APWH Semester 1 Self Test

D (Humans had migrated out of Africa many tens of thousands of years earlier. Around 12,000 BCE the Neolithic or Agricultural Revolution began, which involved both the deliberate cultivation of plants and the taming and breeding of particular animals.)

About 12,000 years ago a new global pattern of human life started to unfold as humankind began a. to migrate and settle outside of Africa. b. deliberately to cultivate plants. c. tame and breed wild animals. d. both b and c.

B (He gave up hunting, ended animal sacrifices, and eliminated most meat from the royal menu in obedience to the tenets of the Buddhist faith.)

After his conversion to Buddhism, Emperor Ashoka a. decreed that Buddhism would be the only faith in his empire. b. quit hunting and ended animal sacrifices in the capital. c. ordered that no criminal be put to death under his authority. d. all of the above.

A (Villages were usually organized in terms of kinship groups or lineages that incorporated large numbers of people well beyond the immediate or extended family. These relationships could be real or mythical.)

Agricultural village societies a. were usually organized in terms of kinship groups or lineages. b. formed through the leadership of strong kings and aristocracies. c. developed hierarchical societies with large disparities between elites and commoners. d. formed a strong sense of patriarchy in which men dominated trades and positions of authority.

A (Agriculture developed separately and independently in sub-Saharan Africa where, unlike the Fertile Crescent, agriculture took shape in a number of distinct environments.)

Agriculture developed separately and independently in a. sub-Saharan Africa. b. Europe. c. India. d. Australia.

B (The Chinese Empire, while a significant power in East Asia, never expanded into Africa. The Kush, Assyrians, and Persians ruled Egypt successively between 760 and 404 BCE.)

All EXCEPT which of the following ancient states ruled Egypt and one time or another? a. Kush b. China c. Assyria d. Persia

B (To Romans, the strangest and most offensive thing about Christianity was Christians' insistence on exclusive monotheism. Much easier to understand and approve were the facts that Christians did not insist on Jewish rituals such as circumcision, cared for one another, and could support the truth of their message with tales of impressive miracles.)

All EXCEPT which of the following helped early Christianity spread in the Roman Empire? a. Paul's message that Jesus' message was for everyone, not just Jews, and that converts did not need to follow Jewish rituals b. The widespread popularity of monotheism as a religious concept in the Roman Empire c. Christianity's good reputation for the care its followers gave to one another d. Reports of impressive miracles

B (Both modern Paleolithic peoples (such as the San) and the study of Paleolithic art and remains have helped to contribute to our understanding of ancient Paleolithic peoples.)

All EXCEPT which of the following is a source that modern scholars have used to understand Paleolithic peoples? a. The study of modern Paleolithic peoples for comparison b. The study of written ritual texts c. The study of Paleolithic art, such as cave paintings and engraving d. The study of Paleolithic remains, such as stone tools and fossils

D (Bows and arrows were independently invented in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, not East Asia. The Jomon people were, however, able to sustain a sedentary life more typical of agricultural peoples, thanks to their rich harvest of the ocean.)

All EXCEPT which of the following made the Jomon Paleolithic society of Japan different from most Paleolithic societies? a. The Jomon people relied on a broader range of food sources than most Paleolithic peoples. b. The Jomon people created some of the world's earliest pottery. c. The Jomon people were able to settle down in permanent villages, although they remained gatherers and hunters instead of agriculturalists. d. The Jomon people were the first to invent the bow and arrow.

A (Many reasons have been suggested for women's declining position in the First Civilizations and no single answer is likely to tell the complete story. Most scholars, however, agree, that the more frequent pregnancies of sedentary women, the evolution of plow-based agriculture, and men's greater role in politics all helped to erode women's relative equality.)

All EXCEPT which of the following reasons helps account for the growing inequality between women and men in the age of the First Civilizations? a. Several early societies had the custom of winning their wives in war against neighboring enemies, so they were less likely to value their captive spouses. b. Women were pregnant more often and spent more time on child care, so they were less able to support the family economically. c. The introduction of plow-based agriculture made women less able to do farm work, because the labor was heavier and likely to take place further away from the home. d. As civilizations became more complex, men became the political specialists and were able to shape society to suit them.

A (Zoroastrianism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Christianity are all religions of personal salvation; Daoism, by contrast, does not deal with the fate of the soul after death.)

All EXCEPT which of the following religions foretells a savior figure who will restore either individuals or the world itself to purity and peace? a. Daoism b. Zoroastrianism c. Mahayana Buddhism d. Christianity

A (Sumer suffered from frequent warfare because each city-state was fully independent and ruled by its own king. They remained independent until the Akkadian conquest of c. 2350 BCE.)

All EXCEPT which of the following statements is true about ancient Sumer? a. Sumer was ruled by a single monarch or emperor who had authority over sub-kings in each city-state. b. About 80 percent of the population lived in a city-state, making Sumer the most highly urbanized of all ancient civilizations. c. Sumer consisted of about a dozen independent city-states that repeatedly fought each other. d. Deforestation and soil erosion gradually caused an environmental catastrophe in Sumer.

C (The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism. The conversion influenced his reign as he turned his attention to governing his empire in more peaceful ways and patronized Buddhist institutions.)

All EXCEPT which of the following statements is true of the Mauryan Empire? a. It used a large contingent of "spies" to provide rulers with local information. b. It encompassed all but the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. c. Its rulers rejected and ruthlessly persecuted Buddhism. d. The state operated many industries.

B (Human sacrifice was exceptional or nonexistent in China, India, the Middle East, and Greece, where these religious/philosophical traditions evolved.)

All EXCEPT which of the following statements is true of the religious and philosophical traditions that developed in Eurasia in the centuries surrounding 500 BCE? a. All sought to define a single source of order and meaning in the universe. b. All elevated the value of humankind. c. All reacted in some way to an earlier polytheism. d. All emphasized personal moral or spiritual transformation.

B (In early Paleolithic societies, there were no "specialists" and thus no formal rulers, soldiers, or priests.)

All EXCEPT which of the following was a common feature of early gathering and hunting societies? a. They were small, consisting of bands of 25-50 people. b. They had clearly defined social hierarchies. c. They were seasonally mobile or nomadic. d. Relationships between women and men were far more equal than in later societies.

C (The tomol transformed Chumash society, both by making it possible to acquire more food and travel longer distances and by giving special prestige to tomol makers and owners.)

All EXCEPT which of the following was a result of the Chumash invention of the planked canoe known as a tomol? a. The tomol made it possible for the Chumash to support a much larger population through fishing. b. The tomol brought great prestige and power to the people who built and owned them. c. Because their use was controlled by women, the tomol led to women gaining a superior position in Chumash society. d. The creation of the tomol stimulated trade.

B (All classical empires relied on military conquest to create their empires, while many sought to assimilate conquered peoples and the Roman Empire was constructed during its republican period.)

All classical empires a. deliberately avoided assimilating conquered peoples. b. relied on conquest to take shape. c. were created by emperors or kings. d. all of the above.

B (After his military triumph, Shihuangdi was able to draw on a perception in China that a divided kingdom was unnatural and unacceptable. Thus, instead of creating something new, the Qin and Han dynasties could present their empire as restoring the united China of their Xia, Shang, and Zhou predecessors. This allowed the empire to form much more quickly than in Rome where no such precedent existed and its republican form of government made its rulers reluctant to take the title emperor.)

Although the classical Roman and Chinese empires were similar in many ways, which of the following was an important difference? a. Only Chinese emperors invoked supernatural sanctions to support their rule. b. Because of earlier precedents, the Chinese process of empire-formation occurred over a much shorter period than the centuries-long Roman effort. c. Only the Roman Empire absorbed a foreign religious tradition. d. Only the Romans committed resources to building roads, bridges, and canals to integrate their domains militarily and commercially.

A (In San belief, both gods and ancestors are malevolent forces, and the main purpose of entering the trance state that can tap into n/um is to keep these forces from harming the living.)

Among the San people, the spiritual potency called n/um is important because a. it counteracts evil influences from the world of the gods and the ancestors. b. it establishes communion with the supernatural. c. it brings blessings to the San people. d. it gives special authority to those who can tap into it.

C (The Indus Valley civilization was separated from Egypt by the entire expanse of the Indian Ocean, so cultural influence was limited. By contrast, Egypt had many interactions with the Nubians to the south and the Minoans on the island of Crete.)

Ancient Egypt had a strong cultural influence on all but which of the following peoples? a. Nubians b. Minoans c. Indus Valley civilization d. Hyksos

A (The central concept of Daoism is the dao, the way of nature—the underlying principle that governs all natural phenomena, including human life.)

Belief in an underlying and unchanging principle that governs all natural phenomena is central to which of the following cultural traditions? a. Daoism b. Zoroastrianism c. Confucianism d. Buddhism

B (Hinduism looked to the religious authority of the Brahmins and the intercession of many supernatural buildings as aids in the quest for spiritual development; Buddhism, by contrast, emphasized individual responsibility and self-effort.)

Buddhism shares all EXCEPT which of the following teachings with Hinduism? a. The concept of karma and rebirth b. The need for individuals to take responsibility for their own spiritual development c. The practice of meditation d. The hope for a final release from the cycle of rebirth

C (Like the Persian Empire, classical Greece was an expansive civilization, but the Greeks' expansion took the form of settlement and colonization of distant places rather than conquest and empire.)

Classical Greece in 500 BCE a. had a much larger population than the Persian Empire. b. had a centralized political system like the Persian Empire. c. was an expansive civilization, though in a different way than the Persian Empire. d. possessed little sense of citizenship compared to the Persian Empire.

D (The domestication of large mammals in Southwest Asia shaped the development of agriculture in profound ways as such animals provided an important source of power for plowing and carting, an excellent source of fertilizer through their manure, and a reliable source of protein, which reduced the need to hunt or fish.)

Compared to the Americas, the domestication of animals in southwestern Asia made it easier a. to fertilize fields. b. to develop plow technology. c. to rely less on hunting and fishing. d. all of the above

B (An effort to be at one with nature is typical of Daoism rather than Confucianism. The essence of Confucian teaching is that, in all relations, the superior should cultivate moral goodness, or ren, the better to be an example to inferiors.)

Confucius believed that it was possible to restore social harmony in all EXCEPT which of the following ways? a. Superiors should provide a good moral example to their inferiors. b. People should meditate on nature as the key means to restore their sense of balance with the world. c. Elites should receive a broad liberal arts education as the key to moral improvement. d. Superiors should cultivate benevolence or nobility of heart as the essential ingredient of a peaceful society.

D (Patricians and a wealthy plebeian aristocracy continued to dominate the Senate and choose their own replacements.)

Deepening conflict between rich and poor in the Roman Republic led to all EXCEPT which of the following reforms? a. The new office of tribune, whose holders represented the poor and allowed them to block unfavorable legislation b. A system of public assemblies that provided the opportunity for lower classes to shape public policy c. A written law code that offered some protection from abuse for the poor d. The drawing of lots for appointment to public office, which allowed the poor to become senators for the first time

D (Diffusion is one of the two most important ways in which agriculture spread during the Neolithic period. The other was migration, which spread agriculture through slow colonization of new lands by agricultural peoples as growing populations and pressures to expand pushed them outward.)

