Archive for May 2017

The first flowering of Islamic civilization

The first flowering of Islamic civilization



(A) was intolerant toward older civilizations and their learning because these cultures were pagan.
(B) grew largely out of indigenous Arabia and bedouin traditions.
(C) borrowed exclusively from the Chinese.
(D) borrowed heavily from classical civilizations, but made significant contributions in its own areas.
(E) was mostly imitative rather than creative.




Answer: D

As similarly compared to classical Rome, later Muslim society

As similarly compared to classical Rome, later Muslim society



(A) granted women extensive rights
(B) denied merchants high social status.
(C) discouraged toleration of foreigners and conversion to the official religion.
(D) relied on the military to run the government.
(E) used slave labor extensively and had an important landed elite.




Answer: E

As the Muslim empire grew and the Abbasid dynasty came to power

As the Muslim empire grew and the Abbasid dynasty came to power




(A) Muslim rulers were increasingly isolated because of advisors and harems.
(B) civil wars destroyed the unity of the empires as provinces broke away.
(C) the Shi'a doctrines were supported and spread by the caliphs.
(D) the caliphs increasingly brought distant provinces under central control.
(E) conversions to Islam declined.




Answer: A

The decline of women's position within Islamic civilization was due to

The decline of women's position within Islamic civilization was due to




(A) Islamic dogma.
(B) contacts with older sedentary cultures and their highly stratified urban systems.
(C) the necessities of war and holy war.
(D) the high death rates of males; the increased number of women in Islamic society "decreased the value" of women.
(E) bedouin traditions.




Answer: B

The reasons for the Arabs' (Muslim) successful conquest of the Middle East and north Africa was most likely due to

The reasons for the Arabs' (Muslim) successful conquest of the Middle East and north Africa was most likely due to



(A) the promise of booty to be won.
(B) overpopulation in the Arabian peninsula.
(C) the desire to convert others to Islam.
(D) the weaknesses caused by their long wars of Islam's two main adversaries, Persia and the Byzantine Empire.
(E) the unity provided by their faith in Islam.




Answer: D

The Pillar of Islam which helped create the first global civilization was

The Pillar of Islam which helped create the first global civilization was



(A) a profession of faith.
(B) charity and alms-giving to help the Muslim community.
(C) the pilgrimage by the faithful to Mecca.
(D) fasting during Ramadan.
(E) the holy war (jihad) against unbelievers.




Answer: C

The issue that confronted Muslims following Muhammad's death, and the issue which eventually split Muslims into Shi'a and Sunni sects involved

The issue that confronted Muslims following Muhammad's death, and the issue which eventually split Muslims into Shi'a and Sunni sects involved



(A) the toleration or persecution of Christians and Jews.
(B) who was Muhammad's legitimate successor.
(C) the conversion of non-Arabs to Islam.
(D) the morality of the holy war (jihad) against enemies of the faith.
(E) the accuracy of different translations and versions of the Quran.





Answer: B

One of the strengths of Islam which made it a successful universalizing religion similar to Christianity was its

One of the strengths of Islam which made it a successful universalizing religion similar to Christianity was its




(A) use of a common language, Arabic, to unite all members.
(B) insistence that there was only one God.
(C) support for merchants and commercial values.
(D) egalitarianism that transcended previous loyalties, ethnicities, or allegiances.
(E) condemnation of violence as incompatible with faith.





Answer: D

The Prophet Muhammad had knowledge of life beyond Mecca because he was

The Prophet Muhammad had knowledge of life beyond Mecca because he was




(A) a merchant and had traveled.
(B) well-read and well-educated as an Arab scholar.
(C) exiled to Persia before his conversion.
(D) a judge who frequently arbitrated disputes.
(E) a traveling scholar who moved between cities teaching.





Answer: A

In pre-Islamic times, the status of Mecca was enhanced by

In pre-Islamic times, the status of Mecca was enhanced by



(A) the presence in the city of a Christian bishop.
(B) the Ka'aba, a religious shrine which attracted pilgrims.
(C) its merchants control of trade throughout the Middle East.
(D) its alliance with the Sassanid Persian Empire.
(E) the freedoms given its slaves and women.





Answer: B

What was the status of artisans in Abbasid cities?

What was the status of artisans in Abbasid cities?




a. Artisans were free men who owned their own tools and who formed guild-like organizations to negotiate wages.
b. Artisans found no markets for their goods and were finally incorporated into the ayan.
c. Artisans were able to utilize their guild-like organizations to seize political control of most Abbasid towns.
d. The number of artisans decreased along with the economic crisis of the Abbasid period.
e. Handicraft industries were staffed by slave labor exclusively.




Answer: A

What was the initial response of the Umayyads to Muhammad's new faith?

What was the initial response of the Umayyads to Muhammad's new faith?



a. They sought him as an ally against the Sassanians and the Byzantines.
b. The Umayyads simply ignored Muhammad as an insignificant member of a weak clan.
c. The Umayyads immediately accepted Muhammad as their religious and political leader and the chief power in Mecca.
d. They sought to protect him from a plot on his life by the Banu Hashim.
e. They regarded him as a threat to their wealth and power as he questioned the traditional gods of the Ka'ba.




Answer: E

What was the Umayyad attitude to other religions?

What was the Umayyad attitude to other religions?




a. Christianity and Judaism were suppressed as heresies, but other communities were permitted to retain their religions.
b. The Umayyads displayed tolerance towards the religions of dhimmi peoples.
c. The Umayyads suppressed all religions within their territories other than Islam.
d. The Umayyads converted to Christianity, but continued to permit the open worship of Islam.
e. Zoroastrians and Hindus were never accepted.




Answer: B

What was the nature of the Abbasid government?

What was the nature of the Abbasid government?




a. The Abbasids outdid the Umayyads in establishing an absolutist government symbolized by the growing powers of the wazirs and the sinister presence of the executioner.
b. The Abbasids continued the policies of the Umayyads virtually without change, including the maintenance of an exclusively Arabic elite.
c. The Abbasid government represented a return to the principles of government in the first days of the Orthodox caliphate.
d. The Abbasids abandoned the formality and absolutism of the Umayyads and established an open and representative government.
e. The Abbasid government was extremely efficient due to the influence of Byzantine advisors.




Answer: A

What was Muhammad's teaching with respect to the revelations of other monotheistic religions?

What was Muhammad's teaching with respect to the revelations of other monotheistic religions?





a. Muhammad accepted the earlier Christian revelations, but rejected completely any influence from Judaism.
b. Muhammad taught that monotheistic religion was compatible with polytheism.
c. Muhammad stressed that only his own revelations had merit and that others were works of the devil.
d. Muhammad accepted the validity of earlier Christian and Judaic revelations and taught that his own revelations were a final refinement and reformulation of earlier ones.
e. Muhammad accepted the earlier Judaic revelations, but rejected completely any influence from Christianity.




Answer: D

What was the primary cultural contribution of the Muslims during the Abbasid period?

What was the primary cultural contribution of the Muslims during the Abbasid period?




a. Although the material culture of the Abbasid period remained poor, Muslims were able to make some advances in music.
b. The Muslims became extraordinarily adept at portraiture, focusing on depictions of Muhammad and the early caliphs.
c. The Muslims were able to recover and preserve the works of the ancient philosophers as well as transmit ideas and culture from one civilization to another.
d. Islamic culture combined the achievements of earlier civilizations such as the Harappan and the Aryans.
e. Islamic learning was necessarily unique, as they had no access to the ancient traditions of philosophy and science.





Answer: C

What happened after Muhammad's death in 632?

What happened after Muhammad's death in 632?



a. After a lengthy period of grief, the tribes selected a new leader based on the established principle of succession in the Quran.
b. Islam remained unified under the leadership of Ali.
c. A military commander, Khalid ibn al-Walid, was chosen as leader of Islam.
d. Many of the bedouin tribes renounced Islam.
e. Islam ceased to exist until it was reestablished under the Umayyad dynasty at Damascus.





Answer: D

Which of the following statements concerning inter-clan relationships in bedouin society is most accurate?

Which of the following statements concerning inter-clan relationships in bedouin society is most accurate?





a. Inter-clan violence was regulated by a universally recognized code of law imposed by the Quraysh in Mecca.
b. Inter-clan violence over control of water and pasturage was common.
c. Violence in Bedouin society was generally limited to slave uprisings.
d. Arabic society was too mobile to result in many contacts between clans, and therefore violence was minimal.
e. Clans within the same tribe almost never engaged in warfare, but violence between different tribes was common.



Answer: B

What was the nature of the economy of the Abbasid period?

What was the nature of the economy of the Abbasid period?




a. It was a period of general prosperity typified by urban growth and the restoration of the Afro-Eurasian trade axis.
b. There was a general crisis in the agricultural economy resulting from the constant warfare of the period.
c. The economic downturn of the era was typified by the breakdown in the trade between the Middle East and China.
d. Trade was initiated with northern Europe, which eventually led to the rise of slave trade with Africa.
e. Although commerce was generally resuscitated during the Abbasid period, artisan production dropped off significantly.





Answer: A

Which of the following statements concerning the ethical system of early Islam is NOT correct?

Which of the following statements concerning the ethical system of early Islam is NOT correct?




a. Islam stressed the dignity of all believers and their equality in the eyes of Allah.
b. It recognized the truth of similar ethical ideas in Judaism and Christianity.
c. A tax for charity was obligatory in the new faith.
d. The teachings of the Prophet and the Quran were not formally incorporated into a body of law.
e. Islam stressed the responsibility of the wealthy and strong to care for the poor and weak.



Answer: D

What was the result of inter-clan rivalries?

What was the result of inter-clan rivalries?




a. They allowed for intermarriage between clan groups, thus preventing social isolation.
b. They kept population down in a region that could support few people.
c. They prevented mobility and migration that would have debilitated efforts at more complex social organization.
d. They strengthened be bedouin and enabled them to challenge their neighbors.
e. They tended to weaken the bedouin in comparison to neighboring peoples and empires.





Answer: E

What was the principal advantage of the Islamic concept of the umma?

What was the principal advantage of the Islamic concept of the umma?




a. It provided dietary restrictions that allowed for more equitable distribution of food in Arabia.
b. It provided a clear principle of political succession that would provide the basis for an Islamic state.
c. It provided for an annual treaty that would restore the trade routes of Arabia.
d. It emphasized the value of individualism and fostered self-reliance among the bedouin tribes.
e. It transcended old tribal boundaries and made possible political unity among Arab clans.





Answer: E

What was the nature of slavery within the Abbasid social system?

What was the nature of slavery within the Abbasid social system?




a. Slavery was known in Abbasid cities, but was virtually unknown in the countryside where most labor was performed by a free peasantry.
b. Because most unskilled labor was left to the unfree, slaves could be found in both the towns and countryside of the Abbasid Empire.
c. Slavery was limited to the non-Arab converts to Islam, and died out during the period of the Abbasid Empire.
d. According to the Quran, slavery could not exist in Islam, and the Abbasid freed all former slaves.
e. Most slaves worked under favorable conditions but were never allowed to convert to Islam.





Answer: B

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the status of women in bedouin society prior to Islam?

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the status of women in bedouin society prior to Islam?





a. Women were regarded as little more than property with neither rights nor status.
b. They enjoyed greater freedom and higher status then Byzantine and Sasanian women.
c. Women were the equals of males in the rugged society of the desert bedouin.
d. Descent in bedouin tribes was strictly patrilineal.
e. Women were permitted to take more than one husband (with approval of their mother).




Answer: B

What was the major difference between Medina and Mecca?

What was the major difference between Medina and Mecca?





a. Medina was located on the western side of the Arabian Peninsula, while Mecca was located on the Persian Gulf.
b. Medina was engaged in long-distance caravan trade, while Mecca was not.
c. Mecca was established in an oasis, and Medina was in a mountainous region.
d. Political dominance in Medina was contested between a number of Jewish and bedouin tribes.
e. Medina was controlled by Coptic Christians while Mecca was controlled by the Banu Hashim clan.




Answer: D

Who were the ayan?

Who were the ayan?



a. African slaves
b. A rural landholding elite
c. Free artisans
d. Abbasid bureaucrats
e. Jewish converts to Islam






Answer: B

What was the most significant of the transformations brought about by the Abbasids' rise to power?

What was the most significant of the transformations brought about by the Abbasids' rise to power?




a. The destruction of Sunni influences within Islam
b. The mawali were admitted as full members of the Islamic community
c. Victory in the Crusades and the conquest of Spain
d. The destruction of absolutism within Islamic government
e. The final defeat of the Byzantine Empire with the capture of Constantinople




Answer: B

What was the nature of the material culture of bedouin society?

