Foundations
Era Test – Sample Questions
1. Which technologies are generally thought to have been
acquired by Paleolithic societies?
II. stone
tools
III. iron
IV. bronze
(A) I
(B) I and II
(C) I, II
and III
(D) I, II,
and IV
(E) none of
the above
2. The emergence of agriculture, or the Neolithic
Revolution, caused all of the following EXCEPT
A) the ability of humans to
settle more permanently in one spot.
B) a population explosion.
C) an increase in the specialization
of political, economic, and religious functions.
D) the introduction of artistic
expression.
E) the disappearance of
hunter-gatherer communities.
3. Women were important contributors to the Agricultural Revolution
because they were likely the ones who
(A) traded
grains for meat
(B) made
tools and containers
(C) gathered
edible plants and knew where grains grew
(D) performed
essential agricultural tasks such as plowing and irrigation
(E) found
that farming required less work and less time
4. All early agricultural societies:
(A) were traders.
(B) settled in river valleys.
(C) used pictographs as their
form of writing.
(D) were polytheistic.
(E) were nomadic.
5. Metal tools were preferred over wood and stone tools
for all of the following reasons EXCEPT
(A) metal hoes & other tools allowed farmers to work the
ground more efficiently.
(B) they made superior weapons.
(C) they were easier for ordinary people to produce in mass
at home.
(D) they allowed some artisans to become specialists in
metal-working who could then trade with the farmers.
(E) they were sharper and more precise.
6. All of the following are contributions of the river
valley civilizations EXCEPT:
(A) the
formal divisions of time into a calendar
(B) the
wheel
(C) written
language
(D) the
development of important mathematical concepts such as square roots
(E) monotheistic religions
7. The Gupta Dynasty was much like the Zhou Dynasty in that
(A) they both used religion to support their political
power.
(B) they were
both made up of feudal regions with weak central governments
(C) both of them fell to Hun invaders.
(D) both
used bureaucrats who specialized in their areas of service to the state
(E) they
tended not to trade with other civilizations
8. To regulate the social life of their empire, the Romans
depended on
(A) its
world religion
(B) its
strictly enforced caste system
(C) its code
of laws
(D) its
highly efficient bureaucracy
(E) its
disciplined army
9. Compared with a Chinese nobleman, a peasant in
classical
A) likelihood of literacy.
B) level of wealth.
C) likelihood of belief in a
number of gods or spirits of nature.
D) dependence on land as the
basic economic resource.
E) daily economic activity.
10. Roman emperors tried to content the masses by
(A) dividing the great landed estates.
(B) avoiding war.
(C) granting the vote.
(D) abolishing slavery.
(E) organizing food supplies and distribution.
11. Which of the following societies’ social hierarchies was
overall the most constrictive and gave the least room for social mobility?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
12. Which of the following BEST encapsulates Confucian
thought?
(A) Political power is given to rulers by the gods;
therefore, rulers may treat their people as they please.
(B) Husbands and wives should share the responsibility for
family leadership equally.
(C) Social harmony is attained when superiors treat those
below them with kindness, while inferiors respect those above them.
(D) Only members of the aristocracy are capable of
cultivating the qualities of etiquette and grace.
(E) Society functions best when people are free to realize
their individuality.
13. What is a major similarity between Hinduism and
Buddhism?
(A) Both
religions support a caste system.
(B) Both
religions accept that souls reach spiritual perfection.
(C) Both
embrace the Four Noble Truths.
(D) Both
follow the Eightfold Path.
(E) These
two religions are diametrically opposed
14. The statuary above was produced in:
(A) ancient
(B) medieval
(C) Mughal India.
(D) ancient
(E) prehistoric
15. The photograph above is an example of:
(A) Incan highland commerce.
(B) Japanese Shinto animism.
(C) Plains tribes shamanism.
(D) Post Columbian colonial influence.
(E) Mayan temple architecture.
16. "Shape clay into a vessel; It is the space within
that makes it useful. . . Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there."
Which religion or belief system is most closely associated
with this quote?
A. Confucianism
B. Daoism
C. Legalism
D. Buddhism
E. Hinduism
17. Which of the following statements would LEAST likely
fit in with the ORIGINAL teachings of the Buddha?
(A) All human suffering is caused by desire.
(B) Enlightenment can most effectively be attained by
coming to realize the Four Noble Truths and practicing the Eightfold Path.
(C) Enlightenment leads to a moment of awakening and
transcendent consciousness known as nirvana.
(D) Enlightenment can most effectively be attained by venerating
many gods and bodhisattvas.
(E) none of the above
18. How did the collapse of Han China most resemble the
(A) Both were later devoured by the
(B) Their leaders began to rely on Buddhism to guide their
decision making.
(C) Both fell as a result of depletion of natural
resources.
(D) Outside invaders contributed to the collapse of both
empires.
(E) Both collapsed due to lack of technological
innovation.
19. In regard to level of toleration and respect for
conquered parts of the empire, the Romans were most similar to the
(A) Assyrians.
(B) Greeks.
(C) Persians.
(D) Chinese
under Qin Shihuangdi.
(E) Aryans.
20. The map above shows
(A)
(B) The
(C) The Han Empire system of roads
(D) The Amber road
(E) Trans-Saharan trade routes.
21. A major difference between the teachings of Buddhism
and Hinduism is
(A) belief in nirvana.
(B) the cycle of rebirth.
(C) the principle of nonviolence.
(D) belief in karma.
(E) belief in castes.
22. In the classical period, both
A) showed considerable tolerance
for different religions.
B) attempted to conquer the most
territory possible.
C) developed a lasting tradition
of strong, centralized government.
D) welcomed influences from other
cultures.
E) focused on expanding trade.
23. In which river valleys did the first civilizations on
the Eurasian and African continents develop?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D) Amazon,
(E)
24. A major impact of ancient
(A) the Greeks and Romans achieved a classless society,
which was later copied in
(B) Greek sculpture
and Roman architecture were much admired and copied in
(C)
(D) they established empires which lasted longer than their
neighbors.
(E) Greek
and Latin are still widely spoken in universities throughout the West.
25. Which statement refers the best to Alexander the
Great?
(A) he
forced conquered peoples to worship Greek gods and goddesses
(B) he
typically ruled through local hierarchies
(C) he saw
his empire slowly disintegrate during the last years of his life
(D) he never
managed to conquer
(E) he was
amazed by the riches and goods he found in
26. The Aryan conquerors brought to
(A) its first civilization.
(B) distinctive religious ideas.
(C) long-lasting peace and stability.
(D) admiration for
(E) new agricultural techniques.
27. The Hindu concept of samsara is BEST described by
which of the following statements?
(A) a belief that the wicked are
punished by everlasting torment after death
(B) a belief that one's soul
lives, dies, and is reborn many times, until it is pure enough to escape the
cycle of rebirth
(C) a doctrine that justifies the
caste system of
(D) a declaration of nonbelief in the old
Vedic gods and goddesses
(E) a belief that all actions,
good and evil, have consequences in
future lives to come
28. Confucianism is
characterized by all of the following beliefs except:
(A) nobility
is acquired through virtue, not birth
(B) people
should treat others as they themselves would be treated
(C) everyone
should carry out his social duties with devotion
(D) government
must have the confidence of the people
(E) devotion
to one’s family is not as important as devotion to oneself
29. Which
of the following is an accurate description of a cultural characteristic that
the Slavs and Germans of northern
(A) These
peoples were primarily hunters and gatherers.
(B) The
overall political organization of the Slavs and Germans evolved into regional
kingdoms.
(C) These
cultures lacked all knowledge of metallurgy.
(D) The
Celts, Slavs, and Germans were matriarchal.
(E) Their
social organization was highly stratified.
30. Which
civilization had to import most of its food and grain from colonies?
(A) Gupta
India
(B) Han
(C) Zhou
(D) The
Greeks
(E) The