Period 1: 600-1450 MCQ
Which of the following continuities in the development of African states in the period circa 1200-1450 most likely explains the prevalence of Christianity in Ethiopia? A) Some African states' religious traditions continued to be influenced by cultural transfers dating back to earlier centuries. B) Some African states were famous for their religious toleration and for allowing multiple religious traditions to coexist in their territories. C) African states' official religions were typically syncretic mixtures of several different religious traditions. D) While African populations mostly continued to adhere to indigenous polytheistic religions, African political elites often adopted monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Islam.
A) Some African states' religious traditions continued to be influenced by cultural transfers dating back to earlier centuries.
The poem most clearly illustrates which of the following? A) The integration of Buddhism into Chinese religious beliefs B) Popular discontent at the collapse of the Qin dynasty C) The rise of Neoconfucianism during the Tang dynasty D) Chinese state policies aimed at suppressing Confucianism
A) The integration of Buddhism into Chinese religious beliefs
The following question(s) refer to the following passage. "Lu Hui's parents died when he was young and he was brought up in his mother's family. His uncle often encouraged him to take the imperial examination. Uprisings, however, prevented Lu from being able to take the examinations. Unable to make a living, Lu became a poor wandering student. One day, Zheng Xu, who was a high-ranking government official, offered to make arrangements that would allow Lu to bypass the exams and advance himself with Zheng's support. Zheng tried to tempt Lu to skirt the rules, saying 'How long can a man live? If there is a shortcut to riches and fame, why insist on going through examinations?' But Lu firmly refused the offer, saying, 'Our great nation has established the examination system for the outstanding and the talented. My uncle always encouraged me to take the examinations and I cannot bring myself to break our agreement. If I have to die as a mere student, it is my fate. But I will not change my mind for the sake of wealth.' When Zheng saw Lu's determination, he respected him even more than before. Another ten years passed before Lu finally passed the examination. He died as one of the highest officials in the whole empire." Wang Dingbao, government official in a regional state established after the collapse of the Tang Dynasty, Selected Stories From the Time of The Tang, a collection of biographies, written circa 940 C.E Based on the passage, which of the following was the most likely reason that Wang Dingbao chose to record the story of Lu Hui? A) To offer an example of proper social behavior for others to follow B) To caution against the excesses of wealth accumulation C) To illustrate the cultural differences between China and its nomadic neighbors D) To praise the rulers of the regional state in which he lived
A) To offer an example of proper social behavior for others to follow
The need for legal action to address the "grave inconveniences" that might result from the labor shortages described in the passage most likely resulted from A) the agrarian nature of medieval European economies and their reliance on coerced labor B) the inability of members of the nobility and other feudal lords to take direct legal action against their workers and serfs C) the high social rank and economic standing of plowmen in medieval English society D) the presence of guild regulations prohibiting agricultural laborers from working more than a certain number of hours each week
A) the agrarian nature of medieval European economies and their reliance on coerced labor
Same passage The passage most strongly reflects the continuing influence of which of the following belief systems in Chinese society? A) Buddhism B) Confucianism C) Daoism D) Legalism
B) Confucianism
"In that year [1450 c.e.] there came to Naples a three-man embassy from the King of Ethiopia to His Highness, our King Alfonso. Among the ambassadors was a certain Pietro Rombulo, an Italian, native of the city of Messina. This Pietro claimed that he had lived among the Ethiopians for over 40 years. And he described to me how in Ethiopia there are innumerable Christians—since both the people and the king there worship Christ—among whom he had been able to live a good Christian life safely and honorably. The ruler of Ethiopia, King David, whom they call Zara Yacob, was said by the ambassadors to be the most civilized, the most just, and the most pious of princes." Pietro Ranzano, Catholic Church official in Naples and Sicily, universal history written circa 1480 Which of the following was a continuity in the development of African states in the period circa 1200-1450 ? A) African states such as Ethiopia maintained close contacts with South and East Asian states across the Indian Ocean but rarely had contacts with Europe. B) Despite geographical barriers, some African states were able to maintain diplomatic and cultural contacts with the broader Afro-Eurasian world. C) Most African states rejected traditional forms of international diplomacy, such as dynastic marriages and tribute payments. D) African states needed to maintain friendly diplomatic relations with Europe in order to expand their empires.
B) Despite geographical barriers, some African states were able to maintain diplomatic and cultural contacts with the broader Afro-Eurasian world.
MARIA, COUNTESS OF BÉARN,* ACCOMPANIED BY SEVEN OF HER MALE COURTIERS, SWEARS HOMAGE TO HER OVERLORD, KING ALFONSO II OF ARAGON, ILLUSTRATION IN A MANUSCRIPT PRODUCED FOR THE ROYAL COURT OF ARAGON CIRCA 1175 C.E. The figure presents a manuscript illustration depicting Maria, the countess of Béarn, swearing homage to King Alfonso the second of Aragón. Maria is drawn kneeling before the king and holding his hands. The king is sitting in a chair and is distinguished by a crown. Seven male courtiers stand behind Maria. Two male figures stand behind the king. The clothing worn by each figure is meticulously drawn in swirled patterns. A simple colonnade is drawn in the background. Archivo de la Corona de Aragon, Barcelona, Spain Mithra-Index/Bridgeman Images. *The lordship of Béarn was located in present-day southwestern France. The image most directly illustrates which of the following features of the political development of medieval Europe? A) Its bureaucratization, as European rulers developed sophisticated systems of record keeping to strengthen their authority. B) Its decentralization, as European rulers frequently delegated authority to local subordinates. C) Its reliance on Roman traditions, as European rulers used ancient customs to demonstrate their legitimacy. D) Its ethnic and cultural diversity, as European rulers granted ethnic and religious groups the right to use their own laws and traditions.
B) Its decentralization, as European rulers frequently delegated authority to local subordinates.
The Primordial Beginning "Heaven is everlasting; Life itself is brief; The world is fleeting, but the Way eternal. 'Tis the road of meditation that begins the distant journey, While the sea of craving sets adrift the lighter crafts. Before the dust of bondage has been cleared away, How can the plantings of the mind be contemplated? Yet, what need is there to wash away the grime of passion? In the waters of the Truth there is a tranquil flow." Wang Jung, Chinese poet, "Songs of Religious Joy," fifth century C.E. Source: The Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 107, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar., 1987), pp. 31 38 In which of the following regions did Chinese cultural traditions have the longest-lasting influence? A) Indonesia B) Korea C) Persia D) India
B) Korea
A thematic map titled "Muslim Areas in Southeast Asia, 1650 Common Era" shows a partial view of the Southeast Asian regions. It marks Philippines, Borneo, Sulawesi, Bali, Java, and Sumatra on it. Which of the following factors best explains the distribution of Muslim populations shown on the map above? A) Religious pilgrimages B) Merchant activity C) Imperialism D) Forced migration
B) Merchant activity
"Let the blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad and his companions universally. In the year 1640 C.E. I wanted to behold the mystics of every sect, to hear the lofty expressions of monotheism, and to cast my eyes upon many books of mysticism. I, therefore, examined the Book of Moses, the Gospels, and the Psalms. Among the Hindus, the best of their heavenly books, which contain all the secrets of pure monotheism, are called the Upanishads. Because I do not know Sanskrit, I wanted to make an exact and literal translation of the Upanishads into Persian*. For the Upanishads are a treasure of monotheism and there are few thoroughly conversant with them even among the Indians. Thereby I also wanted to make the texts accessible to Muslims. I assembled Hindu scholars and ascetics to help with the translation. Every sublime topic that I had desired or thought and had looked for and not found, I obtained from these most ancient books, the source and the fountainhead of the ocean of religious unity, in conformity with the holy Qur'an." *Persian was the primary language used at the Mughal court. Dara Shikoh, son of the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan, account of the translation of the Upanishads into Persian, 1657 C.E. Based on the passage, which of the following most strongly influenced Dara Shikoh's religious views? A) Shi'ism B) Sufism C) Buddhism D) Zoroastrianism
B) Sufism
The author directly uses all of the following pieces of evidence to support his argument about the relationship between exotic goods and the power of Maya rulers EXCEPT that Maya rulers A) used exotic goods to carry out rituals that their subjects expected them to perform B) prohibited nobles and priests from wearing certain types of exotic goods reserved for rulers C) used exotic goods in royal coronations D) received exotic goods as tribute payments from vassals
B) prohibited nobles and priests from wearing certain types of exotic goods reserved for rulers
The coexistence of rulers and councils of elders in African states in the period circa 1200-1450 best demonstrates A) an attempt to imitate the feudal governments of European states and East Asian empires B) the influence of indigenous African political practices C) an adaptation to the climatic conditions of the East African coast D) a reflection of the hardships and uncertainties faced by Muslim seaborne traders
B) the influence of indigenous African political practices
All of the following statements are factually accurate. Which most likely explains Froissart's view of the peasants' grievances discussed in the passage? A) Even though he was French, Froissart traveled to England to collect information for his chronicles. B) Peasant revolts were fairly common in medieval Europe. C) History writing in medieval Europe was aimed primarily at elite audiences. D) In addition to his chronicles, Froissart wrote a work of romance based on the legend of King Arthur.
C) History writing in medieval Europe was aimed primarily at elite audiences.
Which of the following was the main reason that Buddhist thought had important social implications for South Asia? A) It encouraged larger family size. B) Its followers were incorporated into the Brahman caste. C) It challenged hierarchies based on caste. D) It reinforced the idea of obedience to the emperor as a means to salvation.
C) It challenged hierarchies based on caste.
The interregional connections of states such as those on the East African coast can best be used as an illustration of the continued importance of which of the following? A) International diplomacy B) Polytheistic religions C) Long-distance trade D) Patriarchal gender norms
C) Long-distance trade
Which of the following best supports the conclusion that Japan borrowed extensively from Tang and Song China? A) Japan had established a decentralized power structure under a shogun by the eleventh century C.E. B) Warriors or samurai gained substantial power and social status in Japan. C) Societal relations in Japan were based on Confucian principles of hierarchy. D) The Shinto religion continued to exert a strong influence on Japanese culture.
C) Societal relations in Japan were based on Confucian principles of hierarchy.
