Mr. Rea’s
Fabulous Fifty Answer Key for Global History - Updated 1/22/15
The words in bold
lettering are the Topic/Key Word Connections
1. – 4 - The Neolithic Revolution (a
revolution is a period of great change) is a turning point because people went
from wandering around looking for food (hunters and gatherers) to growing
it where they settled (farming) and domestication (taming) of animals as
well. This resulted in the growth of towns and civilizations
(permanent settlements/civilizations). They made the food supply more reliable
so they were able to stay in one place. Remember
– people STOPPED being hunters and gatherers so that will NOT be the correct
answer.
2. – 1 – when the early civilizations
developed, they were always along rivers. People need fresh water to
grow food and provide drinking water. The four initial ancient civilizations
are Egypt, Mesopotamia, Huang He (China-Middle Kingdom), and Indus River
Valley (India). All were polytheistic (worshipped many gods). Many times
they also connect these ancient civilizations with the development of
irrigation systems
3. – 3 –The ruler of the ancient kingdom of Babylon, Hammurabi
wanted to establish a code (law) that would establish punishments for
various crimes. You will often see the phrase “an eye for an eye.” This
is true if the crimes are committed against someone of your own rank (class),
but nobles and commoners are still not equal under this law. Remember –
divisions in social classes have always existed throughout Global History.
4 – 3 – Always associate Ancient Greece with government
(democracy – people rule). The Athenians developed Direct Democracy
(men vote on everything) and the Spartans were always about military
service. Athens and Sparta were separate City-States
that were isolated from each other due to the mountainous topography
(landscape) in Greece. You should also always connect Alexander the Great
with the spread of Hellenistic Culture.
5 – 4 – Always associate Ancient Rome with law
(Twelve Tables) and their road systems. The Romans did also practice Representative
or Republican Democracy (when you elect your leaders). The 200 year
period of peace and stability that lasted during the Roman Empire is known as
the Pax Romana. Eventually the Roman Empire was defeated by outside invaders (Visigoths).
6 – 4 – Confucius believed in social order
(individuals in society know what is expected of them) and filial piety
(people’s proper place in society – older superior to younger).
Confucius collected his teaching in his book The Analects. Always
connect Confucianism and the Han Dynasty in China with Civil Service Exams. Remember
– the Chinese invented gunpowder
7 – 3 – The Buddhist religion believes in
suffering here on earth (giving up selfish desires) in order to achieve nirvana
(ultimate peace). Buddha (Enlightened One) also developed the Four Noble
Truths.
Note – All religions provide guidelines
for human or moral behavior. The three monotheistic (belief in a single
god) religions and their books of study/worship are Christianity/Bible,
Islam/Koran, and Judaism/Torah.
8 – 2 – Constantinople was a major city
due to its location (on a waterway between Eastern Europe and
Asia) which resulted in it being a gateway for trade between the two
continents. It was also the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine
Empire) and the center of the Eastern Orthodox religion which is a
stricter form of Christianity. Also connect the Byzantine Empire with the words
Hagia Sophia, Cyrillic Alphabet, and its influence on Kievan
Russia. Emperor Justinian developed Justinian’s Code, which served
as a model for the laws of many European countries. Remember – the Ottomans
defeated the Byzantines by conquering Constantinople in 1453 which meant that
they now dominated the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and closed most access to the
Silk Road which led to Europeans (Columbus) seeking alternate trade routes to
the East
9 – 1 – All feudal societies are based on class
relationships. For Europe it is in this order King/Nobles/Knights/Serfs
or peasants. Remember that feudalism involves decentralized governments.
The Knights code of behavior is called chivalry. Land is
the most important possession. Manorialism is the economic system
structured around a feudal estate. In Japan it is Emperor/Shogun/Daimyo/Samurai/Peasants.
The Code of Bushido is what the Samurai follow. Knights and
Samurai are warriors.
10 – 4 – the Church
is the center of people’s lives in the Middle Ages/Feudal Europe
and the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is more powerful than any king.
11 – 3 – Whenever you see a question about the African
kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai (Timbuktu), the answer will have the
word trade in it or the fact that they traded salt and gold or
are located on major trade routes. Mansa Musa from Mali was the most powerful
person and helped spread Islam.
12 – 4 – Any question about a Golden Age will
have a very positive answer and will be about major discoveries, technological
advancements, contribution or significant works of art, medicine and
literature. Remember – the Muslims invented algebra. The
Guptas developed the Concept of Zero.
13 – 3 – The Crusades increased trade between
Europe and the Middle East and weakened the system of feudalism.
The trade led to the growth of cities in Europe and the eventual weakening
of the Roman Catholic Church.
14 – 2 – Any questions about the Renaissance will
be about the growth of the arts, emphasis on the individual,
or emphasis on humanism (celebrating the accomplishments of the individual
or achieving one’s potential and renewal of Greek and Roman culture. Always
look for a positive answer on Renaissance questions and that it began in Italy
due to the growth of rich TRADING cities.
15 – 1 – Niccolo Machiavelli was a Renaissance
author who wrote The Prince. He advised rulers that they should do
whatever is necessary to maintain power or achieve their goals.
16 – 2 – Always connect any question with the name Martin
Luther with the Protestant Reformation, 95 Thesis, Sale of
Indulgences, new Christian denominations, and reforms within the
Catholic Church. Martin Luther protested against corruption in the Roman
Catholic Church and this led to a decrease in its power and new Christian
religions (denominations) or lack of Christian unity.This also led to
increased power of the monarchy (kings and queens) as they gained more
influence. The invention of the printing press also led to the spread
of ideas and information and an increase in literacy (ability
to read).
17 – 2 – The Age of Exploration led to the
discovery of the Americas (Western hemisphere). New discoveries such as the compass,
astrolabe, and better maps (cartography), enabled this to happen.
Europeans were also looking for new trade routes to the East due to the
demand for goods from that part of the world. The first meeting between Europeans
and Native Americans is called The Encounter. Always associate Christopher
Columbus with the Age of Discovery and the phrase Pre-Columbian
means before Columbus discovered the New World in the year 1492. The Columbian
Exchange is when food and animals from one hemisphere were exchanges with
the other hemisphere. Example – tomatoes and potatoes are from Latin America
and horses are from the Middle East. Imagine Italian food (pizza) without
tomato sauce, the Irish without potatoes, and Native Americans without horses.
It also led to an improved diet for many Europeans and increased cultural
diffusion. This also led to a new European view of the world as they now knew
about the Western Hemisphere (Americas)
Note – The mass migration (when many people move from
one place to another) of the 1840s from Ireland to America was due to the
potato famine (not enough food). Look for the words famine and mass starvation
in questions about this or Ireland.
18 – 1 – All of these Native American/Mesoamerican
civilizations were known for their complex civilizations and dependence
on intensive agriculture. The Aztecs built a city Tenochtitlan
that rivaled any in Europe in terms of technology. The Mayans developed
a sophisticated calendar and a system of writing. The Incans
are known for their road system and terrace farming and
adaptation to their geography (mountainous)
19 – 2 – Absolutism means that one ruler
(King) has all the power. If you see Philip II of Spain and/or
Louis XVI (I Am The State) of France the answer will be absolute ruler.
Absolute rulers want all the power so they will centralize (combine)
power. Absolute rulers believed in divine right (their power came
from god). Any time that you see a
Roman Numeral after someone’s name, they are an Absolute Ruler.
Note – The Glorious Revolution occurred later
in England, which resulted in a bloodless transfer of power. The signing of the
Magna Carta created a limited or constitutional monarchy,
in which the king shares power with a legislative (law making) body such
as Parliament. It also created the English Bill of Rights.
20 – 2 – During the Scientific Revolution
people had a spirit of inquiry (asking questions). No longer were people
going to accept traditional (old) ideas or theory. All new knowledge was
based on observation and experimentation or the Scientific Method. Always
associate the names Galileo Galilei, Nicolas Copernicus, Isaac
Newton, Francis Bacon, etc, with the Scientific Revolution Challenged tradtional authority
21 – 4 – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke (Natural
Rights/Consent of the Governed), Baron de Montesquieu (Separation of
Powers/Prevent Tyranny) , Voltaire (Freedom of Speech/Religion), etc are
the Enlightenment philosophers. They did not believe in absolute
rulers. They believed that power in government should come from the people (consent
of the governed – John Locke). All of then believed that people should
elect their leaders.
22 – 3 – When the Third Estate (peasant and middle class)
got rid of the King in France, power shifted mainly to the middle class
(bourgeoisie). Remember the three main reasons for all political
revolutions 1) political – bad government, 2) social – social inequality
– the Third Estate paid all the taxes and owned little land, and 3) economic –
food shortages. The French people were also inspired by Enlightenment
ideas. The French Revolution led to
the rise of nationalist movements in Europe.
23 – 3 – The French people accepted an Emperor (Napoleon)
after getting rid of a King, because he brought stability to the nation
(everyone paid taxes not just the Third Estate, established public schools,
improved the economy, and established a fair system of law – Napoleonic Code).
The French people wanted stability after the Reign of Terror (Robespierre).
Napoleon also conquered most of Western Europe which led to an increase in
Nationalism (pride in one’s country) throughout Europe after the French
Revolution.
Note – The Congress of
Vienna (Prince von Metternich), which met after the fall of
Napoleon, wanted to restore the balance of power in Europe and return former
rulers to their thrones (legitimacy)
24 – 4 – Most of Latin America was made up of
Spanish colonies. Inspired by American Revolution and French
Revolution, they decided they wanted their own independence. Always
associate the names Simon Bolivar, Toussaint L’Ouverture, and Jose de San
Martin with leading independence or nationalist movements in
their country. Also remember that the Andes Mountains in South America created
an obstacle for Simon Bolivar to unite the Latin American people.
25 – Nationalism (pride in one’s country) will
always develop in places where people have similarities or things in common
such as customs, language, and history. Remember – similarities bring
people together and differences drive them apart. Connect names like Gandhi,
Ataturk, Bismarck, etc with Nationalism.
26. – 4 – nationalism will always bring people
together. The unification of Germany (Otto von Bismarck)
and the unification of Italy (Giuseppe Garibaldi) will be the two names
you will see concerning unification, which results from people having common
language, customs, and history. Always connect Otto von Bismarck
with the phrase “Blood and Iron” also.
27 – 1 – The industrial revolution increased
the number of cities (urban areas) because factories were being built
and people moved from the country (rural areas) to the cities because jobs
were available. Always remember
that the Industrial Revolution started in England because they had 1) an
available labor force (people), 2) abundant natural resources (coal and iron),
3) natural power sources (fast moving rivers), and 4) Adequate capital (money
for investment). Another theme of the Industrial Revolution is that
people went from making clothes in the home by hand, to making them
in a factory with machines. The textile industry (making clothes)
was the first industry affected by the Industrial Revolution. The
Industrial Revolution improved many people’s lives (growth of a middle class),
but it also led to overcrowded and dirty cities (urbanization)
28 – 2 – Karl Marx hated capitalism (private
ownership of business/free market) and the Industrial Revolution and wanted all
available resources to be shared by all the people. He developed Marxism
which is a political and social system in which all people are equal (classless
society) and share all resources equally. Always look for the words/phrases “history
is the struggle between classes,” proletariat (workers), overthrow
capitalism, means of production, etc. He also wrote a book called The
Communist Manifesto. Communism is a corrupt form of Marxism
because it does not create a classless society (government officials are like
the nobility and own the land and the majority of the citizens are poor).
Mostly look for the words overthrow and revolution in questions about Karl Marx
Note – You should also know about Adam Smith who
wrote The Wealth of Nations which promotes capitalism/free
market/free enterprise/market (private ownership of business and supply
and demand) and laissez-faire (when government stays out of business
affairs/free market).
29 – 2 – always look for the word modernization when
you see any questions about the Meiji Restoration. You may also
see questions that connect the Meiji Restoration with the Japanese
need to acquire natural resources in other countries by force
(imperialism). Japan became an emerging global threat after this modernization
and were able to defeat the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War You should also connect the word
MODERNIZATION and Westernization with Peter the Great and Ataturk.