What was the nature of the material culture of bedouin society?






a. The bedouins constructed numerous temple complexes featuring monumental architecture in the form of pyramids.
b. Although their nomadic lifestyle did not permit the development of monumental architectural forms, the bedouins were skilled painters and sculptors.
c. Except in the sedentary agricultural communities of the South, there was little art or architecture and the chief focus of cultural creativity was oral poetry.
d. Mecca was a major center for the development of art and architecture, but the desert bedouin produced little of cultural value.
e. The bedouins preserved the learning of classical cultures through writings that included prose-like epics.






Answer: C

Which of the following was NOT a reason for the early expansion of Islam beyond Arabia?

Which of the following was NOT a reason for the early expansion of Islam beyond Arabia?



a. The desire for booty
b. The sense of common cause and united strength
c. The desire to convert new populations to Islam
d. A means to release the energies of the bedouin tribes against others than themselves
e. The weakness of their adversaries.






Answer: C

Which of the following statements concerning bedouin society is NOT accurate?

Which of the following statements concerning bedouin society is NOT accurate?




a. Bedouins lived in highly mobile tent encampments.
b. Clans were commonly congregated together in larger tribal groupings.
c. Bedouins were rarely found living in urban areas.
d. Bedouin herders lived in kin-related clan groups.
e. Arabian society fostered strong dependence on loyalty and cooperation with kin.




Answer: B

What was the Umayyad response to Muhammad's migration to Medina and subsequent success there?

What was the Umayyad response to Muhammad's migration to Medina and subsequent success there?



a. The Umayyad rulers of Mecca ignored Muhammad as long as he was content to remain in Medina.
b. War broke out between Mecca and Medina resulting in the eventual victory of the Umayyads.
c. War broke out between Mecca and Medina resulting in the eventual victory of Muhammad and the Medina clans.
d. The Umayyads eagerly converted to Islam and welcomed Muhammad back to Mecca.
e. Reluctantly but peacefully, the Umayyads were converted to Islam.





Answer: C

Which of the following represents a mounting pressure for change in pre-Islamic society?

Which of the following represents a mounting pressure for change in pre-Islamic society?



a. Invasion from sub-Saharan Africa agricultural cultures incompatible with nomadic life
b. Greater Byzantine and Sasanian control over Arabic tribes of the peninsula and Arabic migration to Mesopotamia
c. The increasing scarcity of natural resources to support the life and culture of the bedouins
d. The increasing influence of Hindu animism from the expansion of the Gupta Empire
e. The increasing influence of polytheism throughout all cultures around the Mediterranean





Answer: B

Which of the following statements concerning Muhammad's flight to Medina is NOT correct?

Which of the following statements concerning Muhammad's flight to Medina is NOT correct?




a. Once in Medina he attracted new followers to his faith.
b. He fled because he was invited to mediate a dispute between the tribes of Medina.
c. He fled because of the threat of assassination in Mecca.
d. Muhammad fled from Mecca with nearly one quarter of the city's population.
e. Muhammad fled to Medina in the year 622.





Answer: D

What was the nature of pre-Islamic bedouin religion?

What was the nature of pre-Islamic bedouin religion?



a. It was a blend of animism and polytheism.
b. Most of the bedouin were Christians.
c. The bedouins had no religious beliefs.
d. The bedouin were monotheists who worshipped Allah.
e. Most of the bedouin were Jews.




Answer: A

The Umayyads felt threatened by all of the following developments EXCEPT

The Umayyads felt threatened by all of the following developments EXCEPT



a. Muhammad's destruction of the Ka'ba.
b. the development of Muhammad's religion.
c. raids on their caravans.
d. the growing power of Medina.
e. disputes between rival families.





Answer: A

What was the result of the first civil war between Ali and the Umayyads?

What was the result of the first civil war between Ali and the Umayyads?





a. Ali was killed in the conflict, but his son Hasan was named caliph and won a great victory over the Abbasids.
b. Despite early successes, Ali's faction disintegrated, leading to an Umayyad victory and Ali's assassination.
c. Ali was able to defeat the Umayyad clan and reduce them to political insignificance.
d. Islam remained firmly united behind the heirs of Husayn and Ali.
e. Ali suffered a disastrous military defeat at the Battle of Siffin, and the Umayyads emerged victorious.




Answer: B

Why was the caliph Uthman disliked by so many Arabs?

Why was the caliph Uthman disliked by so many Arabs?



a. He was not an Arab.
b. He murdered Ali.
c. He had halted the process of expansion and thus stopped the flow of booty to the tribesmen.
d. He was a firm supporter of Muhammad's son-in-law and nephew, Ali.
e. He was the first caliph to be chosen from Muhammad's early enemies, the Umayyads.






Answer: E

What was the nature of citizenship within the Umayyad Empire?

What was the nature of citizenship within the Umayyad Empire?




a. Only Muslim Arabs were first-class citizens of this great empire.
b. Malawi were accorded full rights of citizenship.
c. All converts to Islam, regardless of their ethnic origins, were full citizens and members of the elite.
d. Arabs rapidly lost their dominance in the Umayyad Empire to the native residents of Persia.
e. The Umayyads recognized all residents of their empire, whether Muslims or "people of the book" as full citizens.





Answer: A

What was the Ka'ba?

What was the Ka'ba?



a. The belief in the goodness of holy war
b. The name given to Muhammad's flight from Mecca
c. The tribe that dominated Mecca
d. The port of Mecca
e. The religious shrine that was the focus of an annual truce





Answer: E

Why did the Arab warriors not want to convert large numbers of people to Islam?

Why did the Arab warriors not want to convert large numbers of people to Islam?




a. They lacked the political organization to govern them and feared insurrection by non-Arabs.
b. They would have had to share their booty and would have lost tax revenues.
c. Muhammad specifically stated that Islam could only be spread among the Arabs.
d. They wanted to keep high religious offices among themselves.
e. Conversion would have slowed down the process of conquest.





Answer: B

The fall of the Roman Empire

The fall of the Roman Empire





(A) left behind a common culture unifying the Mediterranean basin.
(B) left the Persian Empire in control of the eastern Mediterranean.
(C) divided Christianity into Catholic and Orthodox (Greek) sects.
(D) had little effect on artistic and cultural traditions.
(E) divided the Mediterranean into three different cultural zones.




