Study Guide World History

Decline of the Roman Empire

Some contributing factors of this include the speaking of Greek in the east and the speaking of Latin in the west, as well as the East's having better trade and being overall wealthier. Eventually, the two sides split, which lead to flourishing in the East and an even worse situation in the West.

Gothic Architecture

Some main features include 1.) Focus on light and high arched ceilings 2.) Cathedrals had beautiful colored stained glass windows illustrating bible scenes 3.) Flying buttresses transferred weight to the thick exterior walls

Rome's Law and Economy

Some of these aspects included the importance of agriculture; 90% of people farmed. It also had a vast trading network. However, there was a large gap between poor and rich, and slaves were in existance there. Also, this society had so grown that it was having difficulty providing food for all of the people within its borders. However, legally, some changes were being made, including the deciding of a citizen's right to a fair trial and being "innocent until proven guilty."

Roman Writing

Some of these icluded Virgil's aeneid and the first writings of the Bible.

Unique Indus cities

Some of these include Kalibangan, Mohenjo-Daro, and Harrapa.

Changes in Roman Government

Some of these included an efficient government and able rulers. Also, a civil service was founded, and existed even after the death of Augustus Caesar.

Roman Art

Some of these included great temples, and frescoes, which were paintings made on damp plaster.

Outcome of the Bubonic Plague

Some results included populations falling, trade declining, prices rising, peasants demanded money and when they didn't get it they revolted, and Jews (ever the scapegoats) were blamed for bringing the plague. The Church suffered a loss of prestige; priests abandoned their duties.

Monastic Culture

The Church built religious communities called monasteries. Monks gave up their possessions and evoked their lives to serving God. Women (nuns) lived in convents.

The spreading of the Church

The Church converted many Germanic people to Christianity. The fear of Muslim invaders converted most people, who were converted by Missionaries, who were people who traveled around spreading religions.

Outcomes of the Crusades

The first Crusade captured a narrow strip of land and made four feudal states, which were taken over by Muslim attacks. The second tried to recapture the land and failed. The Third tried to recapture Jerusalem, but Richard the Lion-hearted made a truce with Saladin, and Jerusalem remained under Muslim control, but unarmed Christians could visit. The Fourth Crusade totally failed.

The Purpose of the Crusades

The goal was to take over the Holy Land (Jerusale/Palestine). Muslims controlled Palestine, and threatened Constantinople: this was also an opportunity to get rid of quarrelsome knights.

Tigris and Euphrates

These are the names of the rivers that run through the Middle East and ancient Mesopotamia.

Islam Caliphates

These occured when Muhammad died and he had no successor, so relatives were chosen to replace him. After their "coincidential" deaths, a civil war broke out because some believed that the next successor had to be a direct descendant, others said as long as the person was rightly guided, they could be a caliph (ruler of Muslims)

Sunni

These people did not resist Umayyads and believed 1st caliphs were rightly guided

Shi'a

These people thought that the caliph must be a descendent of the prophet Muhammad

Sufi

These people were Islamic and wanted a life of poverty

Pharaohs

These people were regarded like Gods, splendid and powerful. They stood at the conter of religion and government. They even were considered to rule after death, mummified in a pyramid.

Philosophers

These were "great thinkers," and were determined to seek the truth.

Estates Generals

These were commoners who helped limit the power of nobles in France.

Tournament

These were mock battles, combined recreation with combat training. Two knights charge at each other in an attack on horse, then proceed to knock each other off and fight on the ground with swords until one "triumphs."

Paleolithic Age

These were nomadic people, they moved around for food, water and shelter. Their main form of religion was animism, which is the belief of animal spirits (found cave rock paintings). From this time period, there are also statues of pregnant womean/earth mother goddess. The roles of women was to cook/care for the children, and the men farmed/hunted. Men and women were more or less considered equal.

Guilds

These were organizations made up of people from the same business or trade; they created a standard for prices, quality and working conditions.

Serfs

These were people who could not lawfully leave the land where they were born. They tended to the lord's land/estate.

Vassals

These were people who received a fief

Patricians

These were the elite, wealthy landlords of Rome, and were the only people who could become Senators or Consuls.

Tribunes

These were the representatives of the Plebeians, protected Plebeians from unfair acts of Patrician officials.

Hieroglyphs

These were the symbols used in multiple ancient civilizations including Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Punic Wars

These were three wars between Rome and Carthage which resulted in Rome's triumph.

Troubadours

These were traveling poet-musicians at castles and courts of Europe who would sing to women about their loves.

Consuls

These were two Roman officials who commanded the army and directed government. They had only one year terms, and one could veto the other

The Persian Wars

These were wars between Greece and Persia in which all of the city-states of Greece united and fought against the invasion, eventually leading to Greece's victory.

Lower Egypt

This area exists in northern Egypt and includes the Nile delta region, which is a broad, marshy, triangular area and deposits silt at the mouth. The delta is caused because the Nile river split and boulders turned the river into churning rapids. This kingdom ususally was stronger than the other Egyptian kingdom.

Rome's Influence

This came from Greek and the Etruscans.

Rome's Geography

This city was built on 7 hills in the center of Italy, between the Alps and Italy's southern tip.

Roman Religion

This consisted of powerful spirits (Numina), and Lares were the guardian spirits of each family. It was highly influenced by the Greeks.

Athenian Culture

This culture was very artistic and intellectual. It lead to the creation of some of the most fundamental forms of many governments today.

Spartan Government

This government was built in a strong military state with two kings. They were very invasion-focused, and had strict military recquirements for boys as young as 8 years old.

The Decline of the Indus River Valley Civilization

This happened as a result of the decline of building quality and several other factors. Many of this civilization's great cities fell apart due to earthquakes.

Civil War

This is a conflict between two groups within the same country.

Democracy

This is a style of government that is rule of the people, by the people, in which representatives are elected and chosen by the people.

Oligarchy

This is a style of government that is ruled by a few powerful people.

Aristocracy

This is a style of government that is ruled by small noble, land owning families.

Upper Egypt

This is an area in South (higher elevation, Nile River runs backwards) Egypt on a skinny strip of land along the Nile.

Sophists

This is another word for philosopher. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all were these.

Romantic View

This is one of the knight's codes of chivalry. It told of a knight's duty to his lady.

Mandate of Heaven

This is the Chinese "divine approval" that most simply put is the authority of the emperor because heaven chose him as such.

Cuneiform

This is the system of writing used by the Sumerians under Hammurabi's rule.

Sargon of Akkad

This man defeated the Sumerians with his Assyrian army, and resulted in the spread of culture. He created the first empire, thus was the first emperor.

Henry II

This man married Eleanor of Aquitane, gaining French land through the marriage

Julius Caesar

This man was a Roman military leader who ruled as a triumvirate and captured land. He became a self-proclaimed dictator-for-life. He was murdered soon afterwards.

Hummurabi

This man was a great ruler of the Babylonian empire and created the first code of laws, which said "An eye for an eye". He helped unify diverse groups, and collected existing rules and judgments.

William the Conquerer

This man was from Normandy, and through him France invaded England and took control.

Socrates

This man was one of Greece's sophists. He is most known for his interests in education and reforming the way things were taught.

Octavian

This man was the first emperor of Rome. He got the title of Augustus, and he was the grandnephew of Julius Caesar. His rule invoked the Pax Romana.

Charles Martel

This man was the mayor of Charlemagne's palace in 719; he had more power than the king. He also extended Frankish reign, as well as defeating Muslim raiders from Spain at the Battle of Tours, which was significant for Christian Europeans.

Charlemagne

This man was the son of Pepin the Short, and was left the Frankish kingdom. He built a great empire and conquered lots of land and spread Christianity. He strengthened royal power by limiting the authority of the nobles. He also encouraged learning by opening a palace school. He was crowned emperor by Pope Leo ll, joining of Germanic power, the Church, and heritage of the Roman Empire. He tried to revive the old Greek and Roman cultures, but failed. When he died, his land was split into thirds through the Treaty of Verdun.

Alexander the Great

This man was the son of Phillip II, king of Macedonia. He had control of Macedonia, Greece, Persia, and more, and died of hypothermia after a 13-year-conquering on his return to Macedonia.

