History Midterm Study Guide: Early Civilizations and Cultures

Early Homo Sapiens

Developed complex languages, tools, and social structures.

Use of Fire

Enabled cooking, warmth, and protection for survival.

Cave Art

Indicates early religious or symbolic thinking.

Surplus Food Production

Allowed for bartering systems and specialized labor.

Permanent Dwellings

Evidence of settled communities and organized farming.

Irrigation

Water management technique for agricultural productivity.

Crop Rotation

Practice of alternating crops to maintain soil fertility.

City-State Formation

Agriculture freed individuals for specialized societal roles.

Cuneiform

Early writing system used for records and trade.

Hieroglyphics

Egyptian writing system for religious texts and monuments.

Hammurabi's Law Code

One of the first written law codes promoting justice.

Fertile Crescent

Region with rich soil supporting early civilizations.

Ziggurats

Temple structures in Mesopotamian city-states.

Aryan Culture

Influenced Hinduism and caste systems in South Asia.

Silk Road

Trade route enabling commerce across Asia.

Four Goals of Hinduism

Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha guide life pursuits.

Varna System

Social classification introduced by Aryans in India.

Brahmins

Priests in the Hindu caste system.

Pharaoh

Divine ruler central to governance in Egypt.

Akhenaten

Introduced brief monotheism in ancient Egyptian religion.

Mandate of Heaven

Justification for ruling based on divine approval.

Dynastic Cycles

Patterns of rise and fall in Chinese dynasties.

Hellenism

Cultural fusion from Alexander's conquests.

Pax Romana

Period of peace and stability in the Roman Empire.

Fall of Western Roman Empire

Collapsed in 476 CE due to invasions and decay.