Name: _____________________________                           

 

MEDIEVAL HISTORY BENCHMARK EXAMINATION STUDY GUIDE KEY

 

Using the glossary in the rear of the textbook (pages 282+), please define the following words:

 

 

1. oral history: stories passed on by word of mouth

 

2. hieroglyphics: a system of writing using signs and symbols

 

3. Incas: people of a powerful empire that ruled part of South America in the 1400s and 1500s

                           

4. schism: a split, particularly in a church or religion

 

5. maize: a type of corn­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

 

6. pueblos: the dwelling of the Anasazi people

 

7. quipu: a group of knotted strings used by the Incas to record information

 

8. Ghana: first West African kingdom based on the salt and gold trade

 

9. census: an official count of people in a certain place at a certain time

 

10. kiva: a round room used by the Pueblo people for religious ceremonies

 

11. migration: a great movement of people

 

12. caliph: a Muslim ruler

 

13. savanna: grasslands with scattered trees and bushes

 

 

Please respond in a detailed fashion to each question. You may use your textbook or the chapter notes to help you. The book’s index will be particularly helpful. The pages provide only a range. The answer will be found somewhere within the pages given.

 

14. Why did Constantinople prosper?  (page 12)

Constantinople grew rich because it was located at a natural crossroads of land and sea trade routes. It was located on the Bosporus, a strait that connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Bosporus also links the continents of Europe and Asia

 

15. Describe the Bedouins’ way of life. (page 19)

The Bedouins are nomadic peoples who have no permanent home but move from place to place in search of food, water, and pasture. To make their way across the desert, they followed traditional routes from one oasis to another. They also worked as guides for traders. 

 

16. Who are the modern descendants of the Pueblo peoples? (page 83)

The modern descendants of the Pueblo peoples are the Hopi and the Zuni. 

 

17. What were the two main purposes of the Incan roads? (page 65)

The Inca built roads to keep the government informed about happenings in distant parts of the empire (communication). The roads also carried the Incan armies and trade caravans, both of which helped to unify (make one) the empire.

 

18. Out of what primary material did the Incans build roads, walls, and buildings? (page 66)

The Incas used stone to build roads, walls, and buildings.

 

19. How did the Mayas honor their gods? (page 72)

Each city held great festivals to honor the many Mayan gods. The most important religious events took place at large temple-pyramids. Some of the ceremonies included human sacrifice.

 

20. Describe the Mayas system of writing. (page 72)

The Mayas created a system of writing using signs and symbols called hieroglyphics. They used these hieroglyphics to record information in books made from the bark of fig trees.  

 

21. How were the social classes in Aztec society structured? (page 74)

Aztec society had a strict class structure. The emperor was the most important. Next were members of the royal family, nobles, priests, and military leaders. Soldiers were next in importance. Below soldiers came artisans and merchants. Then came farmers who made up the largest class of people. The lowest position in Aztec society was held by slaves, most of whom were prisoners captured in battle.

 

22. Describe the Mississippian city of Cahokia. (page 81)

The Mississippian culture spread over a wide area in the present-day South and Midwest. Their largest center of government was Cahokia, located in what is now Illinois. One of Cahokia’s mounds, around 100 feet tall, was the largest mound in North America. Cahokia reached its peak around A.D. 100 when as many as 20,000 to 30,000 people may have lived there.  

 

23. The Anasazi lived in a very difficult climate. How did they change their environment to make it more suitable for habitation?  (page 82)

Southwestern North America has harsh winters in some areas and hot, dry summers. The soil is mostly poor, and there is little water. To capture rainwater for their fields, the Anasazi created a system of canals and dams. This system allowed them to grow maize, beans, and squash for food. They also grew cotton for cloth.

 

24. Describe the religion of the Pueblo peoples. (page 83)

The pueblos believed in many spirits called kachinas. They wanted to please these spirits who they believed controlled the rain, wild animals, and harvests. Many times a year the Pueblo gathered for ceremonies that involved prayer, dancing, and singing.

 

25. What powers did the Inca ruler have? (page 65 )

The Incan ruler was called the Sapa Inca, or, “the emperor.” The people believed that their emperor was related to the sun-god. The emperor owned all the land and divided it among those under his rule.