30 – 2 – This is a question about imperialism
(when a stronger country dominates/controls a weaker country). The
stronger countries will always be European and the weaker countries will be in
Africa and Asia. The Industrial Revolution led to Imperialism
because countries need raw materials to manufacture things in
their factories, and markets to sell their products. They would take a weaker
countries’ raw materials and then force them to buy the products that they
made from them. Any question about imperialism will have an answer that
will be about exploitation (using/taking advantage of) by the stronger
country over the weaker country. What made them stronger? Better technology
(weapons). Questions about the poem White Mans Burden will be about
how it was the responsibility/burden of Europeans (colonials) to improve
the lives of colonial people (Africans/Asians). The Scramble for Africa
was when European countries competed for African territory. They divided up
Africa at the Berlin Conference based on their needs and did not
consider the needs of the colonial people (Africans). These
European made boundaries have resulted in much ethnic and regional conflict
that continues to this day.
31 – 4 – Any questions about the Boxer Rebellion (China)
or Sepoy Mutiny (India) will be about removing foreign influences from
their countries. Questions about the Opium War will be about the fact
that the British had better technology (weapons) and created Spheres
of Influence (areas of control) in China.
Note – Any questions mentioning Commodore Matthew
Perry will be about the opening of trade and ports in Japan
and ending their isolation.
32 – 2 – The five causes of World War 1 spell out MANIA.
1. Militarism (a country’s
preparation for war), 2. alliances (a country’s promise to fight with
another country if they go to war), 3. nationalism (pride in one’s
country which created competition), 4. imperialism (when a stronger
country dominates a weaker one), and 5. assassination (Archduke Franz
Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist). The reason why WWI was so destructive is
due to new technology (weapons) such as tanks, machine guns, poison gas, and
airplanes (industrialized war)
33 – 3 – the three main causes of ANY political
revolution are 1) political (bad government), social
(social inequality – the nobles own all the land), and economic (food
shortages). In the Russian Revolution, the Bolshevik/Communist
leader Vladimir Lenin gained the support of the peasants
by promising them “Peace, Land, and Bread” and was able to overthrow
czarist rule. He would get them out of World War I, divide the
land among the peasants, and improve the economy and end their hunger. All
20th century revolutionaries, Lenin (Russia), Mao (China), and
Castro (Cuba), were able to overthrow the existing governments by gaining the
support of the peasant class (the vast majority of people) by promising them
land (they never got it by the way).
NOTE: Mao Zedong of China also led the Long March in 1934 to
oppose the Chinese Nationalist government. He gained power by gaining the
support of the peasants and women. He started the Great Leap Forward which was
an economic plan that emphasized heavy industry. His Cultural Revolution was
when he tried to increase loyalty to Communism by eliminating intellectuals and
destroying works of literature that did not fully support communist thought
34 – 2 - The Russian Revolution ended up with
the creation of the Soviet Union where peasants worked on collective
farms/communes and the government owned all the land and means of
production (industry). The emphasis was on heavy industry (Five Year Plans -
Stalin) to make the country strong and able to compete with the West
(Europe). Stalin also created a famine in the Ukraine by starving his own
people.
35 – 1 – The harsh conditions of the Treaty of
Versailles (Germany had to accept full responsibility for the
war and pay reparations/costs of the war) destroyed the German
economy (created economic conditions) and created resentment in that country.
This allowed Adolf Hitler to rise up and seize power and impose a fascist
(when the state/government is more important than the individual).
Remember – the mistakes after World War I (Treaty of Versailles) led
to World War II. Always look for economic reasons for why Fascist governments
rose up during the 1920s and 1930s.
36 – 4 – All dictators (Hitler/Stalin/Mussolini/Mao/Castro)
set up totalitarian regimes where the government controls all
aspects of their citizen’s lives through oppression (creation of fear), secret
police/mass arrests, control of the media (burning books) and not
allowing freedom of speech. These governments also control all means of
production (industry). Remember – totalitarian means total control.
37 – 3 – in a communist/totalitarian government
(Soviet Union/China/Cuba/North Korea), the economy is fully controlled by
the government (means of production) and capitalism (private ownership of
business) does not exist. During the 1990’s China gained wealth by combining
communist principles (the things they believed in) with capitalism/free market
under their leader Deng Xiaoping.
38. 4 – Both the Great Leap Forward (ChinaMao Zedong)
and the Five-year Plans (Soviet Union/Stalin) will always be
about increasing heavy industry or industrial production.
39 – 2 – Remember – every successful political revolution
of the 20th century (Russian/Chinese/Cuban) gained the support of the peasants
by promising them land.
