A History of Western Society, Chapters 1-4

Civilization

society in which political, economic, and social organizations operated on a large scale

Bronze Age

A new period of time ( from 3000 - 2500 BCE) where bronze became more of use

Polytheism

Believing in many gods that are associated with patterns of birth, growth, death, and regeneration

Cuneiform

System of writing that was first developed by Sumerians

Hammurabi's Law Code

A proclamation issued by Babylonian king Hammurabi to establish laws regulating many aspects of life

Pharaoh

Originally meant "Great House"

Book of the Dead

Written to help guide the dead through difficulties of the underworld

Fertile Crescent

Where intentional crop planting first developed with a mild climate

Pastoralism

Raising and herding livestock

Patriarchy

System where men have more power and access to resources than women on the same social level, and some men are dominant over other men

Hatshepsut

One of the few female pharaohs of Egypt, used her reign to promote building and trade

Hieroglyphics

Symbols/Writing that was used for engraving important religious or political texts

Iron Age

Began around 1100 BCE, Iron weapons became important items of trade

Phoenicians

Most valued products were purple and blue textiles, called "Purple People"

Satraps

Appointed, Persian or local noble, administrators

Sargon II

Reigned from 721-705 BCE, Led an attack along the eastern Mediterranean and defeated the armies of the Egyptian Pharaoh

Nebuchadnezzar II

Reigned from 604-562 BCE, Babylonian's most famous king, Forced Babylonian power into Syria and Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, and deported the residents to Babylonia

Cyrus the Great

Founder of the Persian Empire, conquered the Medes

Assyria's Military Machine

70,000 men military organization that that was probably the best at the time

Persepolis

City that was designed as a residence for the kings and an administrative and cultural center

Ramses II

Reigned from 1292-1225 BC, Third Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Had big building achievements

Minoan

Flourishing and vibrant culture of era that took place on the Island of Crete

Mycenaean

A society that developed on the mainland where palace-centers ruled by local kings formed a loose hegemony

Collapse of the Bronze Age

led to the widespread and prolonged movement of Greek People

Polis

Important Political Change in the Archaic age, Greek city-state

Hoplites

Backbone of the Army

Tyranny

Seizure of power by one man

Democracy

Government ruled by citizens

Oligarchy

government by citizens who met a minimum property requirement

Helots

unfree residents forced to work state lands

Delian League

a military alliance aimed at protecting the Aegean Islands

Gynaeceum

a room or section at the back where women of the family and female slaves worked, ate, and slept

Mystery Religions

Participants underwent an initiation ritual and gained secret knowledge that they were forbidden to reveal to the uninitiated

Socratic Method

Continuously questioning participants in a discussion or argument through which they developed critical thinking skills

Iliad, Odyssey, Theogony

Three major poems by Homer that aren't about things that really happened but they relate to actual events

Aspasia

Prostitute who was involved with Pericles

Minting Coins

These allowed merchants to set the value of goods in a determined system, were easy to store, and allowed for more complex changed

Lydia

Where minting coins were first developed

Socrates

Applied politics and philosophy to people, created the socratic method

Plato

Wrote dialogues in which Socrates ask questions, found the Academy, created platonic ideals, Socrates' student

Aristotle

Plato's student, thought that everything had a purpose, had a wider influence

Marathon

Battle where Athens defended Greece alone against the Persians, Persians win

Thermopylae

Battle where Athens and Sparta work together against Persia, They fight Persia through a narrow path but a traitor tells the Persians about another path and Persia wins by attacking them from both sides

Salamis

Naval battle, Outnumbered Greeks win

Alexander the Great

Died in Babylon when he was 32, Created an empire that stretched from his homeland of Macedonia to India

Hellenization

Spread of Greek ideas and traditions across a wide area

Alexandria

Popular and cultural city that attracted a lot of people, Had a lot of theaters, libraries, and important buildings

Natural Law

Because all people were kindred, and were in harmony with the universe, one law governed all

Archimedes

A native Syracuse who was interested in nearly everything, a clever inventor who invented new artillery and the compound pulley. (Pure interest was mathematics)