AP World History Multiple Choice Questions

8000-600 C.E. (Periods 1 & 2)

(Borrowed and modified from Mr. Farshtey – AP World teacher)

Cities differed from Neolithic villages in two principal ways. Firstly, cities were larger and more complex than Neolithic villages. Secondly, __________________________________.

A. cities served the needs of their inhabitants and immediate neighborsB. cities decisively influenced the economic, political and cultural life of large regions C. cities were less advanced militarilyD. cities had populations in the thousandsE. cities had protective deities

B

Which of the following was not true of nomadic groups?

A) Nomadic societies were patriarchalB) They had some social hierarchyC) Most of the themes of nomadic art centered on their animalsD) Nomadic societies had little positive influence on settled peoplesE) Nomadic societies engaged in peaceful trade.

D

What happened in western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire was similar to what occurred in (sorry about the syntax)

a) Byzantium after the end of the Eastern Empireb) China after the fall of the Hanc) Japan after the end of the Tokugawa

Shogunated) The Holy Land after the unsuccessful

Crusades endede) The Andes when the Spanish ousted the Inca

B

A major influence on the development of western Europe was

a) The movement of the Mongolsb) Attila’s advance against Romec) The spread of Islam into Spain by the

Moorsd) The pressure put on Germanic peoples

by the movement of the Hunse) The emergence of a unified Frankish

kingdom.

D

Which of the following statements is an accurate description of both Buddhism and Hinduism?

a) The caste system was an outgrowth of Hinduism but became identified also with Buddhism.

b) Neither religion placed importance on the individual’s efforts to seek release from rebirth.

c) Nirvana was a major aspect of the belief system of both Buddhism and Hinduism.

d) Both religions taught the importance of karma in affecting a person’s fate.

e) Buddhism made use of formal rituals, but Hinduism did not.

D

The Mandate of Heaven governed the relationship between the ruler and the ruled in

a) Chinab) Japanc) Franced) Ghanae) Russia

A

Monasticism was an important aspect of which two of the following religions?

a) Islam and Buddhismb) Buddhism and Christianityc) Daoism and Shintoismd) Hinduism and Buddhisme) Christianity and Hinduism

B

Which of the following was not a characteristic of early settled agricultural communities?

a) A fertility goddess as an important element in religious worship

b) The division of labor and the development of specialized skills

c) Cooperative public works projectsd) Equal status for men and womene) The development of immunity to contagious

diseases over time.

D

“And what, O priests, is the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of misery? It is…right belief, right resolve, right speech, right behavior, right occupation, right effort, right contemplation, right concentration.”

These words describe a teaching of which religion?

a) Judaismb) Hinduismc) Christianityd) Buddhisme) Islam

D

A characteristic that the Shang Chinese shared with Egyptian civilization was the

a) Principle of the mandate of heavenb) Lack of a social hierarchyc) Development of a writing systemd) Ancestor worshipe) Development of walled settlements to

defend against invaders.

C

Which of the following is true of both the Han Empire and the Gupta Empire?

a) Both empires had long-established traditions of dynastic rule.

b) Both were overrun by Germanic tribes in their declining years.

c) Both empires were characterized by religious unity.

d) Both saw a number of technological advancese) Both chose administrators on the basis of

extensive examination systems.

D

The Buddhist social order included

a) Strict adherence to patriarchal authorityb) Opposition to caste systemsc) Well-defined gender-role distinctionsd) Emphasis on well-educated rulerse) Veneration for one’s ancestors

B

Which of the following lived after the other four?

a) Confuciusb) Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddhac) Jesus Christd) Aristotlee) Laozi (Lao-Tzu)

C

Which of the following pairs of religions uses images to represent its deity?

a) Hinduism and Christianityb) Judaism and Christianityc) Confucianism and Buddhismd) Islam and Christianitye) Islam and Hinduism

A

Which major language family arose as a result of migrations beginning in central Asia and spreading to Europe?

a) Indo-Europeanb) Romancec) Germanicd) Sino-Tibetane) Semitic

A

Which of the great religious systems below were characterized by monotheism combined with a sacred text and a strong missionary thrust?

a) Buddhism and Christianityb) Buddhism and Hinduismc) Christianity and Judaismd) Christianity and Islame) Islam and Judaism

D

Which of the following is true of both the Roman Empire and the Han Empire?

a) Both empires were heavily dependent on slave labor.b) Both empires were characterized by long periods of

effective centralized government.c) In both empires extensive maritime trade was

important.d) In both empires administrative officials were selected

by an elaborate system of competitive examinations.e) Both empires were ruled by wealthy merchant elites.

