The Meadows School Ancient History
Final Examination Study Guide Mr. Knutsen
Introductory Units
1) Importance of Context (Summer Reading)
2) Units of Analysis (Definition and Importance)
3) Effects of Geography & Environment on Human Development
4) Different Conceptions of ”Time”
5) Role of ”Maps”
6) Early Human Development
a) Evolution of Homo Sapiens
b) Migration Out of Africa (Mitochondrial DNA)
c) Global Diaspora (General migration patterns and timeline)
d) Language Timeline
e) Social Classes & Mobility
7) Early Written Signs
8) Definition and Importance of Culture (Collective Memory)
9) Neolithic Period
a) Development of Agriculture
b) Description of Agricultural Surplus Cycle
c) Develpment of Social Hierarchies
Chapter 1: Ancient Civilizations
10) Mesopotamia
a) Geography & Environment
b) Timeline
c) Religions
d) Social Classes & Mobility
e) Hittites
f) Assyrians
g) Ancient Hebrews
h) Hammurabi’s Code
i) Phoenecians
j) Persians
11) Egypt
a) Geography & Environment
b) Timeline
c) Religion
d) Social Classes & Social Mobility
e) Ahkenaten/Nefertiti
Chapter 2: Ancient India
12) Effects of Geography & Environment
13) Timeline & general storyline
14) Social Classes & Mobility
a) Caste System
15) Religion
a) Hinduism (belief system)
i) Bhagavad Gita
ii) Dharma
b) Jainism (belief system)
i) White clad
ii) Skyclad
c) Buddhism (belief system)
i) Eightfold Path
Chapter 4: Ancient Greece (Hellenic Period)
16) Effects of Geography & Environment
17) Timeline & general storyline
18) Major City States
a) Athens
i) Social life (including men & women)
ii) Polis
iii) Citizenship
iv) Democracy
v) Deme
vi) boule & ecclesia
vii) rationalism
viii) Pericles
ix) Acropolis
x)
b) Sparta
i) Social life (including men & women)
ii) Lycurgan Regimen
c) Thebes
19) Delian League
20) Peloponesian War
21) Greek Philosophy & Science
a) Rationalism
b) Natural Laws
c) Idealism (forms)
d) Major characters
i) Socrates
ii) Plato
iii) Aristotle
22) Decline of Greece
Chapter 5: Hellenistic World
23) Effects of Geography & the Environment
24) Definition
a) Beginning
b) End
25) Characteristics
a) Monarchies
b) Role of Women
c) Trade
d) Religion
e) Diversity & Tolerance
26) Alexander’s Story
a) Phillip II
b) Range of Conquest
c) Story of Death & Division of Empire
d)
Chapter 6: World of Rome
27) Effects of Geography & the Environment
28) Story Lines
a) Myth & Story of Early Rome
b) Roman Republic
c) Transitional period
d) Imperial Rome
e) Division of the Empire
f) Decline & Fall
29) Etruscan Influence
30) Early Roman Values (Cincinnatus)
31) Social Life & Class System
a) Paterfamilias
b) Plebeians
c) Patricians
d) Latifundia
e)
32) Struggle of the Orders
33) Carthaginian Wars
34) Characters
a) Tiberius Gracchus
b) Julius Caesar
c) Caesar Augustus
d) Hadrian
e) Paul of Tarsus
f) Parthians
g) Diocletian
h) Constantine
i) Theodosius
j) Goths & Barbarians
35)
Chapter 7: Early Middle Ages (Dark Ages)
36) Effects of Geography & the Environment
37) Characters
a) St. Gregory
b) St. Martin of Tours
c) St. Patrick
d) Augustine
e) Clovis
38) Western Monasticism
39) Eastern Monasticism
40) Rule of St. Benedict
41) Roman Barbarian Relations
42) Germanic Life
a) Social Life
b) Role of Women
c) Clovis & the Franks
43) Byzantines
a) Self Image (Continuation of the Roman Empire)
b) Justinian Code
c) Hagia Sofia
d)
Chapter 8: Rise of Islam
44) Effects of Geography & the Environment
45) Life of Muhammad
46) Qu’ran
a) Five Pillars of Islam
b) Prohibitions of Islam
c) Role of Women
d) Equality & race
e) Role of Judaic & Christian Traditions
47) hijra
48) Succession of Muhammad
49) Abbasid Caliphate
50) Umayyad Caliphate
51) Islamic Class System and Social Life
a) Value system
b) Role of woman
c) Christians & jews
d)
52) Caliphs.
53) Sheiks.
54) Ayatollahs.
55) Emirs.
56) Dhimmis
57) Kuttabs
58) Cordoba
59) Granada
60) Islamic Renaissance
61) Sufism
Chapter 11: East Asia: 800-1400
62) Effects of Geography & the Environment
63) China
a) Song Dynasty Storyline
b) Dynastic Cycle
c) Song Dynasty Innovations
i) Civil-service exam system
ii) Paper
iii) Movable type
iv) Paper money
v) Gunpowder
d) Taizu
e) Khittans
f) Jerchens
g) Song Dynasty Class System and Social Life
i) Weddings
ii)
64) Korea
a) Koryu Dynasty
b) Silla Dynasty
c) Conquest by Mongols
65) Japan
a) Major Characters
i) The Murasaki clan
ii) The Fujiwara clan.
iii) The Kamakura Shoganate.
iv) Yoritomo.
v) Hiraga Gennai.
vi) Ashikaga Shoganate
b) Heian Period
c) Shoguns
d) Japanese Feudalism
e) Figurehead Emperors
f) Role of Buddhism
g) Role of Confucianism
Chapter 12: European Middle Ages
66) Effects of Geography & the Environment
67) Major Characters
a) Pope Gregory
b) Henry IV of Holy Roman Empire
c) Pope Urban II
d) Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine
68) Pope and Kings
a) Lay Investiture Controversy
b)
69) Importance of Churches/Cathedrals
70) Medieval Germany
71) Feudalism
72) Crusades
73) Domesday Book
74) Hundred Years War
75) Black Death
76) Roots of the Renaissance
Chapter 13: The Americas
77) Effects of Geography & the Environment
78) Olmec
a) Effects of Geography & the Environment
b) Influences on Mesoamerica
i) Religion
ii) Writing
iii) Monumental Sculpture
c)
79) Mayan
a) Effects of Geography & the Environment
b) Technological/Scientific Innovations
i) Mathematics
ii) Astronomy
iii) Calendar
80) Toltec
a) Effects of Geography & the Environment
b) Influence on Aztecs
81) Aztecs
a) Effects of Geography & the Environment
b) General Storyline
c) War and Religion
d) Means of Imperialism
e) Social Class System
82) Incans
a) Effects of Geography & the Environment
b) General Storyline
c) Religion
d) Incan Agriculture
e) Means of Imperialism
i) Mita
ii) Mitima
83) North American Mound Builders
a) Effects of Geography & the Environment
b) Earthen Pyramids & Other Structures
c) Nature of Boom & Bust Cycle
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