River Valley and Classical Civilizations Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, historical figures, geography, belief systems, and characteristics of River Valley and Classical Civilizations.

Neolithic Revolution

The transition to farming that led to the development of permanent settlements and population growth.

8 Characteristics of Civilization

The key components of early civilizations: food supply, social structure, government, religion, specialization, art, public works, and writing.

Cuneiform

The system of writing developed and used in ancient Mesopotamia.

Hieroglyphics

The system of writing developed and used in ancient Egypt.

Hammurabi's Code

A set of written laws created in Mesopotamia that enforced unequal treatment based on social class.

Ma'at

A concept in Egyptian religion associated with mummification and the afterlife.

Indus Cities

Urban centers in the Indus Valley made unique by their grid planning, sewage systems, and standardized weights.

Indus Script

An undeciphered writing system that remains a mystery because no bilingual inscription, such as a Rosetta Stone, has ever been found.

China's Sorrow

The term used to describe the destructive and unpredictable floods of the Yellow River.

Mandate of Heaven

A political concept in ancient China used to justify both a ruler's right to power and the legitimate overthrow of a dynasty.

Shi Huangdi

The ruler who accomplished the unification of China under the Qin Dynasty using Legalism.

Civil Service Exam

An examination system established in Han China that was linked to Confucianism and its Five Relationships.

Buddhism

A belief system that shares concepts of karma, samsara, and moksha with Hinduism, includes the Four Noble Truths, and rejects the caste system.

Five Relationships

Core principles of Confucianism that were linked to the civil service exam system.

Abraham

The historical figure associated with the Hebrew rejection of polytheism and the establishment of a covenant.

Silk Road

An overland trade network that connected specific regions across Eurasia.

Indian Ocean Trade

A maritime trade network that connected specific coastal regions and benefited nearby empires.

Bantu Migrations

Historical movements of people beyond the early river valleys, noted for separate review.

Olmecs

An early civilization located beyond the traditional river valleys, noted for separate review.