AP World History Pre-1200 Overview (Neolithic to 600 BCE)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Neolithic Revolution through early empires, religions, and cultural developments up to 600 BCE.

Neolithic Revolution

Shift from hunting and gathering to farming, enabling permanent settlements, crop storage, and population growth.

Mesopotamia

Region in Southwest Asia where farming began earliest; cradle of civilizations along the Tigris and Euphrates.

Civilization

A society with a city and organized institutions (government, religion, writing, social hierarchies).

City

A large, permanent settlement that forms when farming supports dense populations.

Code of Hammurabi

Early legal code establishing social hierarchies and punishments; famous for the principle of retaliation.

An eye for an eye

Retributive justice principle associated with Hammurabi’s code.

Cuneiform

Mesopotamian writing system used for administration and later literature.

Hieroglyphics

Egyptian writing system used in administration and religious texts.

Epic of Gilgamesh

Famous Mesopotamian epic exploring heroism, mortality, and meaning of life.

Book of the Dead

Egyptian funerary texts guiding the dead in the afterlife.

Rigveda

Ancient Indian collection of hymns; part of early Vedic literature.

Hinduism

Ancient Indian religion with caste structure and belief in many gods in many forms.

Buddhism

Religion originating in South Asia (~500 BCE) emphasizing suffering and the Eightfold Path; challenges caste hierarchies.

Eightfold Path

Buddhist guide to ending suffering through right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

Judaism

Monotheistic religion of the Hebrews; spread through displacement and trade.

Christianity

Monotheistic religion stemming from Jesus; salvation through faith and the resurrection; major branches include Roman Catholic and Orthodox.

Confucianism

Chinese ethical-political philosophy emphasizing hierarchical relationships and proper roles.

Confucius

Philosopher whose ideas form the basis of Confucian thought.

Taoism (Daoism)

Philosophical tradition stressing harmony with the Dao and nature over human institutions.

Animism

Belief that natural objects and phenomena possess spiritual power.

Shamanism

Religious practice where shamans access and direct spiritual power for healing or guidance.

Pastoralists

Nomadic or semi-nomadic herders who connect civilizations through mobility and exchange.

Nile River Valley

One of the world’s early river-valley civilizations in North Africa.

Yellow River Valley

Early Chinese river-valley civilization in East Asia.

Indus River Valley

Early South Asian river-valley civilization in the Indus region.

Achaemenid Empire

First great Persian empire (c. 550–330 BCE) with provincial governors (satraps) and an extensive road network.

Satrap

Provincial governor in the Achaemenid Empire.

Parthian Empire

Persian empire that rose after the Achaemenids and controlled vast territories.

Qin Dynasty

Chinese imperial dynasty (221–206 BCE) founded on centralized Legalist rule and the Mandate of Heaven.

Mandate of Heaven

Chinese belief that heaven grants rulers the right to govern; lost if the ruler is unjust.

Qin Shi Huangdi

First emperor of China; centralized authority and standardization.

Legalism

Chinese political philosophy promoting strict laws and centralized control.

Han Dynasty

Chinese dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) known for centralized bureaucratic rule, the Great Wall, and canals.

Great Wall

Massive defensive wall built to deter northern invasions and unify defense.

Phoenicians

Sea traders who established colonies and created the oldest alphabet.

Phoenician alphabet

Early alphabet that influenced Greek and later writing systems.

Greeks

City-states that introduced ideas of citizenship and democracy (limited to free male citizens).

Democracy

Political system of citizen participation, first developed in Greek city-states.

Romans

Mediterranean empire renowned for roads and aqueducts; western empire fell in 476 CE; eastern persisted as Byzantine.

Teotihuacan

Large ancient Mesoamerican city with monumental architecture and complex bureaucracy.

Maya

Mesoamerican civilization known for writing, calendars, and monumental temples.

Moche

Andean civilization (c. 100–800 CE) ruled by warrior-priest elite.

Overextension

When empires expand beyond sustainable limits, contributing to decline.

Trade networks

Interregional exchange that connected distant regions through goods, ideas, and cultures.