Exam 1 multiple choice questions

LOCK IN

Mesopotamia

"land between the rivers." It developed along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It was the first civilization to develop in the area known as the Fertile Crescent. Ur was a powerful city-state in Sumeria. Its origin and language are unknown, though theories include movement from the Indus River Valley. The Sumerian language is not related to Semitic or Indo-European languages. Sumerian developments include sedentary agriculture, special occupations, polytheistic religion, organized government (theocracy, lugals, ensi), new technology (the wheel), monumental construction (ziggurat), a base-60 counting system (sexagesimal system), and the development of cuneiform. The period when cuneiform develops is known as protoliterate. After the Sumerians, other civilizations emerged in the Fertile Crescent.

Tigris and Euphrates

Rivers along which Mesopotamia developed.

cuneiform

One of the earliest forms of writing. It is wedge-shaped writing, a system of pictographs where symbols represent complicated thoughts.

Sumer, Sumerians

The origin of the Sumerian people and their language is unknown. Theories include movement from the Indus River Valley. A powerful city-state in Sumeria was Ur.

Ur

A powerful city-state in Sumeria.

sexagesimal

The Mesopotamian system of counting by base 60.

theocracy

A form of government ruled by religious leaders.

protoliterate

A period characterized by the development of early writing, such as cuneiform.

Akkad, Akkadians

Akkad was ruled by Sargon the Great, who created the first empire known to history by invading and conquering Sumer, conquering the last Sumerian king Lugal-zagesi.

ziggurat

A structure composed of step-like terraces, literally a flat-topped temple.

Ishtar gate

Nebuchadnezzar II while he was extensively rebuilting the city of Babylon, he rebuilt the Ishtar gate

lugal

 A sumerian who is an important man, early land owners, the nobles.

ensi

A sumerian who is both the high priest and the governor

Lugal-zagesi

The last Sumerian king, conquered by Sargon the Great.

Sargon (of Akkad)

Ruler of Akkad who created the first known empire in history by invading and capturing Sumer.

Hammurabi

King of Babylon who developed **Hammurabi

R00;s Code, the first written code of law**, based on the *eye for an eye principle*.

Gilgamesh

A ruler of Uruk. The Epic of Gilgamesh, considered the first epic writing, was written in cuneiform and centers on his search for eternal life.

Hittites (Hattisilus)

A kingdom based in Anatolia (Asia Minor) that invaded Syria and Babylon. Hattusilus I is considered one of its founders. They were influenced by Mesopotamian culture and mastered chariot warfare and iron weapon technology.

Kassites

Originated in the Zagros Mountains and moved into the Babylonian area, uniting the Babylonians and ensuring their survival.

Kurigalzu I

A Kassite ruler who built a new capital at Dur-Kurigalzu and invented the kudurru.

kudurru

A boundary stone invented by Kurigalzu I that recorded the land grant of the king to favored people.

Mitannians

A people who built a hegemonic (dominant politically) empire in the northern Fertile Crescent area after the fall of Amorite Babylon.

hieroglyphs

The Egyptian writing system, commonly inscribed on clay tablets, stone, and papyrus. The symbols represent what they look like, being less abstract than cuneiform.

hieratic

A short, informal handwritten form of Egyptian writing, usually used on paper and not on stone.

Osiris

The Egyptian god of the dead and Isis' mate, portrayed in green as the vegetation god. He becomes the judge of the dead.

Horus

The Egyptian god of kingship, considered the King of the living, reborn with each new king. Symbolized by a falcon.

Isis

The chief goddess in Egyptian religion, mate of Osiris.

Ra (Re)

The Egyptian sun god, shown with a red circle above his head and represented as having the head of a falcon.

ka

The soul of the dead, which was believed to re-enter a properly prepared body during mummification.

maat

Represents justice, order, and truth in Egyptian belief, against which the ka was measured to determine entry into the afterlife.

Upper and Lower Egypt

Two regions of Egypt, united by Menes/Narmer. Symbolically represented by images such as the cobra (Lower) and vulture (Upper).

Nile

The river that dominates Egypt's geography, whose floods deposit silt creating fertile areas and providing natural safety due to surrounding desert.

Narmer

Considered the unifier of Egypt, using the Nile as a linking highway. He began the first dynasty with Memphis as its capital.

Old Kingdom (Egypt)

Known as the time of pyramid building when pharaohs were considered gods and worshipped.

Djoser

An Old Kingdom pharaoh who commissioned a new type of tomb, the Step Pyramid.

