HI-121 Essays

  1. What could the emphasis on human sacrifice tell you about the Aztec state and religion? In what ways was it a continuation of traditional Mesoamerican practices? In what ways was it not? Is the Aztec emphasis on human sacrifice similar to any other societies studied so far?
    • The religious beliefs of and bloodletting rituals clearly reflected the desire of the Mexica to keep their agricultural society going.
    • From the time of the Olmecs, and possibly even earlier, Mesoamerican peoples had regarded the ritual sacrifice of human beings as essential to the world’s survival.
    • However the Mexica placed much more emphasis on human sacrifice than their predecessors.
    • Mayans used to practice human sacrifices to prompt the gods to water their fields of maize
  2. What influence do the Mongols have on Eurasian trade and cultural integration?
    • They sponsored interaction among peoples of different societies and linked Eurasian lands more directly than ever before.
    • Recognizing the value in regular communications for the vast empire, Chinggis Khan and his successors maintained a courier network that rapidly relayed news, information, and government orders.

    • The Mongol’s encouragement of travel and communication facilitated
    • trade
    • diplomatic travel
    • missionary effort
    • movements of peoples to new lands.
  3. Discuss the significance of Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca. How symbolic was this event? Discuss the imporance of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa.
    • Mansa Musa's pilgramage was huge and he had a huge caravan travel with him to Mecca.
    • Mansa Musa drew great inspiration from his trip to Mecca and took his relgion even more seriously than before.
    • He built mosques, particularly in the trading cities frequently visited by Muslim Merchants,
    • He sent distinguished Islamic scholars to study in North Africa.
    • He established religious schools and brought in teachers, 4 who were direct desendants of Muhammad himself
    • He did all of this to make Islam better known in Mali
  4. Why were England, France and Spain able to unify when the Italian states and the Holy Roman Empire struggled? What were the foundations of these new-nation states?
    • England, France, and Spain
    • Managed to organize regional monarchies that maintained order and reasonably good government
    • Italian states and The Holy Roman Empire
    • Struggled because they had to deal with Muslims and they didn't have a centralized government

    The foundations of the new nation states were conquest.
  5. What factors might have expalined the difference between the Indian societies of North America and those of Mesoamerica and South America?
    • Size of society, NA- small society,food resources in wild wouldn't support dense populations
    • Different mindset (ways of thought)
    • North Americans, hunter-gatherers
    • Mesoamerica and South America, agriculture (please the gods)
Author
almgimenez
ID
85872
Card Set
HI-121 Essays
Description
essay questions
Updated