Diffusion a. refers to the taming and changing of plants and animals by humans. b. refers to the securing of more food and resources from a smaller area of land than was possible with a gathering and hunting technology. c. refers to the slow colonization of new lands by agricultural peoples as growing populations and pressures to expand pushed them outward. d. refers to the gradual spread of the techniques of agriculture, and perhaps the plants and animals themselves, without the extensive movement of agricultural people.

A (Domestication was a central part of the new relationship between humankind and other living things. Domestication allowed men and women not simply to use nature but to change it actively. Selective breeding created a new kind of mutual dependence between domesticated plants and animals and the humans who raised, protected, and used them.)

Domestication a. refers to the taming and changing of plants and animals by humans. b. refers to the securing of more food and resources from a smaller area of land than was possible with a gathering and hunting technology. c. refers to the slow colonization of new lands by agricultural peoples as growing populations and pressures to expand pushed them outward. d. refers to the gradual spread of the techniques of agriculture, and perhaps the plants and animals themselves, without the extensive movement of agricultural people.

C (Some of the most deadly diseases in human history crossed from domesticated animals to humans including smallpox, flu, measles, chicken pox, malaria, tuberculosis, and rabies. Moreover, humans in agricultural societies lived in denser concentrations leading to the first epidemics in human history.)

Early agricultural people a. uniformly enjoyed a greater life expectancy than gatherer-hunters. b. didn't suffer from famines. c. suffered from deadly diseases caught from domesticated animals. d. had more leisure time than their gatherer-hunter counterparts.

A (Empires facilitated exchanges of ideas because they brought together people of quite different traditions and religions and thus stimulated the exchange of ideas, cultures, and values.)

Empires in world history are important for all EXCEPT which of the following reasons? a. They limited the exchange of ideas. b. Very large numbers of people lived in empires. c. They were put were put together and sustained at great human cost. d. They established lengthy periods of peace and security.

D (Arctic and desert environments are ill suited to agriculture. Regions of particular natural abundance, such as southern California, could also maintain gatherer-hunter cultures because intensive agriculture was not required to deal with growing human populations.)

Gatherer-hunter societies most often succeeded in resisting the encroachment of agricultural societies in which of the following environments? a. arctic environments b. desert environments c. regions of particular natural abundance d. all of the above

D (In a number of ways, ancient Mesopotamia legislated to control female sexuality, including harsh penalties for female adultery, limitations on divorce initiated by women, and marking respectable women by requiring them to wear veils in public.)

In ancient Mesopotamia, a. a wife could be drowned for adultery, but a husband could engage in sexual relations with other women besides his wife. b. it was much easier for a man to obtain a divorce than it was for a woman. c. respectable women were veiled when they went outside the home. d. all of the above.

D (The caste system was unique to India and alongside political fragmentation and cultural diversity has informed much of South Asian history.)

In comparison to China, northern India a. possessed less cultural diversity. b. was more politically centralized. c. lacked a distinctive religious tradition. d. possessed a unique social organization, the caste system.

D (Growing numbers of people have praised all of these elements of Paleolithic society.)

In recent decades, some people have celebrated Paleolithic life, on the grounds that a. Paleolithic peoples enjoyed much greater gender equality. b. Paleolithic people had an ideal diet of wild plants and animals that is well-suited to human physiology. c. Paleolithic societies valued sharing and equality rather than competition and materialism. d. all of the above.

A (Despite several short-term efforts, northern India failed to reunite after the collapse of the Mauryan Empire. Unparalleled cultural diversity along with frequent invasions from Central Asia played roles in stopping the emergence of another empire.)

In the post-classical period, which former imperial territory was similar to western Europe in no longer being ruled by an emperor for any extended period of time? a. Northern India b. China c. Persia d. Egypt

D (Settled peoples on the whole had to work more hours than their gatherer-hunter counterparts, but they had new opportunities to acquire goods and had to learn to interact with large numbers of people.)

In what way did the settling down of human populations change the way societies were organized? a. People became increasingly unequal, as some proved better or more fortunate at accumulating goods. b. Societies became more complex, as people settled together in larger numbers than before. c. On the whole, people had to work fewer hours per week, and could devote the time they gained to artistic and technological development. d. Both a and b.

A (The Austronesian migrants had a massive environmental impact on small islands, such as Easter Island (Raapa Nui), but the difference is one of degree rather than type— all human migrations had an impact on the environment.)

In what way were the Austronesian migrations to the Pacific Islands NOT distinct from earlier human migrations? a. They had a significant impact on their new environments, unlike earlier migrants. b. They were more recent than other migrants, beginning only about 3,500 years ago. c. They were waterborne, using oceangoing canoes. d. They were already agriculturists when the migration began.

A (The two cases given of sedentary Paleolithic societies, the Jomon and the Chumash, were both able to prosper because they sea gave them a never-ending supply of food. Deserts, mountains, and even forests were unlikely to be able to provide a permanent food source for larger numbers of gatherers and hunters unless they continued to travel widely.)

In which environment is it most likely that a Paleolithic society would have been able to settle down permanently in villages, while continuing to live from gathering and hunting? a. Near the sea, because the sea provided a permanent food supply b. On the edge of a desert, where enemies would be more likely to leave them alone c. In the mountains, where caves were available for storage and shelter d. In a forest region, because of the presence of large mammals

D (The use of deliberately set fires is clearly attested among gatherer-hunters; the other choices are features of Neolithic rather than Paleolithic society.)

In which of the following ways did Paleolithic peoples purposely alter the natural environment? a. They tamed and kept certain species of animals for their meat and wool. b. They built walls to protect themselves from wild animals and their neighbors. c. They cleared fields and planted simple crops. d. They deliberately set fires to encourage the growth of particular plants.

