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WorksheetsTang, Song, Mongol, Yuan, Ming, Middle Ages, and Feudalism
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 50hrs 0mins
Which project initiated during the Sui Dynasty connected the Huang He and the Chang Jiang and provided a vital trade route between northern cities and the southern rice-producing region?
Reconstruction of the Great Wall
Construction of the Grand Canal
Establishment of two capitals
Government census
What factor most turned the people against the Sui Dynasty, eventually contributing to revolt?
Increased social mobility in cities
Crushing taxes on merchants only
Endless labor on state projects that overworked and overtaxed people
Religious persecution of Buddhists
What event marked the end of the second Sui emperor’s reign?
Defeat at the Battle of Talas
Assassination by a member of the imperial court
Voluntary abdication due to illness
Death in battle against rival warlords
How long did the Tang Dynasty rule, based on the dates provided?
About 150 years (618–768)
Nearly 300 years (618–907)
Over 500 years (400–900)
Exactly 200 years (700–900)
Which description accurately identifies Empress Wu Zhao’s significance during the Tang era?
She was the only woman ever to hold the title in China.
She extended Chinese influence to the Korean Peninsula.
She abolished the Grand Canal to shift trade north.
She reformed land ownership by parcelling land to peasant farmers.
Match each Tang governance feature with its description.
Strong central government
Power consolidated by Tang rulers
Bureaucracy
Organized departments to manage administration
Two capitals
Cha'ng-an and Luoyang used to better control the vast empire
Government census
Population count used for governance
Which city was described as the largest in the world during the Tang period?
Luoyang
Chang’an (Cha'ng-an)
Khanbaliq
Nara
Which cultural developments are associated with the Tang period? Select all that apply.
Spread of Buddhism through trade to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
Greater social mobility
Movement to cities
Abolition of all trade routes to Central Asia
Which economic or technological developments are attributed to the Tang period? Select all that apply.
Porcelain
Mechanical clock
Block printing
Development of gunpowder
Which consequence is directly linked to the development of gunpowder during the Tang era?
Improved irrigation along the Grand Canal
Creation of explosive weapons such as bombs, grenades, small rockets, and cannons
Replacement of the Great Wall with fortresses
Invention of paper currency
Which statement about the Grand Canal during the Tang period is correct?
It connected the Huang He and the Chang Jiang, supporting trade between northern cities and the southern rice-producing region.
It linked China to the Aral Sea via man-made locks.
It served only military transport and was closed to merchants.
It was abandoned after the Sui and never expanded.
What was the significance of the Battle of Talas in 751 for Tang China?
It united northern and southern China under the Tang.
It marked the defeat of Chinese forces by Muslim armies, after which Central Asia passed out of Chinese control.
It ended the Period of Disunion.
It led to the coronation of Empress Wu Zhao.
Which factors contributed to the decline and fall of the Tang Dynasty? Select all that apply.
Persistent border attacks and internal rebellions
Successful control of Central Asia after Talas
Rival warlords dividing China into separate kingdoms after the fall
Effective coverage of military expansion costs through taxation
Which leader is credited with reunifying China and founding the Song Dynasty in 960?
Emperor Wu Zetian
General Taizu
Kublai Khan
Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Where did the Song first establish their capital to restore centralized government control?
Kaifeng
Hangzhou
Luoyang
Chang'an
Which change helped the Song manage their empire more effectively?
Reducing taxation on merchants
Eliminating regional governors
Enlarging the government bureaucracy
Outlawing foreign trade
Identify two major economic or technological innovations of the Song that boosted trade and a large-scale economy. Select TWO.
Movable type printing
Gunpowder for warfare
Paper money
Terraced farming
What effect did importing a fast-ripening rice variety have on Song society?
Reduced population growth due to crop failures
Enabled two harvests per year and supported population growth
Ended trade with India, Korea, and Japan
Forced more people to remain farmers instead of becoming artisans
Match each Song-era development to its impact on trade or society.
Magnetic compass
Growth of ocean trade
Export of silk, spices, tea, jade
Increased exchange with India, Korea, and Japan
Fast-ripening rice
Allowed two rice crops yearly and spurred population growth
New height in black-ink landscape art
Cultural achievements in visual arts
During the Tang and Song dynasties, China’s population trend and historical characterization are best described as which pair?
Declined steadily; era of fragmentation
Nearly doubled to about 100 million; Golden Age
Stayed constant; age of isolation
Rose slightly; period of stagnation
According to the section on the status of women, what was a consequence of foot binding among upper-class girls?
