,OpenStax World History, Volume 1, to 1500 Instructor Answer Guide
OpenStax World History: Volume
1, to 1500 Instructor Answer
Guide
Chapter 1: Understanding the Past.................................................................................................2
Chapter 2: Early Humans.................................................................................................................5
Chapter 3: Early Civilizations and Urban Societies..........................................................................9
Chapter 4: The Near East...............................................................................................................15
Chapter 5: Asia in Ancient Times...................................................................................................20
Chapter 6: Mediterranean Peoples...............................................................................................26
Chapter 7: Experiencing the Roman Empire..................................................................................33
Chapter 8: The Americas in Ancient Times....................................................................................38
Chapter 9: Africa in Ancient Times................................................................................................43
Chapter 10: Empires of Faith.........................................................................................................49
Chapter 11: The Rise of Islam and the Caliphates.........................................................................53
Chapter 12: India, the Indian Ocean Basin, and East Asia.............................................................58
Chapter 13: The Post-Roman West and the Crusading Movement..............................................63
Chapter 14: Pax Mongolica: The Steppe Empire of the Mongols..................................................68
Chapter 15: States and Societies in Sub-Saharan Africa................................................................74
Chapter 16: Climate Change and Plague in the Fourteenth Century............................................78
Chapter 17: The Ottomans, the Mamluks, and the Ming..............................................................85
Chapter 1: Understanding the Past
Review Questions
1. What is an example of a primary source?
a. a diary entry by a person who lived in the period under discussion
b. a modern biography of a person in the period under discussion
c. an account of a nineteenth-century battle in a twenty-first century textbook
d. an article in an academic journal
[Answer: A]
2. Whom do the Chinese view as the father of history?
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
4/20/2026 2
,OpenStax World History, Volume 1, to 1500 Instructor Answer Guide
a. Homer
b. Santayana
c. Herodotus
d. Sima Qian
[Answer: D]
3. What interpretation of history assumes that history can be viewed primarily through the
lives and choices of leaders?
a. great man theory
b. progressive interpretation
c. gender interpretation
d. Marxist interpretation
[Answer: A]
4. The belief that history is moved primarily by class struggle is the ______ of history.
a. social interpretation theory
b. revisionist view
c. progressive interpretation
d. Marxist interpretation
[Answer: D]
5. What is the most immediate motivator of a historical event?
a. the tertiary cause
b. the primary cause
c. the action of a great man
d. the social construct
[Answer: B]
6. Our perspectives are deeply rooted in _______, which we learn from our upbringing and
environment.
a. education
b. social constructs
c. historical empathy
d. causation
[Answer: B]
Check Your Understanding Questions
1. What does it mean to be a global citizen?
[Answer: A global citizen sees themselves as a member of, and responsible to, a world
community rather than a single nation.]
2. What are the features of this textbook, and how will they enhance your learning
experience?
[Answer: This text uses a chronological approach, maps, and feature boxes focused on
documents and images in order to actively engage in interpreting events in the past.]
3. What is a primary source, and what are some examples of primary sources?
[Answer: A primary source is evidence from the era under discussion. It might be a letter, a
diary, a photograph, a song, a painting or other work of art, or a speech.]
4. What are the four types of questions we should ask about textual sources and why?
3
, OpenStax World History, Volume 1, to 1500 Instructor Answer Guide
[Answer: We should ask questions about the author, audience, intent, and context of the
source. These questions are necessary so we can interpret sources effectively.]
5. Define causation as it is used in the study of history.
[Answer: Causation is the “why” behind events, that is, the immediate contributing factors and
long-term reasons why an event occurred. Causation helps historians make sense of the past.]
6. Describe the process you would go through to establish the primary, secondary, and tertiary
causes of a historical event.
[Answer: Gather the facts and then arrange items in order of importance. Evaluate which
causes were close to the event in time and which ones provide the background.]
Application and Reflection Questions
1. How do you see your knowledge of world history helping you achieve life goals? What do
you hope to learn from this text?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
2. Why is it important to consider competing sources about the same topic?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
3. What primary source materials do you think you will leave behind for later generations?
How would you want them to be interpreted?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
4. If you could suggest a revisionist addition to the history you have been taught so far, what
would it be? Why?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
5. Provide three examples of social constructs that affect the way you view the world and
explain why.
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
6. Which historical interpretation interests you most? Why?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
7. Choose a recent event you have followed in the news or on social media and establish a
history of that event. In a few short paragraphs, tell the story and rank the causes in order
of importance. Then write the history again, using one of the major interpretive theories in
the chapter (progressive, intellectual, gender, etc.). Your goal is to produce a different
viewpoint on the same story.
