Global History: River Valley Civilizations and Key Concepts

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering geographic terms, economic systems, religious concepts, and River Valley Civilizations.

Silt

Mineral-rich soil deposited by a flooded river that is good for farming.

Cataracts

Rough, rocky waters in a section of a river that are difficult to travel.

Delta

A fan-shaped area where a river empties into a larger body of water, featuring deposits of fertile soil that are good for farming.

Loess

Fertile soil good for farming that is sometimes carried by winds and sometimes deposited by floods.

Monsoons

Winds that bring the dry season and wet season to land in South and Southeast Asia, upon which farmers depend.

Trade

The exchange of goods and services, which promotes cultural diffusion and is good for the economy.

Theocracy

A government based on religion.

Barter

The exchange of goods and services without using money.

Subsistence farming

Farming just enough to survive and feed one's family with no surplus, often involving slash-and-burn methods.

Ziggurat

A temple tower pyramid structure located at the center of town that served as a place of worship and a place of government.

Polytheism

The belief in many gods, which helped early man understand and explain the world.

Civilization

A complex society with a large population that first emerged after the Neolithic Revolution between 5500 and 2000 BCE; characterized by specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, advanced technology, and advanced cities.

Mesopotamia

'The fertile crescent' located on the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, home to the Sumerians and Babylon.

Empire

An advanced society consisting of nations and individuals united under the rule of one person.

Codified

Written down by scribes as a code of law for all to see.

Infrastructure

The 'bones of society,' encompassing roads, water systems, bridges, schools, hospitals, and electrical systems.

Hammurabi

Emperor of Babylon who created a strict code of law to maintain order, known for the principle '… an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth…'

Hieroglyphics

A picture writing system used to record daily life.

Papyrus

A type of paper made from reed, used for record-keeping.

Middle Kingdom

A period characterized by isolation and the perspective of being the center of the civilized world.

Ethnocentric

The belief that your culture is superior.

Mandate of Heaven

A concept used to justify rule based on the belief that power came from heaven.