Remember that the last part of Topic 3 in the text on China is part of our Unit 2
China Focus Questions:
1.) How did geography influence Chinese civilization?
2.) How did the Zhou introduce the dynastic cycle? What is the Mandate of Heaven?
3.) What are the contributions the Shang and the Zhou made to the growth of Chinese classical civilization?
4.) What are the central ideas of Confucianism and Daoism? Compare and contrast the two.
5.) List and assess the relative importance of early Chinese achievements.
6.) How did Shi Huangdi unify China?
7.) How effective was the Great Wall in protecting China from invaders?
8.) Compare and contrast Confucianism with Legalism.
9.) How did the Silk Road facilitate the spread of trade and ideas in China?
10.) Compare/contrast the Qin and Han dynasties. Why is the Han period considered a Golden Age?
11.) Why did Buddhism spread in China?
12.) How did China's early development affect other countries?
Ancient Greece Focus Questions-Topic 5
1.) How might the need to access trade routes impact a country? How do people on the coast survive and develop a civilization? How could a country's access to the sea influence a country's trade and economy?
2.) Why is Minoan civilization important?
3.) How does Greek mythology and myths themselves reveal the values and culture of the Greeks?
4.) Compare and contrast the Minoans and the Mycenaeans.
5.) How did geography influence Greek city state development?
6.) What form of government did Sparta have? What were Spartan citizens responsibilities? What was daily life like in Sparta and how did slavery impact Spartan development?
7.) Explain how democracy developed in Athens. Why is it considered a limited democracy? How did slavery contribute to the success of democracy in Athens?
8.) What common culture did Greeks share? How was Greek religion a unifier?
9.) How did the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars affect Greece?
10.) How did Greece win the Persian Wars? How did this impact Athens?
11.) Describe the influence of Greek concepts related to rights and responsibilities of citizenship. What basic principles of modern democracy originated in Greece? How does Athenian democracy compare to the U.S. system?
12.) How did the aims and techniques of the Sophists differ from the goals and approach of Socrates and Plato?
13.) What would happen if we applied the Socratic Method to daily life?
14.) What are the characteristics of classical Greek art and architecture? How did Greek art evolve? Can you give examples from the book or class?
15.) What was the role of theater and plays in Greek life? What were the topics? Why?
16.) What were the roles of Herodotus and Thucydides in advancing the discipline of history?
17.) Which ideas and accomplishments of the ancient Greeks are most impressive to you? Rank the three areas that have the greatest impact and justify your ranking.
18.) How do the roots of modern science go back to the ancient Greek philosophers?
19.) How was Philip II able to lead Macedonia to rule over Greek city states?
20.) Why was Alexander the Great able to create such a large empire?
21.) What are the costs of Alexander's conquests?
22.) What factors shaped Hellenistic civilization?
23.) Why was Alexandra the greatest of Hellenistic capitals?
24.) Identify major ideas in technology, mathematics and science invented by Hellenistic Greeks and explain how they influenced later eras.
25.) How did Alexander the Great's empire help promote the advances in #24 above? Why do you think so many advances were made in this time period?
26.) Which aspect of ancient Greece's legacy to do you think is most important? Why?
27.)If Aristotle were alive today, what do you think he would say about the effects of size on a political state?
Unit Two Focus Questions Continued-The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic and Empire-Topic Six
1.) How would control of the Italian Peninsula affect the development of Roman civilization?
2.) What role did geography play in the rise of Rome?
3.) How did Rome's government change over time?
4.) Discuss the development of Roman society, rights, and religious practices.
5.) Trace the influence of Greek civilization on Roman society.
6.) Trace the growth of the Roman Republic (550 B.C./B.C.E.-44 B.C./B.C.E)-Is it orderly? Explain.
7.) How did the Roman Republic grow and use its political influence?
8.) What steps did Rome take to govern its new territories?
9.) How did men, citizens and non-citizens, serve the Republic?
10.) How did well-built roads contribute to Roman success?