B

All of the following were part of the Confucian social order except

a) Loyalty to the rulerb) Filial obedience to one’s fatherc) Respect for the oldd) Chastity by wivese) Chastity by husbands

E

Which of the following lived about one thousand years after the other four?

a) Socratesb) Confuciusc) Muhammadd) Laozi (Lao-Tzu)e) Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha

C

Which of the following characterizes trade between the Roman Empire and India during the first two centuries C.E.?

Rome to India India to Romea) Silver and gold Pepperb) Tools and weapons Silver and goldc) Horses Wheatd) Textiles Silver and golde) Tools and weapons Wine and olive oil

A

Judaism, Christianity and Islam share which of the following?

a) They are polytheistic religionsb) They recognize the divine nature of certain

prophets.c) They revere both Mecca and Jerusalem as

pilgrimage sitesd) They recognize the existence of Adam and

Moses.e) They share the Talmud and the Gospels as

sacred texts.

D

The lessons of the late Han China and the late Roman empires are that the decline of a civilization, whether temporary or permanent,

A. is not simply the result of attack by outside invaders.B. follows inevitably from centralized, unrepresentative governmentC. results from undue dependence on slaveryD. results from social rebellion in which the poor attack the rich and tear down their institutionsE. results from a lack of religious conviction

A

With the collapse in political order after the fall of the Han empire

A. Confucianism became much more popularB. Christianity became one of the most important religions in ChinaC. Daoism and Buddhism became much more popular D. Hindu thought began to have a profoundly important influence in ChinaE. religions of every variety were persecuted and suppressed

C

The phrase pater familias refers to

A. the patriarchal nature of the Roman familyB. the prolonged period of peace and stability beginning with the reign of AugustusC. the concept of Jesus of Nazareth's relationship to his godD. the position of Jupiter as the king of the Roman godsE. the central role of the Roman emperor in running the state

A

The school of philosophical thought which was in the end responsible for the unification of China was

A. ConfucianismB. DraconianismC. DaoismD. LegalismE. Neo-Confucianism

D

The fundamental doctrine of Buddhism was known as the

A. Second TriadB. Ahimsa Path C. Four Noble TruthsD. Three Principles of the PeopleE. Path of Reincarnation

C

The Greeks used the word polis to refer to

A. the concept of excessive prideB. the city-stateC. the notion of loyalty to the central governmentD. the pursuit of truthE. barbarians

B

The political world of the ancient Greeks

A. achieved unification under PericlesB. was a history of early, long-lasting centralized governmentC. stabilized after the conquest by PersiaD. was very similar to that of EgyptE. usually consisted of independent, autonomous city-states

E

The first society of Mesoamerica, which founded traditions followed by all later societies, were the

A. MayaB. Olmecs C. TeotihuacanD. MochicaE. Aztecs

B

By 5000 B.C.E. the Mesoamericans had discovered the agricultural potential of __________, which ultimately became the staple food of the region.

A. maizeB. squashC. beans D. wheat E. barley

A

In regards to family structure, the __________ retained much more influence in China than in other lands.

A. extended familyB. nuclear familyC. matriarchal structureD. cult of Isis E. slaves

A

In Hinduism the highest goal of the individual soul was

A. to follow the Four Noble TruthsB. to escape the cycle of birth and rebirth and enter into permanent union with Brahman C. to enter into permanent union with Indra and thus escape the cycle of permanent rebirthD. to fulfill the individual's special destiny as spelled out in the process of predestinationE. to perform sati

B

The earliest known civilization in India was the

A. BantuB. Indo-EuropeanC. HarappanD. SumerianE. Hindu

C

All of the following statements are true in relation to the Harappan society EXCEPT

A. most of their houses featured private showers and toiletsB. they traded extensively with the MesopotamiansC. they had social distinctionsD. their writings have provided a wealth of information for historians E. they produced representational art

D

The Bantu originally came from around

A. the Swahili areaB. modern day NigeriaC. far southern AfricaD. EgyptE. modern day Algeria

B

The Bantu probably began their migrations because of

A. invasions from the Mediterranean basinB. a conscious desire for conquestC. the threat of epidemic diseaseD. a desire to spread their monotheistic faith E. population pressures

E

In which of the following societies did women enjoy the most freedom and opportunity?

A. MesopotamiaB. Egypt C. HebrewsD. AssyriaE. India

B

The first simplified alphabet, containing only 22 letters, was created by the

A. MesopotamiansB. AssyriansC. HebrewsD. PhoeniciansE. Babylonians

D

Ethical monotheism was in the tradition of the

A. MesopotamiansB. EgyptiansC. AssyriansD. HebrewsE. Phoenicians

D

The Mesopotamian style of writing was known as

A. demoticB. cuneiformC. hieroglyphicsD. CopticE. alphabetic

B

In Mesopotamia, prisoners of war, convicted criminals, and heavily indebted individuals were the three main sources for

A. slavesB. indentured servantsC. dependent clientsD. mercenary soldiersE. indentured priests

A

Which technologies are generally thought to have been acquired by Paleolithic societies?

I. fireII. stone toolsIII. ironIV. bronze

(A) I(B) I and II(C) I, II and III(D) I, II, and IV(E) none of the above

B

The emergence of agriculture, or the Neolithic Revolution, caused all of the following EXCEPT

A) the ability of humans to settle more permanently in one spot.

B) a population explosion.C) an increase in the specialization of political,

economic, and religious functions.D) the introduction of artistic expression.E) the disappearance of hunter-gatherer

communities.

E

Women were important contributors to the Agricultural Revolution because they were likely the ones who

(A) traded grains for meat(B) made tools and containers(C) gathered edible plants and knew where

grains grew(D) performed essential agricultural tasks such

as plowing and irrigation(E) found that farming required less work and

less time

C

All early agricultural societies:

(A) were traders.(B) settled in river valleys.(C) used pictographs as their form of writing.(D) were polytheistic.(E) were nomadic.

D

Metal tools were preferred over wood and stone tools for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

(A) metal hoes & other tools allowed farmers to work the ground more efficiently.

(B) they made superior weapons.(C) they were easier for ordinary people to

produce in mass at home.(D) they allowed some artisans to become

specialists in metal-working who could then trade with the farmers.

(E) they were sharper and more precise.

C

All of the following are contributions of the river valley civilizations EXCEPT:

(A) the formal divisions of time into a calendar

(B) the wheel(C) written language(D) the development of important

mathematical concepts such as square roots

(E) monotheistic religions

E

The Gupta Dynasty was much like the Zhou Dynasty in that

(A) they both used religion to support their political power.

(B) they were both made up of feudal regions with weak central governments

(C) both of them fell to Hun invaders.(D) both used bureaucrats who specialized in

their areas of service to the state(E) they tended not to trade with other

civilizations

B

To regulate the social life of their empire, the Romans depended on

(A) its world religion(B) its strictly enforced caste system(C) its code of laws(D) its highly efficient bureaucracy(E) its disciplined army

C

Compared with a Chinese nobleman, a peasant in classical China differed in all of the following EXCEPT

A) likelihood of literacy.B) level of wealth.C) likelihood of belief in a number of gods or

spirits of nature.D) dependence on land as the basic

economic resource.E) daily economic activity.

D

Roman emperors tried to content the masses by

(A) dividing the great landed estates.(B) avoiding war.(C) granting the vote.(D) abolishing slavery.(E) organizing food supplies and distribution.

E

Which of the following societies’ social hierarchies was overall the most constrictive and gave the least room for social mobility?

(A) India.(B) China.(C) Persia.(D) Greece.(E) Rome.

A

Which of the following BEST encapsulates Confucian thought?

(A) Political power is given to rulers by the gods; therefore, rulers may treat their people as they please.

(B) Husbands and wives should share the responsibility for family leadership equally.

(C) Social harmony is attained when superiors treat those below them with kindness, while inferiors respect those above them.

(D) Only members of the aristocracy are capable of cultivating the qualities of etiquette and grace.

(E) Society functions best when people are free to realize their individuality.

C

What is a major similarity between Hinduism and Buddhism?

(A) Both religions support a caste system.(B) Both religions accept that souls reach

spiritual perfection.(C) Both embrace the Four Noble Truths.(D) Both follow the Eightfold Path.(E) These two religions are diametrically

opposed

B

The statuary above was produced in:

(A) ancient Persia.(B) medieval Europe.(C) Mughal India.(D) ancient Greece.(E) prehistoric France.

D

The photograph above is an example of:

(A) Incan highland commerce.(B) Japanese Shinto animism.(C) Plains tribes shamanism.(D) Post Columbian colonial influence.(E) Mayan temple architecture.

