Regents Review Worksheet



Freshmen Year Regents Review Worksheet # 1

I. Social Sciences

A. History- tells the chronological story of human beings and civilizations

B. Geography- the study of the Earth and its entire place in the universe

C. Economics- the study of production and consumption of goods and services

1. Traditional Economy – based on the barter system (the direct exchange of one set of goods and services for another)

2. Command Economy – operates in response to government orders; government controls the industry and agriculture

3. Market Economy – capitalist economy; permits individual businesses; a democratic economy

D. Political Science – the art or science of government

E. Culture and Civilization

Culture- the way of life for a group of people; elements of culture include: language, clothing, religion, family structure etc.

Civilization – a large group of cultures with a high degree of social and technological development

Cultural diffusion – the borrowing by one culture of attractive elements from another culture

(Example: American Baseball became popular in Latin America and Japan)

II. Early River Civilizations

A. The Neolithic Revolution changed the way people lived ( began a life based on agriculture (surplus of food lead to population increase), domestication of animals, bartering of goods, and the development of towns and villages

B. All the river valley civilizations were similar ( polytheistic (belief in many gods( related to nature), developed near river valleys, and based their lives on farming to survive

C. The early river civilizations included:

1. Mesopotamia – established on the Fertile Crescent; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

- development of the cuneiform writing

- patriarchal society – the father is the head of the household

- Hammurabi’s Code ( a codified, or organized law; a central law code for his diverse empire

2. Egypt – Nile River ( longest river in the world; annual floods deposited rich soil on the land; “The Gift of the Nile”

- Pharaohs were the rulers of Egypt (had absolute power)

- Build the pyramids (tombs for mummified bodies of the pharaohs)

- Mummification- Egyptians prepared their bodies for the after-life

- established the Hieroglyphics ( used pictures to represent sound, words, and ideas

3. Indus River Valley – Indus River ( seasonal monsoons

- written language cannot be translated ( historians study archeological evidence

- Mohenjo- Daro and Harappa are the carefully planned out cities

4. Huang He (Yellow River) ( loess (fertile yellow soil which allowed for productive farming

III. China

A. Mandate of Heaven – developed by the Zhou Dynasty ( it explains the theory of the duration of dynasties

B. Key part( a ruler’s responsibility is to provide good government and put the well-being of the people above self-interest

C. Mandate- the authority to command or rule

D. Confucianism – emphasized social order and ethnical government; people should accept their place in society; Five Key Relationships; filial piety ( total love and devotion to one’s parents and elders

E. Daoism – stressed a relationship with nature; follow the Tao; Harmony could be achieved when the Yin and Yang are balanced

F. Legalism – people are evil by nature; a strong ruler is required to create an orderly society

G. Great Wall of China – built by the Qin Dynasty to keep invaders out of China

IV. Greece

A. Mountains and the sea helped shape Greek history ( mountains isolated Greek communities

B. Polis – Greek city-states (Athens and Sparta are the most important city-states)

C. city-states- an independent region made up of a surrounding area)

D. Athens( the first to establish democracy (the people have the right to rule the government) ( direct democracy ( voting directly

E. Sparta ( a monarchy with two kings; strong, aggressive military state

F. Age of Pericles was the “Golden Age” (Classical Age – a time period of intellectual and artistic works that have enduring value). Some achievements included……

1. Parthenon

2. Greek sculptors focused on the “Ideal Human”

3. Drams, tragedies, comedies

4. Hippocratic Oath and Pythagorean Theory

5. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle ( Greek philosophers

G. Alexander the Great – (liked and accepted various cultures he came into contact with)

- credited for establishing the Hellenistic Civilization

1. Hellenistic Civilization – the gradual blending of Greek culture of the West with the Middle Eastern cultures

2. Established Alexandria – cultural center of the Mediterranean Sea

V. Rome

A. establishment of the Republic – a form of government in which leaders are elected by the people

B. During the Pax Romana or Roman Peace, Rome experienced a Classical Age (under the leadership of Augustus – First Roman emperor)

1. Roman Law was the greatest achievement of the Romans ( focused on the idea of natural law; Twelve Tables – inscribed on 12 tablets; laws of Rome which were publicly displayed

2. Excellent engineers – aqueducts, roads (like the Incas), the Coliseum etc.

3. The Romans borrowed many Greek concepts in the arts (

Greco-Roman Culture – the blending of Greek culture

VI. Gupta Empire (India is a peninsular ( monsoon cycles)

A. After the fall of the Maurya Empire, India was faced with a long period of political unrest and division ( until the Rise of the Gupta Empire