Answer: E

All of these contributed to the decline and fall of Rome EXCEPT:

All of these contributed to the decline and fall of Rome EXCEPT:




(A) the spread of Christianity.
(B) nomadic invasions.
(C) the collapse of effective government.
(D) plagues which decimated populations.
(E) economic disruptions.






Answer: A

Christianity differed from classic Mediterranean culture in all of these ways EXCEPT:

Christianity differed from classic Mediterranean culture in all of these ways EXCEPT:




(A) it offered salvation to the poor and slaves.
(B) it adapted classical Roman governmental institutions to organize the church.
(C) it emphasized eternal salvation instead of the pursuits of the secular world.
(D) it granted equal importance to the souls of men and women.
(E) it provided a common culture to unify all classes.





Answer: B

In India during the period after the Guptan collapse,

In India during the period after the Guptan collapse,



(A) Buddhism reasserted its influence, replacing Hinduism.
(B) the caste system lost its influence.
(C) Hinduism maintained cultural cohesion when the central state collapsed.
(D) invaders rarely assimilated into Hindu culture.
(E) trade and commercial activities collapsed.






Answer: C

As the Han Empire collapsed

As the Han Empire collapsed




(A) Daoists established political control of the various Chinese states.
(B) nomads swept into China replacing the Han with a "barbarian" dynasty.
(C) landowners and warlords dominated the successor governments.
(D) Christianity was introduced to China and began to spread.
(E) internal warfare subsided.






Answer: C

At the end of the Classical Age

At the end of the Classical Age




(A) belief systems failed to survive the collapse of classical civilizations.
(B) only the Mediterranean Greco-Roman civilization experienced upheavals.
(C) the Huns (Hsiung-Nu) destroyed all great Eurasian classical civilizations.
(D) there was a religious upsurge as a result of social and economic problems.
(E) trade ceased to be important.





Answer: D

In Ethiopia, trade and contacts

In Ethiopia, trade and contacts




(A) insulated the culture from African influences.
(B) led to the kingdom's conversion to Christianity.
(C) brought the state in contact with Bantu peoples.
(D) led to its conquest by Arabs.
(E) introduced Buddhism and Hinduism from India





Answer: B

The two American centers of civilization included central Mexico and the

The two American centers of civilization included central Mexico and the



(A) Mississippi area.
(B) Yucatan peninsula.
(C) American southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah).
(D) Andean river valleys and plateaus of Ecuador and Peru.
(E) Rio Plata and Parana river systems of Argentina.





Answer: D

By 600, looking at the entire world, a good definition of "barbarian" would be

By 600, looking at the entire world, a good definition of "barbarian" would be




a. someone who is not part of a civilization.
b. someone who fights better than a peasant-soldier.
c. someone who is a knight.
d. someone who is not Christian.
e. someone who is illiterate.




Answer: A

Nomadic invaders often had military advantages over the armies of empires because

Nomadic invaders often had military advantages over the armies of empires because




a. they believed they were fighting inferior cultures.
b. they were more skilled as horsemen.
c. they had larger forces with more soldiers.
d. they had smaller distances to cover.
e. they developed better supply lines.





Answer: B

One important early symptom of Rome's decline was

One important early symptom of Rome's decline was




a. acceptance of Christianity.
b. the replacement of republic by empire.
c. the weakness of the eastern portion of the empire compared to the west.
d. the use of slave labor.
e. the drop in population due to a series of plagues.





Answer: E

Japan developed a religion called

Japan developed a religion called




a. Buddhism.
b. Jainism.
c. Shintoism.
d. Eastern Orthodox.
e. Zoroastrianism.





Answer: C

By 600, looking at the entire world, a good definition of "barbarian" would be

By 600, looking at the entire world, a good definition of "barbarian" would be




a. someone who fights better than a peasant-soldier.
b. someone who is not Christian.
c. someone who is not part of a civilization.
d. someone who is illiterate.
e. someone who is a knight.






Answer: C

The eastern portion of the Roman Empire experienced less decline than the west for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

The eastern portion of the Roman Empire experienced less decline than the west for all of the following reasons EXCEPT




a. the east had older traditions of civilization.
b. the east had more active trade.
c. the east resisted the spread of Christianity.
d. the east was more wealthy.
e. the east faced less pressure from barbarian invasions.





Answer: C

Everywhere it spread, Buddhism stressed

Everywhere it spread, Buddhism stressed




a. a strong church organization.
b. meditation and ethical behavior.
c. worship of Buddha as a god.
d. the impossibility of attaining nirvana except by multiple reincarnations.
e. the worthlessness of all competing religions.





Answer: B

Compared to Hinduism, Christians are more likely to

Compared to Hinduism, Christians are more likely to




a. see humans as superior to the rest of nature.
b. approve of sexual pleasure.
c. believe that women are morally superior to men.
d. be polytheistic.
e. tolerate other beliefs.




Answer: A

Events in late Han China and the late Roman Empire show that the decline of a civilization, whether temporary or permanent,

Events in late Han China and the late Roman Empire show that the decline of a civilization, whether temporary or permanent,




a. follows inevitably from centralized, unrepresentative government.
b. results from undue dependence on slavery.
c. results from a lack of religious conviction.
d. is not simply the result of attack by outside invaders.
e. results from social rebellion in which the poor attack the rich and destroy their institutions.





Answer: D

With regard to merchants, classical civilizations in Rome, Greece, and China

With regard to merchants, classical civilizations in Rome, Greece, and China





(A) accorded them high social status.
(B) saw little use for their talents in otherwise largely agricultural societies.
(C) were ambivalent toward merchants despite their vital roles in commerce.
(D) rewarded merchant success through upward social mobility.
(E) made them state bureaucrats.




Answer: C

What sentence best describes both Roman and Chinese gender relations?

What sentence best describes both Roman and Chinese gender relations?



(A) Roman and Chinese women had numerous political rights.
(B) While subordinate to men, Roman women were considerably freer and less oppressed then were their Chinese counterparts.
(C) Both cultures were matrilocal—husbands resided with their wives' families.
(D) Over the centuries, women's lives improved and their rights increased.
(E) Rome and China were patriarchal societies where elite women had considerable influence.





