Question 1

How did the territorial state differ from the previous forms of states? Where and when did territorial states form, and what factors encouraged the formation of territorial states?

Accepted Answer

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Question 2

In the Shang dynasty in China, the ruler derived his authority through guidance from ancestors and gods.

Accepted Answer

The rulers of the Shang Dynasty believed in the mandate of heaven, where they claimed their right to rule was granted by the gods and their ancestors, often seeking guidance through oracle bones and rituals to communicate with the divine.

Question 3

The rulers of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt created a cult of the pharaoh as the good shepherd and offered homage to gods at the palace to ensure regular floodwaters.

Accepted Answer

During the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, the concept of the pharaoh as a shepherd of his people was emphasized, and the rulers engaged in religious practices, including offering homage to gods, to ensure the prosperity of the land, which was heavily dependent on the regular flooding of the Nile for agriculture.

Question 4

Much of what we know of the Kassites and Hittites comes from correspondence found in Egypt.

Accepted Answer

The Amarna Letters, a collection of diplomatic correspondence discovered in Egypt, provide significant insights into the political relations and interactions between Egypt and various Near Eastern powers, including the Kassites and Hittites, during the 14th century BCE.

Question 5

How did the domestication of the horse in Afro-Eurasia affect the development of nomadic and settled societies during the second millennium BCE? How was the horse integrated into military technologies?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

The nearly simultaneous collapse of Egypt and Mesopotamia around 2200 BCE was likely caused by bad rulers and the decline of long-distance trade.

Accepted Answer

The nearly simultaneous collapse of Egypt and Mesopotamia around 2200 BCE is more commonly attributed to a combination of climatic changes leading to severe droughts and the resulting food shortages, rather than solely to bad rulers and the decline of long-distance trade.

Question 7

In the Central Andes, ecological diversity promoted trade between regions.

Accepted Answer

The ecological diversity in the Central Andes, characterized by a range of environments from coast to highlands, led to the development of different resources and products in each area. This diversity promoted trade between regions as communities exchanged goods that were not available in their own areas, such as sea products, highland grains, and jungle fruits.

Question 8

Compare the maritime development of the Aegean with that of the South Pacific in the second millennium BCE. What accounts for the similarities and differences in the societies that they developed?

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

Analyze the ways in which territorial states in the Nile River valley and the Tigris-Euphrates River valley created new forms of centralized governance at the beginning of the second millennium BCE, following the collapse of river valley civilizations. Which states created the most centralized control, and why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Analyze the ways in which territorial states...

Question 10

How did geographical factors affect the development of early territorial states in Shang China and the Indus Valley?

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 3: Nomads, Chariots, Territorial States, and Microsocieties, 2000-1200 Bce