2.1 AP World History Quizlet: A Comprehensive Guide

Prepare for your AP World History exam with this comprehensive quizlet covering key concepts from Unit 2.1.

Table of Contents

Mesopotamia:
Cradle of civilization, located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Developed cuneiform, the earliest known writing system.
Established city-states such as Ur and Babylon.
Egypt:
Situated along the Nile River in North Africa.
Known for its pharaohs, pyramids, and advanced mathematics and astronomy.
Developed hieroglyphics, another early form of writing.
India:
Located in South Asia along the Indus River.
Known for the Harappan civilization, which developed advanced urban planning and commerce.
Developed the decimal system and concept of zero.
China:
Situated in East Asia along the Yellow River.
Known for the Shang dynasty, which developed bronze metallurgy and the oracle bone script.
Also developed the concept of the Mandate of Heaven.

Mesopotamia:
Polytheistic, with gods associated with natural forces.
Developed the Epic of Gilgamesh, an early work of literature exploring themes of mortality and the search for meaning.
Egypt:
Polytheistic, with gods such as Ra (sun), Osiris (underworld), and Isis (fertility).
Developed the concept of the Book of the Dead, a guide to the afterlife.
India:
Developed Hinduism, a complex religion with multiple deities and the concept of reincarnation.
Also developed Buddhism, a philosophy emphasizing non-violence and the importance of enlightenment.
China:
Developed Confucianism, a philosophy focusing on social order, respect for authority, and ethical behavior.
Also developed Taoism, a philosophy emphasizing the importance of balance and harmony in nature.

Mesopotamia:
Developed centralized governments and city-states ruled by kings or emperors.
Examples include the Akkadian and Babylonian empires.
Egypt:
Ruled by a pharaoh, who held both religious and political power.
Expanded its territory through conquests and military campaigns.
India:
Developed the Maurya Empire under Chandragupta Maurya, which unified much of the subcontinent.
Also saw the rise of the Gupta Empire, a period of cultural and economic prosperity.
China:
Developed the Qin dynasty under Qin Shi Huang, who established a centralized empire and built the Great Wall of China.
Later saw the rise of the Han dynasty, which expanded China’s territory and developed advanced technologies.

Civilization	Important Cities	Rulers/Leaders	Contributions
Mesopotamia	Ur, Babylon	Sargon, Hammurabi	Cuneiform, Epic of Gilgamesh
Egypt	Memphis, Thebes	Pharaohs (e.g., Khufu, Tutankhamun)	Pyramids, Hieroglyphics, Book of the Dead
India	Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro	Chandragupta Maurya	Harappan civilization, Hinduism, Buddhism
China	Shang, Zhou	Qin Shi Huang	Bronze metallurgy, Oracle bone script, Great Wall of China

Civilization	Gods/Goddesses	Religious Beliefs
Mesopotamia	Marduk, Ishtar	Polytheistic, associated with natural forces
Egypt	Ra, Osiris, Isis	Polytheistic, with a focus on the afterlife
India	Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva	Hinduism (reincarnation), Buddhism (non-violence, enlightenment)
China	None (Confucianism, Taoism)	Confucianism (social order), Taoism (harmony, balance)

Civilization	Government Type	Major Empires	Important Rulers
Mesopotamia	City-states, empires	Akkadian, Babylonian	Sargon, Hammurabi
Egypt	Monarchy	Old, Middle, New Kingdoms	Pharaohs (e.g., Khufu, Tutankhamun)
India	Empires	Maurya, Gupta	Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka
China	Centralized empire	Qin, Han	Qin Shi Huang, Liu Bang

Civilization	Key Technological/Cultural Developments
Mesopotamia	Cuneiform, wheel, sailboat
Egypt	Pyramids, hieroglyphics, mummification
India	Decimal system, concept of zero, yoga
China	Bronze metallurgy, oracle bone script, Great Wall of China