D (Mesopotamia was a precarious and often violent environment, which appears to have encouraged people to believe that humankind was caught in an inherently disorderly world, without much hope for relief in a life after death.)

Many scholars believe that this early civilization developed a negative view about life and the afterlife because of its harsh physical setting. a. Egypt b. Indus Valley c. China d. Mesopotamia

B (Although conflict between pastoral and agricultural peoples did erupt at times, peaceful exchanges of technologies, ideas, products, and people also occurred benefiting both sides.)

Pastoral societies differed from agricultural village societies in all of the following ways EXCEPT a. pastoral societies relied more heavily on animals. b. pastoral societies benefited from exchanges with agricultural societies, but agricultural societies did not benefit from exchanges with their pastoral counterparts. c. agricultural village societies were more prevalent in the Americas than pastoral societies. d. pastoral societies were more mobile than agricultural societies.

D (Andean quipu were used for accounting, but may also have been able to express words by knotting cords in different colors, lengths, types, and locations.)

Probably the least developed of the methods of writing developed in the First Civilizations in terms of ability to express all human thought, this writing system consisted of a complex system of knotted cords that recorded mostly numerical data, but may also have been used to record words and ideas. a. Cuneiform b. Hieroglyphs c. Indus Valley script d. Quipu

A (Salinization, the build-up of salt in the soil, is a danger in all lands that rely on irrigation, because it lowers the fertility of the soil. It is regarded as one of the causes of the abandonment of the Indus Valley civilization.)

Scholars have found evidence for which of the following as an important factor in the collapse of the Indus Valley civilization? a. Salinization caused by repeated irrigation b. Foreign invasion and conquest c. Epidemic disease d. Civil war

C (The "secondary product revolution" involved new uses for domesticated animals, beyond their meat and hides. These new products included milk, wool, and the use of manure for fertilizer. Moreover, some animals were used for power and transportation.)

The "secondary product revolution" a. occurred in both the eastern and western hemispheres. b. refers to the development of new tools made of metal. c. involved new uses for domesticated animals. d. began in 10,000 BCE.

C (The Agricultural Revolution resulted in a number of technological developments in the fields of metallurgy, textile weaving, and pottery production.)

The Agricultural Revolution a. lessened the impact of humans on the natural environment. b. resulted in a uniform improvement in the health of the population. c. resulted in significant technological developments. d. lessened the impact of smallpox and other diseases on the human population.

D (The Agricultural Revolution had a major impact in all of these areas.)

The Agricultural Revolution resulted in a. the growing power of humans over many other species of plants and animals. b. greater social distinctions between people than before. c. an unprecedented increase in the human population. d. all of the above

C (The Persian state relied upon a network of spies known as the "eyes and ears of the King." This network gave the emperor a presence even in the farthest reaches of the empire.)

The Persian state a. was led by an all-powerful emperor who lived among his people and who was easily approachable to all his subjects. b. relied upon a bureaucratic system in which all provincial governors and local officials were Persian. c. included a system of imperial spies spread throughout the empire. d. none of the above

A (Although no model or established blueprint for the empire guided the Romans, securing wealth and resources drove many of the individual conquests in its establishment.)

The Roman Empire a. was motivated in part by desire to secure the wealth of the eastern Mediterranean basin and the resources and food supplies of the western Mediterranean basin. b. was constructed following a blueprint established around 450 BCE. as the republic took shape. c. was constructed in emulation of previous empires that had dominated the entire Mediterranean basin. d. all of the above.

A (In China tension between castrated court officials known as eunuchs and Confucian-educated scholar/bureaucrats weakened the state. In the Roman Empire, rival military commanders actively struggled for power with some 26 individuals claiming the title of emperor between 235 and 284 CE.)

The collapse of the Roman and Han Empires were similar in which of the following ways? a. In both cases rivalry among elite factions created instability and eroded imperial authority. b. In both cases only the western half of the empire collapsed. c. Collapse destroyed the central governments, but had remarkably little effect on many aspects of life as cities and trade continued to thrive. d. Both empires failed to take advantage of new technological advances that could have produced the resources needed to sustain the empire.

B (Powerful military leaders, including Marius, Sulla, Pompey, and Julius Caesar, recruited personal armies directly from the ranks of the poor and used them to fight civil wars in the first century BCE.)

The creation of an empire threatened republican government in Rome a. because too many citizen soldiers grew rich from war and settled down to farm, weakening the army. b. because it empowered a small group of military leaders whose fierce rivalries brought civil war to Rome. c. because the grant of full political rights to all conquered peoples made republican government too cumbersome and inefficient. d. because the opportunities available to poor freemen in the Empire drained Rome and the countryside around the capital of essential labor.

C (The Greek victory radicalized Athenian democracy, for it had been men of the poorer classes who had rowed their ships to victory, and now they were in a position to insist on full citizenship.)

The failed Persian invasions of Greece in 490 and 480 BCE resulted in a. the collapse of the Persian Empire. b. the unification of Greece under a single ruler. c. the emergence of a golden age of culture and democracy in Athens. d. all of the above

D (The Indian economy continued to thrive at the center of the Indian Ocean trade network, cities governed by strong guilds of merchants and artisans remained vibrant, and Indian mathematics and science continued to thrive following the collapse of the Mauryan Empire.)

The failure of India to reunite under one central political authority after the collapse of the Mauryan Empire a. led to India losing its position as the focal point of trade in the Indian Ocean. b. brought to an end the series of impressive scientific and mathematical discoveries made in India during the Mauryan Empire. c. led to the collapse of Indian cities on a scale similar to that of the western half of the Roman Empire. d. none of the above.

D (During the last Ice Age, the amount of water frozen in glaciers lowered sea levels everywhere, creating natural land bridges that joined Britain to Europe, Siberia to Alaska, and so on.)

