Second Semester Study Guide

7^th grade

I.  Ancient Greece     *review chapters 25-31 and class notes*

            A.  Explain the key features of the Minoan civilization.

          B.  Compare and contrast the Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations.

          C.  Explain what led to the downfalls of these two civilizations.

          D.  What caused the Greek Dark Ages, and what was lost during this time?

          E.  Briefly describe Greek religious beliefs.

          F.  Why is Homer considered a great literary figure?

G.    How did the geography of Greece contribute to the rise of individual city-states?

H.    Explain the differences between monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny and democracy.

          I.  Compare and contrast the lives and beliefs of Spartans and Athenians.

          J.  Explain the cause and consequences of the Persian Wars.

K.  What effects did the Peloponnesian War have on Athens and the rest of Greece?

          L.  Explain the importance of the Golden Age in Athens.

          M. What are the unique characteristics of Greek art, literature, philosophy and science in

      the Golden Age?

          N.  Identify the contributions of individual Greek philosophers, writers, scientists and

     mathematicians.

O. Explain how the Greeks laid the foundations of Western Civilization through their

     ideas and achievements.

P.  What was the extent of Alexander the Great’s empire, and how did he plan to unite it?

Q.  What is the Hellenistic Age, and how did Alexander help to create it?

Terms:  Knossos, Mycenae, Peloponnesus, Iliad, Odyssey, Troy, polis, helots, Delphi, pythia, Olympic Games,            

              hoplite, phalanx, Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, Delian League, acropolis, agora, Parthenon, Doric, Ionic,

              Corinthian, Macedonia, Alexandria, Hellenistic, Ptolemaic dynasty

People:  Darius, Xerxes, Leonidas, Pericles, Alcibiades, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Herodotus, Thucydides, Hippocrates,

              Phidias, Pythagoras, Philip II, Alexander

II.  Ancient Rome      *review chapters 32-35 and class notes*

A.  Who are the Etruscans, and how did they contribute to the development of Roman

      culture?

         B.  How did control of Rome pass from the Etruscans to the Romans?

         C. Why were the Roman legions so effective in battle?

         D. What effect did the Punic Wars have on Rome?

E. What is the Roman Republic, when did it end, and what replaced it?

          F.  Who were the Gracchus brothers, and how did they try to reform Rome?

          G.  How did the creation of a professional army change Roman politics?

H.  How did the actions of Sulla affect the Roman Republic?

          I.   How was Julius Caesar able to gain absolute power in Rome?

          J.  Describe events leading up to and including the assassination of Julius Caesar.

          K.  Explain how Augustus became the first Roman Emperor.

          L.  How and why did Augustus make the people think Rome was still a republic?

          M.  Describe the sights, sounds and smells of the city of Rome.

          N. What did Romans do for recreation and entertainment?

          O.  Describe a day at the Colosseum.

 P.  Discuss Nero and the Great Fire of Rome.

          Q.  Explain the importance of the Roman army in building and maintaining the Empire.

          R.  Identify the stages of expansion in the Roman empire.

Terms:  Tiber River, plebeians, patricians, senate, consuls, tribunes, province,

Punic Wars, Carthage, Rubicon, First Triumvirate, Second Triumvirate,   

Battle of Actium, Pax Romana, Pantheon, legionary, Gaul, Pompeii, forum, bread and circuses, Julio-Claudian dynasty, aqueduct, The Five Good Emperors

          People:  Romulus and Remus, Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Marius, Pompey, Brutus,

Octavian, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Cicero, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Agrippina, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus