Review Questions Byzantine Empire thru Meso-America

Why did the Western Roman Empire decline? *Name at least

one reason*

• Size – it was too big to run • Military – no longer loyal to Rome • Moral decay • Civil wars weakened Rome• Invasions

Constantine’s important for?

Legalized Christianity and moved the capital from Rome to

Constantinople

Capital of the Byzantine Empire?

Constantinople

Geographical advantages to Constantinople?

Easily protected, away from Germanic invasions, crossroads of trade, close to Silk Road, and

great harbor

Great Byzantine Emperor?

Justinian

At least one ccomplishment made by Justinian?

Reconquered former Roman territories, code of laws

(Justinian’s Code), and expanded trade

Religious images (used by Byzantine empire)

Icon

Language spoken by most people of the Byzantine Empire?

Greek

Great Byzantine domed Church?

Hagia Sophia

Religious division or split of the Eastern and Western churches?

Great Schism

What factors caused the schism between the Roman Catholic

Church and the Byzantine Church (Orthodox)?

Language (Latin v. Greek), celibacy (yes v. no), icon

controversy, pope v. patriarch

Missionary who spread Christianity to eastern Europe and developed an alphabet?

Cyril

Where did Islam begin?

Arabian Peninsula, Mecca, and Medina

Who is the prophet of Islam?

Muhammad

What is the Islamic holy book?

Quran/Koran

What are the duties of Muslims?

Five Pillars

What caused the Sunni-Shi’a Islamic Divide?

Debate over who was the successor to Muhammad

The west African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhai traded

what?

Gold and salt

Language of Muslims?

Arabic

Muslims were defeated here preventing the spread of Islam

into Europe?

Battle of Tours

Muslim contributions?

Mosaics, Arabic, number system including zero, algebra,

medicine, and geography

Land given to a vassal in exchange for loyalty?

Fief

Political and military system in which nobles entered

arrangements with other lords in exchange for protection?

Feudalism

Manors were expected to be able to meet all needs meaning they

were?

Self-sufficient

Peasants during feudal times that were bound to the land?

Serfs

In exchange for a fief these people offer protection to their

lord and to serve him?

Vassal

Great Frankish king who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor?

Charlemagne

Frankish king who revived Roman culture, stressed

education, expanded his empire through most of western Europe?

Charlemagne

Ethnic religion of ancient Japan? Believes in Kami?

Shinto

City in west Africa that served as the foundation for trans-Saharan

trade of gold and salt?

Timbuktu

African civilization located on the Limpopo and Zambezi

Rivers?

Zimbabwe

Religion of west African kingdoms?

Islam

What was the name of the Christian African kingdom?

Axum

Civilization located in the Mexican and Central American

rainforest (including the Yucatan peninsula)?

Maya

Civilization located in central Mexico?

Aztec

Capital of Aztec?

Tenochtitlan

Achievements made by the Maya, Aztecs, and Incan?

Calendar, mathematics, and writing

• Which civilization was located in South America in the Andes Mountains?

• Incas

• Name the capital and important city of the Incas?

• Capital – Cuzco

• Important city – Machu Picchu