Rome's Civil War

This occured as a result of Rome's two leaders disagreeing. Julius Caesar was leading his army in present-day France, while Pompeii ruled back in Rome. Julius decided that Pompeii was becoming too powerful, so he attacked him.

Sumerians

This people believed in polytheism, or the belief in many Gods. Their social classes included kings, landlords, priests, and merchants, and slaves. They are credited with inventing the wheel, plow, sail, and ziggurat. This people was the first ever city-state, and was home to Hammurabi. They were attacked by the Assyrians and taken over.

Hinduism

This religion/philosophy believes in gods named Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Their famous texts are Vedas and Puranas, and in this religion/philosophy, the Brahman is the priest. They believe the soul never dies, it's continuously reborn though a process called reincarnation. They also believe that pPeople achieve happiness and enlightenment after they free themselves from earthly desires. Freedom comes from a life of worship, knowledge, and virtuous acts.

Judaism

This religion/philosophy believes in one God(Yahweh), and Abraham is its founder. Its holy text is the Hebrew bible (Torah). A key belief is in only one God who loves and protects people, but also holds people accountable for sins, people serve God by studying the Torah and living by its teachings.

Confucianism

This religion/philosophy was founded by Confucius. It's holy text is the Analects (five classics), and one of their beliefs is in social order, harmony, and good government based on strong family relationships.

Legalism

This religion/philosophy was founded by Hanfeizi and Lisi, who believed a highly efficient and powerful government would restore society. Punishments are used to maintain social order. Rulers provide rewards for good actions.

Christianity

This religion/philosophy was founded by Jesus Christ, and it believes in one God that was the father of Jesus and watches over and cares for people. Another belief is that Jesus Christ died to save humanity from their sins, and his death and resurrection made eternal life possible for others.

Daoism

This religion/philosophy was founded by Laozi, who believed natural order is more important than social order, a universal force guides all things, and humans should live simply and in harmony with nature.

Islam

This religion/philosophy was founded by Muhammad, and their sacred book is the Qur'an, a holy book which tells how to achieve salvation by following the 5 pillars of Islam and living a just life. The Pillars are faith, prayer, charity to the poor, fasting during Ramadan, and if financially and physically capable, making a pilgrimage to Mecca sometime in a follower's lifetime.

Buddhism

This religion/philosophy was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha, and they have many monks and nuns. A core belief is that people achieve complete peace and happiness (Nirvana) by eliminating their attachment to worldly things. Achieved by: right views, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

Shintoism

This religion/philosophy was in Japan' clans and worshipped thousands of local gods. Their holy text is the "Way of the Gods" based on respect for forces of nature and worship of ancestors.

Neolithic Age

This time period existed during the Agricultural Revolution, or the development of farming and shift from hunting, and also included the domestication of animals. Settled villages led to multi-community interaction and the making of beer and bread. Women's roles were to cook/care for the children, men farmed/hunted. The balance between men and women was not equal; men were considered superior.

Greece's Government

This varied from city-state to city-state, but it consisted mostly of democracies and monarchies.

Chivalry

This was a complex set of ideals, demanding a knight fight bravely for his three masters- his earthly feudal lord, the Heavenly Lord, and his chosen lady. The ideal knight was brace, loyal, and courteous.

Germanic Invasions

This was a contributing factor to the fall of Rome. The Huns also lead to its downfall.

Hellenistic Culture

This was a culture that emerged due the the blending of Egyptian, Persian, and Indian influences

China's Dynastic Cycle

This was a cycle in China that consisted of an overthrow of government leading to the creation of a new dynasty. The dynasty would then create all sorts of reforms and be highly productive. However, after a while, the dynasty would soon become corrupt and nonproductive, and someone else would overthrow and thus the cycle would begin again.

Bubonic Plague

This was a disease that came from Asia and resulted in one third of Europe's death. It was caused by flees on rats that spread when traders and merchants traveled. It caused purple and black spots on the skin.

Magna Carta

This was a document which limited the power of the king and guaranteed no taxation without representation, a jury trial, and the protection of citizens' rights.

