Chpt. 2, Early Societies Flashcards
aspects of a civilization
- economic system based at least partly on trade and specialized labor
- a government that provides leadership and enforces laws
- a social system that is hierarchical, class-based, and to some degree urbanized
- a moral or ethical code
Sumer
a delta of fertile soil in the southernmost reaches of Mesopotamia that was part of the fertile crescent
Fertile Crescent
part of a larger belt of land between Mesopotamia and Egypt in which one of the earliest civilizations of Southwest Asia began
city-states
small, regional kingdoms composed of a city and the land surrounding it
ziggurat
a multi-tiered temple whose height was designed to bring glory to the gods and to its builders
polytheistic
believing in more than one god
Epic of Gilgamesh
the first epic in world literature, it was part of Sumerian religion
Sargon the Great
a Semitic invader who united the Sumerian city-states around 2,300 BC, establishing the short-lived Akkadian Empire
Akkadian Empire (capital Akkad)
established by Sargon the Great, this lasted only 100 years but succeeded in spreading Sumerian culture throughout the Fertile Crescent
Code of Hammurabi
law code set down by Hammurabi, ruler of Babylon; it dealt with issues of family, business, and criminal law
Menes
a king of upper Egypt who united lower and upper Egypt around 3,100 BC; until this time they had always been divided
theocracy
a government that is based on religion
The Old Kingom (3,100-2,200 BC)
the first period of united Egyptian history, it was the era during which the Pyramids of Giza were constructed
The Middle Kingdom (2,100-1,650 BC)
a 2nd period of strong pharaohs in Egypt, it was during this time that the Grand Canal was dug
The New Kingdom (1,550-700 BC)
the 3rd and final era of strong pharaohs in Egypt, it saw the construction of massive public buildings and great cities; it was followed by centuries of decline which culminated in the Persian conquest of Egypt in 525 BC
Grand Canal
a canal that was dug between the Nile River and Red Sea during the time of the Middle Kingdom
Hyksos
a people south of the Egyptians who invaded Egypt c. 1,650 BC, in between the Middle and New Kingdoms; it literally means “shepherd king”
Akhenaton
an Egyptian pharaoh who tried to abolish the old, complex religion, and establish a new one that was centered on the pharaoh as god; he failed due to opposition from the Egyptian priesthood
hieroglyphics
the ancient Egyptian system of writing, it was based on the use of pictures of objects to represent the words they expressed
papyrus
a thin parchment made from reeds that grew along the banks of the Nile, it was what the ancient Egyptians wrote on
Rosetta Stone
found in 1798 AD by French soldiers serving under Napoleon in Egypt, this was a stone that had the same thing written in 3 different languages, one of which was Greek; since Greek is known, it allowed linguists to decipher the other two languages, which were Demotic and hieroglyphics
Jean Francois Champollion
a French linguist who in the 1820s used his knowledge of Greek to decipher the hieroglyphics of the Rosetta Stone
Queen Ahhotep
an Egyptian queen who helped to drive out the Hyksos
Hatshepsut
an Egyptian queen during the new kingdom who seized the throne while acting as regent for her stepson, the rightful heir; she is known for her promotion of trade
Harappa
along with Mohenjo Daro, this was one of the major urban complexes of the Harappan civilization; it was laid out on a planned grid pattern; had around 35,000 people
Khyber Pass
a opening through the Hindu Kush Mountains that allows easier access to the Indian subcontinent; it was used by both traders and invader throughout the years, such as the Aryans c. 1,500 BC
Vedas
hymns and chants of the ancient Indians that later became part of the Hindu religion
Mahayana Buddhism
a 2nd branch of Buddhism that spread through Vietnam, Korea, China, and Japan
Legalism
an early Chinese political philosophy that advised rule through an iron fist and suppression of dissent; it’s central tenet was that allowing people freedom caused disorder
Shang Yang
the founder of Legalism in 350 BC, during the period of political chaos after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty
