Unit Two
Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies, c.600 B.C.E to c. 600 C.E.
Unit II Big Ideas
As states and empires increased in size and contacts between regions multiplied, religious and cultural systems were transformed. Religions and belief systems provided a bond among the people and an ethical code by which to live. These shared beliefs also influenced and reinforced political, economic, and occupational stratification. Religious and political authority often merged as rulers (some of whom were considered divine) used religion, along with military and legal structures, to justify their rule and ensure its continuation. Religions and belief systems could also generate conflict, partly because beliefs and practices varied greatly within and among societies.
Artistic expressions, including literature, drama, architectures, and sculpture, show distinctive progress and affect cultural developments
As the early states and empires grew in number, size, and population, they frequently competed for resources and came into conflict with one another. In quest of land, wealth, and security, some empires expanded drastically. In doing so, they built powerful military machines and administrative institutions that were capable of organizing human activities over long distances, and they created new groups of military and political elites to manage their affairs. As these empires expanded their boundaries, they also faced the need to develop policies and procedures to govern their relationships with ethnically and culturally diverse populations: sometimes to integrate them within an imperial society and sometimes to exclude them. In some cases, these empires became victims of their own successes. By expanding their boundaries too far, they created political, cultural, and administrative difficulties that they could not manage. They also experienced environmental, social, and economic problems when they overexploited their lands and subjects and permitted excessive wealth to be concentrated in the hands of privileged classes.
With the organization of large-scale empires, the volume of long-distance trade increased dramatically. Much of this trade resulted from the demand for raw materials and luxury goods. Land and water routes linked many regions of the Eastern Hemisphere. The exchange of people, technology, religious and cultural beliefs, food crops, domesticated animals, and disease pathogens developed alongside the trade in goods across far-flung networks of communication and exchange. In the Americas and Oceania localized networks developed.
Unit II: Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies, c. 600 B.C.E. to c. 600 C.E
Terms List
These are the directions for every term list for every unit.
Directions: I have divided your terms into three categories. You must define all the terms under the “Essential” heading. Choose five terms from the “Important” grouping. You are not required to turn in any work dealing with the “Good to Know” words but please be aware that all the terms will be covered on quizzes and tests.
**For full credit, you need to answer WHY the term is important, what are the consequences of that term, or what does that person, place or event tell us about the time period? For example, if you define “Athens” simply as “a city in Greece” not only will you earn a low grade on this assignment but you will not have enough information for the test. The tests are never simply matching. Why was Athens significant? How does knowing about Athens help to understand what was happening during the time period of 600 BCE to 600 CE? Does it help us understand any key developments/changes or continuities taking place during the era? Make connections to the “big ideas”.
Suggestion: Keep all your terms to use for review before the AP exam.
If you earn an “A” on a test you are exempt from the next term list and only need to answer the questions. If you fail a test you are required to complete ALL the terms on the next term list.
Essential ImportantGood to Know
1. Confucianism 16. Qin26. Filial piety
2. Daoism 17. Civil Service Exam27. Shi Huangdi
3. Christianity 18. Alexander the Great28. Chang’an
4. Buddhism 19. Pax Romana29. Athens
5. Legalism 20. Laws of the Twelve Tables30. Sparta
6. Han 21. Qanat System31. Samarkand
7. Hellenistic 22. Caste system32. The Laws of Manu
8. Rome 23. Ashoka33. Vedas/Upanishads
9. Mauryan Dynasty 24. Lateen Sail34. The Royal Road
10. Gupta Dynasty 25. Dhow Ships35. Chichen Itza
11. Eurasian Silk Roads 26. Mediterranean Sea Lanes36. Teotihuacan
12. Trans-Saharan routes
13. Indian Ocean sea lanes
14. Persian Empire
15. Mayan Empire