Exam With Terms And Well Defined
Answers||Latest Exam Update 2025-
2026||Already Graded A+
Mesopotamia -Answer A region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that
developed the first urban societies. In the Bronze Age this area included Sumer and the
Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires, In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the Neo-
Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires.
Fertile Crescent -Answer The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers gave life to the first known
agricultural villages in this area about 10,000 years ago and the first known cities about
5,000 years ago.
ziggurat -Answer A temple tower of ancient Mesopotamia, constructed of square or
rectangular terraces of diminishing size, usually with a shrine made of blue enamel
bricks on the top
pictograms -Answer A pictorial symbol or sign representing an object or concept
cuneiform -Answer The earliest known form of writing, which was used by the
Sumerians. The name derives from the wedge shaped marks made with a stylus into
soft clay. Used from the 3000s BCE to the 100s BCE.
ideograms -Answer A character or figure in a writing system in which the idea of a
thing is represented rather than it's name (example: Chinese)
Sumer -Answer The world's first civilization, founded in Mesopotamia, which existed
for over 3,000 years.
Xia -Answer A legendary Chinese dynasty that was not believed to exist until
relatively recently. Walled towns ruled by area-specific kings assembled armies, built
cities, and worked bronze. Created pictograms which would evolve in to the first
Chinese script.
Shang -Answer An early Chinese dynasty. Not a unified Chinese state. Instead
rulers and their relatives gave orders through a network of cities. Earliest evidence of
Chinese writing comes from this period.
,Zhou -Answer Succeeded the Shang dynasty. Similar to the Shang And Xia dynastic
periods in that China was fragmented politically. Yet, despite the lack of true
centralization, this was one of the longest Chinese dynasties, lasting about 600 years. It
left substantial written records, unlike the preceding dynasties.
Yellow River -Answer Also known as the Huang-He. The second longest river in
China. The majority of ancient Chinese civilizations originated in its valley.
Oracle Bones -Answer The earliest known Chinese writing is found on these from
ritual activity of the Shang period.
Teotihuacan -Answer A large central city in the Mesoamerican region. Located about
25 miles Northeast of present day Mexico City. Exhibited city planning and
unprecedented size for its time. Reached its peak around the year 450.
Jenne-Jeno -Answer One of the first urbanized centers in western Africa. A walled
community home to approximately 50,000 people at its height. Evidence suggests
domestication of agriculture and trade with nearby regions.
Great Zimbabwe -Answer A stone-walled enclosure found in Southeast Africa. Have
been associated with trade, farming, and mining.
Code of Hammurabi -Answer A collection of 282 laws. One of the first (but not THE
first) examples of written law in the ancient world.
Hittites -Answer An ancient Anatolian group whose empire at largest extent
consisted of most of the Middle East. Some of the first two-wheeled chariots and iron.
Zoroastrianism -Answer One of the first monotheistic religions, particularly one with a
wide following. It was central to the political and religious culture of ancient Persia.
Zoroaster -Answer The founder of Persia's classical pre-Islamic religion.
Hellenistic -Answer Of or influenced by the Greek Empire. A type of culture typically
referred to after the conquests of Alexander the Great.
Trireme -Answer Greek ships built specifically for ramming enemy ships.
Minoans -Answer One of the early proto-Greek peoples from 2600 BCE to 1500
BCE. Inhabitants of the island of Crete. Their site of Knossos is pictured above.
,Acropolis -Answer Greek for "high city". The chief temples of the city were located
here.
Plato -Answer Socrates' most well known pupil. Founded an academy in Athens.
Pax Romana -Answer The "Roman Peace", that is, the state of comparative concord
prevailing within the boundaries of the Roman Empire from the reign of Augustus (27
B.C.E.-14 C.E.) to that of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 C.E.)
Republic -Answer A state that is not ruled by a hereditary leader (a monarchy) but by
a person or persons appointed under a constitution and in some way claims to be "of
the people."
Century -Answer The smallest unit of the Roman army, each composed of some 100
foot soldiers and commanded by a centurion. A legion was made up of 60 of these.
They also formed political divisions of Roman citizens.
Consul -Answer Under the Roman Republic, one of the two magistrates holding
supreme civil and military authority. Nominated by the Senate and elected by citizens in
the Comitia Centuriata, the consuls held office for one year and each had power of veto
over the other.
Patricians -Answer The land-owning noblemen in Ancient Rome
Plebeians -Answer All non-land-owning, free men in Ancient Rome
Paterfamilias -Answer the head of the family or household in Roman law -always
male- and the only member to have full legal rights. This person had absolute power
over his family, which extended to life and death.
Twelve Tables -Answer Completed in 449 BCE, these civil laws developed by the
Roman Republic following demands by plebeians.
Triumvirate -Answer An unofficial coalition between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and
Crassus was formed in 60 B.C.E. Eventually results in civil war that brings down the
republic and results in the Roman Empire.
Monophysites -Answer The supporters of a doctrine in the early Christian Church
that held that the incarnate Christ possessed a single, wholly divine nature. they
opposed the orthodox view that Christ had a double nature, one divine and one human,
and emphasized his divinity at the expense of his capacity to experience real human
suffering.
, Julius Caesar -Answer Part of the first triumvirate who eventually became "emperor
for life". Chose not to conquer Germany. Was assassinated by fellow senators in 44
B.C.E.
Octavian -Answer Part of the second triumvirate whom the power eventually shifted
to. Assumed the name Augustus Caesar, and became emperor. Was the end of the
Roman Republic and the start of the Pax Romana.
Diocletian -Answer Roman emperor of 284 C.E. Attempted to deal with fall of Roman
Empire by splitting the empire into two regions run by co-emperors. Also brought armies
back under imperial control, and attempted to deal with the economic problems by
strengthening the imperial currency, forcing a budget on the government, and capping
prices to deal with inflation. Civil war erupted upon his retirement.
Bread and Circuses -Answer A Roman bribery method of coping with class
difference. Entertainment and food was offered to keep plebeians quiet without actually
solving unemployment problems.
Goths -Answer An array of Germanic peoples, pushed further westward by nomads
from central Asia. They in turn migrated west into Rome, upsetting the rough balance of
power that existed between Rome and these people.
legalism -Answer A school of Chinese philosophy. Prominent during Warring States
Period. Had great influence on the policies of the Qin dynasty. Based on a pessimistic
view of human nature. Social harmony could only be attained through strong
government control and the imposition of strict laws, enforced absolutely.
assimilation -Answer The process by which people are gradually absorbed and
integrated into another culture.
Huns -Answer large nomadic group from northern Asia who invaded territories
extending from China to Eastern Europe. They virtually lived on their horses, herding
cattle, sheep, and horses as well as hunting.
Tang -Answer Continuing the imperial revival started by the Sui Dynasty this dynasty
that followed restored the Chinese imperial impulse four centuries after the decline of
the Han, extending control along the silk route. Trade flourished and China finally
reached its western limits when its forces were defeated by the imperial armies of the
Muslim Abbasid Empire at the Talas River--which stopped future expansion by both
empires.