AP World History : War and Civil Conflict

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP World History

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

Who was Julius Caesar's main opponent in the Caesar's Civil War who was defeated and assassinated in 48 BC?

Possible Answers:

Mark Antony

Cassius

Brutus

Cicero

Pompey the Great

Correct answer:

Pompey the Great

Explanation:

Once member of the First Triumvirate, and husband to Julius Caesar's daughter Julia, Pompey decided to ally with the Senate to oppose Caesar, leading to civil war. Pompey was ultimately defeated and the rebellion quelled, but Julius Caesar was still assassinated by senators loyal to the Republic.

Example Question #2 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

Julius Caesar was dictator of the Roman Empire while he was at war with Gaul. After he was assassinated, the title of Caesar was bestowed onto one of those who supported him when the senate and Pompey wanted him deposed. Who was the first Caesar?

Possible Answers:

Brutus

Mark Antony

Marius

Cassius

Octavian

Correct answer:

Octavian

Explanation:

Octavian, Julius Caesar's adopted nephew, would become Caesar Augustus. Under his leadership, he sought to make imperator an office and a title, effectively rendering the senate impotent and changing the republic into an empire. While all of the people mentioned in the answer options were involved in the assassination, only Octavian became imperator.

Example Question #3 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

Which of the following was an advantage that the Romans had over many of their rivals?

Possible Answers:

Extensive income derived from direct trade with Han China

A well trained and tactically flexible military system based around units of heavy infantry

A large blue water navy capable of transporting armies throughout the Mediterranean, Eastern Atlantic, and Indian Ocean

A strong alliance with Sassanid Persia that ensured diplomatic and military support in the east

Extensive employment of steppe horse archers from around the Black Sea

Correct answer:

A well trained and tactically flexible military system based around units of heavy infantry

Explanation:

Roman military success was driven by the organization of the military. Organized into legions, Roman soldiers fought primarily as heavy infantry, were highly disciplined, and were able to fight effectively through a variety of terrain using tactically flexible formations.

Example Question #4 : War And Civil Conflict

Which militant city-state led the combined Greek forces of the Greco-Persian wars?

Possible Answers:

Sparta

Cyprus

Thebes

Argos

Athens

Correct answer:

Sparta

Explanation:

Sparta was a society based around rigid military life. All young people trained to be in the army and as a result they were one of the strongest armies of the age. While Athens, Thebes, Argos, and Cyprus were all major players in Ancient Greece, Sparta is widely accepted as the most militant.

Example Question #1 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

Alexander the Great's victory at the Battle of Gaugamela spelled the end for __________.

Possible Answers:

the Persian emperor Darius

Persian culture

the Chinese emperor Pu-Yi

the Hellenic League's support of Alexander

Alexander's invasion of Asia

Correct answer:

the Persian emperor Darius

Explanation:

When Alexander the Great emerged victorious at the Battle of Gaugamela, the Persian emperor Darius fled the field and was slain by a bodyguard soon after.

Alexander the Great never invaded China, and Pu-Yi was an emperor who lived in the 20th century, long after Alexander's reign. 

Persian culture survived Alexander's invasion, and was even adopted by Alexander himself.

After Persia, Alexander continued through Asia; going as far as modern day Pakistan.

The Hellenic League's support of Alexander remained strong until his invasion of the Indian subcontinent.

Example Question #2 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

In ancient China, dynasties destroyed their predecessors and claimed the right to rule with a political and spiritual justification termed ___________.

Possible Answers:

the Gospel of Wealth

the Divine Right of Kings

the Mandate of Heaven

the Social Contract

Noblesse Oblige

Correct answer:

the Mandate of Heaven

Explanation:

The Mandate of Heaven justified the divine right of emperors to rule, but it also required certain responsibilities. If a sovereign did not fulfill his obligations, he could be overthrown.

The Divine Right of Kings was a concept from Europe that justified a hereditary ruler's right to rule; it made no allowances for rebellion or revolution and it stressed no responsibilities on the part of the sovereign.

The Social Contract is a concept originating in the European Enlightenment that explores the legitimacy of a government's authority of its people.

Noblesse Oblige was a concept that required noble leaders to take on leadership roles in their community.

The Gospel of Wealth is an idea first espoused by the industrialist Andrew Carnegie extolling the virtues of philanthropy as a means of responsible, top-down redistribution.

Example Question #6 : War And Civil Conflict

The famous general Hannibal led the army of which power against the Romans in the Second Punic War? 

Possible Answers:

Gauls

Greece

Carthage

Egyptians

Etruscan

Correct answer:

Carthage

Explanation:

The Punic Wars were conflicts between Rome and Carthage. Carthage and its exceedingly powerful navy were expanding their empire to the east, as Rome secured the Italian peninsula and began greater expansion via land. In the second Punic War, Hannibal lead the Carthagian army over the alps to confront the Roman forces.

Example Question #3 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

What period of war and unrest lead to foundation of the first united Empire in China?

Possible Answers:

Sixteen Kingdoms Period

Great Leap Forward

Warring States Period

Spring and Autumn Period

Hundred Flowers Campaign

Correct answer:

Warring States Period

Explanation:

The Warring States Period led to the Establishment of the Qin Dynasty.

Example Question #4 : War And Civil Conflict 600 Bce To 600 Ce

A Roman civil war following the death of Julius Caesar pitted Caesar's assassins against his followers, Brutus and Cassius against _________________.

Possible Answers:

Marcus Aurelius and Commodus

Trajan and Hadrian

Marc Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian

Spartacus

Aristotle, Phillip of Macedon, and Alexander the Great

Correct answer:

Marc Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian

Explanation:

Mark Antony was Julius Caesar's political protege, Cleopatra was his ally and lover, and Octavian was his lieutenant and cousin.

Aristotle, Phillip of Macedon, and Alexander the Great all lived centuries earlier than Caesar.

Marcus Aurelius was an emperor who lived during the Pax Romana and is considered one of the most beneficent emperors in human history because he fought few wars, did not expand the empire at the cost of millions of lives, and attempted to outlaw gladiatorial fights to the death; he is also well studied because his personal diary, "The Meditations" is largely intact, and he has been portrayed by various actors in major Hollywood movies. Commodus was his son.

Spartacus was a slave who led a revolt against Rome and was only defeated when his army attempted to fight a pitched battle, a kind of fight the Romans excelled at.

Trajan and Hadrian were other famous emperors of Rome. Trajan is often considered a beneficent emperor who oversaw rising living standards, fought few wars, and did not expand the empire's borders at the cost of millions of lives. Hadrian is famous for building a large wall in England to attempt to stop invasions of Britons who did not submit to Roman authority.

 

 

Example Question #6 : War And Civil Conflict

The Roman army used many kinds of weapons ____________________.

Possible Answers:

including early firearms

except for throwing spears

including war elephants

including observation balloons

except for war elephants

Correct answer:

including war elephants

Explanation:

At the battle of Cynoscephalae, Rome's army defeated a Macedonian force by using war elephants.

The Roman army never used firearms nor observation balloons.

The Roman maniples did use throwing spears, called pilum, that were designed to break after initial contact so they couldn't be thrown back at the Romans.

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