AMSCO Prologue: History before 1200 C.E. - Practice Flashcards

Question-and-answer flashcards covering key concepts, terms, and events from the AMSCO Prologue readings (History before 1200 C.E.).

When did most humans first appear in East Africa?

Between 200,000 B.C.E and 100,000 B.C.E.

How did early humans survive before agriculture?

By hunting animals and gathering seeds and edible plants in small, nomadic groups.

What is animism?

A belief system in which natural objects and phenomena have souls or deities.

What sparked the Agricultural Revolution?

Climate change plus humans planting crops and raising animals led to sustained food production.

What was a major result of the Agricultural Revolution?

Food surpluses allowed some people to specialize in non-food producing activities (artisans, merchants) and supported the development of cities and governments.

How did life change after the Agricultural Revolution?

Population grew, settlements became larger, new occupations emerged, and more complex social and governmental structures developed.

What does “Specialization of Labor” mean?

Groups focusing on specific tasks, enabling individuals to master particular aspects of a job.

Where did most early civilizations form?

In river valleys, where water and fertile land supported agriculture.

Mesopotamia: where is it located?

Around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq.

Mesopotamia: key characteristics of its civilizations?

Independent city-states, patriarchal societies, long-distance trade, religious centers; polytheistic with ziggurats.

Sumer: what is its significance?

Invention of cuneiform—the first writing system and the first written language in history.

Egypt: where is it located?

In the Nile River valley.

What is unique about ancient Egypt’s government?

It was highly centralized under the pharaoh, with monumental pyramids symbolizing the ruler’s power.

Role of women in ancient Egypt?

Women could own property and were recognized as legally equal to men in court in some cases.

Indus Valley: what is its significance?

Advanced urban planning, long-distance trade, and sophisticated city layouts; practiced polytheism.

China: describe the system of early Chinese society?

A patriarchal system that honored ancestors and emphasized hierarchical family and state structures.

Non-river valley civilizations mentioned, and their significance?

Olmec (Mesoamerica) and Chavín (Andes)—engaged in extensive trade.

Define Civilization

Large societies with cities and a powerful state.

Define River Valley

A place with fresh water and fertile land.

Define City-State

An independent state made up of a city and its surrounding territory.

What is a Ziggurat?

A religious temple in Mesopotamian cities.

What is Cuneiform?

The writing system invented by the Sumerians; the first written language.

What is Hieroglyphics?

The writing system used by the Egyptians.

What fundamental shift about deities allowed religions to spread?

Deities were no longer tied to specific places, enabling belief systems to move with people; polytheism and belief centered on place gave way to broader religious frameworks.

Hinduism: what is the primary scripture?

The Vedas.

Two major beliefs taught in the Vedas?

Reincarnation and the caste system.

What is Zoroastrianism known for believing?

The struggle between forces of good and evil and the role of free will.

Judaism: who were early followers and whom do they trace history to?

Hebrews/Israelites; traced back to Abraham.

What is the major belief of Judaism?

A covenant between the Jews and Yahweh.

Which two other major religions trace back to Abraham?

Christianity and Islam.

Define Polytheism

Belief in many gods.

Define Caste System

A class structure that stratifies society and shapes occupation and status.

Silk Road: what is it?

A land-based network used for long-distance trade between civilizations.

Who founded Buddhism?

Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha).

What are the Four Noble Truths?

A Buddhist framework aimed at ending desire and suffering.

What is the ultimate goal of Buddhism?

Enlightenment and Nirvana, ending the cycle of rebirth.

How did Buddhism spread?

It spread in part because it offered a path that rejected rigid caste distinctions, appealing to many.

Mauryan Empire: Ashoka’s contributions?

Efficient tax system, connected roads, and edicts inscribed on pillars.

How did Ashoka help spread Buddhism?

His conversion to Buddhism promoted its spread throughout his empire and beyond.

Gupta Empire: notable achievements?

A Golden Age with advances in medicine, inoculations, and mathematics (numerals 0–9 and place value).

Gupta Empire: social structure?

Patriarchal, with most power held by men.

Mandate of Heaven

The Chinese belief that Heaven granted emperors the right to rule, and disasters signal Heaven’s displeasure if rulers are corrupt.

Confucianism vs Hinduism/Judaism (key difference)

Confucianism emphasizes education, virtue, and respect within a patriarchal social order rather than worship of a deity.

Daoism: primary focus

Living in harmony with nature and emphasizing inner reflection.

Qin and Han Dynasties: how they ended the Warring States Period?

Centralized governance and consolidation of standardized systems (weights/measures, roads/canals, script) promoted stability.

Qin: major innovations

Uniform weights and measures, canals and roads, standardized Chinese script.

Han: major innovations

Magnetic compass; advances in science and technology; continued political consolidation.

Civil service exam

A merit-based examination system that selected government officials.

Warring States Period

A time of political fragmentation and decentralization in China before unification.

Filial Piety

The duty to honor and respect one's parents and ancestors.

Spread of Islam: decline of classical empires was marked by declines in what three areas?

Trade, intellectual innovation, and social stability.

What replaced classical empires?

New centralized states that promoted peace and prosperity.

Name the three major trade networks in the post-classical world.

Silk Road, Indian Ocean trade networks, and Trans-Saharan routes.

What is the Qur’an?

The holy book of Islam.

Who is the Prophet of Islam?

Muhammad.

Five Pillars of Islam

Belief in Allah; ritual prayer; almsgiving; fasting; pilgrimage to Mecca.

Why did Islam split into Sunni and Shi’a?

Disagreement over who should succeed Muhammad after his death in 632 CE.

Who were the Abbasids?

Reviewers of the Golden Age of Islam; they stabilized government and promoted trade and learning.

Define Jizya

An extra tax on non-Muslims within Islamic states.

Sharia

A law code based on the Qur’an.

Dar al-Islam

The 'House of Islam' or lands under Muslim rule.

Diaspora

The scattering or spreading of a people from their homeland.

Sui Dynasty: significance of the Grand Canal?

Unified China and linked regional economies, enhancing communication and trade.

Tang Dynasty innovations

Tributary system, gunpowder, and paper money.

Song Dynasty production

Iron, steel, silk, and porcelain manufacture.

Neo-Confucianism

A synthesis of Confucianism with Buddhist and Daoist ideas.

Great Zimbabwe

A large medieval African kingdom that dominated between the 12th and 15th centuries.

Monsoon winds in Indian trade

Seasonal winds that facilitated Indian Ocean trade and commerce.

Mayan downfall factors

Environmental degradation, drought, and warfare.

Mississippian and Toltec empires

Two post-classical civilizations in the Americas that emerged after the classical era.