Q2 Benchmark Review

Q2 BENCHMARK REVIEW

2023-2024

Why did the Arabic language become
dominant as Islam spread throughout

Southeast Asia and North Africa?

A. It became popular as it was the main language used by

Muslim traders.

B. It became popular because it combined several native

African languages.

C. It became popular because the region became isolated

from its neighbors.

D. It became popular as it was a mandatory part of the Five

Pillars of Islam.

What role did samurai play in Japanese

society?

A. They taught Shinto practices.
B. They transported trade goods.
C. They supported alliances with China.
D. They protected lands controlled by feudal lords.

This is an excerpt from Gods of Kumano by

Shinichi Nagai.Based on this excerpt, what role

do kami play in Shintoism?

A. They wrote the original

Shinto texts.

B. They make up the spiritual

energy of all things.

C. They determine the person

who leads the Shinto church.

D. They give divine powers to

rulers.

The cornerstone of

Shinto, kami, may range all
the way from the spirits

[within] trees and

mountains to the three
original divinities in the

Japanese [pantheon] who
rose out of the primordial

chaos.

Which historical figure is best known for

starting the Norman Conquest of

England?

A. Augustus Caesar

B. Charlemagne

C. Mansa Musa

D. William the Conqueror

How did the Inquisition impact different
groups in Spain during the late Middle

Ages?

A. It increased tensions between the monarchy and the

Catholic Church.

B. It forced non-Christians into hiding.

C. It allowed non-Christians to hold positions of power.

D. It decreased the role of the Catholic Church.

How did Mansa Musa’s travels through

North Africa impact the region?

Select two that apply.

A. It decreased the popularity of Islam.

B. It showed the wealth of Mali.

C. It increased the popularity of Christianity.

D. It showed the natural resources available in Mali.

E. It decreased cultural interactions in North Africa.

This is a

timeline of
events in
European
history.

Based on this timeline, how did the creation of

Catholic monasteries impact Europe?

A. It increased the popularity of polytheistic religions on

the continent.

B. It decreased the importance of Protestant religions

on the continent.

C. It helped establish Christianity as the primary religion

on the continent.

D. It prevented the establishment of a primary religion

on the continent.

This is a

timeline of

events in Asian

history.

Which event completes this timeline?

A. The Warring States period began.

B. The Tang Dynasty was established after the

unification of China.

C. The Mongol Empire expanded into China.

D. The Ming Dynasty became isolationist.

Why did the merchant class develop into a
role of great importance throughout Asia,

Africa, and Europe during the 1500s?

A. Isolationist policies became more popular in these

regions.

B. Military conflicts decreased in these regions.

C. Religious tensions decreased in these regions.

D. Economic growth allowed traders to create wealth

and gain influence in these regions.

How did the expansion of Chinese
influence in Asia impact Japanese

culture?

A Chinese religions like Buddhism became popular in
Japan.

B Japanese governments became more democratic in
reaction to Chinese policies.

C Japanese leaders banned all military training in
reaction to Chinese policies.

D Chinese building projects like the Great Wall became
popular in Japan.

How did Justinian increase the power of

the Byzantine Empire?

A. He blocked all trade along the Silk Road.

B. He decreased the influence of the Catholic Church.

C. He reconquered Italy and other parts of the Roman

Empire.

D. He created alliances with the Ottoman Empire.

This chart shows
several causes of

one change in

European societies

after the Black

Death.

Which change in European societies

completes this chart?

A. creation of Muslim governments

B. collapse of the Catholic church

C. emergence of towns and villages

D. rise of international alliances

Based on this excerpt, why was Timbuktu

an important city in Mali?

A. It was a religious

site.

B. It was a center for

trade.

C. It was the center of

government.

D. It was a strong

military fort.

The renowned traveler Ibn Battuta

and his medieval colleagues did
report on the great wealth of the
Malian Empire and its storehouses

of gold, for the trade in that and
other commodities was the city’s

reason for being, and Timbuktu

really was very wealthy; but

Timbuktu also took on a reputation

among Muslims for its learning.

How did the Heian aristocracy contribute

to the development of a Japanese

national culture?

A. They introduced a democratic government.

B. They created a mandatory educational system for all

children.

C. They decreased the size of the military.

D. They pursued the arts in court life.

Which number

correctly identifies
the Tibetan Plateau
on the map of Asia?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

This is a quote by Mehmed II the Conqueror.

By the help and grace of God...we have reached our goal.

We conquered Constantinople, city of prosperity and
wealth, and seat of the Roman Empire, which had been

the desire of Muslims for ages.

Based on this quote, how did Mehmed II the

Conqueror increase Muslim influence?

A. He expanded the borders of the Ottoman Empire.

B. He enforced isolationist policies within the Ottoman

Empire.

C. He banned all trade throughout the Ottoman Empire.

D. He adopted European customs and laws within the

Ottoman Empire.

What was one outcome of the conquests

of Genghis Khan?

A. They led to the Mongol conquest of the entire

continent of Asia, including India and Japan.

B. They decreased the military power of the Mongol

Empire.

C. They established Mongol influence on the cultures of

Eastern Europe to Asia.

D. They prevented the Mongol Empire from accessing

the Silk Road.

What was one way the Catholic Church

cooperated with European monarchs during the

Middle Ages?

A. The Catholic Church granted religious authority to

European monarchs.

B. The Catholic Church collected taxes on all properties

owned by European monarchs.

C. The Catholic Church led military campaigns into the

lands controlled by European monarchs.

D. The Catholic Church encouraged democratic elections

to decrease the power of European monarchs.

