World History Fall Final: Short Answers

Assess the relationship between trade and religious expansion with regard to India in the period 50-1000 C.E.

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Compare and contrast the Parthians and Sassanians.

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How did the philosophy of Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong zi), known as Confucius in the west for centuries, attempt to address the social and political challenges facing late-Zhou China?

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In what ways did Indian culture influence Southeast Asian populations?

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In what ways was early Shang Dynasty Chinese civilization similar to, as well as different from, other Neolithic cultures that have been reviewed in earlier chapters?

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What is a community of discourse? How did Fa Xian come to exemplify this "community?"

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What were some of the social, political, and technical innovations developed by the Chinese people under the Zhou Dynasty?

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In what ways did the competing philosophies of Daoism, Legalism, and Moism differ from the pre-dominant Confucian thought?

*Daoism was focused on the way, Legalism was focused on private life and Moism was about the golden rule.

Describe the evolution of the Hindu religion and the caste system in the Classical Age.

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List the legacies of Greek civilization derived from the classical period. What in contemporary art, architecture, sports, and literature reminds us of the ancient Greeks?

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What did Buddhism and the Buddhist monasteries contribute to the development of the Silk Road and east-west trade? Explain, with examples.

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What elements are responsible for the rise of the Gupta? What contributes to their fall?

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What role(s) did the Silk Road play in connecting different regions of the world? In what ways did this contribute to the development of distinct, different and otherwise distant civilizations that were thus connected? Explain, with examples

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Why might it have been so difficult for ancient and medieval India to achieve political unification?

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Who were the Assyrians and what role did they play in the history of the Near East? Explain, with examples.

*The Assyrians were Semitic tribal group that entered history around 900 B.C.E. They actively challenged other Semitic groups in the Tigris Valley and began to gain power. Their chief town was Nineveh and they were mostly situated in the upper valley of the Tigris. However, around 800 B.C.E., they began to conquer the Tigris-Euphrates region and challenge the Babylonians through new chariot tactics and ferocity.

What were some of the key elements of Assyrian military success?

*The keys to Assyrian military success lay in their intellectual and tactical approach to warfare. Assyrian kings such as Tiglath-Pileser III implemented military tactics such as tight-knit infantry patterns that stopped chariots and configured their warriors in very organized patterns. The Assyrians were also experts in siege warfare. The Assyrians also had a habit of spreading legend about how vicious they were and acting ferocious to incite terror in future enemies.

Explain, with examples. How did Africa's unique geography and climate affect the development of civilization on that continent?

Africa's geography and climate led to divided areas of Africa due to the difference of weather. There were five different zones, one enjoying temperate weather and fertile soil, the dry steppes, the deserts, the rainforest, and the savanna. Depending on which zone they fell in, the people of Africa developed in different ways. In the drier areas, pastoralism was only reasonable and in the rainforests, crop agriculture was achievable.

What factors contributed to bring Alexander victories in his wars of conquest? Explain, with examples.

Alexander was in command of an organized Macedonian-Greek army of 55,000 men that his father had been creating before he died.

Explain the specifics of Athenian Democracy. Who were considered citizens? Who were not? How does this compare with the government of your nation?

All could speak freely and attempt to win over the others, all citizens had a voice. he ekklesia was the meeting where the citizens would vote for their opinions. It was brought by Cleisthenes after the Athenians revolted against Pericles. All free adult males were considered citizens, but slaves, women, and children were not. The boule was a council of 500 citizens chosen by lot each year. This served as a legislative and executive branch under the supervision of the ekklesia. The differences between our democracy and Athenian democracy is that everyone has a voice in US (18 years or older).

How did Athenian democracy differ from modern democracy?

Athenian democracy was very different from modern democracy. For one, they had meetings where all the citizens would attend and decide on matters of the state. In the US, we have representatives who represent our ideas because there are too many citizens to have one massive meeting. This leads to the next difference, who could be citizens. In Athenian democracy, on free adult males were considered citizens. This excluded women, slaves, and children from having a public voice. However, in modern democracy, everyone is a citizen and everyone has a voice.

