STUDY QUESTION LESSONS

STUDY QUESTION LESSONS 1-14

Lesson 1:

On early human history:

(1) When and why did humans shift from hunting and gathering into FOOD PRODUCING? (In other words, when was the "agricultural revolution"? Why did it matter so much?)

(2) What do historians mean by the term "civilization"? What are the characteristics that make a civilization different from a "settlement"?

Lesson 2:

On Egypt:

(1) First things first. Know where Egypt is (on a map).

(2) Learn about the pyramids of Giza. What was the purpose of these pyramids? Why are these exceptional/unique (when compared to monuments of other civilizations)?

(3) Be able to explain the Egyptian concept of "maat". Why was "maat" so important in Egyptian society? (What role did it play in how that society worked?)

(4) In general, get to know the Egyptian civilization. What you should do here is learn some BASIC information about the characteristics of early Egypt. Check out the bolded headings in the readings on pages 11-20 -- like writing, papyrus, literature, etc. You don't have to know everything here -- really, so don't worry over it. Just get an idea of generally how this civilization worked.

(5) The other themes that you SHOULD know pretty specifically are: how slavery worked in Egypt AND women's roles in Egyptian society.

Lesson 3:

On Mesopotamia:

(1) Again, know where Mesopotamia is on a map. Understand that the area known as Sumer is part of Mesopotamia. Be able to find Sumer on a map as well. Be able to locate the cities that would be the seats of power in ancient times: Ur and Babylon.

(2) Now that you’re familiar with the geography of this area, answer this question. Where were the first real “cities” located? Why do you suppose people would concentrate in this area?

(3) Generally familiarize yourself with some of the main contributions of ancient Mesopotamian societies, particularly with regard to:

(a)   the concept of money as a form of exchange;

(b)   mathematics;

(c)   codified law; and

(d)   astronomy and astrology.

Here, just try to assess why these would be important contributions to future societies (including our own society) AND what these inventions MEAN to Mesopotamian society. (For example, the invention of money indicates that the Mesopotamians did a lot of trading and commerce – that is, they did a lot of selling and buying. The fact that money is still in use today also indicates that we engage in the same basic practices.)

(4) As examples of Mesopotamian codified law, check out the law code of Ur-Nammu (ruled Mesopotamia from the city of Ur, circa 2100 B.C.), and the law code of Hammurabi (ruled Mesopotamia from the city of Babylon, circa 1790s-1750s B.C.).

Lesson 4:

On Indo-Europeans:

(1) Your book refers to the “Indo-European” peoples. Keep in mind that “Indo-European” is a family of languages. Your book also says, “Perhaps about 6000 to 5000 B.C. the Indo-European peoples began a slow dispersion across Europe and parts of Asia.” Fine, you now know where the Indo-Europeans traveled to, but, where did these Indo-European people come from? What your book doesn’t explain very clearly is that the Indo-Europeans came from somewhere in western Asia. That is an important point, so again here, you should begin by locating where the Indo-Europeans came from and where they traveled/settled on a map.

(2) Know a little bit about one particular group of Indo-Europeans, the Hittites. Be able to locate the Hittite kingdom on a map.

(3) The Hittites used iron and when their kingdom fell, this knowledge of iron spread to other groups in the area. Why was iron so important? Why is it considered to be a “democratic metal”?

On Palestine:

(4) Be able to locate Palestine on a map. Also, find the city of Jerusalem.

(5) Understand the concept of monotheism. Identify the groups of people who accepted monotheism. Think about the differences between the Israelite god and pagan gods.

(6) Have a general knowledge of what became of the Jews in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

On the Near Eastern states:

(7) On a map, find the full extent of the Assyrian Empire at its zenith (beginning about 900 B.C., see map 1.4 in book). Familiarize yourself with the general ways in which the Assyrians both united and oppressed those in their domain.

(8) On a map, find the full extent of the Persian Empire at its zenith (circa 500 B.C., see map 1.4 in book). (Keep in mind that the Persian Empire would encompass the Assyrian, Lydian, Chaldean (Neo-Babylonian), and Egyptian Empires by 500 B.C.)

(9) How did Persian kings rule over such a large empire?

(10) Who formulated the religion of the Persians? (Hint: The name of this religion is based on its founder.) Know about how this religion worked.

Lesson 5:

On Greece:

(1) Identify the locations of the following: Crete, Greece, Sparta, and Athens.

(2) When did Minoan civilization reach its height? Where did the Minoan civilization exist? On what did this civilization base its wealth? Why didn’t this civilization conquer a large empire?

(3) The era between circa 1600-1100 B.C. is referred to in your book as the Mycenaean Civilization. Why? During this period, geography – that is, the physical and topographical layout of the land – determined how different Greek communities organized and ruled. How were the communities laid out, and what does this have to do with geography?

(4) What are two possible explanations for the cause of the Trojan Wars?

(5) Why is the period between 1100-800 B.C. considered the Dark Age of Greece? On the other hand, why is the period between 800-600 B.C. considered to be the “Greek Renaissance”?

(6) Understand the basic characteristics of Greek religion and how Greeks viewed the gods.

(7) Be able to generally explain the significance of the following aspects of Greek society:

(a) public athletic games;

(b) the reasons and consequences of colonization;

(d) Greek architectural forms, especially the temple and the walled palace;

(e) the “Homeric epics” of the Iliad and the Odyssey (and be familiar with the controversy surrounding the identity of “Homer”);

(f) the contradicting love poetry of Archilochus and Sappho;

(g) the Greek polis: its general structure; who had rights, power, and citizenship; roles of men and women; why an abridged form of “self-government” developed in Greek poleis; the roles of hoplites and tyrants; the roles of agriculture, taxation, industry and – especially – slavery.

(8) Compare and contrast the characteristics of early Sparta and early Athens (circa 700-500 B.C.), including politics, family/social life, gender roles.

(9) For Athens, know about the general political reforms of: Draco, Solon, Pisistratus, and Cleisthenes.

(10) Why did the Persians (under King Darius) invade Greece in 490 B.C.? In the final analysis, who won the Persian wars – Greece or Persia?

(11) In the fifth century B.C. (circa 479-404 B.C.), how did Athens emerge as an empire? What was it like for other Greeks to be part of the Athenian empire? For Athens, it was a Golden Age. Why? (Keep in mind the role of Pericles here.)

(12) Understand the basic causes and consequences of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.). In other words, know who was fighting whom, why they were fighting, why the defeated power had to surrender, and what the relationships were like between both sides after the war was over.

Lesson 6:

On Classical Greek Culture (circa 500-323 B.C.):

(1) What were the central themes of classical Greek tragedy? In particular, familiarize yourself with the subjects of the plays written by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

(2) What were the central themes of classical Greek comedy? Familiarize yourself with the work of Aristophanes.

(3) What developments did Greeks – especially Herodotus and Thucydides – make in the way that history is written? Also, compare/contrast the historical approaches of Herodotus and Thucydides.

(4) Familiarize yourself with the works, approaches, and developments of the following Greek philosophers:

(a) Pythagoras;

(b) The Sophists, especially Protagoras;

(d) Plato;

(e) Aristotle.

(5) Generally know the roles of women in classical Greece, particularly in comparison to the roles of men. Examine both the myths and realities about women’s power in classical Greece.

Lesson 7:

(1) Refresh your memory here about the Peloponnesian War. Remind yourself of the main players and the general consequences for Greek city-states.

(2) Which Macedonian leader gained power and influence in Greece in the 330s B.C.? How did he extend this power and influence?

(3) How – and where – did Macedonia’s power grow under Alexander the Great? Why did his empire collapse after he died?

Lesson 8:

On the Hellenistic Age (323-30 B.C.):

(1) What is the process of Hellenization?

(2) After the collapse of Alexander’s empire, what happened to the area that had been under his rule? In other words, who held power after Alexander? How did cities organize themselves?

(3) Familiarize yourself with the work and economic activities of the Hellenistic kingdoms. Compare their economic life to that of earlier, classical Greece.

(4) Generally, get an idea of achievements in the Hellenistic Age in the following fields:

(a) scholarship;

(b) art;

(d) mathematics;

(e) philosophy – particularly the philosophy of the Epicurians, Stoics, and Cynics.

Lesson 9:

On the Roman Republic:

(1) Locate both Italy and Rome on a map.

(2) Which non-Roman groups lived and ruled in Rome and Italy from 750-500 B.C.? [Hint: there are two different groups here.] What does Roman tradition tell us about how the Romans finally kicked out the Etruscan king?

