Introduction to Early Civilizations and Mesopotamia

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to early human history, civilization, and Mesopotamia.

BC

Before Christ; a designation used to indicate years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ.

BCE

Before Common Era; an alternative designation for BC.

AD

Anno Domini; a designation used to indicate years after the birth of Jesus Christ.

CE

Common Era; an alternative designation for AD.

Artifacts

Objects made by humans that hold cultural or historical significance.

Animism

The belief that objects, places, and creatures possess spiritual essence.

Nomads

People who move from place to place without a permanent home.

Agricultural Revolution

The significant transition from hunting and gathering to farming.

Carbon Dating

A scientific method used to determine the age of an artifact.

Vestigial Traits

Features or behaviors that have lost most of their original function.

Paleolithic People

Early humans who lived during the Old Stone Age and were primarily hunter-gatherers.

Neolithic People

Humans who lived during the New Stone Age, characterized by the development of agriculture.

Civilization

A complex human society that features urban development, social structure, and cultural practices.

Mesopotamia

An ancient region located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, known as the cradle of civilization.

Theocracy

A system of government in which priests rule in the name of a divine authority.

Ziggurat

A massive structure built in ancient Mesopotamia, serving as a temple.

Cuneiform

One of the earliest systems of writing, developed by the Sumerians.

Sargon of Akkad

The ruler of the Akkadian Empire, known for uniting city-states of Sumer.

Bronze Age

The period characterized by the use of bronze for tools and weapons.

Code of Hammurabi

A set of laws created by King Hammurabi that established standards for justice.

Fertile Crescent

A crescent-shaped region in the Middle East known for its rich soils and early agriculture.

Hittites

An ancient civilization known for their military advancements and use of chariots.

Assyrians

An ancient civilization known for their powerful military and advanced weaponry.

BC

Before Christ; a designation used to indicate years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ.

BCE

Before Common Era; an alternative designation for BC.

AD

Anno Domini; a designation used to indicate years after the birth of Jesus Christ.

CE

Common Era; an alternative designation for AD.

Artifacts

Objects made by humans that hold cultural or historical significance.

Animism

The belief that objects, places, and creatures possess spiritual essence.

Nomads

People who move from place to place without a permanent home.

Agricultural Revolution

The significant transition from hunting and gathering to farming.

Carbon Dating

A scientific method used to determine the age of an artifact.

Vestigial Traits

Features or behaviors that have lost most of their original function.

Needs of Paleolithic People

The essential requirements for survival including fresh water, gathered plants, hunted proteins, animal-skin clothing, and basic shelter (caves or brush huts).

Gender Roles in Paleolithic Societies

A division of labor where men typically hunted large game while women gathered plant foods and managed childcare.

Paleolithic Culture and Religion

Lifestyles involving language development, cave paintings (hunting rituals), and animistic beliefs seen in ritual burials.

Stone Tools

Implements like hand axes and scrapers created from stones like flint during the Old Stone Age.

Civilization

A complex human society featuring urban development, social hierarchy, and cultural practices.

Mesopotamia: Meaning and Location

The name means "land between the rivers." It is located in the Middle East between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Major Civilizations of Mesopotamia

Includes historical powers such as the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians.

Theocracy

A system of government where priests rule in the name of a divine authority or the leader is considered a god.

Achievements of the Sumerians

Invented the wheel, the plow, sailboats, the 60-minute hour, and the first writing system, which were admired for advancing productivity and trade.

Social Structure of Sumer

1. Upper Class

   • Kings, priests, and government officials.

2. Middle Class

   • Merchants, artisans, and farmers.

3. Lower Class

   • Enslaved people.

Ziggurat

A massive, tiered structure in ancient Mesopotamia built as a temple to honor the city's chief god.

Cuneiform

One of the earliest systems of writing, created by the Sumerians using wedge-shaped marks on clay.

Sargon of Akkad

The world's first emperor who ruled the Akkadian Empire around $2334 \text{ BCE}$, known for uniting the city-states of Sumer.

Bronze Age

Began around $3000 \text{ BCE}$ when Sumerians and others combined copper and tin to create stronger tools and weapons.

King Hammurabi

King of Babylon ($1792 \text{-} 1750 \text{ BCE}$); he worshipped Marduk and is famous for creating a strict, written legal code.

Code of Hammurabi

A set of $282$ laws designed to establish justice, famously emphasizing the principle of "an eye for an eye."

Fertile Crescent

A crescent-shaped region in the Middle East named for its rich soils that allowed for early agricultural development.

Military Advancements: Hittites vs. Assyrians

• Hittites: Advantaged by iron-working and advanced chariots.

• Assyrians: Advantaged by a professional army, siege engines (battering rams), and iron weaponry.

The Iron Age

Began around $1200 \text{ BCE}$ as the secret of smelting iron spread, leading to stronger, more affordable tools and armor compared to bronze.

Farming Techniques in Mesopotamia

Farmers used irrigation systems to control river flooding and utilized the fertile silt left behind to grow surplus food.

Major Sumerian Inventions

Technological and conceptual milestones including the wheel, the plow, sailboats, the first system of writing, and a mathematical system based on the number 60 (the basis for the 60-minute hour).

Admiration of Sumerian Civilization

Sumerians were admired by neighboring civilizations for their ability to increase productivity through technology, establish complex trade networks, and create organized urban governance.

Social Structure of Sumer

A hierarchical system organized as follows:

1. Upper Class

   • Kings, priests, and government officials.

2. Middle Class

   • Merchants, artisans, and farmers.

3. Lower Class

   • Enslaved people.

Ziggurat

A massive, tiered structure in ancient Mesopotamia that served as a temple dedicated to the city's patron god and as the center of agricultural and political administration.

Cuneiform

The first system of writing, developed by the Sumerians using a stylus to create wedge-shaped marks on wet clay tablets for recording laws, trade, and stories.