 

26. Around what year did Mayan civilization decline? Why do scholars believe it declined? Give three reasons. (page 72)

Around A.D. 900, the Mayas abandoned their cities and their civilization declined. No one knows the exact reason why they left. Crop failures, war, disease, or overuse of natural resources may have altered the Mayan way of life.

 

27. How did the Incas increase farmland? (page 66)

The Andes are steep, dry, and rocky. There is little natural farmland, so the Incas used an ingenious method to increase farm production. By building terraces, or step-like ledges cut into the mountain, the Inca could farm on slopes that otherwise would have been too steep. Stone terraces held the soil in place so it would not be washed away by rain. A complex system of aqueducts, or stone-lined channels, carried water to these farms.

 

28. For what reason did the Aztec Empire expand? (page 73)

The Aztecs gained a huge empire by conquering others. They settled in the Valley of Mexico in the 1100s and founded Tenochtitlan around 1325. By the 1470s, they had conquered the surrounding lands.  

 

29. How did the Aztecs grow so wealthy? (page 73)

The Aztecs grew so wealthy because they made conquered peoples pay tribute in the form of gold, food, or slaves.

 

30. Describe the Mississippians. Where was their culture located? (page 81)

By about A.D. 700, a new and important culture called the Mississippians began to flower in eastern North America. These people inhabited both small and large communities, living along rivers and building mounds. They grew maize and beans. These two crops are easily dried and stored, helping them to survive years of drought and bad harvests. The Mississippian culture spread over a wide area in the present-day South and Midwest. Populations increased over time and major centers of religion and government developed. These included Moundville, in present-day Alabama, Etowah in present-day Georgia, and Cahokia located in what is now Illinois.   

 

31. What were the characteristics of the structures built by the Anasazi and Pueblo peoples? (page 82)

For their homes, the Anasazi built pueblos. These stone and adobe dwellings, built next to one another, helped keep people warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Pueblos had thick walls and many had high ceilings.

 

32. Describe Anasazi farming methods. (page 82)

Southwestern North America has harsh winters in some areas and hot, dry summers. The soil is mostly poor, and there is little water. To capture rainwater for their fields, the Anasazi created a system of canals and dams. This system allowed them to grow maize, beans, and squash for food. They also grew cotton for cloth.

 

33. Describe the Incas’ recordkeeping style. (page 65)

The official spoken language of the Inca was Quechua, but the Incas did not have a written language. Instead, they invented a complex system for keeping detailed records. Information such as births, deaths, and harvests was recorded on a group of knotted strings called a quipu. Each quipu had a main cord with several colored strings attached. The colors represented different items, and knots of varying sizes recorded numbers.

 

34. Describe the Iroquois League. Which tribes were members and why was it formed? (page 84)

In the 1500s, five Iroquois nations—Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Oneida—formed a peace alliance. Nations of the Iroquois League governed their own villages, but they met to decide to issues that affected the group as a whole.

 

35. Why did the Anasazi abandon their major pueblos? (page 82)

Between 1275 and 1300, severe droughts hit the region, and the Anasazi abandoned all their major pueblos, never to return.

 

36. Discuss Bantu migration. How long did it last? How do we study it? Where did they come from and where did they go? (pages 36-41)

About 4,000 years ago, many people left the places where they lived in West Africa and set out to seek better farmland. Over time, their migration took them across most of Africa south of the Equator. Called the Bantu migrations, this movement lasted for over 1,000 years. Historians have found it difficult to study sub-Saharan Africa because the wood and clay that many Africans used for building have disintegrated. Even iron tools and weapons have not lasted because iron rusts fairly quickly. However, stories told by traditional African storytellers have helped historians study the Bantu migrations.

 

37. Where are Africa’s rain forests located? (page 37)

Africa’s tropical rain forests are located on either side of the Equator.  

 

38. What were the two most important products that were traded in West Africa? (page 45)

Salt and gold were the basis of West African trade.  

 

39. What did Muslim scholars in the empire of Mali teach their students? (pg. 47)

Muslim scholars in the empire of Mali taught their students religion, mathematics, medicine, and law.  

 

40. Describe two of the most important kingdoms of the West African forest. (pages 48-49)

The two most important kingdoms of the West African forest were Benin and Ile-Ife.

 

41. With whom did the port cities of East Africa trade? (What goods were traded? (page 52)

The port cities of East Africa traded gold and ivory for glass beads, rice, spices and expensive jewels from India, honey and wheat from Southwest Asia, and rich silks and fragile porcelains from China.

