HIS Unit 1 Exam

New Kingdom Egyptian Pharaoh who introduced monotheism to Egypt and built a new capital to honor his god in ~1350 BCE. All his changes were soon undone after his death.

Akhenaten

An alloy made from copper and tin, the use of this metal for tools and weapons paved the way for the first great age of civilization.

Bronze

Legendary king of Uruk, hero of an early Mesopotamian story from ~1800 BCE considered to be one of the world's earliest examples of narrative writing.

Gilgamesh

King of the Amorite or 'Old' Babylonian empire of Mesopotamia in ~1750 BCE who is responsible for the first written code of laws to govern a society.

Hammurabi

New Kingdom Egyptian female pharaoh who in ~1480 BCE presided over the largest territory Egypt ever controlled.

Hatshepsut

Ruling a strong military empire under a limited monarchy in Anatolia from 1500-1200 BCE., these were the first people to develop the technology of iron for weapons and tools.

Hittites

Egyptian goddess of justice, order, and stability. She embodied the guiding principle of the rule of the Pharaohs, negating the need for written laws.

Ma'at

Governing principle in early dynastic China, particularly during the Zhou dynasty. Kings were divinely granted authority to rule as long as they ruled with virtue and justice. When they didn't, they should be overthrown.

Mandate of Heaven

Area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern Iraq, encompassing part of the 'Fertile Crescent', where the world's first agriculture, and later the first cities, developed.

Mesopotamia

Prosperous proto-Greek culture centered on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. They thrived peacefully for ~600 years until they suddenly disappeared in 1,450 BCE.

Minoans

Located on the banks of the Indus river, it is one of the largest cities of the Harappan civilization, though not the city the culture is named for.

Mohenjo-Daro

Israelite raised as an Egyptian who led the Israelites away from slavery in Egypt in ~1250 BCE back to the land of their ancestors. Credited by Jews with authoring the Torah.

Moses

Form of divination and predicting the future in Shang dynasty China, in which priests wrote questions to gods or ancestors on shells, then analyzed the cracks made by burning them for the answer.

Oracle Bones

The earliest stone age period (~100,000 - ~10,000 BCE) in which most humans lived in small groups of hunter-gatherers.

Paleolithic

This seafaring people based in the northern Levant (modern Lebanon) controlled a vast economic empire from 1100-200 BCE, and are credited with developing the first language that uses an alphabet rather than having a symbol for each word.

Phoenicians

The worship of more than one god. Almost all early civilizations practiced this form of religion.

Polytheism

Multi-lingual document dating from 196 BCE and discovered in 1799, it provided the 'key' for deciphering Old Kingdom Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Rosetta Stone

Semitic king who in ~2350 BCE consolidated the early Sumerian city-states by forced alliance into Mesopotamia's first territorial-state.

Sargon of Akkad

The monotheistic God of the Israelites was believed to be so holy that even writing or speaking his entire name would result in death. Translated 'I am that I am', this became his written name.

YWHW

Large, stepped pyramids built by early Mesopotamians for religious ritual and sacrifice. Considered the first large structures built by humans.

Ziggurats

Which of the following are true about the Phoenicians? (multiple answers -check all that apply) Select one or more: a) The were based at the eastern Mediterranean coastal area in cities such as Sidon, and Tyre. b) They established a far-flung colonial empire in the Mediterranean that far outlasted their homeland c) They controlled most of the land between the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia d) They were master shipbuilders, navigators, and traders e) They developed the world's first alphabetic language f) They had an advanced democratic system of government

a) The were based at the eastern Mediterranean coastal area in cities such as Sidon, and Tyre. b) They established a far-flung colonial empire in the Mediterranean that far outlasted their homeland d) They were master shipbuilders, navigators, and traders e) They developed the world's first alphabetic language

Which of the following best characterizes the Kassites' rule of Mesopotamia? Select one: a) Though newcomers, they sought to preserve the old culture, literature, and religion of Babylon as much as possible. b) As newcomers, they were determined to leave their own mark on the region by utterly destroying all vestiges of previous Babylonian life and culture. c) They allowed for individual freedom of religion for the first time in that region. d) They lacked the experience necessary to govern the region, and thus ushered in a period of chaos.

a) Though newcomers, they sought to preserve the old culture, literature, and religion of Babylon as much as possible.

Which of the following is/are true about the Zhou dynasty in China? (multiple answers - check all that apply) Select one or more: a) All decisions for each region were managed from the king's court at Haojing b) At 550 years, it was the longest running of any dynasty in Chinese history c) It was an egalitarian and socially integrated society d) It extended its geographical power gradually as regional lords joined a hierarchical system under Zhou rule e) It quickly centralized its authority by crushing resistance from local lords f) The 'Mandate of Heaven' became its governing principle

b) At 550 years, it was the longest running of any dynasty in Chinese history d) It extended its geographical power gradually as regional lords joined a hierarchical system under Zhou rule f) The 'Mandate of Heaven' became its governing principle

Which of the following was a crucial development of the late Neolithic-era nomadic and transhumant pastoralist cultures of the Eurasian steppe-lands? (check all that apply) Select one or more: a) Written language b) Horse-drawn chariots c) The first human expression of art d) Formal government bureaucracies e) Bronze metallurgy

b) Horse-drawn chariots e) Bronze metallurgy

The prevailing theory for the cause of the demise of the Minoan civilization is Select one: a) Middle Kingdom Egypt began to assert so much control over Crete and other Mediterranean islands that they became assimilated into Egyptian culture. b) They were wiped out by tsunamis from the eruption of the Thera volcano and the subsequent artificial winter c) They ravaged themselves in a civil war resulting from a succession dispute d) They were invaded by the mysterious 'Sea People'

b) They were wiped out by tsunamis from the eruption of the Thera volcano and the subsequent artificial winter

Archaeologists believe the Harappan civilization of the Indus Valley had a complex trade system in place because: Select one: a) Shang China records indicate having traded with the Harappans b) Documents have been uncovered which describe the Harappan economic system c) Similar artifacts are found in widely geographically dispersed ruin sites

c) Similar artifacts are found in widely geographically dispersed ruin sites

The body of law that formed the religious, social, and political foundation of Israelite society was called the Select one: a) Messiah b) Codex Civil c) Torah d) Great Rhetra e) Elohim

c) Torah

Which of the following correctly describes Cuneiform? Select one: a) It was the chief method of communication for Neolithic peoples b) It made agriculture possible by allowing grains to be cultivated in larger plots. c) It marks the transition between the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages d) It was the world's first written language, developed by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia

d) It was the world's first written language, developed by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia

The 'Fertile Crescent' is located in: Select one: a) The Huang He region in Eastern China b) The Lascaux region of modern day France c) The Nile valley in Egypt d) Modern day Iraq, Syria, and the Levant region

d) Modern day Iraq, Syria, and the Levant region

The 1274 BCE Battle of Kadesh is significant because Select one: a) It was the first time an Egyptian Pharaoh was killed in battle b) The overwhelming Egyptian victory marked the high point of New Kingdom expansion c) It directly resulted in the end of Egypt's Middle Kingdom d) The lack of a clear victor led to the world's first international peace treaty

d) The lack of a clear victor led to the world's first international peace treaty