Unit 2: Early Civilizations Vocabulary Flashcards
Climate Map Definition
A map that shows information about the climate of different parts of the world
Deductive Reasoning Definition
the process of developing a general statement or hypothesis about a topic, then examining sources to come up with a logical conclusion
Homo sapiens Definition
The primate species to which modern humans belong
Inductive Reasoning Definition
The process of making broad generalizations about a topic from specific observations
Physical Geography Definition
A branch of geography focused on physical features and processes
Physical Map Definition
A map showing the geographic features on an area
Pull factors Definition
positive factors that prompt migration to a location
Push Factors Definition
negative factors that prompt migration away from a location
Thematic Map Definition
a map that shows one or more specific themes of an area
Bering Strait Definition
the strait separating the Chukchi Peninsula of Russia from the Seward Peninsula of Alaska
Complex Society Definition
a society that has a clear social structure, hierarchy, and system of government, and has developed to include different elements of culture such as religious practices, arts, and the use of technology to solve problems within the society
Cuneiform Definition
an ancient writing system used in Sumer in the Fertile Crescent
Domestication Definition
the process of breeding a wild plant or animal for food
Fertile Crescent Definition
an area in the present-day Middle East, where some of the first agricultural societies began to develop; it is located along and around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow through modern Iraq, Syria, and Turkey
Hunter-gatherer Society Definition
a nomadic group that killed animals for food and set aside plants and grains for later consumption
Historical Hypothesis Definition
a claim or statement that can be proved with evidence
Neolithic Revolution Definition
the time around 10,000 BCE when early humans began to abandon hunter-gathering to take up farming and establish permanent settlements
Anthropologist Definition
a person who studies the development of human societies and cultures
Archaeologist Definition
a person who studies human history by examining artifacts
Code of Hammurabi Definition
an early legal code from Mesopotamia
Sedentary Definition
a way of life defined by permanent settlements
Ziggurat Definition
a pyramid-like religious temple in the Fertile Crescent; might have inspired the early Egyptian pyramids
Aqueduct Definition
A manmade system for moving water
City-state Definition
a political system in which the leaders of the city can make all decisions for the people within their territory and are not overruled by a larger centralized government
Colony Definition
A permanent settlement established away from a homeland
Empire Definition
a system of government in which there is one authority (individual or group) who rules over a large territory
Fresco Definition
a type of artwork that involves painting on wet plaster in order to retain vibrant colors
Homogenous Definition
referring to similar things
Latins Definition
the predecessors to the Romans who settled along the Tiber River in Rome
Mosaic Definition
a decorative image created from small colored stones, ceramics, or glass
Topography Definition
The surface of terrain
Traverse Definition
To move or walk across
Urban Planning Definition
The intentional development and design of urban areas (cities)
Alloy Definition
a mixture of metals
Etymology Definition
The study of the origin of words
Metallurgy Definition
The process of mining, mixing, and using metals
Obsidian Definition
Volcanic glass that is one of the sharpest materials in the world
Sinew Definition
An extremely strong fiber that holds muscles and bones together
Textile Definition
A product made from cloth
Agrarian Definition
Related to farming
Basin Irrigation Definition
a type of watering system that floods entire fields between canals
Head-dam Definition
a structure at the beginning of a canal that controls the flow of water
Monsoon Definition
A weather event with extreme rainfall
Regulator-dam Definition
a structure inside a canal system that controls the flow of water
Silt Definition
The sediment and nutrients that fertilize crops
Aesthetic Definition
the way things look; valuing beauty above all else
Legitimacy Definition
The right of a government or ruler to have power
Dynasty Definition
A series of rulers from the same family
Hieroglyphics Definition
a system of writing using images to represent sounds
Lower Egypt Definition
the area of Egypt near the Nile Delta, close to the Mediterranean Sea
Upper Egypt Definition
the area of Egypt that is in the southern part of Egypt, near Lake Nasser, where much of the Nile gets its waterflow
Vassal Leadership System Definition
a government system in which a ruler appoints someone to own and oversee land, often an outside source from the native population
Plural Society Definition
a society incorporating numerous cultures into a single, unified organization
Smelting Definition
the process of removing metal from its ore by heating and melting it
Common Era Definition
The period of time starting with the year 1 using the Gregorian calendar
Standing Army Definition
A permanent army with paid soldiers
Treaty Definition
An agreement between two governments
Labor Specialization Definition
the division of labor in a society in which different members perform different jobs
Social Class Definition
the division of people based on their social and economic power in a society
Social Hierarchy Definition
A system that exists within a community in which members have unequal power
Patriarchal Society Definition
A social system in which men hold the most power and restrict the lives and rights of women
