7 th Grade World History Review

1. 7th Grade World History Review

2. The Roman Empire Section 1: Uncovering the Remote Past • Historians find evidence about the past in myths, primary sources, secondary sources, and material culture. • Romans have left historians with a wealth of documents and artifacts to interpret. Pompeii offers an especially rich variety of material culture. • Historians are always questioning their views of the past.

3. The Roman Empire Section 2: The Empire at Its Height • The Roman Republic lasted from 510 B.C. until 31 B.C., when Octavian became the first emperor of Rome. • During the Pax Romana, the Roman Empire expanded to include Western Europe and most of the region bordering the Mediterranean Sea. • By the third century, the Roman Empire had become too large to rule easily.

4. The Roman Empire Section 3: The Western Empire Collapses • The Roman Empire had many social and economic weaknesses. • The Huns and the Goths threatened the Roman Empire. • The Western Empire came under the power of the Franks and Germanic rulers.

5. The Roman Empire Section 4: The Lasting Contributions of Rome • Many countries have legal systems based on Roman law and speak languages based on Latin. • A large network of roads helped unify the empire. Public water and sewer systems were very sophisticated. • At first, Christianity was a persecuted religion. Later, Christianity helped to unify the empire.

6. The Byzantine Empire Section 1: The Survival of the Eastern Empire • Power in the Roman Empire shifted to the East under the emperor Constantine. • Constantinople’s location made it the center of trade in the East and made it easier to defend. • Justinian enlarged the Byzantine Empire and transformed the city of Constantinople.

7. The Byzantine Empire Section 2: The Division of the Christian Church • The Eastern Church, ruled by patriarchs, was well organized. • The Byzantine emperor controlled the Eastern Church. The pope in Rome controlled the Western Church and had political influence in Western Europe. • The Eastern and Western Christian civilizations moved apart because of political, cultural, and religious differences.

8. The Byzantine Empire Section 3: Byzantine Civilization • Constantinople was a cultural and political center. Byzantine civilization made important contributions to law, art, and architecture. • The Byzantine Empire spread its culture and religion to the peoples of Eastern Europe. • The Byzantine Empire shrank and eventually fell because of attacks from the outside and struggles from within.

9. Islam Section 1: The Origins of Islam • Islam arose in Arabia, a harsh land where people lived according to tribal culture. • Muhammad, the founder of Islam and a political and military leader, united most of Arabia under Muslim rule.

10. Islam Section 2: The Beliefs of Islam • Islam’s most sacred texts, the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are believed to contain the word of God and the practices of Muhammad. • One God, the individual soul, and the afterlife form the core beliefs of Islam. • Muslims have religious duties called the Five Pillars: declaration of faith, prayer, alms-giving, fasting, and pilgrimage.

11. Islam Section 3: The Spread of Islam • In three phases, Islam was spread as far as Europe, Africa, and Asia by military conquest and peaceful conversion. • Islam is the second-largest religion today, with two main groups, the Sunnis and the Shiites.

12. The Islamic World Section 1: The Expansion of Muslim Rule • The caliphate reached it maximum geographic extent under the Umayyads, who established the first Islamic dynasty. • The Abbasid Dynasty oversaw the golden age of Muslim civilization as well as the breakup of the caliphate.

13. The Islamic World Section 2: Muslims’ Daily Life • Islamic law, or the Sharia, was developed from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. It detailed rules of personal conduct in Muslim society. • Social class, gender roles, and education gave order to Islamic society.

14. The Islamic World Section 3: The Growth of Cities and Trade • The Islamic world had many large, highly developed cities with strong economies. • Traders traveled over land and by sea across the Islamic world and beyond, spreading goods, ideas, and inventions.

15. The Islamic World Section 4: Islamic Achievements • The Muslim empire valued learning. Muslim scholars’ work in philosophy, medicine, science, mathematics, and geography influenced future civilizations. • Muslim art, architecture, and calligraphy are noted for their use of patterns and the absence of human forms. • The folk tales and poetry of the Muslim world were based on an oral tradition.

16. The Rise of West African Empires Section 1: Sub-Saharan Africa • The Sahara acted as a barrier between Mediterranean and West African peoples. • South of the Sahara, the landscape shifts from the dry Sahel to grasslands to rain forests. • West Africa’s resources included minerals, plants, animals, and people.

17. The Rise of West African Empires Section 2: Ghana • Ghana was founded by the Soninke people in the western Sudan. • Traders from North Africa crossed the Sahara to exchange salt for Ghana’s gold. • The Muslim Almoravids invaded Ghana and controlled it for a decade. Ghana never regained its previous power.

