Deck 11: Afroeurasia in the ERA of Arab Empire, 500-800 C.E

Question 1

Islam's main scripture is known as the

A) Old Testament.
B) Gospels.
C) Quran.
D) Vedas.

Answer 1

Quran.

Question 2

One important difference between the Türks and other pastoral nomads was that the Türks

A) hailed originally from Anatolia.
B) built up a large and centralized state in Inner Eurasia.
C) attempted to make peace with Chinese rulers.
D) were Christian.

Answer 2

built up a large and centralized state in Inner Eurasia.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the political structure of the Türks?

A) The Türks functioned as a loose confederation of nomadic clans, the chiefs of which collaborated on an equal level.
B) The Türks adopted a republican model of rule based on the Roman and Greek example.
C) Like the Romans, the Türks used a type of patron-client system to manage affairs of state.
D) The Türks used a hierarchy of leadership, with a supreme leader at the top whose power radiated outward to local leaders.

Answer 3

The Türks used a hierarchy of leadership, with a supreme leader at the top whose power radiated outward to local leaders.

Question 4

The Sogdians can best be described as

A) a religious minority.
B) a society of mounted soldiers.
C) participants of a commercial diaspora.
D) oasis farmers.

Question 5

The Uighur elite practiced which religion?

A) Manichaeism
B) Judaism
C) Buddhism
D) Islam

Question 6

Which of the following distinguished the Khazars from other Inner Eurasian peoples?

A) The Khazars were among the first non-Arab peoples to adopt Islam as their faith.
B) The Khazars preferred infantry to cavalry.
C) The Khazar elites adopted Judaism as their faith.
D) The Khazars rejected all forms of universalist religion in favor of retaining their own deities and religious traditions.

Question 7

Arabia's population in the first centuries of the Common Era can best be described as which of the following?

A) nomadic populations similar to the pastoral nomads of Inner Eurasia
B) farming communities with permanent settlements
C) a merchant people with trade contacts throughout Southwest Asia
D) a well-organized society with a strict hierarchy of leadership

Question 8

Before the spread of Islam, the majority of Arabic-speaking communities practiced which of the following religions?

A) Nestorian Christianity
B) Judaism
C) Manichaeism
D) pagan

Question 9

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the early reception of Muhammad's preaching?

A) Muhammad gained followers rapidly in his home town of Mecca.
B) Muhammad had a limited number of followers until he migrated to Madina.
C) Muhammad found ready followers among Mecca's elites, but not among its poor.
D) Most of Muhammad's early followers were likely men.

Question 10

The year 622 C.E. holds significance for Muslims because it is the year that

A) Muhammad began to receive directions from God through the angel Gabriel.
B) Muhammad married his wife Khadija.
C) Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Madina.
D) the Sasanids adopted Islam as their state religion.

Question 11

The term Hadith refers to which of the following?

A) the fundamental scriptural text of Islam
B) accounts of Muhammad's life and deeds so that Muslims may follow his example
C) the name of the first Muslim-Arab state
D) the term used to describe Muhammad's move from Mecca to Medina

Question 12

The Quran is similar to the Hebrew Bible in which important way?

A) They were both written in Aramaic.
B) They both acknowledge Abraham as the son of God.
C) They both reject Jesus as a prophet of God.
D) They both address issues of ethical behavior in matters such as business, property, marriage, and divorce.

Question 13

Muhammad differed from Jesus and Buddha in which of the following ways?

A) Muhammad prohibited all of his followers from holding slaves, while Jesus and Buddha remained silent on the subject.
B) Muhammad called for radical reforms to improve the condition of women, while Jesus and Buddha maintained the status quo as far as women were concerned.
C) Muhammad founded a political as well as religious community, while Jesus and Buddha remained apart from politics.
D) Muhammad condemned all other religions as blasphemous, while Jesus and Buddha embraced a host of religious beliefs and traditions.

Question 14

Hajj refers to which of the following?

