Ancient Civilizations

ROMAN INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS

1. What areas of early maps were most likely to be accurate? Why?

• Areas close to the shore because ships hugged the shoreline for safety and direction

1. Why did traders choose camels instead of horses as pack animals on trade routes through Asia and the Middle East?

• Sure-footed
• Could carry up to 1000 pounds
• Could withstand both intense heat and cold

1. How would the stirrup, the bit and horseshoes have affected communications by 500 Ad?

• Made travel more comfortable and easier, so more Romans used this mode of transportation for inland travel

1. Why was sea travel during the time of the Roman Empire unreliable and dangerous?

• Fragile ships
• Required favourable winds
• No navigational charts or instruments
• Unpredictable storms
• Disease malnutrition, starvation, sickness

1. What common role did the early soldiers, explorers, merchants and pilgrims play in expanding the world view of their time?

• Explored new areas never seen before by Romans

1. What did travelers such as Ibn Battuta and Hsuang-Tsang contribute to mapmaking?

• Traveled to places never seen by many Romans or Chinese and wrote journals to document travels

1. Compare the speed of communication in the Roman empire with today.

• Many comparisons are possible

1. What led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire?

• Overexpansion
• Barbarians attacked Roman borders
• Internal problems as generals took throne by force
• Roman armies fighting for control
• Food production interrupted by fighting

1. Why did the government limit the number of barbarians entering the empire at any one time?

• Barbarians brought in own weapons and were not necessarily loyal to Roman empire or share its values

1. Why was the Eastern Roman empire able to survive and prosper while the Western Roman empire crumbled?

• Byzantium location had military and economic advantages
• Balkan mountains provided protection
• Economically provided midway point between Europe and East Indies

SUB-SAHARAN INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS

1. What effect did trade have on the people of Ghana?

• Ghana ends up controlling West Africa's rich trade
• First trading empire
• Became wealthy under Soninke kings
• Controlled 100,000 square miles of land
• Islam traders influenced some Ghanaian people (some became Muslim)
• Koumbi divided to accommodate Islam traders

1. How did the Nok culture help the Soninke defeat neighbouring peoples?

• Used iron weapons with knowledge of Nok's iron production

1. What Islamic practice was particularly difficult for the Ghanaians to accept?

• Succession of kings

1. How did the location of the West African gold and salt mines benefit Ghana?

• Became prime trading point as traders from both areas passed through

1. What event led to the development of the great trade empires of Mali and Songhai?

• Battle of Kirina between Sundiata and Sumanguru

1. What are some of the things the empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai had in common?

• Economy based on trade
• Control of gold mines
• Restoration of salt and gold exchange
• Some traditional and Islamic practices

1. How did the people in the rural villages of West Africa survive in their often unpredictable environment?

• Grew different foods at different times of year
• Everybody worked together and shared everything to ensure everyone was provided for
• Tried to please gods to ensure there were no disasters

1. What role did the family play in the religious and political life in the village?

• Family was basis of government
• All villagers participated in rituals and dances to please gods

1. How did the Bantu migration affect the peoples of central and southern Africa?

• All languages originated from Bantu language
• Ancestors of people in central and southern Africa
• Bantu agricultural practices adopted
• Adopted Bantu's iron technology

1. How was the growth in East Africa in trade similar to the growth in West Africa?

• Trade with Arabs
• Gold became important

JAPAN INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS

1. How did moving the capital to Kyoto affect the development of Japanese culture?

• Allowed emperor to limit the influence of the Buddhist clergy
• Isolated Kyoto from events in the provinces
• Led to the development of an upper class which was completely out of touch with other classes

1. Why was Buddhism able to coexist with Shinto in Japan?

• Both religions offered unique aspects
• Buddhism met spiritual needs not met by Shinto
• Shinto linked the Japanese to their homeland and past

1. What do you think might have been the eventual result of the isolation of the ruling class at Kyoto?

• Less work being done due to discontent
• Unrest amongst the lower classes
• Violence and perhaps civil war

1. What impact did the samurai values have on Japanese culture and religion?

• Became a new class in society
• Changed values from detail to small events and delicacy to strength, warrior codes of honour
• Warriors became officials in provinces

1. Compare and contrast the values and achievements of the Japanese courtiers with those of the samurai.

• Courtiers supported by taxes from provinces, cut off from rest of society and placed great importance in minute details, etiquette, literature, arts, refined actions and social rituals
• Samurai supported themselves through providing protection, acquisition of land and posts as officials and placed great importance on honour, strength, discipline, dignity in death, fierce image, etc.

1. Why might Zen Buddhism have appealed to many samurai?

• Stressed rigid mental and physical exercise
• Required discipline, severity and restraint

1. Why did the Tokugawa shoguns want to keep Japan isolated?

• Feared the European unrest would spread with European ideas
• Did not want daimyo to become rich from foreign trade as they might rebel

1. How did the Tokugawa shogunate go about creating stability that had been lacking in medieval Japan?

• Built indestructible fortress
• Established line of succession
• Daimyos had to swear oath of loyalty and their power was limited
• Limited foreign influence

1. How does the phrase "it takes money to make money" apply to the merchant class under the Tokugawa shogunate?

• Merchants loaned money but ensured interest was high enough so borrowers had limited profit
• Set prices to keep others poor

1. What values characterized the court at Kyoto?

• Valued form, etiquette, art, literature, proper speech, dress and actions

CHINESE INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS

1. What were some of the obstacles to unity in China and how did Emperor Wen overcome them?

• Barbarian invasions
• Large southern landowners controlling local affairs
• Generals and aristocratic families fighting for control
• Wen followed ancient traditional practices to justify his role as emperor
• Wen organized public works projects
• Built Great Wall for protection
• Set up schools and scholarship
• Created new system of administration where local officials could not gain control
• Accepted all religions

1. Describe the fall of the Han empire.

• No contact between north and south no sense of unity
• No sense of loyalty by countryside landowners who refused to pay taxes
• Series of floods, famines, no money for food
• Internal fighting for control of power

1. What were the natural barriers that protected China on the east, west and southwest?

• Himalayas southwest
• Taklimakan Desert west
• East China Sea, Yellow See east

1. Why was Emperor Wan wise to allow the practice of Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism in his empire?

• Promoted Chinese unity as Wen followed Buddhism, Chinese government people followed Confucianism and Daoism based on harmony and nature, which promoted peacefulness

1. What were the most significant achievements of the Tang and Song dynasties?

• Inventions (printing)
• New crops and farming methods
• Roads and waterways
• Growth in economy
• Infrastructure

1. How did Chinese agricultural growth make necessary the development of a money economy?

• A surplus in food increased trading and it became cumbersome to trade great quantities of silk
• Money was much easier to carry and count

1. Would you describe Moscrop as a meritocracy?

• A variety of answers possible, but must be explained

1. What factors caused China to open trade at some times and remain isolated at other times?

• At times of instability, foreign influences were seen as harmful; however, when the empire was stable, trade with other countries was seen as advantageous

1. How did the Ming attitude toward foreigners affect trade?

• Tried to greatly restrict trade

1. Compare and contrast the Mongol rule and the Qing Dynasty.

• Mongols and Manchus (Qing) wanted to retain own tribal traditions
• For governing own subjects, Qing adopted Chinese traditions, government structure, officials and civil service
• Mongols accepted certain Chinese traditions to government, but Mongols held government positions of power