Back to FlashcardsHistory / Barron's AP World - Chapter 2 Early Societies
aspects of a civilization
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Key Terms
Term
Definition
aspects of a civilization
economic system based at least partly on trade and specialized labor
a government that provides leadership and enforces laws
a social system that is h...
Sumer
a delta of fertile soil in the southernmost reaches of Mesopotamia that was part of the fertile crescent
Fertile Crescent
part of a larger belt of land between Mesopotamia and Egypt in which one of the earliest civilizations of Southwest Asia began
city-states
small, regional kingdoms composed of a city and the land surrounding it
ziggurat
a multi-tiered temple whose height was designed to bring glory to the gods and to its builders
polytheistic
believing in more than one god
Related Flashcard Decks
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
aspects of a civilization | economic system based at least partly on trade and specialized labor
a government that provides leadership and enforces laws
a social system that is hierarchical, class-based, and to some degree urbanized
a moral or ethical code |
Sumer | a delta of fertile soil in the southernmost reaches of Mesopotamia that was part of the fertile crescent |
Fertile Crescent | part of a larger belt of land between Mesopotamia and Egypt in which one of the earliest civilizations of Southwest Asia began |
city-states | small, regional kingdoms composed of a city and the land surrounding it |
ziggurat | a multi-tiered temple whose height was designed to bring glory to the gods and to its builders |
polytheistic | believing in more than one god |
Epic of Gilgamesh | the first epic in world literature, it was part of Sumerian religion |
Sargon the Great | a Semitic invader who united the Sumerian city-states around 2,300 BC, establishing the short-lived Akkadian Empire |
Akkadian Empire (capital Akkad) | established by Sargon the Great, this lasted only 100 years but succeeded in spreading Sumerian culture throughout the Fertile Crescent |
Code of Hammurabi | law code set down by Hammurabi, ruler of Babylon; it dealt with issues of family, business, and criminal law |
Menes | a king of upper Egypt who united lower and upper Egypt around 3,100 BC; until this time they had always been divided |
theocracy | a government that is based on religion |
The Old Kingom (3,100-2,200 BC) | the first period of united Egyptian history, it was the era during which the Pyramids of Giza were constructed |
The Middle Kingdom (2,100-1,650 BC) | a 2nd period of strong pharaohs in Egypt, it was during this time that the Grand Canal was dug |
The New Kingdom (1,550-700 BC) | the 3rd and final era of strong pharaohs in Egypt, it saw the construction of massive public buildings and great cities; it was followed by centuries of decline which culminated in the Persian conquest of Egypt in 525 BC |
Grand Canal | a canal that was dug between the Nile River and Red Sea during the time of the Middle Kingdom |
Hyksos | a people south of the Egyptians who invaded Egypt c. 1,650 BC, in between the Middle and New Kingdoms; it literally means “shepherd king” |
Akhenaton | an Egyptian pharaoh who tried to abolish the old, complex religion, and establish a new one that was centered on the pharaoh as god; he failed due to opposition from the Egyptian priesthood |
hieroglyphics | the ancient Egyptian system of writing, it was based on the use of pictures of objects to represent the words they expressed |
papyrus | a thin parchment made from reeds that grew along the banks of the Nile, it was what the ancient Egyptians wrote on |
Rosetta Stone | found in 1798 AD by French soldiers serving under Napoleon in Egypt, this was a stone that had the same thing written in 3 different languages, one of which was Greek; since Greek is known, it allowed linguists to decipher the other two languages, which were Demotic and hieroglyphics |
Jean Francois Champollion | a French linguist who in the 1820s used his knowledge of Greek to decipher the hieroglyphics of the Rosetta Stone |
Queen Ahhotep | an Egyptian queen who helped to drive out the Hyksos |
Hatshepsut | an Egyptian queen during the new kingdom who seized the throne while acting as regent for her stepson, the rightful heir; she is known for her promotion of trade |
Harappa | along with Mohenjo Daro, this was one of the major urban complexes of the Harappan civilization; it was laid out on a planned grid pattern; had around 35,000 people |
Khyber Pass | a opening through the Hindu Kush Mountains that allows easier access to the Indian subcontinent; it was used by both traders and invader throughout the years, such as the Aryans c. 1,500 BC |
Vedas | hymns and chants of the ancient Indians that later became part of the Hindu religion |
Mahayana Buddhism | a 2nd branch of Buddhism that spread through Vietnam, Korea, China, and Japan |
Legalism | an early Chinese political philosophy that advised rule through an iron fist and suppression of dissent; it's central tenet was that allowing people freedom caused disorder |
Shang Yang | the founder of Legalism in 350 BC, during the period of political chaos after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty |