SAT II World History : Prehistory to 500 C.E.
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II World History
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Ancient Egypt
King Menes is generally credited with __________.
founding the first Ancient Egyptian dynasty
repelling Roman invasions into Ancient Egypt
spreading Christianity into Ancient Egypt
overthrowing the Egyptian Empire and establishing the Kush Empire
building the pyramids of Giza
founding the first Ancient Egyptian dynasty
Menes is an Ancient Egyptian Pharoah who is usually credited with founding the first Egyptian dynasty and uniting Lower and Upper Egypt.
Example Question #2 : Ancient Egypt
The pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built to __________.
serve as government administration buildings during the Middle Kingdom.
demonstrate the might of the Egyptian Empire to would-be conquerers and travellers
house the bodies of pharoahs after they had died
house grain and other food supplies during times of surplus
provide a grand place of worship for the Egyptian people
house the bodies of pharoahs after they had died
The Pyramids were built during the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egyptian history to house the bodies of Pharoahs after they had died.
Example Question #1 : Other Southwest Asian Or African History Prior To 500 C.E.
Nineveh was the capital of __________.
the Zhou Dynasty
the Hittite Empire
the Sumerian Empire
the Shang Dynasty
the Assyrian Empire
the Assyrian Empire
Nineveh was the capital of the bellicose Assyrian Empire. It is most famous for its Royal Library, built under the reign of the most famous Assyrian ruler, Ashurbanipal. It was in the Royal Library that the famous work The Epic of Gilgamesh was kept and preserved. The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered the oldest known work of literature in human history.
Example Question #26 : Southwest Asia And Africa
Which King of the Hebrew people is known for the conquest of Jerusalem?
Joseph
Saul
Abraham
Solomon
David
David
Saul was the first king of the Hebrews and is best remembered for facing off against the Philistines. David followed Saul and is remembered as the conqueror of Jerusalem.
Example Question #2 : Other Southwest Asian Or African History Prior To 500 C.E.
The Akkadian Empire, sometimes called the earliest empire in human history, was formed by __________.
Sargon the Great
Hammurabi
Menes
Ashurbanipal
Nebuchadnezzar
Sargon the Great
The Akkadian Empire is sometimes called the earliest empire in human history, although of course this is somewhat subjective as it is dependent on how exactly you define an empire. It was founded and dramatically expanded by Sargon the Great from 2234 B.C.E. until his death sixty years later. The Akkadian Empire was relatively short-lived and over time split into the Northern Assyrian Kingdom and the Southern Babylonian Kingdom.
Example Question #3 : Other Southwest Asian Or African History Prior To 500 C.E.
Which of the following groups flourished in Southern Egypt and Sudan around 2000 BCE?
The Numidians
The Nubians
The Malinese
The Carthaginians
The Zulu
The Nubians
The Nubian civilization is one of the earliest known civilizations in African history. It arose in modern-day Southern Egypt and Sudan in approximately 2000 BCE.
Example Question #4 : Other Southwest Asian Or African History Prior To 500 C.E.
Studying the Bantu people reveals all of the following except _____________.
early oral traditions that would influence the development of Christianity
the transmission of technical knowledge, like how to smelt iron
early trade connections between Malay, Madagascar, and Africa, as seen in the spread of the banana
the spread and evolution of language, as seen in the language Swahili
the importance of kinship groups and communal property
early oral traditions that would influence the development of Christianity
Although Bantu society valued oral traditions-as seen in the importance of griots, or those who told the oral history of the Bantu-these traditions did not directly influence Christianity.
Example Question #1 : Other Global Regions
Polynesian peoples were able to reach most islands of the South Pacific through
longitude and latitude.
steam powered ships.
well-established trade routes.
celestial navigation.
conventional maps.
celestial navigation.
Beginning in roughly 300 CE, the Polynesian peoples of the South Pacific began sailing to the various islands across the Pacific Ocean, reaching the Hawaiian islands by at least 800 CE. Using outrigger canoes and rafts built with sails, the Polynesians used a system of celestial navigation that was complimented by memorizing wind routes and swells.
Example Question #2 : Other Global Regions
The philosophies of Legalism, Confucianism, and Daoism arose during which Chinese Dynasty?
Qin Dynasty.
Shang Dynasty.
Han Dynasty.
Zhou Dynasty.
Ming Dynasty.
Zhou Dynasty.
The Zhou Dynasty is the longest lasting in Chinese history, ruling from circa 1000 B.C.E. to 256 B.C.E. During the Zhou Dynasty the Chinese philosophies of Daoism, Legalism, and Confucianism were founded and formalized. These three philosophies (or religions in some cases) have been influential to the direction of Chinese culture, society, and government.
Example Question #3 : Other Global Regions
The Bhagavad Gita is a literary work of __________ and __________.
China; Daoism
India; Hinduism
Japan; Shinto
China; Confucianism
India; Buddhism
India; Hinduism
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most important works of ancient Hinduism that continues to be relevant in Indian society to this day.
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