Imhotep

The architect/vizier for Djoser who designed the Step Pyramid.

pyramids

Monumental constructions, famously built during the Old Kingdom. These were later replaced by secret tombs in the New Kingdom to prevent raiding.

Khufu

The son of Sneferu, responsible for the Great Pyramid at Giza.

First Intermediate Period

A period of chaos in Egypt caused by Nile floods ceasing, famine, no money as it was all spent on pyramids, civil wars, and outside invaders.

Middle Kingdom (Egypt)

The pharaoh's role shifted to a benevolent shepherd, and many building projects like drainage and irrigation were completed. Trade expanded into Nubia.

Amun (Amon) (Amun-Ra)

The supreme creator and king of the gods in ancient Egyptian religion

Second Intermediate Period (Egypt)

A period in Egyptian history identified with the people known as the Hyksos.

Hyksos

Semitic-speaking Asiatic people who moved into Egypt and took control during the Second Intermediate Period, introducing horses and chariot warfare.

New Kingdom (Egypt)

Began with Ahmose. A time of expansion, conquest, and imperialism for the Egyptians.

Ahmose I

The pharaoh who drove the Hyksos out of Egypt, marking the beginning of the New Kingdom.

Hatshepsut

A female pharaoh who ruled, the longest in Egyptian history. She engaged in peaceful pursuits like commercial expeditions to Punt.

Tuthmose III

Hatshepsut's stepson/nephew who replaced peace with war, leading many campaigns.

Akhenaten

(Amenhotep IV) An Egyptian ruler best known for introducing monotheism, specifically the worship of a single sun god, Aten.

Aten (Aton)

The single sun god worshipped by Akhenaten, represented by a disk.

Tutankhamun

Akhenaten's brother (or son) who returned to the worship of the previous gods, including Amun. Famous for his untouched tomb.

Rameses II

Ruled Egypt, known as "Ramses the Great". His building projects rivaled the pyramid age, and he signed the world's first peace treaty with the Hittites.

Merneptah

Followed his father Ramses II to the throne. at this time, the Bronze Age is coming to an end.

Rameses III

The most prolific king of the 20th Dynasty, who fought extensively with the Sea Peoples.

Third Intermediate Period

A time of political chaos in Egypt when the high priests of Amon established rule over Upper Egypt and merchant princes in Lower Egypt, leading to a decline of pharaonic power.

Sea Peoples

Uprooted people from the eastern Mediterranean region who fought extensively with Ramses III and helped bring the Bronze Age society to an end.

Phoenicians

The Phoenicians also traded in purple dye and cedar trees which allowed them to amass great wealth. Because they never united to form a strong state they were eventually overrun by the Chaldeans in 571 BCE. Semitic people who settled in what is today Syria and Lebanon. Lived along the coast and became the Mediterranean’s greatest traders. They are made up of a confederation of city-states. The three most famous are Byblos, Tyre, and Ugarit.

Phoenician alphabet(s)

An alphabet developed from the adaptation of cuneiform writing in Ugarit, later adopted by the Greeks.

Byblos, Tyre, Ugarit

Three of the most famous Phoenician city-states. Byblos traded paper and papyrus, Tyre created the colony of Carthage, and Ugarit developed the adaptation of cuneiform leading to the Phoenician alphabet.

Aramaeans

Semitic people closely related to the Hebrews, who lived in Syria and dominated the camel trade. Their language became the most common along the Mediterranean coast, spoken by Jesus.

Israel and Judah

Two separate kingdoms into which the Hebrew/Israelite nation was divided after Solomon's death. Israel fell to the Assyrians, and Judah was conquered by the Chaldeans.

David and Solomon

David was the second king of Israel, who was unified under him. Solomon was David's son and successor.

Hebrews/Israelites

Semitic people related to the Aramaeans. Their first known historical record is on Pharaoh Merneptah's victory stele. They were monotheistic, worshipping Yahweh.

Yahweh, Mosaic covenant

Yahweh is the name for the Hebrew God, whom they consider the one true God (monotheistic). The Mosaic Covenant is the contract between God and the Israelites stating that if they follow the 10 Commandments, He will provide for and protect them.

Josiah (king of Judah)

A godly king known for rediscovering the Law of the Lord and reinforcing monotheism by ordering the destruction of altars to other deities.

Shoshenq I

An Egyptian pharaoh who plundered the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.

Assyrians

A people who moved into northern Mesopotamia and became the dominant power, reaching their height through strong kings and cultural advances.

Tukulti-Ninurta I

An Assyrian king who defeated the Hittites and Kassites, captured Babylon, and stole the statue of Marduk.

