knowledge from other cultures including Greece, India and China.
c. It was conquered and destroyed by the Mongols.
d. a and c
e. all of the above
43. How did the Mongol conquests affect Western Europe?
a. Western Europe took many years to recover from destruction caused by the Mongols.
b. Western Europe benefited from increased trade with the East over the Silk Road.
44. Which of the following is NOT a feature of Ming China?
a. It was known for its brilliant arts including fine blue and white porcelain.
b. It sent Zheng He on impressive voyages to the distant lands of Arabia and Africa.
c. It welcomed Kublai Khan as emperor.
d. It constructed the Forbidden City in Beijing as the new home of the Chinese emperor.
45. Which of the following is true of Gothic architecture?
a. It featured classical Greek columns and Roman-style domes.
b. Walls were filled with colored glass.
c. The finest examples are found in Italy and Turkey.
d. Walls were supported by flying buttresses.
e. All of the above.
f. b and d above
46. The Aztec and Inca Empires had this in common:
a. Both extended into Central America.
b. Both depended on terrace agriculture.
c. Those they conquered were forced to pay tribute.
47. The following events occurred during the Renaissance:
a. Da Vinci and Michelangelo painted art masterpieces.
d. a and c
b. Gothic was the main style of architecture
e. a, b, and c
c. Gutenberg’s printing press gave people a reason to learn how to read and write
48. Which of the following set the stage for the great European voyages of discovery?
a. Europe acquired navigation technology from the Muslim world.
b. The Crusades got Europeans in the mood for travel and adventure.
c. Vikings taught Europeans how to sail the treacherous Atlantic Ocean.
d. The Renaissance gave Europeans an advanced culture and a new sense of confidence.
e. Marco Polo wrote about Asia.
f. all of the above.