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Because Greece was a relatively resource-poor region, the cultural developments of the first millennium B.C.E. were only possible because the Greeks had access to raw materials and markets abroad. Encounters with the different practices and beliefs of other peoples simulated the formation of Greek identity and sparked interest in geography, ethnography, and history. The rivalry between the Persian Empire also helped shape the destinies of Greek city-states,
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Around 500 B.C.E. Celtic-speaking peoples from central Europe began to spread across much of "continental" Europe. Celts are believed to be people as impulsive and fond of war. They lived in relatively small kinship groups that were dominated by warrior elites. The Druids, a priestly class in Gaul and Britain played a major role in religion, education, and intertribal legal matters. The Roman Empire's conquest of Celtic lands pushed Celtic language and culture to the west edge of Europe.
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Chinese philosopher. His doctrine of duty and public service had a great influence on subsequent Chinese thought and served as a code of conduct for government officials. Confucianism and its ideals would gain a steady foothold in China for years to come, and its influence would spread all over East Asia. The teachings of Confucius provided the Chinese with an ethical code to live by and provided bonds amongst a people capable of quick division (Key Concept 2.1)
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Conflicts between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire. Under Xerxes, the Persians launched mass invasions of Greece in attempt to fulfill the wish of Xerxes' father: to conquer all of Greece. Expanding empires with strong militaries like Persia often led to conflict like the Persian Wars, and attempts at overexpansion often backfired, as the Greeks were victorious (Key Concept 2.2). This first major setback for Persia launched the Greeks into their period of greatest cultural productivity.
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The second half of the Eastern Zhou era, known for the scale and intensity of rivalry and warfare between the states as it accelerated.
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An unearthly struggle between the Athenian and Spartan alliance systems that involved most of the Greece world. The emergence of Athens as an imperial power in the half century after the Persian invasion aroused the suspicions of other Greek states and led to hostiles between former allies.
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The time period in which Greek culture spread across western Asia and northeastern Africa after the conquests of Alexander the Great. The time period ended with the fall of the last major Hellenistic kingdom in Rome, but Greek cultural influence persisted until the spread of Islam. As Greece had evolved as an organized empire, they were more able to create a unique, personalized culture and influence, which allowed for the Hellenistic Age as this Greek culture spread. (Key Concept 2.3)
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The Qin were a people and state in the Wei River Valley of eastern China that conquered rival states and created the first Chinese empire. From the mid-third century B.C.E. the Qin began to methodically conquer and incorporate the other Chinese states. The name 'China' is probably derived from 'Qin'
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Overthrew the Qin dynasty. The rulers were faced with tough challenges because of how bad China was damaged by the Qin and the widespread fighting in the period of rebellions. The rulers had to be frugal to let the economy recover. After the end of the Han, China entered a period of political fragmentation that lasted until the late sixth and seventh centuries.
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Means "Roman Peace", implied the stability and prosperity that Roman rule brought to the lands of the Roman Empire in the first two centuries C.E. The movement of people and trade goods along Roman roads and safe seas allowed for the spread of cultural practices, technologies, and religious ideas.
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The political, military, and economic turmoil that afflicted the Roman Empire during the majority of the Third Century. Included a frequent change of rulers, civil wars, barbarian invasions, a decline of urban centers, and near-destruction of long-distance commerce and then monetary economy.