To what extent did the Sumerian priesthood affect the daily life of ancient Sumerians?

Before the epoch of Sargon the Great, the Sumerian priesthood completely changed the Sumerian form of government because their polytheistic religion was seen as the key factor for prosperity, rather than a beneficial government. The people relied on gods for good crops, good weather, food, etc. The gods had to have been appeased with rituals and ceremonies, which the hereditary priesthood was responsible for. Religious affairs would take place at a ziggurat, a stepped pyramid. The priests led these ceremonies and interpreted the gods' word for the fate of the town. The Sumerians were responsible for obeying the gods, appeasing them with sacrifices, and to hope to prosper in life and in the afterlife (if there was an afterlife isn't clear).

What basic similarities do you see between the story of the book of Genesis in the Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh? Why do you think all peoples have developed their own creation myths? Explore some creation myths of other civilizations.

Both Genesis of the Christian religion and the epic of Gilgamesh have one major similarity: the flood story. In both versions, a great flood was sent which wiped out humanity. They each had a figure who who built an ark and survived the flood (in genesis Noah and in Gilgamesh Utnapishtim). Both stories also say that man was made of clay. However, while Genesis talks about Noah surviving the flood and starting over, Epic of Gilgamesh talks about a young hero and his quest for immortality. Creation myths were such people's only way to explain many of the largest questions in human history, like where did humanity come from? Unlike many creation myths, the Hindu creation story features a never-ending universe in a cycle of rebirth. After each universe ends, it sinks into the ocean to give way to a new one. I The Epic of Gilgamesh, the character is seeking immortality.

How did Chinese culture in the first millennia influence Buddhism and vice versa?

Chinese culture influences Buddhism: the translation of Sanskrit into Chinese slightly changes as the translators had to fashion ways of expressing difficult. Buddhism influences Chinese Cultures: poetry benefited from the Buddhism's ideals of serenity, self-mastery, and appreciation of and joy in nature. Painting, sculpture, and architecture was influenced.

Explain the political, religious, and familial hierarchy expressed by Confucius

Confucius expressed that the government should run like a well run Chinese family, where the father was the undisputed head. The family should be harmonious where everyone had their special rights and duties. A ruler should follow the advice of his gentlemanly counselors, and by doing so, the ruler would keep the Mandate of Heaven.

Consider the development of copper, bronze, and iron. What advantages and disadvantages did each metal offer early civilizations?

Copper was the first metal used by humans. When combined with lead and tin, copper becomes more useful than bronze. Bronze is harder and more resilient to weathering than copper. Bronze has some disadvantages like it is hard to make, its weight is excessive, and it can't keep a fine edge. Bronze was difficult in the ancient world. After Bronze Age, iron was a turning point to development of civilization. It is a key metal of history because whenever it came into use, advantages were made. Iron led to plowshares which opened up new areas of cultivation. Iron weapons and tools are another advance. Iron tools led to new technological advances and more production. Iron utensils were cheaper and lasted longer. Iron is more common. It is easier to find iron because it sticks out from the other minerals. Iron was the first metal to be tempered, that is using it without it breaking. The Hittites were the first to smelt and temper iron.

What philosophical systems emerged to challenge Confucianism? Why did each develop and gain influence? What contributions did each make to an expanding Chinese worldview?

Daoism developed

How did the era of the Hellenistic Greeks differ from the Classical Age of Greece?

During the Classical Age, Greeks weren't very aware of people outside of their city state and Greek nation. However, in the Hellenistic Era, Greeks had lots of political and intellectual interaction with outside people.

What factors contributed to the spread of Chinese culture and influence during the age of the Han and Tang? Explain, with examples.

During the age of the Han, Chinese culture and its influences spread through expansion of trade. This shows with how its commercial contacts soon expanded into a massive cultural influence on the Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese. During the age of the Tang, its culture and influences spread through the cultural contacts with Japan (again), purchasing peace, and expeditions. For example, the Tibetans fell under the empire, after coming being touched by a Chinese expedition for the first time.

