i>Clicker Questions

1. Chapter 1: Origins, ca. 400,000-1100 B.C.E. i>Clicker Questions

2. Which of the following best defines civilization? • A system of manners and social conduct • A system of social and political organization and shared way of thinking and believing • A system by which individuals merge themselves and their interest into a larger community • A system of culture, art, and theology that explains the larger world

3. Why did American educational leaders create the “Western civilization” course? • Because World War I had renewed interest in Europe and its history • To replace Latin, which was being eliminated as a required course in most colleges and universities • Because they were concerned that young people were becoming cut off from European intellectual and cultural traditions • To appease European political leaders who objected to American world leadership

4. Artifacts discovered at Avebury and similar stone circle sites prove which of the following? • The people worshipped an earth-goddess who symbolized life and brought fertility to the land. • The people were enslaved under a powerful clan leader who could force long periods of labor from them. • Neighboring clans frequently sought to destroy the circles, for they rejected the religious beliefs of the circle builders. • The circles were built over a very short period of time, two to three years at most.

5. During the Neolithic era, the development of agriculture and transition to settled life • weakened the bonds of extended family and kinship networks. • occurred in the Near East and then afterward spread to other major civilizations. • diminished the practice of trade as tribes no longer moved around. • did not occur in the Americas.

6. The Sumerian system of writing • evolved as pigmented inks were used to make symbols on animal parchments. • limited each sign to one distinct idea. • made its most important breakthrough when scribes began to use signs to represent sounds. • reached its fullest development as ideograms allowed signs to symbolize ideas.

7. In Neolithic society, the building of walls • was the most fundamental and universal feature of settled communities. • was a symbolic act to define the community, with little practical usage. • was not pursued in circumstance where other types of defenses were more effective. • tended to inhibit agricultural development by cutting off emerging towns from the countryside.

8. The patriarch of a tribe in Sumerian society • exercised all rights over family members. • was not bound by custom or tradition in the governance of his tribe. • divided land and property equally between sons and daughters. • led the families in the tribe but cooperated with the heads of related families.

9. Which of the following was a consequence of the harsh environment of Sumer? • Sumerians viewed their gods as benevolent creatures who protected them from nature. • Sumerians considered their gods weak and insignificant. • Sumerians adopted a grim and pessimistic spirit. • Sumerians considered the gods to be distant beings who had little contact with humans.

10. Which of the following best characterizes slaves in Sumerian society? • They were Africans purchased through trade routes. • They were denied all legal rights and protections. • They engaged in trade and could make profits and borrow money to buy their freedom. • They could not be physically abused by their masters.

11. How did the Hittites interact with their powerful Egyptian and Babylonian neighbors? • Constant warfare among the three powers created instability throughout the Near East. • The Hittites believed all foreigners were spiritually impure and worked to destroy all influences from these other cultures. • The three powers formed an alliance, calling each other “brother,” that produced an era of peace. • The mountainous terrain in Anatolia kept the Hittites largely cut off from the other great powers.

12. Answer Key for Chapter 1 • Answer is B. • Answer is C. • Answer is A. • Answer is A. • Answer is C. • Answer is C. • Answer is D. • Answer is C. • Answer is C. • Answer is C.

13. Chapter 2: Small Kingdoms and Mighty Empires in the Near East, ca. 1100-513 B.C.E. i>Clicker Questions

14. How did the fall of the large empires of Egypt and the Hittites affect the small kingdoms of the Near East (the Phoenicians and the Hebrews)? • The small kingdoms were destroyed and their populations scattered. • The small kingdoms became more insular, rejecting foreign influences as impure corruptions of their societies. • The small kingdoms passed their local traditions among their neighbors, creating a more common Near Eastern culture. • The small kingdoms grew into large powers able to challenge others for dominance in Mediterranean world.

15. How were the Libyans affected by their conquests in Egypt? • The Libyans turned against imperial expansion as their victories came with a large loss of life. • The Libyans established themselves as a closed caste within Egyptian society in order to maintain their distinct culture. • The Libyans adopted Egyptian culture, religion, and way of life. • The Libyans turned against imperial expansion, for it would require them to abandon their rural, agricultural society.

16. As they moved into Palestine, how did the Hebrews interact with their neighbors? • The Hebrews destroyed the local peoples, who lacked any means of resistance. • The Hebrews fought wars but also mingled with local people, with some Hebrews adopting the local culture. • The Hebrews completely adopted the local culture and merged with the local peoples. • The Hebrews were rejected by the local peoples as impure foreigners.

17. When Israel divided after the death of Solomon, what central difference emerged between Israel and Judah? • Judah remained a traditional agricultural state, while Israel aggressively pursued commerce and manufacturing. • Judah worshipped only Yahweh, while Israel allowed temples for other gods. • Judah established a council of tribal leaders to direct affairs, while Israel remained a traditional monarchy. • Judah welcomed influences from across the Near East, while Israel culturally isolated itself.

