AP World History (8-39), Human Evolution and the Road to Civilization.

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Homo sapiens

Human species that evolved 300,000 years ago.

Out of Africa Migration

Movement occurring 100,000-60,000 years ago where early humans migrated out of Africa.

Global Occupation Population

A population of about 1200 people who occupied everywhere across the globe.

New Zealand

The last location occupied by migrating early humans.

Paleolithic Era

Era starting with hunter-gatherers using stone tools, accounting for 95% of the time humans were on Earth.

Paleolithic Nomadic Societies

Many small societies with low life expectancy that created new inventions and early communication.

Agricultural Revolution

Period from 12,000-4,000 years ago when agricultural practices started, leading to growing populations and settled villages.

Post-Ag Revolution Tech Innovation

Expanded technological developments following agriculture, including city-states, writing, and chariot warfare.

Pastoral Societies

Societies created in bad farming areas that relied on domesticating animals.

Nomad and Farmer Conflict

Clashes arising because nomads wanted farmland for their animals.

Mongol Empire

Empire eventually founded through pastoral nomadic interactions and idea exchanges.

Village-based Agricultural Societies

Agricultural societies without a chief that featured gender equality, religious traditions, and cultural traditions.

Chiefdoms

Agricultural societies led by chiefs who distributed resources and fostered skill specialization.

Charismatic Chiefs

Leaders in chiefdoms who were not in total control, were often charismatic, and distributed resources.

Skill Specialization

Development resulting from the distribution of resources in chiefdoms.

Mesopotamia

Location where the earliest civilization emerged.

Egypt and Peru

Early regions where civilizations emerged alongside Mesopotamia.

3500 BCE

Approximate period after which civilizations took over the world over the next 4000 years.

Civilization

Societies based in cities and governed by states where collaboration creates more than enough food.

Cities in Civilizations

Political and administrative capitals that served as marketplaces for trade and housed manufacturing enterprises.

States in Civilizations

Governmental structures existing around and governing cities.

Civilization Specialized Roles

Social roles including scholars, merchants, priests, officials, scribes, soldiers, servants, entertainers, and artisans.

Peasant Farmers

Class that supported most of civilization, whose labor led to inequalities in wealth and status.

Patriarchy

System of gender inequality that took hold as civilizations developed.

Chinese Innovations

Inventions including bureaucracy, silk production, papermaking, and gunpowder.

Islamic Scientific Advancements

Scientific developments in Islamic civilizations including math, medicine, and water management.

European Scientific and Industrial Revolution

Period of scientific and industrial expansion occurring in Europe from 1600-1900.

Written Literature

Record-keeping format that helps track advancements in civilizations.

River Environments

Geographical locations near which early agricultural civilizations developed.

Mountain Environments

Geographical barriers that separated rival city-states.

Oceans and Dense Jungle

Geographical barriers that separated distinct civilizations.

Ground Salinization

Environmental impact in agricultural cities where the ground becomes saltier.

Shift to Barley

Agricultural switch from wheat to barley because barley is more tolerant of salt.

Resource Destruction in Civilizations

Environmental damage caused by civilizations, mainly affecting forests and soil quality.

Mayan Artificial Landscape

Modifications generated by Mayans to support more people, which worked too well and led to overpopulation.

Mayan Collapse

Fall of the Mayan empire caused by overpopulating and outstripping available natural resources.

Empires

Vast political entities extending over more land than city-states that brought different cultures together.

Main Early Empires

The Chinese, Persian, and Roman empires.

Elite Bureaucracy in China

High-ranking government officials who held top status in Chinese social structure.

Chinese Peasant Rebellions

Constant uprisings caused by the abuse of peasants who supported the country.

India's Social Hierarchy

System giving priority to religious status with rigidly defined groups and almost no social mobility.

Slaves in Civilizations

Group located at the bottom of all social hierarchies, which Greek and Roman societies were dependent on.

Light Patriarchy

Variation of patriarchal control noted as existing in China and Greece.

1900s Global Power

Era by which Western powers achieved global power following historical trends of influence.

Hinduism

Polytheistic religion mainly in India influenced by outside factors, featuring the Upanishads, rebirth, karma, and becoming one with nature.

Upanishads

Sacred texts of Hinduism.

Karma in Hinduism

Principle that determines caste system rank through rebirth.

Buddhism

Religion founded by Buddha teaching that desire causes suffering and offering the Eightfold Path to enlightenment.