B. Influenced by the Hinduism and the caste system

C. India’s “Golden Age” ( many achievements

1. concept of zero, the decimal system, and Pi

2. Advances in science ( using herbs and a vaccine for smallpox

3. temples for Hindu worship

Regents Review Sheet #2

Religions and Belief Systems

1. Animism

▪ began in Africa; the belief that all living and non-living things have spirits

(Similar to Shintoism in Japan)

2. Hinduism – began in India

The Vedas – the collection of prayers of the Hindus

Major beliefs:

1. Caste System – Hindus believe that each person is born into a specific caste, or social rank in society (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Valsyas, Sudras, and Untouchables (outcasts of society- lowest status in society)

2. Reincarnation – the rebirth of the soul into another form (soul never really dies)

In this life a person is born into a specific caste. If a person is good and obeys the caste (good karma), that person will be reincarnated into a higher caste in his/her next life. However, if a person is bad and does not obey the caste rules (bad karma) that person will be reincarnated into a lower caste in his/her next life.

3. Buddhism

▪ Developed out of Hinduism

▪ Founded by Siddhartha Gautama ( Buddha – “Enlightened One”

▪ Four Noble Truths ( 1. All life is suffering

2. Suffering is caused by desire

3. The way to eliminate suffering is to eliminate desire

4. Following the Eightfold Path will help people overcome desire

Believe in Reincarnation( to reach Nirvana (a condition in which the soul merges with the universe)

Eightfold Path – involves right views, intentions, speech, conduct, meditation etc.

4. Judaism (first monotheistic religion)

1000 B.C. ( The Hebrews set up the Kingdom of Israel

Torah- sacred text

Major beliefs:

1. Belief in one true of present everywhere

2. According to the Torah, God made a covenant (promise) with Abraham

3. God chose the Hebrews as his people and He gave them the 10 Commandments through Moses

4. Prophets taught about the moral standards and justice

10 Commandments- rules that explain how people should behave towards God and one another

Judaism led to the creation of two other religions( Christianity and Islam

5. Christianity

Began in Palestine around 30 A.D.

Focuses on the teachings of Jesus

Major beliefs:

1. Jesus was born through the Virgin Mary and was the son of God

He was believed to be the Messiah( a savior sent by God

2. Christians believe in the 10 Commandments

3. Jesus’ mission( to bring salvation and eternal life to all who followed his teachings

4. Jesus taught mercy and sympathy for the poor and helpless as well as equality of people before God

5. Bible( Old Testament and New Testament

6. Islam (Followers of Islam are called Muslims)

▪ Began in 622 A.D. in Arabia

▪ Major beliefs:

1. In 570, Muhammad was born in Mecca

2. According to Muslim tradition, the Angel Gabriel commanded Muhammad to become a prophet of God (Allah) and spread the message of Islam

3. All Muslims must accept and follow the Five Pillars of Faith

Pray five times a day

Give alms to the poor

Make a trip to Mecca before one’s life is over

Fast during the holy month of Ramadan

Must believe in one God, Allah

4. Believe in the sacred text ( Quran

Regents Review Sheet # 3

I. Byzantine Empire

A. When Rome was divided in split into two: West( Holy Roman Empire

East( Byzantine Empire

B. Leader of the Byzantine Empire( Justinian (autocrat – single ruler who has complete power)

C. Justinian Code( a legal code; explains certain principles that shaped the legal system (similar to Roman law( preserved Roman law)

D. Constantinople( capital of the empire; was a center for trade

E. schism- spilt, or separation

F. Great Schism 1054( the split in the Catholic Church ( led to the creation of the Eastern Orthodox Church (built the Hagia Sophia) in the Byzantine Empire

G. Preserved the Greco-Roman Culture in the Byzantine Empire

F. The Byzantine Empire greatly influenced the cultural development of Russia

1. Kiev( resembled Constantinople

2. Eastern Orthodox Church

II. Islamic Civilization

A. Islamic religion – Quran (greatly influenced the development of Islamic Law)

Five Pillars of Faith

B. caliph – a successor of Muhammad (ruler of the Muslim Empire)

C. Achievements in the Islamic Empire

1. expansion of trade (based on a money economy)

2. education system based on religion

3. advances in medicine

4. developed the Arabic number system

III. Middle Ages

A. Middle Ages or Medieval Period ( lasted from 500-1400s

B. A time period of political and economical change

C. feudalism( a political system that developed during the Middles Ages in which local lord held the land that belonged to the king; involved pledges of loyalty in return for land and protection

D. manorialism( an economic relationship between the lords, peasants, serfs

Self-sufficient( relied on themselves to produce any needs for survival

E. Code of Chivalry(a code taken by knights which emphasized loyalty, honor, bravery, strength (similar to the Code of Bushido)

IV. Crusades

A. a series of holy wars fought between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land (Jerusalem)

B. Cause( Muslims seized Jerusalem from the Christians

Christians wanted to free the Holy Land from Muslin control

C. Why were they fighting for the Holy Land?

1. Jesus for Christianity

2. Muhammad spoke to Allah in Jerusalem

D. Effects( “World’s Greatest Failure”

Failure( Christians did not gain control over the Holy Land

Success ( trade increased between Europe, Asia, an the Middle East

Demand for goods increased

Cultural diffusion – expansion of learning and religion

Feudalism ended (why? Serfs left the land)

Increase in global, international trade – leads to the Commercial Revolution or Business Revolution

V. Japan

A. Japan is an archipelago – a country made up of many islands

B. Terrace farming- to grow crops (as well as the Incas)

C. Early Japan revolved around clans (groups of families) and emperors

D. Feudalism in Japan was similar to feudalism in Europe during the Middle Ages

(Shogun- actual ruler, daimyo, samurai (Bushido), farmers, merchants, and peasants

E. Japan modernized quickly after a long period of isolation ( Meiji Restoration began to modernize Japan

F. Sino-Japanese War- a war between China and Japan – Japan defeated China and gained control over Korea.

G. Shintoism- religion of Japan; all living and non-living things have spirits in nature (similar to Animism in Africa)

VI. Revival of Europe – Commercial Revolution and the Renaissance

A. Commercial Revolution- a business revolution; the change from feudalism and the manorial system to business and trade (a capitalist economy)

1. guilds- trade organization that protected business people and set good business prices

2. apprentices- young people who learned a craft in shops

3. capitalism- a money based economy (Example- The United States)

4. joint-stock companies

5. The establishment of Mercantilism- an economic theory based on the belief that colonies exist to benefit the mother country. Mercantilism also supports a favorable balance of trade – (a country should export more goods than it should import)

B. The Renaissance – the “Rebirth” of Classical Greek and Roman culture; a period of great creativity

1. Began in Italy 1300s-1500s

2. Humanism- a literary theme which emphasized the achievements of the individual human being

3. Artists- Leonardo da Vinci – Last Supper

Michelangelo- Sistine Chapel

4. Writers- Dante, Cervantes (Don Quixote), Shakespeare, Machiavelli (The Prince)

5. Printing Press- Johannes Gutenberg ( Results( more books were being produced, literacy increased, and ideas spread quickly

VII. Reformation and Counter-Reformation

A. Why? (Renaissance, absolute monarchy, corruption in the Church

B. Protestants- people who protests against the church

C. selling of indulgences- a promise by a Church leader to limit a person’s stays I purgatory

D. Martin Luther – leader of the Protestant Reformation; wrote the 95 Theses

E. Counter-Reformation- Catholic Reformation began to strengthen the Catholic Church

VIII. Absolute Monarchs

A. Absolutism- a political system which a ruler has total power

B. Henry VIII of England- Act of Supremacy- became the separate leader of the Anglican Church (Church of England)

C. Louis XIV of France- “The Sun King”; “I am the state” – France was the most prosperous nation under his leadership – built the Palace of Versailles and expanded education

D. Peter the Great and Catherine the Great of Russia – issued a policy of Westernization (the adoption of western ideas and customs by non-western nations) and the policy of Modernization (creation of a stable society producing high levels of goods and services)

E. Glorious Revolution – A non-violent overthrow of the government of James II

Causes(James II second wife gave birth to son- Parliament feared his son would re-establish Catholicism in England. As a result, James II fled to France; Parliament invited James II daughter, Mary and husband William

*This completed a “Bloodless” transfer of power *

Effects( English Bill of Rights was issued and created a limited monarchy- a government in which a legislative body limits the monarchy’s power

IX. Inca Empire

A. Major Achievements – Road building (excellent builders)

Terrace farming

B. Francisco Pizarro- a Spanish conquistador invaded the Inca Empire and took control

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