A) the requirement of all Muslims to pray five times a day
B) the requirement of all Muslims to visit the city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they are able
C) a set of manuscripts believed to have been written by Muhammad
D) the dietary laws of Islam

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the spread of Islam after Muhammad's death?

A) The religion spread as Muhammad's successors militarily expanded the new Muslim state into Byzantine and Sasanid territory and throughout all of Southwest Asia.
B) The religion spread as preachers and merchants carried the new Muslim faith throughout Southwest Asia.
C) The spread of Islam was extremely slow after Muhammad's death as his successors struggled for power.
D) Islam was largely spread through the help of socially elite women who had converted during Muhammad's lifetime.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a true statement regarding the rise of the first Arab state after Muhammad's death?

A) With the help of horse cavalry and camel trains of supplies, the Arab military gained many swift victories.
B) The Arabs met with already weakened Byzantine and Sasanid states.
C) Many inhabitants of the Byzantine and Sasanid empires did not support their rulers when they encountered Arab invaders.
D) The Arabs attempted to quickly negotiate peace treaties with the Byzantine and Sasanid empires so that the borders of their new state might be secure and stable.

Question 17

The Umayyads instituted which of the following systems of rule?

A) republicanism
B) hereditary monarchy
C) oligarchy
D) theocracy

Question 18

The Sunni and Shi'a sects of Islam split due to a disagreement about which of the following?

A) whether God had actually talked to Muhammad
B) whether women could become religious leaders
C) how the leader of Islam should be chosen
D) whether Arabic or Greek should be the liturgical language of Islam

Question 19

The Umayyads were ultimately defeated by the

A) Abbasids.
B) Byzantines.
C) Visigoths.
D) Türks.

Question 20

The military crises brought about by Arab attacks resulted in which of the following in the Byzantine state?

A) a total collapse of the Byzantine government
B) the conversion of large numbers of Byzantines to Islam
C) the destruction of Constantinople
D) a restructuring of the Byzantine state in order to centralize authority

Question 21

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the Byzantine emperor and the Christian church during the eighth century C.E.?

A) The Byzantine emperor was ultimately subordinate to the will of the church.
B) The Byzantine emperor controlled all aspects of the church and appointed all high church officials.
C) The church and the state operated in different spheres in the Byzantine empire.
D) Even though the western Roman empire had collapsed, the Roman church still held a great deal of power in Byzantine politics.

Question 22

One consequence of the collapse of the western Roman empire in Europe was that

A) Latin ceased to be a commonly spoken language, and Germanic languages spread widely.
B) populations that had converted to Christianity reverted back to their polytheistic roots.
C) Arab invaders conquered much of Europe with relative ease following the Roman collapse.
D) Slavic populations ascended as the most powerful force in Europe.

Question 23

The political structure of western and central Europe following the collapse of the western Roman empire can best be described as which of the following?

A) Several large and strong states arose to replace the Roman empire.
B) Without the authoritarian hand of the Roman emperor, several territories in western Europe adopted forms of republican rule.
C) Dozens of small Germanic monarchies sprang up throughout western and central Europe, none of which commanded much power.
D) The church took over most political affairs following the collapse of the western Roman empire.

Question 24

An accurate definition of the term serf is

A) the Germanic word for slave employed commonly after the collapse of the western Roman empire.
B) the class of western European aristocrats that came to power after the collapse of the western Roman empire.
C) the class of free peasants that roamed Europe in search of arable land following the end of the western Roman empire.
D) the European peasantry that labored for wealthy landowners and remained bound to a particular aristocratic family or estate from generation to generation.

Question 25

Following the end of the western Roman empire, women in Europe

A) experienced a resurgence in their political authority, as many societies reverted to their matriarchal roots.
B) experienced a general decline in their status, though some wealthier women were able to exert a degree of control and influence.
C) gained importance as religious scholars and leaders.
D) gained the right to divorce and own property, two realities banned under Roman rule.

Question 26

Which of the following accurately describes the role of the church in western Europe from the fifth to the eighth century C.E.?

