1. Classical Civilizations Exam Review
World history studies

2. Classical civilizations
Start of complex empires and bureaucracies develop
Transition from river valley civ to classical civilization – political centralization

3. Religions Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism
Buddhism gained prominence during Mauryan Empire
Followed the Middle Path (Eightfold Path)
Monotheistic Religions (belief in one God)– Judaism, Christianity, Muslim
Confucianism in China places an emphasis on family
Christianity – spread throughout Roman Empire because of the network of roads and speaking the same language

4. Persia Metal coins promoted trade
Zoroastrianism – monotheistic Persian religion
Royal Road (1,677 miles long)
Rulers included Darius, Cyrus, Xerxes

5. greece
Hellenistic empire by Alexander – facilitated the spread and preservation of Greek knowledge
Athenians – citizens entitled to certain rights/non-citizens could never become citizens
Science –calculated Earth’s true size; calculated Earth’s circumference; latitude and longitude; democracy as a political system
Math – advances in geometry by Euclid and Pythagoras
Architecture influenced capital buildings
Sculpture influenced by the human body
Oligarchy – government which a small group of wealthy people had power
Eventually granted citizens the right to vote

6. rome
Government – Republic; separate power with different branches of government (similar to us) – allowed conquered people to become citizens (facilitated political stability)
Eventually collapsed due to corruption, social instability, and its borders getting to big to manage
Adopted Greek political practice of granting citizens the right to vote
Architecture – developed arches
Justinian Law Code- Roman law code adopted by Western civilizations (such as the legal concept of innocent until proven guilty)
Experienced a period called Pax Romana – Roman Peace (time of peace and prosperity)
Christian Paul worked as a missionary travelling Rome converting people to Christianity
Eventually led to diaspora of Jews among Roman officials

7. India: Mauryan & gupta Mauryan flourished under Ashoka
Period of peace, converted to Buddhism
Buddhism gained prominence during Mauryan
Gupta – allowed Hindu culture to flourish; works of art & literature being produced
Created decimal system and numeral writing

8. china
Han – centralized government by civil service exams being taken to select government officials
Eventually collapsed due to corruption, social instability, borders to broad to manage
Confucianism strong component because of emphasis on family relationships
Silk Road – trade route in China that travelled to Western markets
Legalist philosophy – believed strong law and punishments would bring social order
Dynastic Cycle – new dynasty restores peace; ages; neglects duties, ignores corruption; famine, invasions, revolts; new dynasty claims ‘mandate of heaven’ and takes control