AP World History : Religions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP World History

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

During the famous Kumbh Mela festival, Hindu pilgrims _______________.

Possible Answers:

visit the holy city of Jerusalem

visit the holy city of Mecca

ritually bathe in the Ganges River

travel abroad to teach their religion to nonbelievers

give up their worldly possessions, keeping just a loincloth and begging bowl

Correct answer:

ritually bathe in the Ganges River

Explanation:

Kumbh Mela is a Hindu religious festival in which Hindu pilgrims travel from all over the world to ritually bathe in the Ganges River.

Visiting the holy city of Mecca is a religious pilgrimage for Muslims, not Hindus.

Jerusalem is a site of spiritual and religious significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Mormons, as well as other religious groups, engage in religious missions, but the Kumbh Mela festival isn't focussed on proselytizing.

Some Hindus become ascetics, giving up their worldly possessions except for loincloths and begging bowls, but the Kumbh Mela festival isn't specifically an ascetic event.

Example Question #12 : Ap World History

Which of these statements about Egyptian belief in the afterlife is most accurate?

Possible Answers:

They believed it would be identical to life on Earth and they would therefore require their earthly possessions

They believed each individual could gain access to heaven through religious devotion or through financial donations to religious figures

They believed only in hell and greatly feared death

They believed in heaven and hell, but only the pharaoh and his family would gain access to heaven

None of these

Correct answer:

They believed it would be identical to life on Earth and they would therefore require their earthly possessions

Explanation:

The ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife that would be almost identical to life on Earth. They believed that they would be able to take their earthly possessions with them and make use of them in the afterlife. This belief was so ingrained that some rulers would be buried with their pets, slaves, even wives, so that they might be with them in the afterlife.

Example Question #12 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

Which of these best describes the Vedas?

Possible Answers:

An agricultural system designed to ensure protection from flooding during monsoon season in Southeast Asia

A collection of Buddhist prayers, rituals and practices

A system of conscription used by the ancient Persian empire to ensure sufficient manpower for their armies

A political system designed to ensure the maintenance of order in ancient Pakistan

A collection of Hindu hymns, rituals and religious guidelines

Correct answer:

A collection of Hindu hymns, rituals and religious guidelines

Explanation:

The Vedas are a collection of Hindu hymns, rituals and religious guidelines written during the Vedic Age of Indian history. The Vedas are thought to be the revelations of enlightened individuals and are the foundation upon which orthodox Hindu philosophy rests.

Example Question #12 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

The Vedic Age refers to a time period in the history of which of these countries?

Possible Answers:

Turkey

China

Spain

Italy

India

Correct answer:

India

Explanation:

The Vedic Age is a period of Indian history that began with the arrival of the Aryans in India (approximately 1,500 BCE) and ended a millennium later. The Vedic Age is so named because this is the period of Indian history when the Vedas, the oldest preserved Hindu scriptures, were composed.

Example Question #13 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

Zoroastrianism was the primary religion in which of these empires?

Possible Answers:

Egyptian

Yakutia

Hittite

Persia

Umayyad

Correct answer:

Persia

Explanation:

Zoroastrianism was the primary religion of the Persian Empire. It was founded by Zoroaster, sometimes called Zarathustra, sometime in antiquity. The first recorded mentions of Zoroastrianism appear in the early years of the First Persian Empire, circa 550 BCE. Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion, perhaps the world’s first.

Example Question #14 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

Which of these statements about Zoroaster is accurate?

Possible Answers:

He founded the state religion of the Persian Empire

He was a historian who wrote about war between the various Greek city-states

He led the Greek revolt against the Persian Empire

He was a ruler of ancient Persia long before the conquests of Cyrus the Great and Darius I

None of these statements about Zoroaster is accurate

Correct answer:

He founded the state religion of the Persian Empire

Explanation:

Zoroaster, sometimes called Zarathustra, founded Zoroastrianism - the state religion of the Persian Empire.

Example Question #15 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

Ahura Mazda was the _______________.

Possible Answers:

head of the celestial bureaucracy of Gods in classical China

name given to the holy book of Shinto

messiah figure of Judaism before the advent of Christianity

name given to the holy book of Confucianism

monotheistic God of Zoroastrianism

Correct answer:

monotheistic God of Zoroastrianism

Explanation:

Ahura Mazda is the name of the monotheistic God of Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism is one of the earliest monotheistic religions in the world. It emerged in Persia sometime around 1,000 BCE and soon became the dominant religion of this part of the world. There remain a few million practitioners of Zoroastrianism in the world, mostly concentrated in modern-day Iran and Pakistan.

Example Question #16 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

Which of these best describes animism?

Possible Answers:

A philosophy based on the importance of filial piety and loyalty.

A religion based on the practice of nonviolence towards all living things.

A religion based on the belief that things in the natural world have souls.

A philosophy based on the importance of reason and self-moderation.

A philosophy based on the importance of pleasure-seeking and knowledge.

Correct answer:

A religion based on the belief that things in the natural world have souls.

Explanation:

Many paleolithic societies practiced animism, this means that they believed everything in the world around them was imbued with a soul. In the contemporary world there are still many examples of beliefs that fall under the category of animism.

 

Example Question #17 : Religions From Prehistory To 600 Bce

What was the purpose of mummification to Ancient Egyptians?

Possible Answers:

to preserve the body for mourners at the funeral

to harvest organs to be used for scientific analysis

to preserve the body to prevent rotting and the spread of disease

to preserve the body for use in the afterlife

to harvest organs for use in medicine

Correct answer:

to preserve the body for use in the afterlife

Explanation:

Mummification refers to the ancient Egyptian process of preserving a body for burial. Mummification involved removing organs, drying them out, and wrapping the body in cloth. The purpose of mummification was to preserve the body for use in the afterlife. At first only the Pharaoh was mummified, but later it became an essential part of Egyptian culture and religious experience for most members of society.

Example Question #1 : Religions 600 Bce To 600 Ce

Which temple in Rome was dedicated the same year as the founding of the Roman Republic in 509 BCE?

Possible Answers:

The Temple of Caesar

The Temple of Mars Ultor

The Pantheon

The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

The Temple of Hercules Victor

Correct answer:

The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Explanation:

The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus was one of the first temples built in the city of Rome and was the largest in Italy at the time of its construction. It stood on the Capitoline Hill and was one of the highest points in the city until it was burned down in 83 BCE. The Pantheon was built in about 128 BCE. The Temple of Hercules Victor was built in the late 2nd century. The Temple of Mars Ultor was built over a very long period of time, and it was inaugurated in 2 BCE. The Temple of Caesar was opened in 29 BCE.

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