All AP World History Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems
In ancient Greek society, slavery was ___________.
outlawed
practiced only for ritualized, religious purposes
integral to the economies of most city-states
considered unethical and therefore little practiced
economically unfeasible
integral to the economies of most city-states
In ancient Greece, many of the city states had populations largely comprised of slaves; slavery was an integral part of these city-states' economies.
Slavery wasn't outlawed by any means.
Although pseudo-religious rituals were an integral part of the institution of slavery, slavery was primarily an economic activity.
Slavery wasn't just economically feasible, the Greek city-states wouldn't have been able to support their upper classes, and their ensuing quest for knowledge and art, without it.
Although some Greeks did consider slavery unethical, it was practiced nearly universally; not that everyone owned slaves, but slavery was an integral part of every society and therefore every citizen worked in a slave economy.
Example Question #1 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems From Prehistory To 600 Bce
One of the earliest clear examples of economic specialization, work being the full-time production of goods rather than food by select members of a settled society, was the introduction of __________________.
Marl clay as a potter's material
the atlatl
Nile clay as a potter's material
the alphabet
the bow
Marl clay as a potter's material
Marl clay required much more training and constant supervision than Nile clay, which could be constructed into objects by a local potter who also raised animals or crops.
The bow and atlatl were prehistoric tools created by people who themselves used them to hunt.
The earliest alphabets were invented after Marl clay had been introduced into Egyptian societies.
Example Question #3 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems From Prehistory To 600 Bce
Which of these statements about job specialization during the Neolithic Era is most accurate?
Job specialization led to a less distinct division of social classes
Job specialization held back innovation and technological advancement
Job specialization led to increased interdependence in society
None of these
Job specialization led to a pooling of collective wealth
Job specialization led to increased interdependence in society
Prior to the Neolithic Revolution job specialization was fairly simple— if you were a man you hunted, if you were a woman you gathered. However, after the invention of agriculture job specialization increased dramatically. The surplus of food allowed many individuals to pursue different kinds of work. Artists, merchants, craftsmen, scribes, soldiers, and priests emerged. This led to an increased interdependence in society, as each individual relied more on others to provide the essential things needed in life.
Example Question #2 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems
___________ allowed people in early civilizations to specialize in different types of labor, such as merchants, scribes, priests, and artisans
Surplus food
Writing
Trade
Patriarchy
Surplus food
Specialization in early civilizations would have been most influenced by surplus food. Before the advent of agriculture, most humans had to devote their energy to finding and preparing food. With agriculture allowing people to settle and create civilizations, this meant that fewer people were needed to provide food, and others could specialize in other areas.
Example Question #1 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems From Prehistory To 600 Bce
How did human societies change throughout the Neolithic Age?
All humans stopped gathering food and began to practice agriculture
Nomadic pastoralism replaced agriculture on most continents
People focused mainly on divine authorities rather than providers as to who their leaders would be
Societies became more settled and saw a growth in specialization in many places
Societies became more settled and saw a growth in specialization in many places
Agriculture, the major transformation of the Neolithic Age, allowed people to settle in one place. It also meant that fewer people were needed for the task of providing food since surpluses could be created, allowing other people to specialize in a variety of other skills.
Example Question #1 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems 600 Bce To 600 Ce
What is a sign of a traditional economic system?
Frequent shifting of values and practices
A surplus of goods being produced to sell for profit
State controlled property
Bartering for goods
An “invisible hand” that guides the market
Bartering for goods
Traditional economies are characterized by long standing values and a focus on subsistence rather than profit. The other practices listed are all ideals of more modern economic theories.
Example Question #2 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems 600 Bce To 600 Ce
While the northern provinces of Rome's empire were often towns populated by Celts specializing in enamelwork, the western provinces of Rome's empire, with the exception of Rome itself, were largely ____________________.
rural, with economies based on agriculture
barren wastelands after hundreds of years of Roman onslaught
towns populated by Celts specializing in glass making
impassable jungles of little economic value
steppes populated by nomadic horse archers
rural, with economies based on agriculture
The Western provinces of Rome's empire, with the exception of Rome itself, were largely rural with economies based on feeding the population of Rome.
Rome was the significant glassmaking center of the ancient world, whereas the Celts never produced fine glasswork.
Although Rome dealt brutally with its enemies, Rome had little desire in turning whole provinces of its own empire into barren wasteland.
Steppes where nomadic horse archers traditionally lived are located in Central Asia, not close to the Mediterranean where Rome's empire was situated.
There were little to no jungles in Rome's empire. Roman soldiers had difficulty fighting in wooded areas, let alone dense jungles.
Example Question #2 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems 600 Bce To 600 Ce
In the Roman Empire, slavery was primarily based on ________________.
gender, with all women being legally defined as slaves
religion; those who did not practice Roman paganism were enslaved
race, with darker skinned people making up the majority of the slaves
debt and warfare
class, with all Plebeians being legally defined as slaves
debt and warfare
In the Roman Empire, slavery was an important part of the economy, with most slaves either being born free and then indebted to their masters, or being defeated in war and enslaved by Rome's army.
Although slavery in Rome took into account ethno-linguistic differences, this was largely a result of where Rome's army was fighting; race was never a prerequisite for slavery, in fact for much of the empire's existence most slaves on the Italian peninsula were indigenous.
Although all women lacked political rights, and most women lacked economic rights, many slaves were male, and many women were free.
Plebeians were Romans from low-born families, but they could still be free people even if born into a low caste.
Plenty of free people in ancient Rome practiced all kinds of religions, including monotheistic religions like Judaism.
Example Question #1 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems
At its height the Silk Road connected __________.
the Yuan dynasty of the Mongols with the Plantagenet dynasty of England
the Han dynasty in the east with the Roman Empire in the west
the Imperial empire of Japan in the east with the Nazi empire of Germany in the west
the Indian empire of the Mughals with the Roman Empire in the west
the Ming dynasty in the east with the Hellenistic Empire in the west
the Han dynasty in the east with the Roman Empire in the west
The Silk Road was a long distance trading network that existed during the ancient and classical eras of human history. It connected East Asia with Europe and the Middle East and allowed goods and products to be exchanged over vast distances. At its height the Silk Road connected the Han Dynasty of China with the Roman Empire in the west.
Example Question #1 : Labor Systems And Economic Systems
The Sogdians were influential __________.
in Silk Road trade
in the spread of Christianity in East Africa
in the Ottoman conquest of Asia Minor and southeast Europe
in the spread of Islam in West Africa
in Indian Ocean trade
in Silk Road trade
The Sogdians lived in Central Asia during the classical and medieval periods. Their most important city was Samarkand. The Sogdians were an important merchant society and were incredibly influential in the trade along the Silk Road from China to the Middle East.