Comparison: Rise of empires | World History | Khan Academy

What is an empire?

• A small group of people living together.

• A country that only controls its original land.

• One group controlling many different kinds of people and lands.

• A group of people who share the same language and culture.

What was a key reason for the rise of the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great?

• Advanced technology.

• A strong leader who was tolerant of different people.

• A sudden power vacuum in the region.

• A shared economic ideology.

What helped Chandragupta Maurya establish the Mauryan Empire in India?

• A new type of weapon.

• A strong cultural identity shared by all people.

• A power vacuum after Alexander the Great left the region.

• Very strong neighboring empires.

How did the Han Dynasty help unify the Chinese people?

• By conquering many weak neighbors quickly.

• By using advanced military technology.

• By revitalizing Confucianism as a shared belief system.

• By having a very weak central government.