Western Civ. Test 1

What type of scientist specializes in studying early developments and civilizations by excavating artifacts?

Archaeologist

An _____ is a scientist who specializes in the culture of a specific group or people.

anthropologist

What type of scientist focuses on studying fossils, such as bones and teeth?

paleontologist

Which archaeologist led the 1978 dig that discovered human-like footprints approximately 3.6 million years old?

Mary Leakey

The American anthropologist who discovered the skeletal remains of an adult female hominid nicknamed "Lucy" is _____.

Donald Johanson

Where were the remains of Australopithecines primarily found?

Southern and Eastern Africa

What was the average brain size of the Australopithecines?

500 cubic cm

Which hominid group is credited as the first to walk upright?

Australopithecines

What was the average brain size of the Homo Habilis?

700 cubic cm

Homo Habilis is nicknamed "_____" because they were the first to work with stone tools.

Handyman

Where were Homo Habilis found?

East Africa

Which hominid group was the first to work with controlled fire?

Homo Erectus

What is the nickname for Homo Erectus?

upright man

The remains of Homo Erectus have been found in Africa, Europe, and _____.

Asia

What is the average brain size of Homo Sapiens?

1450 cubic cm

Based on DNA tests, which group was determined to be unrelated to modern man and not Homo Sapiens?

Neanderthals

The skeletal remains of the _____ subgroup of Homo Sapiens are identical to those of modern man.

Cro-Magnon

In the term Paleolithic Age, what does the prefix "paleo" mean?

Early or primitive

What term describes the Paleolithic lifestyle of traveling from place to place rather than settling?

Nomadic/Nomads

In Paleolithic communities, the division of labor typically involved males doing the _____ while females were to have babies.

hunting

What is the meaning of the prefix "meso" in the context of the Mesolithic Age?

middle or between

The Mesolithic Age is described as a _____ period between the Old and New Stone Ages.

transitional

The Neolithic Age, is also known as the "_____ Stone Age"

New

The Agricultural Revolution, which began in the Neolithic Age, is defined by people purposefully farming and _____.

domesticating animals

What specific tactic did Neolithic farmers use to clear large areas of land for growing food?

slash and burn

Bronze is a strong metal created by combining copper and _____.

tin

What metal was introduced during the Bronze Age that was significantly stronger than bronze?

iron

According to the lecture notes, what is the definition of a civilization?

A complex culture in which a large number of people share common elements or characteristics.

Name the six characteristics of civilization mentioned in the lecture notes.

1. advanced cities

2. social classes

3. job specialization

4. writing/record keeping

5. religious structure

6. political structure

Name the 4 possible causes for the rise of civilization.

1. challenges

2. material forces (#1 - Food!)

3. non-material forces (#1 - Religion!)

4. we dont know!

What two groups were part of the Mesopotamian civilization?

Sumerians and Akkadians

Which group of people is credited with creating the first civilization for the West?

Sumerians

Sumerian city-states were described as "_____ nations" because each initially had its own independent ruler.

Mini

What were the three major social classes in Sumerian civilization?

1. Nobles (ppl related to royal family)

2. Commoners (farmers, fisherman, merchants, etc. 80% of pop.)

3. Slaves

What was #1 in the Sumerians economy?

farming

What 3 things did Sumerians mainly trade?

1. textiles (cloth)

2. pottery

3. metal work

What is the name of the Sumerian form of writing?

Cuneiform

The name "Cuneiform" comes from the word "Cuneus," which means _____.

wedge

Sumerian scribes used a stylus with a wedge-shaped tip to write on _____.

wet clay tablets

What was the primary reason the Sumerians initially started keeping written records?

to keep record of the food supply

Who was the famous Akkadian leader credited with creating the first dynasty in the West?

Sargon

Sargon had a very powerful ______ which allowed him to conquer the other city-states and unite them under his rule.

military

Which Babylonian king is most famous for putting in place a comprehensive law code?

Hammurabi

Under the Code of Hammurabi, laws were applied based on the individual's _____.

social class

The _____ is one of the oldest literary stories in the world and includes a tale of a great flood. It was created by the _____.

Epic of Gilgamesh ; Sumerians

Ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the banks of the _____ River.

Nile

The King of _____ Egypt conquered the northern kingdom to form one united Egyptian kingdom.

Upper/South

____ was made the capital city of Egypt because thats where the two kingdoms met.

Memphis

Ancient Egypt was divided into ___ major time periods.

3

The Old Kingdom of Egypt is known as the Age of _____ and Prosperity.

Splendor

In Ancient Egypt, the term "pharaohs" refers to the _____.

rulers

The Old Kingdom came to a close to due inner ____.

strife/conflict

Intermediate period 1 was also known as _____.

Period of chaos 1 (due to lots of fighting)

During the Middle Kingdom, Egypt conquered beyond the first cataract and took control of _____.

Nubia

Middle Kingdom also came to a close due to ______.

inner strife

Which group invaded Egypt during Intermediate Period 2 via Lower Egypt?

Hyksos

The New Kingdom of Egypt is referred to as the _____ period because they conquered the Palestinian region.

empire

In the polytheistic religion of Ancient Egypt, who was the most powerful Sun god?

RA (Amon Re)

In Egyptian mythology, _____ was the god of rebirth and the Underworld.

Osiris

The sacred carvings or priestly writings of the Ancient Egyptians are known as _____.

Hieroglyphics

Ancient Egyptians eventually evolved their writing from clay tablets to paper made from _____ reed.

papyrus

In the Ancient Near East, which group located in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) is credited as the first to smelt iron?

Hitties

The Hitties fell due to?

the capital city being targeted and then destroyed

What city was the capital of the Assyrian Empire?

Nineveh

The Assyrians were greatly known for what?

Their military might

The Assyrians had 2 broad social classes, what were they?

1. Free people

2. Slaves (many of the conquered people were enslaved)

The _____ were known as "sea traders" and traded throughout the Mediterranean basin. The only group whose #1 in economy is trade and not farming.

Phoenicians

Which civilization is credited with creating the concept of an alphabet?

Phoenicians

Which group of people is credited with introducing monotheism?

Hebrews

Abraham was from the city-state of ___.

Ur

Abraham was the leader of the Hebrews and led them from ____ to ____.

mesopotamia ; the palestinian region (promised land)

The 12 Hebrew tribes of Israel are based on the lineage of the 12 sons of _____.

Jacob

In Israel, great ____ occurred, which caused the Hebrews to relocate to Egypt

famine

The Hebrews were initially welcomes, but generations later were ____.

very grossly mistreated and enslaved

Who is credited with leading the Hebrews out of Egypt and to the promised land during the event known as the Exodus?

Moses

After the Hebrews landed in the promised land the settled along the ____ river.

Jordan

Who were the 3 Kings of the Hebrew Kingdom?

1. Saul

2. David

3. Soloman

Which king of the Hebrew Kingdom made Jerusalem the capital city?

David

After King Solomon's death, the Hebrew kingdom split into the northern kingdom of Israel (10/12 tribes) and the southern kingdom of _____ (2/10 tribes).

Judah

What group conquered the Hebrews?

The Assyrians

After Assyria fell, who was the new group in power?

The New Babylonians

What did the New Babylonians take control of?

the Fertile Crescent

The Babylonian king _____ forced the Hebrews/Jews of Judah into captivity.

Nebuchadnezzar II

after Babylon fell, who was the new group in power?

The Persians

Which Persian ruler freed the Jews/Hebrews and allowed them to return to the "promised land"?

Cyrus the Great