Early Civilizations and Global Tapestry

Flashcards related to lecture notes on early civilizations and global tapestry.

What is the significance of the period from 1200 CE to 2001 CE in the context of early civilizations?

The time between 1200 CE and 2001 CE, marking the transition from early civilizations to more recent times.

What was the first domesticated animal?

The wolf, which eventually turned into the dog.

What was the Neolithic Revolution and what did it entail?

Humans learning how to domesticate food and cultivate it, leading to a sedentary lifestyle.

Who were pastoral nomads and how did they interact with sedentary farmers?

Raising livestock but migrating with their animals, often leading to clashes with sedentary farmers.

Between which groups did bartering develop due to trading?

Farmers and nomads, resulting in the development of bartering.

What did the food surplus lead to in early human societies?

Reduced the number of people needed to work, leading to specialization in tasks like pottery, art, building homes, and weapons.

Name two of the first towns that developed during early civilization.

Catal Huyuk (modern Turkey) and Jericho (modern Israel).

What are the characteristics of advanced cities in early civilizations?

Population size (10,000s), trade/administrative centers, and religious centers.

What are some examples of specialized workers in early civilizations?

Artisans, shopkeepers, soldiers, officials, rulers, and priests.

What are the main social classes that exist/existed in civilizations?

Rulers/priests, nobles, artisans and merchants, farmers, and slaves.

What are some examples of complex institutions in civilizations?

Government, religion, education, and the military.

What are some examples of advanced technology in civilizations?

Monumental architecture, art, public works, and new tools.

What was the role of women generally in early civilizations?

Loss of status under male-dominated, patriarchal systems and limitations in vocation.

What are the environmental impacts of agriculture in early civilizations?

Deforestation, erosion, flooding, and selective extinction of large land animals and weed plants.

What are the advantages of agriculture?

Steady food supplies, greater populations, and organized societies capable of supporting additional vocations.

What are the costs associated with agriculture?

Heavily dependent on certain food crops, disease from close contact with animals/humans/waste, and reduced mobility.

Where is the Fertile Crescent?

Turkey and Iraq

What was the significance of Sumer?

Made contributions to the six characteristics of civilizations and developed Hammurabi's Code.

What was Hammurabi's Code?

A code of 282 laws based on justice and retaliation, with different punishments for different social classes.

What was the world's first writing system, developed by the Sumerians?

Cuneiform.

What were some Sumerian inventions?

Wheel, sails, plows, and bronze metalwork.

Which feature was important to the prosperity of Ancient Egypt?

The Nile River.

Who ruled Egypt and who was thought to be 'king-gods' who controlled nature'?

Pharaohs.

What was the writing system used in Ancient Egypt?

Hieroglyphics.

What were some achievements of Ancient Egypt?

The 365-day calendar, geometry, and the pyramids.

What ethical system primarily ruled China?

Confucianism.

What connected the Yellow and Yangtze rivers?

Grand Canal.

What are some characteristics of the Indus River Valley civilization?

Located in modern day India and Pakistan, featured a grid system with high walls and a citadel of major buildings.

What were the main castes in the Indus River Valley caste system?

Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants), Kshudras (laborers), and The Dalit (untouchables).

What are the core beliefs of the time period around the Indus Valley period?

Reincarnation, moksha (enlightenment or nirvana), and a soul's karma.

What type of writing system existed in the Indus River Valley?

A written system that has still not been fully deciphered, contains about 400 symbols that were both pictograms and phonetic characters.

What type of advanced technology existed in the Indus River Valley?

They had advanced plumbing systems, standard oven-baked bricks that were precise in measurement.

How are 'Clovis people' regarded?

Hunter-gatherers.

Which mesoamerican civilization is regarded as a 'mother culture'?

The Olmec civilization.

Which road had been around for 1300 years by the time of the East Asia timeframe of 1200-1450?

Silk Road.

What is a 'civil service exam'?

The examination system implemented during the Sung Dynasty, and based off of Confucious’s teachings.

What was the Grand Canal?

An inexpensive and efficient and internal waterway transportation system that extended over 30,000 miles.

What is 'Champa'?

Fast-ripening rice introduced from Vietnam, which increased food production and population growth.

Because rural areas created more products than they could sell, what economic change occurred?

