WHAP- Vocab List #1

Quiz on August 25/26

Patrilineal

relating to or based on relationship to the father or descent through the male line.

Matrilineal

social standing/inheritance is based on the woman’s side of the family (kinship).

Ziggurat

a form of religious monumental structure originating in ancient Mesopotamia: artificial mountain.

Pyramid

a structure or monument, usually with a quadrilateral base that rises to a triangular point.

Cuneiform

one of the earliest systems of writing, developed by the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia.

Animism

a belief system that sees all elements of nature as having a spirit or life force (paleolithic age)

Paleolithic

relating to the “old stone age”, associated with hunter gatherer lifestyles and stone tools

Upanishads

a collection of Hindu religious writings associated with ideas like reincarnation (800-200 BCE India)

Sanskrit

The ancient language in Hinduism, often used to write religious texts.

Religion

a system of beliefs, practices, and values, shared by a group of people (some aspects include: gods, the supernatural, and explanations for human existence)

Ideologies

systems of thought that justify or guide political, social, or economic structures

Empire

a group of states under a single supreme authority (emperor or empress)

Dynasty

a sequence of rulers from the same family lineage, often maintaining political power and influence over an extended period of time

Bureaucracy

a complex system of administration and organization within a government that executes policies and regulations

Centralized Government

a political system where a single ruler or central authority controls the entire state

Decentralized Government

a political system where power is distributed among multiple regional/local authorities rather than a single ruler

Continuity

the persistence of cultural, social, and political or economic practices over time, even as other aspects of society change

Domestication

a process where humans selectively breed, protect, and care for plants and animals to create distinct species

Agrarian

a society that depends on farming and agriculture, often supporting larger populations and settled communities

Caste

a system of social hierarchy in which people are born into specific groups that determine their social status, occupation, and role in society