Hist 1110: Introduction to World History
Masako N. Racel, Ph.D. Instructor
Unit 1 Study Guide
Lesson 1: Introduction and Prehistory
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history, primary and secondary sources, BCE/ CE, circa
prehistory,
Paleolithic Era vs Neolithic Era
Neolithic Revolution
Urban Revolution, complex societies, “civilizations”
Lesson 2: Nile River Valley
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Political History of Egypt: Narmer, Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, Hyksos, New Kingdom
Egypt Geography and its implications
Egyptian culture and society: religion, cult of Osiris; science and technology; art and literature,
and law; hieroglyphics and hieratic; Pharaoh and his role in society.
Origin of Monotheism; The Hebrews, Abraham and Moses, Akhenaton
Nubia
Ethiopia, Axum, Monoliths, Queen of Sheba, Ark of the covenant
Lesson 3: Mesopotamia
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fertile crescent
Political History: Sumerians, Sargon and Akkadian Emp, Hammurabi and Babylonian Emp, the
Hitties and Kassites, Assyrian Emp, Chaldean Emp
Mesopotamian Geography and its implications
Mesopotamian Culture and Society: Cuneiform, Epic of Gilgamesh, religion, ziggurats, science
and technology, code of Hammurabi
Lesson 4: South Asia
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Indian Subcontinent Geography
Indus Valley Civilization, the Dravidians, Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Indus scripts
Aryan Migration
varna and jati
Hinduism and its features, scriptures, and goal; Ways of knowledge, action and devotion.
Buddhism; Gautama Siddhartha, Four Noble Truth, Nirvana, Theravada and Mahayana
Jainism; Mahavira, ahimsa.
Maurya Empire; Asoka
Period of political disunity / regional kingdoms
Gupta Empire
Lesson 5: East Asia
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Middle Kingdom
Shang Dynasty; oracle bones
Zhou (Chou) dynasty; Mandate of Heaven, decentralized system, warring states, age of
philosophers.
Confucianism; Confucius, Analects, Way of Antiquity, Ren and Li, Five Cardinal relationship,
Junzi and idealized social hierarchy.
Daoism, Laozi, Daodejjing
Legalism, Hanfeizi
Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty, The First Emperor (Qin Shih Hungdi) and his policies
Han Dynasty; Han Gaozi (Han Kao-tsu) , Emperor Wu
Lesson 6: Mediterranean Basin
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Greece: Geography and its implications. Polis (Poleis). Sparta and Athens.
Greek Colonization, Hoplites Revolution/ phalanx of hoplites
Persia, Cyrus, Strap and Satrapies, qanats, Zoroasterianism, Ahura Mazda and Angra Maiynu
Greco-Persian Wars, Battle of Marathon, Battle of Salamis
Age of Pericles, council of 500, Socrates, Delian League
Peloponnesian War
Phillip of Macedon
Alexander of Macedon, Hellenistic Culture,
Hellenistic Kingdoms: Antigonids, Ptolemies, and Selucids.
Rome: Geography and its implications.
Monarchy, Romulus and Remas, Virgil, the Aeneids
Early Republic: Senate, Consuls, Dictator, Class Struggle between patricians and Plebeians,
Tribunes, Plebeian Assembly. Control of Italian Peninsula.
Late Republic: Punic Wars. Hannibal, Scipio Africanus,
First Triumvirate, Julius Caesar
Second Triumvirate
Early Empire, Augustus, Princeps, Pax Romana
Third century Crisis
Late Empire, Diocletian, Tetrarchy, Constantine, Theodosius
Early Christianity: Jesus of Nazareth, Paul, Edict of Milan, Council of Nicaea, Arianism,
Theodosius
Lesson 7: Cross-Cultural Encounters and Spread of Ideas and Technologies
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patterns of cross-cultural encounters, adopt and adapt, syncretism,
emergence of Empires and development of trade routes.
Silk Roads,
Indian Ocean trades and Monsoon.
chariot,
Spread of religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Manichaeism
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Spread of disease, and collapse of classical empires.
Sample Essay Questions
2 Questions will be chosen from those below to as part of your test. You may not bring a finished essay
or outline with you on the test day. All essays will be written in class during the test.
1. What is the Neolithic Revolution? How did the lifestyles of the people change from before to after this
event? Do you think the Neolithic Revolution represented progress for humanity, or do you feel it was
a step backwards?
2. Explain how geography and historical experiences affected the civilizations of ancient Egypt and
Mesopotamia. Pay special attention to the influence of geography and history on the people’s
mindset. Use examples to illustrate your argument.
3. Compare and Contrast Hindu and Confucian philosophies. Where did these two philosophies
develop, and in what kind of historical context? What problems and issues did they address, and
what solution did they propose?
4. Explain the role of wars in the transformation of Athens and Rome. Make sure to identify the major
wars in which these two societies were involved. How were these societies transformed before and
after their respective wars?