AP World History chap 1-2

study of past events and changes in the development, transmission, and transformation of cultural practices

socially transmitted patterns of actions and expressions. Ex: arts, beliefs, knowledge, and technology

An ambiguous term often used to denote more complex societies but sometimes used by anthropologists to describe any group of people sharing a set of cultural traits

Normally refers to the tools and processes by which humans manipulate the physical world.

A.K.A-Pleistocene epoch. Occurred between 2 million and 11,000 years ago. As a result of the climate shifts, large numbers of new species evolved during this era.

Period characterized by the production of tools and other nonmetallic substances. The first recognizable cultural activity appeared.

Period of the Stone Age associated with the evolution of humans

a cave in southwestern France that contains Paleolithic paintings

People who support themselves by hunting and gathering

Period of Stone Age associated with the Agricultural Revolutions

One of first true cities in history, created in the Neolithic Era in 6500 to 5500 BC, from which were created agriculture, trading, temples, housing, and religions

The Fertile Crescent, nicknamed "The Cradle of Civilization" for the fact the first civilizations started there, is a crescent-shaped region containing the comparatively moist and fertile land of otherwise arid and semi-arid Western Asia

Change from food gathering to food production that occurred between 8000 and 2000 B.C.E.

Gods who possess human forms and characteristics

structures and complexes of very large stones constructed for ceremonial and religious purposes

A region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that developed the first urban societies. In the Bronze Age this area included Sumer and the Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires, In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires.

People living in Mesopotamia at the start of the period

another name for a king in Ancient Mesopotamia

Largest and most important city in Mesopotamia

Amorite ruler of Babylon who wrote his own Law Code named after him

Provided judges with a lengthy set of examples illustrating the principles to be used in deciding cases. Some examples use severe punishments to compensate for crimes.

Family of languages spoken in West Asia and northern Africa, including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician

Self-governing urban centers controlling agricultural territories

trained professionals who applied their skills of reading and writing to tasks of administration

Multistory, mud-brick, pyramid-shaped tower approached by ramps and stairs

small charms meant to protect the bearer from evil

system of writing where wedge-shaped symbols represent words or syllables. Served to express the Akkadian language of the Mesopotamian Semites as well as other languages.

Stronger metal made of an alloy of copper with tin or arsenic

a succession of rulers from the same family or group

central figure in the Egyptian state

Egyptian ruler, he unified the kingdoms of upper and lower Egypt and built the new capital city of Memphis

divinely authorized order of the universe

large, triangular stone monument used as a burial place for a king; Between 2550 and 2490 BCE the pharoahs Khufu and Khefren erected huge pyramids at Giza.

Upper in the south, lower in the north

These are the three dividing periods of Egypt based on chaos and politics; provided a good system to separate the history of Egypt.

Area south of Egypt; the kingdom of Kush in Nubia invaded and dominated Egypt from 750 to 664 B.C.E.

Capital of a flourishing kingdom in southern Nubia from the fourth century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E.

An Egyptian name for Nubia, the region alongside The Nile River south of Egypt.

The most fertile area of land in Egypt located end of the Nile River where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea

capital of Old Kingdom Egypt, near head of Nile Delta

capital city of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms

picture symbols that stand for words, syllables, or individual sounds

Stone that contained carved messages in hieroglyphics, Greek and demotic. Led to deciphering of hieroglyphics.

reed that grows along the Nile and is used as writing material

body preserved by chemical processes or special natural circumstances; the egyptians obsession with the afterlife produced concerns about the physical condition of the dead body.

the largest Indus River civilizations, organized, sewage systems, public wells

Yellowish-brown dust that makes a fertile soil

also called the Yellow River; flows 2,900 miles across northern China carrying rice yellow silt; early Chinese civilizations arose on its valley

First dynasty of China that is on written records (1750-1045 B.C.) the form of writing developed in this era is still used today. Originated around yellow river.

ancient city in northern China built during the Shang dynasty, it was China's first capital

Techniques for ascertaining the future or the will of the gods by interpreting natural phenomena such as, in early China, the cracks on oracle bones or, in ancient Greece, the flight of birds through sectors of the sky.

In ancient China, they were pieces of bone or turtle shell used by Shang priests for divination. Oracle bones are the oldest example of Chinese writing.

A person belonging to a tribe or group that is considered uncivilized; the nomadic peoples who occupied the desert regions to the north and west of shang dynasty were called barbarians by chinese sources

Overtook Shang in north China and created the Mandate of Heaven (1045-221 B.C.)

the period from 475 BC until the unification of China(221 BC) under the Qin dynasty, characterized by lack of centralized government in China. It followed the Zhou dynasty.

Validated the institution of the monarchy by connecting politics and religion

Chinese philosopher, Kongzi, who introduced the idea of Confucianism

The system of ethics, education, and statesmanship taught by Confucius and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct.

Chinese philosopher, who studied Confucianism. He later refined many of the ideas and spread them across China. Also known as Mengzi.

the "Old Master" who encouraged people to give up worldly desires in favor of nature; he founded Taoism (Daoism)

Urged withdrawal from the empty formalities, rigid hierarchy, and distractions of Chinese society

In China, a political philosophy that emphasized the unruliness of human nature and justified state coercion and control. The Qin ruling class invoked it to validate the authoritarian nature of their regime.

Nature of male and female roles in the natural order

People sharing common linguistic and cultural features that originated in Central Europe in the first half of the first millennium

The class of religious experts who conducted rituals and preserved sacred lore among some ancient Celtic people

The first Mesoamerican civilization. Between ca. 1200 and 400 B.C.E., the Olmec people of central Mexico created a vibrant civilization that included intensive agriculture, wide-ranging trade, ceremonial centers and monumental construction

The first major urban civilization in South America (900-2500 B.C.E.) its capita was located in the Andes mountains.

A hoofed animal indigenous to the Andes Mountains in South America. First domesticated animal of the americas.

-1500BCE-1000BCE " Expansion Period" Egypt expanded borders through military conquest. Pharaohs buried in the valley of kings. -The new kingdom was the most glorious period in ancient egyptian history.

A pictorial symbol or sign representing an object or concept -only small, educated elites had time to master this system.

Mesoamerica is a region of great geographic and climate diversity. The early and great civilizations of the olmec and chavin were in Mesoamerica.