Studied by 3 people
Fertile Crescent
Fertile Crescent: A historical region in the Middle East
Agriculture: Birthplace of agriculture and early farming practices
Civilizations: Home to ancient civilizations like Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria
Geography: Stretches from the Nile River in Egypt to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq
Cultural Exchange: A hub for trade, cultural exchange, and innovation
Climate: Fertile land due to rich soil and favorable climate conditions
Historical Significance: Crucial for the development of writing, law, and urbanization
irrigation
-watering fields using human-made systems
-canals carried water from rivers to fields
-stored rainwater
-built walls from mounds of earth to hold floodwaters
city-state
-includes city & its surrounding lands & settlements
-happened when villages united to build major irrigation projects
-fishing & trade, frequent wars
silt
-floodwaters (water overflowing because of floods) gave silt (fine & fertile soil)
-good for farming
-populations grew & cities developed
empire
Empire: A large political unit or state, often ruled by a single sovereign authority
Colonialism: The practice of acquiring full or partial control over another country, exploiting it economically
Imperialism: The policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force
Sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern itself or another state
Cultural Assimilation: The process by which a minority group adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture
Economic Exploitation: The act of using another country's resources for economic gain
Decolonization: The process of transitioning from colonial rule to independence
Territorial Expansion: The act of increasing a nation's land area through conquest or annexation
Epic of Gilgamesh
the epic of gilgamesh tells the story of a mighty king who failed in his quest to find immortality - (earliest known work of literature we have found)
polytheism
belief in many gods
cultural diffusion
Cultural Diffusion: Definition: The spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.Types: Relocation diffusion, expansion diffusion, hierarchical diffusion.Mechanisms: Trade, migration, conquest, communication.Examples: Spread of Buddhism from India to East Asia, influence of Western culture globally.Impact: Enrichment of cultures, loss of indigenous practices, globalization.Factors Influencing: Technology, transportation, social networks.Consequences: Cultural blending, conflict, adaptation.
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi's Code: Ancient Babylonian law codeDate: Circa 1754 BCSignificance: One of the earliest written legal codesNumber of Laws: 282 lawsPrinciple: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"Social Class: Laws varied by social statusTopics Covered: Trade, property, family, labor, and civil rightsInscription: Carved on a stele for public displayInfluence: Basis for future legal systems and concepts of justice
Sargon of Akkad
Sargon of Akkad: The first ruler of the Akkadian Empire Akkadian Empire: The world's first empire, established around 2334 BCE Conquests: Unified Sumerian city-states through military campaigns Capital: Akkad, a city that became a major cultural center Legacy: Influenced future empires and rulers, known as a model of kingship Innovations: Promoted trade, standardized weights and measures Cultural Impact: Spread Akkadian language and culture across Mesopotamia Death: Exact date unknown, but his dynasty lasted until around 2154 BCE
cuneiform
wedge-shaped
Nebuchadnezzar
King that ruled the chaldeans
King Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon and ruled from it from 612-539 BCE until Persians conquered Babylon
cataract
Cataracts are a clouding of the eye's lens, leading to vision impairment.
They are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Risk factors include aging, diabetes, smoking, and prolonged UV exposure.
Symptoms include blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night, and sensitivity to light.
Diagnosis is through a comprehensive eye exam.
Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the cloudy lens.
Post-surgery, patients often experience significant vision improvement.
centralized government
Centralized government consolidates power in a central authority.
It allows for uniform policies and laws across the entire state.
Decision-making is typically faster due to fewer layers of bureaucracy.
Centralized systems can lead to more efficient resource allocation.
It may reduce regional disparities in governance and services.
Risks include potential for abuse of power and lack of local representation.
Examples include authoritarian regimes and some democratic states.
pictogram
Pictograms are visual symbols representing objects or concepts.
They are used for communication across language barriers.
Pictograms simplify complex information for easier understanding.
Commonly found in signage, infographics, and user interfaces.
They can convey messages quickly and effectively.
Pictograms are often used in educational materials.
They originated in ancient civilizations for record-keeping.
Modern examples include emojis and digital icons.
Menes
Menes is often credited as the first pharaoh of unified Egypt.
He is believed to have founded the First Dynasty around 3100 BCE.
Menes is associated with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
His reign marked the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period.
The capital city of Memphis was established during his rule.
Menes is sometimes identified with the historical figure Narmer.
He is depicted in the Narmer Palette, symbolizing his conquests.
Menes' legacy influenced subsequent pharaohs and Egyptian culture.
delta
A delta is a landform created by sediment deposition at the mouth of a river.
Deltas are typically triangular or fan-shaped.
The Nile Delta is one of the most famous deltas in the world.
Deltas are important ecosystems, supporting diverse wildlife.
They are often fertile areas for agriculture due to nutrient-rich sediments.
Deltas can be affected by rising sea levels and erosion.
The formation of a delta can take thousands of years.
Major types of deltas include river-dominated, wave-dominated, and tide-dominated.
pharaoh
Pharaohs were the rulers of ancient Egypt, considered both political and religious leaders.
The title "Pharaoh" means "great house" and refers to the royal palace.
Pharaohs were believed to be divine or semi-divine, acting as intermediaries between gods and people.
The most famous pharaohs include Tutankhamun, Ramses II, and Cleopatra VII.