The last Ice Age may have helped early gatherer-hunters in which of the following ways? a. The heavier rainfall of the Ice Age's weather fluctuations made it possible for them to grow crops. b. Ice served as an important preservative for food, making it possible for them to settle in the same place for extended periods. c. The cold weather killed off most large mammals that had been predatory on early human beings. d. The lower sea levels associated with the Ice Age created land bridges, allowing human beings to travel to many regions of the earth.

D (While an absolute monarch ruled over the Persian Empire, many Greek city-states experimented with participatory direct democracy.)

The political culture of classical Greek civilization was different from that of Persia because a. only the Persian Empire offered equality for all citizens before the law. b. Greek civilization allowed for the limited participation of women in public assemblies. c. unlike Persia, no idea of citizenship developed in Greece. d. only Greek civilization experimented with the idea of free people running the affairs of state.

D (The San system of unequal gift exchange is intended to level wealth, rather than accumulating it; it shows a social system that defines success in terms of friends and networks of obligation rather than in material goods.)

The reason for San unequal gift exchange is a. to accumulate wealth by making smart choices in what is exchanged. b. to keep from acquiring too many goods that will then have to be carried around in the desert. c. to establish lasting trade relationships. d. to win respect, friendship, and obligation from others.

A (The spread of agriculture from Southwest Asia resulted in the spread of Indo-European languages into Europe, Central Asia, and India. Similarly, the Bantu language spread with Bantu migrations in sub-Saharan Africa and the Austronesian languages spread with migration from what is now southern China into the Philippine and Indonesian islands. Later, Austronesian languages spread further to the uninhabited islands of the Pacific and to Madagascar.)

The spread of agriculture through diffusion and migration a. resulted in the spread of language groups. b. always benefited the gather-hunter peoples with whom migrants came into contact. c. resulted in India receiving crops only from Southwest Asia. d. resulted in the widespread dissemination of crops from New Guinea.

C (The critical feature that both separated chiefdoms from stateless agricultural village societies and foreshadowed later states and civilizations was the establishment of inherited positions of power and privilege.)

The unique feature of the chiefdom (as compared to a stateless agricultural village) that was replicated, elaborated, and assumed to be natural in all later states and civilizations was a. the distinction between elite and commoner based on charisma. b. the distinction between elite and commoner based on achievement. c. the distinction between elite and commoner based on birth. d. none of the above

B (The warmer weather created conditions that allowed more wild plants and especially cereal grasses to flourish.)

The warming period at the end of the last Ice Age helped make agriculture possible by a. creating generally drier conditions especially in temperate and tropical regions. b. permitting cereal grasses to flourish. c. contributing to the flourishing of the large mammals upon which Paleolithic peoples had relied for food. d. none of the above.

B (Until the building of the Aswan High Dam in the twentieth century, the Nile flooded its banks nearly every year, bringing much-needed silt and water to the parched countryside. Although all early civilizations developed on or near a major source of water, nowhere was the relationship so benign as in Egypt.)

This First Civilization was above all shaped by the single river that flowed through it and flooded predictably every year to fertilize and bring water to the fields. a. Mesopotamia b. Egypt c. Indus Valley d. Norte Chico

D (Literacy was put to many uses, including literature, the praise of rulers, and to organize increasingly complex businesses.)

To what use did early civilizations put literacy? a. Poetry and literature b. To praise rulers c. The keeping of business records d. All of the above

C (Typically empires are large and aggressive. They frequently conquer, rule, and extract resources from other states. Because of their conquests they are also typically made up of a variety of peoples and cultures.)

Typically, empires a. are made up of one ethnic group. b. are small. c. conquer and rule other states. d. all of the above.

D (All of these features have been uncovered at the Indus Valley sites of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.)

Which First Civilization produced streets laid out in a grid-like pattern, with standardized houses, a complex sewage system, and grand public buildings including a public bath? a. Norte Chico b. Sumer c. Egypt d. Indus Valley

B (The Greek way of knowing focused on its way of asking questions, with a strong emphasis on the power of human reason.)

Which cultural tradition is particularly noted for its emphasis on logic and relentless questioning of received wisdom, without giving much role to the gods? a. Confucian philosophy b. Greek philosophy c. Daoism d. Zoroastrianism

D (All of these are features of the Chumash society of what is now California.)

Which of the following Paleolithic societies lived in substantial permanent houses, developed a market economy, and had an elite craft guild? a. Jomon b. San c. Jo/'hansi d. Chumash

C (Both the Buddha and Jesus emphasized the importance of love or compassion as the foundation of a moral life. But it is true that Jesus was much more concerned about the divine, preached a more social message, and was killed by state authorities at a young age.)

Which of the following comparisons between the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha is NOT true? a. More than the Buddha, Jesus actively engaged with the supernatural, both by talking about God and by working miracles. b. Jesus was much more concerned with the poor and oppressed than was the Buddha. c. Only Jesus stressed love of others as a central teaching. d. Only the Buddha died peacefully after a long life of public preaching.

D (Although Buddhism later became an important element of Chinese culture, the religion was founded in India, not China, unlike Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism.)

Which of the following cultural traditions did NOT develop in China during the "age of warring states"? a. Confucianism b. Daoism c. Legalism d. Buddhism

A (Buddhism began with its founder Siddhartha Gautama's quest to understand old age, sickness, and death. The central teaching of the religion is that life is unsatisfactory because of craving for individual fulfillment and attachment to individual ego.)

Which of the following cultural traditions is most concerned with the imperfection and impermanence of human life? a. Buddhism b. Hinduism c. Confucianism d. Daoism

C (Agriculture preceded civilization and made it possible. Much of the persistent inequality in human history, though, first developed in the First Civilizations, including slavery, the undermining of women's position relative to that of men, and social inequality in general.)

Which of the following did NOT develop with the First Civilizations? a. Slavery b. Social inequality and hierarchy c. Agriculture d. The subordination of women

D (Actually, we have very little notion of what these early peoples desired. We can, however, see evidence of population pressure and a move to live in settled communities, both of which would have placed a heavy strain on gathering-hunting societies.)

Which of the following factors made it more likely that hunting and gathering people would turn to agriculture? a. Population pressure that placed a heavy demand on the environment b. Desire to acquire goods c. Living in settled communities, which made heavier demands on the environment than gathering and hunting could supply d. a and c only

D (Mahayana, the "Great Vehicle" of Buddhism, was more accessible to a much larger populace, because it offered the consolation of a divine Buddha, the assistance of bodhisattvas in the spiritual quest, and developed the notion being "saved" through the intervention of supernatural beings.)

Which of the following is NOT a difference between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism? a. Unlike Theravada, Mahayana Buddhism venerates the Buddha as a god. b. Unlike Theravada, Mahayana Buddhism holds that spiritually developed people (bodhisattvas) help others to reach nirvana, instead of emphasizing that individuals were on their own. c. Unlike Theravada, Mahayana Buddhism became a popular religion of salvation. d. Unlike Theravada, Mahayana Buddhism instituted a formal priesthood whose rituals were meant to help people reach nirvana.

D (Encouragement of spontaneity was a characteristic of Daoism, not Confucianism. Among the positive effects of Confucianism, however, were the door it opened for social mobility and its emphasis on moral behavior by the government as well as by individuals.)

Which of the following is NOT an effect that Confucianism had on Chinese culture? a. Thanks to Confucianism, elite Chinese culture was essentially nonreligious in character. b. The Confucian-based examination system allowed some social mobility for talented young men who were able to afford an education. c. Confucianism stressed that emperors should rule justly and provide for the material needs of their people. d. Confucianism encouraged individualistic and natural behavior among the elite.

D (The notion of a Jewish covenant with God was developed in the belief that God is singular, transcendent, actively concerned with human history, and that he demands social justice and righteousness as the most pleasing form of worship.)

Which of the following is NOT part of the distinctively Jewish conception of the divine? a. Belief that there is only one God, usually regarded as masculine b. Belief that God demands social justice and moral righteousness above sacrifices c. Belief that God is engaged in the human historical process d. Belief that God is part of the forces of nature, and that he expresses himself through them

A (By the time we have historical records, monarchs everywhere held their thrones by hereditary right. They buttressed their authority with a great deal of show, including monumental building, the use of symbolic objects, and impressive burial rituals.)

Which of the following is NOT true of most rulers of the First Civilizations? a. They were usually elected by a council of elders, rather than inheriting their positions. b. They had elaborate burials that usually included the sacrifice of retainers who, it was believed, would continue to care for their masters in the afterlife. c. They lived in monumental palaces and constructed large monuments and statues to emphasize their grandeur. d. They used symbolic objects such as scepters and crowns, to stress their connection to divine forces.

B (Leadership in war was only one of the many functions of Chumash chiefs.)

Which of the following is NOT true of political leadership among the Chumash? a. Political leadership made peaceful resolution of disputes much more possible. b. Political leaders drew their power and prestige exclusively from their role as war leaders. c. Political leaders were owners of seagoing canoes (tomol). d. Some political leaders were women.

A (Paleolithic peoples are primarily defined by the fact that they used stone tools and were hunter/gatherers. Scholars have also seen evidence of rituals in cave paintings and complex burials, but have found no evidence of a system of writing complex enough to express human thoughts.)

Which of the following is NOT true of the Paleolithic era? a. The first writing systems developed in this period of human history. b. Paleolithic people used stone rather than metal tools. c. Paleolithic people made a living by gathering and hunting, rather than producing food. d. Paleolithic people developed rituals to help them deal with human existence.

C (The much more complex Chumash society settled in villages and had an elite that acquired significant quantities of goods, thanks in large part to the fruits of the sea that they could harvest.)

Which of the following is a significant difference between the San and Chumash peoples? a. Unlike the Chumash, the San settled in permanent small communities. b. Unlike the San, the Chumash had no distinctions in rank or class. c. Unlike the San, the Chumash made use of the ocean as an important source of food. d. Unlike the Chumash, the San tended to acquire significant quantities of goods.

C (A good example of the complex worldview of a Paleolithic people is the Dreamtime of Australian Aboriginals.)

Which of the following is generally true of Paleolithic peoples? a. Paleolithic societies failed to innovate, stubbornly refusing to change in response to new situations or environments. b. Paleolithic societies regularly rely on trade to secure items needed to survive. c. Paleolithic societies often develop elaborate and complex outlooks on the world. d. Paleolithic societies are technologically complex, relying on a surprisingly wide array of tools and weapons made from both stone and metal.

C (Urban concentrations, or cities, are central to the definition of "civilization." Many have regarded the other options as necessary to civilization, too, but archaeologists have discovered in the Norte Chico civilization that complex urban life was possible without a written language, defensive walls, or grain-based farming.)

Which of the following is necessary for a society to be defined as a "civilization" in the traditional scholarly sense? a. a written language b. defensive walls c. cities d. grain-based farming

B (Wealth tended to concentrate in cities, and certain specializations generated more wealth and power than others. Thus inequality and hierarchy came to be central features of urban-based civilizations.)

Which of the following statements about early cities is true? a. By gathering many people together in a small area, they encouraged cooperation and democratic procedures to get things done. b. They encouraged inequality and class distinctions; some citizens were able to acquire more wealth and status than others. c. They were administrative and religious centers, but most manufacturing took place in the countryside instead of in cities. d. Because people lived closer together, society tended to get more personal and people adhered more closely to kinship ties for their own protection.

B (The San are a good example of Paleolithic life because their life is still similar to that practiced among the Khoisan-speaking peoples for millennia. Other details about San life show that, although simple at one level, their social relations are also complex.)

Which of the following statements about the San people is FALSE? a. The San make every effort to prevent pride among themselves, using ceremonies such as "insulting the meat." b. The lifestyle of the modern San is markedly different from that of earlier Khoisan-speaking Paleolithic peoples of southern Africa. c. The San have a great deal of leisure time. d. The San have complex social relationships that include special links between people who share the same name.

D (The Upanishads are products of the religious development of the classical age that turned from unquestioning ritual to introspection and that turned away from simple propitiatory rituals as the sole means of satisfying the gods. Discontent with the privileged Brahmin caste also played a role in this religious transformation in India.)

Which of the following statements about the Upanishads is TRUE? a. They are a body of works that seek to probe the inner meaning of the earlier Vedas. b. They put a priority on introspection instead of external ritual. c. They were a response to discontent, as the Brahmins claimed too much wealth and privilege through their control of Vedic rituals. d. All of the above.

B (Of the First Civilizations, Egypt provided the most opportunities to women, recognizing women's legal equality to men, allowing for the possibility that women could have real political power, and even showing some evidence of romantic relations between women and men.)

Which of the following statements about the relative status of women in Egypt and Mesopotamia is true? a. Women in both civilizations had about the same status relative to men: they were clearly subordinate and had few legal rights. b. Women in Egypt had more rights and higher standing relative to men than did the women of ancient Mesopotamia. c. Women in both civilizations had about the same status relative to men: they were recognized as legal equals to men and enjoyed high social status. d. Women in Mesopotamia had more rights and higher standing relative to men than did the women of ancient Egypt.

C (The Chinese elite widely regarded Daoism as complementary to Confucianism, often practicing both simultaneously.)

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between Daoism and Confucianism, as understood by Chinese elites? a. Daoism is an offshoot of Confucianism that develops the mystical elements inherent in Confucius' teachings. b. Daoism and Confucianism were usually in strict opposition to each other, and people could not practice both simultaneously. c. Daoism and Confucianism were regarded as complementary rather than contradictory. d. Most Confucians despised Daoism as a meaningless superstition.

C (Buddhist history tells that at first the Buddha's own foster mother was refused admission to the order of Buddhist monks, although the Buddha reversed his decision and created an order of nuns. They were subordinate to men, but their position was still attractive, because they had relative freedom and were in fact forbidden to do household chores.)

Which of the following statements best explains the position of women as classical Buddhist nuns? a. Buddhist nuns, like their secular counterparts, remained under the strong patriarchal authority of their father or other male head of family. b. Women lived in double monasteries with men, where they were expected to tend to the household needs of the male monks while also devoting themselves to meditation. c. The position of Buddhist women was better than that of women in Hinduism, but they were still restricted and subordinated to men. d. Buddhist nuns were recognized to have full spiritual equality with men, and could serve in positions of authority over both men and women.

C (The writer Ban Zhao in her Lessons for Women emphasizes the need for humility and yielding as an essential characteristic of the "good" woman in Confucian society. Confucians did not believe that women were equal to men in any sense, but did not advocate seclusion as the Athenians did with their women.)

Which of the following statements best expresses Confucian sentiments about women? a. Although women are weaker than men physically, the two sexes are intellectually equal. b. Women are subordinate to their husbands, but they are equal to their brothers and other family members of their own generation. c. Women should maintain modesty and always yield to others. d. Women should be veiled and strictly secluded at all times.

D (The Igbo and Tiv were examples of agricultural village societies, lacking the formal political organization of chiefdoms.)

Which of the following statements is NOT true of chiefdoms? a. Chiefdoms included inherited positions of power and privilege. b. Chiefdoms were widespread among the Polynesian peoples of the Pacific islands. c. Leaders in chiefdoms relied on generosity, gift-giving, or personal charisma for authority. d. The Igbo and the Tiv of West Africa were organized as chiefdoms.

A (The philosophy of Legalism had a pessimistic view of human nature, believing that most people are too stupid to act in their own interest, so the state must step in and provide order with strictly-enforced laws.)

Which of the following statements is the best definition of the Chinese philosophy known as Legalism? a. Legalists believed that social harmony could be created and maintained by clearly spelling out laws and enforcing them strictly with rewards and punishments. b. Legalists believed that the way to create social harmony was by strict adherence to moral "laws" that people would be taught to obey voluntarily. c. Legalists believed that the laws of China were handed down from heaven, and that divine forces would destroy those who did not follow them. d. Legalists believed that the best way to provide social harmony was by creating a wide popular consensus to legislate and enforce laws.

B (Unlike Sumer, Egypt, Norte Chico, the Indus Valley, China, and Olmec civilization, the Hittites grew on the achievements of earlier civilizations rather than developing their own from scratch.)

Which of the following states cannot be defined as a First Civilization? a. Sumerian b. Hittite c. Egyptian d. Norte Chico

B (Composite tools were first created during the Paleolithic era, whereas the arts of pottery-making, weaving, and metallurgy all developed in the Neolithic period.)

Which of the following technologies was NOT first developed by Neolithic peoples? a. creation of pottery b. stone axes and scrapers c. weaving of textiles d. metallurgy

B (Even though maize was not as protein-rich as many cereal grains in the Afro-Eurasian web, Native Americans also grew squash and beans that in conjunction with maize provided a complete protein diet.)

