World History Review: Early Civilizations to Ancient Rome

Flashcards covering vocabulary and key historical concepts from the lecture notes, spanning the Stone Age through Ancient Rome.

Stone Age Society

A nomadic hunter-gatherer society characterized by small, egalitarian groups that constantly moved to follow wild animals and naturally growing crops.

Neolithic Era

The historical period characterized by the development of farming, sedentary living, and the domestication of animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and cows.

Specialization of Labor

The division of work into specialized roles (such as pottery, weapon making, ironwork, and leatherwork) made possible by agricultural food surpluses.

Five Characteristics of a Civilization

The five defining features of a complex society: advanced cities, record keeping, complex institutions (such as government), technology, and organization.

Theocracy

A form of government in which political authority is directly tied to religion, such as in Mesopotamia where priests ruled city-states or Egypt where the pharaoh was considered a god.

Code of Hammurabi

The first known written law code in history, chiseled on stone throughout Mesopotamia, which established central authority and reflected social hierarchy between free people, women, and slaves.

Cuneiform

The ancient system of writing developed in Mesopotamia that involved printing symbols onto mud bricks.

Ziggurat

A temple in Mesopotamia that served as the central focal point of civilization for religious practice, government administration, and trade markets.

Papyrus

A paper-like writing material developed as a key technology in ancient Egypt.

Direct Democracy

The system of government developed in Athens where citizens voted, elected representatives to a senate, and actively participated in civic duty.

Oligarchy

A government system used in Sparta where power was held by a small group of powerful men, such as military leaders or aristocrats.

Helot Slaves

The large population of agricultural slaves in Sparta who performed farming duties while Spartan citizens focused on military service.

Socratic Method

A method of Greek philosophical inquiry developed by Socrates based on continuous and rigorous questioning.

Satrap

A provincial governor in the Persian Empire appointed to rule local territories while maintaining loyalty to the central emperor.

Eyes and Ears of the State

A system of imperial spies sent throughout the Persian Empire to monitor satraps, collect taxes, enforce law, and ensure loyalty to the emperor.

Gate of All Nations

A prominent archway in the Persian capital of Persepolis featuring inscriptions of all religions in the empire, symbolizing Persian religious tolerance.

Royal Road

A major Persian highway network equipped with rest stops that supported military troop movements, trade, and communication across the empire.

Syncretism

The cultural blending that occurred during the Hellenistic Period following Alexander the Great's conquests, combining Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian influences.

Twelve Tables

The foundational written code of laws in ancient Rome that influenced modern legal systems including that of the United States.

Egalitarian Nature of Christianity

The belief system within early Christianity holding that spiritual access and equality were available to all individuals, regardless of social status, wealth, gender, or enslavement.