Patriarchy Definition
A system in which men hold the most power and exclude women
Social Stratification Definition
The separation of people based on their power and labor specialization
Social Structure Definition
the organization of people based on their social and economic power in a society
Chattel Slavery Definition
the enslaving and owning of human beings and their children; in the system of chattel slavery, people were treated like livestock and families were enslaved for generations
Prisoner of War Definition
A person held prisoner by the enemy during wartime
Slavery Definition
When one human is the legal property of another
Alexander the Great Definition
king of Macedonia who ruled over a large area of land from Europe to Asia
Ashoka Definition
The third ruler of the Mauryan Empire
Bindusara Definition
The second ruler of the Mauryan Empire
Brihadratha Definition
the last ruler of the Mauryan Empire
Bureaucracy Definition
the departments, agencies, and commissions within a government that often make important decisions
Chandragupta Maurya Definition
first ruler of the Mauryan Empire
Edict Definition
an official order or rule given by a person of authority
Emissary Definition
Someone who is sent on a special mission
Ganges River Definition
A River in northeastern India
Indian Subcontinent Definition
a geographical region in South Asia composed of the modern-day countries of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh
Mauryan Empire Definition
an empire that ruled parts of the Indian subcontinent from 321 to 185 BCE
Pataliputra Definition
the capital of the Mauryan Empire
Punjab Definition
A geographical region in northwestern India
Seleucids Definition
A group of people who were early enemies of the Mauryan Empire
Shunga Empire Definition
the empire that ruled parts of the Indian subcontinent after the Mauryan Empire
Son River Definition
A river in central India
Vacuum of Power Definition
a condition in which someone has lost power, usually a ruler, and there is no one to replace them
Amu Darya Definition
A major river in Central Asia
Arable Land Definition
Land that can be used by humans to grow plants
Canal Definition
An artificial river
Gandhara Definition
A location in modern-day northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan
Kushan Empire Definition
an empire that controlled land in South and Central Asia in the first, second, and third centuries CE
Kushan People Definition
People from the Kushan Empire
Syr Darya Definition
A major River in Central Asia
Zoroastrian Definition
coming from or belonging to Zoroastrianism, a religion that started in Iran thousands of years ago; it is still practiced by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide
Gupta Empire Definition
an empire that ruled over much of what is now the country of India from the early fourth to the late sixth centuries CE
Gunpowder Definition
an explosive used in weapons such as guns and cannons
Gunpowder Empires Definition
a name given to the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman Empires as they used gunpowder in their military weaponry in order to build their empires
Islamic Empires Definition
Empires that have Islam as their official religion
Mongol Empire Definition
a land-based empire founded in the twelfth century CE by Genghis Khan in what is now the country of Mongolia
Mughal Empire Definition
an empire that ruled over land in the modern-day countries of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh
Ottoman Empire Definition
an Islamic empire founded in the fourteenth century CE in what is now the country of Turkey
Safavid Empire Definition
an empire that ruled over land in the modern-day countries of Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, parts of Russia, Iraq, and Afghanistan
Buddhism Definition
a belief system that teaches human life is full of suffering as a result of desire and that meditation, self-reflection, and moral behavior will lead to the goal of enlightenment
Caste System Definition
social levels within a society that are strictly defined, for example in ancient Indian culture; each level has its own duties and individuals are expected to marry someone from their own level, take a job appropriate to their level, etc.
Confucianism Definition
a philosophical system centered on virtue, education, and respect to achieve harmony
Feudal System Definition
a system of organization involving landownership in which a central authority grants land to individuals with power over regional territories and its citizens in exchange for tax revenue, crops, and soldiers
Legalism Definition
the doctrine in Chinese philosophy that political order should be established by a strong central government that creates strict laws and standards enforced by rewards and punishments
Mandate of Heaven Definition
a Chinese philosophy claiming that it is the natural order of things for a morally fair leader to be the “Son of Heaven”; a system that was used in ancient China to justify the position of ruler based on their being chosen by the universe
Taoism (Daoism) Definition
a philosophical system focused on harmony, balance, and simplicity
Yin Yang Definition
the ancient Chinese concept of duality of nature, representing the flow of different forces such as good and evil; represents how all things are interconnected and balanced; the Taoist concept of balance where opposites like dark and light, fast and slow, hard and soft, act together to create the living processes of nature
Crossbow Definition
a kind of bow that shoots horizontally versus vertically and has a mechanism that shoots projectiles down a wooden groove by releasing a string
Enlightenment Definition
The attainment of full spiritual awareness
Standardized Definition
a widely accepted form of measurement or quality; a universally used system