In the period 600 C.E. to 1450 C.E., states in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam had which of the following in common? A) All successfully excluded European merchants. B) All were conquered by the Mongols. C) All rejected both Buddhism and Christianity. D) All were culturally influenced by China.
D) All were culturally influenced by China.
Which of the following developments best explains why many historians argue that the Song dynasty period (960-1279 C.E.) was pivotal in the development of China as an economic world power? A) The widespread use of gunpowder technology in combat began during the Song period. B) The invention of movable-type printing took place during the Song period. C) The Neoconfucian synthesis of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism was completed during the Song period. D) China's population doubled and Chinese urban centers experienced massive growth during the Song period.
D) China's population doubled and Chinese urban centers experienced massive growth during the Song period.
Which of the great religious systems below were characterized by monotheism combined with a sacred text and a strong missionary thrust? A) Buddhism and Confucianism B) Buddhism and Hinduism C) Christianity and Judaism D) Christianity and Islam E) Islam and Judaism
D) Christianity and Islam
As Islam spread between 1200 and 1600, it affected gender relations in which of the following ways? A) Women were no longer allowed to be small-scale traders. B) Polygamy became widespread. C) Women became fully equal to men in terms of the right to divorce. D) Existing local customs regarding marriage and the role of women blended with Islamic
D) Existing local customs regarding marriage and the role of women blended with Islamic
The act of the countess of Béarn in the image is most closely identified with which of the following political systems? A) Manorialism B) Serfdom C) Monasticism D) Feudalism
D) Feudalism
Which of the following pieces of evidence does the author use to support his argument about the pride of Inca rulers in the second paragraph? A) Inca rulers followed the method of dynastic succession for passing political authority from one ruler to another. B) Inca rulers performed religious ceremonies to bless the highways and those who traveled on them. C) Inca rulers had officials assign men from the provinces to construct the highways. D) Inca rulers typically tried to construct bigger and broader highways than their predecessors if they wanted to undertake conquests.
D) Inca rulers typically tried to construct bigger and broader highways than their predecessors if they wanted to undertake conquests.
Muslim scholars' incorporation of cultural and intellectual influences from pre-Islamic societies can best be used as evidence that A) most educated Muslims continued to speak European languages well into the fifteenth century B) European merchants had established trade outposts throughout Muslim Central Asia C) Muslim scientists rejected the contributions of scientists from other cultures as heretical D) Muslim states and empires were central to the processes of intellectual transfer in Eurasia
D) Muslim states and empires were central to the processes of intellectual transfer in Eurasia
The following question(s) refer to the following passage. "Zhu Seng Du came from an intellectual family in South China. He lived with his mother and was a dutiful son. He later proposed to a woman from the respected Yang family. Before the marriage was set, however, his fiancée's mother and father died and soon after Du's mother died as well. Realizing the transience of this world, Du left everything behind and entered a monastic order. His fiancée realized that there was no place in society for a woman like her. So, she wrote to Du and said 'The ancestral temples should not be abandoned as you have done. Moreover, considering the teaching of Confucian society, you should abandon your lofty religious ideals and make a name for yourself in the world. Through your success you would glorify the spirits of your ancestors and bring comfort to those close to you.' Du responded 'Serving the ruler cannot be compared to pursuing the path of Buddhism for the benefit of all people. Serving one's parents cannot be compared to seeking perfection for the sake of all beings in the universe. I have chosen the path of the Buddha. Dear one, let this be our last goodbye. The student of the dharma must learn to cast away his attachments to this world.'" The Lives of Eminent Monks, a collection of Buddhist biographies, China, sixth century C.E. The passage most directly illustrates which of the following differences between Confucianism and Buddhism? A) Confucianism is a cultural tradition emphasizing ethical norms, whereas Buddhism is a religious tradition emphasizing spiritual practices. B) Confucianism is a cultural tradition native to China, whereas Buddhism is a religious tradition native to South Asia that took a long time to get established in China. C) Confucianism is considered to be a monotheistic cultural tradition, whereas Buddhism is considered to be a polytheistic religious tradition. D) Confucianism generally reinforced patriarchal gender norms in traditional Chinese society, whereas Buddhism often broke these norms by offering women new religious vocations.
A) Confucianism is a cultural tradition emphasizing ethical norms, whereas Buddhism is a religious tradition emphasizing spiritual practices.
"One of the most important aspects of the Maya economy was the exchange of exotic goods. Maya rulers and elites needed such goods to maintain and reinforce their social status and power. Many of these goods were used in the formal dress of kings, nobles, and priests. Without them, the elites could not carry out the rituals that were their principal duties in the eyes of the people. Jaguar pelts, fine textiles, feathers, and other such products were exchanged over long distances within the Maya lowlands. . . . Such items were probably exchanged as dowry, gifts at royal marriages, coronations, funerals, or at religious pilgrimages. Exotic goods were also probably given as tribute to rulers by their vassals. These high-status goods held together the Maya world and unified patterns of behavior in religion, science, and warfare. Their exchange surely went hand in hand with exchanges of information, including scientific knowledge, early writing, and, most importantly, models of political organization." Arthur Demarest, United States anthropologist, Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization, 2004 Which of the following pieces of evidence most strongly supports the author's conclusion about the importance of exotic goods to the Maya region's economy? A) Exotic goods were exchanged over long distances within the Maya lowlands. B) Exotic goods were traded between the Maya city-states and neighboring states. C) The exchange of exotic goods went hand in hand with the exchange of information. D) The Maya region depended on the trade in exotic goods because of relatively low levels of agricultural production.