Proto-industrialization.

Inventions from China included:

Gunpowder, magnetic compass, and the Chinese ship junk.

Name the Chinese tribute states

Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

What is 'sinification'?

Taking on Chinese ideas.

Which period of time contained more sinification?

The Heian Period.

What is the Bushido Code?

instead of being captured or if you dishonored yourself or your family, you commit Seppuku

Of Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, one resisted sinnification, which was it?

Vietnam

Who is the founder of Islam?

Muhammad.

Who led the expansion of Islam?

Umayyad Dynasty.

In the area of Islamic rule, what was the tax for the non-Muslim?

Jizya.

Who attacked the Abbasid empire?

By the Mamluks, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Mongols

Who are the 'Sufis'?

An islamic mystical group do a dance.

What caused the fall of the Gupta Empire?

The invasion of the Huns.

When did the Chola Kingdom exist?

850-1267

What were the major Indian West-coast cities?

Calicut, Quilon, and Camby.

What maritime technology was invented at this time?

Lateen sails, stern rudder, which led to the small wooden dhows to dominate the seas during this era

What generated much resentment at the time?

The differences between Islam and Hinduism.

What was the Bhakti Movement?

A Hinduism movement that focused on developing a strong attachment to a particular deity.

What did the Srivijaya Kingdom control?

Controlled the shipping hub from the Indian Ocean through China.

What feature led the the economic wealth of the Khmer Empire?

Sophisticated irrigation and drainage systems led to great economic prosperity, harvested rice crops several times a year.

What were the Olmecs known for?

Known for their large basalt heads, calendar and number zero

What were the chief Mayan crops?

corn, beans, and three sisters

How was the capital of Tenochtitlan founded?

It was built on a telling of an eagle on a cactus with a snake in its talon

When did the Aztecs fall and to Whom?

In 1521 by Hernan Cortez.

What did Incan conquered people do in Mandatory Public Service?

Roads and bridges in mandatory public service

Because private property wasn’t existing, what was an indication of high social status in Africa?

Slavery.

What were most African male slaves used for generally?

Slaves for agriculture or military.

What did Incans use a Quipu for?

recorded numbers on knotted lines

When did Inca fall, and to whom?

In 1522 to Francisco Pizarro.

In resisting Islam, what did inland African Societies do?

They built Churches

How did Ghana and Mali Kingdoms get larger?

Grew bigger due to the expansion of Islam.

Who was Mansa Musa and why was he important?

He was the richest guy in history, he was Muslim and decided to make a trip to Mecca.

Where was great Zimbabwe located?

Located in East Africa, and began to construct "zimbabwes.

How did Ethiopia keep Christianity relevant?

Kept Christianity up and practiced the old form of worship.

What is a key way to help study?

S.P.I.C.E. - Social, Political, Interaction, Cultural, Economic (can add T for technology).

Who were 'griots'?

Storytellers who made sure the cultures of people and would maintain generations with songs or stories, in Sub-Saharan Africa.

What are 'guilds'?

An association of craftspeople or merchants, kept a degree of quality control and organized hierarchy, aka apprentice, journeymen, master

Where do we start to understand medieval Europe?

The fall of the roman empire.

When was the High Middle Ages?

1000-1450 CE.

What is the Manorial System?

a guy owns a good part of land, people work on the land, they live on the farm and gives part of the crops to the landowner, the owner would sell the crops they produced and would give them rewards for their work, the landowner then allowed the workers to hide in their fortified home if there was an attack, they would hire professional soldiers

What technological innovation existed at this time?

Windmills, heavy plows, using horses for plowing.

What was the order of the Feudalism pyramid?

Kings and Queens -> lords and ladies -> knights -> peasants and serfs.

What was the 'Concordat of Worms in 1122'?

he church had autonomy from secular leaders, until the 30 years war it was vibrant.

Who signed the Magna Carta?

King John in 1215, also the first english parliament was formed

What was the purpose of the crusades?

To take the Holy Land back from the Muslims.

Who called for the first Crusade?

Pope Urban II in 1096

Due to the Fourth Crusade, the Pope was upset by what loss?

the Byzantine Empire decline and weakens

What medical knowledge came from the crusades?

medical stuff of how to treat wounds and whatever, silk