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Unit notes and practice questions

Grade 9 History unit 2: Ancient world civilizations up to c. 500AD

Everything here is for unit 2 of the Grade 9 History textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.

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3
Cards
10
Practice questions on unit 2
23–40
The textbook pages for unit 2

What unit 2 covers

  1. 1.Ancient Civilizations of Africa
  2. 2.Ancient Egypt
  3. 3.Nubia
  4. 4.Civilizations in Asia
  5. 5.Mesopotamia
  6. 6.Persia
  7. 7.India
  8. 8.China
  9. 9.Ancient Civilization of Latin America
  10. 10.Maya
  11. 11.Inca
  12. 12.Aztecs
  13. 13.Civilizations in Europe
  14. 14.Ancient Greek Civilization
  15. 15.Ancient Roman Civilization
  16. 16.Rise and spread of Christianity

Short notes for unit 2

The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 9 History page. Open one at a time.

CivilizationRegion or RiverWriting SystemKey Contributions
EgyptNile ValleyHieroglyphicsPapyrus, pyramids, mummification, medicine
Mesopotamia (Sumer)Tigris and EuphratesCuneiformZiggurats, plough, potter wheel, bronze
ChinaHwang Ho (Yellow River)LogographicGreat Wall, bronze vessels, philosophy
MayaCentral AmericaAdvanced glyphsAccurate yearly calendar, astronomy, limestone pyramids
AztecsValley of MexicoPictographicTenochtitlan, agriculture, crafts

When you use it

Use this table to match ancient civilizations with their geographic locations, writing systems, and major technological inventions.

Watch out

Do not confuse Cuneiform (Mesopotamia, ideographs) with Hieroglyphics (Egypt) or Logographic writing (China).

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 23-40, then checked twice before it went up

FeatureRoman Republic (509 BC to 27 BC)Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD)
Executive HeadTwo elected Consuls serving for 1 yearA single Emperor
Major Legislative BodySenate (Senators served for life)Autocratic rule by one man
Nature of GovernanceDemocratic societyAutocracy (run only by one man)
War and PeaceAlmost constant state of warFirst 200 years were relatively peaceful

When you use it

Use this comparison when answering questions on the structural and operational differences between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.

Watch out

In the Roman Republic, Consuls served for only one year, but Senators served for life.

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 23-40, then checked twice before it went up

Date or PeriodHistorical Event
54 to 68 ADReign of Nero: Roman government begins persecuting Christians.
313 ADEmperor Constantine issues Edict of Milan: religious toleration granted.
392 ADEmperor Theodosius adopts Christianity as the official state religion of Rome.
1054 ADGreat split occurs: divides into Roman Catholic Church and Greek Orthodox Church.
1517 ADReformation movement begins: divides Western Christianity into Catholic and Protestant.

When you use it

Use this sequence when answering questions on the legalization, official adoption, and historical splits of Christianity.

Watch out

Do not confuse Constantine granting religious toleration in 313 AD (Edict of Milan) with Theodosius declaring Christianity the official state religion in 392 AD.

Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 23-40, then checked twice before it went up

Practice questions on unit 2

10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.

Question 1

What paper-like substance was introduced by ancient Egyptians for writing?

  1. A.Papyrus
  2. B.Cuneiform
  3. C.Parchment
  4. D.Clay tablet
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Papyrus

Why

Ancient Egyptians developed hieroglyphics and introduced papyrus, which was a paper-like writing material.

Question 2

Which Aksumite king invaded and destroyed the Nubian capital of Meroe around 350 AD?

  1. A.Menes
  2. B.Ezana
  3. C.Cyrus
  4. D.Nero
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Ezana

Why

Around 350 AD, the Aksumite king Ezana invaded and destroyed Meroe in Nubia.

Question 3

What were the large stepped-tower temples built by the ancient Sumerians called?

  1. A.Pyramids
  2. B.Ziggurats
  3. C.Coliseums
  4. D.Polis
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Ziggurats

Why

The Sumerians built large temples of sun-dried mud bricks called Ziggurats (stepped towers).

Question 4

What was the capital city of the Inca Empire located in southern Peru?

  1. A.Tenochtitlan
  2. B.Athens
  3. C.Cusco
  4. D.Sparta
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Cusco

Why

The capital of the Inca Empire was Cusco, located in southern Peru.

Question 5

The ancient Persian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster was called:

  1. A.Confucianism
  2. B.Buddhism
  3. C.Hinduism
  4. D.Zoroastrianism
Show the answer and why

Answer: D Zoroastrianism

Why

The religion of the ancient Persians was Zoroastrianism, founded by the prophet Zoroaster.

Question 6

Which was the first dynasty in ancient China, known for creating bronze vessels and war chariots?

  1. A.Chou dynasty
  2. B.Shang dynasty
  3. C.Han dynasty
  4. D.Ming dynasty
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Shang dynasty

Why

The first dynasty in ancient China was the Shang dynasty (c. 1700-1122 BC).

Question 7

Which ancient Greek figure began modern medicine in Europe by classifying diseases and recommending remedies?

  1. A.Hippocrates
  2. B.Herodotus
  3. C.Thucydides
  4. D.Aristotle
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Hippocrates

Why

Hippocrates started modern medicine in Europe by identifying symptoms and classifying diseases.

Question 8

In the Roman Republic, the two elected officials who headed the government for a one-year term were called:

  1. A.Pharaohs
  2. B.Viziers
  3. C.Consuls
  4. D.Senators
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Consuls

Why

The Roman Republic was headed by two elected officials called Consuls, each serving for only one year.

Question 9

The bloodiest wars fought by Rome between 264 BC and 146 BC against Carthage were the:

  1. A.Peloponnesian Wars
  2. B.Persian Wars
  3. C.Punic Wars
  4. D.Gallic Wars
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Punic Wars

Why

The bloodiest wars of Rome were the repetitive Punic Wars (264-146 BC) fought against Carthage.

Question 10

In which year did the Roman Empire adopt Christianity as its official state religion under Emperor Theodosius the Great?

  1. A.313 AD
  2. B.392 AD
  3. C.476 AD
  4. D.1054 AD
Show the answer and why

Answer: B 392 AD

Why

Under Emperor Theodosius the Great, the Romans adopted Christianity as their official state religion in 392 AD.

The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.

The textbook pages for unit 2

Unit 2 runs from page 23 to page 40 of the Ministry of Education edition.

Ministry of Education edition, English, 217 pages

Download the PDF

All Grade 9 History short notes

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