Paleolithic Era, Neolithic Rev., Mesopotamia, Judaism and Ancient Egypt, Indus River Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization) and Hinduism Exam

Nile River

The river the Ancient Egyptians settled around. It flows south to north into the Mediterranean Sea.

irrigation system

A way of supplying water to an area of land

natural barriers

deserts, mountains, or bodies of water that create barriers from invasion

mummification

embalmment and drying a dead body and wrapping it as a mummy

Gift of the Nile

Egypt was called this because it would not have existed without the Nile

The Nile flooding

was a predictable (annual) event that the Egyptians used to plan their farming and calendars.

hieroglyphics

An ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and sounds

Who was King Tut

Egyptian pharaoh, he died while still a young king. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 has taught archaeologists much about Egyptian culture.

polytheistic

Believing in many gods and goddesses

Silt

rich dirt left by the yearly flood of the Nile

Hieroglyphics

The Egyptian writing system that consisted of hundreds of picture symbols used to represent ideas and sounds

Papyrus

A reed plant that grew along the Nile and was used to make baskets, sandals, river rafts, and paper

Pyramids

Mountain-like tombs the size of several city blocks made for Egyptian pharaohs entirely out of stone; designed to protect the pharaoh's body from floods, wild animals, and grave robbers

polytheism

Belief in many gods

Egyptian contributions

Some examples include: pyramids, mummies, papyrus, math, science & medicine.
- mummification helped learn about anatomy of human body, diagnose illnesses, perform surgeries.
- calendar
- hieroglyphics, papyrus,
- Building and design of the temples, pyramids, monuments, statues etc. required knowledge of complex math

Rosetta Stone

A stone discovered that enabled historians to decode hieroglyphics.

Mesopotamia is located in this area (the _________ __________) which describes it's shape and its ability to easily grow crops.

Fertile Crescent

Mesopotamia is located between which two rivers?

Tigris and Euphrates

irrigation

Supplying land with water through a network of canals

city-state

A city with political and economic control over itself and the surrounding countryside

Ziggurat

massive pyramidal stepped tower made of mudbricks. It is associated with religion in ancient Mesopotamian cities

What were contributions of the Sumerians?

writing (cuneiform), technology (wheel), mathematics (calendar)

Cuneiform

A form of writing developed by the Sumerians using a wedge shaped stylus and clay tablets.

scribe

a person who writes things down

Empire

A large territory or a group of territories controlled by one ruler

Hammurabi's Code

first written code/set of laws that all were expected to obey.

the largest building in every city state was the

ziggurat

city walls

Sumerians built strong, thick walls around their cities for protection.

How did Mesopotamians water their crops during droughts?

irrigation systems

Hammurabi

He designed a legal code in early Babylon that gave punishment based on crime and social status.

Paleolithic Age

(750,000 BCE - 10,000 B.C.E.) Old Stone Age. A period of time in human history characterized by the use of stone tools and the use of hunting and gathering as a food source.

Prehistory

Period of time before writing.

Culture

The shared beliefs, customs, practices, and social behavior of a particular nation or people.

Archaeologist

A social scientist who studies the past by looking at artifacts people have left behind.

Artifact

Any item, made by humans, that represents a material aspect of culture.

Nomads

Groups of people who move from place to place in search of food, water, and pasture for their animals.

Arable

Farmable land. Very fertile land

Neolithic Revolution

(10,000 - 8,000 BCE) The development of agriculture and the domestication of animals as a food source. This led to the development of permanent settlements and the start of civilization.

Civilization

A complex society that has language, religion, a division of labor, and a social hierarchy. There is also a food supply and a political system.

Cradle of Civilization

Mesopotamia is called this because the earliest people and cultures were located here

Agriculture

The cultivating of land, producing of crops, and raising of livestock for human consumption.

Domestication of Animals

the taming of animals for human use.