Which of the following was NOT a challenge to the establishment of agriculture in the Americas as compared to the Afro-Eurasian world? a. the lack of rich cereal grains to domesticate b. the lack of other crops with which to supplement a diet of maize c. the north/south orientation of the Americas d. the lack of large mammals suitable for domestication e. the lack of animal-drawn plows

B (Although the Olmec developed many features, including the ball game and ideas about sacrifice, that later Mesoamerican cultures adopted, no evidence indicates that the Olmec cities had a single unified government.)

Which of the following was NOT a contribution that the Olmec made to later Mesoamerican civilizations? a. ritual sacrifice b. the concept of a unified territorial state under a single ruler c. sacrificial bloodletting by rulers d. a game played with a rubber ball

D (While the Qin emperor Shihuangdi and his successors were critical to the construction of the Chinese empire, the empire in Rome was largely constructed under the republic.)

Which of the following was NOT a feature shared by both the classical Roman and Chinese Empires? a. Both invested heavily in public works such as roads designed to integrate their respective domains militarily and commercially. b. Both empires absorbed a foreign religious tradition. c. Military force played a critical role in the construction of both empires. d. Powerful emperors were critical in the creation of both empires.

C (Helot was a term given to the large population of conquered people in Sparta who lived in slavelike conditions. They never secured political rights and were ruled over by Spartan elites directed by a Council of Elders.)

Which of the following was NOT a means by which participation by free males in the government of Greek city states increased? a. Tyrants challenged the prerogatives of the wealthy. b. Increasing numbers of middle- and lower-class men earned political rights by serving as hoplites, or infantrymen, in their city-state armies. c. The helots of Athens voluntarily gave up their control of the Council of Elders. d. In Athens holders of public office were paid so that even the poorest could serve.

A (The development of sewing was an important adaptation to life in the Ice Age, as seen in finds of bone needles, multi-layered clothing, and weaving from Paleolithic central and eastern Europe. The other choices were indeed results of the end of the Ice Age.)

Which of the following was NOT a result of the end of the last Ice Age? a. Humans learned to sew, instead of wearing simple animal skins as clothing. b. Some gathering and hunting communities established permanent settlements. c. Society became more unequal, as some people were able to acquire more goods than others. d. Population grew.

C (A variety of factors gave real power to state authorities in the First Civilizations, including brute force, divine sanction, and the simple recognition that life was so complex that some authority was needed to organize matters such as irrigation and defense.)

Which of the following was NOT a source of state authority in the First Civilizations? a. A recognition that life in cities was so complex that somebody had to organize it b. Force c. Representative assemblies d. An identification of kingship with the sacred

B (Even though Greek culture did spread into the former Persian Empire, Greek rulers did not conduct an organized campaign to destroy local religious devotions.)

Which of the following was NOT a way in which Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia facilitated the spread of Greek culture? a. The foundation of Greek cities by Alexander and later Hellenistic rulers b. A sustained campaign by Greek rulers after Alexander to destroy the temples and disperse the priests dedicated to the local gods c. The migration of Greek settlers serving as state officials, soldiers, or traders in the Hellenistic Empires d. The widespread use of the Greek language in the former Persian Empire

C (The development of agriculture in Africa occurred in several widely scattered regions and environments, including the arid Sudan, the highlands of Ethiopia, and forested regions of West Africa.! By contrast, in the Fertile Crescent agriculture began in a relatively small and environmentally homogenous region.)

Which of the following was NOT an outcome of domestication? a. The impact of human beings on the environment declined. b. Many plants and animals became reliant on human action or protection to reproduce successfully. c. Humans consciously directed the process of evolution in both plants and animals. d. It became impossible for humankind to return to gathering/hunting both because of the loss of skills and the growth in human numbers

A (Humankind's impact on the environment increased with domestication as humans for the first time sought actively to change rather than simply use what they found in nature. Domestication resulted in humans shaping their environment through the establishment of fields, irrigation networks, and terraced hillsides.)

Which of the following was NOT an outcome of domestication? a. The impact of human beings on the environment declined. b. Many plants and animals became reliant on human action or protection to reproduce successfully. c. Humans consciously directed the process of evolution in both plants and animals. d. It became impossible for humankind to return to gathering/hunting both because of the loss of skills and the growth in human numbers.

C (By the New Kingdom, Egyptians claimed admission to a happy, enjoyable afterlife based on ethical living in this life. They offered their deeds to the gods when applying for admission, not offerings, and grave goods were buried with the dead to assure that they had all necessary comforts in the next world. At first, this belief apparently applied only to the Egyptian elite, but as time passed there was a "democratization" of death that held out a hope of eternal life for more and more of the populace.)

Which of the following was an element of ancient Egyptian belief in the afterlife? a. Only high-ranking people could hope to enjoy a happy eternal life. b. The afterlife was a shadowy persistence of life, a time of darkness and silence. c. Happiness in the afterlife depended on ethical living in this world. d. To get into the afterlife, people had to be buried with rich goods that they could offer to the gods for admission.

B (Monasticism is typical of Buddhism, not Hinduism. But Hinduism included elements of the other three, from the early Vedic rituals performed by the Brahmin caste to the intense introspection that marked the Upanishads, to the bhakti movement that focused religious adoration on a particular deity.)

Which of the following was never an important element in Hinduism? a. Intense introspection in an effort to understand the meaning behind traditional rituals b. Retreat from the world to an organized, communal religious life c. Intense adoration and identification with a particular deity through song, prayer, and ritual d. Elaborate rituals performed by a hereditary priestly caste

C (Although the Chinese developed a more mystical side with Daoism, Confucianists focused on matters in this world and believed that human rationality had the power to understand earthly realities.)

Which of the following was primarily a philosophical movement, rather than a religion focusing on the supernatural? a. Judaism b. Zoroastrianism c. Confucianism d. Buddhism