Pharaohs were often buried in elaborate tombs, such as the pyramids, to ensure a safe passage to the afterlife.
The role of pharaoh included military leadership, law-making, and overseeing agricultural production.
Pharaohs often commissioned monumental architecture and art to demonstrate their power and legacy.
theocracy
Theocracy is a form of government in which religious leaders control political authority.
Laws and policies are often based on religious doctrine.
Theocratic systems can be found in various religions, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
Iran is a contemporary example of a theocratic state.
Theocracy can limit individual freedoms and secular governance.
Religious texts often serve as the constitution in a theocracy.
Theocratic governments may suppress dissenting beliefs and practices.
Theocracy can lead to conflicts between religious and secular authorities.
pyramid
a monumental structure with a square or triangular base and sloping sides that meet in a point at the top, especially one built of stone as a royal tomb in ancient Egypt.
-massive monument tomb that was used to house dead bodies, pharaohs used a lot of their wealth and power to build these
mummification
Mummification is the process of preserving a body after death to prevent decay. It was practiced in ancient Egypt to prepare the deceased for the afterlife, ensuring that the soul could recognize and reunite with the body.
hieroglyphics
A: Hieroglyphics is an ancient writing system used by the Egyptians, consisting of pictorial symbols that represent sounds, words, or concepts. It was used for religious texts, monumental inscriptions, and administrative documents.
papyrus
A: Papyrus is a plant-based material used by ancient Egyptians for writing and making scrolls. It was significant as it enabled the recording of important texts, literature, and administrative documents, facilitating communication and the preservation of knowledge.
Kush
A: The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient African kingdom located to the south of Egypt, in present-day Sudan. It thrived from around 1070 BCE to 350 CE and is known for its rich resources, pyramids, and as a significant trade center. Kushites ruled Egypt during the 25th Dynasty, known as the "Kushite Dynasty."
Hatshepsut
Queen of Egypt (1473-1458 B.C.E.). Dispatched a naval expedition down the Red Sea to Punt (possibly Somalia), the faraway source of myrrh. There is evidence of opposition to a woman as ruler, and after her death her name was frequently expunged.
Tutankhamen
a 10 year old pharaoh who ruled for nine years and then died unexpectantly; restored the old gods
-A pharaoh, or king of Egypt, who lived about 1400 B.C. His reign was relatively unimportant, but the discovery of his unplundered tomb in the 1920s is numbered among the great archaeological discoveries of all time.
Ramses II
A long-lived ruler of New Kingdom Egypt (r. 1290-1224 BCE). He reached an accommodation with the Hittites of Anatolia after a standoff in battle at Kadesh in Syria. He built on a grand scale throughout Egypt.
Book of the Dead
A collection of spells and prayers that Egyptians studied to obtain life after death
Minoans
The Mediterranean society that formed on the island of Crete and who were a big maritime society.
Phoenicians
located on eastern Mediterranean coast; invented the alphabet which used sounds rather than symbols like cuneiform
alphabet
writing system in which each symbol represents a single basic sound
colonization
One country taking over another area to be used for their benefit
King Minos
a king of the Minoans who legend has it owned a half-human, half-bull monster called the "Minotaur"
Hebrews
the ethnic group claiming descent from Abraham and Isaac (especially from Isaac's son Jacob)
monotheism
belief in one god
covenant
A solemn agreement between human beings or between God and a human being in which mutual commitments are made.
Torah
The first five books of Jewish Scripture, which they believe are by Moses, are called this
Abraham
Founder of Judaism who, according to the Bible, led his family from Ur to Canaan in obedience to God's command.
Moses
Led the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt; received the 10 commandments
Assyrians
They were harsh brutal warriors who conquered the mesopotamian and egyptian river valleys from 1100 BCE to c. 612 BCE
--originally under babylonian rule, fought their way to independence
Chaldeans
-under king nebuchadnezzar, the chaldeans conquered the territory of the assyrians and were as brutal
Exodus
a large-scale departure or flight
Ten Commandments
A set of laws for responsible behavior, which, according to the Bible, were given to Moses by God.
Babylonian Captivity
50-year period in which the Israelites were exiled from Judah and held in Babylon
David
Second king of Israel
Solomon’s Temple
the Temple of Solomon, also known as "the First Temple," was built by King Solomon (circa 990–931 BCE) long ago on the spot where God created Adam, the first man. (in Jerusalem)
ancestor worship
honoring ancestors through rituals, such as offering food and wine to the dead
Mandate of Heaven
a political theory of ancient China in which those in power were given the right to rule from a divine source
dynastic cycle
the historical pattern of the rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties
loess
A wind-formed deposit made of fine particles of clay and silt, yellow brown soil
dynasties (Shang and Zhou)
a line of hereditary rulers of a country.
feudalism
A political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land
oracle bones
The earliest known Chinese writing is found on these from ritual activity of the Shang period.
Indus Valley
the first planned city
home of a major civilization that emerged in what is now Pakistan during the third millennium BCE in the valleys of the Indus and Saraswati rivers, noted for the uniformity of its elaborately planned cities over a large territory
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
largest cities of their time
major urban complexes of Harappan civilization; laid out on planned grid pattern; cities in the Indus River Valley, present day Pakistan
subcontinent
-large landmass that is part of a continent
monsoons
-strong seasonal wind that influences climate
-winds bring dry season in winter; bring wet season with heavy rainfall in the summer
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