World Civ Intro Flashcards
Geology
Study of the earth
History
The chronological and systematic study of any human activity from one period of time to another. It concerns itself with the lessons of the past to avoid problems in the future.
Economics
Study of humans make a living
Primary source
Direct or firsthand information. It dates approximately to the time of the event being studied.
Carbon 14 Dating
A method of dating fossils that are up to 75,000 years old.
Psychiatry
The study of mental illness, emotional disturbance,and abnormal behavior.
Demographics
Study of population movements and the information that results from those studies.
Mercator Projection
Map very often used in schools and the most common field map.
Advantages: he distance and direction between land masses is accurate.
Disadvantages: the land masses become far too large and distorted the farther north or south you go.
Primates
A group of mammals and humans that have very similar characteristics.
Evolution
All living things undergo physical change over long periods of time.
Australopithecus
The earliest form of human to ever live. They were very small, gathered their food, used grunts, gestures, and groans to communicate, and had a limited cc.
Cro-Magnon
The first modern human. First to live on large groups, grow food, wear war paint, wear jewelry, and cut hair.
Mesolithic Era
Also known as the Middle Stone Age, it ranged on 8,000bc to 6,000bc. Important developments include pottery, domesticated animals, and the bow and arrow.
c.c.
Cranial capacity
“On the Origin of Species”
A book written in 1859 by Charles Darwin. It was based on his world travels, especially that of the Galapagos Islands, and developed the theory of evolution through natural selection.
Tigris-Euphrates Rivers
An early civilization in present day Iraq and Mesopotamia.
Yellow River
This is known as the Huang Ho in Chinese. It is an early civilization in China. It later became the Shang dynasty.
Social Science
Study of society and human behavior.
Anthropology
Study of human physical or cultural developments.
Political science
Study of human political groups.
Secondary source
Indirect or secondhand source of information that is usually available much later.
Fossil
An imprint or remain of anything that was once alive.
Clio-metrics
Using statistical information to learn more about humans, principally though the use of computers.
Oral history
Study of history by interviewing eyewitnesses and veterans.
Mullweida Projection
And attempt to put a globe onto a flat circular map.
Advantages: the proportion of water to land is correct.
Disadvantages: the shapes of the land masses are distorted.
Creation theory
The belief that God created humans in his own image.
Natural Selection Theory
Charles Darwin’s belief that living things that can adapt to things in their environment will survive.
Homo Erectus
The early human that lived from 1.5 million to about 500,000 years ago. He was named because he stood erect, a tremendous advantage. He developed sweat glands, causing him to shed his hair, and was the first to overcome his fear of fire.
Homo Sapien Sapiens
Live from 40,000 years ago to the present. They are modern humans. The first beings to form nations, to develop the Earth’s resources, to dominate the Earth, and to reach past the Earth into space. They are unable to unite the Earth and live in peace.
Neolithic Era
Also known as the New Stone Age, it occurred from 60,000bc to 30,000bc. Important developments include spinning and weaving, law and government, and agriculture.
Anatomical Features
Specific characteristics that can describe an animal or human.
Silt
Fine sand that is carried by streams and running water and deposited as a sediment.
Nile River
An early civilization in present day Egypt. Egypt was also the first nation.
Irrigation
Supplying dry land with water by use of ditches
Geography
The study of how humans use their environment.
Archeology
Study of primitive societies.
Sociology
Study of human organizations and how they operate.
Potassium-Argon Dating
Can date minerals from rocks that are at least 250,000 years old.
Artifact
Anything made by humans, usually very old.
Psychology
Studies human behavior based on interactions with other people.
Interrupted Projection
A map that looks like someone peeled a glob and tried to flatten it out.
Advantages: All shapes and sizes of land masses are correct.
Disadvantages: Difficult to measure distance, particularly on the water.
Prehistory
All that happened prior to the arrival of the earliest human.
Charles Darwin
The author of “ On the Origin of Species” and creator of the theory of evolution through natural selection.
Dr. Lois Leakey
The anthropologist who discovered an Australopithecus in 1959.
Neanderthal
An Homo Sapien (500,000 to 40,000 years ago) with a huge c.c.. However, they didn’t use it completely. First to make weapons, clothes, cave art, words, to believe in an afterlife, and to travel many places.
Paleolithic Era
Also know as the Old Stone Age, it occurred from 2 million to 8,000bc. Important developments include fire, tools, belief in an afterlife, religion, cave art, language, and cities.
The Bronze Age ( list 4 important developments)
Occurred from 3,000 to 1,000 BC. 4 important things about this age include:
- Metals used in abundance for the first time.
- Sailing was discovered.
- The wheel was invented.
- The world’s first countries develop. (Egypt was the 1st country)
List the 4 cradles of civilization
- Tigris-Euphrates
- Nile River Valley
- Indus River Valley
- Yellow River Valley (Haung Ho)
Indus River Valley
An early civilization in modern day India.
Barter
The action or system of exchanging goods and services without using money.