A) Exotic goods were exchanged over long distances within the Maya lowlands.
Which of the following best describes a claim made in the first paragraph? A) Hindu rulers had constructed irrigation works to control the Kaveri River. B) Wild animals destroyed Madurai's Hindu temple. C) The Kaveri River flooded and destroyed the city of Madurai. D) The city of Madurai's Hindu temple was renowned for its beauty.
A) Hindu rulers had constructed irrigation works to control the Kaveri River.
Which of the following is an argument in the second paragraph of the inscription regarding King Adityawarman? A) His spiritual attributes and worldly achievements made him a powerful and legitimate ruler. B) His attention to the welfare of all of his subjects made him a caring and legitimate ruler. C) His conquest of all of the surrounding kingdoms in Indonesia made him a legitimate ruler. D) His knowledge of science and ships in an island kingdom made him an effective and legitimate ruler.
A) His spiritual attributes and worldly achievements made him a powerful and legitimate ruler.
The following question(s) refer to the following passage. Beki [the daughter-in-law of Chinggis Khan] laid a sound basis for the management of the Mongol court's affairs. One can say that no turban-wearing male minister would have been capable of dealing with these matters as brilliantly as she did. Her husband used to consult her first on any state business, be it military or political, and would always take the course she recommended. After her husband's death, she took control of her sons with great wisdom. Even though each one of them was prince and therefore capable of ruling by his own will, she made sure they never departed from the rules of the ancient Mongol laws of conduct. When her son, Güyük Khan, was raised to the throne, he and his brothers were the only princes who—because of Beki's wise guidance—were found always to have acted according to the laws. The great nobles of the assembly that gave the khanate to Güyük are said to have praised Beki with the following verse: And if all women were like her, then women would indeed be superior to men. Although she herself was a Christian, Beki generously supported the Muslim religion. She gave 1,000 silver coins to build an Islamic school in the city of Bukhara. She also gave alms every year to be distributed among the poor and needy Muslims. — Ata-Malik Juvayni, Persian Muslim historian who served as a provincial governor in the Mongol Ilkhanate, History of the World Conqueror, chronicle of the Mongol Empire, written circa 1270 C.E. The description of Beki's actions in the passage can best be used to illustrate which of the following unique aspects of Mongol society? A) In part because of Mongol society's nomadic nature, elite Mongol women exercised considerably more political power and influence than did women in most other contemporary societies. B) Because of the highly militarized structure of Mongol society, Mongol women could use their fighting skills to negotiate a more powerful position in society than could women elsewhere. C) The Mongol custom of having an assembly of male notables as the final decision-making body left Mongol women mostly powerless, in contrast to the situation in most other Eurasian societies. D) Because Mongol society had no distinctions based on birth or nobility, all Mongol women, regardless of their position in society, were expected to behave in the same way.
A) In part because of Mongol society's nomadic nature, elite Mongol women exercised considerably more political power and influence than did women in most other contemporary societies.
"Emperor Zhengzong, being deeply concerned with agriculture, came to know that the Champa rice was drought resistant and that the green lentils of India were famous for their heavy yield and large seeds. Special envoys, bringing precious things, were dispatched with a view to securing these varieties.... When the first harvests were reaped in the autumn, the emperor called his closest ministers to taste them and compose poems for Champa rice and Indian green lentils." Shu Wenying, Buddhist monk, China, eleventh century C.E. The activities of the state described in the passage are consistent with which of the following Song dynasty policies? A) Increasing state investment in economic development, such as improving the Grand Canal B) State-sponsored maritime expeditions in the Indian Ocean, such as those led by Zheng He C) Tribute exchanges with Central Asian peoples, such as the Mongols D) Revival of traditional Chinese forms of learning, such as Neoconfucianism
A) Increasing state investment in economic development, such as improving the Grand Canal
In Europe, political relationships of the type depicted in the image emerged most directly on account of which of the following developments? A) Local elites' need for military protection from more powerful lords B) Local elites' desire to expand the commercial power of local towns C) Local elites' need for military assistance to eliminate religious heresies D) Local elites' desire to attract new settlers to their territories
A) Local elites' need for military protection from more powerful lords
The agricultural developments described in the passage contributed most directly to which of the following? A) Population growth and urbanization in southern China B) The development of new forms of coerced labor in East Asia C) Changes in gendered forms of labor in Chinese agriculture D) The increased export of luxury goods from China to the Indian Ocean trade network
A) Population growth and urbanization in southern China
"The commercial area of the capital extends from the old Qing River market to the Southern Commons and to the city border on the north. . . . Some famous fabric stores sell exquisite brocade fabric and fine silk, which are unsurpassed elsewhere in the country. . . . Most other cities can only boast of one special product; what makes the capital unique is that it gathers goods from all places. Furthermore, because of the large population and the busy commercial traffic, there is a demand for everything." Description of Hangzhou, capital of the southern Song dynasty, circa 1235 C.E. Which of the following assertions in the description of Hangzhou above would be most difficult to verify? A) That Hangzhou had a large population B) That the merchandise sold in Hangzhou was of higher quality than that sold in other Chinese cities C) That the merchants of Hangzhou imported goods from many other places D) That Hangzhou had a large market district
B) That the merchandise sold in Hangzhou was of higher quality than that sold in other Chinese cities
Which of the following pieces of evidence does the author most directly use to support his argument about the king of Spain following the Inca method of highway construction? A) The Inca rulers constructed roads to help complete conquests. B) The Inca rulers only had to command their officials to construct a highway, and it was completed quickly. C) The Inca rulers clearly marked their kingdom with boundaries. D) The Inca rulers could acquire specialized tools to cut through mountains.