Tiglath-pileser I

An Assyrian king who established Assyria as a major power and expanded the empire into Syria and Babylonia.

Ashurnasirpal II

An Assyrian king who ruled by terror and fear, beheaded enemies, and whose wealth allowed for a new palace at Kalhu.

Shalmaneser III

An Assyrian king who replaced Ashurnasirpal II and continued to collect tribute and instill fear in lesser kingdoms.

Tiglath-pileser III

An Assyrian king known for expanding the empire, siege warfare, resettling conquered people, and capturing Babylon.

Sargon II

An Assyrian king, son of Tiglath-pileser III, who defeated the Israelites and Chaldean revolts, and built a new capital, Dur-Sharrukin.

Dur-Sharrukin

A new capital city built by Sargon II to celebrate his achievements, which was quickly abandoned after his death but later became a valuable archaeological find.

Sennacherib

An Assyrian king, son of Sargon II, who violently punished rebellious Babylonians by destroying cities and sowing fields with salt. He moved the Assyrian capital to Nineveh and was eventually killed by his own sons.

Esarhaddon

An Assyrian ruler who adopted a different approach by not annexing neighboring areas, rebuilding Babylonian cities, and defeating the Kushite king of Egypt.

Ashurbanipal

An Assyrian king who returned to terrorizing enemies, eliminated the Elamites, defeated an Egyptian uprising, and created the largest library of his time with over 22,000 clay tablets.

Nineveh

The Assyrian capital under Sennacherib, which was destroyed by the Chaldeans and Medes, marking the end of the Assyrian reign.

Chaldaeans

A group who led a revolt against Assyria. Nebuchadnezzar II was a Chaldaean ruler of Babylon, and they overran Judah.

Nebuchadnezzar II

A Chaldaean ruler of Babylon and the most successful king after Babylon's reemergence. He rebuilt Babylon with elaborate features and was responsible for the "Babylonian captivity".

Babylonian captivity

The event where Nebuchadnezzar II, after conquering Jerusalem and ending Judah

R00;s independence, deported many residents to Babylon, dispersing the population from their homeland.

Nabonidus

The last king of the Babylonian Empire, who was defeated by the Persian Cyrus II. His worship of the moon god Sin caused discontent among the priests of Marduk.

Lydians, Croesus

The Lydians were an Asia Minor civilization, considered the inventors of coinage. Their most famous king, Croesus, was known for his wealth, giving rise to the expression "rich as Croesus".

Persians

An empire created by Cyrus II, known for its policy of integration and tolerance of different cultures and religions, and for its administrative system including satrapies and the Royal Road.

Cyrus II

Often referred to as "Cyrus the Great", he defeated the Lydians and Babylonians, allowed Jewish captives to return from Babylonian exile, and is considered the founder of the Persian Empire.

Cambyses II

The son of Cyrus II, he conquered Egypt and expanded the Persian Empire from India to the Mediterranean.

Darius I

A cousin of Cyrus II and Cambyses, he claimed his kingship was ordained by Ahuramazda and is considered the second founder of the Persian Empire due to his extensive infrastructure building.

arta

A concept in Zoroastrianism, close to the Egyptian idea of maat, representing truth, justice, and order, which Persian rulers were obligated to uphold.

Zoroaster

The founder and prophet of the Persian religion, Zoroastrianism.

Ahuramazda and Ahriman

Ahuramazda is the chief god of Zoroastrianism, representing light, good, and arta. Ahriman is the secondary god, representing dark, chaos, and evil, together embodying the dualistic balance of the religion.

Satraps

Rulers of the roughly 20 provinces (satrapies) of the Persian administrative system, responsible for collecting taxes, recruiting soldiers, and administering justice.

Royal Road

A system that connected the satraps in Persia, featuring posts every 14 miles for fresh horses, allowing couriers to complete

Hominids

Man-like creatures

What are the two forms of an Australopithecus

Robostus and Africanaus.

Robostus

Plant eater

Africanaus

Used tools to kill animals

Homo Habilis

“handy man” used simple stone tools

Homo Erectus

“upright man”. Could use fire if found in nature. Made and used tools.

Homo sapiens

“thinking man”. Man-like creatures with large brains (thinkers).

Neanderthal Man (Early form of what, lived where, and worshipped what?)

• Early form of homo-erectus lived in Europe and adjacent Asia & Africa

• Lived in caves, created tools and wore clothes, and practiced religion, introducing burial practices.

• Worshipped “mother earth” and believed in rebirth