Key Historical Empires and Religious Developments

Historical Figures and Religious Influence

1. The Mauryan Emperor Asoka influenced the spread of what religion?

Buddhism.

2. The Roman Emperor Constantine influenced the spread of what religion?

Christianity.

3. What effect did the Byzantine Empire have on Russia?

• Religious Architecture.
• Orthodox Christianity.
• Cyrillic Alphabet.

4. What Germanic tribes defeated Rome?

Huns, Vandals, Visigoths, etc.

5. Who was Justinian?

Greatest of the Byzantine emperors.

6. Why was Constantinople such a powerful city?

• Capital of the Byzantine Empire.
• The Byzantine Empire lasted a thousand years longer than the Roman Empire.

Medieval Europe and Major Events

7. What religion held the most power in medieval Europe?

The Catholic Church.

8. What was the impact of the Black Death?

• Terror and confusion.
• Millions died.
• Wages increased, economy decreased.
• Inflation.

9. What were the Crusades?

Efforts for Christians to free the Holy Land from Muslim control.

10. Who fought in the Hundred Years' War?

England defended France.

11. What was the Magna Carta?

An English document that limited the king's power and established rights for English freemen, laying the foundation for modern justice.

Asian Civilizations and Isolation

12. Compare Tokugawa Japan with another system (implied comparison):

Both had strict class systems and decentralized government.

13. What Asian power was cut off from European contact for 200 years?

Tokugawa shoguns imposed feudalism in Japan:

• Forbade Japanese to travel.
• Very limited trade with the Dutch.
• For over 200 years, Japan was isolated.

Islam and Muslim Contributions

14. The revelations of Muhammad are written in what holy text?

The Quran.

15. Identify the similarities of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam:

• Monotheistic.
• The Quran, Gospel, and Torah contain sacred texts.
• All three religions believed in heaven, hell, and the day of judgment.

16. What caused the expansion of Islam?

• Political divisions within the Byzantine Empire.
• Tolerated other religions.

17. What is the Taj Mahal?

A beautiful tomb built in India by Shah Jahan for his wife.

18. What were some of the major contributions of Muslim culture?

• Algebra.
• Advances in medicine.
• Islamic art and literature reflected diverse trade.

Sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas

19. Identify the major Sub-Saharan African Kingdoms:

Collected taxes on trans-Saharan trade routes involving gold, salt, and other goods.

20. What did the West African Kingdoms achieve?

(Same as question 19: Collected taxes on trans-Saharan trade routes involving gold, salt, and other goods.)

21. Who was Mansa Musa?

• Mansa Musa was Mali's greatest ruler.
• Ruled from 1317 to 1332.
• Converted Mali to Islam.
• Took a pilgrimage, giving away lots of gold.

22. What were the similarities between the Maya, Gupta, and Songhai cultures?

They developed great civilizations without major influences from Western Europe.

25. Compare the Inca, Aztec, and Maya civilizations:

Religions played a major role in society and government.