Direct Democracy

This was a form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives.

Republic

This was a form of government which was formed after a certain people had had a bad experience with kings and wanted nothing of them. It includes electing one person to speak for all.

Pax Romana

This was a period of peace in Rome in which people could travel along roads relatively safely and trade flourished.

Rosetta Stone

This was a stone found in Egypt that had multiple languages on it which helped Egyptologists understand hieroglyphics from Greek.

China's Silk Roads

This was a system of caravan roads across central Asia, on which traders carried silk and other goods.

Joan of Arc

This was a teenage French peasant girl named Joan felt moved by God to rescue France from its English conquerors. She almost turned it around, but she ended up being burned at the stake and called a heretic.

Egypt's Government

This was a theocracy, or rule based on religious authority. The "king" was considered a god.

The Hundred Years War

This was a war between England and France in which they battled for more than 100 years on French land. Edward lll launched a fight for the French throne. The French drove the English out of France, except for the port city of Calais. The outcome was a feeling of nationalism occurred in England and France, and this marked a turning point in the world's history of war, because they began making long distance weapons such as cannons and longbows. Power and prestige of French monarchs increased. The English suffered (War of the Roses) in which nobles fought for the throne. This marked the end of the Middle Ages.

Peloponnesian War

This was a war between Sparta and Athens. Although Athens had a strong navy, Sparta had a strong military, and after several battles beat Athens. Although Sparta won, Athens was still culturally dominant.

Roman Education

This was based off of the ideas of Greek philosophers.

Parliament

This was formed from high class citizens of every country forming a legislative branch that limited the royal power.

Fief

This was granted land from a lord to a vassal.

Aristotle

This was one of Greece's sophists who is best known for his progress in science, more particularly the physical world.

Plato

This was one of Greece's sophists who is best known for questioning leadership and government.

Aquaducts

This was one of Rome's most successful engineering feats which brought water from rivers and lakes into cities through a complex piping system.

Indus Religion

This was probably a theocracy, and the people of this civilization prayed for a good harvest and safety from floods. They believed in Shiva, or the mother goddess, reincarnation, and the worship of the cow. It had elements that would one day be incoroporated into Hinduism and Buddism.

Senate

This was the aristocratic branch of Roman government. It had legislative and administrative functions.

The Shang Dynasty

This was the first dynasty of China, and the first family of China to leave written records. The first (ever) emperor was Shi Huangdi. They built elaborate palaces and tombs and surrounded the city with massive walls because of attacks.

The Zhou Dynasty

This was the second Chinese dynasty which came to be after their overthrow of the Shang dynasty.

Plebeians

This was the social class in Rome who was basically those who remained once one removed the rich landlords (figuretively, not literally). They could not be Senators or Consuls, but had representation in the form of Tribunes, who did not have as much power but was unique in that they had veto powers that the Patricians did not.

Periclean Age

This was the time in Greece between the Persian Wars and the death of Periclese. This was considered the short but glorious Golden Age of Athens.

Harrapan

This was the written language of the Indus people. It is impossible to decipher, and has roughly 400 symbols.

Greece's Geography

This was very mountainous and difficult to travel through. Because of this, it lead to the creation of many independent city-states.

Rome's Founding

According to legend, the two twin brothers Romulus and Remus were raised by wolves and grew up in what would soon become a prominent city.

Commercial Revolution

After the Crusades, trade was expanded to farther distances and more products. Local markets began to meet the needs of each community, and "letters of credit" between merchants eliminated the need to carry large amounts of cash and it simplified trading. Towns attracted trade and grew into cities; the culture of cities helped to decrease the use of feudalism.

8 Components of Civilization

Cities, organized governments, complex religions, job specialization, social classes, art and architecture, public works, writing

The Purpose of Feudalism

Kings wanted a large amount of land to own, so Lords would live on their large manors which served as their own self-sufficient towns, and the kings provided protection to the Lords in exchange for loyalty and services. The Lords had mini-armies of knights, and they would give fiefs (land) to vassals, who would have serfs work the land.

The Societal Role of Knights

Knights were supposed to protect the weak and the poor.