Key Historical Concepts and Events

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from historical events and periods discussed in the provided lecture notes.

Neolithic

The period of tool making and the development of small settlements.

Pyramids

Structures that evolved from mastabas, initially rectangular covers over tombs.

Mastaba

A flat-topped, rectangular structure that served as a tomb in ancient Egypt.

Rosetta Stone

A stone tablet that helped decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, found during the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt.

Hebrew Society

A classless, monotheistic society that contrasted with other cultures that had multiple deities.

Phoenicians

Mediterranean trading people, known for their alphabet and establishment of colonies, including Carthage.

Pre-Hellenic Civilizations

The three major civilizations: Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean.

Marathon

The first significant battle during the Greco-Persian Wars that established Greek strength.

Punic Wars

A series of wars against Carthage, pivotal for the establishment of Roman dominance.

Charlemagne

King crowned as Emperor of Europe by the Pope, unifying various territories.

Treaty of Verdun

The agreement that divided Charlemagne's empire among his three grandsons.

Feudalism

A hierarchical system of government and land ownership during medieval Europe.

Magna Carta

A charter agreed to by King John, limiting the powers of the monarchy and establishing certain legal rights.

Scholasticism

A medieval intellectual movement focusing on theology and philosophy, notably associated with Thomas Aquinas.

Black Death

A devastating epidemic that struck Europe in the 14th century, resulting in significant population loss.

Hundred Years' War

A protracted conflict between England and France that signaled the end of feudalism.

Ottoman Empire

A historical empire that played a significant role in European and Middle Eastern history.

Avignon Papacy

The period when the Pope resided in Avignon, creating a schism in the Catholic Church.

Renaissance

A cultural revival that marked the re-emergence of Greco-Roman ideas in Western Europe.

Machiavelli

A political philosopher known for his work 'The Prince', discussing power dynamics and leadership.

Martin Luther

A key figure in the Protestant Reformation known for his 95 theses against the Catholic Church.

Peace of Augsburg

An agreement allowing German princes to choose their own religion within the Holy Roman Empire.

Henry VIII

King of England who established the Church of England to receive a divorce and control church wealth.

Edict of Nantes

The 1598 decree granting religious freedom to Huguenots in France, except in Paris.

Treaty of Westphalia

The treaty that ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe in 1648, establishing principles of state sovereignty.