Benchmark 2 Vocab Flashcards
Animism
the belief that spiritual beings or souls can exist without a body to house them or in plants, animals, and other objects
Assimilate
to absorb and incorporate (an ethnically distinct group) into the dominant culture of an area
Belief system
a set of principles or tenets which together form the basis of a religion, philosophy, or moral code
Caste system
a social structure in which one’s class in society is determined by heredity
Centralized Government
a type of government in which decisions are made by one executive power
City
a large and significant town, usually a locally governed commercial and population center
City-State
a self-governing state made up of a city and its surrounding territory
Coercive
of or using coercion (power to persuade someone using threats or intimidation)
Convert
to change or influence change in someone else’s or one’s own faith or beliefs
Culture
the sum of the language, customs, beliefs, and art considered characteristic of a particular group of people
Cuneiform
of, concerning, or written in wedge-shaped characters, as were many languages of the ancient Near East, such as Sumerian and Babylonian
Diaspora
a scattering of any people with a common culture
Divisions of labor
the breakdown of labor into its components and their distribution among different persons, groups, or machines to increase productive efficiency
Doctrine
a belief or system of beliefs held and promoted by a religious, governmental, academic, or other group; dogma
Dynasty
a succession, lasting several generations, of rulers from the same family or group
Elite
those having the greatest authority or privilege or highest status
Empire
territory controlled by a central government, with one supreme ruler, who governs a diverse population
Enslaved
to cause to be a slave or to be in a condition of bondage
Government
the direction and control exercised politically over people living in a community, state, or nation
Inequality
the condition of being unequal, especially in natural talents or social or economic status
Infrastructure
the basic structures and facilities, such as roads and bridges, that are necessary for a system or state to function
Iron Age
the stage or level of development of human culture that followed the Bronze Age and that was characterized by the use
of iron tools and weapons, beginning about 1000 BCE
Irrigation System
the supplying of water to land by man-made means to aid in growing crops
Kinship
the state or fact of being a relative or relatives, especially by birth
Legal code
a code of laws adopted by a state or nation; “a code of laws”
Matrilineal
pertaining to, derived from, or tracing descent through the mother’s family
Merchant
one who buys goods and sells them for a profit
Meritocracy
a system in which people attain power, influence, and wealth because of their intellectual abilities rather than because of their class status or family lineage
Monotheism
the belief that there is only one supreme being
Nomadic
pertaining to, being, or resembling a member of a group or tribe that has no permanent home and moves from place to place
Oral Tradition
the stories, beliefs, etc., that a group of people share by telling stories and talking to each other
Origin stories
a narrative about the beginning of the Universe or humanity
Pantheon
all gods of a people, collectively; a temple dedicated to all of a people’s gods
Patriarchal
relating to a social system in which a father rules, and descent and succession are traced through the father
Periphery
the outer edge of an area; the less important part of a group or activity
Persecute
to subject (especially those belonging to a different political, religious, or racial group) to persistent harassment, punishment, or ill-treatment
Philosophy
the study of the nature and principles of knowledge, truth, existence, and moral and aesthetic values; any system of ideas and theories based on such study
Pilgrimage
a long trip undertaken for religious purposes, such as to visit a holy place
Polytheistic
the belief in more than one god
Portable
capable of being carried or transported
Prophet
• a teacher, leader, or spokesperson of a movement or cause, especially a religious one, who is believed to be the recipient of some special inspiration or revelation
Ritual
an established and prescribed procedure for a ceremony, especially a religious one
Sedentary
living in a fixed location; not migratory
Silk Road
a name given to the ancient trade routes between China and southern Europe, through southern Asia
Smelting
to melt or fuse (ores) as a means of separating and obtaining the metal content
Social Order
the totality of structured human interrelationships in a society
Social Stratification
the differentiation and categorization of people into social hierarchies
Society
a community or group of people who live in the same country or area and are linked with each other by such things as laws and customs
Specialist
a person who pursues a single interest or area of study
Steppe
a broad, somewhat arid grass plain, especially the great plains in southeast Russia and southwest Asia
Syncretism
• an attempted combination or reconciliation of different principles, beliefs, or practices, especially in religion or philosophy
Taxes
a sum of money levied by government on income, property, or sales and used for its services and administration
Trade
the act of buying and selling commodities, or all such acts collectively
Trade network
a series of roads, waterways, railroads, and air routes that allow groups to trade goods with one another; a loose organization of societies that exchange goods with each other
Urban
of or pertaining to a city or town
