Western Civilization I - Final Exam Study Guide

Western Civilization I - Final Exam Study Guide

• The first modern Homo sapiens appeared in Africa between 200,000 and 150,000 years ago.
• The Paleolithic Age saw the development of tools, religious and decorative art, and a social system with rough equality between sexes. Controlled use of fire was also developed.
• Punishments under Hammurabi's Code were harsher for the lower classes.
• The Nile River was a vital transportation and life source for ancient Egyptians, alongside the pharaohs.
• Ancient Egyptian history is divided into three major periods.
• Osiris was an Egyptian god associated with mummification.
• Hatshepsut was a female pharaoh.
• The Hebrews traced their lineage to Abraham, who migrated from Mesopotamia to Palestine.
• King David established Hebrew control over Palestine.
• Solomon built the Temple.
• After Solomon's death, the Hebrew kingdom split into Israel and Judah.
• Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BCE, leading to the Babylonian Captivity.
• The Chaldeans were responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Captivity.
• Phoenicians were important international sea traders.
• Assyrian art glorified the king, and depicted hunting and war.
• Nebuchadnezzar II revised Persian law, rebuilt Babylon, defeated the Assyrians, and destroyed Judah.
• The Persian Empire expanded under Darius, employing a system of satrapies for tribute collection based on productive capacity.
• Zoroastrianism emphasized free will and the choice between good and evil, with Ahriman representing the evil spirit.
• Spartan life was structured around military service, with no class distinctions, and harsh treatment of helots (slaves).
• Perioikoi were free inhabitants of Sparta who did not have full citizen rights.
• Cleisthenes weakened Athenian aristocracy, improving the power of ordinary citizens.
• The Battle of Marathon resulted in a Greek victory.
• The Battle of Thermopylae represented a defiant Greek stand against the Persian Army.
• The Peloponnesian War led to the defeat of Athens and the collapse of its empire.
• Sophists were teachers who questioned traditional values.
• Socrates was condemned to death.
• Alexander the Great's troops rebelled during his attempt to conquer India.
• Alexandria was a cultural center with a vast library.
• Hellenistic religions and mystery cults helped pave the way for Christianity.
• Hellenistic medicine advanced through dissection and vivisection.
• The Jews were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean region during the Hellenistic era.
• Rome's geography allowed it to be a natural crossroads, easily defendable.
• Rome was established on the Latium plain in the first millennium BCE.
• Roman provinces were governed by consuls.
• The paterfamilias was the male head of the Roman household.
• The Twelve Tables were the first Roman law code.
• The First Punic War resulted from Rome's expansion into Sicily.
• The Second Punic War saw Carthage's invasion of Italy through the Alps.
• Cato advocated for Carthage's destruction, which was achieved in the Third Punic War.
• The head of the Roman religious observances was the Pontifex Maximus.
• The Gracchi brothers' reforms led to social unrest in Rome.
• Julius Caesar utilized military commands in Spain and Gaul to gain popularity and later disobeyed the Senate's orders.
• The First Triumvirate consisted of Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey.
• Augustus held multiple governmental titles.
• Roman innovation involved wide-scale concrete use in architecture.
• Early Christianity spread through Paul of Tarsus' preaching.
• Septimius Severus was a Roman emperor.
• The Edict of Milan tolerated Christianity. The Council of Nicaea defined Christ's relationship with God.
• Saint Anthony was a key figure of early hermit monasticism.
• Benedict developed a monastic rule.
• Benedictine monasticism emphasized moderation, communal life, and isolated living.
• Pope Gregory the Great supported missionary work in England.
• Justinian's code of laws was influential.
• The Treaty of Verdun divided the Carolingian Empire.
• Vikings like Erik the Red explored new lands.
• Feudalism was a complex system of vassalage.
• Peasant life was largely determined by the seasons.
• Universities developed, like the one in Bologna.
• The Domesday Book was a survey of English royal lands.
• Genghis Khan is associated with the Mongol Empire.
• Lay investiture was a process of securing church offices through secular influence.
• Pope Gregory VII disputed the authority of secular rulers over church offices.
• The height of Papal power was under Innocent III.
• The Catholic Church integrated into daily life. The Council of Clermont led to the Crusades.
• The Black Death was devastating in Italy.
• Multiple popes were involved in the Great Schism.
• Ars moriendi was the art of dying.
• Family relationships in the Middle Ages emphasized parental attention.
• Key innovations of the medieval period included clocks and new methods in trade, mining and metal working.
• The Renaissance saw banquets representing wealth, and the reintroduction of slavery was due to a labor shortage.
• Humanistic interest centered on the Greek language.
• Johannes Gutenberg played a key role in printing.
• Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel.
• Martin Luther's break with the Church centered on the sale of indulgences.
• Luther's ideas spread through sermons. His theological objections surrounded sacraments.
• Vasco da Gama's explorations led to various outcomes, including the profit of slave trade.
• Encomienda system subjected indigenous people.
• The triangular trade involved trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
• The Chinese Qing dynasty rose to power after the Ming.
• Sugar was a valuable product of the West Indies.
• Amsterdam was a major financial center of Europe.

Prepare for your Western Civilization I final exam with this comprehensive study guide. Covering key topics such as the emergence of Homo sapiens, ancient Egyptian history, and major figures in Hebrew history, this guide will help you grasp crucial concepts. Review important events and their significance to enhance your understanding of early civilizations.