Answer: B

Rome successfully expanded for all of these reasons EXCEPT:

Rome successfully expanded for all of these reasons EXCEPT:



(A) it possessed a disciplined, trained military.
(B) it had a rich agricultural economy, which supported a large population.
(C) Roman government proved flexible and tolerant.
(D) Roman leaders made citizens out of conquered elites.
(E) it had no organized and powerful rivals to oppose expansion in the area.





Answer: E

Roman classic culture

Roman classic culture




(A) owed a great deal of its diversity to trade with China.
(B) developed in relative isolation.
(C) borrowed heavily, especially from the Greek and Hellenistic states.
(D) influenced heavily the cultures of Africa and southwest Asia.
(E) was highly innovative in the arts and sciences





Answer: C

Mediterranean agriculture under the Greeks and Romans was

Mediterranean agriculture under the Greeks and Romans was





(A) extremely efficient and self-sufficient, supplying large surpluses for trade.
(B) not as dependent on irrigation as were other classical civilizations.
(C) heavily reliant on imported grain stuffs and the export of cash crops.
(D) yielded insufficient surpluses to support high urban populations.
(E) favored the small farmers instead of the large, landed estates.




Answer: C

Greco-Roman philosophers attempted to understand human nature through

Greco-Roman philosophers attempted to understand human nature through



(A) emotion, especially the desire for love and brotherhood.
(B) its rigid adherence to societal norms with rewards and punishments.
(C) human sin, salvation, and redemption.
(D) human relationships to the state and society at large.
(E) rational observation and deduction.




Answer: E

In comparison to the Hindus, Persians, and Chinese, religiously the Greeks

In comparison to the Hindus, Persians, and Chinese, religiously the Greeks




(A) most resembled Hinduism's polytheism with its caste system.
(B) never developed a major religion.
(C) developed a compassionate system similar to Buddhism.
(D) sought universal harmony in a manner similar to Taoism.
(E) avoided portraying gods with human characteristics.




Answer: B

The major impact of Alexander the Great's conquests was the

The major impact of Alexander the Great's conquests was the




(A) elimination of foreign influences from Greek culture.
(B) establishment of a unified government for the eastern Mediterranean.
(C) birth of mystery religions and the forced migration of the Jews.
(D) spread of Greek culture throughout the eastern Mediterranean.
(E) destruction of regional trade and commerce.





Answer: D

Greek politics resembled Indian politics in

Greek politics resembled Indian politics in




a. the wide interest in diverse political theory.
b. the inclusion of women as political leaders.
c. the use of military rulers.
d. the role of slave labor in providing revenues.
e. the tendency of regional fragmentation.





Answer: E

The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire




a. set up a military draft to supply the Roman legions.
b. tolerated local political and religious diversity.
c. insisted that all inhabitants become Roman citizens.
d. allowed no political participation from its citizens.
e. prevented foreigners from trading within the empire.




Answer: B

Hellenistic society was known for its advances in

Hellenistic society was known for its advances in



a. democracy.
b. medicine and geometry.
c. Latin literature.
d. religious thought.
e. warfare.





Answer: B

The Greek and Hellenistic approach in science

The Greek and Hellenistic approach in science



a. stressed the importance of practical applications.
b. emphasized the mysterious forces of nature.
c. heavily influenced China's scientific approach.
d. used mathematics to try and explain nature's patterns.
e. was purely theoretical.




Answer: D

Roman emperors tried to prevent popular disorder by

Roman emperors tried to prevent popular disorder by



a. enlarging the empire through the conquest of Gaul.
b. granting the vote to lower-class citizens.
c. dividing the great landed estates.
d. organizing food supplies and distribution.
e. abolishing slavery in Rome and the provinces.




Answer: D

Compared to modern American ideas of democracy, Athenian democracy was distinctive in

Compared to modern American ideas of democracy, Athenian democracy was distinctive in



a. urging that all citizens participate directly in lawmaking and policymaking.
b. urging that the state adopt policies to benefit ordinary citizens.
c. naming experienced leaders as military generals.
d. separating foreign residents from citizens.
e. electing representatives to govern the city-state.





Answer: A

Greek politics resembled Indian politics in

Greek politics resembled Indian politics in




a. the role of slave labor in providing revenues.
b. the use of military rulers.
c. the wide interest in diverse political theory.
d. the tendency of regional fragmentation.
e. the inclusion of women as political leaders.




Answer: D

The Socratic Method emphasized the importance of

The Socratic Method emphasized the importance of



a. respect for elders.
b. harmony.
c. questioning.
d. laboratory experiment.
e. faith in authority.






Answer: C

Roman slaves were used for all of the following EXCEPT

Roman slaves were used for all of the following EXCEPT




a. work in the mines.
b. military service.
c. agricultural labor.
d. entertainment.
e. household care and tutoring.




Answer: B

Compared to Chinese architecture, Greek and Roman architecture

Compared to Chinese architecture, Greek and Roman architecture



a. did not emphasize balance.
b. emphasized tall towers and steeples.
c. avoided the use of color and decoration.
d. was particularly devoted to government buildings.
e. featured monumental styles.





Answer: E

The Senate of republican Rome particularly represented

The Senate of republican Rome particularly represented




a. the urban workers.
b. the merchants and businessmen.
c. the emperors.
d. the landed aristocracy.
e. the non-native Romans.




Answer: D

Both ancient Rome and Greece depended on slavery. One result of this dependence was

Both ancient Rome and Greece depended on slavery. One result of this dependence was




a. many wars between the Romans and nomadic groups broke out when the Romans attempted to capture slaves.
b. the development of the idea of democracy, which led to the eventual fall of Rome.
c. the rise of a new social class known as the "metics" in Roman society.
d. a vast improvement in agricultural techniques leading eventually to the split of the Roman Empire.
e. both groups lagged in technological advances compared to the Chinese or the Indians.





Answer: E

In Mesopotamia, the cuneiform culture of the Mesopotamians assimilated invaders and provided continuity. The same role in India was performed by

In Mesopotamia, the cuneiform culture of the Mesopotamians assimilated invaders and provided continuity. The same role in India was performed by




(A) Buddhism.
(B) the Hindu social hierarchy.
(C) Jain philosophy.
(D) the Greek culture introduced by Alexander the Great.
(E) the culture of the Indus Valley peoples.




Answer: B

Over time in classical India, castes

Over time in classical India, castes



(A) were replaced by simpler social groups.
(B) died out as Buddhism spread throughout India.
(C) intensified and began to differ from region to region.
(D) lost their religious significance.
(E) removed restrictions on gender





Answer: C

During the classical era in India, all of the following occurred EXCEPT

During the classical era in India, all of the following occurred EXCEPT




(A) religious authorities often allowed dissections in the name of research.
(B) spherical shrines to Buddha, called stupas, were erected.
(C) the concept of zero was invented.
(D) sculpture and painting moved away from realistic portrayals of the human form to a more stylized representation.
(E) Indians developed an interest in spontaneity and imagination.






Answer: A

Buddhism lost its appeal and influence in Guptan India in part because

Buddhism lost its appeal and influence in Guptan India in part because



(A) Hinduism showed its adaptability by emphasizing its mystical side, thus retaining the loyalties of many Indians.
(B) unpopular Gupta's supported Buddhism, which led to Buddhism's decline.
(C) Islam was introduced and replaced both Hinduism and Buddhism.
(D) Hindus abandoned the caste system, making Hinduism more attractive.
(E) merchants, the chief patrons of Buddhism, abandoned the religion for Islam.





Answer: A

Alexander the Great's invasion of India

Alexander the Great's invasion of India



(A) led to the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism to the Mediterranean world.
(B) disrupted the existing trade routes between India and the Mediterranean.
(C) had little lasting influence on either region.
(D) led to the rise of the Mauryas.
(E) isolated India from contacts with other regions



Answer: D

Buddhism spread primarily as a result of

Buddhism spread primarily as a result of



(A) the caste system.
(B) the appeal of ritualistic sacrifice and the performing of intricate rites flawlessly.
(C) its monastic community.
(D) Gupta rulers.
(E) warfare with Brahman opponents.





Answer: C

A major difference between Buddhism and Hinduism was that

A major difference between Buddhism and Hinduism was that




(A) Buddhism denied the need for caste, rites, and sacrifice to achieve nirvana.
(B) Hinduism was monotheistic, and Buddhism was polytheistic
(C) Buddhism denied rebirth, reincarnation, and emphasized the real world.
(D) Buddhism encouraged its followers to renounce the political world.
(E) Hinduism taught respect for all living things and prohibited killing.





Answer: A

A central message of the Bhagavad Gita is that

A central message of the Bhagavad Gita is that




(A) great crises should warrant breaking caste rules.
(B) those who worship Krishna can expect to be punished for their sins and denied paradise.
(C) reincarnation always happens along caste lines.
(D) meditation is the most effective path toward nirvana.
(E) one must carry out the duties that come with one's caste.





Answer: E

The Indian caste system

The Indian caste system



(A) differed little from other systems of inequality in the ancient world.
(B) closely resembled the Greco-Roman class structure.
(C) was extremely complex and stratified; a person could almost never change caste.
(D) had little basis in Hindu religious writings.
(E) integrated non-Aryans into ruling castes as a way of political control.




Answer: C

The highest Hindu caste members in India after the Epic Age were the

The highest Hindu caste members in India after the Epic Age were the




(A) Shudras (workers).
(B) Vaisyas (merchants, herders).
(C) Kshatriya (warriors, rulers).
(D) Brahmans (priests, scholars).
(E) Dasas or the Dravidian peoples.





Answer: D

Hindu ethics involved

Hindu ethics involved



a. attack on all opposing religious faiths.
b. condemnations of money-making.
c. emphasis on an individual carrying out the obligations of life.
d. finding ultimate happiness.
e. a detailed set of prohibitions on sexual activity.






Answer: C

Hinduism urged that

Hinduism urged that



a. worship of nature's spirits and images was blasphemous.
b. all living creatures participated in the divine essence.
c. withdrawal from the world was the only path to holiness.
d. monotheism was superior to polytheism.
e. Brahmins would automatically gain nirvana after death.




Answer: B

Nalanda became famous for

Nalanda became famous for



a. its university that attracted students from all over Asia.
b. site of battle between Alexander the Great and the Guptas.
c. being the site where Buddha became enlightened.
d. being the birthplace of Ashoka and his capital.
e. being the first capital of the Gupta Empire.





Answer: A

In contrast to China, the social values that developed in classical India

In contrast to China, the social values that developed in classical India



a. led to great political expansion.
b. discouraged scientific research.
c. promoted considerable equality between men and women.
d. encouraged greater emotional spontaneity.
e. urged that children not be required to work.




Answer: D

The Mauryan dynasty differed from the Gupta dynasty in that

The Mauryan dynasty differed from the Gupta dynasty in that



a. it attacked Buddhist beliefs.
b. it refused to develop a strong army.
c. it was imposed by conquerors from Greece.
d. Mauryan rulers opposed the caste system.
e. it ruled a larger territory.




Answer: E

Nirvana meant

Nirvana meant



a. full union with the divine essence.
b. reincarnation in a higher caste after a good life.
c. obedience to the rules of the caste system.
d. acquiring earthly wealth.
e. the Hindu holy book.





Answer: A

Compared to China, India

Compared to China, India



a. had greater contact with other societies and civilizations.
b. had a more flexible social structure that gave a greater role for women.
c. had much more recent origins due to the invasion of the Aryans.
d. lacked regional diversity and was more centralized.
e. was more secular in outlook with a focus on commercial values.




Answer: A

Buddhism differed from Hinduism by not believing

Buddhism differed from Hinduism by not believing




a. in spreading the faith.
b. in the caste system.
c. in nirvana.
d. in the importance of moral obligations.
e. in holy leaders.



Answer: B

The Aryan conquerors brought to India

The Aryan conquerors brought to India




a. distinctive religious ideas.
b. new agricultural techniques.
c. its first civilization.
d. admiration for India's earlier inhabitants.
e. political democracy.



Answer: A

India's political tradition

India's political tradition



a. involved the renunciation of violence and warfare.
b. required frequent wars of expansion.
c. insisted on religious uniformity.
d. stressed the importance of regional and local units.
e. emphasized the emperor as Son of Heaven.





Answer: D

The Indian caste system served to an extent as a political institution by

The Indian caste system served to an extent as a political institution by



a. unifying the subcontinent under a single government.
b. creating widespread interest in constitutional issues.
c. promoting a belief in individual rights.
d. enforcing rules about social behavior.
e. causing unrest and rebellion.