18. The Rise of West African Empires Section 3: The Rise of Mali • After the fall of Ghana, Mali became a powerful empire in West Africa. • Mali had a rich trade with countries in North Africa. • The religion of Islam was an important influence in Mali.

19. West African Civilization Section 1: The Growth of Islam in West Africa • The Songhai Empire expanded under Muslim rulers. It was the largest empire in West Africa. • Timbuktu was a center of Islamic scholarship. • Arabic became the language of law, learning, and business.

20. West African Civilization Section 2: West African Society • West African societies were organized according to complex systems of kinship and class. • Slaves made up the lowest caste in West Africa. However, slaves had some important rights. • Trade was a central part of life in both villages and cities.

21. West African Civilization Section 3: Storytelling and the Arts of West Africa • West Africans passed on their history and morals through an oral tradition. • Music, dance, and sculpture played key roles in transmitting West African culture. • West African cultures from the past have influenced modern African, European, and American societies.

22. The Mayas Section 1: The Rise of the Mayas • Maya civilization thrived in the southern lowlands of Mesoamerica. • For hundreds of years, Classic Maya civilization had a rich and vibrant culture. • Warfare, food shortages, disease, and other factors contributed to the decline of Maya civilization.

23. The Mayas Section 2: Maya Society • Maya society was roughly divided into two groups, nobles and commoners. • The extended family was the basic unit of Maya society. • The king’s authority was based on alliances, military power, and the favor of the gods.

24. The Mayas Section 3: Maya Achievements • Maya writing used a complex system of 800 glyphs. • The Mayas were sophisticated astronomers and mathematicians. • Maya buildings were impressive examples of architecture that were covered in elaborate, painted sculptures.

25. The Incas Section 1: The Rise of the Incas • The peoples of the central Andes adapted to the harsh terrain by developing terrace farming and breeding hardy animals. • The Inca Empire had its birth in southern Peru in the valley of Cuzco. • The Inca Empire grew quickly to cover a vast region that included millions of people.

26. The Incas Section 2: Inca Society • Inca society was organized according to a strict hierarchy. Each person’s role was defined by the state. • All property in the Inca Empire was communal. There were few extremely wealthy or poor Incas. • The Incas worshiped many gods and believed the Sapa Inca was a descendant of a god.

27. The Incas Section 3: Inca Achievements • The Inca government was highly organized and efficient. • The Inca people obeyed strict rules but were guaranteed food, clothing, and shelter. • The Incas built sophisticated roads and buildings. They also excelled at metalwork and textile weaving.

28. The Aztecs Section 1: The Rise of the Aztecs • The Valley of Mexico offered fertile land and a mild climate. • The Aztecs founded Tenochtitlán on an island that provided good farmland, easy travel, and safety from attack. • The Aztecs established a large empire in Mexico.

29. The Aztecs Section 2: Aztec Society • Aztec society was divided into two main classes: nobles and commoners. • The Aztec government depended on tribute from conquered states. • The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice to appease the gods and to control their subjects.

30. The Aztecs Section 3: Aztec Achievements • Tenochtitlán was a thriving city with impressive public and private buildings. • The Aztecs created works of art using precious metals, colorful stones, and feathers. • The Aztecs highly respected orators for their ability to recite stories, poems, and legends.

31. China’s Golden Age Section 1: The Tang and Song Dynasties • From their capital at Chang’an, the Tang expanded China’s borders, strengthened the government, and promoted the arts. • The Song era was one of good government. Scholar-officials rose to the top of society. • After a barbarian invasion from the north, the Song moved south and prospered.

32. China’s Golden Age Section 2: Religion and Thought in China’s Golden Age • Daoism, a philosophy of following the way of nature, became a religion by the Tang era. • Pure Land and Chan Buddhism were popular in China. Some Daoists and Confucianists strongly opposed Buddhism. • Confucian philosophy and religion stressed the importance of social order.

33. China’s Golden Age Section 3: Advances in Farming, Technology, and Trade • Improved farming techniques enabled the population to double quickly, but changes in land tenure made some farmers poor. • Technological inventions led to increased literacy and expanded overseas trade. • Advances in farm production, transportation, and a money economy led to growth in trade and industry.

34. China Under the Mongols and the Ming Section 1: The Mongol Ascendancy • The Mongols, united under Genghis Khan, conquered a vast portion of Asia. • Genghis Khan established the Yuan Dynasty in China and encouraged foreigners to come there. • Marco Polo spent seventeen years in China and shared his knowledge of China with Europe on his return.

35. China Under the Mongols and the Ming Section 2: The Ming Dynasty • The Ming Dynasty restored centralized rule to China. China saw itself as the center of the world. • China launched huge maritime expeditions that reached west to India, the Middle East, and Africa. • China withdrew from official contact with other nations, though foreign trade continued to thrive.

36. China Under the Mongols and the Ming Section 3: China’s Influence on the World • Confucianism and Buddhism spread from China to influence Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. • Chinese inventions such as paper, gunpowder, and the magnetic compass changed life in European countries.

37. The Rise of Japan Section 1: Land of the Rising Sun • Japan consists of a chain of islands with a wide range of climates. • People from the Asian mainland settled Japan over time. • Japan adapted the Chinese writing system to its own language. It also embraced Buddhism when that religion arrived from Korea.

38. The Rise of Japan Section 2: The Age of Emperors • Local clans and their leaders controlled early Japan. • The Yamato clan gained power over Japan through wars and marriage alliances. • Prince Shotoku introduced Japan’s first constitution. He borrowed heavily from China to create a strong, centralized government.

39. The Rise of Japan Section 3: The Development of Feudalism • Japanese ruling society was based on rank, not merit. The court moved to Kyoto to avoid increasingly powerful Buddhists. • After a long war, Minamoto Yoritomo became the first shogun of Japan. • Feudalism emerged in Japan. Samurai served daimyo, who ruled like minor kings.

40. The Rise of Japan Section 4: Japan Under the Shoguns • Samurai followed a strict code of honor in which loyalty to the lord was most important. • Japan repelled two Mongol invasions with help from what they called a kamikaze, or divine wind. • Tokugawa Ieyasu ended a long period of instability. He established his capital at Edo.

41. Japan’s Golden Age Section 1: Japan’s Cultural Flowering • The development of a simpler form of writing made composing poetry, journals, and other literature easier. • Women writers produced some of the most important literature of the Heian period. • Buddhism influenced painting, sculpture, and architecture.

42. Japan’s Golden Age Section 2: The Development of Japanese Buddhism • Buddhism became widely practiced in Japan by the Heian period. At the same time, the practice of Shinto continued. • Some Buddhist sects emphasized prayers, ritual, and separation from society as essential to enlightenment. • Other forms emphasized individual effort. Buddhism became increasingly popular.

43. Japan’s Golden Age Section 3: Japanese Society • The basis of Japanese society was the clan. The welfare of the group was more important than individual needs. • Buddhism and Confucianism emphasized ideas of harmony and unity. They viewed women as inferior. • The economy grew because of increased numbers of artisans and merchants and through expanded trade.

44. A New Civilization in Europe Section 1: Europe in the Early Middle Ages • Europe, which has a varied topography, is part of the Eurasian landmass. • The Middle Ages is the period from 500 to 1500, after the Roman Empire and before the Modern Age. • Charlemagne built an empire that covered most of central and western Europe.

45. A New Civilization in Europe Section 2: The Spread of Christianity in Europe • The rise of monasteries and religious orders strengthened Christianity. • Missionaries carried Christian beliefs throughout Europe. • Eventually, most peoples of Europe were united under one Christian faith.

46. A New Civilization in Europe Section 3: The Development of European Feudalism • Various groups of invaders entered western Europe between 800 and 1000. • Outside attacks and a weak central government caused the feudal system to develop. • The manor formed the economic foundation of European feudalism.

47. Medieval Conflicts and Crusades Section 1: Popes and Rulers • Charlemagne established a Christian kingdom with close ties to the Church. • Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor, but this practice later caused problems. • A power struggle between Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII revealed conflicts between the pope and emperor in the Holy Roman Empire.

48. Medieval Conflicts and Crusades Section 2: Kings, Nobles, and the Magna Carta • In 1066, the Normans conquered Anglo-Saxon England and transformed English life and the English language. • The Magna Carta and English law limited royal power and guaranteed basic rights. • Parliament was formed to advise the king and limit his power.

49. Medieval Conflicts and Crusades Section 3: Religious Crusades • European Christians launched the Crusades to capture the Holy Land from the Muslims. • The religious fervor of the Crusades led to the persecution of Muslims, heretics, and Jews.

50. Medieval Conflicts and Crusades Section 4: Christians and Muslims in Spain • Muslim Spain had a highly advanced civilization. • The Reconquista ended Muslim rule in Spain and brought the growth of Christian kingdoms. • Spanish Muslims and Jews were persecuted during the Reconquista.