Ancient History (World History)

Agricultural Revolution (or Neolithic Revolution)

(~10,000 BCE) discovery of agriculture; began the transition from nomadic to sedentary life; allowed for the development of civilization; marks the switch from Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) to Neolithic Era (New Stone Age)

Pythagoras

Greek. Mathematician and philosopher who developed the Pythagorean theorem which is still widely used in advanced mathematics classes today.

Neolithic Era

began with the introduction of agriculture, sometimes called the Agricultural Revolution, which prompted the switch from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles, allowing for the development of permanent settlements and, eventually, the dawn of civilization

Sumerians

Earliest known civilization in southern Mesopotamia

Great Pyramids

Large geometrically perfect monuments in which pharaohs were buried. They are an example of the technological advancements of the Egyptians

Abraham

considered a patriarch of the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and seen as a model of obedience to God

Yellow River

The birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations. Also called "Mother River" and the "Cradle of Chinese Civilization"

Hieroglyphics

A form of picture writing on papyrus developed around 3300 BCE by the Egyptians.

Harappan Civilization

The first civilization in India; located in the Indus River Valley

Pharaoh Menes

The pharaoh who unified Upper and Lower Egypt in 3150 BCE, which solidified the Egyptian Empire.

Genghis Khan

A Mongolian-born military leader who created the largest empire in the world by destroying individual tribes in Northeast Asia, and then uniting them under his rule; called the Mongol Empire. (1206 - 1227)

Homer

Greek. Author of the first known novels, the Iliad and the Odyssey

Kingdom of Kush

An ancient kingdom in Nubia, located in the southern Egyptian Nile Valley.

Gupta Empire

The dynasty that ruled northern India and was known for achievements in art, architecture, science, math, and religion.

Monsoon

Periods of extended, heavy rainfalls, which occur in Asia and Oceania

Vedic Period

(c. 1500-500 BCE) formative period for ancient India marked by the composition of the sacred Hindu texts the Vedas, the origin of Sanskrit writing, and the varna system of social order

Bronze Age

A historical period characterized by the use of bronze which changed society by making farming easier. (3300 BCE-1200 BCE)

Taika Reforms

reforms in ancient Japan including ending private ownership of land

Daimyo

feudal warlords in ancient Japan

Acropolis

An ancient citadel on a high hill of Athens, Greece, which contains the remains of several ancient buildings including the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the deity Athena.

Monotheism

Belief in the worship of one god.

Golden Age of Greece

A time in ancient Greece (around 450 BCE), centered around Athens in which there was no war and the arts and architecture thrived.

Hinduism

Considered one of the world's oldest religions, but sometimes called a way of life; there is a belief in reincarnation and that one can move up or down in their class in their next lives but not their current lives.

Mongols

Nomadic desert people from Mongolia. They migrated on horseback and conquered the land from China to Eastern Europe including Russia and Persia.

Buddhism

a religion with its roots in India that teaches life is endless and is marred by suffering and uncertainty

Pericles

The leader of Greece during its Golden Age

Sanskrit

early writing system of ancient India

Feudal Era

The time period from 1192-1868 when power in Japan was concentrated in the shogun, the daimyo, and the samurai.

Samurai

Warriors in feudal Japan; military nobility

Shogun

Hereditary commander-in-chief of feudal Japan.

Caste System

Found in India; individuals are born into a socio-economic class and are required to stay in that class their entire life

Pharaohs

The Egyptian rulers who were often called god-kings.

Polytheism

the belief in and the worship of more than one god.

Socrates

Greek. The "Father of Western Philosophy"

Vedas

the primary text of the Hindu religion

Sudanic Kingdoms

The empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, which ruled the area of Western Africa from 700-1600 AD.

Alexander The Great

Greek military leader and king who conquered the Persian kingdom and spread Hellenistic culture (greek culture) throughout the known world

Ren

The central principle of Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself."

Phoenicians

Developed an alphabet that became the model for the Greek and Latin alphabets.

Silk Road

A trade route that ran (100 BCE to 1300 CE) from China through Afghanistan and into Persia and Eastern Europe that carried goods and ideas between civilizations.

Cuneiform

One of the oldest known writing systems. Created by the Sumerians. Made by creating wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets.

Xia Dynasty

Oldest chinese dynasty (2070 BCE to 1600 BCE)

Peloponnesian War

a conflict between the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta fought between 431 and 404 BCE. Sparta won the war and became the most powerful city-state in Greece.

Confucianism

a system of beliefs that focus on the ethical obligation of individuals and the philosophy of how an individual should live

Thucydides

Greek. Authored accounts about the Peloponnesian War and the battles between Athens and Sparta

Bantu Migration

the movement of the Bantu people and their language from West Africa to the south and east

Euclid

Greek. "Father of Geometry"

Plato

Greek. Pupil of Socrates; author of The Republic; influential political scientist

City-state

a sovereign political entity consisting of a single independent city and its surrounding territories, typically possessing complete self-governance and independent political authority

Ming Dynasty

Chinese dynasty that overthrew the Mongols and created the Great Wall and the Forbidden City

Nile River and Nile River Delta

the major river in Egypt, the delta empties into the Mediterranean Sea; the basis for Ancient Egyptian civilization; predictable annual flooding promoted farming and influenced religious belief in benevolent gods.

Aristotle (Historical Significance)

Greek. Pupil of Plato; influenced philosophers from the Renaissance to today; personal tutor of Alexander the Great

Crusades

Religious wars that were fought in an effort to recover the Holy Lands from the Muslims.

Fertile Crescent

A crescent-shaped area from the Mediterranean Sea on the West to the Persian Gulf on the East and that contained extremely fertile soil. Some of the first agricultural communities were settled there and it is sometimes referred to as "The Cradle of Civilization."

Torah

The law code of the Hebrew people, contained in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible

Siddhartha Gautama

The first buddha, founder of the Buddhist religion

Renaissance

the rebirth of Europe's interest in ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome including interest in art and literature. (roughly 1300 CE to 1600 CE); spurred by trading and the Crusades

Code of Hammurabi

One of the oldest and most complete written legal codes.

Eratosthenes

Greek mathematician and geographer who founded the science of geography and accurately calculated Earth's size

Hammurabi

Babylonian king who expanded Babylon and united southern Mesopotamia, reigned from 1792 to 1750 BCE

Julius Caesar

A general and politician of the Roman Republic who made himself consul and dictator who began Rome's move from a republic to an empire. Assassinated by a group of senators who were pro-republic.

Direct Democracy

A system of government in which all eligible citizens can vote on every issue Example. Ancient Greeks

Augustus Caesar

The first Roman emperor, ruled after Julius Caesar was assassinated

Punic Wars

A series of three wars by the Romans against the Phoenicians for dominance of the Mediterranean Sea. (264-146 BCE)

Sophocles

Greek. A playwright of dramas and comedies still performed today