Chapter 2 History Notes

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes covering early human history, specialization, urban development, and major historical periods.

Harrappan Necklace

An artifact (lapis lazuli, carnelian) indicating long-distance trade and specialization, connecting the Indus Valley to Mesopotamia via Arabian Sea maritime routes.

Division of Labor

A social phenomenon where people specialize in specific jobs (e.g., artisans, farmers, smelters), leading to greater efficiency, trade growth, and social complexity.

Regional Religion

Religious practices characterized by local shrines, gods tied to specific towns, and personalized amulets for health.

Centralized Religion

Religious practices where a pharaoh leads worship and priests preside over temple sanctuaries.

Europe (4000-2000 BCE)

Characterized by trade, warfare, bronze usage, significant structures like Stonehenge, and cattle herding.

China (4000-2000 BCE)

Characterized by trade, warfare, bronze usage, and agriculture focused on millet and rice.

Cuneiform

An early writing system originating in Mesopotamia.

Hieroglyphs

An early writing system used in Egypt.

Harrappan Script

An early writing system from the Indus Valley.

Oracle Bones

An early writing system used in China.

City of Uruk

The first city of its kind in world history, a major center with a temple to Inanna, administrative buildings, a king, water access, and diverse jobs.

Mesopotamia

A densely populated region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known for birthing the first writing system and early urban centers.

Northwest India (Early Urbanization)

A densely populated region along the Indus River, becoming an important early urban center.

Egypt (Early Urbanization)

A densely populated region along the Nile River, becoming an important early urban center.

China (Early Urbanization)

A densely populated region near the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, becoming an important early urban center.

Complex Societies

Societies that formed around five great river basins, involving early urbanization, new technologies, monumental building, new social structures, and specialized labor.

Stone Tools and Fossilized Stone Fragments (2017 Findings)

Archaeological evidence found in 2017 that pushed back the timeline of human origins to Africa.

Creation Narratives

Varied stories from different communities explaining how humans came into existence, such as Christianity, the Big Bang theory, or monkey evolution.

Hominin Development

Millions of years of evolutionary change leading to modern humans (Homo Sapiens) and the acquisition of human-specific traits.

Hunter-Gatherers (300,000 - 12,000 years ago)

A lifestyle characterized by obtaining food by foraging and hunting, leading to breakthroughs in art and music, and typically involving grouping, common speech, and custom creation.

Agricultural Revolution

A period beginning around 12,000 years ago, marked by a warming climate, leading to the domestication of animals and the development of farming.

Pastoralism

A semi-nomadic lifestyle involving the herding of domesticated animals, often aided by herd dogs, which prompted further animal domestication like horses.

Staple Crops (Fertile Crescent)

Barley, a primary crop cultivated in this region during the Agricultural Revolution.

Staple Crops (East Asia)

Millet and Rice, primary crops cultivated in this region during the Agricultural Revolution.

Staple Crops (Americas)

Potatoes and Maize, primary crops cultivated in this region during the Agricultural Revolution.

Social Structures (Early Settlements)

Hierarchies and gender roles that began to form within early human settlements.

Technology (Definition)

Any tool.

Hominins

The branch of evolution leading to humanity, characterized by developing cognition and larger brains, including species like Lucy, Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, and Homo Sapiens.

Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis)

A hominin fossil dating back 3.2 MYA from Ethiopia, providing early evidence of upright walking.

Homo Habilis (2.5 MYA)

Also known as 'skilled human,' characterized by intentional tool use (e.g., 'Dear Boy' finding).

Homo Erectus (1.8 MYA)

Hominins known for developing family dynamics, mastering fire, and traveling extensively across continents.

Evolution of Fire (Cultural Impact)

The mastery of fire, which enabled Homo Erectus to travel more, access new food sources, and experience increased lifespans.

Homo Sapiens

Modern humans, distinguished by bigger brains, increased agility, fully upright posture, and advanced technology, existing concurrently with and potentially interbreeding with other hominins.

Trinkets

Items with no practical utility, kept solely for their aesthetic appeal or cultural significance.

Language (Function)

Beyond merely communicating, language serves as a fundamental means for humans to comprehend and make sense of their environment.

Egalitarian Culture (Hunter-Gatherer)

A social characteristic of smaller hunter-gatherer groups, suggesting a relatively balanced distribution of power and resources, though its extent is hard to fully ascertain.