World History Quiz: Empires and Dynasties

Gunpowder Empires

• Gunpowder Empires were large, multi-ethnic states in Southwest, Central, and South Asia that relied on firearms for conquest and control. These included the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires.
• Key Empires: Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal

Printing Press & Other Key Developments

• Gutenberg Printing Press: A crucial invention.

Ivan IV

• Ivan IV was a significant historical figure.

Volga River

• Significance of the Volga River for Russia's expansion.

Ming Dynasty

• The Ming Dynasty arose after the Mongols' expulsion.

Qing Dynasty

• The Qing Dynasty replaced the Ming Dynasty.

Kangxi

• Emperor Kangxi's reign was notable for its accomplishments.

Emperor Qianlong

• Emperor Qianlong's reign showcased expansion and its effects.

Tamerlane

• Tamerlane was a significant military leader.

Ghazi Ideal

• The Ghazi Ideal influenced the expansion of Gunpowder Empires.

Ottoman Empire

• The Ottoman Empire was a major power.

Mehmed II

• Mehmed II's role in the Ottoman Empire.

Suleiman I

• Suleiman I's reign was a pivotal moment.

Shah

• Safavid Empire's leaders.

Safavid Empire

• Safavid Empire details.

Shah Abbas I

• Shah Abbas I's influence on the Safavid Empire.

Akbar

• Akbar's role in the Mughal Empire.

Mughal Empire

• Mughal Empire's historical importance.

Caste System

• The caste system's role in the Mughal Empire

Europe

• 1450 in Europe marked a turning point.
• Events of the mid-1450s signaled the start of the early modern period.
• European monarchies sought control over resources and territories.
• The European social class gaining power was the merchant class.

Russia

• Russia was influenced by two key regions.
• Ivan IV expanded Russia Eastward, relying on certain strategies.
• Russia's expansion depended on a specific factor.
• Cossacks played a role in Russia's expansion.
• The Volga River held strategic importance for Russia.
• The goal of Russian missionaries was to convert Siberian tribes.
• By 1639, the Russian Empire had reached a specific geographic extent.

East Asia

• The Ming Dynasty, after removing Mongols, brought about results in China.
• The Qing Dynasty replaced the Ming Dynasty.
• China rebuilt the Great Wall for protection.
• Emperor Kangxi's rule was significant due to land gain and influence.
• Emperor Qianlong's reign involved significant expansion and reactions to it.
• Expansion efforts (Tibet, Burma, Vietnam) had varying success.
• Qianlong's later years saw certain events.
• The White Lotus Society's uprising and its significance and background.
• The results of the White Lotus Society uprising.

Islamic Gunpowder Empires

• Commonalities among the Gunpowder Empires.
• Factors that contributed to the success of the Gunpowder Empires.
• Tamerlane's conquests and impact.
• The Ghazi Ideal's role in the Gunpower Empires' expansion.
• Tamerlane's influence on the arts.
• Tamerlane's invasions.
• Tamerlane's government and its failings.
• Two forces battling each other in the 14th century.

The Ottoman Empire

• Ottoman Empire's location and significance.
• Ottoman capital city under Mehmed II and its importance.
• Ottoman relationship with Venice.
• Suleiman I's siege of Venice.
• Reasons for the 1922 fall of the Ottoman Empire (not detailed).

The Safavid Empire

• Safavid Empire's origin.
• Two problems faced by the Safavid Empire.
• Europe's role in assisting the Safavids.
• Safavid Shahs' control over specific things.
• Factors causing tension with the Ottomans.
• Ottoman actions against the Safavids.
• Place of women in the Safavid Empire.

Mughal India

• Mughal empire's significance.
• Role of Arab traders in the Mughal Empire.
• Imported/exported goods of Mughal Empire.
• The Hindu castes and their context within the empire.
• Significance of Mughal architecture.

The Decline of the Gunpowder Empires

• Reasons for the decline of Gunpowder Empires.
• Factors that allowed Russia's survival.
• Ottoman Empire's decline summary.
• "Harem Politics" and its impact.
• Safavid Empire's decline summary.
• Mughal Empire's decline summary.

Empires: Administration

England

• King James I's use of the Divine Right of Kings.
• Role and importance of Justices of the Peace.
• Effect of Tudor rule on feudalism.
• Role of Parliament.
• Two accomplishments of the English Bill of Rights.

France

• French government growth compared to England.
• Louis XIV's changes to the French government.
• Intendants' role as tax farmers.
• Louis XIV's dictatorship.
• Louis XIV's desire for absolute power.
• Significance of Versailles.

Russia

• Russian class system.

• Serfs and their connection to land.

• Ivan IV's view of the boyar class.

• Ivan IV's creation to monitor Boyars.

• Ivan IV's methods for creating loyalty within his oprichnina.

• Three groups vying for power under the Romanov Dynasty, their demands.

• Peter the Great's rise to power and victory.

• Peter the Great's loss of favor among clergy.

• Peter the Great's organization of the Russian government.

Ottoman Empire

• Devshrime system in the Ottoman Empire.
• Reasons for Christian boy recruitment in devshirme.
• Devshirme job roles.
• Janissaries' loyalty.
• Factors influencing parents' desire for their sons to be in devshirme.

East and South Asia

• Ming Dynasty's erasure of Mongol influence.
• Daimyo's contribution to decentralization in Japan.
• Samurai's economic power.
• Oda Nobunaga's role.
• Tokugawa Shogunate's government reorganization.
• Tokugawa Shogunate's control of daimyo.
• Akbar's establishment of an efficient government in India.
• Zamindars' impact on the Mughal Empire.

Religion and Art

• Two ways European monarchs legitimized their authority.
• Significance of new lands conquered by Peter.
• St. Petersburg details.
• Two ways Askia the Great legitimized his rule.
• Mughal architecture's significance.
• Mughal Empire's use of Islamic art.
• Mughal India's artistic achievements.
• Ottoman changes at the time.
• Ottoman continuities.
• Grand Bazar's importance.
• Istanbul's significance.
• Ottoman Empire's cultural contributions.
• Versailles' effect on nobles' power.

Financing Empires

• Peter the Great's industrialization attempts in Russia.
• Peter the Great's methods to raise revenue.
• Ottoman tax collection.
• Tax farmers' role and potential corruption.
• Factors contributing to the Mughal Empire's economic decline.
• Ming Dynasty's tax collection.
• Tax collection form.
• The tribute system.

Empires: Belief Systems

• King Henry IV's conversion to Catholicism.

• Islamic split factions.

• Protestant Reformation: Main challenge to Catholic Church.

• Success of church reform efforts.

• John Wycliffe's arguments and vilification.

• The Hussites.

• Catholic Church during Babylonian Captivity and Plague.

• Lutheranism: Martin Luther's conclusions, objections & criticisms.

• Luther's actions against the Catholic Church.

• Luther's belief of "Sola Fide."

• Church's reaction to Luther.

• Luther's impact on the religious split.

• Luther's views on women.

• Calvinism: John Calvin's beliefs on the elect & predestination.

• Calvinist Puritan goals.

• Calvinists' hard work ethic.

• Anglicism: Henry VIII's reasons for splitting from the Catholic Church.

• Orthodox Church in Russia: Unifying force in Russia & Peter the Great's role.

• Holy Synod's role in keeping the church under government control.

• Reasons for Peter the Great's raising the age for monks.

• Counter-Reformation: Reasons for the counter-reformation.

• Inquisition details.

• Jesuits details.

• Council of Trent details.

• Success of Counter-Reformation.

• Charles V's actions.

• Philip II's actions.

• Wars of Religion: Result of Europe's religious division.

• Peace of Augsburg and its result.

• Henry IV's approach to unifying France.

• Edict of Nantes and its outcome.

• Revocation of Edict and its results.

• Thirty Years' War result.

• Religions in Europe after the Peace of Westphalia.

• Prussia's rise.

• Islamic Religious Schisms: Impact of Islam on the Ottoman Empire.

• Ottoman Empire's dominant religion.

• Safavid Empire's Islamic impact & Sunni/Shia designation.

• Mughal religious tolerance and impact.

• Akbar's actions toward bridging Hindu/Muslim tensions.

• Akbar's changes to the Mughal Empire.

Scientific Revolution

• Scientific thought's representation.
• Francis Bacon's challenge to dogma through empiricism.
• Principa as an example of scientific collaboration across beliefs.
• Intellectual view of science's depiction of the world.

Comparisons in Land-Based Empires

• Five reasons for Gunpowder Empire failures.
• Janissaries' origins, roles, missions.
• Ghulams' origins, roles, missions.
• Ottoman-Safavid wars details.
• Safavid-Mughal conflicts details.
• Land Empire bureaucracy control of populations (China, Ottoman, Safavid, Songhai, Inca, Aztec).
• Aztec differences/empire control methods.
• Tax collection systems (Mughal, Ottoman, Aztec, Ming).
• Rulers' use of religion, art, and architecture to legitimize power.

Test your knowledge about significant empires and dynasties that shaped the course of history. This quiz covers topics from the use of firearms in conquest to the influential roles of various rivers and dynasties in Asia and Europe. Understand key figures and innovations that propelled their legacies.