Food surplus

extra food creation that allows people to engage in activities besides farming

River valleys

first civilizations are all located near these (Nile, Tigris & Euphrates, Indus and Hwang He)

Components of a Civilization

Centralized Government, Infrastructure (roads, bridges, and cities), Organized Religion, Social Class system, Job Specialization, Written language

Agriculture + Domestication of Animals

= Food Surplus

Cultural diffusion

The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another

History

any period of time after writing

Fertile Crescent

A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates

Specialized Workers

People who have 1 job to do and they get really good/efficient at that job

Artisans

skilled workers who make goods by hand

Great Rift Valley of East Africa

home to the earliest people

Monotheism

belief in one God

Abraham

Founder of Judaism

Jew

Someone who believes in Judaism

Rabbi

A Jewish teacher who usually teaches laws from the Torah

Yahweh

God of Judaism

Judaism

Oldest monotheistic religion

Synagogue

The center of Judaism public worship

Persecute

Treat someone poorly and not very nicely due to their religion, usually involving some violence and abuse

Torah

Most important part of the Jewish holy book

Kosher

prepared according to Jewish laws and traditions and most commonly used to refer to food

Exodus

"Departure." Tells how the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt and freed by Moses when he parted the Red Sea. Recounts the wandering in the desert for 40 years.

Covenant

Agreement with God. Jewish people were the chosen ones

Diaspora

any group migration or flight from a country or region; dispersion. Particularly used in relation to Jews scattered by Romans in 70 CE.

Passover

Jewish holiday celebrating the Jews exodus from Egypt.

10 Commandments

Moral and Ethical code of Judaism and Christianity

Jerusalem

Holy city for all three monotheistic religions

Moses

Led the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt; received the 10 commandments

Harappan Civilization/Indus River Valley Civilization

They developed a civilization in the river valley because of the fertile soil and protection from outside invaders that the physical features provided them. This civilization is known for advanced cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. They had organized urban planning (grid patterned cities), indoor plumbing/bathrooms and sewers to distribute waste outside the city walls. They used symmetrical sun-dried bricks to build their cities.

Hinduism

An eastern religion which evolved from an ancient Aryan religion in which followers strive to free their soul from reincarnation until the soul is finally freed. This religion is practiced primarily in India.

Religious majority in India

Hinduism

Atman

Hindu's soul

Aryans

Nomadic Central Asian group that took over the Indus River Valley and brought the Vedas and Caste System.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another

No Founder

Hinduism was created through the process of cultural diffusion. The Aryans conquered the Indus River Valley and mixed with the remnants of the Harappa's to create Hinduism.

Vedas

A Hindu holy book which is a collection of Aryan hymns that were transmitted orally before being written down in the 6th century BCE.

Upanishads

A major book in Hinduism that is often in the form of dialogues that explored the Vedas and the religious issues that they raised.

Reincarnation

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding

Karma

(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next life

Dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

Caste System

Rigid/Strict social class system rooted in the religion of Hinduism. No social mobility. Born into the system and cannot move up or down in your lifetime.

Brahmin

A priest or member of the priestly caste in Hinduism

Kshatriya

Hindu caste of warriors and nobles.

Vaisya

third level of the varnas in the Hindu caste system; Skilled laborers

Sudra

4th social class in the caste system very little rights. Servants; unskilled laborers

Untouchables

LOWEST LEVEL OF INDIAN SOCIETY; not considered a real part of the caste system; often given degrading jobs; their life was extremely difficult (Dalit or Pariahs); cleaned toilets and bathrooms, sewers, street sweepers and cremated bodies of the dead.

Brahma

A single spiritual power that Hindus believe lives in everything. The Creator God of Hinduism.

Vishnu

God of Preservation or Preserver God

Shiva

Destroyer God

Moksha

Becoming liberated from the cycle of reincarnation in Hinduism. The ultimate goal for all Hindus. To become one with the creator God Brahman Negruna.

Holy Cow

Hindus believe the cow is a sacred animal; do not eat

Varna

A caste in the Hindu caste system

Ahimsa

Hindu belief in nonviolence and reverence for all life

Ganges River

Holy River of Hinduism

The caste system still exists strongly in ___________________ areas of India

Rural

Monsoons in India

Wet monsoon (summer)(Southwest Monsoons)- Air traveling across oceans and gathering water; farmers in India wait for these monsoons to create fertile land for another period of time to grow different types of crops.
Dry monsoon (winter)- Cold dry air from the Himalayas; The Himalayas block the cold air and leave India dry and moderate temperatures.

The caste system breaks down in ________________ areas of India

Urban

The caste system still exists strongly in ___________________ areas of India

Rural