B) The Inca rulers only had to command their officials to construct a highway, and it was completed quickly.
A historian would most likely cite which of the following claims made in the second paragraph to demonstrate that Hindu teachings influenced the development of South Asian societies? A) There is no agriculture left because Indra now supports the Muslims. B) The absence of dharma has caused nobleness and character to disappear. C) The Hindu citizens of Madurai are perturbed by hearing parrots speaking Persian. D) The Hindu citizens of Madurai protect the owls in their gardens because they are considered to be sacred birds.
B) The absence of dharma has caused nobleness and character to disappear.
Despite the disintegration of the Abbasid Caliphate, Islam continued to spread across Afro-Eurasia in the period 1200-1450 primarily because of which of the following? A) The conquest of the Christian Crusader States in the Levant B) The activities of Sufi missionaries C) The voyages of the Muslim eunuch Zheng He D) The translation activities of Muslim scholars
B) The activities of Sufi missionaries
Dara Shikoh's views about the value of the Upanishads, as expressed in the second paragraph, are most likely based on which of the following features of Hinduism? A) The belief in the cycle of rebirth B) The belief in an ultimate universal principle C) The belief in numerous gods and goddesses D) The belief in the potential for the liberation of the soul
B) The belief in an ultimate universal principle
"Consider how in our time God has transferred the West into the East. He who was a Roman or a Frank is now an inhabitant of Palestine. We have already forgotten the places of our birth. Some already possess homes and servants here. Some have taken wives not merely of their own people, but Syrians, or Armenians, or even Muslims who have received the grace of baptism. Different languages, now made common, become known to both peoples, and faith unites those whose forefathers were strangers. Our parents and relatives from day to day come to join us, abandoning, even though reluctantly, all that they possess. For those who were poor there, here God makes rich. Those who had few coins, here possess countless riches. Those who did not have a home in the West, by the gift of God, already possess a city in the East. Therefore, why should one who has found the East so favorable return to the West? God does not wish those to suffer poverty who, carrying their crosses, have vowed to follow Him, even unto the end." Fulcher of Chartres, French clergyman, chronicle written in Jerusalem, early twelfth century C.E. Which of the following earlier developments best explains the difference in wealth between western Europe and the Middle East as observed by Fulcher in the passage? A) The economic impact of the political unification of Central Asia under the Mongols B) The consolidation of Muslim rule over long-distance trade networks in Eurasia C) The expansion of the Persian Empire's commercial and political significance D) The disintegration of Jewish and Muslim trading networks in western Europe
B) The consolidation of Muslim rule over long-distance trade networks in Eurasia
The following question(s) refer to the passage below. "Between the eighth and tenth centuries Arabs brought back from India a variety of crops that they then began cultivating in the Middle East. These included staple crops such as hard wheat, rice, sugarcane, and new varieties of sorghum; fruits such as banana, sour orange, lemon, lime, mango, watermelon, and the coconut palm; vegetables such as spinach, artichoke, and eggplant; and the key industrial crop, cotton. From Iraq, many of these crops then spread westward all the way to Muslim Spain, which was transformed into a veritable garden under Muslim rule. Other crops passed by ship from southern Arabia to East Africa, while still others moved by caravan from northwest Africa across the Sahara to tropical West Africa. This was especially true for cotton, whose diffusion in Africa directly paralleled the spread of Islam itself." Richard Eaton, United States historian of South Asia, Islamic History as Global History, 1990. Which of the following political contexts most directly led to the developments in Afro-Eurasia described in the passage? A) The collapse of the Gupta Empire B) The expansion of the Islamic caliphates C) The Crusades D) The creation of the Mughal Empire
B) The expansion of the Islamic caliphates
The process of "consultations with the nobles and clergy of the realm" in the making of Edward III's decree best reflects which of the following? A) The emergence of the concept that parliaments, rather than kings, had ultimate political authority in European states B) The fragmented, decentralized nature of European feudal monarchies C) The legacy of Roman imperial political traditions on medieval European states D) European rulers' practice of making harsh legislation more palatable by claiming it was part of God's will
B) The fragmented, decentralized nature of European feudal monarchies
The claim in the second paragraph that the king has become "free from all physical desire" can best be understood to mean that A) Southeast Asian states' ruling elites were very wealthy. B) in Vedic religions, rejecting worldly concerns in order to attain spiritual perfection was considered a virtue. C) Buddhist monks and nuns in Southeast Asian societies were required to maintain an ascetic lifestyle. D) Hindus believed that members of each caste had different rights and responsibilities.
B) in Vedic religions, rejecting worldly concerns in order to attain spiritual perfection was considered a virtue.
"If it were asked, why do we accept the theory of contagion, when already the divine law has refuted the notion of contagion, we will answer: The existence of contagion has been proved by experience, deduction, the senses, observation, and by unanimous reports. And it is not a secret to whoever has looked into this matter or has come to be aware of it that those who come into contact with plague patients mostly die, while those who do not come into contact survive. And amidst the horrible afflictions that the plague has imposed upon the people, God has afflicted the people with some learned religious scholars who issue fatwas* against fleeing the plague, so that the quills with which the scholars wrote these fatwas were like swords upon which the Muslims died. In conclusion, to ignore the proofs of plague contagion is an indecency and an affront to God and holds cheap the lives of Muslims." *rulings on Islamic law Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib, A Very Useful Inquiry into the Horrible Sickness, Granada, Spain, 1349-1352 The passage by al-Khatib best illustrates which of the following? A) The literary tradition of long-distance travelers in the Islamic world B) The growth of scientific thought and innovation in Muslim Spain C) The impact of Christian attempts to reconquer Spain from the Muslims D) The efforts of Islamic missionaries to spread their faith along trade routes
B) The growth of scientific thought and innovation in Muslim Spain
"O King! The city of Madurai was famed for its sweet beauty, but has now become the city of wild animals since the Muslims conquered it [in 1335]. Its famed Hindu temple has been reduced to rubble. The mighty Kaveri River used to flow in its proper channels because our noble Hindu rulers of the past had curbed it with dams. But now, the river flows without discipline like her new Muslim lords because the dams have been damaged beyond repair. My Lord, it is hard to say whether we get more troubled by hearing the owls that now live in our abandoned gardens, or get more perturbed by the Persian language uttered by the pet-parrots from the houses of the Muslims. There is no agriculture left, as the angry Lord Indra* has stopped sending rains. My King! The Vedas have disappeared. With dharma gone, character and nobleness have disappeared. My king, this sword that you hold is now placed into your lotus-hands by divine providence. Take it and without further delay uproot from my lands this Muslim kingdom. Go forth my dear Lord, win your victory, and establish One Hundred Victory Pillars!" *the Hindu god of the heavens who brings thunder and rain Speech of a female petitioner from the South Indian city of Madurai made at the court of the king of Vijayanagara, a Hindu empire in South India. The speech is recorded in a fourteenth-century poem written by a princess of Vijayanagara describing Vijayanagara's conquest of the Muslim sultanate of Madurai in 1378. Which of the following is a claim made by the petitioner in the third paragraph? A) The gods will directly accompany the king in his conquest of the Madurai Sultanate. B) The king has the support of the gods in his efforts to drive Muslims out of Madurai. C) A prophecy has shown that the king will conquer the Madurai Sultanate. D) The king should establish victory pillars after his conquest.
B) The king has the support of the gods in his efforts to drive Muslims out of Madurai.
"The adoption of the mamluk* institutions by the Abbasids was followed almost immediately by [the] . . . disintegration of the state. . . . The disintegration of the Abbasid state was an intensely painful process in which it seemed at times as if the very venture of Islam was coming to an end, like that of Alexander the Great before it. . . . Indeed, that Islam was soon to disappear was the very premise upon which the [Shi'ite] revolutionaries held out their promise of a moral and material recovery: nothing less . . . could now save the marriage between religion and power to which the Islamic [state] owed its existence." *an Arabic term designating a slave, in this case, a slave soldier of Turkic origin Patricia Crone, Danish-American historian of Islamic history, Slaves on Horses: The Evolution of the Islamic Polity, 1980 The disintegration of the Abbasid Caliphate most directly led to which of the following political developments in the Islamic world in the thirteenth century? A) The Russian conquest of Central Asia B) The rise of Turkic states C) The conversion of most of the Islamic world to Shi'a Islam D) The collapse of trade along the Silk Road networks
B) The rise of Turkic states
Abbasid reliance on Persian bureaucrats and the introduction of Confucianism to Japanese political institutions both illustrate which of the following processes? A) The integration of conquered peoples into existing social and political structures B) The synthesis of foreign political traditions in the formation of new states C) The influence of complex semireligious philosophies D) The diffusion of cultural ideals as trading networks grew in complexity
B) The synthesis of foreign political traditions in the formation of new states
Which of the following was a key similarity in the policies of the rulers of African states such as Ethiopia in the period circa 1200-1450 ? A) They granted their subjects unrestricted freedom of speech. B) They used religion and laws to bolster their legitimacy. C) They faced challenges to their power from powerful merchant elites. D) They sought to achieve economic self-sufficiency by restricting trade contacts with other societies.
B) They used religion and laws to bolster their legitimacy.
"One of the things that struck me most in Peru was its great, splendid highways, and I wondered how many men it must have required to build them and what tools and instruments were used to level the mountains and cut through the rock to make them as broad and good as they are. It seems to me that if the king of Spain wanted to build a highway from Quito to Cuzco, I do not think that he could do it even with all of his power unless he followed the method that the Inca employed. When an Inca king decided to build one of these highways, all he needed to do was give the command. Then, the inspectors would go through the provinces, laying out the highway's route and assigning Indians to help build the road. In this way, the road was built in a short time from one boundary of the kingdom to the other. The Inca rulers built many of these roads and were so full of pride that when one ruler died, his heir would build his road larger and broader if he intended to set out on a conquest." Pedro Cieza de León, Spanish soldier and historian, Chronicles of Peru, 1553 Which of the following pieces of evidence most strongly supports the author's arguments about the quality of the highways described in the passage? A) They were built by men with tools. B) They were very broad, and some extended across the entire kingdom. C) There were many roads throughout the kingdom. D) Their construction was supervised by government officials.
B) They were very broad, and some extended across the entire kingdom.
Inca and Aztec societies were similar in that both A) developed from Maya civilization B) acquired empires by means of military conquest C) independently developed iron technology D) depended entirely on oral record keeping
B) acquired empires by means of military conquest
"The East African coast was certainly known to the people of Arabia by the eighth century b.c.e. In fact, the ancient Southern Arabian state of Ausan traded extensively there and may have actually held a portion of the coast. Traders who reached the coast discovered a number of potentially valuable raw materials there. Among these were spices, tortoise shell, coconut oil, ivory, and later, gold and slaves. It was not until almost 1000 c.e., however, that the first important commercial city-states emerged along the coast. These city-states fluctuated in wealth and prestige as they competed for coastal hegemony. Because of their way of life, they tended to have a broad regional perspective. Their destinies and fortunes were at least partly determined in distant lands by foreign merchants and rulers. Information on early political aspects of East African states remains very limited. We know that they had kings or sultans, who wielded a good deal of power. Sultans were advised by councils of princes, elders, and members of the ruling household. It seems probable that the sultan and his close relatives controlled the religious and military offices of the state." Terry H. Elkiss, historian, "Kilwa Kisiwani: The Rise of an East African City-State," article published in African Studies Review, a scholarly journal, 1973. The example of an ancient Arabian state that traded extensively and controlled territories on the East African coast can best be used as evidence of A) the contributions of East Africa to the development of Eurasian religions B) the long-term continuities in state building in coastal East Africa C) the importance of the East African coast in the development of African national identities D) the technological and logistical challenges faced by Eurasian merchants trying to reach the East African coast
B) the long-term continuities in state building in coastal East Africa
"I, the reverend Buddhist teacher Dharmasekhara, dedicated this statue of the bodhisattva Amoghapasa* on the orders of His Majesty King Adityawarman, for the benefit and salvation and happiness of all creatures. Hail to the King—experienced in the arts of war, well versed in the sciences, he is an ocean of all virtues practiced by the followers of the Buddha! He is free from all physical desire. Hail to the King—he who supports the entire world. He has collected jewels by the millions, taken them from the hands of his enemies among the other rulers of this world. He who is like God among kings, crowned, protected by heavenly beings, King of kings! He orders what should be known to all!" Sanskrit inscription on a statue of a bodhisattva produced in the Malayapura kingdom, Sumatra, Indonesia, circa 1350 c.e. *a major figure worshipped in Mahayana Buddhism Which of the following best describes a claim made in the first paragraph of the inscription? A) King Adityawarman was a bodhisattva. B) King Adityawarman was a Buddhist teacher. C) Statues of Buddhist divine figures could spiritually benefit everyone. D) Statues of Buddhist teachers were revered by rulers and common people.
C) Statues of Buddhist divine figures could spiritually benefit everyone.
"I, Edward, by the grace of God king of England, sent this decree to the reverend father in Christ William, by the grace of God archbishop of Canterbury, supreme Church leader of all England: Know that, because of the great number of people who died in the recent pestilence, those who survive see that masters need servants, which have become scarce, and so they now refuse to serve as workmen unless they receive excessive wages. That is why, I, considering the grave inconveniences that might come from the lack of such workmen, especially plowmen, and after consultations with the nobles and clergy of the realm, have decided that every man and woman of our realm of England shall be required to serve his or her lord at the wages that were provided five years ago, in the year 1346. The lords are entitled to keep their serfs. If any such serf, man or woman, who is required to serve their lord will not do so, they shall be immediately committed to jail." King Edward III of England, the Statute of Laborers, royal decree, 1351 The terminology used in the opening sentence of the decree was most directly influenced by which of the following? A) The notion that the Pope is the supreme leader of the Church B) The medieval rules of chivalry and courtly etiquette C) The deep influence of Christianity on medieval society and culture D) The slow and uncertain nature of communications in medieval Europe
C) The deep influence of Christianity on medieval society and culture
Same passage The use of the examinations referred to in the passage best illustrates which of the following continuities in world history? A) The ways in which imperial states developed complex legal codes to resolve disputes B) The ways in which imperial states used administration to suppress challenges to their authority C) The ways in which imperial states created centralized bureaucracies to increase their power D) The ways in which imperial states facilitated the development of class distinctions