11.) Will Rome continue to conquer new territories? What challenges will it face?
China Focus Questions:
1.) How did geography influence Chinese civilization?
2.) How did the Zhou introduce the dynastic cycle? What is the Mandate of Heaven?
3.) What are the contributions the Shang and the Zhou made to the growth of Chinese classical civilization?
4.) What are the central ideas of Confucianism and Daoism? Compare and contrast the two.
5.) List and assess the relative importance of early Chinese achievements.
6.) How did Shi Huangdi unify China?
7.) How effective was the Great Wall in protecting China from invaders?
8.) Compare and contrast Confucianism with Legalism.
9.) How did the Silk Road facilitate the spread of trade and ideas in China?
10.) Compare/contrast the Qin and Han dynasties. Why is the Han period considered a Golden Age?
11.) Why did Buddhism spread in China?
12.) How did China's early development affect other countries?
Ancient Greece Focus Questions-Topic 5
1.) How might the need to access trade routes impact a country? How do people on the coast survive and develop a civilization? How could a country's access to the sea influence a country's trade and economy?
2.) Why is Minoan civilization important?
3.) How does Greek mythology and myths themselves reveal the values and culture of the Greeks?
4.) Compare and contrast the Minoans and the Mycenaeans.
5.) How did geography influence Greek city state development?
6.) What form of government did Sparta have? What were Spartan citizens responsibilities? What was daily life like in Sparta and how did slavery impact Spartan development?
7.) Explain how democracy developed in Athens. Why is it considered a limited democracy? How did slavery contribute to the success of democracy in Athens?
8.) What common culture did Greeks share? How was Greek religion a unifier?
9.) How did the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars affect Greece?
10.) How did Greece win the Persian Wars? How did this impact Athens?
11.) Describe the influence of Greek concepts related to rights and responsibilities of citizenship. What basic principles of modern democracy originated in Greece? How does Athenian democracy compare to the U.S. system?
12.) How did the aims and techniques of the Sophists differ from the goals and approach of Socrates and Plato?
13.) What would happen if we applied the Socratic Method to daily life?
14.) What are the characteristics of classical Greek art and architecture? How did Greek art evolve? Can you give examples from the book or class?
15.) What was the role of theater and plays in Greek life? What were the topics? Why?
16.) What were the roles of Herodotus and Thucydides in advancing the discipline of history?
17.) Which ideas and accomplishments of the ancient Greeks are most impressive to you? Rank the three areas that have the greatest impact and justify your ranking.
18.) How do the roots of modern science go back to the ancient Greek philosophers?
19.) How was Philip II able to lead Macedonia to rule over Greek city states?
20.) Why was Alexander the Great able to create such a large empire?
21.) What are the costs of Alexander's conquests?
22.) What factors shaped Hellenistic civilization?
23.) Why was Alexandra the greatest of Hellenistic capitals?
24.) Identify major ideas in technology, mathematics and science invented by Hellenistic Greeks and explain how they influenced later eras.
25.) How did Alexander the Great's empire help promote the advances in #24 above? Why do you think so many advances were made in this time period?
26.) Which aspect of ancient Greece's legacy to do you think is most important? Why?
27.)If Aristotle were alive today, what do you think he would say about the effects of size on a political state?
Unit Two Focus Questions Continued-The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic and Empire-Topic Six
1.) How would control of the Italian Peninsula affect the development of Roman civilization?
2.) What role did geography play in the rise of Rome?
3.) How did Rome's government change over time?
4.) Discuss the development of Roman society, rights, and religious practices.
5.) Trace the influence of Greek civilization on Roman society.
6.) Trace the growth of the Roman Republic (550 B.C./B.C.E.-44 B.C./B.C.E)-Is it orderly? Explain.
7.) How did the Roman Republic grow and use its political influence?
8.) What steps did Rome take to govern its new territories?
9.) How did men, citizens and non-citizens, serve the Republic?
10.) How did well-built roads contribute to Roman success?
11.) Will Rome continue to conquer new territories? What challenges will it face?