1. World Cultures Mid Term Review

2. The Middle East

3. What were the Christian holy wars (aimed at recapturing the Holy Land) called? Crusades

4. Why did Israel become a center of conflict after World War II? Jews wanted to create an independent state there

5. What Middle Eastern people establish a great empire along the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley? Sumerians

6. What did Muhammad write at the request of the Allah? Koran

7. What does OPEC stand for? Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

8. What religion do 90% of Middle Easterners follow? Islam

9. What resource has made the Persian Gulf important? Oil

10. Which country held American diplomats hostage for 444 days in 1979? Iran

11. What is Zionism? The international movement for the establishment of a Jewish national community in Palestine and later for the support of modern Israel.

12. What two groups fought fiercely over the Holy Land? Israelis and Palestinians

13. What area did the earliest of Middle East civilization settle? The Fertile Crescent

14. What was the main goal of the PLO? Regain Palestinian territory and establish a Palestinian state

15. What led to the United States getting involved in the 1991 Persian Gulf War? Iraq invaded Kuwait

16. Why did the French and the British fight over Egypt for in the 1880s? Both countries wanted to build a canal across the Suez

17. What was the result of the United States and the Soviet Union supplying arms and aid to the Middle East for over forty years? The militaries of these countries were strengthened, but the countries were unstable

18. What are basic elements of Christianity? Jesus was the messiah, Jesus was the son of God, Belief in teachings of Jesus

19. What are basic elements of Judaism? Passover, religion of Hebrews, Jews were the chosen people

20. What are basic elements of Islam? The Five Pillars, the Koran, Praying towards the city of Mecca

21. China

22. What was the mandate of heaven said to explain? The dynastic cycle

23. What did one have to do in order to become a government official in traditional China? Pass a series of strenuous exams

24. What was the cause of the 1911 Chinese Civil War? China declared itself a republic with no set form of government

25. What German philosopher was said to inspire Mao Zedong? Karl Marx

26. Who is the founder of Daoism? Lao-zi

27. What was the result of the Opium Wars? China was forced into a series of unequal treaties with European nations

28. What modern policy has China enacted to help solve the overpopulation problem? One child policy

29. How were women treated in traditional China? Inferior to men

30. How did traditional Chinese rulers come into power? Mandate of Heaven

31. Who was the first leader in the Republic of China? Dr. Sun Yatsen

32. What are major themes of Confucianism? Inner attitude of being humane and loving

33. Where do most people live in China? Eastern third of the country

34. What is calligraphy? The art of writing with a brush and ink

35. What historical structure was built in China in the earlier part of civilization? The Great Wall

36. Japan

37. What is the main physical feature in Japan? Mountains

38. What is the major religion of Japan today? Combination of Buddhism and Shinto

39. How was a person’s social class determined during the Tokugawa shogunate? Heredity

40. What was the main problem that the Japanese had with Shinto? Did not give answers to questions about life and death

41. What is Japan’s government today? Constitutional Monarchy

42. How did the majority of Japanese feel about Americans in the 1800s?. Americans were a threat to their culture

43. What natural occurrence does Japan experience many of? Earthquakes

44. After what incident did Japan finally surrender during World War II? Bombing of Nagasaki

45. What was the main goal of the Allies after WWII? Make sure Japan would never threaten world peace again

46. Geography

47. What does interdependence mean? Depending on other countries for goods, resources, and knowledge

48. What are physical features? natural elements of the environment

49. What are political features? Boundaries made by humans

50. What is culture? All things that make up a people’s way of life

51. How does religion strengthen society? Teaches values that all people accept

52. What is ethnocentrism? Judging other cultures by standards of one’s own culture

53. How have people used the environment over the years? People have adapted to and changed the environment in which they live

54. What is westernization? The adoption of western cultures