Final Flashcards

1
Q

What is Prehistory?

A

Its a time period before written records; before the last 5,000 years. Historians analyzed artifacts; such as tools, fossils bones ect. to find information.

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2
Q

Tools, artifacts from the Old Stone Age

A

Old stone age is called Paleolithic Period. During this period, they began to make new tools. One million years ago humans could have used fire. They made simple tools, such as digging sticks, spears, and axes out of stone, bone, or wood. They believed in animism, that spirits inhabited plants, animals, or other objects. Men hunted and fished, while women and children gathered food such as berries, fruits, and nuts.

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3
Q

Nomads

A

People lived in small hunting and food-gathering bands, with 20 - 30 people. Nomads would form shifting alliances with one another and engage in raids against settled civilizations, primarily to acquire goods and booty.

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4
Q

Empires

A

Sargon invaded and conquered the city-states of Sumer. He built the first empire. It was called the Akkadian empire. Its downfall was likely caused to a severe drought. The Babylonian empire was then formed, under Hammurabi. He improved irrigation systems and organized a well-trained army. Then, some conquerors, known as the Hittites, pushed out of Asia Minor into Mesopotamia. They learned to extract iron from ore, which they made tools out of iron. They fell and the use of iron tools spread. Then, Assyrian warriors built a city-state and began expanding their empire. They were the most warlike people in history. Nebuchadnezzar revived the power of Babylon and was a ruthless ruler. He built the famous hanging gardens. Then started the rise of the Persian empire. Darius I set up a bureaucracy. He divided the empire into provinces. He encouraged the use of coins. It brought many diverse people under control. They respected the traditions and beliefs of others and used the first mail system.

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5
Q

Characteristics of civilization

A

The features of a civilization were well-organized governments, complex religions, job specialization, social classes, arts and architecture, public works, and writing. (7)

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6
Q

Hammurabi’s code

A

Artisans carved 282 laws on a stone pillar. This was the first important attempt for a ruler to write down laws to govern a state. It listed criminal laws and civil laws. Had the idea that a ruler had the responsibility to ensure justice and order. It was designed to ensure peace and project his power across the empire. In the civil code, it protected the powerless, including women and slaves. It was made for the public to understand and obey. Hammurabi’s code was found in the city of susa.

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7
Q

Sumer

A

It was in the middle-east. It lies in the fertile crescent. The fertile soil of the Tigris-Euphrates valley attracted stone-age farmers, who began to raise crops. The first civilization developed. Sometimes the rivers overflowed but still were leftover from the floods which made the soil fertile. The control of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers was key to the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia. They built dams, dikes, and irrigation systems. Sumerians built many city-states. They were built with clay and water. Trade brought riches to these cities. They may have made the first wheeled vehicles. The largest buildings were ziggurats and pyramid temples. On top of them stood a shrine to a god or goddess. Traders sailed long distances. They battled for control over land and water, which led to war leaders. This led to the rise of monarchies. Each city-state had a leader and employed scribes to carry out functions. Had a social hierarchy. The base of society was peasant farmers. They were polytheistic, worshipping gods who controlled the forces of nature. They believed they had to keep gods happy, so they offered sacrifices and had ceremonies. Their earliest known writing was cuneiform. Scribes wrote on wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. They developed the potter’s wheel and used bronze to make tools.

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8
Q

Indus civilization

A

A notable feature of the Indus Valley civilization was its architecture. Cities were carefully planned as they were laid out in a grid pattern. Houses were built with baked clay bricks. Houses had complex plumbing systems with baths, drains, and water chutes. They had a well-organized government. The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are possible twin capitals of the civilization. Most people were farmers. They were polytheistic, in which they viewed animals as sacred, such as buffalo and bulls. Scholars think that environmental factors led to their disappearance.

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9
Q

Hinduism - beliefs, major concepts

A

Teachings were recorded in the Vedas. The ultimate goal of existence was to achieve moksha, or union with Brahman. They believe they must love and serve God unconditionally and free themselves from selfish desires. They believed in reincarnation to achieve Moksha. They can become closer to moksha by obeying the law of karma. Someone’s good and moral actions lead to good results either in their current life or the next. They had a caste system into which you are born. Each caste determined where you can live, how you earn a living, who you can marry, and who you can talk to. The caste you are in determines how close you are to achieving Moksha.

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10
Q

Buddhism - beliefs, major concepts

A

It was started by a wealthy prince in 530 BC. Gautama started the new religion. He was known as the Buddha. He taught the four noble truths, which were all life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. The second one is the cause of suffering is rooted in evils such as greed, desire, and hatred. The third is the only cure for suffering is to overcome desire and other evils. The fourth one is the way to overcome desire and other evils is to follow the eightfold path. The eightfold path is the right views, right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation. A person had to live a moral life. The final goal is nirvana or union with the universe.
Daoism: The second school of thought of belief. Daoists sought to live in harmony with nature. The founder of Daoism was Laozi, or “Old Master”. Daoists rejected the world of conflict. Daoists viewed government as unnatural and the cause of many problems. The best government was the ones that governed the least. They experimented with alchemy, trying to turn metals into gold. They are thought to have invented gunpowder.