What were some of the most important elements of the Egyptian idea of kingship under the Pharaohs?

Each pharaoh was seen as a king, who ruled as a representative of Horus, the falcon god symbolizing order. The pharaohs divided their kingdom into nomes/districts with local rulers. The pharaoh was responsible for the welfare of Egypt by maintaining effective order. His good relations with the gods ensured prosperity and prevented harm.

What were the major periods of Egyptian history and the corresponding political and social developments which occurred in each one?

Egypt is divided up into the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom (3100-770 B.C.E.). The Old Kingdom was the most stable period that involved remarkable architecture, art, religion, and government. For example, during the Old Kingdom, the pyramids of Giza were built. The Middle Kingdom had 500 years of stability involved art refinement. Expansion and trade became more extensive and valued. The condition of the poor worsened, however. Religion became more democratic as to who could enter the afterlife. In the New Kingdom, imperial wars were pervasive that led to Egyptian withdrawal, which led to decline and permanent conquest.

In what ways did Egyptians approach questions of divinity and the afterlife?

Egyptians trusted their pharaoh to be divine and communicate with the gods. The pharaoh and his priests should spread their knowledge of all religious aspects for the people to be aware of. They believed in the many gods and deities, like Osiris, Anubis, and Maat, they believed that one's soul was weighed against the feather of Maat to enter the afterlife, and the pharaoh was trusted to represent Horus and ensure prosperity.

What was the role of geography and climate in the evolution of humans?

Geography allowed the people to evolve and with natural selection became more fit with their environment. What and how they ate food and what kind of things they would encounter. Climate like in the Holocene Age had the people move toward bodies of water. It also affected the substitution of shelter for nomadism. It made people stay in shelter for longer periods of time without moving.

How did Greek accomplishments in philosophy and science compare with other, contemporary societies? Were the Greeks more or less accomplished? Explain, with example

Greeks were successful in many areas of sciences. They were most successful in the areas of biology, medicine, astronomy, geography, physics, and math. Their successes in philosophy was most impressive because it was unlike any other civilization. They made incredible advances in thought process and questioning which eventually lead to the creation of the democracy in politics.

Review and critique Hammurabi's Code, citing negative as well as positive features.

Hammurabi's code (1700s B.C.E.) is the oldest surviving law code today. It is a long list of laws made by Hammurabi for his citizens to follow. The laws are very specific, which allows for no leeway, which can allow for more structured punishment if violated. However, the long list of laws is somewhat overwhelming and seemingly impossible to follow. The "Eye for an Eye" law is understandable, but quite broad and possibly should not apply to every situation where that occurs, depending on context.

How did hominids and the more highly-developed Homo sapiens differ from one another?

Hominids were the first human like creature to exist while the Homo sapiens were more evolved into modern day humans. The Homo sapiens had a different bone structure, had a higher intelligence, and discovered the world more.

What role did Buddhism play in China in the age of the Han and Tang? How did it arrive, how was it received, and what changes did it bring? Explain, with examples.

In Han, traders, diplomats, and Buddhist monks made peaceful contacts with western Asian and India. During an era of a division (300-580 CE), southern Chinese embraced Buddhism. In Tang, It arrived through the Silk Road. The people liked because it had far more appeal than any earthly philosophy and accommodated existing beliefs. It brought changes in painting, sculpture, and architecture, which show Buddhist influences. They portrayed these from the life of the Buddha, and it also showed in many ways the religion's interpretation of what proper human life should be. The government tried to get it rid of it, but they failed.

Why was Athens a center of learning in ancient Greece? Why would people pay Socrates to teach their children rhetoric? How might Socrates teachings improve your lives?

In order to participate in the Polis you needed a base level of high education. The socratic method was supposed to be the only method to achieve that level of knowledge so people would pay for him to teach their students. Athens was a center of learning because of all the philosophers that lived there. Socrates could improve your life because he would force you to question everything you were told to be true.

