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VirginiaWorld History

Module 3: Regional Civilizations and Medieval Europe to 1500

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How did the Maya, Aztec, and Inca build complex civilizations in the Americas, and what did they achieve?

Apply social science skills to understand the civilizations of the Americas: the Maya of Mesoamerica, the Aztec of central Mexico, and the Inca of the Andes, in terms of chronology, geography, economy, religion, and social structure, including their achievements in mathematics, calendars, engineering, and agriculture (WHI.11).
A standards-level answer on the Maya, Aztec, and Inca for the Virginia World History SOL: their geography, government, religion, and social structure, and their achievements in mathematics, calendars, engineering, and agriculture such as terrace farming and chinampas, with worked exam questions.
11 min answer →

How did China develop under its medieval dynasties, and how did geography and Chinese influence shape feudal Japan?

Apply social science skills to understand the civilizations of East Asia from about 400 to 1500: the development of China from the Tang through the Ming dynasties with its technology and cultural achievements, the influence of geography on Japan, Japanese cultural diffusion from China, and the Japanese feudal system with the shogun and samurai (WHI.12).
A standards-level answer on medieval East Asia for the Virginia World History SOL: China from the Tang to the Ming with its technology and culture, the geography of Japan, cultural diffusion from China, and the Japanese feudal system of shogun, daimyo, and samurai, with worked exam questions.
12 min answer →

How did feudalism, the manorial system, and the Catholic Church organize life in medieval Europe after the fall of Rome?

Apply social science skills to understand medieval Europe from about 500 to 1500: the spread and influence of the Roman Catholic Church, the structure of feudal society and the manorial system, the rise of the Frankish kings and Charlemagne, and the development of feudal monarchies and early nation-states (WHI.9).
A standards-level answer on medieval Europe for the Virginia World History SOL: the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, the structure of feudalism and the manorial system, Charlemagne and the Frankish kings, and the rise of feudal monarchies, with worked exam questions.
12 min answer →

How did the Crusades and the Black Death change Europe in the late Middle Ages, and how did nation-states rise as feudalism declined?

Apply social science skills to understand the late medieval period to 1500: the causes and effects of the Crusades, the social and economic impact of the Black Death, and the rise of nation-states such as England, France, and Spain with the decline of feudalism (WHI.15).
A standards-level answer on the late Middle Ages for the Virginia World History SOL: the causes and effects of the Crusades, the social and economic impact of the Black Death, and the rise of nation-states as feudalism declined, with worked exam questions.
12 min answer →

How did the great trade routes connect the Eastern Hemisphere, and how did the Italian Renaissance revive classical learning and the arts?

Apply social science skills to understand major developments to 1500: the major trade routes of the Eastern Hemisphere (Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, trans-Saharan) and the exchange of goods, technology, and ideas, and the artistic, literary, and intellectual achievements of the Italian Renaissance, including humanism and figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Machiavelli (WHI.13 and WHI.14).
A standards-level answer on trade routes and the Italian Renaissance for the Virginia World History SOL: the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and trans-Saharan routes and the goods and ideas they carried, and the Renaissance revival of classical learning, humanism, and the arts, with worked exam questions.
12 min answer →

How did the West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai grow rich from trade, and how did Islam spread among them?

Apply social science skills to understand the West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai: their location near the Niger River and the trans-Saharan trade routes, the gold and salt trade, the spread of Islam, and centers of learning such as Timbuktu, with figures including Mansa Musa (WHI.10).
A standards-level answer on the West African kingdoms for the Virginia World History SOL: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade, the spread of Islam, and Timbuktu as a center of learning under figures such as Mansa Musa, with worked exam questions.
11 min answer →