C) The ways in which imperial states created centralized bureaucracies to increase their power
THE CONSTELLATION HERCULES, NAMED AFTER AN ANCIENT GREEK MYTHICAL HERO. PAGE FROM A 1430 COPY OF THE BOOK OF FIXED STARS, AN ASTRONOMY BOOK WRITTEN BY A TENTH-CENTURY MUSLIM SCIENTIST The figure presents an illustration from The Book of Fixed Stars. In the illustration, a man is drawn extending his right arm out and holding a sickle in his left hand. The figure is bent down on his left knee and there is Arabic script written above him. Throughout the illustration, there are dots scattered across the figure with Arabic writing that indicates individual stars and their brightness as observed by Muslim astronomers. This copy of The Book of Fixed Stars was made for the ruler of the Timurid dynasty, a Turkic state that controlled much of Central Asia during the fifteenth century. The dots scattered across the figure indicate individual stars and the symbols next to the dots indicate the stars' relative brightness, as observed by Muslim astronomers. Muslim scientists in the period before 1450 c.e. generally participated in intellectual and scholarly exchanges with neighboring cultures by A) being the recipients of funding from foreign rulers B) serving strictly as copyists of earlier works that otherwise would have been lost C) expanding upon the legacy of earlier scientific works by conducting their own research D) learning from the superior scientific knowledge of medieval western European scientists
C) expanding upon the legacy of earlier scientific works by conducting their own research
"At that time, there happened great disturbances among the lower ranks of people, by which England was nearly ruined. Never was a country in such jeopardy, and all because some commoners sought to claim liberties to which they were not entitled. It is customary in England, as in other countries, for the nobility to have great privileges over the commoners, who are bound by law and custom to plow the lands of nobles, to harvest the grain, to carry it home to the barn, and to perform various other services for their lords. The evil-disposed in these districts began to rise, saying they were too severely oppressed; that at the beginning of the world there were no unfree people, and that no one ought to be treated as such, unless he had committed treason against his lord, as Lucifer had done against God: but they had done no such thing, for they were men formed after the same likeness as their lords, who treated them like beasts. They could no longer bear this, but had determined to be free. And if they were to do any work for their lords, they demanded to be paid for it." Jean Froissart, French chronicler, late 1300s The events described in the passage represent a reaction against which of the following forms of coerced labor? A) Slavery B) Military conscription C) Indentured servitude D) Serfdom
D) Serfdom
Which of the following best represents a significant change in labor organization from 600 C.E. to 1450 C.E.? A) Governments enforced military conscription when faced with external threats. B) Enslavement of captured soldiers began throughout Afro-Eurasia. C) Government institutions imposed labor taxes on free peasant populations. D) Serfdom arose as an alternative form of coerced labor in parts of Europe and East Asia.
D) Serfdom arose as an alternative form of coerced labor in parts of Europe and East Asia.
The combination between religious and political aspects in the Abbasid state's concept of rulership is best reflected in which of the following? A) The Abbasid state had an influential Sunni religious class that often came into conflict with the state. B) The Abbasid state often allowed local rulers considerable autonomy. C) The Abbasid state patronized the construction of religious buildings such as mosques. D) The Abbasid state was headed by a caliph who was theoretically the state's supreme religious and political leader.
D) The Abbasid state was headed by a caliph who was theoretically the state's supreme religious and political leader.
"Seeing that it is a girl's destiny, on reaching womanhood, to go to a new home, and live in submission to her father-in-law and mother-in-law, it is even more incumbent upon her than it is on a boy to receive with all reverence her parents' instructions. Should her parents, through excess of tenderness, allow her to grow up self-willed, she will infallibly show herself capricious and thus alienate his affection." Kaibara Ekken, Japanese author, Greater Learning for Women, 1716 The excerpt above exemplifies the continued influence on eighteenth-century Japan of which of the following? A)The Christian tradition of children respecting their parents B) The Buddhist encouragement of female spirituality C) The Islamic practice of women appearing modestly in public D) The Confucian emphasis on filial submission
D) The Confucian emphasis on filial submission
Which of the following does the author cite most directly to support his argument in the third paragraph about the importance of exotic goods in the Maya region? A) The existence of sophisticated astronomical tables B) The emergence of a unified Maya kingdom based on new political models C) The emergence of new systems of writing based on earlier Mesoamerican systems D) The existence of unified patterns of behavior in warfare, science, and religion
D) The existence of unified patterns of behavior in warfare, science, and religion
Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the travel depicted in the illustration? A) To convert peoples of other faiths to Islam B) To create diasporic merchant communities C) To recruit soldiers for the Caliphate D) To bind diverse communities to a common tradition
D) To bind diverse communities to a common tradition
From the founding of each religion, Christians and Muslims shared a belief in A) the principle of separation of church and state B) the legal equality of men and women C) equality of opportunity D) a single omnipotent deity
D) a single omnipotent deity
The sponsoring of scholarship by Turkic dynasties, such as the Timurids, best shows that, in the period circa 1200-1450, scholarly activities in the Muslim world continued despite the A) conquest of Baghdad by the European Crusaders B) expansion of the Song dynasty into Muslim Central Asia C) Byzantine reconquest of Palestine and Lebanon D) fragmentation of the Abbasid Caliphate
D) fragmentation of the Abbasid Caliphate
All of the following were part of the Confucian social order EXCEPT A) loyalty to the ruler B) filial obedience to one's father C) respect for the old D) chastity by wives E) chastity by husbands
E) chastity by husbands