18. How did the kingdom of Judah survive Assyrian expansion? • The kingdom of Judah defeated the Assyrian army at the Battle of Armageddon. • Judah had no valuable resources that the Assyrians desired. • The Assyrians became distracted by a more serious revolt to their north and did not bother with this minor kingdom to their south. • The kingdom of Judah became subservient to Assyrian empire.

19. As nomadic Hebrews transitioned to settled agriculture, how was their society transformed? • The roles available to women expanded. • The tribe became less important than the extended family. • Land came to be owned communally rather than individually. • Marriage became increasingly polygamous.

20. How did Persia’s central geographic feature—a broad central plateau in the heart of the country—affect the region’s development? • The plateau offered protection from invaders, isolating the Iranian people culturally and economically. • The plateau created a highway between Eastern and Western civilizations and in which nomads and city dwellers interacted. • The plateau served as an ideal agricultural environment with ample rainfall that could be collected and stored, providing wealth and security to the region. • The plateau linked the interior of the Middle East to the sea, facilitating trade and commerce.

21. What innovation did the Assyrians bring to palace artwork? • Interior sculptures mixed the imagery of political and religious figures in order to justify kingly rule. • Palace reliefs portrayed military events as a series of episodes that told a continuous story. • A domed ceiling linked the height and grandeur of the palace with the rule of the gods in the heavens. • Interior walls also served as exterior defensive walls.

22. What was the central theme of the teaching of Zoroaster? • The evil desires of humans can only be diminished, not eliminated. • Life was a constant battled between the opposing forces of good and evil. • Human life was insignificant in comparison to the glory of the gods. • Pain in this life was the result of human weakness.

23. Which of the following correctly characterizes the teachings of Zoroaster? • Humans were too morally weak to choose between good and evil and had to rely strictly on religious laws to guide their behavior. • At death, human existence ceased, and the soul converted into the spiritual matter that filled the universe. • Humans possessed freewill for good or evil and had to use their own conscience to guide them through life. • At death, the gods welcomed all humans into companionship with them in the heavenly city.

24. Answer Key for Chapter 2 • Answer is C. • Answer is C. • Answer is B. • Answer is B. • Answer is D. • Answer is B. • Answer is B. • Answer is B. • Answer is B. • Answer is C.

25. Chapter 3: The Development of Classical Greece, ca. 2000-338 B.C.E. i>Clicker Questions

26. How did Greece’s geography affect its development? • Throughout Greece, broad fertile plains allowed for abundant agriculture, permitting the people to develop commerce and manufacturing. • Surrounded by water on three sides and mountains on the fourth, Greece’s natural defenses meant that the Greeks did not need to spend money on the military, but instead focused on philosophy and technology. • The numerous mountain ranges throughout Greece split up the land and encouraged political fragmentation, so that power resided in local city-states rather than in a unified kingdom. • The numerous large rivers in Greece facilitated trade and cultural interconnection throughout the Grecian countryside.

27. Which one of the following best characterizes Mycenaean society? • The Mycenaean economy had an extensive division of labor controlled by the palace. • Mycenaean society was largely egalitarian, with city governors elected by the free vote of all male citizens. • The economic center of the kingdom was the village market, where the agricultural surplus was traded. • Mycenae outlawed slavery as a violation of the free will of each individual.

28. The political center of the polis, where shops, public buildings, and courts were located, was called the • acropolis. • agora • hoplite. • attica.

29. What was the fundamental effect of Pisistratus’s reign as tyrant in Athens? • Pisistratus supported the common people and promoted the growth of democratic ideals. • Pisistratus undermined the system of Athenian law by acting arbitrarily in his edicts. • Pisistratus reinforced the power of the aristocrats and their control over the poor laborers. • Pisistratus abolished the system of slavery and established the communal ownership of land.

30. How did the process of colonization affect the Greeks? • The costs of colonization nearly bankrupted the city-states, forcing the Greeks to launch new wars to obtain tribute. • The polis had to assume far greater public functions in order to organize efforts to establish new colonies. • The distinctive features of Greek culture were overwhelmed by the cultures of the people they sought to colonize. • The requirements of colonization led to a series of technological innovations that made the Greek military the most powerful in the Western world.

31. Every four years the Athenians held their most important religious festival in which they processed to • the Erechtheum. • the Temple of Athena Nike. • the Parthenon. • the Propylaea.

32. How did the Megarian Decree seek to punish Megara? • Megarians were excluded from all trade with Athens and its empire. • Megarians were denied access to religious shrines on Athenian territory. • Megarians were denied entrance into the councils of the Delian League. • Megarians were excluded from the Olympic games.

33. What did Greek mystery cults offer their initiates? • The promise of life after death. • Healing waters believed to cure most illnesses . • Knowledge of the secrets of the gods . • Sexual freedom in mass orgies .

34. Which of the following statements best describes the meaning of the plays of Sophocles? • Humans should follow their own reason even if it violates public laws. • Humans should obey the will of the gods, even without fully understanding it. • Humans should obey the laws of the polis, even if they disagree with them. • Humans should follow their own consciences despite religious doctrine.

35. When did Greeks typically visit religious shrines and temples? • At weekly gatherings to worship particular deities . • When needed for private matters or as part of a procession . • When certain ritual moments required it, such as the birth of a child . • At extraordinary moments, such as when a war began.

36. Answer Key for Chapter 3 • Answer is C. • Answer is A. • Answer is B. • Answer is A. • Answer is B. • Answer is C. • Answer is A. • Answer is A. • Answer is B. • Answer is B.

37. Chapter 4: The Hellenistic World, 336-30 B.C.E. i>Clicker Questions

38. As Alexander launched his journey of conquest, who accompanied him in addition to the military? • Royal wives and concubines to ensure their faithfulness to Alexander • The sons of the kings of the Greek city-states to ensure their loyalty in Alexander’s absence • Philosophers, poets, and scientists to pursue an expedition of discovery • A group of Athenian merchants to guide Alexander when establishing economic policies in conquered territories

39. How was the Hellenic period different from the Hellenistic period? • The Hellenic period witnessed a growth of philosophy, science, and the arts, whereas all of these activities withered during the Hellenistic period. • The Hellenic period was marked by constant warfare, whereas the Hellenistic period was marked by a three decades of peace under Alexander’s rule. • The Hellenic period was marked by a strong foreign influence on Greek culture, whereas the Hellenistic period was marked by a rejection of non-Greek influences. • The Hellenic period was marked by similarities among those connected to Greek culture, whereas the Hellenistic period was marked by differences among those connected to Greek culture.

40. In order to promote political unity, to whom did the Hellenistic monarchs link themselves? • The gods • The common people • The nobility • The military leaders

41. Why did Hellenistic monarchs seek to make their states resemble the Greek polis? • They saw the Greek polis as the only acceptable model of society. • They sought to teach the local population the ideas of Greek political rights. • They wanted to encourage immigration by Greeks into their lands. • They were required by army generals to maintain all traditional Greek political rights.

42. The Seleucid dynasty adopted Hellenization most significantly because • the Seleucids undertook an active, organized promotion of Hellenization. • the Seleucids believed Greek culture and religion to be superior to all others. • the military required all local leaders to learn Greek. • their regions already had substantial commercial ties with Greece.

43. Why didn’t innovations in manufacturing technologies occur during the Hellenistic period? • Knowledge of machinery was not valued by the Greeks. • The Greek world honored philosophy but ignored more practical forms of knowledge. • Powerful labor guilds prevented the introduction of machinery that would reduce the employment of their members. • Human labor was so cheap and plentiful that there was little motivation to develop labor-saving devices.

44. What major advantage did the mystery religions have over the older Greek mystery cults? • The mystery religions promised eternal life. • The mystery religions were not tied to a particular location that required expensive pilgrimages. • The mystery religions did not require adherents to learn Greek. • The mystery religions required devotion and sustained contemplation, but did not require fees from its members, making it accessible to the poor.

45. Which one of the following best characterizes Jews in Hellenistic cities? • Jews adopted much of Hellenic culture but remained attached to the Jewish faith. • Jews isolated themselves from Greek influence both culturally and religiously. • Jews embraced both Greek culture and religion while also sustaining traditional Jewish religious ideals. • Jews often abandoned Jewish culture and religion for the intellectually superior Hellenic models.

46. Why was the city of Alexandria in Egypt an important intellectual center? • Alexandria hosted a meeting every ten years of the finest minds across the Hellenistic world. • Alexandria sponsored a competition for the finest book produced every year, with a substantial cash award if the winner would live in Alexandria. • Alexandria had a library with a massive collection of Greek texts. • Alexandria unified the knowledge of the Hellenistic world with knowledge developed in equatorial Africa.

47. How did the new military machinery affect warfare? • The effectiveness of new weapons made warfare less agonizing, as death came more quickly. • The new technologies undermined the power of generals and commanders, as strategies became simplified around machinery. • Warfare was no longer limited to the battlefield, but walled cities became the focus of sieges and attacks. • Foot soldiers no longer played an important role in warfare, as the technology allowed for victory or defeat at a distance.

48. Answer Key for Chapter 4 • Answer is C. • Answer is D • Answer is A. • Answer is C. • Answer is C. • Answer is D. • Answer is B. • Answer is A. • Answer is C. • Answer is C.

49. Chapter 5: The Rise of Rome, ca. 750-31 B.C.E. i>Clicker Questions

50. What achievement provided the foundation for Rome’s success? • Rome incorporated conquered people into the Roman system, extending to them the possibility of Roman citizenship. • Rome established an organizational and fiscal system that allowed armies to be raised on a massive scale beyond any previous Western society. • Rome unified a political and religious vision of society that found application in diverse cultures and widespread acceptance. • Rome provided such effective political and military protection that conquered people considered Roman rule an acceptable price for political stability.