history midterm

Khufu

Pharaoh who built the Great Pyramid of Giza

Sneferu

Pharaoh who built the Bent Pyramid

Djoser

Pharaoh known for building the Step Pyramid

Cataract

Rocky rapids in the Nile River

Nile River

Longest river in Africa, crucial for ancient Egyptian civilization

Narmer

First pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt

Mummification

Preservation of the body for the afterlife

Sled

Wooden device used to transport heavy stone blocks

Mediterranean Sea

Large body of water crucial for trade

Temple

Sacred structure for religious rituals and worship

Tomb

Burial place, often elaborate for pharaohs and high-ranking individuals

Jean-Pierre Houdin

French architect, proposed the Internal Ramp Theory

Ramp Theory

Jean-Pierre Houdin's theory of a spiral ramp within the pyramid

Notch

V-shaped cut or indentation in an object

Plumb bob

Weighted object used for vertical alignment

John Romer

Famous Egyptologist

Sediments

Particles at the bottom of bodies of water, provide valuable information about the environment

Afterlife

Existence or realm after death

Limestone

Commonly used building material in ancient Egypt

Surplus

Excessive amount of food

Agriculture

Farming and cultivation of the soil and animals

Selective breeding

Choosing specific plants or animals with desirable traits to reproduce

Domestication of animals

Taming and breeding animals for human use

Domestication of plants

Cultivation and modification of plants for human use

Birth of cities

Relatively permanent and organized centers of population

Migration

Movement of individuals or groups of people from one place to another

Push and Pull Factors

Conditions that encourage people to leave or stay in a particular place

Otzi

First human found in ice, provides insight into ancient human life

Survival in the Mountains

Adapting to challenges of high-altitude environments

Hominid

Family of primates that includes humans and their ancestors

Homo Sapiens

Modern humans

Homo Habilis

Early tool-making era of humans

Homo Erectus

Fire and tool-making era of humans

Neanderthal

Big humans who lived in Europe and Asia

Australopithecus

Extinct hominins like Lucy, most complete hominin

Artifact

Object made or modified by humans

Archaeology

Study of human history through artifacts

Carbon dating

Method to determine the age of organic materials

Olduvai Gorge

Paleontological and archaeological site in Tanzania

Tools

Objects used to perform tasks or achieve goals

Weapons

Tools designed and used for combat or hunting

Cognitive Revolution

Increase in complexity of human thought, language, and cooperation

Collective Learning

Learning through other people

Flint Knapping

Shaping flint or stone into tools

Language

System of communication using symbols, sounds, or gestures

Out of Africa Theory

Homo sapiens originated in Africa and migrated to other parts of the world

Foraging

Hunting and gathering for survival

Nomads

People who move from place to place

Specialization

Focusing on specific tasks or skills

Craftsmanship

Skillful creation of goods

Social Class

System of ranking based on wealth, job, and status

Cradle of Civilization

Regions where the earliest civilizations emerged

Babylonian Empire

Ancient Mesopotamian empire centered in Babylon

Assyrian Empire

Powerful empire in ancient Mesopotamia known for military prowess

Akkadian Empire

Early empire in Mesopotamia founded by Sargon the Great

Sumerian

One of the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia

Sargon the Great

Founder of the Akkadian Empire

Gilgamesh

King of Uruk in ancient Mesopotamia

Enkidu

Character from the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh's best friend

Assurbanipal

King known for his extensive library in Nineveh

Polytheism

Belief in and worship of multiple gods

Ziggurat

Stepped pyramid-like structure used as a temple

Battering Rams

Ancient siege weapons used to break down doors or walls

Iron Age

Period of human history with widespread use of iron

Irrigation

Artificial application of water for agriculture

Cuneiform

Sumerian writing system using triangles

Scribe

Person who can read and write

Hammurabi Code

Earliest and most complete set of laws and punishments

Fertile Crescent

Region with fertile soil, important for early civilizations

Empire

Large political unit with one emperor

Behistun Inscription

Cuneiform inscription on a cliff in Iran

Lugalzagesi

Sumerian king who ruled over several city-states

Siege towers

Used to approach and scale fortification walls during a siege

Curved shields

Shields used by ancient warriors for protection

Engineers

Individuals skilled in designing and constructing complex systems

Ur-Nammu

Founder of the Third Dynasty of Ur and a Sumerian king

Sumerian Religion

Worship of gods and goddesses associated with nature and society

Shamash

Sumerian god of justice and the sun

Innana

Sumerian goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and war

Ishtar

Akkadian counterpart of the Sumerian goddess Inanna

Ishtar Gate

Grand entrance to the city of Babylon dedicated to the goddess Ishtar

Assyrian Violence

Aggressive and brutal military campaigns of the Assyrian Empire

Mass deportation

Forcibly relocating large groups of people

Forced Resettlement

Involuntary movement of people for political or military reasons

Impalement

Form of execution by piercing with a sharp stake

Burning people alive

Brutal form of execution involving fire

Flaying

Removal of the skin from a person or animal

Mutilation

Intentionally causing severe injury or disfigurement

Sumerian Achievements

Cuneiform, welding, tool and weapon making, number system, time system

Global trade

Trade networks connecting different regions

Numbering system

Sumerian system using 0-60

Time measurement system

Dividing the day into various units

Public library

Housed a vast collection of cuneiform tablets

Chemistry and welding

Techniques for extracting metals and welding

Metallurgy

Working with copper, bronze, and iron

Hydraulic engineering

Constructing irrigation systems

Archives

Containing cuneiform tablets documenting various aspects of life

Currency and weight systems

Standardized trade using silver bars as currency

Beer and wine making

Brewing beer for religious contexts

Epic Poetry

Big poems orally spoken to tell stories