A) Unlike other institutions in western Europe, the church grew and participated heavily in politics.
B) Without the military enforcement of the Roman empire, the Christian church shrank dramatically in western Europe.
C) Though numerous, Christian priests remained apart from the everyday affairs of European populations.
D) The church played an important role in the de-Romanization of western Europe.

Question 27

The Benedictine rule stipulated that

A) monks should separate themselves from society and devote their lives to prayer and religious service.
B) women could enter monasteries and serve alongside monks on an equal footing.
C) monks had to obey the will of local aristocrats and regional rulers.
D) monks should engage in the world and strive to spread Christianity.

Question 28

The Battle of Tours was fought between which two enemy combatants?

A) Visigoths and Arabs
B) Germanic tribes and Roman forces
C) Franks and Arabs
D) the Roman church and Muslim invaders

Question 29

Charlemagne sought to bring about which of the following?

A) the revival of an entity similar to the western Roman empire
B) the collapse of the Byzantine empire
C) the adoption of Greek Orthodoxy in western Europe
D) the abolition of serfdom in western Europe

Question 30

All of the following are consequences of Charlemagne's rule EXCEPT

A) the spread of Christianity into central and eastern Europe.
B) a resurgence of cultural and scholarly activity in western Europe.
C) the creation of the Carolingian script, which enabled better written communication.
D) the naming of Charlemagne as pope.

Question 31

Under Charlemagne, trade

A) slowed dramatically with the stresses of frequent warfare.
B) experienced a resurgence, especially with Muslim populations in Southwest Asia.
C) came under the strict regulation of the crown.
D) grew, but trade with non-Christian populations was prohibited.

Question 32

The Coptic church flourished in which territory?

A) Nubia
B) North Africa
C) Egypt
D) Ethiopia

Question 33

The Sui and Tang dynasties based their rule on which of the following?

A) Daoism
B) Confucianism
C) Buddhism
D) Christianity

Question 34

The government examination system initiated by the Han dynasty resulted in which of the following?

A) a society in which all male citizens were equal
B) the end of corruption in the Chinese government
C) the most literate society of Afroeurasia
D) the chance for some peasants to rise up through the social ranks

Question 35

The reign of Empress Wu was characterized by a

A) return to many of the ruling principles of the Han dynasty.
B) flourishing of Christianity in China.
C) rise in Buddhist art, culture, and scholarship.
D) general improvement of the position of all women.

Question 36

Which of the following was NOT a goal of the equal-field system under Tang rule?

A) the education of the peasant classes
B) the equitable distribution of land among peasants to increase tax revenue
C) limits to how much land aristocrats could own
D) the creation of a peasant militia

Question 37

The Grand Canal constructed during the Tang dynasty was intended to

A) unite China's eastern and western provinces.
B) better connect China to trade in Inner Eurasia.
C) connect China's northern and southern regions.
D) provide large-scale irrigation for China's arid zones.

Question 38

Which of the following best describes the Tang view of foreigners?

A) The Tang permitted only small numbers of foreigners to enter the emperor's capital city.
B) The Tang adopted many cultural habits from foreign populations.
C) The Tang prohibited Chinese citizens from marrying non-Chinese peoples.
D) The Tang sought many marriage alliances among foreign populations.

Question 39

The Tang focused their expansion efforts on which of the following territories?

A) the Island Pacific
B) the Ganges valley
C) Constantinople
D) Inner Eurasia

Question 40

Which of the following was an important consequence of the mass migration of Chinese peasants from north to south?

A) Northern China experienced long years of economic depression and de-urbanization.
B) China's southern region underwent a rapid process of population growth and urbanization.
C) Large numbers of Chinese peasants died due to infections such as malaria.
D) China's southern region quickly declined due to over farming and a general strain on the environment.

Question 41

Chinese language under Tang rule was similar to Latin in that they both

A) used an alphabet rather than a logographic system of writing.
B) were primarily religious languages.
C) served to bring about cultural and intellectual unity among speakers.
D) lost significant numbers of speakers after the rulers that supported them died.

Question 42

In addition to Confucianism, the Tang embraced which other ethical and moral system?

A) Buddhism
B) Christianity
C) Zoroastrianism
D) Brahmanism

Question 43

Which of the following best describes the spread of Buddhism in China under the Tang dynasty?

A) Buddhism spread very slowly and was at first only adopted by rural peasants.
B) Buddhists adapted their ideas to Confucianism and Daoism as they spread the teachings of the Buddha in East Asia.
C) Buddhism only gained popularity after the reign of Empress Wu.
D) Buddhists sought to lure Chinese people away from Confucian and Daoist teachings.

Question 44

The term bodhisattva refers to which of the following?

A) the Chinese branch of Buddhism
B) a righteous ruler according to Buddhist thought
C) a Buddhist scholar
D) a Buddhist saint

Question 45

Which of the following best describes the relationship of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism in Tang China?

A) Confucianism and Buddhism were easily blended, while Buddhists found it difficult to reconcile their beliefs with those of Daoism.
B) Confucians and Daoists sought to prevent Buddhism from spreading throughout China.
C) The three belief systems were easily blended in the minds of most Chinese people.
D) While Buddhists found common ground with Daoists, they actively sought to stop people from practicing Confucianism.

Question 46

The term khagan refers to which of the following?

A) the supreme leader of the Türks
B) the language spoken by many Inner Eurasian clans
C) the mounted warriors of the Khazars
D) the religion of the Uighurs

Question 47

The Ka'ba can be found in which city?

A) Medina
B) Damascus
C) Jerusalem
D) Mecca

Question 48

The rise of Empress Wu to the Tang throne tells us what about Chinese society?

A) The Tang readily permitted women to obtain political authority.
B) Women had more rights under the Tang dynasty than they had previously.
C) Though women held little political power in China, they could obtain authority through marriage and familial relations.
D) The Chinese were beginning to abandon Confucianism, which prohibited women from obtaining positions of power.

Question 49

The majority of the world's Shi'a population lives in which modern-day countries?

A) Iraq and Iran
B) Syria and Lebanon
C) Yemen and Saudi Arabia
D) Egypt and Ethiopia

Question 50

Which of the following best describes the legal code instituted by the Tang dynasty?

A) It made all Chinese subjects equal before the law.
B) Though largely patriarchal, it gave women unprecedented rights for the time.
C) It turned most Chinese peasants into serfs similar to those emerging in Europe.
D) It separated society into three large social groups: the ruling elite, commoners, and inferiors.

Question 51

Discuss the rise of centralized states along the silk roads. What were some of the critical characteristics of these states? What were some of the short- and long-term consequences of the rise of strong states in Inner Eurasia?

Question 52

Examine the rise of Islam and the first Arab empire. How was the rise of the Arab empire similar to the rise of other strong centralized states in Afroeurasia, and how was it different? How did the advent of the Arab state affect life in other regional powers, such as Byzantium and the Sasanid empire?

Question 53

Compare and contrast the rise of Islam with that of Christianity and Buddhism. What were some of the key similarities and differences in the ways in which these three religions were founded and ultimately spread to large populations of followers?

Question 54

Explore some of the key characteristics of European society after the collapse of the western Roman empire. Describe some of the important political, social, and religious structures that took shape after the demise of Rome.

Question 55

Analyze the rise of the Sui and Tang dynasties in China. What were some of the critical features of Tang rule? Describe some of the significant achievements of the Tang.

Question 56

Examine the rise of Buddhism in China. Through what mechanisms did Buddhism take hold in China? What was the relationship between Buddhism and China's preexisting belief systems-Confucianism and Daoism?

Question 57

Discuss some of the larger trends of interaction among the many great states and empires of Afroeurasia during the sixth through ninth centuries C.E. What were the primary means of communication and cultural exchange during this time period? How did realities such as religion and trade both unify and bring discord among the peoples of Afroeurasia?