It improved mobility for work in fields
It reflected a husband’s wealth and prestige but left women crippled
It granted legal independence to married women
It was a temporary rite with no lasting effects
Which statement best captures Neo-Confucianism during the Song period?
A rejection of Confucian ideas in favor of Legalism alone
A revival of Confucian thinking infused with Buddhism and Daoism
An exclusive Buddhist movement without Confucian elements
A purely Daoist philosophy focused on nature rituals
Which social shift followed agricultural changes from fast-ripening rice during the Song?
More farmers were needed, reducing urban trades
Many people became artisans and shopkeepers, increasing trade
Peasant women stopped working in fields entirely
Merchants were banned from cities
In imperial China, why did candidates take civil-service exams?
To qualify for government service by demonstrating knowledge and ability
To gain permission to own land as part of the Scholar-Gentry
To join military clans on the Eurasian steppe
To receive tax exemptions reserved for merchants
According to the civil-service system described, who could become candidates for the exams?
Only males, because women were not educated to read
Both males and females, but only landowners
Only members of military clans
Anyone who lived in the capital regardless of gender
Which statement best explains the Scholar-Gentry class in this context?
Men who passed civil-service exams and also owned land
Soldiers who protected the steppe trade routes
Nomadic pastoralists organized into clans
Merchants who funded Neo-Confucian academies
What philosophical tradition shaped the content of the civil-service exams and included concepts such as filial piety?
Neo-Confucianism
Legalism
Buddhism
Daoism
Which outcome is noted for the Song Dynasty in relation to the Mongols?
The Song eventually fell to the Mongolians
The Song conquered the steppes and expelled the Mongols
The Song formed a lasting alliance with Mongol clans
The Song isolated itself and avoided contact with Mongols
Select all traits that characterize the Mongols as described.
Nomadic movement across the Eurasian steppe
Pastoralism based on herding domesticated animals
Organization into kinship groups called clans
Permanent settlement in river valleys with intensive farming
Around 1200, a Mongol clan leader named Temujin worked to unify the Mongols. In 1206, he accepted a new title. Which title did Temujin take in 1206?
Great Khan
Khanate of the Golden Horde
Genghis Khan, or “universal ruler”
Emperor of China
Which description best characterizes Genghis Khan’s approach to warfare and conquest according to the lesson?
Relied mainly on siege engines and diplomacy
Brilliant military organizer who used cavalry, archery, and strategic cruelty to force surrenders
Focused on naval power and alliances with coastal states
Avoided violence, emphasizing trade over expansion
Select all tactics or effects attributed to the Mongol military under Genghis Khan.
Advanced use of cavalry
Skillful archery
Peacefully invading cities
Spreading terror that led towns to surrender without a fight
How did Genghis Khan die, and what happened to the empire after his death?
Died in battle; the empire fragmented
Assassinated; expansion halted
Died from illness in 1227; successors continued to expand his empire
Executed by rival khans; territories were lost
In less than 50 years, the Mongols conquered territory stretching between which two regions, creating the largest unified land empire in history?
Japan to India
China to Poland
Korea to Mesopotamia
Siberia to Spain
The period from the mid-1200s to the mid-1300s when the Mongols imposed stability and law and order across much of Eurasia is known as what?
Silk Road Era
Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace)
Yuan Restoration
Golden Horde Age
During the Mongol Peace, which statement best reflects Mongol policy toward the beliefs and way of life of conquered peoples?
They imposed a single Mongol religion on all subjects
They rarely imposed their beliefs or way of life on those they conquered
They banned local customs and languages
They required conversion to Buddhism
Which development occurred as Mongol rulers interacted with the cultures they governed during Pax Mongolica?
Mongol leaders rejected foreign religions
Some Mongol rulers adopted aspects of the people’s culture, with some becoming Muslims after invading the Muslim empire
All Mongol elites converted to Christianity
Cultural exchange was strictly prohibited
What did the Mongols guarantee that helped trade flourish across Eurasia during Pax Mongolica?
Tax-free markets in Europe
Safe passage for caravans, travelers, and missionaries along routes such as the Silk Road
Exclusive maritime trade rights
Fixed prices for luxury goods
Select all consequences of Pax Mongolica for Eurasian exchange.
Trade between Europe and Asia became more active
Ideas, religions, and inventions traveled with trade goods
Chinese innovations like gunpowder reached Europe
The Silk Road was permanently closed
Some historians speculate about the initial spread of the plague during this period. Which explanation do they propose?