How do you think changes in geography and climate in the Neolithic Age may have created conditions that favored the rise of civilization?

In the early Neolithic Age, conditions became drier and warmer and the Younger Dryas Event caused people to congregate near surviving rivers. Mesopotamia, known as the land between two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) was thought of as a good option to settle (despite unpredictable flooding). Irrigation and these rivers allowed for farming and agriculture, which led to the rise of Sumer.

What political philosophies from Chapter 5 best seem to fit the actions of Qin Emperors?

Legalism fit the actions of Qin Emperors, as it gave more power to the emperor and the government. Legalism contributed to order and administration of ordinary life after the period of chaos known as the Era of the Warring States. It gave little restrictions to the government's and the emperor's actions.

What groups influenced the Egyptians over the centuries? Explain, with examples.

Mesopotamia was a model for Egyptians and the civilizations were originally quite similar. Egyptians depended on water and irrigation systems like the Mesopotamians. As in Mesopotamia, Egypt's peasants had an intimate relationship with they natural environment. Egypt and the Kushans shared influence, in religious and cultural aspects.

What were the key features of Mesopotamian government and social structure? What features were emphasized? How/why?

Mesopotamian governmental affairs originally revolved around the priesthood (theocracy) and their ability to being news from the gods to interpret to the people and to lead ritual sacrifices at ziggurats. Although Sumerians looked at the gods grimly and had a somber outlook on the afterlife, it was still imperative that their crops and settlements be prosperous, therefore religion was the driving force of order and government. Even after Sargon the Great began imperial rule, the priests were still seen as important. Social structure consisted of three main classes being priests and deities, freemen, and finally the slaves. The lower classes were most numerous but even slaves weren't that frowned upon.

What were some of the most important features of Sumerian religion?

Most importantly, we know that Sumerians were dependent on priests to aid in communication with their many gods as a polytheistic way of religion. Also, ziggurats were stepped pyramids found pervasively amongst Mesopotamia where religious ceremonies occurred. Sumerians didn't believe in the kind mercy of gods and they had a bleak outlook of the afterlife, but appeasing the gods was very important so that they would supposedly support crops, control flooding, and bring prosperity to the civilization.

A recent popular film portrayed the Persians as singularly brutal, aggressive, and intolerant conquerors. Is this an accurate historical depiction?

No, the Persians, while warlike, were not nearly as brutal as the Assyrians, and in fact promoted religious and civic freedom as long as their subjects paid obedience and some form of tax to them.

What positive and negative changes did the Neolithic Revolution bring for humans?

Positive- people settled down in permanent settlements- expanding population thrived under, created private property- they knew who was in charge of land, development of systematic regulations like laws- important and established security, specialization of labor- brought more productivity because everyone had specialized occupation, enlarged public role for women- led to matriarchy, Negative- Diseases were easier to catch and receive

How did gender impact the development of societies during the Neolithic period?

Some believed that agriculture led to an enlarged role for women. It was a direct result of the fact that the first farmers were women. Matriarchy was also present in Neolithic China, West Africa, and Native American societies. With women's fertility and their ability to give birth they were associated with the earth mother gods. This resulted in Neolithic societies viewing them as the key to ensuring that the Earth Mother Goddess responded to the villagers prayers.

Compare and contrast the social and political characteristics of Athens and Sparta

Sparta was a militaristic, authoritarian society that held the arts and intellectual life in contempt and dreaded the extension of freedom to the individual or the community. Athens was the center of Greek educational, artistic, and scientific activity as well as the birthplace of political democracy.

What was the significance of the Bronze and Iron Ages for humans and their tools?

The Bronze Age started in Western Asia spanning through 7000-1500 BCE. Bronze weapons and art objects dominated the world of metal at this time. The Iron Age was a turning point when people figured out how to smelt and temper iron tools and weapons. Iron is a key metal in history. Iron had many advances when used commonly. Iron plowshares let the people farm what they may had not been able to farm before. Iron transformed the warfare game with new armor and weapons. Iron tools gave way to new technological advances and more production. Iron utensils were cheaper, lasted longer, resisted heat, and didn't easily shatter.

