< Under the Guptas, Buddhist monks decorated the inside of caves, which were used as temples and monasteries, with paintings, statues, and carved pillars. Most paintings illustrated stories from the life of Buddha. Some paintings,
< Despite the continued influence of Buddhism, Hinduism became the dominant religion of the Gupta Empire. During this period, rulers ordered the construction of stone or brick temples to honor Hindu gods and goddesses.
The great Gupta conqueror Samudra Gupta (suh mu' druh gup' tuh) minted his own coins. Ruling from about 335 a. d. to 375 a. d., he took over much of northern India and expanded trade as far south as islands in the Indian Ocean. The Sanskrit inscription on this coin describes Samudra Gupta as "the unconquered one, whose victory was spread in hundreds of battles, having conquered his enemies, conquers heaven." >
However, show Gupta rulers and scenes from daily life, such as this woman.
1. During what years did the Gupta Empire flourish?
2. How did Gupta rulers try to unify their empire?
Writing a Speech Write a one-minute speech in which you recommend that the phrase “Arabic numerals” be changed to “Gupta -
Standardized Test Practice
Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following multiple choice questions. If you have trouble answering a question, use the process of elimination to narrow your choices. Write your answers on a separate piece of paper.
Use the map below to answer question 1.
The Germanic Kingdoms
1. This type of map is called a
A political map B physical map C military map D demographic map
Test-Taking Tip: Even though this
Map does show some landforms, such as rivers, it is not primarily a physical map (answer B). What is the map's main purpose? A map's title—or legend (if there is one)—can give you clues.
2. The legend of the Norse god Thor was used to explain
F why the Vikings were such good warriors
G the sound of thunder H the story of Adam and Eve J the origins of language
Test-Taking Tip: Eliminate answers
That you know are incorrect. For example, the story of Adam and Eve (answer H) is a Bible story, and it is not related to the Vikings' religion.
Test-Taking Tip: This question asks
You to make a generalization about the Dark Ages. A generalization is a type of conclusion based on facts. Which of the answer choices best summarizes the Dark Ages? If you cannot remember any specific facts about the Dark Ages, ask yourself if it sounds like it was a positive or a negative time. In other words, what does the word dark suggest? Are there any answer choices you can eliminate as a result?
3. The early Dark Ages were characterized
By
A the development of strong trade routes in eastern Europe
B the failure of Christianity to spread to most parts of Europe
C a darkening of the sky due to air pollution around Europe
D an emphasis on war and conquest over education and trade
5. The Roman Catholic Church lost control of the Irish Church during the Germanic wars. What do you think was the reason for this?
A Ireland was far away, isolated, and relatively unimportant to Rome.
B Irish monks refused to follow the laws set by the Pope.
C Irish nobles refused to pay the taxes demanded by the Pope.
D The Irish refused to accept Christianity and kept worshiping their Celtic gods.
Test-Taking Tip: Make sure that you
Know where the major European countries are located on a map. How far was Ireland from Rome? Eliminate answer choices that do not make sense. If the Irish were already part of the Church, they must have accepted Christianity. Therefore, you can eliminate answer D.
Test-Taking Tip: Always read the
Question and all the answer choices carefully. For example, Charlemagne fought for the Pope, not against the Pope, so you can eliminate answer J.
4. The battles waged by Charlemagne were
Different from earlier battles because
F for the first time, the purpose of war was to convert people to Christianity
G for the first time, wars were fought primarily on the water
H legends were written about the battles and Charlemagne's military leaders
J Charlemagne was the first to fight a war against the Pope
6. After their encounters with the Germanic people in Europe, the Vikings stopped writing down their sagas, or long stories, about their gods. Why?
F They decided that they no longer had time to recite the long sagas.
G The Germanic people convinced the Vikings that stories were only for children.
H The Vikings were no longer interested in tales of warriors and exciting battles.
J The Vikings accepted Christianity, which outlawed stories about other gods.
Test-Taking Tip: For this question,
You will have to think about the influence of the Germans on the Vikings. Since it is unlikely that the Vikings simply lost interest in these stories, you can get rid of answer H.
UNIT
World History