Answer: D

Confucian and Hindu values both

Confucian and Hindu values both



a. urged the importance of political activity.
b. focused attention on the afterlife.
c. resulted in the building of magnificent temples.
d. helped justify and preserve social inequality.
e. tried to outlaw war.





Answer: D

Compared to China, Indian social and economic structure

Compared to China, Indian social and economic structure



a. showed greater interest in technological innovation.
b. relied on conquest of foreign territories.
c. tended to discourage commerce.
d. gave a stronger role to merchants.
e. made it easier for a peasant to rise to higher status.




Answer: D

In the classical period, both China and India

In the classical period, both China and India



a. created cultural traditions which rapidly died off.
b. developed a lasting tradition of strong, centralized government.
c. attempted to conquer the most territory possible.
d. welcomed influences from other cultures.
e. showed considerable tolerance for different religions.




Answer: E

All of these problems are shared by the contemporary Pacific Rim nations EXCEPT:

All of these problems are shared by the contemporary Pacific Rim nations EXCEPT:




(A) falling growth rates.
(B) a rise in unemployment.
(C) antagonisms between the United States and the Soviet Union, which threaten war.
(D) declining power of their national currencies.
(E) popular pressures for change in traditional political practices.






Answer: C

In contemporary Japan and Taiwan,

In contemporary Japan and Taiwan,




(A) Christianity replaced the older Shinto and Confucian belief systems.
(B) both countries have military alliances with China.
(C) individualism and competitiveness are valued.
(D) populations are increasingly abandoning traditional ways and values
(E) group consensus and collective decision making are highly valued.




Answer: E

The relationship between business and government in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan in the later half of the 20th century is BEST described as

The relationship between business and government in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan in the later half of the 20th century is BEST described as



(A) a communist-style command economy.
(B) a socialist-capitalist mix of private property and public welfare.
(C) separated by American-style constitutions.
(D) cooperative—the government encourages and protects businesses in an almost mercantilist manner.
(E) antagonism toward each other.
(E) group consensus and collective decision making are highly valued.




Answer: D

Maoist programs in China include all of the following EXCEPT:

Maoist programs in China include all of the following EXCEPT:




(A) the Great Leap Forward.
(B) the Mass Line approach.
(C) the Tayson Rebellion.
(D) collectivization in the agricultural sector.
(E) the Cultural Revolution.






Answer: C

Following its defeat on mainland China, the Kuomintang or Nationalist Party led by Chiang Kai-shek

Following its defeat on mainland China, the Kuomintang or Nationalist Party led by Chiang Kai-shek




(A) collapsed.
(B) fled to Korea.
(C) fled to Taiwan and established the Republic of China.
(D) sought support from the U.S.S.R. for a prolonged fight with Mao's China.
(E) joined with the Chinese Communist Party to form the People's Republic of China.




Answer: C

Postwar Korean development has been largely determined by the

Postwar Korean development has been largely determined by the




(A) occupation of the country by China and the Soviet Union.
(B) division of the peninsula between pro Soviet and pro-capitalist states.
(C) long and autocratic rule by the Korean king.
(D) extreme hunger and poverty of the Korean peoples.
(E) devastation caused by World War II.




Answer: B

The chief socio-cultural tension within postwar Japan has been

The chief socio-cultural tension within postwar Japan has been



(A) the lack of social mobility.
(B) a large non-Japanese ethnic minority deprived of any rights.
(C) limited rights for women and minorities.
(D) severe demographic dislocation due to rapid industrialization.
(E) a conflict between indigenous traditions or values and Western influences




Answer: E

Japan's postwar government is BEST characterized as a

Japan's postwar government is BEST characterized as a




(A) communist people's democracy.
(B) traditional monarchy with a hereditary emperor and little popular sovereignty.
(C) democracy dominated by a political and economic oligarchy.
(D) democratic republic with an unstable party system.
(E) militaristic state.




Answer: C

Which of the following statements concerning Chinese domestic policies during the 1950s and 1960s is most accurate?

Which of the following statements concerning Chinese domestic policies during the 1950s and 1960s is most accurate?



a. Despite pledges made during the civil war, the Communist Party failed to undertake substantial land redistribution programs.
b. Increasingly Mao came to embrace the old Confucian concept of a bureaucratic elite as the means of government.
c. The Chinese Communist leadership began a massive attempt to reeducate the peasantry and create an industrialized class.
d. With the introduction of the first five-year plan in 1953, the Communist leadership turned away from the peasantry.
e. Mao's primary trust came to rest in a group of intellectuals associated with the University of Beijing.






Answer: D

In 1978 the United States government

In 1978 the United States government




a. recognized Taiwan as a most-favored trading partner.
b. severed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognized the legitimacy of the communist government of mainland China.
c. allowed mainland China to take over the island.
d. supported Taiwan's invasion of Quemoy and Matsu.
e. offered significant military aid to Taiwan in its continuing opposition to communism in Asia.



Answer: B

The "Gang of Four" were

The "Gang of Four" were



a. other Communist states that tried to have Mao removed from power on the basis that he was not a "Leninist."
b. the temporarily dismissed "pragmatists," who sought to remove Mao from power.
c. Britain, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States—identified by Mao as China's chief rivals.
d. university intellectuals identified as "capitalist roaders" during the Cultural Revolution.
e. Jiang Qing and three allies who contested for power with the "pragmatists" on behalf of the aging Mao.





Answer: E

By 1960, Mao lost his position as state chairman

By 1960, Mao lost his position as state chairman




a. when he proposed an alliance with the United States and NATO.
b. following the defeat of Chinese forces in Vietnam.
c. when he was assassinated by a disgruntled intellectual.
d. because of the general and catastrophic failure of the Great Leap Forward.
e. when he proposed the destruction of Buddhist monasteries throughout China.





Answer: D

In part, the defeat of the United States in Vietnam in the 1970s resulted from

In part, the defeat of the United States in Vietnam in the 1970s resulted from





a. the general superiority of the Viet Cong as soldiers.
b. the greater loss of American than Vietnamese lives.
c. inadequate air power resulting in the use of chemical weapons.
d. Vietnamese belief that the communists were fighting for independence.
e. an insufficient commitment by the U.S. government to win the war.





Answer: D

Japan produced a distinctive economic culture after the 1950s that included all of the following features EXCEPT

Japan produced a distinctive economic culture after the 1950s that included all of the following features EXCEPT




a. willingness among management to abide by collective decisions and less concern for quick personal profits.
b. few Japanese managers would change jobs from one firm to another.
c. a strong tradition of independent unions.
d. managers who displayed active interest in suggestions by employees.
e. a network of policies and attitudes that reflected older traditions of group solidarity.




Answer: C

In what way was the restoration of an independent Korea complicated?

In what way was the restoration of an independent Korea complicated?





a. Korea had no prior experience as an independent government.
b. The former royal rulers of Korea wanted to be restored to power.
c. Korea's government was claimed by surviving members of the old monarchy.
d. Korea was divided into separate zones controlled by the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
e. Korea had become a colony of China, which refused to restore independence.



Answer: D

Which of the following represents a significant difference between Japanese and Western women in the later 20th century?

Which of the following represents a significant difference between Japanese and Western women in the later 20th century?




a. Women in Japan tended to marry very young but still did manage to make careers.
b. Japanese women had higher rates of divorce than their Western counterparts.
c. Japanese women concentrated less on domestic duties than women in the West.
d. Women in Japan participated actively in leisure activities with their husbands.
e. The Japanese feminist movement was confined to a small number of intellectuals.



Answer: E

During the 1980s, all of the following were typical of the Chinese government EXCEPT

During the 1980s, all of the following were typical of the Chinese government EXCEPT



a. democratic reform.
b. private enterprise within the industrial sector.
c. encouragement of private market production for the peasantry.
d. domination by the "pragmatists."
e. repression of certain student groups.




Answer: A

Unlike most third world countries, China responded to its population problem in the mid-1960s by

Unlike most third world countries, China responded to its population problem in the mid-1960s by




a. limiting urban couples to two children and rural couples to one.
b. using famines as a "natural" process to reduce the population.
c. accepting UN proposals for birth control programs.
d. refusing to adopt any birth control programs in order to foster more communist children.
e. allowing unrestricted births among the peasantry, but limiting urban couples to one child.




Answer: A

Taiwan's most important trade partner was

Taiwan's most important trade partner was




a. Hong Kong.
b. South Korea
c. the U.S.
d. mainland China.
e. Japan.




Answer: E

In the 1980s the Japanese government invested considerable money in teaching

In the 1980s the Japanese government invested considerable money in teaching



a. how to cook traditional Japanese dishes.
b. social etiquette at geisha houses.
c. children to eat with chopsticks.
d. Japanese mothers to breast-feed.
e. Western-style dancing.



Answer: C

Which of the following principles was NOT part of the Chinese Communist Party attitudes towards women?

Which of the following principles was NOT part of the Chinese Communist Party attitudes towards women?



a. Career opportunities should be open to women, who should work outside of the household.
b. "Virtue was more important for women than learning."
c. "Women hold up half of the heavens."
d. "Women should be involved in their children's lives."
e. Women should achieve legal equality




Answer: B

In what way was the early nationalist organization in Vietnam similar to other third world nations?

In what way was the early nationalist organization in Vietnam similar to other third world nations?



a. It was Marxist on the model of the Communist Party of Russia.
b. Its goals were entirely peaceful.
c. It tried to appease all sides in the revolutionary conflict.
d. It was composed of a Western-educated middle class.
e. It was drawn almost entirely from the peasantry.




Answer: D

Which of the following statements concerning Chinese domestic policies during the 1950s and 1960s is most accurate?

Which of the following statements concerning Chinese domestic policies during the 1950s and 1960s is most accurate?



a. Despite pledges made during the civil war, the Communist Party failed to undertake substantial land redistribution programs.
b. Mao's primary trust came to rest in a group of intellectuals associated with the University of Beijing.
c. The Chinese Communist leadership began a massive attempt to reeducate the peasantry and create an industrialized class.
d. With the introduction of the first five-year plan in 1953, the Communist leadership turned away from the peasantry.
e. Increasingly Mao came to embrace the old Confucian concept of a bureaucratic elite as the means of government.





Answer: D

In 1978 the United States government

In 1978 the United States government



a. recognized Taiwan as a most-favored trading partner.
b. allowed mainland China to take over the island.
c. offered significant military aid to Taiwan in its continuing opposition to communism in Asia.
d. supported Taiwan's invasion of Quemoy and Matsu.
e. severed its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognized the legitimacy of the communist government of mainland China.




Answer: E

The Japanese political system after 1955

The Japanese political system after 1955



a. was intent on the destruction of the big business combines.
b. was characterized by the dominance of two major parties.
c. revived many of the oligarchic features of earlier political tradition.
d. was typified by the dominance of socialism.
e. was marked by radical shifts between parties of the left and right.





Answer: C

Which of the following statements most accurately reflects the situation in Korea following the Korean War?

Which of the following statements most accurately reflects the situation in Korea following the Korean War?



a. Southern Korea was defeated after a surprise sea invasion and the defeat of its navy.
b. Northern and southern Korea were rapidly reunited under a single, authoritarian government controlled by the Soviet Union.
c. Southern Korea became fully democratic, but moved closer to political neutrality during the cold war.
d. Northern Korea threw off its ties with China and the Soviet Union and sought a closer relationship with the U.S.
e. Korea remained divided with relatively authoritarian governments in both halves of the divided nation.





Answer: E

The outcome of the 18th-century Vietnamese rebellion was

The outcome of the 18th-century Vietnamese rebellion was



a. the unification of the country under a single emperor at Hue.
b. the destruction of all rebels by the French and the establishment of direct French administration.
c. the victory of the Tayson and the creation of a new dynasty under Chu Lai.
d. the expulsion of the French from Vietnam.
e. a reunification with the Qing Chinese dynasty.




Answer: A

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

Which of the following statements is most accurate?




a. The army remained clearly subordinate to the Communist Party, with cadre advisors attached to military contingents.
b. After the civil war that brought the Communists to power, the country was rapidly demilitarized.
c. The People's Liberation Army, the source of the Communist rise to power, gained dominance over the Communist Party.
d. Most of China was administered by civilian bureaucrats recruited from the old Confucian scholar-gentry.
e. The Chinese Communists allowed the old landed-gentry class to continue to exist and manage the state's farms.



Answer: A
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