AP World History - Foundations 8000 BCE - 600 CE

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the notes on prehistoric to classical civilizations.

Neolithic Revolution

The transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural societies.

Paleolithic Period

The era characterized by the use of stone tools and social structures of small clans.

Patriarchal Society

A social system where males hold primary power and dominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, and control of property.

Domestication

The process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use.

Sedentary

Living in one place rather than moving around.

City-States

Independent cities that function as separate and independent states.

Cuneiform

The first system of writing developed by the ancient Sumerians, consisting of wedge-shaped marks.

Ziggurat

A rectangular stepped tower, often associated with ancient Mesopotamian temple complexes.

Pharaoh

The title given to the rulers of ancient Egypt, considered to be gods in human form.

Mandate of Heaven

A political and religious doctrine used in ancient China to justify the rule of the king or emperor.

Grid Construction

Urban planning design characterized by a network of intersecting streets forming rectangular blocks.

Totalitarian Government

A centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and has a high degree of control over public and private life.

Cyrus the Great

Founder of the Achaemenid Empire, known for his policy of religious tolerance.

Royal Road

An ancient highway reorganized and rebuilt by the Persian king Darius the Great to facilitate rapid communication across the empire.

Cyrus Cylinder

An ancient clay cylinder inscribed with an early declaration of human rights, attributed to Cyrus the Great.

SPQR

An initialism for 'Senatus Populusque Romanus' meaning 'The Senate and People of Rome'.

Patricians

The wealthy aristocratic class in ancient Rome.

Plebeians

The common people of ancient Rome, including farmers, merchants, and artisans.