(3) What was the political system used by the Roman Republic? Who had access to power in this society? Compare how the Romans and the Greeks dealt with political conflict.

(4) Familiarize yourself with class distinctions in Roman society. What concessions did the plebeians win from the patricians in the struggle of the orders (494-287 B.C.)?

(5) Generally familiarize yourself with the following aspects of life in the Roman Republic:

(a) the role of the family;

(b) women’s roles in the Early Republic;

(d) religion and mythology;

(e) early Roman literature;

(f) the influence of Greek culture.

(6) Which powers fought each other in the Punic Wars (264-133 B.C.)? Who won? What was gained by Rome? The most critical of the Punic Wars was the second one. Here, be sure you know the basics: who started it and why, the main military leaders from both sides, and how it ended.

(7) Locate on a map (map 4.3 in the book) the extent of the Roman Republic in 241 B.C. Note how far Rome had expanded by 44 B.C. How was Rome able to expand so far? How did the Roman Republic rule over the provinces – and what did the provinces give to the Roman Republic?

(8) Why were so many people angry enough to begin a revolution against the Roman Republic? How did Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus affect Rome during the revolutionary period?

(9) Why did the Italian peoples who were Rome’s allies open a war against Rome in 91-88 B.C.? What did the Italians gain from the Italian War?

(10) According to the text, the first century B.C. can be considered “the years of the warlords”. How did different warlords (or generals) get so much power during this time? In particular, familiarize yourself with Lucius Cornelius Sulla: how he gained power, his goals, and his reforms.

(11) Skip forward a bit. What was the First Triumvirate? Who was involved?

(12) Get to know Julius Caesar, his accomplishments, and who his enemies were (also why they were his enemies).

(13) What was the Second Triumvirate? Who was involved? How did the Second Triumvirate capture Rome?

Lessons 10, 13, and 14:

Important Notice: It might be more helpful to approach Lesson 10’s readings alongside the readings from Lessons 13 and 14. That way you are dealing with the rise and decline of the Roman Empire as ONE subject, instead of separating it.

On the Roman Empire:

(1) First of all, you have to keep in mind that Octavian (former member of the Second Triumvirate) will be renamed “Augustus” by the Roman Senate. What did the new name mean and how was it useful for Augustus?

(2) Familiarize yourself with some of the changes enacted by Augustus, particularly related to religion, marriage, and the family. Think about his goals for these reforms and the effects of these reforms for the Roman people.

(3) What is the meaning of the term Pax Romana? The book explains that there were three elements that all worked together to preserve the Roman Empire during the era of the Pax Romana. What were these three powerful elements?

(4) After Augustus died, there were a series or rulers known as the Julio-Claudians. How did the Julio-Claudians centralize power during their reign? What did the military – particularly the Praetorian Guard – do during this period?

(5) Know generally about the following aspects of civilization in the Roman Empire:

(a) “Hadrian’s wall”;

(b) what cities were like, also compare western and eastern cities;

(d) the class system (upper classes, working classes, social mobility, citizens versus noncitizens);

(e) women’s roles;

(f) law and the legal system;

(g) engineering and architecture (including the invention of concrete);

(h) the writers: Virgil, Horace, Juvenal, Ovid, Livy, and Tacitus.

(6) When the Pax Romana ended in 192, what happened to the political balance of the Roman Empire? Who ended up with more power?

(7) Learn about slavery in the Roman Empire. How did it work? What did enslaved people do? Who were the slaves? Consider both the obvious moral problem with slavery as well as the economic dilemma of slavery.

(8) For the quiz only (NOT the midterm): How was Diocletian able to end the political crisis in the Roman Empire?

(9) Why did the Roman Empire decline in western Europe? Consider several possible reasons for the so-called “fall” of Rome. Why did the eastern part of the Roman Empire not suffer the same decline? What happened to the eastern part of the Roman Empire?

Lessons 11 and 12:

On Christianity:

(1) How did Christianity differ from the mystery religions?

(2) What was Constantine’s so-called Edict of Milan (313 C.E.)? How did it affect the spread of Christianity?

(3) When did Christianity become the only religion tolerated in the Roman Empire?

(4) Learn about the characteristics of Christianity in the early centuries and the Donatist heresy.