It began in Europe’s ports due to merchant guilds
It spread first by Mongols traveling trade routes or passed by infected Mongol troops
It originated from volcanic activity in Siberia
It was carried only by naval fleets in the Mediterranean
Under Kublai Khan, foreign trade increased across Central Asia. Which factor most directly made caravan routes safer for trade and travel?
Construction of a 1,100-mile paved highway from Hangzhou to Beijing
The Mongol Peace that stabilized territories under Mongol control
Marco Polo’s government missions across Chinese cities
Adoption of paper currency by Chinese merchants
Which Chinese products or inventions were spread or valued abroad during Kublai Khan’s reign? Select all that apply.
Silk and porcelain
Gunpowder and the compass
Paper currency and playing cards
Tea ceremonies and jade carvings
Marco Polo’s experience under Kublai Khan included extended service and later imprisonment. Which statement best summarizes his role before imprisonment?
He was a military commander defending northern borders.
He served the Great Khan for 17 years on government missions to various Chinese cities.
He managed foreign trade ports along the South China Sea.
He acted as a royal tax collector in Central Asia.
Which combination lists major reasons for Kublai Khan’s difficulties controlling his empire and the eventual fall of the Yuan?
Heavy spending on public works and luxuries
Failed military expeditions to expand territory
Loss of military personnel and financial losses
Widespread overtaxation and vast territory hard to control
Which outcome followed Kublai Khan’s death in 1294?
The Yuan Dynasty expanded into Southeast Asia.
Four different khanates formed from the Mongol Empire.
Marco Polo became the ruler of Yuan.
The Mongols abandoned Central Asia entirely.
Which consequence did isolation from Western Europe have for Russia during Mongol dominance?
Rapid spread of Renaissance art and science
Prevention of new ideas and inventions from reaching Russia
Immediate industrialization of Moscow
Decline of the Orthodox Church
Which development occurred over time in Russia under Mongol influence?
St. Petersburg replaced Moscow as the primary city.
Moscow emerged as a major city.
The Golden Horde relocated its capital to Kiev.
The Chagatai Khanate governed the Russian northeast.
How did Ivan III alter Russia’s relationship with the Mongols?
He launched a failed invasion of Central Asia.
He won a bloodless standoff against the Mongols and emerged as Russia’s Czar.
He converted the Mongols to Orthodoxy through diplomacy.
He reimposed higher tributes to ensure peace.
Which event marked the beginning of the Ming Dynasty’s rule over China?
Mongol conquest of Beijing
Hongwu commanding rebel forces to drive the Mongols out in 1368
Zheng He’s first voyage in 1405
Construction of the Forbidden City
Identify an agricultural change encouraged under Hongwu.
Decreased rice production
Improved irrigation systems and increased rice production
Expansion of cotton plantations only
Shift from fish farming to cattle ranching
Which statement best describes Zheng He’s role in Ming exploration?
He planned one voyage but European captains led it
He was a Chinese Muslim admiral who led seven voyages beginning in 1405
He sailed for Portugal to map African coasts
He focused on conquering Japan rather than exploration
According to the material, approximately how many ships could sail in each of Zheng He’s expeditions?
5 to 15
20 to 50
40 to 300
400 to 700
What was a diplomatic practice Zheng He used to display Chinese superiority during his travels?
Refusing all trade with foreign ports
Distributing gifts such as silver and silk
Building permanent Chinese colonies overseas
Invading ports to seize goods
Which development followed the seventh voyage of exploration?
China expanded colonization across the Pacific
China withdrew into isolation in 1433
China adopted European ship designs
China opened its borders to free trade
What is the definition of isolation given in the material?
A strategy for rapid industrialization
The state of being in a place or situation separate from others
An economic system based on free markets
A political union with neighboring countries
Which policy reflected Ming China’s effort to limit outside influence on commerce?
Allowing private merchants to conduct foreign trade freely
Only permitting the government to conduct foreign trade
Mandating Christian missionaries to manage trade missions
Creating joint-stock companies
Which factor made China weaker than other countries during its isolation?
Rapid urbanization that drained rural labor
Development slowed down or stopped due to isolation
Overpopulation from immigration
Excessive military spending on overseas colonies
During the Ming, what did European merchants often use to pay for Chinese goods like silk and porcelain?
Gold mined in Africa
Silver from mines in the Americas
Paper currency printed in Europe
Barter with wool textiles
Select the reasons China did not become highly industrialized under the Ming.
The idea of commerce offended Confucian beliefs
High taxes targeted manufacturing and trade
Abundant coal made industry unnecessary
European embargoes blocked Chinese exports
Which religious and cultural beliefs characterized Ming society?
