Chapter 1-6 AMSCO AP World

A set of Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on early hunter-forager societies, Neolithic revolutions, and the rise of civilizations across Afro-Eurasia and the Americas.

hunter-forager

A person who survives by hunting animals and foraging for seeds, nuts, fruits, and edible roots; often nomadic and move with food sources.

Homo sapiens sapiens

Modern humans who first appeared in East Africa between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago, surviving as hunter-foragers.

Paleolithic Period

The early part of human history (about 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 years ago) known as the Stone Age, characterized by stone tool use.

Neolithic Revolution

Around 10,000 years ago, the transition to agriculture and settled life, leading to social and political changes.

agriculture

The practice of cultivating crops and/or domesticating animals for food and sustenance, often leading to surplus.

pastoralism

Herding and domestication of animals as a primary livelihood, often involving nomadic or semi-nomadic movement.

domestication

Taming and selective breeding of wild plants and animals for human use.

surplus

Having more food or goods than needed, enabling population growth, specialization, and trade.

specialization of labor

Development of specific roles (artisans, merchants, soldiers, priests, etc.) due to agricultural surplus.

civilization

A large, organized society with cities, states, complex institutions, and shared cultural traits.

Jericho

An ancient city in the Jordan Valley, one of the earliest known urban settlements.

Catal Huyuk

A major Neolithic city in present-day Turkey known for its large, well-preserved settlement.

kinship group

A social unit centered on a nuclear family and related families sharing resources.

clan

A larger kinship network within hunter-forager societies, linking several families.

tribe

A group of related clans with shared culture; often led by chiefs and priests.

cuneiform

One of the world’s first writing systems developed by the Sumerians, inscribed on clay tablets.

Sumer

Early Mesopotamian civilization known for city-states, writing (cuneiform), and monumental architecture.

Mesopotamia

Region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; cradle of many early civilizations.

ziggurat

Massive stepped temple or pyramid in Mesopotamian cities; center of religious life.

Epic of Gilgamesh

One of the oldest known literary works from Mesopotamia, detailing the adventures of Gilgamesh.

Bronze Age

Period when bronze tools and weapons became common, transforming technology and society.

bronze

Alloy of copper and tin; used for tools, weapons, and art in ancient civilizations.

wheel

Invention that revolutionized transportation and trade by enabling wheeled vehicles.

plow

Agricultural implement that turns soil, increasing crop yields and farming efficiency.

textiles

Cloth produced by spinning fibers and weaving; an important craft and industry.

Sumerian calendar

A 12-month calendar used by the Sumerians to track floods and agricultural cycles.

Sumerian religion

Polytheistic belief system worshiping many gods controlling natural forces.

Sumerian writing (cuneiform)

The world’s first writing system, created by the Sumerians on clay tablets.

Epics and inscriptions (The Epic of Gilgamesh)

Ancient literary works from Mesopotamia reflecting culture, values, and leadership.

Phoenicians

Maritime traders famous for developing an alphabet that influenced later scripts; established Carthage.

alphabet

A set of letters representing the sounds of a language; Phoenicians popularized a writing system used widely.

Hammurabi

Babylonian king who codified laws in the Code of Hammurabi, a foundational legal text.

Code of Hammurabi

A written law code with a detailed set of rules, often summarized by the phrase 'eye for an eye.'

monotheism

Belief in a single, all-powerful deity; practiced by Hebrews and later by Zoroastrians.

Hebrews/Israelites

Ancient peoples in Canaan who developed early monotheistic beliefs and the foundations of Judaism.

Egyptian pharaoh

The ruler of ancient Egypt believed to be descended from the gods and wielding religious and political power.

mummification

The process of preserving a body for the afterlife, a key aspect of ancient Egyptian burial practices.

hieroglyphics

Egyptian picture-writing used for monumental inscriptions and religious texts.

Indus Valley Civilization

Early South Asian civilization (Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro) known for urban planning and undeciphered script.

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

Two major Indus Valley cities noted for advanced city planning and sanitation systems.

Aryans

Indo-European-speaking peoples who arrived in the Indian subcontinent, bringing Sanskrit and the Vedas.

Sanskrit

Ancient Indo-European language of the Aryans; used in sacred and scholarly texts.

Vedas

Ancient Indian sacred texts containing hymns, rituals, and religious knowledge.

Upanishads

Philosophical texts developing ideas of Brahman, atman, karma, dharma, and moksha; foundational to Hinduism.

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth in Hindu thought.

Dharma

Righteous duties and ethical laws guiding an individual's conduct; central to Hindu thought.

caste system (varna)

Social stratification in India with four main varnas (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) and later many jatis.

Jainism

Indian religion emphasizing ahimsa (nonviolence) and asceticism; influenced later ethics.

Buddhism

Religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha); teaches Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Confucianism

Chinese ethical-political philosophy emphasizing family, rituals, social harmony, and filial piety.

Daoism (Taoism)

Chinese philosophy emphasizing living in harmony with the dao (the Way) and nature.

Legalism

Chinese philosophy advocating strict laws and centralized control; associated with the Qin Dynasty.

Zhou Dynasty

Chinese dynasty noted for feudal structure, the Mandate of Heaven, and eventual bureaucratic development.

Mandate of Heaven

Principle that a just ruler’s authority comes from the gods and can be lost if misgovernance occurs.

Qin Dynasty

First imperial Chinese dynasty; centralized state, standardized script and weights, and the army of Terra-cotta warriors.

Han Dynasty

Chinese dynasty known for expansion, civil service exams, paper, and the Silk Roads; Pax Sinica.

Silk Roads

Network of land and sea routes connecting Afro-Eurasia for trade and cultural exchange.

Pax Romana

Two centuries of relative peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire under Augustus.

Roman Republic

Roman government with elected officials, Senate, and assemblies; citizens' rights gradually expanded.

Roman Empire

Post-Republic era under emperors; vast territorial holdings, roads, aqueducts, and legal traditions.

Christianity

Monotheistic religion that spread through the Roman world; led by figures like Peter and Paul; gained legal status under Constantine.

Axial Age

Term describing the 800 BCE–200 BCE period when multiple major belief systems emerged (Confucianism, Buddhism, etc.).