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
4/20/2026 4
OpenStax World History: Volume
1, to 1500 Instructor Answer
Guide
Chapter 1: Understanding the Past.................................................................................................2
Chapter 2: Early Humans.................................................................................................................5
Chapter 3: Early Civilizations and Urban Societies..........................................................................9
Chapter 4: The Near East...............................................................................................................15
Chapter 5: Asia in Ancient Times...................................................................................................20
Chapter 6: Mediterranean Peoples...............................................................................................26
Chapter 7: Experiencing the Roman Empire..................................................................................33
Chapter 8: The Americas in Ancient Times....................................................................................38
Chapter 9: Africa in Ancient Times................................................................................................43
Chapter 10: Empires of Faith.........................................................................................................49
Chapter 11: The Rise of Islam and the Caliphates.........................................................................53
Chapter 12: India, the Indian Ocean Basin, and East Asia.............................................................58
Chapter 13: The Post-Roman West and the Crusading Movement..............................................63
Chapter 14: Pax Mongolica: The Steppe Empire of the Mongols..................................................68
Chapter 15: States and Societies in Sub-Saharan Africa................................................................74
Chapter 16: Climate Change and Plague in the Fourteenth Century............................................78
Chapter 17: The Ottomans, the Mamluks, and the Ming..............................................................85
Chapter 1: Understanding the Past
Review Questions
1. What is an example of a primary source?
a. a diary entry by a person who lived in the period under discussion
b. a modern biography of a person in the period under discussion
c. an account of a nineteenth-century battle in a twenty-first century textbook
d. an article in an academic journal
[Answer: A]
2. Whom do the Chinese view as the father of history?
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
4/20/2026 2
,OpenStax World History, Volume 1, to 1500 Instructor Answer Guide
a. Homer
b. Santayana
c. Herodotus
d. Sima Qian
[Answer: D]
3. What interpretation of history assumes that history can be viewed primarily through the
lives and choices of leaders?
a. great man theory
b. progressive interpretation
c. gender interpretation
d. Marxist interpretation
[Answer: A]
4. The belief that history is moved primarily by class struggle is the ______ of history.
a. social interpretation theory
b. revisionist view
c. progressive interpretation
d. Marxist interpretation
[Answer: D]
5. What is the most immediate motivator of a historical event?
a. the tertiary cause
b. the primary cause
c. the action of a great man
d. the social construct
[Answer: B]
6. Our perspectives are deeply rooted in _______, which we learn from our upbringing and
environment.
a. education
b. social constructs
c. historical empathy
d. causation
[Answer: B]
Check Your Understanding Questions
1. What does it mean to be a global citizen?
[Answer: A global citizen sees themselves as a member of, and responsible to, a world
community rather than a single nation.]
2. What are the features of this textbook, and how will they enhance your learning
experience?
[Answer: This text uses a chronological approach, maps, and feature boxes focused on
documents and images in order to actively engage in interpreting events in the past.]
3. What is a primary source, and what are some examples of primary sources?
[Answer: A primary source is evidence from the era under discussion. It might be a letter, a
diary, a photograph, a song, a painting or other work of art, or a speech.]
4. What are the four types of questions we should ask about textual sources and why?
3
, OpenStax World History, Volume 1, to 1500 Instructor Answer Guide
[Answer: We should ask questions about the author, audience, intent, and context of the
source. These questions are necessary so we can interpret sources effectively.]
5. Define causation as it is used in the study of history.
[Answer: Causation is the “why” behind events, that is, the immediate contributing factors and
long-term reasons why an event occurred. Causation helps historians make sense of the past.]
6. Describe the process you would go through to establish the primary, secondary, and tertiary
causes of a historical event.
[Answer: Gather the facts and then arrange items in order of importance. Evaluate which
causes were close to the event in time and which ones provide the background.]
Application and Reflection Questions
1. How do you see your knowledge of world history helping you achieve life goals? What do
you hope to learn from this text?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
2. Why is it important to consider competing sources about the same topic?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
3. What primary source materials do you think you will leave behind for later generations?
How would you want them to be interpreted?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
4. If you could suggest a revisionist addition to the history you have been taught so far, what
would it be? Why?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
5. Provide three examples of social constructs that affect the way you view the world and
explain why.
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
6. Which historical interpretation interests you most? Why?
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
7. Choose a recent event you have followed in the news or on social media and establish a
history of that event. In a few short paragraphs, tell the story and rank the causes in order
of importance. Then write the history again, using one of the major interpretive theories in
the chapter (progressive, intellectual, gender, etc.). Your goal is to produce a different
viewpoint on the same story.
[Answer: Answers may vary.]
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
4/20/2026 4