Compare/contrast the rise and fall of Egypt with Kush.

The Egyptians ancestors, the Afro-Asians, migrated down the Nile and settled as farmers and their settlements grew, which led to the Egyptian civilization. Egypt was unified gradually until the tiny states came under the control of a pharaoh in the name of Horus. Kush was an Egyptian province that gained its independence in 1070 B.C.E., even though its population grew to become Egyptianized: kings ruled like pharaohs, its religion incorporated Egyptian gods, and pyramids were even present. Kush was overthrown in the fourth century C.E. and Assyria conquered Egypt, the kings lost their stature, and the Persian conquest marked the decline of Egypt entirely. Both rose from tiny settlements to civilizations with kings and provinces, and both fell to invasions starting with Assyria.

What was the "Han synthesis?" What new directions did this phenomenon portend for Chinese government and culture? Explain, with examples.

The Han synthesis was a new, imperial ideology of the state that selected and blended elements of Legalist organization and administration, Confucian ethics, and Daoism metaphysics. This created a unified system of governance, but it included ethical constraints on the actions of the emperor. This phenomenon gave the emperor a semi sacred aura, due to the renewed emphasis on the Mandate of Heaven.

Who were the Hebrews and what role did they play in the history of the Near East?

The Hebrews were Semitic tribes that migrated out of northern Mesopotamia into Saudi Arabia in the second millennium BCE and eventually into Canaan, in south Palestine, around 1500 BCE. There, they came under Egyptian control for two centuries until their exodus from Egypt in around the 13th century. They went back to Palestine, where they fought the already-established Canaanites and Philistines. They had overcome the Canaanites and set up a kingdom around 1000 BCE, when they set up a kingdom under Saul. Saul's successor, David, managed to take over Jerusalem, which became their capital. David's successor Solomon was the most successful king, making the Hebrews intermediaries between Egypt and Mesopotamia tradewise and building the Temple of Jerusalem. His subjects disliked him, and after his death a revolt split the kingdom into Judea and Israel. The Israelites were scattered in the first diaspora after a failed rebellion against the Assyrians and lost to history, but the Judaeans survived the fall of the Assyrian empire and became subjects of the Babylonian empire. After a failed rebellion in 586 BCE, the Hebrews went into Babylonian captivity, where thousands were taken hostage in Babylon. This started the recording of oral tradition in the Tanakh. Under Persia they went back to Palestine. Due to several prophets, they believed that they had a covenant with God that if they would stay faithful and worship him then He would make them triumph over all other peoples. They had the 10 Commandments as a religious law code that prohibited stealing, killing, adultery, and being a false witness. They despised Gentiles (non-Hebrews) and were one of the first religions to discuss ethics. Over the years, their perception of God changed to portray Him as merciful, universal and omnipresent.

Who were the Persians and what role did they play in the history of the Near East?

The Persians were Iranian nomads from the north that came down and adopted sedentary life. In the 500s, they united under Cyrus the Great and conquered the entire region, from the Mediterranean to the border of India, and down into Egypt. The Persians encouraged different religions and backgrounds, and allowed their subjects to practically govern themselves as long as they pledged allegiance to their king. They allowed the Jews to return to Canaan. The great kings were Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius I, who introduced stable coinage but failed to capture Greece, and Xerxes I who failed to capture Greece as well. They eventually practiced Zoroastrianism.

What elements of modern civilization can we trace back to Sumerian innovations?

The Sumerians had many advanced developments that have impacted other cultures today. Impressively, they developed the first sophisticated form of writing, called cuneiform. They invented the wheel as a load-bearing transportation device, which also pioneered the invention of the chariot in warfare. Additionally, they had irrigation systems to control flooding and to support crops, they were the first to use the plow, and they pioneered bronze metal work.

