Global History Regents Exam Question

Bank for Unit 9.3

Table of Contents:
 Unit 9.3
o 9.3a Geographic factors encouraged and hindered a state’s/empire’s expansion and
interactions.
o 9.3b Empires used belief systems, systems of law, forms of government, military forces,
and social hierarchies to consolidate and expand power.
o 9.3c A period of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievements can be designated as a
Golden Age.
o 9.3d Political, socioeconomic, environmental, outside and nomadic
invasions/conflicts led to the decline and fall of Classical empires.

Back to the NV Global History Regents Exam Question Bank Main Table of Contents

9.3a Geographic factors encouraged and hindered a state’s/empire’s expansion and interactions.

1. What was one cause of the development of many small independent city-states in ancient Greece?
1. Greece and Rome were often at war.
2. The mountainous terrain of Greece resulted in widely scattered settlements.
3. Military leaders found small Greek settlements easy to control.
4. The Greek people had many different languages and religions.

2. What effect did the geography of ancient Greece have on its early development?
1. The mountainous terrain led to the creation of independent city-states.
2. A lack of natural seaports limited communication.
3. An inland location hindered trade and colonization.
4. Abundant natural resources encouraged self-sufficiency.

3. One effect of rugged, mountainous geography on the civilization of ancient Greece was the
development of
1. absolute monarchies
2. separate, independent city-states
3. extensive trade with the Persians
4. belief in one God

4. How did geography influence the development of ancient Greece?

1. Rich farmland led to dependence on agriculture.
2. Excellent harbors encouraged seafaring trade.
3. Flat plains made centralized rule possible.
4. Tropical climate discouraged urban development.
5. An important factor that prevented the ancient Greek city-states from uniting to form a single nation
was the
1. lack of a common language
2. size of the desert regions
3. mountainous topography of the region
4. cold, hostile climate

6. Why did the ancient city-states of Athens and Sparta develop different political systems?
1. The Byzantine Empire dictated government policies.
2. Foreign travelers introduced new philosophies.
3. The mountainous topography resulted in the isolation of these city-states.
4. For over three centuries, civil wars raged in these city-states.

Base your answer to the question on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies.

7. Which generalization about the Maurya and Gupta Empires is supported by the map?
1. Expansion was limited by geographic factors.
2. Trade contributed to stable societies.
3. Extensive road systems unified India.
4. Southern India was isolated from northern India.

8. The history of which classical civilization was shaped by the monsoon cycle, the Himalaya Mountains,
and the Indus River?
 1. Maurya Empire
2. Babylonian Empire
3. ancient Greece
4. ancient Egypt

Base your answer to the question on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies.

9. Which statement can best be supported by the information shown on this map?
1. By 260 B.C., the Mauryan Empire extended north into Central China.
2. The Mauryan Empire controlled more of the Indian subcontinent than the Gupta Empire did.
3. Most of the Gupta Empire was located on the Deccan Plateau.
4. The economies of India’s early empires were based on trade.

10. Which geographic factor affected the development of the Gupta Empire?
1. volcanoes
2. permafrost
3. monsoons
4. island location

Base your answer to the question on the map below and on your knowledge of social studies.
11. Which geographic feature would have most likely hindered the expansion of the Guptas into what is
modern-day China?
1. Thar Desert
2. Deccan Plateau
3. Himalaya Mountains
4. Bay of Bengal

9.3b Empires used belief systems, systems of law, forms of government, military forces, and social
hierarchies to consolidate and expand power.

12. At the height of its power, which ancient civilization controlled the entire coastal region surrounding
the Mediterranean Sea?
1. Phoenician
2. Persian
3. Roman
4. Carthaginian

13. The rule of Shi Huangdi, legalism, and the tomb of terra cotta soldiers are most closely associated
with the
1. Maurya Empire
2. Qin dynasty
3. Persian Empire
4. Hellenistic culture

14. The Twelve Tables were the written laws of

1. ancient Babylonia
2. the Mauryan Empire
 3. the British Empire
4. ancient Rome

 Asoka incorporated Buddhist ideas into the laws he had carved on rocks and pillars placed
throughout the Mauryan Empire.
 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.
 Prince Vladimir required all Russians to become Eastern Orthodox Christians.

15. Which generalization can be made based on these statements?

1. Leaders often use religion to unify an empire.
2. Many political leaders encourage religious toleration.
3. Leaders sometimes use religion as a reason to wage war.
4. Political leaders usually become the head of the church in their country.

16. The political system of the ancient Roman Empire was characterized by
1. a strong central government
2. rule by a coalition of emperors and religious leaders
3. universal suffrage in national elections
4. a strict adherence to constitutional principles

17. All citizens in ancient Athens had the right to attend the Assembly, where they could meet in open
discussion and cast votes. This situation is an example of
1. direct democracy
2. totalitarianism
3. parliamentary
4. absolutism

18. Which heading best completes the partial outline below?

I. _________________________________
A. Established a direct but limited democracy
B. Stressed the importance of the individual
C. Considered the political ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
D. Encouraged all citizens to participate in the government

1. Political Developments of the City-State of Athens

2. Effects of the Roman Empire on Economic Development
3. Influence of Belief Systems on Byzantine Society
4. Achievements of the Age of Enlightenment

19. In a comparison of the ancient cities of Athens and Sparta, Sparta placed more emphasis on
1. education
2. military service
3. family order
4. human right

20. Which statement about Greek civilization is an opinion rather than a fact?
1. Boys in Sparta were trained to be soldiers.
 2. Athens had a better culture than that of Sparta.
3. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were Greek philosophers.
4. Many adults in Athens did not have the right to vote.

21. Alexander the Great’s conquests of Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, and Persia led to the
1. spread of Hellenic culture
2. adoption of a feudal system
3. establishment of representative democracy
4. spread of Islamic culture throughout Europe

22. Which statement most likely represents the view of a citizen of ancient Athens visiting Sparta?
1. “The government and society in Sparta are so strict. The people have little voice in government.”
2. “I feel as though I have never left home. Everything here is the same as it is in Athens.”
3. “This society allows for more freedom of expression than I have ever experienced in Athens.”
4. “I have never heard of a society like Sparta that believes in only one God.”

23. What was one effect of Alexander the Great’s conquests?

1. expansion of Hellenistic culture
2. formation of the Christian church
3. decreased importance of the Silk Roads
4. increased support of the Mayan leaders

24. The Code of Hammurabi and the Twelve Tables were designed to
1. create a stable society
2. promote peaceful relations with other cultures
3. provide a framework for the development of democracy
4. emphasize the importance of life after death

25. Hammurabi’s Code, the Ten Commandments, and the Twelve Tables were all significant to their
societies because they established
1. democratic governments
2. official religions
3. rules of behavior
4. economic systems

Base your answers to the questions 26 and 27 on the illustration below and on your knowledge of social
studies.
26. Which concepts is most closely related to the main idea of the illustration?
1. isolation
2. cultural diffusion
3. armed conflict
4. urbanization

27. Which leader is most closely associated with the accomplishment shown by the illustration?
1. Charlemagne
2. Mansa Musa
3. Alexander the Great
4. Suleiman the Magnificent

28. What was one effect of Alexander the Great’s conquests?

1. expansion of Hellenistic culture
2. formation of the Christian church
3. decreased importance of the Silk Roads
4. increased support of the Mayan leaders

 Roman women could own property.

 Roman women could make wills leaving their property to whomever they chose.

29. A valid conclusion drawn from these facts is that Roman women
1. had the right to vote
2. enjoyed some legal rights
3. were equal to men
4. could hold political offices

30. Hammurabi’s code of laws and the Qin dynasty legalism are similar in that both promoted the idea
that
1. worship of leaders will maintain the power of an empire
2. an informed citizenry will help maintain peace and prosperity
3. equality of the people is the most important goal of government
4. harsh punishments for crimes will lead to a more orderly society

31. One way in which the Han dynasty and the Roman Empire were similar is that both
 1. governed large areas around the Mediterranean Sea
2. created democratic societies in which people elected their government officials
3. developed a social system in which great equality existed
4. promoted unity and communication by building a strong system of roads

32. The Pillars of Emperor Asoka of the Mauryan Empire and the Code of Hammurabi of Babylon are
most similar to the
1. ziggurats of Sumeria
2. map projections of Mercator
3. Great Sphinx of the Egyptians
4. Twelve Tables of the Romans

33. China under the Han dynasty and the Roman Empire were similar in that both grew wealthy because
they
1. developed extensive trade networks
2. created classless societies
3. encouraged democratic ideals
4. established free-market economies

34. One contribution of ancient Roman culture was the development of

1. the concept of zero
2. the process of making silk
3. a republic form of government
4. the printing press

9.3c A period of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievements can be designated as a Golden Age.

Base your answer to the question on the outline below and on your knowledge of social studies.
35. Which civilization best completes the title of this outline?
1. Ghana
2. Khmer
3. Song
4. Gupta

36. The Gupta civilization (4th–6th centuries) and the Maya civilization (4th–10th centuries) were similar
in that both
1. built temple complexes and developed the concept of zero
2. eliminated standing armies and introduced an aristocracy
3. developed early democratic systems
4. were conquered by European imperialists

37. The Age of Pericles in Athens, the Gupta Empire in India, and the Tang dynasty in China all
experienced a golden age with
1. advancements in the principles of democratic governments
2. outstanding contributions in the arts and sciences
3. the end of foreign domination
4. the furthest expansion of their borders

