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Civilization
A term used to describe large scale complex society, originating from the 17th century.
State
Urban societies characterized by political organizations, urbanism, social stratification, and economic specialization.
Pleistocene Epoch
A geological epoch lasting from 2,000,000 years ago to 10,000 BC known as the Ice Age.
Homo sapiens sapiens
Modern humans who evolved in Africa approximately 100,000 years ago.
Integration Theories
Theories that explore how the state government ties people together, acting as a unifying force.
Conflict Theories
Theories that focus on how government emerges to manage internal conflicts, often in favor of the powerful.
Cultural Evolutionism
A 19th-century theory positing a linear progression of societies from primitive to advanced.
Marxism
A conflict theory that emphasizes class struggle and material conditions as drivers of societal change.
Neo-Evolutionism
A 20th-century theory that reintroduced cultural evolution, focusing on multifactorial explanations for societal changes.
Boasian Critique
Franz Boas’ ideology which argued against cultural evolution and ethnocentrism, emphasizing cultural particularism.
Circumscription Theory
Robert Carneiro's theory that suggests environmental and social circumscription can lead to the emergence of complex societies.
Post-Processual Archaeology
An approach that critiques typological theories and emphasizes the roles of gender, identity, and social diversity in archaeological interpretations.
Social Stratification
The hierarchical arrangement of individuals in a society based on wealth, power, and status.
Agricultural Revolution
The significant transformation around 10,000-6,000 BC that marked the shift from foraging to farming and the establishment of sedentary societies.
Maya City-States
Independent political entities in the Maya civilization, each with its own ruler and governing structure.
Aztec Empire
A predominant Mesoamerican state that expanded through conquest and tribute, culminating in Tenochtitlan.
Inca Empire
A vast South American civilization characterized by a centralized government, extensive road networks, and an elaborate taxation system.
