ch. 2 history inquizative

In what way were the interactions between early communities within Europe similar to the interactions between communities in Mesopotamia?

in both regions, competition for resources led to territorial conflicts

What is the meaning of the phrase division of labor?

it means that rather than each household producing the same foods and goods as its neighbors, people specialized in the production of a single type of item, like ceramic dishes or textiles

four regions in order from most culturally and politically unified to least culturally and politically unified.

1- Egypt 2- mesopotamia 3- Indus River valley 4- china

Rank the following Sumerian city dwellers in order of social, political, and economic power. (least to most powerful)

1-king and priest 2- scribe 3- potter and metal smith 4- servants and other household dependents

(t/f) The Egyptian Old Kingdom was a city-state.

false

When archaeologists unearth an ancient city, what do differences in the sizes and contents of houses within the city reveal about that ancient society?

social hierarchies

What was the connection between drought and the demise of the Old Kingdom in Egypt?

when the drought created water shortages, local leaders claimed personal control over their home territories and fought with one another over access to the scarce nile water

city

A well-defined area with a large, dense human population and a high concentration of economic, religious, and political power.

inland agricultural produce consumed at coasts, plus fish consumed inland suggest that the Peru region...

demonstrate a regular local trading network, similar to the ones between transhumant herders and agriculturalists in western Asia.

The text states that the physical layout of early cities mirrored the growing social hierarchies in Mesopotamian society. What does this mean?

The temple's location at the center of the city indicated the importance of the gods, and the physical separation of occupational groups suggests that residents interacted primarily with others who shared their economic status

What technological developments did nomadic pastoralists transmit across Afro-Eurasia?

bronze

How were urban and rural areas related to one another in the period from 3500 to 2000 BCE?

- In general, urban centers sold artisanal goods to rural areas, and rural areas sold grain, animal products, and other raw materials to urban areas. - Urban and rural areas were closely tied together through trade. - Most humans lived in rural areas, even though urban areas were more densely populated.

How did the roles of men and women differ in Sumerian societies?

- It was very important to have a male child because only male children could carry on the family line. - Women could gain economic independence if they joined the temple staff as priestesses. - Only male children inherited property from their parents, though female children were given dowries as part of the marriage process.

Why did urbanization and political centralization occur later in China than in other river basin societies?

- The Himalayan Mountains and the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts prevented large-scale human migrations, thus slowing the spread of ideas and practices from western Asia into China. - China lacked easily domesticated animals and plants, slowing their development of agricultural surpluses.

accurate statements about the history of Egypt's thirty-one dynasties.

- The United States is currently less than one-tenth as old as Egypt was when it was conquered by Alexander the Great. - In the year 4550 CE, the United States will be as old as the Egyptian kingdom was when it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE.

What do the ruins of buildings and infrastructure in Mohenjo Daro demonstrate about the cultures of the Indus River valley?

- The inhabitants of Mohenjo Daro engaged in specialized tasks, including brickmaking, construction, engineering, and agriculture. - he inhabitants of Mohenjo Daro engaged in urban planning and community-wide cooperation.

What can historians learn about Mesopotamian culture by examining royal tombs?

- Trade items like gold, lapis lazuli, and shell were luxuries that identified the status of the rich and powerful, as demonstrated by the fact that leaders were buried wearing jewelry and clothing made from these objects. - Mesopotamian rulers had the power of life and death over their subjects, as demonstrated by the fact that servants and other underlings were sacrificed and buried with their leaders. - Mesopotamian leaders enjoyed plentiful food and musical entertainment during their lifetimes, as demonstrated by the cooking vessels and instruments buried with them.

what factors contributed to the growth of trade in Mesopotamia?

- communities in the region were well situated for trade because the area was accessible on all sides, rather than hemmed by mountains or other natural barriers - people in the region pursued trade because they lacked a variety of natural building materials, metals and minerals

Which groups of people most frequently transmitted knowledge and/or goods between the early river basin societies?

- overland and maritime merchants - nomads who lived on Central Asia steppe lands

Grave sites across all of Afro-Eurasia illustrate the fact that in the ancient world...

- river basin communities and smaller settlements alike engaged in long distance trade - exotic items, obtained through long distance trade, were markers of wealth and powering every community

accurate statements about nomadic pastoralists and transhumant herders.

- some groups of transhumant herders developed into nomadic herders as their flocks grew in size, requiring more frequent, longer distance moves n search of new pasturage - by the second millennium BCE, nomadic pastoralists had stopped farming instead focusing intensively on animal breeding and herding

What did the grandeur and complex construction of Egyptian temples, pyramids, and royal tombs demonstrate about Egyptian society?

- the vast difference in power between the royal family and the rest of the population - the impressive agricultural surpluses of the Egyptian kingdom

city-state

A political organization based on the authority of a single, large urban area that controls adjacent rural territories.

territorial state

A political organization that holds authority over a large population and landmass, including multiple cities and the rural areas between them.

In sub-Saharan Africa, cultural ideas spread and long-distance trade networks were developed in response to...

climate changed that forced people to migrate many hundreds of miles from their original settlements on the southern edges of the Sahara desert

(t/f) In ancient Egypt, the knowledge and practice of writing were secret, and only scribes learned how to write.

false

pottery and twined textiles made from cotton suggest that the Peru region...

demonstrate artisanal knowledge, but not necessarily economic specialization within agricultural communities.

cobblestone roads, irrigation systems, and water sluices to manage water needs suggest that the Peru region...

demonstrate community organization, cooperation, and engineering knowledge.

domesticated beans, chili peppers and cottons suggest that the Peru region...

demonstrate the independent development of agriculture in the Americas.

what best describes early cities?

early cities differed from small agricultural villages in that larger portions of their populations were made of leaders, priests, and artisans than in agricultural villages

People living on the Aegean Islands were in contact with major river basin societies, like Egypt, but they did not adopt their ways of life, primarily because...

the geography of the islands was best suited to small, scattered settlements

Which modern small-town institution is most like an ancient Sumerian temple in terms of its social power and economic importance to its hometown?

the local factory: it employs thousands of local people, owns local real estate, donates to charitable functions, and has a strong relationship with the political leaders

(t/f) Evidence from Harappan sites suggests that the inhabitants of the Indus River valley, the people of the Iranian plateau, and the people living in Mesopotamia communicated ideas and practices with one another.

true

(t/f) The urban-rural divide refers to the different economic foundations underlying urban and rural societies, with rural residents working the land to produce food and livestock, while urban dwellers developed increasingly specialized skills.

true

(t/f) When Longshan people migrated and settled new lands in southern China, they created an extended region linked by common culture and trade networks.

true