Which key ethnic groups were able to dominate the Levantine Corridor from 3500 B.C.E. to 500 B.C.E. and why might this have been the case?

The Sumerians, the Akkadians (Sargon the Great), the Hittites, and Assyria. These nomadic barbarians thirsted civilized life in a place that allowed for argriansism. They adopted the beliefs and values of the Sumerians after conquering, which would have prevented uprising and rebellion amongst natives, which would increase stability.

What were the causes of the rapid collapse of the Qin dynasty? How did the causes of the rise, and fall, of the Qin suggest new directions and organizational patterns for subsequent Chinese dynastic governments?

The causes of the rapid collapse of the Qin dynasty was the death of Shi Huang-di, and his successor was his son, except that his son lacked his charisma. He lost his power, and the Qin state was overthrown in 207 BCE, before a intense civil war established a new dynasty. The Qin dynasty was able to reunify the country, and the legalism doctrines changed many things (standardized writing, fixed weights and measure, etc), yet they are not a thing anymore due to how strict they were.

How did political, social, and economic challenges influence the religious thinking of the Hebrews and their Samaritan and Jewish descendants?

The challenges made them believe that God was testing them and that eventually, as they passed their tests and showed their faith, then He would make them rulers of the world. There grew hopes for a messiah to make the Jews a respectable and powerful people, and Yahweh became personal and merciful, though still just.

How did the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars affect Greek government and society? Explain, with examples.

The effects were the Greeks turning back the attempts of Asian empire to establish a universal monarchy over the Mediterranean. It also brought up the belief in democracy by showing that common man was capable of seeing common good and ruling wisely.

Read Plato's Allegory of the Cave. If the shadows in the cave represent the world you know, what does the fire represent? How are the outside of the Cave and inside different?

The fire represents the light above; the truth and where it originates. The prisoners represent people who only only see things for face value and not the full truth. The outside of the cave represents the full truth whereas the inside represents a tainted version of it. In order to get out of the cave you must find the real truth by asking questions and seeking the truth.

In what ways did geography affect the development of Greek culture and civilization?

The geography of Greece was made of a lot of numerous small islands called cyclades. Most of this area had little land that was suitable for large-scale farming, no board river valleys, and no expansive level plains. No place in with in Greece was located more than eighty miles from the sea. Dozens of protected harbors and bays were scattered all along the coast. From the beginnings of their civilization on the Cyclades Islands and Crete, The Greeks were expert sailors, ships and shipping were always a major part of their livelihood. Because the mountains of the peninsula made overland travel there difficult, it usually was easier to travel and trade by sea than by land. The Geography also encouraged political fragmentation. The people in each island, valley, and river basin developed their own separate sense of community and identity. Greeks grew up thinking of themselves first as residents of a given place or town and only secondarily as sharing a common culture and language with the other inhabitants of the peninsula. This would be a great critical weakness in the development of a united Greek nation.

What innovation allowed the Phoenicians, a people with a relatively small population, to profoundly change the history of the world?

The invention of a phonetic alphabet changed spoken language forever. The Phoenicians created a language out of several spoken sounds, not necessarily words, and this they passed on to the Greeks. The Greeks refined this and added vowels, and that language has the same sounds that most languages do today, just different symbols attributed to those sounds.

How did the Greek concept of citizenship evolve over time? What effect(s) did these changes have on other areas of life?

The main concept that changed was slavery. Pertaining to slavery: at first it wasn't lifelong or hereditary, masters also didn't abuse them and they were employed directly by the state. During the Hellenistic era, most people were free but there was a dramatic rise in slaves and it became hereditary.

What was the nature of gender (male-female) relations in Classical Greece? Given the accomplishments of Greek philosophy, why were women treated so differently? Explain, with examples.

The men were the head of the households and the women were limited to the walls of their own homes, and sometimes only in certain rooms. They weren't allowed to socialize with any other non-relative male other than her husband. They also weren't allowed in political decision making so they became the voice of god. Women were treated so differently, due to the mythology often depicting women as troublemakers i.e Pandora. Also, some philosophers thought as women as stupid.

On average, did the rise of agricultural societies improve life for the average individual or make it worse?

The rise of agricultural societies caused populations in settlements to increase immensely. This allowed for surplus wealth to support complex societies, crafts and trade appeared. New farming technologies were made. Urban life developed an ruling elites emerged. Most people lived in small villages and lived a rural life. Most of the ancient civilizations we know today arose during the rise of the time of agricultural rise. So for most of the people had some kind of civilized life during this period, but the ruling elites did emerge taking control of the civilizations.

What characteristics of early Chinese culture, belief and social organization began to develop in the Shang period?

The supreme importance of family, the reverence shown to ancestors and the aged by the young, the salient responsibility for ensuring general prosperity belongs to the ruler and his household, the emphasis on how the earthly practical tasks performed by the kings and their governments were at least as important as their religious roles, and the importance of education (literacy).

What was the primary motivation of the early Tang government and how well did it meet its goals?

Their primary motivation of the early Tang government was to improve the state of the peasant tenants. It meet its goals well as after the death of the the wealth owner, the land would go to the state, which would give the land to another adult peasant in return for reasonable taxes and labor services. By doing this, there was a real improvement in the economic lives of the people.

Why were the Phoenician colonies more successful than their homelands?

They had more ready access to valuable resources and trade routes. The Phoenicians originally established the colonies as trading posts. These trading posts blossomed into full on colonies, and they were established in good harbors to further their duty not only to trade but also to providing rest for Phoenician traders. These posts were closer to the rich Mediterranean and all of its resources. This made it so that they were able to accumulate many resources and have easier trade with the rich trade centers of the west. While the Phoenician homeland was amalgamated into the Assyrian empire and its successor empires, the colonies continued on.

Compare/contrast the material accomplishments of the Zhou and Old Kingdom Egypt. What similarities and/or differences existed? Explain, with examples

We have lots of written records(taxrolls, list of important, and exports). Bronze Work, drinking cups, vases, wine vessels, brooches, and medallions. Metal technology advanced... Bronze, Iron and Copper were used for tools on weaponry. Great advances in arts and crafts, silkworm cultivation, buildings. Also, literacy was rare due to how large it was.

Compare and Contrast Egyptian and Jewish monotheism.

While Egyptian and Jewish monotheism both have/had one central "god" that they worshipped and both emerged out of Egypt, they were radically different in almost every sense. Egyptian was a short-lived experiment in Ancient Egypt brought forward by Akhenaten. In contrast, Judaism still survives to this day and doesn't have a definite author or creator other than Moses, Abraham, or Israelite kings. In addition, Judaism was created independently while Egyptian monotheism was created from a already pre existing polytheistic religion. While the exact time is contested, it is thought that Judaism emerged sometime in the 1st millenium BCE while the short-lived experiment of Egyptian monotheism emerged in the 14th century BCE.

What values are expressed in the Sumerian laws regarding women?

While Hammurabi's law code was in effect, in the 1700s B.C.E., women were inferior to men, although they had a few rights and were not the property of males. They were allowed to divorce their husbands, and if he was found at fault, she would be entitled to what she brought into the marriage. Women could also have contracts to have custody of children. However, society became more and more patriarchal and women's stature declined. `

What were the conditions of life for Mesopotamian women? What opportunities, and obstacles, existed for them?

Women originally had somewhat equal power to males in social prestige and power; however, this equality was destroyed with a military emphasis, laborious agriculture, and trade. The patriarch society was unvarying and also affected marriage. Having children wasn't shameful, marriages were arranged by families (at a very young age for girls), the male had control over his wife, and it was usually expected for new brides to be virgins.

Is it valid to claim that the short-lived Qin Dynasty laid the foundations for the next 2,000 years of Imperial China? Why?

Yes, as it became a unified empire again, the emperor fixed weights and measures, made the size of the roads uniforms so that all carts would fit the ruts, the system of writing characters was standardized, and introduced the first standard units of money.