AP World History Chapter 1-3 Vocab

Persian Empire

Greatest empire in the world up to 500 BCE. Spoke an Indo-European language. A multi-ethnic and multi-religious empire. Fell to Alexander the Great.

Athenian Democracy

A radical form of direct democracy in which much of the free male population of Athens had the franchise and officeholders were chosen by lot.

Greco-Persian Wars (499-449 BCE)

Wars between Greece and Persia, Greek victory

Hellenistic Era

the age of Alexander the Great; period when the Greek language and ideas were carried to the non-Greek world

Alexander the Great

King of Macedonia who conquered Greece, Egypt, and Persia

Caesar Augustas

Roman emperor during Jesus' birth. Ordered a census in Bethlehem

Pax Romana

Roman Peace

Bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

City-State

An independent, self-governing city and its surrounding territory.

Republic

A government where power rests with citizens who elect representatives to make decisions.

Empire

Large territory under one ruler.

Democracy

Government where citizens vote.

Oligarchy

Rule by a small group.

Cyrus the Great

Founder of Persian Empire

Darius I

Persian ruler who expanded empire

Satrap

Persian governor

Satrapy

Province in Persia

Royal Road

Persian trade/communication route

Zoroastrianism

Persian religion with one main god

Ahura Mazda

Main god of Zoroastrianism

Polis

A city-state in ancient Greece.

Delian League

Athens-led alliance after Persian Wars

Philosophy

Study of wisdom and knowledge

Helots

Spartan state-owned laborers

Militarism

Society focused on military strength

Sparta

A powerful Greek miliary polis that was often at war with Athens. Used slaves known as helots to provide agricultural labor.

Stratification

the uneven distribution of resources and privileges among participants in a group or culture

Migration

A movement from one country or region to another

Paleolithic

The period of the Stone Age associated with the evolution of humans. It predates the Neolithic period.

Adaptation

A characteristic that improves an individual's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

Nomadic

wandering, moving about from place to place

Egalitarian

believing in the social and economic equality of all people

Sedentary

sitting

Animism

the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.

Domestication

the taming of animals for human use, such as work or as food

Neolithic Revolution

The switch from nomadic lifestyles to a settled agricultural lifestyle is this revolution.

Horticulture

The growing of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

Pastoralist

a sheep or cattle farmer

Ice Age

a time when glaciers covered much of the land

Clovis Culture

The earliest widespread and distinctive culture of North America; named from this particular kind of projectile point.

Foraging

searching for food

Surplus

(n.) an amount beyond what is required, excess; (adj.) more than what is needed or expected

Selective Breeding

the human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired traits

Environmental Constraints

constraints related to the world around us

Chiefdom

Form of political organization with rule by a hereditary leader who held power over a collection of villages and towns. Less powerful than kingdoms and empires, they were based on gift giving and commercial links.

Kinship Based Society

Social structure based on family relationships.

Tribute

(n.) something done or given to show thanks or respect; a payment

Quipu

An arrangement of knotted strings on a cord, used by the Inca to record numerical information.

Son of Heaven

Title of the ruler of China, first known from the Zhou dynasty. It acknowledges the ruler's position as intermediary between heaven and earth.

Mandate of Heaven

a political theory of ancient China in which those in power were given the right to rule from a divine source

Specialization of Labor

Focusing work effort on a particular product or a single task

Patriarchy

A form of social organization in which males dominate females

State

An area organized into a political unit and ruled by an established government with control over its internal and foreign affairs.

Sumer

The world's first civilization, founded in Mesopotamia, which existed for over 3,000 years.

Cuneiform

A form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge shaped stylus and clay tablets.

Ziggurat

A rectangular tiered temple or terraced mound erected by the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians

Code of Hammurabi

the set of laws drawn up by Babylonian king Hammurabi dating to the 18th century BC, the earliest legal code known in its entirety

Pharaoh

A ruler of ancient Egypt

Hieroglyphics

An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds

Theocracy

A government controlled by religious leaders

Harappa

Site of one of the great cities of the Indus Valley civilization of the third millennium B.C.E. It was located on the northwest frontier of the zone of cultivation, and may have been a center for the acquisition of raw materials.

Mohenjo-Daro

Largest city of the Indus Valley civilization. It was centrally located in the extensive floodplain of the Indus River. Little is known about the political institutions of Indus Valley communities, but the large-scale implies central planning.

Urban Planning

A plan or thought for the design of a city

Dynasty

a powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some time

Oracle Bones

The earliest known Chinese writing is found on these from ritual activity of the Shang period.

Mandate of Heaven

a political theory of ancient China in which those in power were given the right to rule from a divine source

Olmec

The first Mesoamerican civilization. Between ca. 1200 and 400 B.C.E., these people of central Mexico created a vibrant civilization that included intensive agriculture, wide-ranging trade, ceremonial centers, and monumental construction.

Uruk

The largest city of ancient Mesopotamia

Epic of Gilgamesh

An epic poem from Mesopotamia, and among the earliest known works of literary writing.