Artisan Definition
A skilled worker in a trade; a craftsperson who is an expert in a certain trade
Assimilate Definition
Absorb into the dominant culture
Caravan Definition
A group of people (merchants) traveling together, usually to trade with others
Colonization Definition
the process a country takes to control a foreign land and its people for economic gain
Commerce Definition
Trade; buying and selling
Junk Definition
a ship from the Han and Tang dynasties in China with sails, a stern rudder for steering, and oars; capable of carrying large amounts of cargo
Meritocracy Definition
a system of government based on education or merit
Monopoly Definition
a single party controls all of a market, good, or service; no competition
Province Definition
territory of an empire or country controlled by a local government that acts as part of the central government
Silk Road Definition
a network of trade routes connecting China to Asia, Europe, and North Africa
Virtue Definition
Acting with high moral standards
Voucher Definition
A paper that can be exchanged for a good; credit
Alchemist Definition
a person who mixes or manipulates different materials or elements to create something that has healing or mystical powers
Bureaucratic Definition
having an organized division of labor
Cartography Definition
The study of mapmaking
Granary Definition
A place for storing large amounts of grain
Heredity Definition
the inheritance of property or a position of rank after a person’s death
Hydraulic Definition
Water or another liquid under pressure resulting in a device moving up and down
Loom Definition
A machine for weaving yarn or thread into fabric
Navigation Definition
the study of steering a boat or other form of travel, typically using a compass and maps
Rudder Definition
a piece of wood or metal with a hinge to move back and forth that is found under the stern (back) of a boat used to steer
Brahman Definition
in Hinduism, the ultimate reality, source and purpose of all spiritual understanding, often described as indescribable
Buddha Definition
any “enlightened one,” but generally referring to Prince Siddhartha Gautama, whose teachings are the primary source of Buddhism
Buddhism Definition
Eastern religion, prominent in India and across East and Southeast Asia, that seeks to understand the true sources of suffering and the method to eliminate them, the Four Noble Truths
Four Noble Truths Definition
in Buddhism, a summary of the causes of suffering and the method of eliminating them
Hinduism Definition
Eastern religion, originating in India; a diverse set of religious practices that aim to help the soul to rejoin Brahman or ultimate reality
Indus River Valley Definition
The fertile basin surrounding the Indus River in modern-day Pakistan, in which ancient civilizations arose
Meditation Definition
the act of focusing on one’s own thoughts; in some Eastern religious traditions many particular forms of meditation have been developed as part of spiritual practices
Oral Tradition Definition
the passing down of beliefs, stories and practices through teaching without the use of writing
Reincarnated Definition
in Hinduism, when a living thing has died and its soul is reborn into another body
Scripture Definition
a written text considered to be of major importance to a religious tradition
Subcontinent Definition
A large landmass within a continent
Vedas Definition
ancient Hindu scriptures, written between the fifteenth and fifth centuries BCE, based on oral traditions
Yoga Definition
Ancient Hindu practice developed to unite body, mind, and spirit
Asoka Chakra Definition
a Buddhist symbol of a wheel with 24 spokes that appears on many monuments erected by Asoka and also on the modern flag of India
Capital Definition
An architectural term referring to the top portion of a column
Relic Definition
An object of religious significance from the past
Stupa Definition
A Buddhist shrine or monument containing relics
UNESCO World Heritage Site Definition
a site designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to protect and preserve culture and history around the world; these sites are considered valuable to all of humanity because of their cultural significance.
Oracle Definition
a person, often a priest or priestess, through whom a god or gods are believed to send messages or advice
Orientalism Definition
the use of inaccurate representations of an Asian culture that emphasize its “exotic” or “uncivilized” aspects, seen in some European art and writing from the nineteenth century
Romanization Definition
The representation of the pronunciation of a language using the Latin (Roman) or English alphabet
Wu Wei Definition
the Taoist concept of acting in alignment with nature in order to accomplish much with little effort
Warring States Period Definition
a period in ancient Chinese history (475–221 BCE) in which several smaller states or kingdoms fought for power and control of what is now the modern country of China
Crusades Definition
a series of military and religious movements by Europeans seeking to conquer Muslim lands associated with the life of Jesus and expand Christianity
Ortaq System Definition
a trade practice that paired a Mongol elite or government official with a merchant traveling the Silk Road trade route
Black Death Definition
a pandemic that swept through Asia, Africa, and Europe between 1346–1353, killing between 75 million and 200 million people; also known as the bubonic plague
Indian Ocean Trade Network Definition
a series of sailing routes across the Indian Ocean that connected Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
Spice Routes Definition
the maritime (sea) trade routes related to the Silk Road, where spices were primarily traded
Trans-Saharan Trade Route Definition
the trade routes of northern Africa that were known for trading gold, salt, and other goods
Pax Romana Definition
Latin for “Roman peace,” a period of stability for the Roman Empire lasting 200 years
Arranged Marriage Definition
a marriage agreed upon by the families of the bride and groom, who usually have little to no say in this matter
Aryans Definition
a group of Indo-European speaking people who invaded northern India during the second millennium BCE
Brahmins Definition
priests and other religious officials who were part of the highest level in the caste system
Casta Definition
the term used by the Portuguese to separate classes by races or ancestry
Dalit Definition
The modern term given to those who were considered to be “untouchable” or “unseeable” in the caste system
Dowry Definition
Property or money brought by a bride to her new husband
Dravidian Definition
Describing the common language spoken by people native to India
Jati Definition
a subcaste that identified with a specific trade or specific region in India
Kshatriyas Definition
warriors and other powerful leaders who made up the second-highest varna in the caste system
Mánusmriti (Code of Mánu) Definition
a legal code written during the late Vedic Period that stated the rules for proper behavior and conduct
Purdah Definition
The practice of female seclusion and veiling in some Hindu and Muslim societies
Pyre Definition
wood and other combustible materials used to burn a corpse during a funeral service
Rajah Definition
The warrior chief of an Aryan political division
Rig Veda Definition
The oldest of the written Vedas
Sati Definition
The practice in which a widow was cremated alive on her husband’s funeral pyre
Shudras (Sudras) Definition
servants and conquered people who performed unskilled labor and occupied the lowest varna in the Indian caste system
Subcaste Definition
A division within a larger caste
Vaishyas Definition
commoners who performed basic services such as farming, herding, and trading and were part of the third varna in the caste system
Varnas Definition
the four classes based on a person’s ability or interest that were part of the Indian caste system
The Vedic Period Definition
the time period in early India from 1500 to 500 BCE
The Analects Definition
A written collection of Confucius’ sayings
Chattel Definition
A personal possession
Civil Servant Definition
A career worker within the various departments and divisions of government
Dowager Definition
The widow of the previous emperor in ancient Chinese dynasties
Fiefdom Definition
the land granted by a powerful noble or member of the ruling class to a lower member of the nobility in exchange for service and loyalty
Gentry Definition
People of high social ranking
Gong Definition
an ancient Chinese social class made up of artisans and craftspeople
Hemp Definition
Fiber cultivated from cannabis plants
Jade Definition
A hard green stone used for ornaments or jewelry
Jian Definition
a double-edged sword carried by military members belonging to the Chinese noble class
Nong Definition
Ancient Chinese social class made up of peasant farmers
Peasant Definition
a farmer of low social rank who raised crops on land rented from a wealthy landowner
Serf Definition
a peasant farmer bound to a noble’s land for life
Sericulture Definition
The farming and production of silk
Shang Definition
merchants and traders who made up the lowest social class level in ancient China
Shang Dynasty Definition
the first-known historical dynasty that ruled China from 1766 to 1122 BCE
Shi Definition
an upper class of warriors, nobles, and scholars that made up the gentry of ancient Chinese society
Stratified Definition
Describing a society divided into different levels based on rank, wealth, and power
Well-field System Definition
the process where plots of land farmed by Chinese serfs were clustered around a spring or well for easy access to fresh water
Zhou Dynasty Definition
Hereditary dynasty that ruled China from 1122 to 256 BCE
Analects for Women Definition
a collection of behavior codes for women written by sisters Song Ruohua and Song Ruozhao
Dao Definition
a code of behavior stressing harmony with the natural world
Four Virtues Definition
a Confucian philosophy that regulated women’s behavior in terms of etiquette, appearance, speech, and work
Hang Dynasty Definition
the imperial Chinese dynasty established by Liu Bang that lasted from 202 BCE to 220 CE
Paleographer Definition
a person who studies ancient and medieval handwriting and texts
Qin Dynasty Definition
the imperial Chinese dynasty that lasted from 221 to 206 BCE under the rule of Emperor Shi Huangdi
Sui Dynasty Definition
the short-lived dynasty in the sixth century CE that adopted Buddhism as China’s state religion
Tang Dynasty Definition
the Chinese dynasty that ruled from the seventh to tenth centuries CE
The Way of Virtue (Tao Te Ching) Definition
a book of Daoist ideas written by Laozi
Three Obediences Definition
the Confucian philosophy that regulated relationships for women throughout their lifetimes
Concubine Definition
a woman who is in an interpersonal, sexual relationship with a married man of a higher social rank
“Double Tax” System Definition
a tax reform issued during the Tang dynasty in which farmers paid taxes on their land twice a year rather than being assessed by the number of people in a household
Dynastic Cycle Definition
a four-phase cycle that traced the rise and fall of Chinese dynasties according to the Mandate of Heaven
Imperial Definition
Relating to an empire
Memorial Definition
a statement of facts addressed to a government or a person controlling a government
Oracle Bones Definition
charred animal bones or tortoise shells that Chinese spiritual leaders inscribed with symbols to communicate with the gods and predict the future
Patrilineal Definition
tracing descent through the father’s side of the family