 

42. Who finally drove the rulers of Aksum from the coast of Africa? (pages 53)

In the A.D. 600s, Muslim traders fought with the rulers of Aksum for control of the Red Sea trade routes. Eventually, the Muslims conquered the coastal ports. The Muslim conquest of the coast ended the trade that had given Aksum its power and wealth.

 

43. The Ethiopians were cut off from the rest of the world. As a result they developed a different culture than the rest of the region. What was especially unique about their culture? (page 54)

Although many neighboring lands converted to Islam, present-day Ethiopia remained Christian. Cut off in their mountainous home, the Ethiopians had little direct contact with other Christian peoples. In time, their churches developed unique customs and traditions. In one such tradition, churchgoers rest their foreheads against the outside wall of a church and kiss it to show respect.  

 

44. Describe Africa’s physical geography. (page 37)

Tropical rainforests are located on either side of the Equator. They have hot, moist climates. Surrounding these forests are bands of savanna, areas of grassland with scattered trees and bushes. Much of Africa is savanna (about 65%). Deserts stretch north and south of the savanna. A band of lakes, deep valleys, and rugged mountains run north to south through East Africa.  

 

45. How do many Bantu clans trace their ancestry? (page 40)

Many of the Bantu clans trace their ancestry through mothers rather than fathers. For this reason, property and positions of power were passed down through the mother’s side of the family.

 

46. Where was Aksum located? (page 53)

Aksum was located in northeastern Africa along the Red Sea.

 

47. What specialized form of knowledge did the Bantu carry with them as they migrated? (page 41)

As they migrated, the Bantu carried a knowledge of metalworking with them. Iron tools gave them more control over their environment than older cultures had. With hard axes, they could cut down trees and clear the land. Their sharp, iron-headed spears and arrows were powerful weapons for hunting and for warfare.  

 

48. What two things did foreign merchants bring to Aksum? (pages 53-54)

Foreign merchants brought not only goods to Aksum but new ideas and beliefs as well. During the A.D. 300s, King Ezana learned about a new religion—Christianity. Soon he became a Christian himself and made Christianity the official religion of his kingdom.

 

49. How were the Inca able to farm on steep mountain slopes? (page 66)

The Andes are steep, dry, and rocky. There is little natural farmland. So the Incas used an ingenious method to increase farm production. By building terraces, or step-like ledges cut into the mountain, the Inca could farm on slopes that otherwise would have been too steep. Stone terraces held the soil in place so it would not be washed away by rain. A complex system of aqueducts or stone-lined channels carried water to these farms.

 

50. On what was Mayan life based? (page 71)

Mayan life was based on farming. To grow crops, Mayan farmers used a technique called slash-and-burn agriculture. They first cleared the land by cutting down trees. They then burned the tree stumps, saving the ash to use as fertilizer.  Finally, they planted seeds. After a few years, however, the soil would be worn out and the farmers would have to clear and plant a new area.

 

51. What did the Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippians have in common? (pages 78-81)

The Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippians were all mound builders.

 

 

52. How were the Anaszi able to deal with the hot, dry summers and harsh winters? (page 82)

For their homes, the Anasazi built pueblos. These stone and adobe dwellings, built next to one another, helped keep people warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Pueblos had thick walls and many had high ceilings.

 

53. In what four ways did the arrival of Europeans affect Native Americans? (page 83)

After the arrival of Europeans, the lives of the Plains Indians changed rapidly. (1) They had to share their land with eastern Native Americans such as the Omaha, who had been forced west by white settlers.  (2) Most groups suffered from diseases brought by Europeans. (3) Newly introduced horses, guns, and railroads altered their traditions. (4) Many Native American groups lost their land to European settlers.

 

54. Why was the eastern part of the Roman Empire able to survive after the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D.? Provide at least two reasons.

(pages 12 and 15)

By A.D. 350, the Western Roman Empire was already in decline. Roman armies were having difficulty holding back invaders from Europe. Germanic groups were coming closer and closer to Rome itself. In 476, a Germanic leader ousted the emperor.  Historians call this the fall of the Roman Empire. However, strong fortifications and an excellent army protected Constantinople for almost another 1,000 years. It wasn’t until 1453 that it finally fell to a force of about 70,000 Turks.