Prologue: History before 1200 C.E. Practice Flashcards

Historical vocabulary terms and concepts covering human development, classical civilizations, and postclassical states up to 1200 C.E.

Animism

A system of religious beliefs developed by early humans that involved a reverence for deities associated with features of nature, such as animals or specific mountains or rivers.

Patriarchy

A social system characterized by domination by males, early signs of which were seen in the first human societies.

Agricultural Revolution

A major change occurring around $8000\,B.C.E.$ where humans began to plant crops and raise animals for food, leading to food surpluses and population growth.

Specialization

A process sparked by the Agricultural Revolution where a portion of the population produced enough food for everyone, allowing others to focus on non-food producing activities like tool making or trade.

City-state

An independent state made up of a city and its surrounding territory, common in early Mesopotamian civilizations.

Ziggurats

Monumental religious temples built by city-states in Mesopotamia.

Cuneiform

The first written language in history, invented by the Sumerians to record taxes and trade.

Pharaoh

The title of the ruler in ancient Egypt, a civilization that was highly centralized compared to the city-states of Mesopotamia.

Hieroglyphics

The writing system developed by the Egyptians to record their history and laws.

Hinduism

A belief system with origins going back at least $3,500$ years, characterized by scriptures called the Vedas and belief in the reincarnation of the soul.

Castes

Sharply defined social classes in Hindu society that restricted social mobility while providing a sense of social unification.

Zoroastrianism

An early form of monotheism developed in Persia that focused on human free will and the eternal battle between good and evil.

Judaism

A monotheistic religion based on a covenant between the people and their God, Yahweh, tracing its history to the teachings of Abraham.

Buddhism

Founded by Siddhartha Gautama around $530\,B.C.E.$, this universalizing religion seeks to end suffering by eliminating desire through the Eightfold Path.

Nirvana

The peaceful bliss achieved through enlightenment in Buddhism, which ends the cycle of reincarnation.

Mauryan Empire

The first period of unity in South Asia ($322\,B.C.E.-187\,B.C.E.$), reaching its heights under the ruler Ashoka.

Gupta Empire

Ruling from c. $320\,C.E.$ to c. $550\,C.E.$, this era was known as the Golden Age of India, featuring advancements in medicine and the numbering system $0$ through $9$.

Mandate of Heaven

The Chinese concept that a universal force provided the justification for an emperor and his family to rule, which could be lost if the ruler became corrupt.

Confucianism

A philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius (born c. $551\,B.C.E.$) focusing on education, virtue, filial piety, and respect for authority.

Filial Piety

The duty of people to honor their ancestors, a core tenet of Confucian teachings.

Civil Service Exam

A system created under the Han Dynasty that required students to analyze Confucian teachings to earn prestigious government jobs.

Hellenistic world

The region where Greek culture spread across Egypt, Persia, and east to India following the conquests of Alexander the Great in the $300s\,B.C.E.$

Twelve Tables

Publicly displayed written laws in Rome designed to protect individual rights and provide a check on government power.

Diaspora

The spreading of Jews to lands throughout northern Africa and Europe following Roman persecution.

Justinian Code

A consolidation of Roman law established by Justinian the Great that served as the foundation of European legal knowledge until the $19th$ century.

Teotihuacan

One of the largest cities in the world by the $6th$ century $C.E.$, located near modern-day Mexico City and featuring grid-based streets and religious temples.

Mayans

The most influential classical civilization in the Americas, known for a complex written language, an accurate calendar, and understanding the concept of zero.

Dar al-Islam

A term meaning "House of Islam," referring to the regions united under the Islamic faith, including southern Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of India.

Abbasid Caliphate

An Islamic empire ($750-1258$) that oversaw a golden age of trade and learning, including advances in algebra and the astrolabe.

Sui Dynasty

The short-lived dynasty ($581-618$) that reconstituted centralized government in China and built the Grand Canal.

Tributary System

The Chinese concept that surrounding kingdoms should provide payment to China and submit to its rule in exchange for trading privileges.

Shogun

A military general at the top of the political and social hierarchy in decentralized Japan.

Shinto

The official religion of Japan centered on the veneration of ancestors and nature spirits.

Bantu-speaking people

Migrants who spread language, farming techniques, and iron-working across sub-Saharan Africa between c. $1000\,B.C.E.$ and c. $1500\,C.E.$

Entrepôt

A coastal trading center, such as Constantinople, where ships arrive to trade raw goods and finished products.