Buddha

Founder of Buddhism who was originally a prince before leaving and becoming enlightened.

Eight Fold Path

Path in Buddhism used to reach the goal of enlightenment.

Confucianism

Philosophical system made to prevent ongoing conflict in China through education and structured relationships.

Confucian Relational Model

Framework where superior power upholds relationships sincerely and inferior power has reason to be loyal.

Confucian Elite Testing

Process where passing a test on education allowed individuals to become part of the elite.

Daoism

Philosophy that conflicted with Confucianism by opposing education, advocating political disengagement, and aligning with the way of nature.

The Way of Nature

Central concept of alignment in Daoism, often interpreted religiously.

Judaism

Monotheistic religion born among Hebrews with many prophets, the 10 Commandments, and connections to Jesus.

10 Commandments

Ethical laws established in Judaism.

Jesus

Historical figure who was Jewish within the context of early religious development.

Constantine

Roman emperor who converted to Christianity, leading to the eventual conversion of most of the Roman Empire.

Christian Branches

Divisions that formed within Christianity due to regional and language differences.

Islam

Religion based on Prophet Muhammad's revelations recorded in the Quran that challenged social practices and societal structure.

Quran

Sacred text containing the recorded revelations of Prophet Muhammad.

Social Justice in Islam

Principle demanded by Islamic revelations alongside challenges to existing social practices.

Unification of Arabia

Achievement by Prophet Muhammad through gathering an army, whose unified Arabs then conquered and spread ideals.

Divisions in Islam

Schisms formed within Islam following the death of Prophet Muhammad.

Islamic Caliphate

Empire that spread the Islamic religion across vast spaces.

Point of World History

The interactions of civilizations and cultures.

Long-Distance Trade

A powerful motor of historical change facilitating the exchange of goods, food, religion, and ideas.

Silk Road

Major long-distance trade route connecting China to Europe.

Sea Roads

Trade routes located in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.

Sand Roads

Trans-Saharan trade routes connecting West/North Africa to Europe.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

Alternative name for the Sand Roads.

Indian Ocean

Body of water containing part of the Sea Roads trade network.

South China Sea

Body of water containing part of the Sea Roads trade network.

Hunter-Gatherers

Early humans who used stone tools at the start of the Paleolithic Era.

Settled Villages

Permanent human communities formed alongside growing populations during the Agricultural Revolution.

Chariot Warfare

Military technology innovation that expanded following the Agricultural Revolution.

Domesticating Animals

Practice adopted in areas bad for farming, giving rise to pastoral societies.

Charismatic Leadership

Style of authority held by chiefs in chiefdoms who lacked total control but distributed resources.

Marketplaces for Trade

Economic role fulfilled by cities within early civilizations.

Scholars

Intellectual class rising within civilizations alongside states and cities.

Scribes

Class of record-keepers emerging in civilized urban states.

Artisans

Skilled craftworkers who emerged as specialized labor in early civilizations.

Chinese Bureaucracy

System of state administration invented in China.

Papermaking

Technological advancement invented in China.

Gunpowder

Military and technological invention produced by Chinese civilization.

Islamic Math and Medicine

Scientific fields advanced significantly within Islamic civilizations.

European Industrial Revolution

Revolution taking place between 1600-1900 in Europe alongside scientific advancements.

Salt-Tolerant Crops

Barley, which replaced wheat when ground became saltier in agricultural cities.

Forest Destruction

One of the primary natural resources destroyed by expanding human civilizations.

Mayan Environmental Overreach

Creation of an artificial landscape that supported too many people and led to total resource depletion.

Persian Empire

One of the primary early empires that extended over vast land and united cultures.

Roman Empire

Vast empire that depended heavily on slave labor and initially persecuted Christians.

Social Hierarchy in China

Structure giving high ranking to the elite bureaucracy of government officials over other groups.

Abuse of Chinese Peasants

Mistreatment of the labor class that supported the country, leading to constant rebellions.

Rigid Social Groups in India

Social system prioritizing religious status with strictly defined tiers and almost no social mobility.

Greek Dependency on Slaves

Reliance of ancient Greek society on slaves located at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Roman Dependency on Slaves

Reliance of ancient Roman society on slaves located at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Influence of Civilizations

Varied extent of impact determined by the size of a civilization and the time it remained intact.

Highly Influential Civilizations

Notable long-lasting civilizations including the Roman, Chinese, and Islamic civilizations.