E

"Shape clay into a vessel; It is the space within that makes it useful. . . Therefore benefit comes from what is there; usefulness from what is not there."

Which religion or belief system is most closely associated with this quote?

A. ConfucianismB. DaoismC. LegalismD. BuddhismE. Hinduism

B

Which of the following statements would LEAST likely fit in with the ORIGINAL teachings of the Buddha?

(A) All human suffering is caused by desire.(B) Enlightenment can most effectively be attained

by coming to realize the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path.

(C) Enlightenment leads to a moment of awakening and transcendent consciousness known as nirvana.

(D) Enlightenment can most effectively be attained by venerating many gods and bodhisattvas.

(E) none of the above

D

How did the collapse of Han China most resemble the Roman Empire's loss of its European lands?

(A) Both were later devoured by the Byzantine Empire.

(B) Their leaders began to rely on Buddhism to guide their decision making.

(C) Both fell as a result of depletion of natural resources.

(D) Outside invaders contributed to the collapse of both empires.

(E) Both collapsed due to lack of technological innovation.

D

In regard to level of toleration and respect for conquered parts of the empire, the Romans were most similar to the

(A) Assyrians.(B) Greeks.(C) Persians.(D) Chinese under Qin Shi huang di.(E) Aryans.

C

The map above shows

(A) Indian Ocean Trading System (B) The Silk Road(C) The Han Empire system of roads(D) The Amber road(E) Trans-Saharan trade routes.

B

A major difference between the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism is

(A) belief in nirvana.(B) the cycle of rebirth.(C) the principle of nonviolence.(D) belief in karma.(E) belief in castes.

E

In the classical period, both China and India

A) showed considerable tolerance for different religions.

B) attempted to conquer the most territory possible.

C) developed a lasting tradition of strong, centralized government.

D) welcomed influences from other cultures.E) focused on expanding trade.

A

In which river valleys did the first civilizations on the Eurasian and African continents develop?

(A) Niger, Tigris / Euphrates, Nile, Indus(B) Tigris / Euphrates, Nile, Ganges, Huang

He(C) Nile, Tigris / Euphrates, Huang He,

Indus(D) Amazon, Huang He, Indus, Yellow(E) Nile, Amazon, Huang He, Ganges

C

A major impact of ancient Greece and Rome on western civilization was that

(A) the Greeks and Romans achieved a classless society, which was later copied in Western Europe.

(B) Greek sculpture and Roman architecture were much admired and copied in Western Europe in later centuries.

(C) Greece and Rome transmitted Islamic philosophy to the areas they conquered.

(D) they established empires which lasted longer than their neighbors.

(E) Greek and Latin are still widely spoken in universities throughout the West.

B

Which statement refers the best to Alexander the Great?

(A) he forced conquered peoples to worship Greek gods and goddesses

(B) he typically ruled through local hierarchies(C) he saw his empire slowly disintegrate

during the last years of his life(D) he never managed to conquer Egypt(E) he was amazed by the riches and goods he

found in China

B

The Aryan conquerors brought to India

(A) its first civilization.(B) distinctive religious ideas.(C) long-lasting peace and stability.(D) admiration for India's earlier inhabitants.(E) new agricultural techniques.

B

The Hindu concept of samsara is BEST described by which of the following statements?

(A) a belief that the wicked are punished by everlasting torment after death

(B) a belief that one's soul lives, dies, and is reborn many times, until it is pure enough to escape the cycle of rebirth

(C) a doctrine that justifies the caste system of India (D) a declaration of non-belief in the old Vedic gods

and goddesses(E) a belief that all actions, good and evil, have

consequences in future lives to come

B

Confucianism is characterized by all of the following beliefs except:

(A) nobility is acquired through virtue, not birth(B) people should treat others as they

themselves would be treated(C) everyone should carry out his social duties

with devotion(D) government must have the confidence of

the people(E) devotion to one’s family is not as important

as devotion to oneself

E

Which of the following is an accurate description of a cultural characteristic that the Slavs and Germans of northern Europe had in common around 200 C.E.?

(A) These peoples were primarily hunters and gatherers.

(B) The overall political organization of the Slavs and Germans evolved into regional kingdoms.

(C) These cultures lacked all knowledge of metallurgy.

(D) The Celts, Slavs, and Germans were matriarchal.

(E) Their social organization was highly stratified.

B

Which civilization had to import most of its food and grain from colonies?

(A) Gupta India(B) Han China(C) Zhou China(D) The Greeks(E) The Indus River civilization

D