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11
Q

Shi Huangdi

A

The first emperor of China.

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12
Q

The Mandate of Heaven

A

Chinese rulers claimed the Mandate of Heaven the divine right to rule. As long as the dynasty provided good government, it enjoyed the Mandate of Heaven. If the rulers became weak or corrupt, heaven would draw its support.

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13
Q

Confucianism

A

It wasn’t a religion, but Chinese rulers would base their governments on Confucius’s ideas. It reinforced the social hierarchy of inferior and superior while stress the mutual duties of each. Introduced the delicate balance of two powers in the universe, yin and yang. Yin was linked to Earth, darkness, and female forces, while yang stood for heaven, light, and male forces. The well-being of the universe depended on harmony between yin and yang. It showed people how to behave.

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14
Q

The types of government in ancient Greece

A

At first, they started with a monarchy. Slowly, it shifted to a class of noble landowners, which were also the military defenders of city-states. The result was an aristocracy. As trade expanded, a new middle class formed. They challenged the nobles and dominated some city-states. This form an oligarchy, or the power is in the hands of a small, wealthy elite. Under an aristocracy in Athens, people were unhappy. People demanded change, and they slowly moved toward democracy. Democracy was limited, as only citizens could participate in government, voting to choose officials, and citizenship was restricted to landowning men over 30. Women had no share in political life.

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15
Q

Differences between Sparta and Athens

A

The government included two kings and a council of elders. Citizens were male and born in Sparta over the age of 30. A spartan prepared to be a part of the military state. They examined newborns and sickly children were abandoned. At the age of 7, boys began training for a lifetime in the military. Women were required to exercise and strengthen their bodies. Women had the right to inherit property.
Athens: In Athens, there was a democracy. There was a council of 500, whose members were chosen by lots from the citizens about 30 and were landowners. Democracy was limited. Women were excluded from political activities. Women managed the entire household. Girls received little to no education while boys attended school. Athens encouraged young men to explore knowledge.

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16
Q

The Peloponnesian War

A

Sparta and other enemies of Athens formed Peloponnesian League. Warfare broke out between Athens and Sparta. It lasted for 27 years. Athens had a geographical disadvantage, as Sparta couldn’t be attacked by sea. Sparta allied with Persia. This war ended the Athenian golden age. The greeks battled among themselves, while a new power rose in Macedonia, a kingdom to the north.

17
Q

Greek philosophers

A

Socrates was an Athenian stonemason and philosopher. He had a student called Plato. The Socratic method was a series of questions that challenges them to examine the implications of their answers. This helped others seek truth and self-knowledge. He was condemned to death because he was put on trial for corrupting the city’s youth. Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian and geographer. He is known for having written the Histories, an account of the Greco-Persian War. He is also remembered as being one of the first historians ever.

18
Q

Alexander the Great

A

Alexander was 20 years old when he became king. He organized forces to conquer Persia. He marched through Asia Minor and moved from victory to victory. Persian emperor was murdered before he could capture him. He died due to a fever.

19
Q

The Roman republic

A

How the government worked: Officials were chosen by male citizens. They chose their officials. The most powerful government body was the senate. It made laws and controlled the government. There were 300 people in the senate and they were known as patricians. The senators nominated two consuls from the patrician upper class. They had to supervise the business of government and command the armies. Consuls could serve one term. In war, they might choose a dictator. Plebeians gained the right to elect their own officials called tribunes. The tribunes could veto laws that were harmful to citizens.

20
Q

Plebeians

A

They were citizens. Included farmers, merchants, and artisans. They made up most of the population.

21
Q

Patricians

A

People who were in the Senate. They were members of the landholding upper class.

22
Q

The Punic Wars

A

These wars were when Rome fought 3 wars against Carthage. In the first punic war, Rome defeated Carthage and won the islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. In the second punic war, Carthage wanted revenge and Hannibal led the army. They failed to capture Rome and the Romans defeated him. Carthage gave up all lands outside of Africa. In the third punic war, Rome completely destroyed Carthage.

23
Q

Julius Caesar

A

He was a military commander. He set out with an army to make new conquests. Pompey, another general, was jealous of Caesar and tried to persuade the senate to disband his army. Caesar crushed them. He returned to Rome and forced the senate to make him dictator, but the senate still would remain. He employed jobless people and gave land to the poor. He reorganized the government and granted citizenship to more people. He made the Julian calendar. Caesar was assassinated in fear of him becoming king.

24
Q

Diocletian

A

He was an emperor who divided the empire into two parts. He kept control of the eastern part and he appointed a co-emperor, Maximan, to rule the western part.

25
Q

Roman religious beliefs

A

They believed in Roman gods. Later on, Christianity became the main religion.

26
Q

Roman architecture

A

The Romans made mosaics that depicted scenes from their daily life. They used Greek columns. They made immense palaces, temples, stadiums, and victory arches to show their power. They invented concrete and developed the Roman dome. The most famous dome structure is the Pantheon, a temple that honored all their gods. The Colosseum was a public arena.

27
Q

Constantine

A

He granted tolerance to Christians. He set up a new capital at Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople. He granted freedom of worship to all. He also kept the Roman empire divided