World Studies 9

Hominid

Upright creature; an early ancestor of humans

Paleolithic Age

(2.5 million years ago - 10,000 BCE) "Old Stone Age"; A period of time in human history characterized by the use of stone tools and the use of hunting and gathering as a food source.

Neolithic Age

(10,000 BCE - 3000 BCE) "New Stone Age"; marked by advances in the production of stone tools. Shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture

Nomad

A person who moves from place to place in search of food

Hunter-gatherer

People who hunt animals and gather wild plants, seeds, fruits, and nuts to survive

Neolithic Revolution

(10,000 - 8,000 BCE) The development of agriculture and the domestication of animals as a food source. This led to the development of permanent settlements and the start of civilization.

Elements of Civilization

(1) advanced cities, (2) specialized workers, (3) complex institutions, (4) record keeping, and (5) advanced technology

Domestication

The taming of animals for human use, such as work or as food

Specialization

The development of skills in a specific kind of work

Artisan

A skilled craftsperson

Scribe

A professional writer; someone who writes things down

Barter

Exchange goods without involving money

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

Mesopotamia

A region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers ("land between rivers") that developed the first urban societies, including Sumer and the Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires

Cuneiform

A form of writing developed by the Sumerians (Mesopotamia) using a reed stylus to create wedge-shaped impressions on clay tablets

Ziggurat

A pyramid shaped temple tower from Mesopotamia

Polytheism

Belief in many gods

Hammurabi

Babylonian king known for his code of laws based on a system of strict justice

Pharaoh

A king of ancient Egypt, considered a god as well as a political and military leader.

Theocracy

A government controlled by religious leaders

Mummification

The preservation of dead bodies by embalming and wrapping them in cloth

Hieroglyphics

An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds

Papyrus

A long-lasting, paper-like material made from reeds, used in Ancient Egypt

Pastoral nomads

groups of people who moved with their animals from place to place in search of pasture and water

Indo-Europeans

A group of nomadic peoples who spoke related languages; they settled across Europe, the Middle East, and into western Asia. The Hittites were the first Indo-Europeans to use iron.

Phoenicians

A maritime people who expanded their trade and settlement throughout the Mediterranean region, charting new routes, and creating an empire. They spread their alphabet to others in their travels

Israelites

Descendants of Abraham who left Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan, then organizing themselves into tribes and a united kingdom of Israel

Diaspora

the dispersion of the Jewish population to places outside Israel

monotheism

belief in only one god

Judaism

Monotheistic religion of the Jews who believe in one God. The covenant, law (10 Commandments), and prophets are three parts of Jewish tradition