AP World Early Africa and Mesoamerica Test

How did the Incas rule their vast empire? (describe the Alliance process)

The Inca ruled their vast empire in many ways. They ruled and expanded through alliances, intimidation, and conquest. The alliance process was simple. They would first ask a territory to form an alliance and become part of the Incan empire. If they did not comply, the Inca would show of their military power and luxury goods to intimidate the people. If that did not work, they would conquer the land. As for ruling their empire, the Inca had a strong administrative structure. They placed governors in conquered lands and imposed their language to make communication more efficient. In addition, the Inca would relocate rebellious groups to an area unknown to them as punishment for their behavior. This was done in effort to scare other conquered lands from rebelling. Furthermore, the Mita tribute system allowed them to gain tax, military service, and workers to control their empire and expand it. Lastly, their incredible technology, such as the Quipu and their road system, allowed record keeping and travel much easier, and the mobility of the army was quick to control their empire over the roads.

Tenochtitlan (description, technology, economy)

Greatest Aztec city, very advanced, had floating agricultural beds, had travel canals, enormous markets and temples, huge trading city

Mansa Musa

Greatest Malinke men, led Mali empire, made a famous hajj to Mecca, began using Muslim officials in his government

What other civilization closely resembles the city states of the Great Zimbabwe?

Greece

Makuna/Mamaconas

Group of noble women who served in the Inca government for life. They made clothing for the rich and made alcohol

Under Mansa Musa what happened to the city of Timbuktu?

He transformed Timbuktu into the leading cultural and trading city of Africa. After his hajj to Mecca, he brought back Islamic scholars, traders, and artists, who flourished in the city

During the post classical period, how could societies in the America be described?

Hierarchical conquest states

In the Ghanaian Empire, how was royal succession proceeded?

In Ghana, royal succession was not proceeded through the direct son of the King, instead, the King's sisters son became the new King. So the King's nephew succeeded him

What happened in West Africa after the collapse of the Ghanaian empire?

In West Africa after the collapse of the Ghanaian empire, chaos erupted. There was no central authority, and therefore a power vacuum

What similarities existed between the Mayan city states and the Japanese government?

In both Japan and Mayan city states, their regions were run by governmental elites and dynasties. In addition, like in Japan, there was a constant power struggle between the ruling families in the Mayan civilization.

How did the spread of Islam differ in East Africa compared to Central and West Africa?

In east Africa, the spread was more violent. The west was more peaceful

How did the kings of Ghana rule or exercise their power? Who carried out the day to day operations?

The Kings exercised their power through a council of advisors or elders who carried out his orders. The King's main role was to serve as a judge for disputes among his people, and was very involved with his people. In addition, his army helped him maintain power.

Which African society captured neighboring tribes and used them as plantation workers? They became the model for slavery in the new world

The Mali empire

Which keita or Clan formed the core of the population of the Malian empire?

The Malinke people

What is the Mesoamerican calendar based on?

The Mesoamerican calendar was based off the one created by the Monte Alban civilization. This calendar featured 2 interlocking circles, one for the sun and one for the moon. There were 365 solar days and 260 lunar days.

What condition did the Portuguese bring to the East Coast of Africa?

The Portuguese destroyed the East African trade. Their attacks led to widespread destruction and massive economic decline for East Africa

What was the impact of the Portuguese arrival on the trading patterns of the East african coast?

The Portuguese, trying to destroy the East African trading cities and gain their wealth, left the trading patterns of East Africa in ruins. Trade was reduced and the cities had no power, However, central Africans refused to cooperate with the portuguese, and limited their gold trade, which eventually pushed the Portuguese out of East Africa,

Bantu

The West African based root language

Bantu Migrations

The eastward and southward movement of Africans out of West Africa

Olmecs (description, structure, government)

The first Mesoamerican civilization in Mexico, had a series of important cities, run by all powerful priest kings

Tikal

The largest Mayan city that was a center of trade

Why is the long count of Mesoamerica civilization so significant to history?

The long count calendar developed by the Mayans, which used 29 1/2 day months and a leap year to help astronomers keep records, is very useful to history because it allowed Europeans to match what happened to the Mayans with other events. Today, the Long count calendar is useful because Historians can date important Mayan events with percision

What was the major source of wealth for the Songhai empire?

The major source of wealth for the Songhai empire was caused by their control of the agricultural and mineral base of West Africa. This trade with the Middle East and other areas helped their economy immensely.

Agents of Islam brought which elements to sub-Saharan Africa?

Islam brought increased international trade, and boosted the African economies. It gave rise to the development of Mosques and religious buildings all over Africa. In addition, Muslim traders and scholars blended the African and Arabic culture, spreading new ideas and inventions across the continent. Moreover, these peoples mixed with the African population and formed a mix blood group. Islamic influence changed political organization and thinking throughout the many empires of Africa. On the negative side, Muslim scholars did displace many natives in their comings to the empires.

What region of Africa was first converted to Islam in 700 AD?

Islam first spread into North Africa around 700 AD, mainly into the empire of Ghana. While Ghana did not officially convert to Islam, they welcomed Muslim trade and practices and even government officials.

What is the level of impact that Islam had on sub-saharan africa?

Islam had a massive impact on sub-Saharan Africa. Islam allowed trading to explode in Africa, allowing the gold based economies of the empires to thrive. It also brought new ideas and political thinking to Africa, furthering their advancement. Lastly, Islam had a large influence on the eastern Swahili Language, as Arabic influenced the development of this language immensely.

Which Kongan ruler tried to rid his country of Portuguese slave trade?

King Afonso 1

What is special about the leadership of King Sundiata of Mali?

King Sundiata was very important as he built the Mali empire and was the foundation of its power. He was able to have a large economic boom due to agricultural inventions, irrigation leading to a massive population growth. He also expanded his empire to the interior of Africa and founded the city of Timbuktu, Mali's capital, which became the most important trading city in all of Africa.

What is the major African state that the Portuguese dealt with after coming to Central Africa?

Kingdom of Kongo

King Afonso 1

Kongan king who wanted to stop the slave trade, the Portuguese tried to kill him, and due to this attempt, his people rose up against the Portuguese and bought their goods

Incas

Large south american empire who were very technologically advanced

Hernado Cortes

Leader of the conquistadors that destroyed the Aztecs

Mansa Musa's gold giving

Lowers the value of gold, causes inflation he gives so much away

What was the level of urbanization in the Mali empire?

Mali was a very urbanized empire, as monopolizing on the gold trade allowed them to build a very large empire. Advanced cities such as Timbuktu go to prove Mali's urbanization. In addition, the Malinke people of the Mali empire all lied in urban walled cities.

Keita

Malian clans

What might explain why so many people who were subject to the Aztecs were willing to support Cortez and his conquistadors?

Many subject civilizations hated the aztecs and gladly joined Cortez to destroy the Aztecs. This is because of the mass killings of their people for sacrifice, and later made worse by the 10-12 year cycle of their return for more sacrifices. This along with the strangling tribute required by the needy Aztec empire led to immense outside hatred.

What are the the geographic borders of Mesoamerica?

Mexico to Venezuela, or Central Mexico to Northern South America

2 Aztec social classes

Nobles and commoners

Senegambia

On the western coast of Africa, first region affected by the European traders

What are some of the difficulties that confront scholars trying to understand the ancient civilizations of the Americas?

One of the main difficulties when studying the ancient civilizations of the Americas is that of the few written records, most were destroyed by the Spanish and natural events. Moreover, many American societies including the Incas, never developed a writing system, making all historical knowledge based off of ruins and paintings.

Aztec Army

Organized army that was not standing, all men had to serve some time, and the army was very powerful using obsidian and flint to destroy their enemy,

What would be the primary drawback to accepting outside observers accounts as vital evidence for African history?

Outside observers have a lot of bias, which is a primary drawback for using their evidence as vital. In addition, many of the purposes behind outside documents are unknown, so their truthfulness is uncertain. For example, if a Portuguese soldier is east Africa was trying to persuade their king to provide military support for a "holy way", they would describe the Islamic Africans as uncivilized savages, truthful or not.

Inca religion

Polytheistic with nature gods, no sacrifice

Mayan civilization (description, location, religion, technology, government)

Powerful and complex series of city states, on the Yucatan peninsula, sacrificial polytheistic religion, great understanding of science, math, and astronomy, and were ruled by dynasties

Sonni Ali

Powerful founder of the Songhai kingdom

What would be the best description of the Mita system used by the Incas?

The mita system was a form of tribute, usually through labor, military service, or public works aid, to the Incan government. The mita system had a very specific labor system to produce goods. State land was divided into thirds, where the local population grew crops on one third, another third was used for government production, and the last third was for religious food production. Everyone worked for about 40 days on these 1/3 lands to pay their taxes. As for military service, al men were required to serve some time in the army. Lastly, others were recruited to help build public works to pay off their taxes

Why did Teotihuacan's influence begin to wane around 500 AD

Their influence began to wane due to increased outside pressure, and on the 700's, a massive fire destroyed much of the city, and they never fully recovered

What is true about the universiality of religion and politics in Africa?

There was no universal religion or government in Africa, as it is such a large and diverse continent to make any universal statement. However, Islam and to a lesser degree Christianity, took a strong hold in many areas.

What led to the collapse and the downfall of the Songhai empire?

There were two main factors that lead to the downfall of the Songhai empire. Firstly, their last ruler, Muhammad al-Turi, brought many Muslim scholars and officials back to his empire. This led to the displacement of natives, which led to hesitance of his rule by his people, one factor leading to the empire's downfall. Secondly, Songhai was defeated by Moroccan warriors who had superior technology in gunpowder.

As we look carved images of bound prisoners at Monte Alban, what does this tell us?

These prisoners were used as the human sacrifices, and Monte Alban was the first known practicer of sacrifice. These carvings show us that Monte Alban was a sacrificial civilization

Why did people of the Americas never develop the wheel?

They did not develop the wheel because they were a group of hunter gatherers who had not beasts of burden that would require the wheel. Therefore, all work was done by man power, and the wheel was never invented. In addition, they were cut off from cultural diffusion with the Old World, so the wheel invention was never brought to the Americas

Why was the civilization of the great Zimbabwe safe from the Portuguese?

They were safe from the Portuguese because they were so far inland. The Portuguese mainly attacked coastal territories to control trade, which left the Great zimbabwe far from the area of need. In addition, the city states of the Great Zimbabwe were very protected with huge walls.

What is the accuracy of the popular view of sub-Saharan Africa, saying that is was an region isolated from civilization until Europeans arrived?

This statement is very inaccurate, as there were many pre-european flourishing civilizations such as Ghana, Mali, Songhay, Kongo and the great Zimbabwe. Some of these civilizations were very advanced and urbanized, centering around trade across Central Africa and in the Indian Ocean. Their walled cities, strong fortresses, and gold designing all testify to the civilization aspect of pre-European Africa.

What is the leading intellectual center for the Islamic religion and culture in West Africa?

Timbuktu

Why do we know more about the Aztecs than any other Mesoamerican civilization?

We know so much about the Aztec civilization because the Spanish wrote about them and we can decipher spanish. Their descriptions, along with ruins, and paintings, have allowed us to understand quite a bit of this old civilization.

Where do the Portuguese first arrive (besides North Africa?) What were they in search of?

West Africa, in search of gold

Aztec sacrifice

The Aztecs practiced sacrifice on mass proportions to fuel their sun god in his fight against darkness

Aztec rise to power

The Aztecs took power as the military unit of the small Toltecs

Jaga Wars

Civil wars within the Kongan kingdom which led to their fall (Portuguese too advantage of unrest)

Inca technology

1) Huge road system 2) Storage units for food and products 3) Suspension bridges 4) Quipu

By the early 1500's, what commonalities were there between mesoamerican empires and African empires?

1) Many of the Mesoamerican and African societies did not have a writing system 2) many traditions were orally passed down. 3) both the Malian empire and the Aztecs used prisoners of war as slaves 4) More importantly, mesoamerican and African empires reached the height of their power and then European contact constructed their demise. 5)Less importantly, they were vast trading empires 6)they both had polytheistic religions 7)there was much cultural diversity within the empire 8)they developed unique types of agriculture.

Which would be similarities between Mesoamerican and Old World cultures (Europe, Africa, Asia)?

1) The development of agriculture 2) The development of trading based empires 3) The development of centralized cities and governments 4) The development of polytheism 5) The use of slavery 6) The development of royal families 7) The development of distinct social classes

Great Zimbabwe

150 Southeastern Africa city states who built massive walled cities

Ghana Kingdom (order, religion, economy)

1st West African Kingdom, had a polytheistic religion but had Islamic influence in government,had a cash crop and gold based economy, centered around tribute and high tariffs

Mali Kingdom (order, religion, economy)

2nd West African Kingdom, converted to Islam, monopolized the gold trade

Songhai Kingdom (order, religion, economy)

3rd West African Kingdom, short lived but powerful, Islamic empire gold, based economy

What is a prazero? How did they effect East Africa?

A Prazero is a mixed blood Portuguese and East African person. They became great landowners and took over East Africa, persecuting the natives.

What was the major drawback of African trade with other civilizations?

African trade with other civilizations had one major issue, which is that it attracted many European and Middle Eastern civilizations. The abundance of gold immensely attracted the Europeans to Africa, and their traveling to Africa for gold led to the downfall of Africa. As Europeans went for gold, they also began the African slave trade, which left a negative impact on Africa and the World. This slave and gold contact also lead to European colonialism and imperialism later on, furthering destroying Africa's advancement.

Swahili

African/Arabic influenced language spoken along the East coast of Africa

How did contact with the Muslim world effect the African slave trade?

Africans traded irreplaceable items (people) for replaceable items (salt etc.)

After conquest, how did the Aztec's treat their conquered people?

After conquest, the Aztecs would take many persons for sacrifice, but leave the women, children, and teenagers to reproduce. Then, 10-12 years later, they would come back for those same people for sacrifice.

What were the results of the Aztec rise to power?

After their rise to power, they reshaped local religion and ritual practices into their own. Their massive expansion led to increased human sacrifice, and they heavily imposed taxes on their conquered lands.

Teotihuacan (description, location, economy, government/organization)

First true city state, located on lake Texcoco, trading empire, had a strong central government and an organized city

Without metal, what materials and tools were used as weapons in Mesoamerica?

Flint, stone and obsidian weapons and tools were mainly used in Mesoamerica

Sundiata

Founder of the Mali Kingdom, extended the empire and founded Timbuktu

Quipu

An Inca record keeping device using leather and copper strings and beads

Which two languages served as unifiers in their large diverse empires?

Arabic and Incan

What were some primary resources for African history?

Architectural evidence, the paintings and sculptures of the African people, pottery and jewelry, masks, colored cloths, Arabic accounts such as Ibn Batuta and even some Europeans accounts (a.k.a, not writing)

What was the impact of expansion and conquest on the Aztec social system?

As the Aztecs expanded, the social system was heavily influenced. Traders and merchants gained importance as the empire expanded, as their markets and trading opportunities expanded. These merchants spread aztec ideology and even formed merchant guilds. In addition, soldiers who captured others for sacrifice in expansion gained social class.

Avenue of the Dead

Avenue of Teotihuacan which contained bodies of old nobles and priests, and was covered with scary faces to scare the evil spirits away

Calpulli

Aztec neighborhoods where the commoners who live, work, and learn

What was the central theme to Aztec religious ideology?

Aztec religion was a polytheistic religion centered around human sacrifice. The Aztecs would sacrifice thousands of people a day to fuel their sun god in his battle against darkness

Where did the majority of slaves come from?

Central Africa

Kingdom of the Kongo

Central African kingdom, an early slave trader with the Portuguese for luxury goods

Axum

Christian east coast African empire who created a triangle trade with the middle east and india

Malinke People

Core of the Malian population who lived in walled city states

What were some of the major crops that were domesticated in Mesoamerica?

Corn, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans

Why do historians as of late know more about the Mayan civilization?

Current Historians are beginning to learn more about the Mayan civilization as supercomputers and historians have begun to understand some of the Mayan writing, furthering our understanding of the civilization

Who made up the population of the cape colony of south africa?

Dutch Afrikaners and the Native KhoiKhois, who were lated persecuted by the power hungry Portuguese.

South Africa

Dutch controlled stopping point for long distance sailors

Nubia

Early East African coast trading empire who specialized in iron making

Monte Alban (creations?)

Early important mesoamerican city, who created the solar/lunar calendar, prisoner of war capturing, and were the first known practitioners of human sacrifice

What were the main exports of East Africa taken by Muslims to the Middle East?

Early on, in the Nubia kingdom, high quality iron tools and weapons were traded to the Middle East. Later, they controlled the cash crops and gold trade

Muhammad al-turi

Songhai leader, devout Muslim, his displacement of Natives for Muslim scholars, leading to public mistrust and the end of the kingdom

What ruler was responsible for the creation and expanse of the Songhai empire?

Sonni Ali

What Monarch is credited with beginning Malinke expansion and creating the Mali empire?

Sundiata

Which leader turned Mali into imperial power in the 1200's?

Sundiata

Aztec civilization was centered around what large city?

Tenochtitlan

What was the first true city-state in Mesoamerica?

Teotihuacan

The Mayan Civilization was composed of many cities or city states that did what?

The 39 Mayan city states were all run dynasties who were never challenged. These dynasties ran their region and had the upmost authority