Classic Period Spark Notes

By nordicg3
  • Period: 1200 BCE to 100 BCE

    Olmec Society

    Big trade items of the Olmec were obsidian and jade showing WHAP Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems. Another interesting part of the society was the making of their huge heads from basalt rock. The name Olmec itself is not what they called themselves but a name given to them that means "Rubber People."
  • Period: 1122 BCE to 256 BCE

    Zhou Dynasty

    This dynasty was the origin of "the mandate of heaven" that justified the overturning of following dynasties; WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict appears with this justification for new empires in the future. They also had a decentralized administration and entrusted power into subordinates, but this lead to the downfall of the Zhou dynasty and WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict is shown with the political structure they used to control the empire.
  • Period: 1000 BCE to 300 BCE

    Chavín Cult

    This cult in South America rose around maize showing the importance of this crop to WHAP Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems. It promoted fertility and abundant harvests in the Andes. This civilization had ceremonial centers instead of true cities too.
  • Period: 800 BCE to 323 BCE

    Greece

    800-338 B.C.E. was polis then Philip II and Alexander of Macedon ruled the Greek empire
  • Period: 753 BCE to 476

    Rome

    Founding of Rome according to tradition to the collapse of the western Roman empire.
  • Period: 558 BCE to 651

    Persia

    Ruled by the Achaemenid (558-330 B.C.E.), Seleucid (323-83 B.C.E.), Parthian (247 B.C.E.-224 C.E.), and Sasanid (224-651 C.E.) dynasties, Persia heavily influenced the classic world.
  • Period: 558 BCE to 530 BCE

    Reign of Cyrus the Achaemenid

    Cyrus started the vast Persian and Achaemenid empire conquering that at one point stretched all the way from Egypt to the Hindu Kush mountain range. This showed WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict since he was known for expanded his empire.
  • Period: 521 BCE to 486 BCE

    Reign of Darius

    Darius strengthened and expanded the Achamedian empire of Persia and made Persepolis the capital. This is clearly an example of WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict since he expanded the Persian empire.
  • 509 BCE

    Establishment of the Roman republic

    Establishment of the Roman republic
    Rome was an aristocratic republic with no representation for the lower class. This shows WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict with the formation of the republic political structure.
  • 490 BCE

    Battle of Marathon

    Battle of Marathon
    The outnumbered Athenians defeated the Persian army at this turning point in the Persian Wars that helped the Greeks win. WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict is clearly shown with the conflict between Greece and Persia. Additionally, a CCOT of war and the development of it over time was shown.
  • Period: 470 BCE to 322 BCE

    Greek Philosophy

    With Socrates (posed questions and put honor above everything), Plato (Forms of Ideas that said there is more then one world), and Aristotle (believed that philosophers should use their senses to get accurate information and reasoning to sort out mysteries), Greek philosophy influenced European and Islamic societies for hundreds of years well after the fall of the empire.
  • Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE

    Peloponnesian War

    Sparta fought Athens mainly because of Athens use of money in the Delian League and defeated Athens. However, this weakened Greece making it relatively easy for Philip II of Macedon to conquer the region. WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict is shown in this with the expansion of Macedon and the conflict of the Peloponnesian War. Also, a CCOT of war and the development of it over time was shown, with Greek city states fighting Persia and then fighting each other.
  • Period: 321 BCE to 185 BCE

    Mauryan Dynasty

  • Period: 321 BCE to 297 BCE

    Reign of Chandragupta Maurya

    Started the Maurya dynasty by taking advantage of the power vacuum left my Alexander of Macedon and WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict fits perfectly since Chandragupta expanded.
  • Period: 268 BCE to 232 BCE

    Reign of Ashoka Maurya

    Originally known for conquering, Ashoka decided later to convert to Buddhism and was known for his diplomacy and edicts that gave people and animals welfare. Both WHAP Theme 3 and 4 fit with this since Ashoka expanded at first and then focused on his socialist economic policy of welfare.
  • Period: 221 BCE to 207 BCE

    Qin Dynasty

    This dynasty was a short dynasty that brought an end to the Period of Warring States with their legalist policies. Additionally, the emperor declared himself the First Emperor and ordered some of the construction of the Great Wall of China. These things show WHAP Theme 3 and 4 with the end of the Period of Warring States, a big conflict, and forcing people to labor on the Great Wall of China.
  • Period: 206 BCE to 220

    Han Dynasty

    Between 9 C.E. and 25 C.E. there was a break between the Former Han and the Later Han when Wang Mang ruled.
  • 200 BCE

    Thriving Silk Industry

    Thriving Silk Industry
    China benefited from long distance trade over the silk roads especially of the roads' name sake product, silk, in the second century B.C.E. The silk industry in China's Han dynasty had people carefully watching and breeding silkworms. WHAP Theme 4: Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems is shown because the silk industry was a huge part of China's economy and trade.
  • Period: 46 BCE to 44 BCE

    Gaius Julius Caesar ruled as dictator

    This started the dictatorial rule and made Rome into an empire instead of a republic. This is an example of WHAP Theme 3 since he expanded Rome into an empire. Additionally, before and after his rule there were civil wars in Rome showing the CCOT of war before/ during and after his rule.
  • 184

    Yellow Turban rebellion

    Yellow Turban rebellion
    Named after the headdress that showed the status of the peasants who rebelled because of the tax burdens that were shifted to them, this was one of the many factors that lead to the collapse of the Han dynasty. This is a good example of WHAP Theme 3: State-Building, Expansion, and Conflict because the revolt is a conflict.
  • Period: 300 to 1100

    Maya Society

    The Mayan had city states unlike other classical civilizations. These city states constantly fought with each other and had mysterious disappearances. Only after the classical era did the Chichén Itzá rulers manage to create a larger political framework. WHAP Theme 3 is shown here with the different political structure of city states.
  • Period: 320 to 550

    Gupta Dynasty

    They dominated the Ganges valley becoming intermediaries. They also brought back Pataliputra as a capital and center of commerce of an empire. After the Gupta dynasty South Asia returned to smaller kingdoms and stayed that way for centuries. The trade that went through Pataliputra is an instance of WHAP Theme 4 showing the economic interactions of cultures.