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Quizzes > History

Han dynasty AP World History quiz: China & India

Quick, free check of your AP World China and India knowledge. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Karren BuzonUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration featuring Confucius silhouette lotus mandala Great Wall Taj Mahal symbols on golden yellow background

This quiz helps you review the Han Dynasty in AP World History and see what to study next, from Confucian ideals to the Silk Road. For more context, practice with our Chinese dynasties quiz, build regional recall with an East Asian dynasties quiz, and time yourself with an AP world history practice quiz.

Who is considered the founder of Confucianism?
Confucius
Laozi
Siddhartha Gautama
Ashoka
Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical system based on the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, who lived during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. His ideas were compiled into works such as the Analects by his disciples. Confucius emphasized morality, proper social relationships, and justice as foundations for a stable society.
Which Mauryan emperor converted to Buddhism after the bloody Kalinga War?
Chandragupta Maurya
Bindusara
Bimbisara
Ashoka
Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty renounced further military expansion after witnessing the mass deaths in the Kalinga War around 261 BCE. He embraced Buddhism and promoted its teachings across his empire and beyond. His rock and pillar edicts spread messages of nonviolence, tolerance, and dharma.
The Vedas are sacred scriptures of which religion?
Hinduism
Jainism
Buddhism
Confucianism
The Vedas are a collection of hymns, rituals, and philosophical teachings composed in Sanskrit between roughly 1500 and 500 BCE. They are considered the oldest and most authoritative scriptures of Hinduism. The four main Vedas are the Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda.
Which mathematical concept is strongly associated with the achievements of the Gupta Empire?
Invention of calculus
Discovery of pi
Concept of zero and the decimal system
Pythagorean theorem
During the Gupta period (c. 320 - 550 CE), Indian mathematicians developed the concept of zero as a number and refined the decimal place-value system. These innovations had a profound impact on mathematics and science worldwide. The work of scholars like Aryabhata helped spread these ideas beyond India.
The Great Wall of China was primarily built during the Qin Dynasty to defend against which group?
Huns
Mongol Empire
Xiongnu confederation
Manchus
The Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BCE) connected and extended existing fortifications to protect its northern frontier from nomadic tribes such as the Xiongnu. Later dynasties continued to add to and maintain the Wall. The original sections focused on deterring raids and facilitating troop movement.
The merit-based civil service examination system in China expanded significantly under which dynasty?
Yuan Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
Song Dynasty
Although imperial exams were introduced during the Sui and Tang, it was under the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 CE) that the bureaucracy became largely staffed by examination graduates. This system promoted meritocracy and Confucian learning. It reduced aristocratic influence and expanded social mobility.
Which trade route facilitated the transmission of Buddhism from India to China?
Trans-Saharan Route
Indian Ocean Maritime Route
Silk Road
Grand Canal
The Silk Road was a network of overland routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean. Buddhist monks, merchants, and missionaries traveled these corridors, introducing Buddhist teachings and texts to China. Monasteries and cave temples sprang up along key points like Dunhuang.
Most of Ashoka's rock and pillar edicts were written in what language?
Pali
Sanskrit
Prakrit
Greek
Ashoka's edicts, inscribed on rocks and pillars across his realm, were primarily composed in the vernacular Prakrit language, making them accessible to his subjects. A few edicts also appear in Greek and Aramaic in the empire's western reaches. These inscriptions articulate his policy of dhamma (moral law).
Which belief distinguishes Mahayana Buddhism from Theravada Buddhism?
Exclusive use of Pali Canon texts
Rejection of all ritual and iconography
Strict monastic discipline only for monks
Emphasis on the Bodhisattva ideal and universal salvation
Mahayana Buddhism, which emerged around the 1st century CE, promotes the Bodhisattva ideal - enlightened beings who delay nirvana to help others achieve liberation. Theravada focuses on individual enlightenment via adherence to the Pali Canon. Mahayana texts also expand the pantheon of buddhas and bodhisattvas.
The concept of filial piety, emphasizing respect for one's parents and ancestors, is central to which system?
Buddhism
Daoism
Confucianism
Legalism
Filial piety (xiao) is a foundational virtue in Confucian ethics, requiring children to honor and care for their parents and ancestors. It underpins social order and harmony in Confucian thought. This value influenced Chinese family structures and state ideology for millennia.
The Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft and economics, is traditionally attributed to which advisor?
Megasthenes
Varahamihira
Panini
Chanakya (Kautilya)
The Arthashastra, written around the 4th century BCE, is attributed to Chanakya (also called Kautilya), who was a key advisor to Chandragupta Maurya. The work covers governance, military strategy, economics, and law. It remains a primary source on Mauryan administration.
The initial spread of Buddhism into China is most often dated to which dynasty?
Song Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Buddhism is believed to have entered China along the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), with Chinese pilgrims and missionaries beginning exchanges by the 1st century CE. Early translations of Buddhist texts began under the Later Han. Over subsequent centuries, Buddhism became a major religious force in China.
The western terminus of the classical Silk Road was near which ancient city?
Constantinople
Alexandria
Antioch
Rome
Antioch, located in modern-day Turkey near the Orontes River, served as a major Mediterranean terminus of the overland Silk Road during the Roman era. From there, goods, ideas, and religions were dispersed into Europe and North Africa. The city's strategic position made it a vital commercial hub.
Legalism, the state philosophy of the Qin Dynasty, advocated which of the following policies?
Non-action (wuwei) and harmony with nature
Equality and communal ownership of land
Strict laws with harsh punishments to maintain order
Moral self-cultivation and ritual propriety
Legalism was a pragmatic and authoritarian philosophy that held human nature to be inherently selfish. It proposed strict, codified laws and severe punishments as essential to social stability and the power of the state. Qin Shi Huang applied Legalist principles to unify China in 221 BCE.
Megasthenes, who wrote an account of India called the Indica, served as an ambassador for which Hellenistic empire to the Mauryan court?
Macedonian Kingdom
Antigonid Dynasty
Seleucid Empire
Ptolemaic Egypt
Megasthenes was sent as an ambassador by Seleucus I of the Seleucid Empire to the court of Chandragupta Maurya around 305 BCE. His work, the Indica, provides one of the earliest Greek accounts of India, its people, and its governance. Though the original text is lost, later authors cite it extensively.
Which emperor of the Han Dynasty first instituted state monopolies on salt and iron?
Emperor Gaozu of Han
Emperor Wen of Han
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Jing of Han
Emperor Wu of Han (r. 141 - 87 BCE) established state monopolies on key resources such as salt and iron to finance military campaigns and centralize revenue. His policies marked a departure from laissez-faire economic practices earlier in the dynasty. These monopolies were highly influential and later became points of political debate.
In Indian political thought, the term "Chakravartin" literally means what?
Divine king
Eternal sovereign
Universal warrior
Wheel-turning monarch
Chakravartin is a Sanskrit term meaning 'one whose chariot wheels are rolling everywhere,' symbolizing a universal monarch whose sovereignty extends across the world. In both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a chakravartin is an ideal ruler who upholds dharma and peace. The concept reflects ancient Indian cosmological and political ideals.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand the core tenets of Confucianism -

    Recall the confucianism AP World History simple definition and explain how Confucian values shaped social and political life in classical China.

  2. Define fundamental beliefs of Hinduism -

    Use the hinduism AP World History simple definition to identify major deities and principles that influenced ancient Indian society.

  3. Analyze Silk Road trade dynamics -

    Interpret the silk road AP World History simple definition to assess how long-distance commerce fostered cultural exchanges between China and India.

  4. Explain Gupta Empire contributions -

    Apply the gupta empire AP World History simple definition to highlight key achievements in science, art, and governance during India's classical era.

  5. Apply knowledge to the AP World History classical civilizations quiz -

    Leverage your understanding of China and India's classical civilizations to answer questions accurately and track progress in real time.

  6. Evaluate cross-cultural influences between China and India -

    Compare religious, political, and economic developments to identify shared and divergent themes in classical civilizations.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Confucianism (ap world history simple definition) -

    Confucianism is a Chinese philosophical system defined by ethics of filial piety, social harmony, and the "Five Relationships" (ruler”subject, father”son, etc.). Originating with Confucius in the 6th century BCE, it emphasizes moral education and government by virtuous officials via civil service exams. A handy mnemonic - "Respect Family, Righteous Rule" - helps recall its core values.

  2. Hinduism (ap world history simple definition) -

    Hinduism is an Indian religious tradition rooted in the Vedas, emphasizing dharma (duty), karma (action), and samsara (rebirth), without a single founder. It features a diverse pantheon, caste-based social order, and philosophical texts like the Upanishads that guide moksha (liberation). Remember "Vedas Guide Karma's Dharmic Cycle" to lock in the key ideas.

  3. Silk Road (ap world history simple definition) -

    The Silk Road was a vast network of land and sea routes linking China, India, Persia, and the Mediterranean from the 2nd century BCE to the 14th century CE. It facilitated trade in silk, spices, and ideas (notably Buddhism), fostering cultural exchange and economic growth across Asia and Europe. Use "Silk, Spices, Stories Spread" as a quick recall phrase.

  4. Gupta Empire (ap world history simple definition) -

    The Gupta Empire (c. 320 - 550 CE) heralded India's Golden Age with breakthroughs in mathematics (concept of zero), astronomy, and classical Sanskrit literature. Its scholars formalized the decimal system and advanced medical texts like Sushruta Samhita. A simple rhyme - "Zero to Decimal Fame" - captures its enduring scientific legacy.

  5. Comparative Governance in Classical Civilizations -

    Classical China relied on merit-based civil service exams to staff a centralized bureaucracy, promoting social mobility for educated elites, while Classical India's hereditary caste system structured society and religious duties. Both frameworks aimed to maintain order, but exams opened paths in China whereas caste roles were largely fixed in India. Grasping this contrast is critical for the ap world history classical civilizations quiz.

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