Question 1

A chief characteristic that the Roman and Chinese empires shared was

Accepted Answer

Both the Roman and Chinese empires had a strong focus on building roads. In China, the Silk Road network was essential for creating a trade route that connected the empire with other regions. Similarly, in the Roman Empire, the Appian Way and other road systems were used for trade and transportation across the Mediterranean world. While both empires had differing religious beliefs and languages, their infrastructure was a shared characteristic.

Question 2

What was the nature of the sea routes used by traders in Eurasia? What types of goods were traded over these routes? What effects did these routes have on state development?

Accepted Answer

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Question 3

Which of the following was NOT one of the edicts that Asoka decreed?

Accepted Answer

Asoka did not decree that all must adhere to Buddhism. Although he did convert to Buddhism and promote it, he also encouraged religious tolerance and did not force anyone to convert to his own religion.

Question 4

The art of Teotihuacán suggests that

Accepted Answer

The art of Teotihuacán often depicts themes of sacrifice and the need to appease the gods, suggesting a belief that the gods were unpredictable and could not be relied upon without proper rituals and offerings.

Question 5

In forming his government,Asoka recruited what group to serve as bureaucrats?

Accepted Answer

Asoka was a devout follower of Buddhism and implemented policies that supported and promoted the religion. In order to ensure that his government was run in accordance with Buddhist principles, he recruited members of the Buddhist clergy to serve as bureaucrats. This allowed him to establish a government that was aligned with his religious beliefs and helped spread Buddhism throughout his empire.

Question 6

The balance of trade across Eurasia during the axial age was tilted to the advantage of

Accepted Answer

East Asia, particularly China, was a major center for the production of silk and other luxury goods that were highly valued in trade networks across Eurasia during the axial age, giving it a significant trade advantage.

Question 7

The reason that Asoka paid his military leaders was

Accepted Answer

Asoka paid his military leaders in order to keep political power in his own hands. By paying them, he had more control over their loyalty and actions.

Question 8

Examine the structure of the Roman state as it developed during the last half of the first millennium B.C.E.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

What was the cultural impact of the Persian Empire? On balance,was the rise of the Persian Empire beneficial or detrimental for the various societies they conquered?

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

The basis for the economy of the Xiongnu was

Accepted Answer

The Xiongnu were a nomadic people who relied heavily on pastoralism, specifically horse breeding and herding, as their main economic activity. They would also engage in raiding neighboring settlements for resources and loot. While they may have traded some goods, it was not as significant to their economy as pastoralism and raiding. Silk production and farming were not major economic activities for the Xiongnu.

Question 11

The total population of Teotihuacán at its height was

Accepted Answer

Archaeological evidence suggests that the population of Teotihuacán reached around 100,000 people at its peak, making it one of the largest cities in the world at the time.

Question 12

At Monte Albán in modern Mexico,evidence of the earliest

Accepted Answer

Monte Albán, located in the Oaxaca Valley of modern Mexico, is notable for containing some of the earliest known evidence of writing in the Americas. This site, which was a major center of the Zapotec civilization, features inscriptions and glyphs that are among the earliest forms of systematic writing in Mesoamerica.

Question 13

How did the Persian Empire arise,and how was it governed?

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

What was the nature of the overland routes across Eurasia? What types of goods were traded over these routes? What effects did these routes have on state development?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

Which of the following was NOT decreed by the emperor Shi Huangdi?

Accepted Answer

Emperor Shi Huangdi did not make Confucianism the only philosophy. In fact, he suppressed Confucianism and burned many Confucian texts in an effort to centralize power and unify the empire under Legalism. However, he did create a uniform writing system, standardize weights and measures, and abolish slavery.

Question 16

The Arthasastra emphasized Asoka's role as

Accepted Answer

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...

Question 17

All of the following were important legacies of the axial age EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

What event seems to have triggered Asoka's dramatic religious conversion?

Accepted Answer

Asoka's dramatic religious conversion is believed to have been triggered by his victory over Kalinga. The brutal and bloody war resulted in the death and suffering of thousands, which made Asoka question the morality and consequences of violence and warfare. As a result, he embraced Buddhism and sought to govern his empire with the principles of non-violence, compassion, and moral virtue.

Question 19

How and why did states tap into the wealth that traveled along both land and sea routes?

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

During the period of the Han dynasty,the population of China

Accepted Answer

During the Han dynasty, the population of China tripled in size due to agricultural advancements and territorial expansion, leading to migration and settlement in new areas of the empire.

Quiz 7: Postimperial Worlds: Problems of Empires in Eurasia and Africa, ca. 200 C.E. to ca. 700 C.E.