Islamic law guided government and emperors were elected
Confucian values prevailed and emperors were seen as divine
Buddhist monks controlled trade policy
Christianity was the state religion
What was the impact of Christian missionaries during the Ming according to the material?
They led mass conversions across China
They accompanied European traders, causing a slight spread of Christianity and some opposition from Chinese
They established a theocracy in Beijing
They were banned from entering Chinese ports
Which statement about the Great Wall during the Ming is supported by the material?
It was dismantled as a symbol of isolation
Its construction continued and measured over 2,000 miles during this dynasty
It was first built by the Ming from scratch
It was converted into a major trade route
Which combination of problems contributed to the fall of the Ming Dynasty by the early 1600s?
Ineffective rulers and corrupt officials
Government out of money
Lower taxes and abundant harvests
Higher taxes and bad harvests pushing peasants toward starvation
Civil strife and rebellion
Which time span best represents Ming rule according to the material?
1206–1368
1368–1644
1405–1600
1433–1700
According to the section overview, when did the Middle Ages (Medieval period) begin and end? Select the best answer.
300s to 1200s
500s to 1500s
700s to 1700s
400s to 1000s
Which factor contributed to the Roman Empire falling apart, as described in the material?
Strong and honest rulers kept order
Soldiers were loyal to the government above all
The economy collapsed and rulers were weak and corrupt
Barbarian tribes were peacefully integrated
What was the purpose of the Edict of Milan mentioned in the material?
To divide the empire into east and west
To tax trade along the Silk Road
To treat Christians well within the Roman Empire
To rename Byzantium to Constantinople
After the division of the Roman Empire, what happened to the eastern half according to the text?
It descended into anarchy
It survived as the Byzantine Empire
It was conquered by Persia
It united with the western half
Which statement best describes identity and practices in the Byzantine Empire?
They rejected Roman law and spoke Latin
They saw themselves as Roman, followed Roman law codes, spoke Greek, and were Christians
They saw themselves as Greek, rejected Christianity, and used new laws
They were mostly non-Christian and adopted barbarian customs
Which action did Emperor Constantine take regarding the capital?
He moved it to Rome and called it Byzantium
He relocated it to Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople
He abolished the capital altogether
He moved it to Alexandria and named it Hagia Sophia
Why was Constantinople strategically important for trade, according to the text?
It was far from any trade routes
It was on the trade route between east and west, including the Silk Road
It controlled only local village markets
It was isolated by deserts and mountains
What was Justinian’s Code, as defined in the material?
A military manual of battle tactics
A collection of all known Roman laws organized into a single set of laws, including religious law details
A list of Byzantine emperors
A trade regulation for the Silk Road
Which statement best explains why the western half of Europe was overrun after the fall of the Roman Empire?
The Roman army shifted focus to Asia, strengthening western defenses
No Roman army or emperor remained to battle invading barbarian tribes
Western Europe had surplus food that attracted peaceful migrants
A unified language allowed easy coordination among cities
Match each group with the region it seized during the period of invasions in Western Europe.
Angles and Saxons
Britain
Franks
Gaul (France)
Lombards
Italy
Muslims
Northern Africa and Spain
Vikings
Shores of western Europe and southern Italy
During the early medieval period, who were typically literate in Western Europe?
Most farmers due to local schools
Only monks and higher members of the Roman Catholic Church
All nobles and knights through court education
Merchants because trade required record-keeping
Which list shows changes to government, economy, and culture in Western Europe after the invasions?
Trade disrupted; downfall of cities; decline in learning
Rise of large urban centers; spread of a common language; stable governance
Population became rural; loss of a common language; concept of government changed
Expansion of Roman law; increased literacy among peasants; centralized taxation
In 768, who became king of the Franks?
Pope Gregory
Charles, Martel's son, later known as Charlemagne
Alaric, leader of the Visigoths
William, Duke of Normandy
Which statement best shows the connection between church and state during Charlemagne’s rise?
The emperor abolished all church taxes
The Pope crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans
Charlemagne banned monasteries from teaching Latin
Bishops led all military campaigns
Which territories were included in Charlemagne’s empire?
Britain, Scandinavia, and North Africa
France, Germany, and parts of Italy
Spain, Gaul, and Greece
Byzantium and the Holy Land
Which actions did Charlemagne take to unify his kingdom during his 46-year rule? Select all that apply.
Fought off invaders and conquered peoples
Discouraged education to focus on warfare
Spread Christianity and blended Germanic, Roman, and Christian traditions
Eliminated Latin learning across his empire
Which initiative reflects Charlemagne’s view that education could unify his kingdom?
