Name: ______BBC’s A History of the World in 100 Objects: Empire Builders

Episode 31 – Coin with Head of Alexander

Sketch the item: / Label the location of the item:

1)Why do civilizations throughout the world and throughout history mint [make] coins with the images of rulers on them?

2)What two statements does this coin make?

3)What was Alexander’s goal? What drove him?

4)How was Alexander received by the subjects of his empire?

5)Why didn’t Lysimachus mint a coin that depicted himself instead of Alexander?

Episode 32 – Pillar of Ashoka

Sketch the item: / Label the location of the item:

1)What was the purpose of the pillars?

2)What does Ashoka declare in the “sixth pillar edict”?

3)Why would the people of India be relieved to hear this edict, considering Ashoka’s past?

4)Which religious faith has Ashoka adopted?

5)Why is it important that the pillars are not written in Sanskrit or overly formal speech?

6)What does secularism mean in the case of India?

7)How did Ashoka influence his successors like Gandhi and Nehru?

Episode 34 – Chinese Han Lacquer Cup

Sketch the item: / Label the location of the item:

1)What was the purpose of gift giving within Han China? Why did the Chinese emperor find it necessary?

2)Why is this cup such a costly gift?

3)What activity produced a sense of imagined community? What does the term imagined community mean?

4)What was the purpose of giving a gift like this cup to a military commander?

5)Why is it notable that the Chinese government had a major role in industry, even as far back as the Han?

Episode 35 – Head of Augustus

Sketch the item: / Label the location of the item:

1)How did Augustus come to power?

2)Why did Augustus want a new image to be portrayed of him in statues?

3)What projects did Augustus undertake once in power?

4)What does Johnson mean by the statement “If you wanted to become a local politician, in the Roman Empire, you became a priest in the cult of Augustus”?

5)What does the encounter with the people of Meroë indicate about the expanse of the Roman Empire?

6)What is the legacy of Augustus?

Summary:

The objects studied in this series pose perennial questions. Based on these artifacts and your knowledge of social studies, answer the questions. For each, state which leader represented in the documents had the best techniques and why as well as the worst techniques and why.

1) What is the right way for a leader to rule?

2) How should rulers construct their image and project their power?

3) How does a ruler actually change the way the people think?

For each of the 4 artifacts, pick 3 of the themes of world history and write a brief summary of how the artifact exemplifies the theme.

Episode 31 – Coin with Head of Alexander

Episode 32 – Pillar of Ashoka

Episode 34 – Chinese Han Lacquer Cup

Episode 35 – Head of Augustus