40 – 4 – Whenever you see three names such as these
grouped together, the correct answer will be that they played a role in
independence or nationalist movements. The only exceptions will be if they
list names from the Scientific Revolution (Newton/Galileo/Copernicus/Descartes)
or Enlightenment (Locke/Montesquieu/Voltaire/Rousseau). If one of the names
contains a Roman Numeral, the answer will be about absolute rule or centralized
power.
41 – 2 – Much of the terrorism that is based in the Middle
East is over the tension created when the State of Israel (Jewish
homeland) was created after World War II. The movement to create a Jewish
homeland is Zionism and the movement started with the Balfour
Declaration. Connect Zionism and Balfour Declaration with Israel
or Palestine.
42 – 3 – The African National Congress (ANC), led by Nelson
Mandela, fought to end the system of apartheid (separation
of the races) in South Africa and achieve racial and political equality
with whites. Since blacks are the majority of that nation, they would rule
as the majority ruling political party if they got the right to
vote. Remember – always connect apartheid with racism and the
names Nelson Mandela/Frederik de Klerk.
43 – 4 – The Soviet Union broke apart in the 1980’s
and 90’s because many people that were a part of it were not Russian (ethnic
minorities). Countries like Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Estonia, etc were
Soviet Republics that gained their independence from Soviet rule.
Similarities/commonalities bring people together (nationalism/unification) and
differences tear them apart which is also an aspect of nationalism. The Soviet
Union broke due to reforms by Mikhail Gorbachev such as Glasnost/Openness or
more political freedom and Perestroika/economic reforms which weakened the grip
that communist rule had on the Soviet people. There were also ethnic minorities
that wanted to gain their independence from the Soviets and rule themselves
(nationalism).
44 – 1 – Many people traveled to the Far East during
the early Middle Ages, but Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta
were the only ones that wrote about it. When people heard about the products
and wonders of the Far East, it increased a demand for goods (trade)
and interest in Asian culture.
45 – 2 – Any economy or culture that is traditional,
is one that has been passed down through the generations (it is very old or has
not been changed). Before there was money, people had to trade things
(barter) in order to get other things. A traditional economy will
always be about farming/agriculture because people have to eat before
they can go and do anything else.
46 – 2 – any question about the Green Revolution will
have the words food, agriculture, or grain in the correct answer.
It is a revolution (period of great change) because modern technology has
enabled people to grow much more food.
47 – 4 – the interaction of people (due to
trade) spread the plague from Asia to Europe. Rats hitched a ride
with traders returning from the Far East to Europe and then fleas bit into the
rats and then jumped on people. When the fleas bit the people they jumped on,
the disease was transmitted. The Bubonic/Black Plague is the only time
when Europe’s population drastically decreased and caused a labor shortage.
48 – 1 – whenever you see mention of a revolution or reading
passage that mentions things to do with money or business (trade, banking,
guilds/unions, capitalism, joint stock companies) it will be about the Commercial
Revolution. This all happened because of the expansion of trade &
growth of cities between 1000 and 1300 A.D. This first established a middle
class.
49 – 3 – The term “indigenous people” refers to the
people that are from a certain area (natives). In this case, that means the Native
Americans. The Encomienda System enslaved the Native Americans,
but they soon died because they had no defense (immunity) against European
diseases. Their labor was replaced by importing African slaves,
which is known as the Triangular Trade because the routes formed a
triangle from Europe to Africa to the New World. The leg of the Triangular
Trade that shipped the Africans (slaves) to the New World is known as
the Middle Passage because it was the 2nd of 3 legs of the
journey. Remember – the Spanish were able to defeat much larger numbers of
Native Americans because they had better technology (weapons), but more
Native Americans died from exposure to diseases. Always connect Hernan Cortez
and the Spanish conquistadors with defeating the Aztecs at Tenochtitlan
Note – the term mercantilism refers to the
economic system where a colony exists to support the mother country
(Spain). The mother country wants to establish a favorable balance of trade
(they sell more than they buy). Always look for the word colony
in an answer about mercantilism, along with mother country and favorable
balance of trade.
50 – 2 – The harsh Russian winter helped defeat both Napoleon
(France) and Hitler (Germany). Look for the words climate or cold
in the correct answer whenever you see a question about either of these
countries attacking Russia.
