Global Vocab China 8/9 Flashcards
What is the largest hot desert in the world?
Sahara
The Sahara covers much of North Africa separating the narrow coastal North Africa from the savannas and forested regions of southern, or Sub-Saharan, Africa.
Define savanna.
A flat grassy plain
Savannas are typically found in regions with a seasonal climate.
What is animism?
The belief that spirits are present in animals, plants and other natural objects
This belief system is often found in various indigenous cultures.
What is a griot?
A West African storyteller or oral historian
Griots play a crucial role in preserving history and culture through oral traditions.
What does migration refer to?
The act of moving from one place to settle in another
Migration can occur for various reasons, including economic, environmental, or social factors.
Who are the Bantu-speaking peoples?
Speakers of a related group of languages who migrated from west Africa to the most southern half of Africa
This migration began about 2000 years ago and significantly influenced the cultures of southern Africa.
What was Aksum?
An African kingdom, in what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea, that reached the height of its power in the fourth century A.D.
Aksum was an important trading empire and is known for its monumental obelisks.
What are terraces in agriculture?
Stepped ridges constructed on mountain slopes to retain water and reduce erosion
This method was developed in Aksum to enhance agricultural productivity.
What is Ethiopia known for?
The site and cultural descendent of the ancient kingdom of Aksum and home to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Ethiopia has a rich history and is one of the oldest nations in the world.
What is Beringia?
An ancient land bridge over which the earliest Americans are believed to have migrated from Asia in the Americas
Beringia is thought to have existed during the last Ice Age.
What is maize?
A cultivated cereal grain that bears its kernels on large ears, usually called corn in the United States
Maize is a staple food in many cultures and has been cultivated for thousands of years.
Define Mesoamerica.
An area extending from central Mexico to Honduras, where several ancient complex societies developed
Mesoamerica is known for its significant cultural, architectural, and scientific achievements.
What is the Olmec civilization?
The earliest known Mesoamerican civilization, which flourished around 1200 BCE and influenced later societies throughout the region
The Olmecs are often referred to as the ‘mother culture’ of Mesoamerica.
What are the Andes Mountains?
Second in elevation only to the Himalayan Mountains, running the entire length of the West coast of South America
The Andes are home to diverse ecosystems and numerous indigenous cultures.
What civilization flourished on the southern coast of Peru from about 200 B.C. to A.D. 600?
Nazca
The Nazca civilization is known for its geoglyphs, often referred to as the Nazca Lines.