38. Olympic games, the poems of Homer, and Hellenistic culture are associated with which ancient
civilization?
1. Egyptian
2. Greek
3. Roman
4. Phoenician
39. Which accomplishments are associated with the Gupta Empire?
1. adoption of democracy and construction of the Pantheon
2. defeat of the Roman Empire and adoption of Christianity
3. establishment of Pax Mongolica and founding of a Chinese dynasty
4. use of Sanskrit language and development of the concept of zero

40. The Gupta Empire was best known for its

1. advances in mathematics and medicine
2. efforts to resist European imperialism
3. development of the barter system
4. construction of Angkor Wat

41. The development of the concept of zero, the use of a decimal system, and the Buddhist cave paintings
at Ajanta are all achievements of the
1. Inca Empire
2. Gupta Empire
3. Roman Republic
4. Kingdom of Songhai

42. The concept of zero, the expansion of the caste system, and the creation of the decimal system are
most closely associated with the
1. Inca Empire
2. Tokugawa shogunate
3. Song dynasty
4. Gupta Empire

43. The ideals developed in the Athens of Pericles and in Republican Rome influenced the development
of
1. a parliament in Britain
2. military juntas in Latin America
3. a communist government in China
4. a theocracy in Iran
44. A major contribution of the Roman Empire to Western society was the development of
1. gunpowder
2. the principles of revolutionary socialism
3. monotheism
4. an effective legal system

45. The Pillars of Emperor Asoka of the Mauryan Empire and the Code of Hammurabi of Babylon are
most similar to the
1. ziggurats of Sumeria
2. map projections of Mercator
3. Great Sphinx of the Egyptians
4. Twelve Tables of the Romans

 Art and literature flourished during the Gupta Empire.

 Indian scholars developed the concept of zero.
 Indian provinces were united after 200 years of civil war.
46. The information in these statements refers to
1. effects of European involvement in India
2. India’s Golden Age
3. effects of isolationism
4. Islamic achievements in India

 Indian scholars contributed to mathematics by developing the decimal system and the concept of
zero.
 Arab mathematicians transmitted the decimal system and the concept of zero to the Western
world.
47. Based on these statements, which conclusion is valid?
1. Indians and Arabs developed the first civilizations.
2. Through contact, ideas were exchanged and then spread.
3. Trade is an inefficient way to spread ideas.
4. Western civilization had few ideas to share with Indians and Arabs.

48. Which heading best complete the partial outline below?

I. ____________________
____
A. Maurya
B. Gupta
C. Delhi sultanate

1. Empires of India
2. Latin American Civilizations
3. Empires of the Fertile Crescent
4. Dynasties of China

49. One way in which the ancient city-state of Athens and the Gupta Empire are similar is that both
1. allowed universal suffrage
2. developed matriarchal societies
3. promoted art and literature
4. established plantation agriculture

50. A major contribution of the Roman Republic to Western European culture was the
1. concept of government by laws
2. belief that political power should be controlled by the military
3. establishment of agricultural communes
4. rejection of the concept of slavery

51. Which statement best explains the periods of the Gupta Empire of India, the Golden Age of Greece,
and the Renaissance in Italy?
1. The winning of a war often inspires scientific and artistic achievement,
2. A combination of wealth and a time of relative peace often leads to cultural achievement.
 3. A dictatorship usually encourages cultural growth and development.
4. Periods of censorship are needed for a nation to achieve cultural and scientific greatness.
52. China under the Han dynasty and the Roman Empire were similar in that both grew wealthy because
they
1. developed extensive trade networks
2. created classless societies
3. encouraged democratic ideals
4. established free-market economies

9.3d Political, socioeconomic, environmental, outside and nomadic invasions/conflicts led to the
decline and fall of Classical empires.

53. Which factor contributed to the fall of the Han dynasty, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the fall of
the Abbasid Empire?
1. invasions by nomadic peoples from Central Asia
2. demands for religious freedom by Christians
3. long periods of drought that led to isolation
4. dependence on slaves to produce manufactured goods

54. What was one reason for the decline of both the Han dynasty and the western Roman Empire?
1. outbreak of war between religious groups
2. inability to force back foreign invaders
3. efforts of the middle class to gain power
4. lack of a common currency

Base your answer to question 55 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.

… In the 1930s, Sylvanus G. Morley of Harvard, probably the most celebrated Mayanist of his day,
espoused [argued for] what is still the best-known theory: The Maya collapsed because they overshot the
carrying capacity of their environment. They exhausted their resource base, began to die of starvation and
thirst, and fled their cities en masse, leaving them as silent warnings of the perils of ecological hubris
[overconfidence].…
— Charles C. Mann, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

According to this passage, what was a major question Morley was trying to answer about the Mayas in
the 1930s?
(1) Why did the Mayas abandon their cities?
(2) What was the structure of the Maya governments?
(3) How did religious beliefs affect the Maya economy?
(4) Which neighboring city-state conquered the Mayas?