He encouraged the creation of local schools and revived Latin learning
He replaced all schools with military camps
He restricted literacy to monks only
He abolished teaching of classical languages
During the Age of Faith, what made the Roman Catholic Church the single most powerful organization in Western Europe?
Its control over all trade routes and taxes
Shared religious beliefs that united people through common faith
The dominance of pagan religions
Its prohibition of missionary work
According to the notes, what did St. Thomas Aquinas argue about natural law in Summa Theologica?
Natural law is based on revelation and miracles
Natural law is based on reason and directs people to do good and avoid evil
Natural law is unnecessary because grace alone saves
Natural law is a set of royal decrees enforced by kings
Which example shows the Church’s power and wealth in medieval society?
Nobles left land to the Church, and people paid tithes
Kings abolished all church taxes and seized monasteries
Merchants controlled cathedrals through guild dues
Peasants received free land from bishops
Why was the Church called a center of learning in the period described?
Church officials were typically the only people who could read and write, while literacy was usually limited to nobles
Monasteries owned the largest libraries of adventure stories
Priests taught only arithmetic to merchants
Cathedrals required all peasants to attend universities
Which statement about Church authority is supported by the text?
The Church’s authority was purely religious
The Church’s authority was both religious and political
Only peasants were subject to canon law
Kings were exempt from church courts
Match each church punishment to its effect.
Excommunication
Banishment from the Church, denial of salvation
Interdict
Sacraments and services halted across a realm
Canon law violation
Tried in church courts
Why did many medieval subjects fear an interdict imposed on a king?
They believed that without sacraments they might be doomed to hell
It would increase grain prices permanently
It required every subject to serve in the army
It abolished local markets
Which problem prompted Church reforms as power and wealth grew?
Excessive literacy among clergy
Positions in the Church were sold and lay investiture was practiced
Priests refused Benedictine obedience
Monasteries eliminated all charity
According to the Benedictine rule mentioned, what were priests required to do?
Marry and own property
Cannot marry, cannot own goods, and must obey church rules
Engage in warfare and collect taxes
Serve as feudal vassals to nobles
Multi-select: Which issues are listed as problems leading to the Great Schism? Select all that apply.
Distance and lack of communication
Different practices of Christianity
Complete agreement over church authority
The Byzantine emperor questioned the pope and named himself Bishop of Constantinople
Which statement best describes the feudal contract in medieval Europe?
A king granted land to peasants in return for crop payments.
A lord granted a fief to a vassal in exchange for military protection and services.
Knights granted land to the Church in exchange for forgiveness.
Serfs granted land to lords in exchange for freedom.
Knights in the feudal system pledged to do which of the following?
Collect taxes for the king in exchange for serfs
Defend their lords’ lands in exchange for fiefs
Administer manorial courts for the Church
Provide labor on the manor in exchange for food
Which sequence accurately reflects the flow of taxes noted in the material?
Serfs pay taxes to the pope; the pope pays taxes to the king; the king pays taxes to the lords.
Serfs pay taxes to the lord; the lord pays taxes to the king; the king pays taxes to the pope.
Lords pay taxes to serfs; serfs pay taxes to knights; knights pay taxes to the king.
Knights pay taxes to lords; lords pay taxes to the pope; the pope pays taxes to serfs.
Why did lords hold the most local political power in feudalism, according to the notes?
They controlled trade routes between cities.
They controlled their own manor and their own army to protect it.
They were elected by serfs to represent them in councils.
They received direct orders from the pope regarding local law.
What common consequence of lords’ military power is highlighted?
Increased literacy among serfs
Constant civil wars as lords attacked other lords or challenged the king
Unification of all manors into one kingdom
Elimination of taxes for peasants
Manorialism is best defined in the notes as which of the following?
A religious hierarchy led by the pope
An economic system centered on the lord’s estate
A military alliance among knights
A legal code used by vassals
According to the notes, what did the Gothic architectural shift communicate about the Church?
Its preference for simplicity and small buildings
Its diminished influence in rural areas
Its power by constructing bigger buildings
Its move away from stained-glass imagery
Which statement about the manor is supported by the notes?
The manor was the lord’s estate and functioned like a city.
The manor was a monastic school for training clergy.
The manor was a royal palace shared by several kings.
The manor was the pope’s administrative office.
Match the following terms
Roman Catholic
Western Europe
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Europe
Gothic style architecture
Bigger buildings with stained-glass windows letting in more light