How did the Crusades have a lasting

impact on European history?

A. They led to permanent European control of the Holy

Lands.

B. They forced European monarchs to adopt feudalism.
C. They started a period of religious tolerance in

Europe.

D. They increased tensions between different religious

groups in Europe.

How did the expansion of the Mongol

Empire impact the Silk Road?

A. The Silk Road completely shut down during the Mongol

Empire’s reign.

B. Trade increased along the Silk Road during the Mongol

Empire’s reign.

C. Economies of civilizations along the Silk Road

collapsed during the Mongol Empire’s reign.

D. The importance of the Silk Road decreased during the

Mongol Empire’s reign.

This chart lists several geographic features in

East Asia.Which geographic features best
complete this chart? Select two that apply.

A Black Sea

B Euphrates River

C Gobi Desert

D Red Sea

E Yellow River

This chart identifies one geographical
feature of Africa. Which geographical

feature completes this chart?

A Gulf of Guinea

B Niger River

C Nile River

D Sahara Desert

Which geographical feature acts as a
natural barrier between Europe and

Africa?

A English Channel

B Mediterranean Sea

C North European Plain

D Ural Mountains

Which sentence accurately describes

animism?

A All life is created and controlled by one god.

B Ancestors are part of a group of many gods.

C All elements of nature have souls.

D Ancestors live within their descendants.

This chart lists several advancements made by

the Song Dynasty. Which advancement best

completes this chart?

A gunpowder

B magnetic compass

C mechanical clock

D porcelain

What was a social impact of the Black

Death on European societies?

A. It allowed European societies to expand their influence

into North America.

B. It caused populations in European societies to

collapse.

C. It prevented the Catholic Church from participating in

European societies.

D. It increased the number of people living in European

societies.

Which was a significant contribution of
the Ming Dynasty to Chinese history?

A construction of the Silk Road

B development of the civil service exam

C invention of silk textiles

D construction of the Forbidden City

How did the Magna Carta impact
England? Select two that apply.

A It limited the power of the monarchy.

B It decreased the size of the military.

C It created a market economy.

D It established the rule of law.

E It decreased the power of religious organizations.

How did feudalism impact the economy

of Europe during the Middle Ages?

A. It encouraged capitalist growth through the

development of the merchant class.

B. It led to the creation of centralized economies

controlled by monarchs and nobles.

C. It led to isolationist policies that ended all local and

regional trade.

D. It allowed for the redistribution of wealth to the

poorest social classes.

This chart

shows several
contributions
from Muslim

societies in the
early 1000s CE.

Based on this chart, which statement is

true?

A. Muslim societies were unable to produce scholars.

B. Muslim societies were isolated from other

civilizations.

C. Muslim societies prevented the use of academies

and other centers of learning.

D. Muslim societies made several advancements in and

preserved knowledge about mathematics.

This chart lists
several Asian

goods that were
used by Christian

civilizations in

Europe during the

Crusades.

According to this chart, which statement

is true?

A. The Crusades decreased exchanges between

Christian groups and cultures outside of Europe.

B. The Crusades increased contact between Christian

groups and Asian cultures.

C. The Crusades isolated Europe from cultures in Asia.

D. The Crusades forced Europe to become less involved

in regional trade.

How did the Hundred Years’ War impact

English culture?

A. It increased the power of French monarchs in English

culture.

B. It increased Muslim influences on English culture.

C. It led to the destruction of English culture.

D. It led to the creation of a unique English culture.

This is a timeline

of events in

African history.

Which event completes this timeline?

A. Islamic practices and culture became popular in

West Africa.

B. Animism became popular in Southwest Asia.

C. Ancestor worship became an important element of

Islam.

D. Polytheistic ideas became an important part of

indigenous African spiritual traditions.

Charlemagne established which religion

as the primary religion of the Holy

Roman Empire?

A Buddhism

B Christianity

C Islam

D Judaism

35. This is an excerpt from the writings

of Marco Polo.

Know also that the Great Khan [has] distributed the

territory of [the Mongol Empire] into nine parts, which he

[has made] into nine kingdoms. To each of these

kingdoms a king is appointed who is subordinate to the
Great Khan, and every year renders the accounts of his

kingdom to...the capital.

According to this excerpt, how was

Kublai Khan able to maintain control of

the Mongol Empire?

A. He allowed the creation of independent countries

within the Mongol Empire.

B. He moved the capital of the Mongol Empire every

year.

C. He ruled every region in the Mongol Empire directly.

D. He divided the Mongol Empire into smaller kingdoms

that answered to him.

This chart describes the role of griots in West
African societies. Based on this chart, which

statement is true?

A. Griots preserved cultural

heritage through generations.

B. Griots led and organized large

regional academies and
universities.

C. Griots organized people into

social classes.

D. Griots assigned careers based

on social need.

This chart describes the geographical location of
one European city. The geographical location of
which European city is described in this chart?

A Athens

B Constantinople

C Rome

D Sparta

This is a map of

Southwest Asia. Which

number correctly

identifies the location

of Mecca?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

This is a map of

Africa. Which number

correctly identifies
the location of the

Niger River?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

This is an excerpt from the Qur’an.

According to this excerpt, what is the

role of Mohammad in Islam?

A. He is the father of Allah.

B. He is one of Allah’s

prophets.

C. He is the son of Allah.

D. He is one of Allah’s rivals.

Mohammad is not the
father of any of your

men, but he is the
Messenger of Allah

and [Allah’s speaker on

earth]. And Allah has
full knowledge of all

things.